Lacie's Philippe Starck External HD

You know who Philippe Starck is, right? If not, well, he's just THE man responsible for putting the New Design style at the forefront of consumer consciousness. His designs range from spectacular interior designs to mass produced consumer goods like chairs, tables, watches, motorbikes and yes, even toothbrushes. Chances are, even if you are not aware of him, you have seen and admired one or many of his works and even the products that have been inspired by his original designs (yes, imitation).

And now Starck has another design to boot. This time, an external Hard Disk Drive for Lacie. While it may not be the fastest HD in the market, you can't deny that it's just beautiful and if you're wondering about the price, expect to pay a premium on a Starck-designed product.

Comes in 320GB and 500GB flavors. Embedded USB 2.0 cable with automatic back-up software.

The LaCie Starck Mobile Hard Drive is the result of a collaboration between LaCie and world-famous designer Philippe Starck. Its sturdy 2mm of aluminum casing keeps the LaCie Starck from overheating, and helps it to be very resistant, enhancing its overall dependability. The polished aluminum exterior is stylish and tough, but also light enough to transport, making the LaCie Starck both completely chic and completely mobile. A convenient aspect of the LaCie Starck is its embedded USB cable, which allows you to maximize its compact nature and portability. It’s easy to extract your cable, as well as coil it back inside of the drive. In addition, it guarantees that you’ll never lose your USB cable—a feature that underscores Philippe Starck’s commitment to practical and usable design.

iWant.

These are exciting times for a gadget geek (like me); a lot of great things are being released and will soon be released in the months to come... and just when I told myself to stop lusting for more gadgets because it isn't healthy to my bank account, here comes new things that *enraptures* me...

#1 Windows Phone 7 Series + HTC

Forget the long and awkward name. This new smartphone OS is just too revolutionary to ignore. And as much as i love my iPhone3Gs, WP7s just makes it so dated. I am gearing to get this when it comes out hopefully before the year ends. And I hope HTC would release a device worthy of this amazing new OS from Microsoft; well, judging from the current HTC portfolio, it looks like I, and a lot others, will not be disappointed.

#2 HTC Desire with Android

I know. I don't need this. I have my iPhone 3Gs and when WP7s comes out, I am sure to get it. But one can just *want* right? While i love the look of the HTC Legend more with all its unibody awesomeness, this baby just makes it more desirable because of its beefier processor. Plus of course it's running the latest Android 2.1 OS which i must say just makes one go to geek-heaven.

#3 Sony DSC-TX5

When it comes to capable digital cameras, I have always been a Sony fan. I have had three Sony DSC's and though I don't have one right now as I have donated it to my sister, all of my Sony cameras have been very reliable. And while I am itching to upgrade to a DSLR or maybe a very good  point-of-shoot, this one is very, very tempting.

The Sony DSC-TX5 is one very capable digital camera packed with a 10.2 megapixel "Exmor R" CMOS low light sensor, is waterproof and shock resistant. Of course, I still have to consult my partner whether this is the one to get or an entry-level Nikon DSLR.

Which smartphone to buy?

I'm gearing to buy a new smartphone in the next few days and I'm twisted between the iPhone 3Gs and the HTC HD2. Both are beautiful and powerful. The features are almost the same, so I'm confused and twisted. What to choose?

Underwhelmed about the iPad

Except for the iBooks feature of Apple's iPad, the apparently "oh that's fast" CPU speed and the crazy thin body, there's nothing truly surprising about the device.

I think Apple is still not giving us all the iPad's power just yet though. I think Steve and his boys are still cooking up something. I hope so. Because it's a little disappointing, really.

In the meantime, I think the iPad looks like a Digital Photo Frame. Seriously.

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What i think about Apple's latest creation, the iPad

Obviously, this is not a hands-on review. These are my first impressions while tuned in to Apple's much-hyped launch of its latest creation, the iPad, Cupertino's version of the tablet.

The iPad is the culmination of Apple and Steve's hard work and still-to-be-proven-successful attempt to combine the powers of the iPod, the iPhone, the Netbook and Kindle. The iPad features a 9.7-inch capacitive multitouch display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, compass, speaker and mic. This is also the first device to have the "Apple A4" processor. Battery life is declared to be at 10-hours.

Aside from the expected and "normal" features common to the iPod Touch and iPhone like multimedia capabilities and internet, the iPad can also play games (more efficiently than the iPod Touch and the iPhone i suspect) and run various applications (again, much better than its smaller touch siblings). It also has iWork for those quick and on-the-go office needs.

But what excites me though about the iPad is the iBooks, the iPad's eBook (ummm, no its ePub for Apple) reader. I think this will be what's "huge" in this device. I mean, i don't see it appealing to those people who already have iPod's and iPhone's (Apple fanboys aside) but to those who love to read, like me (hahaha).

What i like about the iPad...
1. Large enough screen to watch a movie decently.
2. Large enough screen and power to handle cool games (not my cup of tea though, but still a +).
3. Battery life; 10 hours and what (?) a month on standby?
4. iWork (but with the portable keyboard accessory; sorry Apple i don't type as accurately as I would hope on touchscreens for long documents).
5. iBooks (this is biggest seller among all the features to me).

What i DON't like about it...
1. The name. C'mon Apple! iPad?
2. The design. Not too enamored by the design, yes, its crazy thin, but the screen just looks awkward to me. It doesn't look seamless. But thats just me.
3. No 3G, well, if you want 3G and Wi-Fi, it'll cost you more.
4. The price. $829 for a full-packed (wi-fi+3G, 64GB) iPad? Seriously.

My verdict...

I'm underwhelmed.

HP & Vivienne Tam team-up for 2nd Gen of Fashionable Netbook

For those who love technology and fashion with the same flair, this one's for you. The second generation HP Mini Vivienne Tam Netbook unveiled at the NYC's Fashion Week. Though it looks like nothing's really changed under the hood from the first generation, the original red flowers design have been replaced with butterflies that "represent romance, freedom, empowerment and transformation".

Personally, I like the first generation more, as the design aesthetic is more mature and well, professional. I could see this new batch appealing to a younger market though. I just hope HP comes up with a couple more design options next time and upgrading the specs couldn't hurt either.

Via Gizmondo

Safari 4: Great in both Mac and Windows

I tested the Safari 4 Beta from its initial testing stage (when it was publicly made available; I'm no Apple Developer) up to a couple days ago when it finally went out of beta stage on my 2nd Gen White Macbook. I was not too happy with the Safari 4 beta, as i found myself still going back to Firefox 3.5 (also in beta), primarily because of it (Safari 4) still being a bit of a memory hog aside from the tolerable frequency appearance of the dreadful beach ball.


But, ho-ho-ho! The just released final Safari 4, blew me away! What a BIG improvement and great browser experience this piece of software brings. Forget the ouster of the 'tabs on top' or the 'progress bar in the menubar' or any other miniscule 'i shall miss that' features, this browser is fast, really fast, it blew me away when i first used it; browsing is just more fluid, and of course Apple's design aesthetics mixed with unquestionable function is ever evident here (i.e. coverflow view for history and bookmarks).

What surprised me more and made me even love Safari 4 is how it also seamlessly integrates itself in Windows, specifically Windows 7, which i am testing via VMWare Fusion. Same fluidity, same aesthetics, same speed - and without pushing the Mac interface down your throat! (Hope they could do that to iTunes for Windows as well, but that's another story)

So now i am floored! Safari 4 is my second most favorite browser, ever. Next to Google Chrome (when it releases its final version for Macs, which i hope would be really soon).

10 of the World's Most Iconic Green Office Buildings

Buildings and skyscrapers are symbols of a vigorous and dynamic economy. However, at this time, architects and engineers ought to continue in developing more environment-friendly structures in an effort to help reduce the alarming deterioration of the world. The government, too, should become more aggressive in campaigning for this development.

Here are 10 of the most inspiring and green office buildings in the world:

BBVA HQ - Madrid

China Insurance Group Shenzen

Ernst and Young HQ Amsterdam

StatOilHydro Oslo

Fusionopolis Singapore

The Okhta Tower St. Petersburg

The Cactus Project Qatar

525 Golden Gate San Francisco

The Bow Calgary

One Westminster Place London

Via Ahoy

"Touch" the future of sustainability

Wow! If this is how the near future would become, I am excited. Hope that this kind of technology would really be accessible to a lot of us and not only to the privileged few who actually has thousands of dollars to spare.

Do we have the iPhone and MS Surface to thank for this? What do you think?

The death of IE6 and the promise of Windows 7

Windows 7's new interface

From the ashes of Internet Explorer 6 and hopefully, Vista, Microsoft is beginning to rise again.

This past couple of months have been a great time for Microsoft. First, there is the soon to be released Windows 7 which is generating very positive reviews not only with MS users but even with the ever so discriminating Mac users (like myself). Yes, there are still apprehensions - eternal issues that MS copied from Apple - a bloated architecture - the dreadful BSOD - numerous versions which makes sense only to MS.

BUT regardless of all these, nobody can deny that for the first time in a long time, Microsoft is likely doing something right. The company which we seemingly love to watch failing and disappointing us, is finally straightening out its glitches, at least with their soon to be flagship operating system.

Windows 7, even in beta, is reportedly very stable and fast (though i still need to do an actual test run on my Macbook via Bootcamp, it's now nearing RC status, allegedly). Unlike the much maligned Vista which was, in consensus, made haphazardly, Windows 7 is robust and easier to use. Apparently, Microsoft has been listening and rightly so. They ought to have learned a lot from Vista albeit learning it the hard way.

Windows 7 definitely takes it cue from Vista - harnessing Vista's strength and eliminating its weaknesses while pimping its interface further which I might add is rather conspicuously beautiful. The result is an operating system that is currently being touted as innovative and could probably be one of Microsoft's best OS offering.

Quoting from Preston Gralla of ComputerWorld: Overall, Windows 7 is a more functional, more efficiently designed operating system than Windows Vista, with far more attention paid to the user experience. From revamped a User Account Control (UAC) feature to better home networking, improved search and nice interface tweaks, the entire operating system has gotten an overall polishing.

Internet Explorer 8 Interface

Then just last Friday, MS announced that finally, after years of brouhaha, Internet Explorer 6 will soon finally come to an end. By May, the new and more efficient Internet Explorer 8 will be distributed to users either via Windows Automatic Update or by simply downloading from the MS website.

Starting on or about the third week of April, users still running IE6 or IE7 on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008 will get will get a notification through Automatic Update about IE8. This rollout will start with a narrow audience and expand over time to the entire user base. On Windows XP and Server 2003, the update will be High-Priority. On Windows Vista and Server 2008 it will be Important.

This news has been long-time coming especially to the web designers/developers who were constantly hampered by IE6's poor HTML and CSS rendering capabilities. I have tested the early betas of the new Internet Explorer 8 over at my PC and i must say that it is easier to use and responsive though not as fast as my favorite Google Chrome (whose Mac version I am eagerly awaiting, but that's another story).

With these updates and most likely achievements, I am positive that Microsoft is finally pulling and pushing through. Is this the sign of Microsoft's second coming?

For a run-down of what's new in Windows 7, please visit Gizmondo. For those delicious screenshots which we can't seem to get enough of, visit Paul Thurott's review. Internet Explorer 8 screenshots are at ZDNet.

The future of restaurants?

I and my friends used to joke about dining in a fancy and technologically advanced restaurant where the menu is digitally projected on top of the table (a bit closer to the MS Surface concept probably) and you just have to click on the food of your choice and then after a few minutes it'll be served not thru a waiter but will sort of ascend from within the center of the table .

While it is within the above context, this technology advanced restaurant (below) seems to be closer to what we have in mind.

The restaurant is called Inamo in London UK with interactive projections on the tables. It is designed by interior architecture and design office Blacksheep.

A projector and computer are suspended above each table; customers can use a touch panel to order food, access the kitchen webcam, play games, change the pattern projected onto the corian table top and source local information. ViaDezeen and Crave UK.

Video Demo

• Inamo restaurant's interactive tables
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• CNET UK videos

Did you know?

Interesting and/or alarming facts about the world and technology.

Did you know that: India has more honor kids than America has kids? If MySpace were a country, it would be the 5th largest in the world (between Indonesia and Brazil)? The first commercial text message was sent December 1992?

More facts in the video. Great watch!