Designer : Demetrius Tanase

[Press Release]

Live life in the fast lane with the XPERIA™ X2 from Sony Ericsson. Designed for those who always need to be connected, whether it’s for business or personal life, the XPERIA™ X2 blurs the boundary between work and play.

London, UK – September 2, 2009 – Today Sony Ericsson announces the XPERIA™ X2 a new Windows® phone that offers a best in class email and multimedia experience. In the modern world where 24/7 communication is key, users can instantly synchronise their mail and calendar and open and edit Microsoft® Office Mobile documents quickly and efficiently to stay connected with colleagues wherever they are.

The XPERIA™ X2 also includes the unique SlideView feature, which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities. Providing quick interaction with contacts, messages, media and more, SlideView gives an overview of missed incoming activity, notifying the user of any missed calls, e-mails and text messages so users don’t overlook an important contact.

With 14 specially designed preloaded XPERIA™ panels and 16 more to download, users can work with no boundaries with the XPERIA™ X2. From Skype, Mytopia and Google™, to games, CNN and Windows Live™, the panels ensure users are up-to-date with what matters most to them. With an improved touch interface and new 3D signature panel users also benefit from flexible desktop panels designed to categorise business, fun and communication features. Just set favourites to appear during certain times of the day and can get the latest news in the morning, YouTube™ at lunchtime and games for the journey home.

Powered by QWERTY messaging, Windows Mobile® users can even show their presentations on the big screen with the TV out cable – the XPERIA™ X2 makes a day at the office a walk in the park.

“In the fast moving world we live in, the need to stay connected has never been so important.” said Sumit Malhotra, marketing business manager, Sony Ericsson. “We constantly rely on our mobile phones as an extension to the office and the XPERIA™ X2 debuting with Windows Mobile® 6.5, allows users to work quickly and efficiently while on the move. The XPERIA™ X2 also features a new range of interactive panels as well as SlideView, which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities – perfect for those who need to see any missed incoming activity at a glance.”

Entertainment is not compromised on XPERIA™ X2. Enjoy amazing multimedia with the 3.2” high resolution touch screen and DVD quality and take advantage of the 8.1 megapixel camera to capture and instantly share experiences with friends and family. Personalise the panels and users can access Facebook™ to upload their party or holiday images and they can chat with friends across the world via Skype. Whether it is music, photography, email, video or gaming the XPERIA™ X2 has it all.

“Windows® phones allow people to manage their whole world – from work to home to play – on a single handset,” said Stephanie Ferguson, general manager, product management, Microsoft Corp. “The XPERIA™ X2 taps the powerful messaging and multimedia capabilities in Windows Mobile® so customers can be in touch, productive and entertained wherever they are.”

With the need to stay connected 24/7 Sony Ericsson has designed XPERIA™ Services, a bespoke and unique after sales package designed to help XPERIA™ X2 users get the most out of their mobile phone. With a specialised technical team standing by to support busy users and talk through the outstanding features the XPERIA™ X2 has to offer users can get help from troubleshooting to how to access their favourite websites. And if their XPERIA™ X2 stops working while they are abroad, XPERIA™ Services can replace the mobile phone via a simple phone call.
XPERIA™ Services really has been devised with the consumer in mind and to help consumers discover more about their XPERIA™ X2.

Live life without boundaries

* Windows Mobile® 6.5 – work on the move easier
* Make the most of the day – flexible desktop panels categorised for life: communication and fun, multimedia, business and internet
* Work without boundaries – instant synchronisation of mail, calendar powered by QWERTY keyboard messaging and Windows Mobile®
* Slide view – quick access to frequently used phone activities and overview of missed incoming activity
* Present documents on the big screen – TV out cable
* Never get stranded – XPERIA™ exclusive travel insurance
* Enjoy amazing multimedia – 3.2” high resolution touch screen and DVD quality
* 8.1 mega pixel camera with Photo light – easily upload images to web albums
* Real 3D panel – 3D effects and zoom, music playback controls

Big business meeting? Arrive charged with the Car Charger AN300 – ultra fast, ultra-safe and ultra-reliable. A perfect accessory for the XPERIA™ X2, it charges 40 per cent faster than most car chargers – just plug into the cigarette lighter and go.

XPERIA™ X2 supports GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS/HSPA 850/900/2100. XPERIA™ X2 will be available in selected markets from early Q4 in the colours Elegant Black and Modern Silver.

Designer : Sony Ericsson

Anders says:

“Since most of the worlds power supply comes form water, I wanted to use this as a concept. Th!nk is a Norwegian brand, so I also got inspiration from arctic clima. Arctic clima+water=Ice. Freezing water creates natures most powerful force. So that would be good to use for an electric car as an inspiration and concept for clean power. I wanted to create something different from all other works i have seen, mixing sports car looks with off road set up.

Using the non symmetric structures of ice as styling inspiration. Creating hard edgy and non symmetric surfaces. I wanted the car to look different, when its seen from different angles. The cracks in the body, hides signal lights over each belt, as the original think cars do. The huge fans at the back, controls air onto the cockpit also, and adjust the engine and cars temperature. The information hose at the back sends data about weather,temperature and all information thats needed, viewed from inside the car, and also outside. The data information will be shown on screens near at the fans, at the back of the car. That means you can operate the data info from the outside.

This 2 seater car has AWD, 4-wheel steering, independent suspension and hydraulic wheel extenders, for maximum traction and maneuverability.”

Designer : Anders Gloslie

sunLight is scaleable. The standard configuration embeds 6 modules, each of which consists of an LED unit and 2 AAAA rechargeable batteries. Furthermore, one of modules holds a charge controller. For more or less luminance/capacity, the size of solar cell film and with it the number of LED-battery modules can be varied proportionally. A low number of components reduces the production costs; production of different sizes requires just one new tool for the base material. Except for the batteries, all parts could be made of recyclable polymers.

Designer : Hermann Eske via GreenerGadgets Competition

From the designer :
We bring up a new American icon in the subject of Brave and Bold. We were inspired by Harley-Davidson, the American motorcycle symbol and Pontiac-Firebird, a muscle car, therefore we designed the body from which is dynamic and progressive.

The entire body has been designed to have the wheels in front of it like motorcycles, so it is totally different from other cars. The wheel design, which is unique and aggressive, maximizes the design of the body. We call the wheels “the Transforming Multifunctional Wheels”.

A wheel has 24 spokes and each spoke is made up by a special carbon-fiber which has very strong elastic characteristic. The wheel associates a caterpillar tread of tanks. And each spoke can tilt 15 degrees back and forth to be formed to steer the car without any additional steering equipment. The wheels transform and the body tilts in the same direction when the car changes its direction so you can drive safely and dynamically.

Each spoke is constructed independently so that you do not need to replace whole wheel when the tire is flatted but only spokes which are flattened. Therefore, it is an environment-friendly concept. The body can minimize impact of collision to a driver by its body construction of the arms of the wheels. Due to the advantage of the construction, it can run easily off-road, such as the deserts of the United States of America.

Designer : Su-Yang Park & Chang-Hoe Heo

mPower consists of 2 units: Generation and Collection.

mPower Generation is a plant-shaped human-powered unit that produces electricity for immediate and future use. Users access their account using fingerprint recognition, stand on two pads at the base of the unit, and shift their weight from one pad to the other every ten seconds. The system, developed to take up the least amount of a user’s time and effort, can be adapted for the handicapped. A small portion of the electricity generated is used to power the interactive touch-screen at the top of the unit, which offers a broad range of informational services pre-customised by each user. The remaining majority of the electricity generated is sent to the city’s main power plant, to be used or stored. At their convenience, users receive payment for the electricity they generated by accessing their account at mPower Collection.

mPower Collection is a unit that, using the same fingerprint recognition technology, distributes payment and allows for account customisation to users of mPower Generation.

mPower taps into our greatest natural resource: people. Rather than expending energy to create more, mPower harnesses the excess energy we generate by providing a platform for individuals and companies to create electricity, make money, and improve lives. By offering payment to individuals, including those that are homeless, in exchange for a few minutes of minimal movement via a free-to-use system available to everyone, economic and environmental sustainability and empowerment is made available by involving citizens in generating what has become one of our most essential needs: electricity.

mPower units are established by electric companies. Businesses pay electric companies to advertise on mPower Generation touch-screens; these ads are geared to individuals who previously expressed interest in particular products/services as per information entered upon account set-up, thus negating . This negates the need for expensive market research, PR and advertising campaigns. Electric companies pay consumers for generating electricity via mPower; these payments are competitive with fees paid by consumers for power provided by the same electric companies.

The base of the unit consists of two pads, each mounted on a hydraulic cylinder. The cylinders are connected by a micro-hydro turbine. When a person steps onto one of the pads, the resulting pressure forces fluid from one cylinder into the other, causing it to rise. The more a person repeats the movement of shifting his/her weight from one pad to the other, the more electricity is generated. This system can be replaced with piezoelectric pads or other technologies as appropriate.

In addition to the exercise users get while generating electricity, they can also benefit from services available on Generation’s interactive network, including news, community events, traffic information, public transportation information, calendar, time, date, music, weather, radio, product and service information, mobile device charging, internet, widgets, city maps, games, phone calling services.

mPower fits into our daily activities and ways of life without disrupting them. Generation and Collection units can be placed on, in, or near streets and pavements, public transportation waiting areas, airports and other areas where waiting is involved, parks and community areas, schools and universities, libraries, common areas in apartment blocks, and countless other places.

The concept of mPower can be modified to fit into homes, casinos, gyms, phone booths, internet cafes, and wherever generated energy can be used as direct power or in exchange for services and products such as climate control, public lighting, charging mobile phones and other devices. Other generation methods can also be implemented, such as walking, pedaling and running, see-sawing, swinging, and using body weight/heat. The possibilities are endless, sustainable, and empowering.

Designer : Sofian Tallal

From Victor Vetterlein :
Introducing ‘YO’ – an iPod and MP3 stereo speaker dock by Victor Vetterlein

YO is a rechargeable and wireless stereo speaker docking station for digital audio players. The system is portable, waterproof, and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Inside the dock base are lithium-ion (rechargeable) batteries that are capable of powering the stereo system for hours when the unit is disconnected from a power source. The design intention is that a renewable energy source such as solar power, wind power, or hydroelectricity charges the battery packs when the stereo is not in use.

The speakers also contain lithium-ion batteries in their base, and recharge when placed in the stereo base portals. The batteries also provide high-density ballast enabling the speakers to stand upright when removed from the charging ports.

The speaker enclosure is designed to amplify sound. The speakers are mounted in the rear of the speaker housing. Similar to a megaphone, the front portion of the speaker enclosure is extruded to increase and direct sound.

Two removable rods are mounted between the stereo speakers to stabilize the stereo assembly and provide a lifting handle when the unit is transported.

Designer : Victor Vetterlein via Dezeen

Paul Howse words :
Luxury doesn’t have to mean expense or extravagance. Moreover, in the fragility of 21st century consumerism, exclusivity could go much further, where its perceptual value increases over time and through an experience of the product. Just as classic watches and historic cars develop a story and history over time, the owner of a vehicle should feel this experience. A patination of material such as bronze, that is hand-crafted or develops over time and is unique to each ownership situation would bring a valid ‘local quality’ that could be argued as being lost in today’s globalized world.

Technology was also an important part of the project, in that being at the forefront of technology would allow an entirely new, exclusive proportion of vehicle. By using bio-electric hybrid technology in situated low down in the chassis, I was able to celebrate the lack of an internal combustion engine and create an entirely new proportion of vehicle. The use of cameras and projections on the interior allows for the deletion of the traditional windscreen and allows the long, low, sculptural bonnet to run up over into the roof, uninterrupted. Again, something only exclusively possible with this car. I also wanted to emphasize the interior element, to show that it is cradled in the structure, a precious entity much like a Faberge egg. By suspending the interior in magnetic levitation it further separates it from the technical elements of the car whilst providing a truly serene ride quality.

As it is intended to be used only on special occasions and cosseted, it will be kept in a specifically designed building from which you can control the atmosphere the car is kept in and thus control the patination, much like a cigar humidor. The building will be covered in photo-voltaic solar panels and will be able to store up solar energy to be used to power the car. If energy levels drop, then it will run off the national grid, but otherwise it will be solely self-sufficient.

All of these factors should add up to truly unique, exclusive ownership experience, while a creating a mystique about the car, the like of which may not have been seen since the art deco period.

Designer : Paul Howse

[Images via AutoBlog]

[Press Release]
Mazda Kazamai Concept to Premiere at Moscow International Automobile Salon 2008

HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda will unveil a sporty, compact crossover concept vehicle, Mazda Kazamai, at the Moscow International Automobile Salon (MIAS) on August 26. Kazamai, which means “swirling crosswinds” in Japanese, expresses the powerful yet nimble image of a stylish and compact crossover. The concept is based on Mazda’s long-term vision for technology development, Sustainable Zoom-Zoom, which aims to provide a unique balance between sporty driving fun and superior environmental and safety performance. Kazamai will be joined at MIAS by the Russian debut of Mazda’s CX-9 SUV, which was crowned 2008 North American Truck of the Year in February.

The Kazamai concept further evolves Mazda’s ‘Nagare’ design language by fusing Nagare’s ‘flow’ design cues with aerodynamic proportions. The design features panel lines inspired by crosswinds in nature which evoke visual lightness. Its bold five-point grille, accentuated front wheel arches and sleek roof line, combined with large 22-inch wheels, lend it high emotional appeal.

Sporty to look at, Kazamai is meant to be spirited and fun to drive, with compact dimensions. Kazamai’s four-wheel drive powertrain will consist of a next-generation direct injection engine and a newly developed transmission. It is also aerodynamic, with an evolved lightweight body structure and enhanced the vehicle safety attributes. Were it to be built, Mazda’s latest show car would deliver exciting driving dynamics, frugal fuel consumption and greatly reduced CO2 emissions.

The Mazda Kazamai promises to be another ground-breaking show car from Mazda Design, winner of this year’s Grand Prix du Design in Paris. Created especially for the Moscow International Automobile Salon, it gives a good indication of where Mazda is going with a possible future compact crossover. And in Russia’s growing automotive market, compact SUVs are the second-largest segment, representing about 13 percent of all new car sales.

Complete information will be made available immediately after Mazda’s press conference at 10:15 a.m. local time, on August 26 at the Mazda stand.

The Public represents a radical gesture for community architecture, born from the conviction that art and architecture can be catalysts for regeneration and renewal. On five principal levels, the building is intended to give great scope to exhibition designers, artists, educators and users of all kinds, while encouraging and challenging all users to work in innovative ways. The Public is intended to inspire new ideas from its creative users rather than simply make way for them. The building itself is a statement of its creators’ belief in art, in the broadest sense, as a means to empower communities and individuals, and to permeate lives in surprising and beneficial ways.

Among its many functions, The Public will host exhibitions of local and international interest, exploring new kinds of visual art, by new kinds of artists, for diverse audiences. It will be a centre for people in the community to take part in art projects, and to engage in lifelong learning in a wide range of skills and subjects, with IT and digital arts given special prominence. There will be events, performances, art, dance and drama workshops, conferences, seminars and meetings, with spaces specially designed to accommodate them.

Contained within a simple rectilinear form, The Public was conceived as a ‘Box of Delights’ offering a wide variety of spaces, forms, angles, curves, surfaces, vistas and atmospheres.

The 113m x 21m x 22m box envelope of the building is punctured by a scattering of ‘jelly-bean’ shaped windows that pierce the sides of the aluminium cladding. Those approaching the building are able to glimpse its interior through these openings and through a glazed ’skirt’ at ground level on which the rectangular form sits.

Inside, simplicity of form gives way to complexity: rugged, multi-faceted or curved forms appear to balloon into the space at random, sitting on, or suspended from a table structure — a wandering, large-scale ramp links the spaces. These forms are containers for the many different functions in the building. There are, for example, ‘pods’ for displaying art, as well as a huge ’sock’ containing two large galleries; a ‘ramp’ contains a major proportion of the displays; an events space ‘rock’; and a WC ‘pebble’. At the top of the building, suspended from the roof, a series of ‘lily-pads’ — dish-shaped floors with brightly colored interiors — house lettable workspaces.

Designer : Will Alsop via Dezeen