Cut to the chase

Thieves and criminal thrill seekers beware – the police car chase will never be the same again. Thanks to some sophisticated new technology created by Virginia-based company Starchase, police can now track crooks by shooting Batman-esque GPS homing devices like darts and sticking them to the back of fleeing vehicles. Instead of a frantic pursuit, the pursing police cruiser eases off and allows police headquarters to track the suspect by computer. Police can then move in for a calmer arrest.

Stick with music

We’re always wondering, what does the future hold for personal and home audio? What will consumer packaged music look like even just a few years from now? With the advent of perpendicular storage, NAS systems, cheap flash memory, and increasing political and legal issues regarding ownership and piracy, the answer is not simple. Alice Wang, a product design major and native of both Taipei and London, explains her vision in her latest project called Audio Sticks. Wang envisions a future where artists will release their albums on USB flash memory keys, each holding 70 MB of data. Due to their compact size, the Audio Sticks will be more portable than the compact discs we use today and there will much less materials wasted on packaging.
http://www.alice-wang.com/audiosticks.htm

What's bumpin'

This like the Mac OS on crack. I predict Apple going this route. BumpTop aims to enrich the desktop metaphor with expressive, lightweight techniques found in the real world. Check out the YouTube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ODskdEPnQ

You rock Urwerk

URWERK present the sensational 103 Blackbird: a black PE-CVD coated, platinum timepiece in a very limited edition of only 10 pieces.

URWERK draw much of their design inspiration from deep space, powerful rockets and sleek jets. A quick glance at the world’s first stealth jet, Lockheed’s SR-71- aka Blackbird - leaves no doubt regarding the inspiration behind this incredible watch.
http://www.urwerk.ch

MP3 Wheeler

Piaggio launched the first Vespa model - and with it the scooter phenomenon - in the spring of 1946. The scooter revolutionised personal transport, giving Europeans a sense of utter freedom.
Sixty years on, Piaggio has come up with another revolutionary product: the PIAGGIO MP3, a totally innovative three-wheeler with two front wheels. The PIAGGIO MP3 provides safety, road grip and stability levels that no two-wheeler can match. Power, performance and ease of use make for a very entertaining ride.
www.mp3.piaggio.com

Just add ice

As if Smirnoff wasn't already sitting high on the ' top shelf', now they have gone one better by creating this amazing inflate-portable bar/club. This go anywhere comfort zone is comprised by a number of inflatable cubes to create the overall effect of a portable bar/chill out zone. The design brief was simple, create a cool image. Nothing cooler than ice is there? It's not all aesthetics however, the design must be wind resistant, water proof and with hold a large number of occupants. It's translucent appearance, invites the creativity of light shows to radiate through the bar at night. For the funkiest bar on the go.

GOOOOOOOOOOAL!

If you are currently in Germany, you may be driving under the world's biggest set of balls. Adidas have graced an overpass at Munich airport with this brilliant ad for the world cup soccer featuring goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn. The campaign needed to be as large as the current wave of soccer fever sweeping the country. That's a definite goal for the ad gurus at Adidas. What a save!

Palms Pimpin'

It has a touch of PIMP and guarantees to STRIKE. The Palms hotel in Las Vegas has taken the themed room concept that extra mile, with its amazing extra large, extra innovative deluxe thematic rooms. Take the King PIN suite for example. Who needs your luxury soaps, bedding and champagne when you can have your room own bowling alley complete with full sized lanes and music videos framed in plasma screens gracing the walls.

Doom with a view

Imagine gaming on this baby. The representation of three-dimensional objects on a surface so as to produce the same impression of distance and relative size as that received by the human eye is a practical definition of perspective. Now imagine the perspective created by a portable, inexpensive three-dimensional immersive viewing system that could be useful in a variety of real-world applications. Definitions and imagination aside, The VisionStation by Elumens is an exciting and cutting-edge product that will be appreciated by optic nerves everywhere.

Animated mini

This version of the Mini Cooper has been aesthetically enhanced by Sydney artist / illustrator Andrew Georgiou (www.mrgisby.com), who’s collection of home grown, twisted comic characters have made their mark in Australia, U.K and the U.S in recent months

X1R Remote Caddie

If you're not rocking a cart on most of your trips around the local course, you'll appreciate just how much carrying your own clubs can have an effect on your game. The X1R Remote-controlled Caddie ($2000) can carry many things along with your clubs, such as balls, tees, sunglasses, towels, scorecard and pencil holder, amongst others. The cart lasts up to 27 holes on a single charge, so you'll be able to make an entire round of it without worrying about your electric caddie falling behind.

Please fade me

The FADER summer spectacular will be hitting newstands in a week or so, but it's smashing into your iTunes today. Yes! For free! On your computrotron! First magazine to ever get this treatment!
Go to iTunes or http://thefader.com

Calling all ears

Alice Smith is a rare artist in a class by herself, whose commanding 4-octave voice lets her skip across genres effortlessly and transport you along with it. Based in NYC, but raised in Washington DC and Georgia, her references span the USA from country and classic rock to jazz and gospel. She is bringing back the American tradition of soul music with the raw emotions in her voice and relatable lyrics void of any pretense. “For Lovers, Dreamers, and Me” is a collection of songs that add an innovative twist to an undeniable groove. From the opening beat accompanied by piano and horn stabs, Alice reminds you that rock and soul came from the same place. The songs all have the anthemic quality of classic songwriting with a decidedly modern groove and vernacular. One free download @ http://www.myspace.com/alicesmith

Personalized sofa

Raw Nerve, a U.K. design consultancy will breathe new life into your old sofa. They offer an initial consultancy to find out the exact requirements for the sofa you would like to re-upholster. They then interpret and transform all the collected information into graphic and typographic designs to reveal your sofa’s past memories and experiences. Alternatively, you may wish to have elements your brand identity interpreted across the surfaces.
http://www.raw-nerve.co.uk

Your mama's ipod

If the Hi-Fi was a little late-century minimalist for you, peep Speck's new SpeckTone, the only iPod dock with real-simulated 1950s design stylings to get your be-bop on, dig? It's not only old school on the outside; the $150 SpeckTone has analogue innards for a "richer" sound (somehow we have a feeling there ain't no tubes in there), a 4-inch sub and 28 watt speakers, as well as a green backlit volume knob to offset the glossy lacquered wood cabinet. It really was a different time, wasn't it?
http://www.speckproducts.com

INTOXICATED BY FASHION

ROBERTO CAVALLI really wants to put us in the mood. The flamboyant Italian designer has only just announced that he intends to redesign the Playboy bunny costume and now he's created his very own vodka.

LA's Red Building

After 30 years, Cesar Pelli is completing the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood with his Red Building - an office complex aimed at entertainment and new media companies. The building is due in 2008 and the LA Times argues that it represents a shift in the architectural theme of Los Angeles: The progress of the Red Building is worth paying attention to, though, for another reason. The project suggests an acceleration in L.A.'s shift from a city of scattered landmarks to a place where ensemble architecture — several prominent buildings designed in concert on the same or adjacent sites — will become more common, more noticeable and more important.

Sketches of Frank Gehry

Gehry, The Movie. Keep an eye out for this documentary. I know there are other architects (I may even get around to mentioning a few), but I am really feeling Gehry. Maybe I have grand delusions of stretching myself creatively and having clients acquiesce. But the man inspires me and gives me hope. Now if I can just find clients who will look at my incomprehensible scribbles and exclaim "Yes, that's exactly what we need!" Frank himself says of some of his work "That is so stupid looking it's great"! Check it out. http://www.sonyclassics.com/sketchesoffrankgehry/

Ambient advertising

Great ideas in advertising make the world seem a little less cluttered and a lot more clever. These were done by Scholz & Friends, Berlin. We don't see a lot of ambient advertising in the states, but maybe we can change that.

Gnarly Barks

This Post comes a little late and frankly I'm ashamed to say I've been listening to this music for months. But I love it. Cee-lo Green of Goodie Mob and Danger Mouse (Jay-Z, Beattles mash-up Gray Album) have created a real stunner. It's quite eclectic and mush groovy and I l-l-l-love it! Does that make me crazy?