Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Travel: Hang Loose

Travel: Hang Loose
Mornings on Hangzhou’s West Lake begin with a subtle symphony. Docked wooden sampan boats creak and moan, rhythmically bobbing with the lake’s waterline. As a breeze whistles past, dewdrops fall from the tips of willows, echoing through the archways of ancient stone bridges. Cranes and orioles chatter in the distance while soaring over scenic spots named Three Pools Mirroring the Moon and Twin Peaks Piercing the Cloud.

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Such a tranquil scene seems implausible in a city of some 8 million people, especially one so close to frenetic Shanghai. But its proximity to Shanghai, just 120 miles to the north, has helped establish Hangzhou as China’s resort town of the east. And though Hangzhou has expanded along one shore of the West Lake, the other side remains a haven of lush hills and valleys, and the area’s ancient monasteries, gardens, and scenic district have been preserved. "In Shanghai, people work away their lives," says Rudolf van Dijk, general manager at the Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake. "But in Hangzhou, we take time to appreciate the small things."

The Four Seasons, which opened in October, is one of three new luxury hotels in and around Hangzhou. A short walk from downtown, the property is the only hotel located directly on the West Lake. A moat surrounding the resort’s infinity pool appears to flow directly into the lake, and pagodas housing the 78 guest rooms ($380 to $1,300 per night) mimic the architecture of the historic buildings lining the shore. Modern twists on Chinese design prevail throughout the hotel, especially in the nine-treatment-room spa, where sleek gray-marble soaking tubs and glowing pink screens create an atmosphere both trendy and traditional.

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Peugeot Design shows an ingenious foodtruck

Peugeot Design shows an ingenious foodtruck
Good design is a functional expression of purpose and after 200 years of creating household technology and a century of making transportation technology, Peugeot Design has married the two with an ingenious mobile restaurant "Foodtruck" concept.

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The use of the term foodtruck in the press materials seems at odds with the many clever design nuances of Peugeot's concept. Indeed, the many aspects of the vehicle named "Le Bistrot du Lion" cannot be portrayed adequately in one image.
The product of the fertile minds at Peugeot's Design Lab, Le Bistrot du Lion was unveiled last week at popular Paris venue Le Carreau du Temple, and the designers seem to have considered all aspects from the driver to the chef to the serving staff to the entertainment, and most of all, the experience of the patrons.Once on site, the Foodtruck and compact trailer both quite literally spread their wings to double the entire length of both vehicles, creating a functional space with the versatility to adapt to a variety of uses.

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Richard Mille Debuts the Tourbillon Fleur Women’s Watch

Presented this year at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, the Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur is a women’s tourbillon with an artistic twist. Positioned on the dial at 7 o’clock is a representation of a magnolia composed of five 18-karat-white-gold petals hand painted purple.Every 5 minutes, these petals open to reveal the watch’s beating flying tourbillon—a version of the complication that is supported by only a lower bridge. As the petals open, the tourbillon—which is set with seven rubies that represent the flower’s stamens—rises up slightly to allow better observation. The petals stay open for 5 minutes and then automatically close, starting the entire process over again. A pusher on the side of the case allows the wearer to manually open and close the petals if desired.

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The watch is equipped with Richard Mille’s signature tripartite tonneau case, which is curved on both the front and back to enhance comfort on the wrist. In the version of the watch shown here, both the case and the subdial displaying the hours and minutes are covered with diamonds. To prevent damage to the barrel, Richard Mille has equipped the watch with a torque-limiting crown, which prevents the mainspring from being overwound.

The Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur will be limited to just 30 examples, in a variety of diamond settings; the version show here is priced at $1.09 million.

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Richard Mille Debuts the Tourbillon Fleur Women’s Watch

Richard Mille Debuts the Tourbillon Fleur Women’s Watch

Presented this year at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, the Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur is a women’s tourbillon with an artistic twist. Positioned on the dial at 7 o’clock is a representation of a magnolia composed of five 18-karat-white-gold petals hand painted purple.

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Every 5 minutes, these petals open to reveal the watch’s beating flying tourbillon—a version of the complication that is supported by only a lower bridge. As the petals open, the tourbillon—which is set with seven rubies that represent the flower’s stamens—rises up slightly to allow better observation. The petals stay open for 5 minutes and then automatically close, starting the entire process over again. A pusher on the side of the case allows the wearer to manually open and close the petals if desired.

The watch is equipped with Richard Mille’s signature tripartite tonneau case, which is curved on both the front and back to enhance comfort on the wrist. In the version of the watch shown here, both the case and the subdial displaying the hours and minutes are covered with diamonds. To prevent damage to the barrel, Richard Mille has equipped the watch with a torque-limiting crown, which prevents the mainspring from being overwound.

The Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur will be limited to just 30 examples, in a variety of diamond settings; the version show here is priced at $1.09 million.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Microsoft targets Halo Online modders with DMCA takedown

Microsoft targets Halo Online modders with DMCA takedown
/Nobody likes to be told they can’t have something just because they live in the wrong part of the world. Case in point — Microsoft has earned the ire of gamers across the globe for its decision to make the upcoming free-to-play Halo Online PC title available only in Russia. Modders have gotten their hands on the, though, and are busy removing the region lock. In response, Microsoft is unleashing the lawyers.

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Halo Online is simpler than modern Halo games on the Xbox 360 and . It’s based on a heavily modified Halo 3 engine that has been tweaked to run well on low-power PCs. That said, the gameplay videos of Halo Online look perfectly serviceable. The game is played entirely online, so it’s multiplayer only. Microsoft doesn’t plan to create any sort of campaign for Halo Online.
People are not taking kindly to Microsoft’s decision to launch Halo Online in closed beta for Russia only, but you can guess at the reasoning. The rates of piracy in Russia are higher than in North America or Europe, but free-to-play games tend to pull in some revenue from people that would otherwise just grab all their games from . The low spec requirements will also expand the user base dramatically. Microsoft would likely offer players the option of buying additional equipment and accessories in the game for real money, but there are no details what the cost structure will be yet.

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Monday, April 27, 2015

Dyson V6 Mattress cleaner sucks, if you're a dust mite

Dyson V6 Mattress cleaner sucks, if you're a dust mite

According to Dyson, bed mattresses contain anywhere between 10,000 and two million dust mites that churn out around 40 million droppings per day. To deal with the pesky critters and provide relief for allergy sufferers, the company has announced its handheld V6 Mattress cleaner, which packs HEPA filtration and is powered by the Dyson digital motor V6.

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Dust mites are a constant, microscopic, though somewhat disturbing, part of our lives, wandering around our homes feeding on the roughly 28 g (1 oz) of dead, sloughed off skin cells we each shed every month. That's an important service in keeping our environment clean, but mite droppings are also a source of allergens that can cause asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis.

Dyson says that, unlike other devices that rely on slow-acting UV light to kill dust mites, the V6 Mattress uses a more powerful vacuum suction to remove mites and other particles from mattresses entirely. The company says that its latest digital motor, the V6, has the most powerful suction of any cordless handheld vacuum.

To help shake dirt and dust out of mattresses along with the mites, the V6 Mattress has a motorized brush assembly with powered bar pivots featuring nylon bristles and suction channels for more complete cleaning at the mattress edges. Behind this is a whole machine HEPA filtration system that uses Dyson's 2 Tier Radial Cyclone Technology. This uses centrifugal force to remove dust and dirt, while germs and other microscopic particles are caught in the post-motor filter.

Run time on a full charge is 20 minutes, 16 minutes with the motorized cleaner head operating, and six minutes in boost mode. Like Dyson's other vacuum cleaners, the V6 Mattress is bagless, with the contents able to be emptied straight into the bin with the push of a button.

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New version of Google Glass coming soon, says Luxottica CEO

The new version of Google Glass, the search giant's Web-connected eyewear, may be here soon.

The chief executive of Italian eyewear company Luxottica, Massimo Vian, said his company is working on the new product, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. He said it's coming soon, but did not give a specific timeline.

Luxottica, the company behind Ray-Ban and Oakley, has partnered with Google since last May to make frames for the device. Vian was speaking at Luxottica's general meeting in Milan, Italy, the Journal said.

"The team is heads down building the future of the product and we're not commenting on rumor or speculation," Google said in a statement.

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iven up on its experimental product. The device, which overlays images and graphics on what a wearer already sees, has had a rocky development since it was unveiled in 2012. Privacy advocates have criticized the product's built-in camera and people have derided the device for being nerdy. Early users of the product earned the nickname "Glassholes."

In January, Google said it was discontinuing the current version of Glass, and putting the product development under the purview of Tony Fadell, co-founder of Nest, the smart-home device company that Google acquired in February 2014. Fadell is a former Apple executive and the hardware guru behind the original iPod music player.

The move caused speculation about the product's future, but Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt in March confirmed that the project was still alive. "It is a big and very fundamental platform for Google," Schmidt said at the time.

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