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Mozilla, the nonprofit tech company behind the ubiquitous Firefox web browser, recently announced that it will branch out and open a new office in downtown San Francisco later this summer. To reflect an atmosphere of transparency, the new workspace, designed by San Francisco-based architecture firm MKThink, is a wide open space with no private offices. The new 15,000-square-foot office is located in the Hills Plaza complex in San Francisco’s South of Market district, and it will provide work area for 125 staff members.
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Post tags: bay area, California, Firefox, interior design, MK Think, Moxilla, office design, office space, real estate, San Francisco, tech, tech companies
Engineers at Stanford University appear to have come up with a way to make solar cells and batteries more efficient by “decorating” nanowires with chains of nanoparticles. The process has been likened to dressing up the nanowires with jewelry, a step which helps to enhance their catalytic and electrical performance. The process is simpler and faster than previous techniques, and the development could lead to better lithium-ion batteries and more efficient solar cells, according to a study published in the journal Nano Letters.
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Post tags: batteries, bejeweled nanowires, green technology, lithium-ion batteries, nanoparticles, nanotechnology, nanowires, solar, Solar cells, stanford, stanford university, tech
During this year’s Milan Design Week Swedish furniture maker IKEA rolled out a bunch of bright-colored tables, chairs, and other pieces of furniture. But perhaps the most interesting product IKEA unveiled in Milan was found in a press kit. According to Gizmodo, at Milan’s Salone design show IKEA distributed a press kit that doubles as a digital camera made of cardboard (which will soon be released). The camera runs on a pair of AA batteries, and can reportedly hold up to 40 images on its built-in memory stick.
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Post tags: camera, cardboard camera, consumerism, disposable camera, ikea, Milan, rangefinder, tech, Technology, wasteful products
Sneakers embedded with pressure sensors and accelerometers bring all-new opportunities for athletic performance tracking
Originally unveiled in 2006, Nike+ has grown to a committed community of over six million digitally connected users. To build upon this concrete foundation Nike has today announced the Nike+ basketball and training shoes embedded with pressure sensors and accelerometers to collect previously unmeasurable, movement-based statistics across multiple levels of speed and agility. The groundbreaking technology is the next step in building a robust ecosystem, in compliment with the innovative Nike FuelBand and specialized Nike+ mobile apps. While these first shoes and apps are focused on basketball and training, this massive innovation represents the beginning of an entirely new chapter in sport measurement and motivation.
The first sneakers to feature the sensor technology are the Hyperdunk+ basketball shoe and the Lunar Hyperworkout+ and Lunar TR1+ training shoes. In all three shoes four embedded sensors—toe, heel, ball and outer foot—work with an internal accelerometer to accurately measure movement and relay stats to your iPhone wirelessly. The three-axis accelerometer and Bluetooth sensor are contained in a removable disc that lasts for about 40 hours between charges, which are achieved using the included USB adapter. An innovation from Nike's "Kitchen," this measurement technology isn't new—it has been used extensively in design research to better understand how athletes move. The revolution comes from the company's ability to bring this innovation to consumers in a usable and exciting form.
While the sensor arrays are the same in all shoes, the Nike+ apps the data is sent to provide the different approaches to tracking, motivation and sharing data. Nike+ Basketball lets you know how high you jump, how quick you run, and how hard you play. In addition to these precise stats a universal NikeFuel score is captured—all allowing the user to compare to previous games plus general exercise with their friends.
The Nike+ Training platform takes the same approach, quantifying each and every movement, shuffle, step, lunge and jump. For training, however, the app features videos of pro athletes coaching you through a series of workouts dynamically sequenced based on your fitness goals. The data captured from these workouts not only provides the measurement necessary to set new goals and improve, but also statistics to share with friends or competitors.
All the data gathered is meant not only to impress but to inspire. By making a workout into something close to a game, feelings will positively shift to improve performance and dedication. To fully understand what the latest Nike+ advancements mean for the company, consider President and CEO Mark Parker's general but bold statement: "It's about much more than a shoe. It represents a shift for Nike from product, to product plus experience."
The Nike+ Pressure Sensor enabled Hyperdunk+, Hyperworkout+ and Lunar TR1+ will debut in specialty shops come 29 June, 2012.
New iPad covers inspired by the classic manila envelope
This holiday season Poketo will launch a series of new tech accessories, including a sleek polyurethane iPad case that caught our eye. Harkening back to the heyday of snail mail, the envelope shape closes with a classic string-and-button fastener and is available in rust, gold, gray and black.
Despite the proliferation of snap cases and sleeves, the safest way to guard your tablet remains a full-coverage case with a secure closure like the envelope's. Plus, the unisex aesthetic and subdued color palette of the Poketo will surely appeal to any design-minded iPad owner on your gift list.
Poketo's envelope iPad case is available on their e-shop for $48. Their new holiday line also includes a two-tone recycled leather iPad case for $64 and polyurethane three dot iPad case for $48.
From night vision to hyper-efficient acceleration, Audi reinvents their midsize sedan
Exhilaration, satisfaction, safety, a sense of control—these are the expected feelings associated with driving a luxury automobile. But being surprised by a car is rare. It's more rare still when you're somewhat familiar with the maker, like we were when we had the chance to test out Audi's 2012 A6 recently.
This newest version of their midsize sedan features all of the brand's latest innovations in design and technology (i.e. updated versions of everything that made us fans of their cars in the first place), in addition to some appealing new options that take the driving experience to the next level. Of course, it's hard to say which manufacturer in this category is winning the race to achieve the kind of contended sigh for which they all seem to be going, but there's perhaps no brand who's embraced it more, continuing to position themselves as the new luxury vehicle.
From the weight of the chassis to integrated technology (an increasingly definitive point when it comes to cars), Audi has rethought the A6 from top to bottom. Quattro devotees will notice off the bat that this car has the expected excellent handling that makes for a super fun drive—hitting off-ramps at 90 miles per hour, zipping around NYC traffic—but refinements build on this foundation, improving both efficiency and comfort.
The most immediately noticeable difference is the vehicle's larger dimensions. A longer wheelbase makes for a roomy interior, presenting a more accessible but comparably luxurious alternative to the A7. Ample space makes for a more pleasant ride for rear passengers (along with other details including independent climate controls) and the generous trunk even accommodated a bulky planter bought on an antiques run.
To haul whatever you might put in it, the A6 boasts some pretty powerful guts. We took the 3.0-liter version of the V6 engine for a spin (it's available as a 2.0 as well), quickly becoming fans of the low revolutions per minute at which it operates. Cruising at 65 M.P.H., the tachometer still registers under 200,000 R.P.M., leaving plenty of room for accelerating quickly even at high speeds and embodying an efficient engine.
This revelation comes only second to our first "wow" moment in the car when driving through the midnight rain in rural Pennsylvania using the night vision assistant. The feature proved amazing for seeing the dark road better, making the drive safer while allowing a speed demon to have some fun.
Part of a package of safety features, overall the user experience of Audi's driver assist maintains a balance between enjoying the car and limiting potential hazards. Small details like a volume control on the passenger side show just how well-considered the setup is.
Adaptive cruise control is another telling example of how intuitive Audi has made the user interface, and a feature that has repeatedly impressed us. Smooth thanks to the adjustable distance range as well as front and rear sensors, the assist is a boon to modern drivers who face stop-and-go traffic and the increasing reality of a car that drives itself.
More proof of the automaker's forward-thinking approach is in the connectivity package that turns the car into a wireless hotspot using T-mobile's 3G service. Passengers can connect personal devices (we spent a lot of time skyping with friends abroad) and the car's navigation system can tap into Google search results. While no nav is perfect, Audi's innovative touchpad interface, allowing you to write out info with a finger, is one of the easiest to use out there. The Google Earth integration is fairly beautiful too, coordinating nicely with the woodgrain inlay.
In all, the only weak spot in the car was using the iPhone integration to make calls; the system for finding phone numbers in address books and the like was nearly impossible to use. But who needs to talk when you have banging Bang & Olufson sound, complete with tweeters that emerge from the dash when you start the car?
For a top-down experience of modern luxury, buoyed by innovations in technology, design and engineering, the 2012 A6 makes quite a case for itself.
Contributions by Ami Kealoha and Tim Yu
A behind the scenes video with Range Rover learning about the bridge between design and manufacturing
When Range Rover asked me to be a City Shaper and help tell the world about their all-new Evoque one of my first requests was to meet the car's designers and visit the factory where they're being built.
Exploring the role of design at Range Rover we visited their creative team in Gaydon, England to learn about how the LRX concept vehicle was translated to the all-new Evoque. From there we traveled north to the factory in Halewood to see how the cars are manufactured and what it means to bring a design to life.
From the mountain to subway, six situation-specific headphones for all your listening needs
Even audiophiles will tell you that sourcing the ultimate headphones is a hunt for the Holiest of Grails. Rather than look for an all-purpose solution, we surveyed the latest models to come up with the following favorite pairs tailored for different uses. Matched with some recent tracks that have been on heavy rotation in the CH offices recently, consider this your guide to total listening pleasure.
Corner Office
Ideal for workaholics, the wireless Sennheiser RS170 means you'll never miss a beat of your favorite song—whether typing at your desk or grabbing the twentieth coffee of the day. Features include bass and surround-sound on/off options, incredible acoustics, 260-feet of free range mobility and impeccable comfort. Absolutely worth the $280 price tag, pick up a pair from Adorama.
Listen: "House of Balloons - Glass Table Girls" by The Weeknd
Grinding
Sony brings pristine audio and clear tones to the table with their MDR-ZX700s. An extremely lightweight design fits over the entire ear, relieves the typical ear pressure and isolates the outstanding acoustics. Long the brand of choice for video and audio production both in the field and studio, these will stand up to hours of recording and editing. At $120 (available from Sony), there's good value for the dough here too.
Listen: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
On the Bus
Urbanears' Plattan, a full-sized, not-too-bulky headphone, is ideal for hitting the road. With a fabric cord at just about waist-length, the mobile-friendly design helps avoid tangles on the go. And with their "zound plug," your new best friend sitting next to you can plug directly into your 'phones to share the sweet tunes. Available in tons of on-trend colors and running $60 a pop (from Urbanears), they're a good one for parents to gift to college-age kids.
Listen: "County Line" by Cass McCombs
Getting Action
For the record, we never, ever encourage wearing headphones while snowboarding, skating, biking or any other activity requiring a full set of senses. But our homies over at Frends sure do. Enter the Alli, designed by snowboarders for snowboarding. These small, over-ear headphones sound great even if it feels like you're going Mach 10. Hit the smartphone-compatible pause button to chat with buddies, then hit play to drown out the chatty weekend warrior next to you on the lift. Plus, at $35 (from Frends), they're cheap enough to be replaced after a nice biff.
Listen: "Standing at the Station" by Ty Segall
Commute
Long flights, missed trains, loud engines and babies crying equals no fun. Add the Phiaton PS 20 NC and enjoy your music without the distractions. The superior noise-canceling technology and comfortable in-ear design allow for amazing acoustics that make any song sound better. No more listening to your fellow subway rider's less tasteful music, keep yours at a comfortable level while blocking out the world. Well worth the retail price of $130, they sell from Ritz Camera.
Listen: "Battery Kinzie" by Fleet Foxes
Work It
Small, sleek and solid, Moshi Audio's Vortex stays in tune while you literally run around. Dial in the superb bass to get through your workout and rely on the braided cord to avoid tangles. Amazingly enough to actually stay in your ear during fast-paced activity, $80 gets you great sound and beautiful design—from Moshi's online store.
Listen: "Boom" by jj
Contributions from: Karen Day, Graham Hiemstra, Ami Kealoha, Evan Orensten and Tim Yu
Six designs from the 2011 NY Auto Show we'd love to see in production
Concept cars serve two purposes: To create an allure and desire for a brand and to explore style and technology innovations that influence a maker's range of cars in a more accessible time frame. Most of these cars had their debut at other recent shows, but all are alluring and insightful in how they will influence upcoming models.
Saab's PhoeniX combines a sleek sports body with a highly engineered, efficient propulsion system. The all-wheel drive hybrid sports a 200hp, 1.6-litre turbo engine to power the front wheels while the rear is powered by an electrically driven axle. Its sexy lines are an insight into design director Jason Castriota's vision for the brand we're all hoping makes its way into upcoming cars. It's camera-driven rear view mirrors and super-slick butterfly doors provide an accessible yet futuristic feel.
It's always exciting when a company reinvents a classic. Volkswagen revisits its iconic microbus model with their Bulli concept, a six-seater driven by an electric motor with a 186-mile range. Further enabling drivers to leverage their devices instead of being tied to a car's tech, the infotainment system is driven by an iPad. VW says this flexible beauty is headed for production in 2014.
Striking lines and a sleek design come together in this nontraditional concept of the age-old touring sedan. The Lexus LF-Gh is probably the boldest hybrid of recent times. Designed for the low emission standards of the future and the style, performance and efficiency demands of today.
Scion's FRS-8 is based on a platform that Toyota used for its recently introduced FT-86 II concept and that will power the rear-wheel drive Subaru Boxer when it goes into production in 2012. Scion's take is our favorite, and one we'd love to see go into production.
Designed specifically for city dwellers, Cadillac's Urban concept seats four and is driven by a 1.0-liter three cylinder engine. The compact package and use of electric assist technology gets this vehicle an estimated 56mpg in the city, and despite its small size it comfortably surrounds you in Cadillac luxury.
One of the few cars unveiled at the show, the A-class concept maintains its Mercedes-Benz DNA and infuses it with a welcome youthful twist. In addition to its sporty and sleek design the car features a new turbocharged 4 cylinder engine, a dual clutch transmission, advanced collision protection and braking systems.
Volkswagen offers the first-ever supercharged hybrid SUV in a luxurious limited edition
Taking advantage of a sunny day in New York City, we recently put Volkswagen's new 2011 Supercharged Hybrid Touareg to the test on a trip to Brooklyn for some of the best pizza in town.
VW describes this limited edition Touareg as "a rare beast" that can be likened to the white buffalo—strong, silent, and few in numbers. With panoramic glass consuming almost the entire roof we got full views of skyscrapers, bridges and beautiful open sky. When combined with the rest of the luxurious interior, riding around in this "beast" is definitely like no other journey.
Its highly responsive navigation system—one of our favorites—features a large full-color touchscreen that allows the driver to choose between 2D or 3D navigation. Once you've programmed where to go, the jamming sound system and iPod-friendly stereo let passengers sit back and enjoy the smooth ride.
While admittedly lower in mpg when compared to a compact car, the Supercharged Hybrid offers 20-24 mpg, similar to that of the TDi model. Its start-stop system saves gas when idle, and regenerative breaks recoup kinetic energy that help charge the battery. While not boasting as much torque as its diesel counterpart, the tuned suspension makes for a fun, sporty ride, and its powerful engine really helps when you've got a car full of gear.
We're proud that Volkswagon chose to sponsor our Cool Hunting iPad app (iTunes link) as a way to launch this new car. Download the free app and check out some exclusive Rare Beast content.
Packed with every imaginable amenity, the Supercharged Hybrid Touareg is ideal for family vacations and urban escapes alike. To get your hands on one, contact a VW dealer near you.
Get more out of your gadgets with these tech add-ons
If there's any theme to the newsworthy items found at CES this year, it's the concept of the add-on gadget. From tweeting from a camera to printing mobile pictures and avoiding speeding tickets with phones, here are a few new things you can do when devices start talking to each other.
Polaroid Grey Label Printer
The lesser-hyped product from Polaroid's new Gaga designed line, the GL10Grey Label printer uses a new Zink (zero ink) printing technology to print quality 3"x4" shots sent to the device via Bluetooth from a Blackberry or Android app. It gives the option of printing border-less or with an old-school white frame, and offers a variety of special effects. With its chic leather carrying case, it makes a great accessory for taking out to a party. Due out this May, the printer will run $150.
Olympus PP1 Penpal
To trick out their new E-PL2 micro four-thirds camera, Olympus' PP1 Penpal fits into the flash hotshoe. When in place, a "share" option appears on the playback screen to transfer that picture to Blackberry or Android devices via Bluetooth. The pic lands in your photo library so it can be easily posted to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr or anywhere else you share photos from your phone. It's available from Olympus retailers now for $80.
Surc Univeral Remote iPhone Case
Not the first but potentially the most powerful, this iPhone case and accompanying software turns phones into universal remotes. You can easily add devices and rooms to be able to use it anywhere in your home, or launch a "Surc attack" in your favorite bar and change the TV station so that you never miss an episode of Real Housewives. It comes out this spring and will retail for $70 from Surc.
Cobra iRadar
With Cobra iRadar a simple radar detector becomes more powerful by pairing with your iPhone. The app tracks driving information, avoids red light cameras and notes speed traps. It's available from several retailers now for $130.
Parrot Astroid
The Parrot Astroid is a single-plug in-dash receiver with a simple interface and a high-res color screen featuring web apps, voice recognition, music playback and hands-free telephony—all by communicating with your mobile phone over Bluetooth.
In our latest video a revived Swiss watchmaker takes us behind the scenes to look at design and handcraft
We traveled to beautiful Neuchâtel, Switzerland to learn the history of Marvin Watches, a brand celebrating it's 160th birthday and its re-introduction to consumers. Once one of the largest watchmakers in Switzerland the company suffered at the end of the last century, and was resurrected by husband and wife team Cécile and Jean-Daniel Maye eight years ago. Their hard work has paid off, and Marvin Watches was just launched in the U.S. and most European markets in October 2010.
Cécile shares Marvin's story and walks us through the year-long process of making a watch. Celebrated watch designer Sébastian Perret has been instrumental in Marvin's renaissance, and he shares his process for creating a watch from sketch to prototype.
While we were at Marvin we worked with Cécile and Sébastien to design our "Toujours Plus" Malton 160 Cushion, a Cool Hunting Edition collaboration.
Our favorite multi-room A/V system's new dock for drop-in music streaming
With their new Wireless Dock for iPod and iPhone, the Sonos system (which allows users to broadcast music from computers, the Internet, or any attached storage device wirelessly and throughout multiple rooms) has grown even more useful. Simply place the device in the dock and music will begin playing in whichever zone has been set as your default, making it easy to play visitors' music or allowing a smooth transition between in-ear listening and in-home enjoyment of your personal soundtrack.
I've been testing Sonos' wireless dock for the last couple weeks and am pleased with its simplicity. The beauty is that it transfers whatever you're playing—files from your device, Last.fm, Pandora, or any other streaming program—to your home system. And unlike most docks, Sonos plays music digitally rather than converting files to analog, meaning that quality will never be comprised.
Buy the wireless dock on Sonos' website and check out Cool Hunting's other Sonos favorites here.
Live crab vending, sound sculptures, an app for healthy food shopping and more in our week's worth of links
1. Paris vs New York, A Tally of Two Cities
A recent NYC transplant from Paris copes with culture shock by creating a lovely blog of simple graphics showing how the cities compare and contrast. Pitted against each other are Le Pain, La Peste, Le Tip and more in this friendly feud.
2. New York: Portrait of a City
From heavenly images of Grand Central to Scorcese and DeNiro on the set of "Taxi Driver," the series of images published by Photo District News is a sneak peek at the just-launched book "New York: Portrait of a City." The work of Taschen and former Photo District News executive editor Reuel Golden, the love letter is a top-to-bottom look at the city as told by a cast that includes some of its earliest residents and some of the world's finest artists. (Philip-Lorca diCorcia's "42nd Street" 1996, pictured above.)
3. ShopWell iPhone App
A new app allows you to easily comparison shop at the grocery store, searching its exhaustive database just by scanning a barcode. Results include nutrition info, personal reviews and alternative options.
4. Haslinger Collection of Vintage Heuers
Selectism gets a preview of sale by Bonham's upcoming auction of Arlo Haslinger's near-mint collection of 1960s-1980s watches, most of which were featured in his seminal book Heuer Chronographs. Highlights include the 80 vintage Heuer chronographs from Haslinger’s personal collection and a TAG Heuer 1/1 limited edition watch signed by Jack Heuer with proceeds benefitting Green Cross International. Check out Hodinkee's video to learn more about the collector and the brand's racecar heritage.
5. The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Vanity Fair shows an excerpt from the new coffe-table book "The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," featuring rare photos of the set and annotated behind-the-scenes details.
6. Bringing Colour to Life: The Making of the Pixma Campaign
A behind-the-scenes look at how the creative team at Dentsu made sound sculptures for a recent Canon commercial, this video is a HDSLR and sound sculpture nerd's dream-come-true. For those who just want to see more pretty pictures, there's plenty of slow motion footage of the neon-hued paint splatters too.
7. Live Crab Vending Machine
Whether dispensing ramen or safety, there's not much vending machines can't do. Now in addition to one in Japan that sells bananas, this video shows how a Chinese inventor came up with a way to automate crab sales by keeping them at temperatures that cause them to hibernate. A sign on the machine promises three free crabs if you get a dead one.
8. Richard Chai x Snarkitecture
The latest in the Building Fashion series (collaborative pop-ups pairing architects and fashion designers) sees rising fashion darling Richard Chai hang his clothes in a futuristic cave that art and architecture duo Snarkitecture hand-carved out of white architectural foam.
Italian sports car design meets luxury horology in this new collaborative watch
by Meehna Goldsmith
With echoes of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4's sexy curves, the Parmigiani Bugatti Super Sport watch is the latest high performance collaboration from the opulent French watchmaker and Italian sports car manufacturer. Working together since 2001, Parmigiani and Bugatti have created several successful timepieces, including the 2004 Bugatti Type 370—a revolutionary watch that rests on a diagonal axis so drivers can read the time without having to turn their wrist.
Designed for Bugatti's 100-year anniversary, the sleek Super Sport borrows the 370's well-fitted design while adding even greater aerodynamic styling by mocking the Bugatti Veyron's streamlined wing. Like all of their watches, the Super Sport draws on Fibonacci's Golden Ratio, using the mathematical formula's spiral lines to create a perfectly-proportioned watch.
Another design feat, flipping the mechanical components of the watch onto a vertical axis allows drivers to keep focus on the dial. Though the concept seems simple, the difficulty of configuring the dial's direction against the watch's movement makes it a triumph of engineering. By developing a 90-degree time setting system and integrating a system of double pinions with bevel gearing, Parmigiani again dramatically transformed the possibilities for watch design.
While the watch has subtle Bugatti branding, the details speak more to the renowned design of the company, beginning with the shade of orange used on the watch hands, indexes and power reserve. Other signals include train wheels cut to resemble car wheels—visible through the piece's six sapphire crystals—as well as balance and escape wheel bridges formed to mirror the Bugatti oval.
All 337 individual parts of the watch are produced in-house at Parmigiani, with the exception of the Hermes crystals and band. Produced in a limited edition of 30 pieces in 18kt white gold, the Parmigiani Bugatti Super Sport retails for $259,000 at selected authorized dealers around the world.
Our video investigating the design behind Aiaiai's new DJ headphones
In this video, we visit Copenhagen to learn all about the design of Aiaiai's new DJ headphone, the TMA-1. Checking in with Kibisi designers Jens Martin Skibsted and Lars Holme Larson and Aiaiai co-founder Frederik Jørgensen, we learn about their design process and influences.
To get your own pair of the DJ-approved headphones (James Murphy described them as ""nice and smooth without being flat"), you'll need $200 and to visit Ghostly's store.
New technology takes the turbulence out of driving with the top down
When Mercedes-Benz unveiled their brand-new Aircap technology in their 2011 E-Class Cabriolet at last February's NYC Fashion Week, I knew I wanted to check it out for myself. As someone who always saw the appeal of convertibles as spoiled by hair whipping in my face, I was curious to see if it actually worked. I had the perfect opportunity when Mercedes lent me the E-Cab for a day trip to the Barnes Foundation (a spot I highly recommend visiting) outside of Philadelphia, PA.
Activated with just a push of a button in the center console, the Aircap technology makes the smooth and luxurious ride that you'd expect from the luxury car all the more so for all of its passengers. While the experience isn't completely wind-free, the small windshield spoiler and rear screen creates a pleasantly breezy and more quiet interior for chatting, listening to music, talking on the phone over the built-in Bluetooth, or just communing with the open road.
The feeling of joy and freedom that comes with driving is what the device is really all about—cruising down the highway, with the wind licking at your hair (not blowing it in your face) and sunlight pouring in the car. For lead-foots like me, Aircap automatically adjusts according to speed, significantly decreasing the wind flowing through the cabin, even at speeds over 60 mph.
With the new technology, you might be inclined to keep the top down all year long. Fortunately, Mercedes thought of that too. In cooler weather, Aircap also works to keep cold air out of the cabin, and combined with Airscarf, a heating system at the often-ignored neck level, you can still keep warm while getting all the benefits of owning a convertible.
Available only from Mercedes-Benz, Aircap can be found in the new E-Class Cabriolet, with a sticker price of a little over $56,000 (give or take a few thousand for various customizations). Airscarf is also available in the E-Class as well as other models.
Our video with Ford's voice recognition engineer reveals sweeping improvements to their MyFord interface
The latest news from Ford furthers the impressive progress they're making both outside and inside of their cars. We wrote in-depth about the clever MyTouch in-car interface when it was unveiled in January 2010. But when Ford recently announced a major evolution to the way the MyTouch system handles voice recognition, we were fortunate enough to get a hands-on demo with Brigitte Richardson, Ford's lead engineer for voice control technology and speech systems, and Vlad Sejnoha, the chief scientist at Nuance, whose voice technology powers the SYNC-powered MyTouch system.
The system's benefit remains the same—it easily controls the car's climate, entertainment, navigation and phone systems without having to take your hands off of the steering wheel or eyes off of the road. This evolution achieves two important goals that improve how voice recognition works. Though the system's voice still sounds like a computer, it makes a huge leap towards more natural speech and tone. Secondly, the system's vocabulary has grown exponentially from 100 to 10,000 first level commands, which makes talking to the interface more natural too. Changing the temperature, for example, can now be achieved by any number of phrases, such as "increase temperature," "temp warmer" or "make hotter."
Learn more in our video above with Brigitte as she demonstrates some of the features in a production model of the 2011 Ford Edge.
1. Kjaer Weis Makeup
Recently debuted, the high-end organic makeup line Kjaer Weis bills itself as the first fully refillable makeup system. The gorgeous Marc Atlan-designed packaging and natural ingredients has us looking forward to its U.S. launch later this year .
2. A.P.C. x Aesop Fine Fabric Care
Following the news of A.P.C.'s online journal (a nice selection of news and behind-the-scenes stories), Hypebeast highlights the collaboration between the cult French label and Australian skin care line Aesop, who teamed up on new fabric wash designed for delicates.
3. Auditorium Toy Company
With only a single toy so far in its collection, the Auditorium Toy Company already has drawn a lot of attention for the handcrafted design and high-quality appeal of its first limited-edition toy—Boattail Racer. Images of The Committee look just as appealing, if not more.
4. Ball Man
A 3-D image of a soccer player blown up 21 meters tall, Nike's "Ball Man" sculpture is an impressive mass of 5,500 yellow mini soccer balls suspended from the atrium of the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg. Check out Notcot to get the whole story and see plenty of images, if you're not in South Africa.
5. Tree Hotel
Channeling the salad days spent in the backyard, the new Tree Hotel in Harads, Sweden offers guests an upscale respite, complete with eco-friendly floor heating—an alternative heating source for coping with the country's harsh winter weather.
6. Inspiration Pad
Recently featured on Swiss Miss, the Inspiration Pad by Brussels-based designer Marc Thomasset puts a new twist on the regular journal or notepad. Warping the lines of the otherwise traditional piece of ruled paper probably more aptly represents most student's minds anyway.
7. IdentiGene DNA Paternity Test
Mothers, children and potential baby daddies out there with questions no longer need to go on Maury to get some answers. The IdentiGene kit, available at several pharmacy chains (including CVS and Walgreens), offers paternity test results in 3-5 business days. Privacy and convenience come at a price, though—$150 to be exact.
8. Auto-Defense by Stéphane Malka
BldgBlog spotlights a study of architectural hijacking at the Arche de la Défense in Paris, envisioned by architect Stéphane Malka.
9. Shadb "Aurora" Hand-Dyed T-shirt
Via Selectism, a t-shirt by Shabd embraces the tie-dye moment, taking the hippie-dippie craft to a new level of beautiful sophistication—again, a $150 level to be exact.
10. Ultimate Flash Flash
Ultimate Flash Face allows users to recreate police-style composite sketches with none of the drawing skills and all of the creep factor.
11. Live-Image Augmented Reality Trick for iPhones
Cult of Mac shares how the image-detection feature of the latest iPhone OS can produce a real-time trick through augmented reality with the Junaio app.
12. Lekar iPhone app
Ikea creates an iPhone app for kids and adults alike, inspiring playtime and creativity. Called Lekar, the app entices children with games like musical chairs, hide-and-seek and more.
13. Tony Stark Innovation Challenge
Winning Audi's innovation challenge, Natan Linder presents LuminAR—a projector-based medium for viewing the Internet.
14. Richardson
After a seven-year hiatus, Richardson magazine returns. Dazed Digital interviews founder Andrew Richardson, who reveals his early influences and current interests in the world of art porn, as well as his experiences with famed photographer Richard Avedon.
15. Radical Cartography
The Very Short List points out the strategically overlaid maps on Radical Cartography, which plot everything from "the physical expansion of Boston since 1630" to "what the world needs now."
16. A Year at War
With their non-fiction multimedia feature the The New York Times proves they've still got it, combining Grey Lady-calibre reporting with video updates from the front lines. The subject it documents, the First Batallion in the 87th infantry, is part of the new surge in Afghanistan that will be deployed for a year to fulfill a new mission—training local police and strengthening the government.
1. Kjaer Weis Makeup
Recently debuted, the high-end organic makeup line Kjaer Weis bills itself as the first fully refillable makeup system. The gorgeous Marc Atlan-designed packaging and natural ingredients has us looking forward to its U.S. launch later this year .
2. A.P.C. x Aesop Fine Fabric Care
Following the news of A.P.C.'s online journal (a nice selection of news and behind-the-scenes stories), Hypebeast highlights the collaboration between the cult French label and Australian skin care line Aesop, who teamed up on new fabric wash designed for delicates.
3. Auditorium Toy Company
With only a single toy so far in its collection, the Auditorium Toy Company already has drawn a lot of attention for the handcrafted design and high-quality appeal of its first limited-edition toy—Boattail Racer. Images of The Committee look just as appealing, if not more.
4. Ball Man
A 3-D image of a soccer player blown up 21 meters tall, Nike's "Ball Man" sculpture is an impressive mass of 5,500 yellow mini soccer balls suspended from the atrium of the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg. Check out Notcot to get the whole story and see plenty of images, if you're not in South Africa.
5. Tree Hotel
Channeling the salad days spent in the backyard, the new Tree Hotel in Harads, Sweden offers guests an upscale respite, complete with eco-friendly floor heating—an alternative heating source for coping with the country's harsh winter weather.
6. Inspiration Pad
Recently featured on Swiss Miss, the Inspiration Pad by Brussels-based designer Marc Thomasset puts a new twist on the regular journal or notepad. Warping the lines of the otherwise traditional piece of ruled paper probably more aptly represents most student's minds anyway.
7. IdentiGene DNA Paternity Test
Mothers, children and potential baby daddies out there with questions no longer need to go on Maury to get some answers. The IdentiGene kit, available at several pharmacy chains (including CVS and Walgreens), offers paternity test results in 3-5 business days. Privacy and convenience come at a price, though—$150 to be exact.
8. Auto-Defense by Stéphane Malka
BldgBlog spotlights a study of architectural hijacking at the Arche de la Défense in Paris, envisioned by architect Stéphane Malka.
9. Shadb "Aurora" Hand-Dyed T-shirt
Via Selectism, a t-shirt by Shabd embraces the tie-dye moment, taking the hippie-dippie craft to a new level of beautiful sophistication—again, a $150 level to be exact.
10. Ultimate Flash Flash
Ultimate Flash Face allows users to recreate police-style composite sketches with none of the drawing skills and all of the creep factor.
11. Live-Image Augmented Reality Trick for iPhones
Cult of Mac shares how the image-detection feature of the latest iPhone OS can produce a real-time trick through augmented reality with the Junaio app.
12. Lekar iPhone app
Ikea creates an iPhone app for kids and adults alike, inspiring playtime and creativity. Called Lekar, the app entices children with games like musical chairs, hide-and-seek and more.
13. Tony Stark Innovation Challenge
Winning Audi's innovation challenge, Natan Linder presents LuminAR—a projector-based medium for viewing the Internet.
14. Richardson
After a seven-year hiatus, Richardson magazine returns. Dazed Digital interviews founder Andrew Richardson, who reveals his early influences and current interests in the world of art porn, as well as his experiences with famed photographer Richard Avedon.
15. Radical Cartography
The Very Short List points out the strategically overlaid maps on Radical Cartography, which plot everything from "the physical expansion of Boston since 1630" to "what the world needs now."
16. A Year at War
With their non-fiction multimedia feature the The New York Times proves they've still got it, combining Grey Lady-calibre reporting with video updates from the front lines. The subject it documents, the First Batallion in the 87th infantry, is part of the new surge in Afghanistan that will be deployed for a year to fulfill a new mission—training local police and strengthening the government.
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