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Cupertino, Calif — Apple on Wednesday, Jan 30, announced that MacBook Air, the world’s thinnest notebook, is now shipping.

MacBook Air measures an unprecedented 0.16-inches at its thinnest point, while its maximum height of 0.76-inches is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks.

MacBook Air has a stunning 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, a full-size and backlit keyboard, a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing, and a spacious trackpad with multi-touch gesture support so users can pinch, rotate and swipe. MacBook Air is powered by a 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache, and includes as standard features 2GB of memory, an 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive, and the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and Bluetooth 2.1.

Pricing & Availability
The new MacBook Air is now shipping and will be available through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), and includes:

* 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with 1280×800 resolution;
* 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM;
* 80GB hard disk drive with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100;
* Micro-DVI port (includes Micro-DVI to VGA and Micro-DVI to DVI Adapters);
* built-in iSight video camera;
* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
* one USB 2.0 port;
* one headphone port;
* multi-touch TrackPad with support for advanced multi-touch gestures including tap, scroll, pinch, rotate and swipe; and
* 45 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options and accessories for MacBook Air include the ability to upgrade to a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; 64GB solid state drive, MacBook Air SuperDrive, Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple Remote and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include pre-installed copies of iWork ‘08, Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 1.5. More at Apple.

Dec 06, ‘07 — LaCie is accepting pre-orders for its user-friendly 320GB External Hard Drive, which is designed by Neil Poulton.

Here’s what LaCie says about its newest addition: LaCie Hard Drive, Design by Neil Poulton adds sophisticated style to your desktop yet its presence is quiet and unobtrusive. It has a unique distinguishing feature - a cool, blue LED strip on its underside that creates an ambient glow.

Its subtle, all-black design blends perfectly into dark home entertainment setups and workstations. Very small for its vast capacity, this lightweight, compact drive has a fashionable, mirror-polished finish. The smartly engineered design allows for heat dissipation and near-silent, fanless operation.

You can pre-order one for $119.99 at LaCie.

Dec 04, ‘07 — Dell has teamed up with the folks at Blizzard Entertainment to create a product that allows fans of World of Warcraft (WoW) to immerse themselves in the game and today unveiled XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition.

Every system comes pre-loaded with the games themselves: World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade expansion pack. Dell will also install all the major client patches for both games as well and will continue to test and ship future patches pre-installed as they are released by Blizzard.

Everyone who orders this system will get three things: a Quest Envelope, a WoW backpack full of stuff and the system itself.

XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition

* 17″ HD widescreen notebook complete with World of Warcraft backpack
* Illuminated speaker grills and faction specific Honor Badges
* Back-lit keyboard stays awake as long as you can
* Track your stats with the world’s first built-in notebook Logitech GamePanel LCD
* Pre-loaded with World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade and all major game patches
* Golden Ticket for a custom FigurePrint of your actual in-game World of Warcraft character with your actual armor and weapons
* World of Warcraft Beta Club Key Card with a key to future World of Warcraft beta tests
* World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade Collector’s Edition Account Upgrade Certificates
* Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB, 4MB Cache)
* Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate Edition
* 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz
* Speed: 160GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
* CD / DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW Drive)
* 1Yr LoJack for Laptops Theft Protection (CD Shipped Separately)
* 17inch UltraSharp TrueLife Wide-screen WUXGA
* 512MB Dual NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT with NVIDIA SLI
* AGEIA PhysX Physics Accelerator
It starts at $4500 and still comes with just one year warrenty. You can get one here.

PARIS — Nov 26, ‘07 — Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer said on Monday it had licensed its name to French customized design manufacturer Modelabs for a series of luxury mobile phones. Reports Reuters.

“”The launch of the first TAG Heuer mobile telephone is foreseen for the second half of 2008,” the companies said in a joint statement.

Luxury goods companies, which realized long ago their brands could be extended to more than clothes and bags, have been rushing to embrace the mobile this year.

Prada and Armani have both recently launched phones made by, respectively, LG and Samsung.

TAG CEO Christophe Babin said in the statement the launch of its eyewear line in 2002 convinced it of the wider potential of the brand, popularized in its adverts by Formula 1 drivers like Kimi Raikkonen, actor Brad Pitt and golfer Tiger Woods.” More at Reuters.

Tokyo, Japan — On Thursday, November 22 Sony released its 11-inch OEL (organic electroluminescent) televisions to roughly 400 large consumer electronics discount stores around Japan.

The official launch of the world’s first mass-market OEL TV was December 1, but sales of audiovisual products in Japan often start before the official release date, as soon as enough quantities become available.

Despite the small screen size, the $1,840 ( ¥200,000 yen) sets have received favourable reviews for their 3mm thickness and high image resolution.Sony plans to make 2,000 units of the OEL TV a month.

The company started accepting advance pre-orders on Nov 14 at its direct marketing Web site. The number of sets that had been made available for pre-orders ran out in just over one hour, according to Sony Style. More at (google translated) SonyStyle Japan.

There is something inherently exciting about globes. It’s not just the wonderfully strange names of far off places, but there’s also nothing quite like spinning a globe and then jabbing a finger at it, imagining that one day you’ll go there - unless of course you happen to hit Dagenham.

Dream travelling aside, this beautifully detailed globe has a fabulous trick up its sleeve.

When it gets dark, a light sensor transforms the globe from a map of the world to a magical and brightly illuminated map of the night sky. It shows 88 constellations all with their common names (far easier to remember), so not only is it fascinating and educational, it also makes a great nightlight. Beautiful by day and magical by night, the Glowing Globe is the neatest globe we’ve ever seen.

Features
- This is two globes in one
- By day it reveals the world’s capitals, cities, political boundaries and natural features at a scale of 1:60,000,000
- By night it reveals 88 constellations with their common names
- A light sensor
- Size: 33 x 19 x 19cm

Get yours for $90 at iWantOneofThose.com

REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 12, 2007 — Tomorrow, consumers ready for a richer, more connected and more personal entertainment experience will have the first opportunity to get their hands on sleek new Zune players, redesigned Zune software, and new online services including the Zune Marketplace and Zune Social, an online music community. The players — along with dozens of accessories — will be available at retailers across the United States, while the new Zune software will be available for free download at Zune.

For the first time, consumers also will have the option to customize their Zune player with laser-engraved designs and personal text through a new Web store called Zune Originals. Customers will be able to purchase a Zune player directly from Microsoft at ZuneOriginals.net and choose from a collection of laser-engraved artwork designed exclusively for Zune by 18 internationally recognized artists.

Zune Entertainment Experience Expands

Together with the original Zune 30GB, the new models and customization options make it easier for consumers to find the size, color, design and price that best suits them. Three new Zune models will be on store shelves tomorrow: the black Zune 80GB, which has a bright 3.2-inch screen and comes with premium in-ear noise-isolating headphones (ERP $249.99), and the slim, ultra-portable Zune 4GB (ERP $149.99) and the Zune 8GB (ERP $199.99), both available in pink, green, black and red. Existing Zune owners will receive all new software features via a free and easy upgrade, available Nov 13.

Zune is set apart from its competitors by having all the following features:

More at Microsoft.

Horological Machines are as much, if not more, art and sculpture as they are micro engineering: they are machines which tell the time rather than machines to tell the time. By designing and constructing three-dimensional machines rather than wristwatches, MB&F are able to break free of the constraints imposed by traditional horology and create kinetic art. Says Maximilian Busser.

Nov 07, ‘07 — The Watchismo Times bring us amazing pictures of this truly awsome timepiece by Maximilian Busser. The HM2 is priced at $59,000 and in larger editions than the $150,000 HM1 and full details will be unveiled on November 19, ‘07 at MB&F.

Excerpts from The Watchismo Times:

“After decades learning and conforming to the rules of corporate watchmaking, Maximilian Büsser broke the chains and started a rebellion - a rebellion called MB&F.

Each of HM2’s twin portholes allows the viewer a different perspective of time. On the right, the Jumping Hours and Concentric Retrograde Minutes reveals time up close and ‘now’, while the Retrograde Date and Bi-Hemisphere Moon Phase on the left dial allows the viewer to take a step back from immediacy and relax.

Horological Machine No.2 (HM2) is a holistically conceived and engineered three-dimensional timekeeping machine for the wrist. The functions and indications were specifically conceived to tailor to the strengths of HM2’s chief watchmaker, Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. The bespoke architecture of the highly technical movement was developed to both fit and complement the radical form of the modular case. HM2 is the world’s first mechanical movement offering: Instantaneous Jump Hour, Concentric Retrograde Minutes, Retrograde Date, Bi-Hemisphere Moon Phase and Automatic Winding.”

More at TheWatchismoTimes.

“Smart Cities” team at MIT Media Lab is developing this cool stackable electric car and concept scooter.

City Car:

The City Car is a stackable electric two-passenger city vehicle. The one-way sharable user model is designed to be used in dense urban areas. Vehicle Stacks will be placed throughout the city to create an urban transportation network that takes advantage of existing infrastructure such as subway and bus lines. By placing stacks in urban spaces and key points of convergence, the vehicle allows the citizens the flexibility to combine mass transit effectively with individualized mobility. The stack receives incoming vehicles and electrically charges them. Similar to luggage carts at the airport, users simply take the first fully charged vehicle at the front of the stack. The City car is NOT a replacement for personal vehicles, taxis, buses, or trucks; it is a NEW vehicle type that promotes a socially responsible and more effective means of urban mobility.

The City car utilizes fully integrated in-wheel electric motors and suspension systems called, “Wheel Robots.” The wheel robots eliminate the need traditional drive train configurations like engine blocks, gear boxes, and differentials because they are self-contained, digitally controlled, and reconfigurable. Additionally, the wheel robot provides all wheel power and steering capable of 360 degrees of movement, thus allowing for Omni-directional movement. The vehicle can maneuver in tight urban spaces and park by sideways translation. This technology is patented-pending and under design development at the MIT Media Lab.

Scooter with ITRI and Sanyang Motors:

The MIT Media Lab is co-developing with ITRI and SYM an innovative concept scooter. The vehicle design reflects innovations in new materials, ergonomics, emerging connectivity, mass customization, and social networks. The project embodies new aesthetics as a result of novel and re-organized functionality by achieving high levels of styling and product packaging.

Working with SYM and ITRI, MIT is also considering future product planning, branding strategies, and new ownership/business models. The final show-quality prototype will be formally presented at the Milan Motor show in November of 2007. More at MIT Media Lab here and here.

KEYPORT - The world’s first universal key fob. The new Keyport Slide is light and durable with an ultra futuristic look; created to complement your personal style and organize those jagged objects you can’t live without. Keyport integrates all the items on your personal keychain into one universal access device. Says Keyportusa. The company plans to integrate RFID for keyless entry and built in remote for secure access, to its key fob. More at Key-Port

Even though the new Dell all-in-one desktop XPS One is out there for everyone to see, thanks to FCC, Dell is still trying to tease with this “All Beautiful, The End of The PC As You Know It” ad. Enter you addy in there to receive email when Dell releases “The One”.

NEW YORK, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ — GQ has teamed up with Calvin Klein Fragrances to launch their newest fragrance, Calvin Klein MAN with a nationwide search. Five men will be chosen that best epitomize the Calvin Klein MAN: Sexy, Stylish, Sophisticated, Socially Aware and Smart. This first-ever nationwide search will be conducted in department stores nationwide and on-line. The five lucky winners will have their stories and photographs featured within a 2008 issue of GQ.

Now through November 30, consumers can log on to GQConnects and enter by submitting a photo and filling out an entry form. They can also view a listing of stores where they can enter during special in-store events, where men can sign up for the competition and have their photo taken by a professional photographer.

At the conclusion of the search, a panel of judges - comprised of representatives from GQ and Calvin Klein - will choose the five finalists who will be flown to New York for a photo shoot to be revealed in a 2008 issue of GQ that celebrates the “Year of the MAN”.

On Tuesday, November 13 from 5pm-7pm, customers can visit Macy’s Herald Square in New York City to enter the contest and meet Garret Neff, the exciting new face of Calvin Klein MAN.

This year’s focus on futuristic PC designs inspires people to pursue their passions.

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 29, 2007 — Microsoft Corp.’s annual Next-Gen PC Design Competition is open for online entry submission until 11:59 p.m. EST Dec. 14. The competition aims to encourage ongoing enthusiasm for Windows-based PCs by engaging the imagination and creativity of the industrial design (ID) community and delivering a resource for the PC industry at large.

All eligible entries will be reviewed January through April 2008 by a distinguished panel of Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)-member judges from the international PC and industrial design community in addition to representatives from leading hardware manufacturers. The entries will be scored by the following criteria:

• Innovation. Is the design new and unique?

• User experience and interaction. In what ways does the design make the PC easier to use?

• Aesthetics. How does the appearance enhance the emotional appeal of the product?

• Technology integration. How is the design enhanced by new technologies?

• Windows software. How does this design enhance or expand the users’ experience with Windows?

• Market viability and manufacturability. Who does this design appeal to, and what are the viable markets?

• Ecology. How is the design environmentally responsible?

Five winners will be selected, and up to five honorable mentions may be chosen by the judges. From Feb. 15 through March 15 the selected finalists will be posted on the Next-Gen PC Design Competition Web site, Nextgendesigncomp, where the public will be invited to vote for its favorite entry to determine the Public’s Choice Award. The winners will be announced in May 2008 and honored at the 2008 Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC). More information about the competition, including how to enter, is available at Nextgendesigncomp.

Look at this awesome looking, mirror finish, stand alone CD player by Marantz which can play CD/CD-R/CD-RW in MP3/WMA format and comes with an USB port and round remote. It can be yours for $759 at AudioCubes. More details and pics at (google translated) Marantz Japan

Brent Butterworth of Robb Report Home Entertainment magazine visits this $3.4 million home theatre outside Austin, TX and writes a fine article with some great pics. In his words, “I get an idea of what I’m in for before I even set foot inside the house. Huge transformers in a room off the garage hum softly as the electronic systems designer, Kyle Griffith of Texas Integrated Systems, describes the home’s power system. “There are three transformers for the house and one for the pool house,” he explains. “There are three electrical panels just for the media system and two grounding rods with special clay packed around them to help eliminate electrical noise. We had to upgrade the outside service four times as the job grew”—a fact confirmed when I see that the curbside service box is about three times as large as those of the neighboring homes in this development outside Austin, Texas.

What kind of audio/video system could demand thrice the power that a typical suburban home draws? I soon find out. Griffith leads me up a flight of stairs and opens a pair of huge bronze doors decorated with cast figures of lions. Behind the doors lies one of the most ornate—yet apparently simple—home theaters I have ever seen. Its character lies in the details. “The fabrics are hand-screened and hand-embroidered,” interior designer Mark Cravotta points out. “All of the sconces were cast from original antiques. The carpet is handmade in a single piece.”

“And all of that gilding you see is 24-karat gold,” Griffith adds. Find out more details with picture gallery at Robb Report Home Entertainment

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 25, ‘07 –PRNewswire — Developers in Louisville broke ground Thursday on the landmark Museum Plaza project, a $490 million skyscraper that will transform the city’s skyline.

“Museum Plaza will be one of the world’s most unique new skyscrapers –a structure that integrates art at every level,” Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson said.

Designed by a world-renowned team led by Joshua Prince-Ramus and Erez Ella, Museum Plaza is a 62-story skyscraper with an innovative design and mission, combining arts, commerce and residential space. Stretching more than 700 feet above Louisville and the Ohio River, this new cultural center will house 165 luxury condominiums; 300,000 square feet of class-A office space; a 260-room Westin Hotel; and the University of Louisville Master of Fine Arts program. The island, located 24 stories above ground, will be a hub of activity with a 35,000 square-foot world-class contemporary arts center, a luxury spa, pool and fitness center, a condo club, ballroom, restaurants and retail. The plaza will feature a new three-acre public park with connections to the Muhammad Ali Center and the riverfront.

Governor Ernie Fletcher and Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson joined developers Laura Lee Brown, Steve Wilson, Steve Poe and Craig Greenberg as a 20-foot, 400-pound shovel dropped from a crane to symbolize the beginning of construction on the project. Museum Plaza is expected to open in Spring 2011. Condo reservations are now being taken at the Museum Plaza Sales and Design Center at 707 West Main Street in Louisville.

More at PRNewsWire and MuseumPlaza

A slim, light and flexible tool for direct pen-on-screen drawing. - October 22, ‘07 - Wacom today launches the Cintiq 12WX – Wacom’s first hybrid product combining the advantages of a Cintiq interactive pen display. Offering slimline dimensions (405×270x17 mm) comparable to an Intuos3 A5 Wide, the Cintiq 12WX mixes a high quality, 12.1” TFT display for direct pen-on-screen drawing, painting and sketching, with the advanced features and performance consistent with the Cintiq 21UX and Intuos3 range. The new Cintiq 12WX is aimed at professional digital content creators undertaking tasks including storyboarding, finishing, retouching and compositing.

Combining the small size and flexibility of a normal pen tablet with the convenience of an interactive pen display, the Cintiq 12WX enables perfect hand-eye co-ordination. Like the Cintiq 21UX, users can work with the pressure sensitive pen directly on the high quality screen, which provides a WXGA resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels with 24-bit colour depth and a wide viewing angle of 170°.

The ergonomically designed, cordless and battery-free Grip Pen is precise and provides advanced control and realistic results due to the 5,080lpi resolution and 1,024 pressure levels in both the pen tip and eraser. Tilt functionality is supported, with angles of up to 60 degrees recognised, allowing natural-looking pen, brush and eraser strokes. It can also be connected either by VGA or DVI-I for added convenience.

Bundled software
The Cintiq 12WX is bundled with Corel Painter Essentials – a special edition of the natural media drawing application Corel Painter.

Availability and pricing
The new Cintiq 12WX will be available from November 2007 in the UK from Computers Unlimited and is priced at £829.99 ($1699) including VAT. More at Wacom

With LeanSteer technology, the Segway PT seems to anticipate your every move, and will adjusts to your slightest whim. Says Ferrari. The Segway PT i2 Ferrari edition is characterized by the Scuderia Ferrari logo in metal coated in enamel, featuring the unmistakeable red color and can be yours for approx $10118 at FerrariStore

Twist this tray of shot glasses left, right, sideways, even upside down and these gravity defying shot glasses will never fall off! Says HomeWetBar. For $24.99, set of six vibrantly colored plastic glasses with magnetic stainless steel bases and one stainless steel serving tray, sounds a great deal.

Get yours at HomeWetBar

Sharp Australia introduces this awsome looking TV stand Sound system combination in form of ANPR1000H  AQUOS Rack System.

Features:
300W Total Output Power ( 2×75W Speaker and 2×75W Subwoofer)
Featuring new sound reproduction Technology “Audistry” by Dolby
Integrated Remote Control for Sharp LCD TV, DVD players and other selected brands
2.1ch Front Surround System
High Power Sound Playback with amplifier
Piano Finish cabinet with black glass top and shelf
DTS, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II Decoder, Dolby Virtual Speaker
Magnetically Shielded Front Speakers
FM Tuner with up to 40 Random Present Station, RDS ( Radio Data System) Tuner
Timer and Sleep function
AC 220 ~ 240 V, 50/60 Hz
FM: 87.5 – 108 MHz
12030×476x397 mm, Weighs JUST 46.5kg
RRP: $1,099.00

More at Sharp Australia

Vancouver, Canada - October 17th, 2007: Bissol – today unveils luxury USB Memory Sticks. The smallest 4GB USB sticks in the world.
The Bissol USB memory stick is the ultimate in data storage. Its small size allows for the discreet movement of private information, while the 4GB of storage capacity is perfect for demanding personal and business storage needs. The machined solid brass body is crafted to precision, giving the Bissol USB memory stick the same feel and look as Swiss watch mechanisms. Precision, dependability, and performance in data storage.

The Bissol USB memory stick is available in two types; brass (gold color) and electroless nickel coated brass (silver color). The Bissol USB memory stick provides a 4GB storage capacity and measures 28.9mm × 12.4mm × 2.2mm, making it the smallest in the world (as of October 15, ’07).

Product specifications - USB2.0 compliant - Support Vista READYBOOST - Plug-N-Play - Waterproof, dustproof - Dimensions: 28.9mm × 12.4mm × 2.2mm - Weight: 3.6g - Capacity: 4GB

More at Bissol

Jalopnik brings an awsome picture gallery of Honda’s new concept car CR-Z from Tokyo Auto Show. “While the first concept of what will end up being eighteen concepts to be revealed from Honda at the Tokyo Auto Show later this month was all warm and cuddly, the second concept Honda revealed last night is the CR-Z — a next-generation lightweight sports car concept that stands for “Compact Renaissance Zero”"

More at Jalopnik…

According to Gizmodo, Goldmund will sell you your own room for $300,000. “It’s something of a twist: instead of installers working with your home theater to give you the best sound it can deliver, the Goldmund installers use their complex acoustic modeling program, the diabolically named Proteus, to make your room as close to their ideal as they can, regardless of room size and décor. Yep, that’s a bare minimum of $300,000 for up to 128 speakers, an amp for each speaker and a controller for the whole thing.

More at GoldMund

Autoblog reports on Yamaha’s new motorcycle concept Tesseract. In their words

“And now for something completely different. Yamaha has just announced that it will be bringing a bevy of new motorcycle and scooter models to the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. One of the more interesting concepts, which we’ll roughly refer to as a motorcycle, is the Tesseract. Piaggio has a success on their hands in the form of the MP3, which is capable of leaning into turns despite the third wheel. Yamaha has one-upped that with its Tesseract, though, by adding yet one more whee,l bringing the total count to four. And yet, nobody would confuse this machine with a car!”

More at Autoblog…

Samsung has fired up its YP series MP3 players’ salvo against Apple’s iPod.

Quick Spec:

P2: 8GB, 3″ 16:9-480×272 WQVGA, MP3 + WMA, MPEG4 + WMV, JPG, FM Radio, Bluetooth 2.0, available for $249.99 at Amazon

T10: 8GB, 2″ 240×320 QVGA, MP3 + WMA, MPEG4 + WMV, JPG, FM Radio, Voice Recording, Bluetooth 2.0 will be priced $199

S5: 4GB, 1.8″ 176×220 QCIF+, MP3 + WMA + AAC, MPEG4, JPG, FM Radio, Voice Recording, Bluetooth 1.2 available for $179.99 at CircuitCity

More at Samsung…