The Latest in Designer Cell Phones - Fascinating Figure Mobile Phone

There was a time when cell phones were simply "phones" and nothing else! But thanks to "iPhone", "chocolate" and "music phones", the mobile phone has witnessed a huge revolution and transformed from a phone to a device. You may forget your wallet, but its unlikely that you'd forget your cell phone (unless we are taking about me, of course:)) The phone has also become a style icon these days, and people put in a lot of efforts to personalize their cell phones, whether its the cell-phone faceplates, the ringtones, the themes, cell-phone covers or styles and screensavers, everyone wants a device that represents their identity! So here's something that will simply serve as an answer to all your phone-fantasies (well, almost!) A Shanghai-based designer Xiao Zhihua has come up with the concept of a Fascinating Figure Phone which is both stylish and tranquil at the same time!

The inspiration of this fascinating mobile phone is based on the beauty of reflections on a lake. With stylish cell phone skins, its a beauty to look at. When this phone in the off mode, you can see the screen looks like a still water surface. In operation mode, it's totally a different story! You will see flowing music, film images, pictures, web pages, articles, and user interfaces appearing on the display, reminiscent of the reflections on the water’s surface. As users indulge in the visual experience provided by the large screen, they are reacquainted with the beauty of the lake’s reflections. The display is adaptive, allowing it to automatically adjust the screen settings depending on the user’s environment for optimal viewing. So while you browse and search for stuff, you can still feel relaxed and one with nature:) It also boasts of an adjustable touchscreen interface that can be tailored to a user’s mood. You can change the background to any desired image to fit your preference.

Since this is a concept, you should pretty much be able to do anything with it, right?! Hence it's not a surprise that this cell phone can be operated horizontally, vertically and even diagonally!! Its interface can also be transformed to give it a curved appearance.The user is able to select images according to their moods and preferences, giving a stylish dimension to suit the user’s lifestyle. Pretty neat and funky! Hey, we love all this "lounging by the lake" kind of feeling, but after all, it's a phone and most importantly, it should act like one! I like the concept; its fresh and strikes a chord in this busy world. If it pulls off, it should definitely be able to attract a decent amount of attention, especially because of its looks and style! Apple beware, the next-generation of cell phones may be much more trendier than the iPhone!



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Photoreactive Sun Canopy - A Fusion of Architecture and Technology

Summer has officially kicked in, and people are out buying shades and canopies to beta the heat. But no one would have dreamed of a better canopy than the designers at Milan's 2008 Furniture fair! Made out of funky material that creates illusions of colors on reflecting sunlight, this photoreactive sun canopy is more like a piece of architecture than just a refuge from the sun! Termed as Project OR, this intriguing piece of art wowed the audience at Milan.

Visitors to this year’s Salone del Mobile (Milan Furniture Fair 2008)were in for a treat when they walked into a quaint Italian courtyard on Milan’s Via Borgospesso to witness Christoph Klemmt’s stunning vortex-shaped OR installation. Composed out of polygonal, polypropylene, photoreactive segments which respond to ultra-violet light, OR’s captivating powers lie in its capacity to adapt its appearance to changes in weather and daylight. Its "skin" emits flourishing hues of blue and green when exposed to sunlight and maintains a subtle translucent white when the installation is overcome by shade. Best of all, OR’s effects are not limited to daytime - at night, it generates ample atmosphere by becoming a "psychedelic chandelier" flooding its surrounding areas with a dramatic disco of lights.

OR is the first time that photoreactive technology has been used on an architectural scale. The ecological structure is a step in exploring the possibilities of photoreactive materials in the fields of furniture and design. The beauty of OR is its constant interaction with the elements. Each moment of the day is unique. The installation was a collaborative effort by architect Klemmt and fellow London-based designers Ran Ankori, Francesco Brenta, Maya Carni, Laura Micalizzi and Elisa Oddone. For more details and a photo gallery, visit Project OR.



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A Bike That Runs on Air?? - Now That's Eco-Friendly!!

Gas Prices are sky-rocketing, and driving a car to work everyday is becoming even more taxing that taking a bus and a train, even with an hour-long commute! The tech world keeps talking about "alternatives to fuel" and "green vehicles", but these are not as easily available as we'd like to see. But what if I told you that you could design your own "air-powered bike" without much fuss and money? Before you start thinking I am a jester making funny jokes, let me tell you that this guy you see in the picture has already made one for himself!

After the air-powered watch, let me tell you about the current rocket scientist cum inventor Jem Stansfield who has successfully created an air-powered moped that helps save money and energy. He took a couple of air canisters normally used by firefighters for their breathing apparatuses, and lashed them onto a Puch moped. He claims that this is the world’s first motorcycle powered by fresh air, which eliminates pollution to a great extent.

The two compressed air cylinders drive a pair of rotary air engines that propel the bike to a top speed of 18mph, but it’ll only go about 7 miles until more air is needed. But unlike electric scooters, it takes just seconds to recharge from larger air tanks filled by a diving compressor; just a quick stop at a fill-up shop and you are good to go!. Surely not a bad idea if you live close to work, or use this for shorter distances.

Jem Stansfield built the scooter for a National Geographic channel documentary called Planet Mechanics. He is a true innovator in creating one of the most environmentally sound vehicles today. You can see him test ride it in Bristol when the programme is aired on June 3 at 6pm. No matter how crude it looks, I think this may be a step in the right direction for a greener Earth. Motor companies could actually perfect this technology to produce more air-powered cleaner vehicles, right?! Also check out this innovative hybrid-electric car that is soon to hit california streets.




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URWERK unveils UR-202- The first Air-Powered Watch

Remember the small shops in India with the signs "watch repairing"?? well, they might not be around as long as you think; with the fast progress of technology, there's a great chance manual things like these would become extinct in a decade or so. Fancy wrist-watches already have tonnes of features embedded in them like heart-rate monitors and speed calculators- heck, there are watches that play MP3 and video! The latest to hit the savvy watch scene is a German-mde UR-202, an air-powered watch that uses air pressure for automatic winding and synchronisation.

URWERK has released the world’s first watch that uses compressed air to regulate the winding system. The UR-202 features a 3-position selector switch that controls the level of air compression generated by its miniature twin turbines, which in turn control the rate of automatic winding. For now, it's likely the world's first timepiece to use this method of regulating the winding system. And for all this, is actually looks pretty sleek and cool; check out the UR-202 promotional video. There seems to be no price listed, though given its airy stature, you can expect some pretty inflated figures.

The UR-202 features a distinctive time display using telescopic minute hands operating through the middle of three orbiting and revolving hour satellites. The telescopic minute hands precisely adjust their length to follow the three vectors marking the minutes: 0 -14, 15 - 44, 45 - 60. Extended, they enable the UR-202 to display the time across a large easy-to-read, dial. Retracted, they allow for a very wearable and comfortably sized case; thus providing the wearer with the best of both worlds. This classic timepiece is available in red gold, white gold, black PE-CVD Platinum and TiAlN. Check out more details on the UR-202 and UR-103 on the URWERK watch collection It's stylish and suitable for tech geeks and freaks alike!:)



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