Milan
Latest
Leaked photo of Facebook's Meta smartwatch shows camera notch
Meta — that is, the company formerly known as Facebook — may be developing a smartwatch that can take photos and videos.
Bluetooth alternative sends signals through the human body
A team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego announced Tuesday that they had developed a proof-of-concept wireless transmission system that is both more efficient and more secure than Bluetooth. It works by sending data signals through your body's natural magnetic field instead of over the air and could lead to a new class of ultra-low power wearables.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Concept kitchens and Google's crabots
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Hardly a week passes when Tesla doesn't make the news, and this past week the company had two big announcements that are getting people all riled up. First, Tesla is planning to debut a $35,000 electric car in March 2016 that will begin production in 2017. CEO Elon Musk also just announced that barely a week after the Powerwall home battery was unveiled, they're already sold out through 2016, and the company will have to expand its factory capabilities to meet the insane demand for batteries.
Milan building will pioneer smog-eating cement
When the Milan Expo opens next year, the centerpiece building will be a masterpiece of sustainable engineering. Designed around the idea of an urban forest, the new Palazzo Italia will generate its own electricity, and will be clad in materials specifically designed to clean the surrounding air. The designers, Nemesi & Partners, are using photocatalytic cement - basically, concrete that's been mixed with titanium oxide. When the building material comes into contact with ultraviolet light, the titanium oxide reacts with nitrogen dioxide in the air, converting the pollutant to a salt that can easily be washed away. The building will open in time for the Expo's launch next May, and we're already planning to book a trip over so that we can spend a day sniffing the air next to the building.
Watch ASUS' PadFone 2 Milan press conference from the safety of your home (video)
Spend yesterday away from the internet? ASUS' launch of the new PadFone 2 might have passed you by. Fortunately, we live in the internet age, where any action can be reviewed and examined to Zapruder-esque proportions. If you'd like to relive the press conference as if you were there with Jonney Shih in Milan, grab yourself an espresso and catch the footage we've tucked after the break.
Shadows of the Damned director teases 'movie-length' new game from new studio [update]
After revealing his new studio, Ovosonico, last summer, Shadows of the Damned director Massimo Guarini is ready to start teasing its first project. The game is described as "a rich emotional experience packaged in a movie-length time frame" – but it's still in a "very early prototype stage."The announcement derided "throw-away iPhone games and 40-hour long traditional productions," and noted that the studio is exploring "a reasonable price" for its first game. No platforms or launch windows or themes or ... well, much of anything else was revealed, but Ovosonico encouraged interested parties to keep an eye on its Twitter and Facebook pages for upcoming news.Update: We spoke with Massimo Guarini via email this afternoon for more info on the mystery project. He told us, "The game will deal with unusual subjects, something definitely unexplored in a teenage-driven market," before he added, "I can guarantee that you'll find lots of crazy ideas, strong emotions, original settings, [and an] unconventional approach to gameplay and storytelling." Beyond that, he wouldn't budge on game details.Guarini also hinted at digital distribution for the title, though he said, "We're not targeting iOS/mobile or freemium models right now. If we do it, we will focus on product quality, not on ensnaring people with addictive tricks." He said we'll likely see more from the still totally ambiguous project this August.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: ten earth activities, transnatural stools and wood ash bike frames
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Happy Earth Day! In honor of Earth Week, this week we took a moment to think about the origins of this now-global event, exploring why we need Earth Day and how our society can possibly tackle the 7 biggest threats to our environment. If haven't yet made plans for Earth day make sure to take a look at our list of 10 Earth Day activities. One of the major themes of Earth Week this year was lighting, as green lighting innovations ranging from the useful to the absurd made it onto Inhabitat's radar screen. On the more practical end of the spectrum, we reviewed the SUNNAN, Ikea's solar-powered desk lamp, and although we found it to be a bit dim, it actually outperformed its expected charge time. On the lighter side, Randy Sarafan, the same guy who designed a chair that tweets his own farts (seriously), unveiled a lamp that shuts off whenever you shut your eyes. The downside: In order for it to work you have to attach electrodes to your face, which are plugged directly into the wall. Thanks, but we'll pass. And for those who prefer regular, old-fashioned lights, Philips launched its much-anticipated L-Prize winning 10-watt LED bulb on Earth Day. At $60 a pop, you might have to take out a second mortgage to replace every bulb in your home, but you'll recoup that money back on your energy bill, and Philips also announced some rebates to ease the pain.
RIM reportedly scraps the Colt and Milan, leaving London as sole BlackBerry 10 device?
And then there was... one? BGR is reporting that the folks at Research in Motion have not only scrapped plans for the BlackBerry Colt, originally expected to be the first BlackBerry 10 superphone out of the gate, but the rumored Milan as well (which was also reported by N4BB). If true, this would leave the BlackBerry London as the one and only QNX-based device in the works, suggesting RIM is taking a huge gamble by putting all of its eggs in one basket when it launches the new OS later this year. Additionally, the site reports that the London will have a slightly different design from the prototype leaked a couple months ago, and that the Milan wasn't actually a BlackBerry 10 device at all, but instead was supposed to run OS 7. Remember this is all according to "people familiar with the matter," which means the rumor is completely unconfirmed at this time.
Artificial tongue distinguishes 18 different types of canned tomato
Taste tests are fun -- unless you're in Italy, in which case they're drawn-out and rancorous. That's why scientists in Milan are trying to remove humans from the equation, by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to reveal objective "metabolomic fingerprints" for different foodstuffs instead. In their latest experiment, NMR succeeded in predicting how human testers would judge 18 different canned tomato products, including sensory descriptors such as bitterness, saltiness, "redness" and density. Like Caesar always said, technology that knows a good ragu is technology we can trust.
Samsung looks to block iPhone 4S sales in France, Italy
Not exactly a shocking development here, but Samsung has just announced that it's looking to block sales of the iPhone 4S throughout France and Italy, opening up yet another frontier in its ongoing patent war with Apple. In a statement, the company confirmed that it will file two preliminary injunction requests in Paris and Milan today, on the grounds that Cupertino's new handset infringes upon two patents related to WCDMA standards for 3G-enabled devices. And it looks like this could only the beginning, with the manufacturer stating that it plans to pursue similar actions in other countries, as well. "Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free ride on our technology," reads Samsung's statement. "We believe it is now necessary to take legal action to protect our innovation." Apple has yet to comment on the filings, but we'll be following the drama very closely.
Panasonic gussies up LED prototypes, invites you to play (video)
How do you get laypeople excited about LED lighting? Make it pretty, of course -- that's what Panasonic Electric Works is doing this week at Salone del Mobile 2011, in Milan. Working with designer Ferruccio Laviani, the firm has built an interactive installation out of upcoming products and prototypes, inviting visitors to explore "new dimensions of spatial lighting with LED and OLED." The gimmicks aren't bad; guests can peek through transparent OLED panels, interact with a spacial sensor controlled light wall, and learn about the products that make up the exhibit in a special "technical zone." Featuring a theme dubbed "piano-forte," the exhibit seeks to associate dynamic lighting with 18th century musical sensibilities, promising to make everyone a "virtuoso" of lighting -- it's a bit heavy handed, but the results sure are easy on the eyes. Don't fancy a trip to Italy just to soak in artsy LED beauty? No worries, just hit the concept video at the break. [Image courtesy of designboom]
PSP-playing boy falls onto train tracks, saved by a real life hero (video)
Not the best news for Sony execs to be waking up to this morning, as the company's PSP has played a starring role in an unfortunate, though thankfully innocuous, incident. A 10-year old Milanese boy was recently so absorbed by his portable's make.believe world that he forgot the real one around him had boundaries with bright lines painted around them. A moment later the young gamer found himself next to the train tracks a few feet below the platform designed for human occupation, though he wasn't there long as an off-duty policeman by the name of Alessandro Micalizzi quickly leapt down and lifted him to safety. See it on video below and feel free to draw your own conclusions about your gaming habits.
Giorgio Armani wants to captivate Galaxy S buyers with new Samsung handset (video)
Shock of all horrors, Samsung and Giorgio Armani have teamed up yet again to produce a specially endorsed handset for the fashion-conscious public. The fun thing about this oh-so-exclusive piece of Armani luxury is that it looks remarkably (read: exactly) like the AT&T Captivate that Americans have had the pleasure of using for a good few of months now. We're hearing there's some extra multimedia bundled in along with the GA brand name, so we're absolutely positive your €700 will be well spent. If you're not yet convinced, how's about an unboxing video after the break? [Thanks, Gianluca]
Flickr Find: Apple Store Carosello opening in Milan, Italy
Ahhhh, Milano! The name makes me think about the Milan Cathedral, La Scala, fashion models, and the aggressive drivers in that city. And now, when I think of Milan, I can also fondly think of the new Apple Store Carosello. TUAW reader Filippo sent us a link to his Flickr gallery of the opening earlier today, which appears to have attracted a huge crowd of Apple fans. PhilApple, as he is known on Flickr, also captured the traditional "running of the geeks" in a short video upload. This is the well-known phenomenon in which the first customers are greeted by the applause, cheers, and general silliness of the Apple Store employees and other customers. While I wish Apple had chosen to place the store in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo, reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall, I'm happy for the Milanese to now have their very own Apple Store. Grazie, Filippo, for this set of photos!
Fukitorimushi cleaning bot is just like a pet -- only cleaner, quieter, better behaved, and more pillow-shaped
Panasonic recently unveiled a new kind of cleaning robot at the Tokyo Fiber Senseware Expo in Milan. Called Fukitorimushi, the small service bot is covered in Nanofront, a nanofiber polyester fabric which can absorb oil and pick up small paricles of dust. It moves a bit like an earthworm, crawling about the floor using several light sensors to root out the dirt, and can navigate itself back to its charging station when it needs more juice. Designers of the spiffy little guy seem to think that owners will bond to it as if it were a pet. No word on when these dudes will be commercially available, but we'll let you know as soon as we score one of our very own -- we're thinking about calling it Sal. There's a video of it doing its rather unnerving business after the break.[Via Robots.net]
Philips' OLED Lumiblade showcased in variety of shapes, sizes, and colors this month in Milan
If you're planning to be in Milan later this month, and we know a good lot of you are, we suggest stopping by Superstudio Piú in Zona Tortona between April 22 and 27 to check out Philips' OLED Lumiblade exhibit. The company's promising lighting with dozens of different shapes, sizes and colors will be on display. Can't say we'd necessarily call OLED a "magic material," as the press release does multiple times, but with illuminated designs like this, they're putting up a good argument. Now how about bringing some of these fancy designs to the mass market?[Via OLED-Display]
V12-designed dual-screen laptop going into production?
Sure, we were skeptical when we first saw V12 Design's dual LCD concept -- but it seems to be one step closer to production. Named the Canova, the Italian designed laptop boasts an LCD where the keyboard and trackpad traditionally are. We don't have any specifics about the construction or innards of this crazy-looking beast yet, but they've hooked up with an American company, Estari, to bring the laptop into reality. We also hear it's going to cost somewhere around $400 when it hits the streets sometime "soon." Check a few more photos after the break.[Via Notebook Italia]
Samsung and Armani HDTV hits the stage in Milan
That Samsung / Armani tie-up continues to grow closer, following the cellphones is a new premium HDTV unveiled on the opening day of the Milan International Furniture Fair. The 46- and 52-inch 1080p LCDs include Samsung's 100Hz display technology, wrapped in a design inspired by Giorgio Armani's '08/'09 Armani/Casa home furnishings collection -- inspired by Eileen Gray and reminiscent of Hollywood's Golden Age -- built to incorporate the TV as a design element of the room rather than hide it. Expect the 42-inch model, with stylish backlit remote control (a smaller, pebble shaped remote is also included for your less stylish friends) and specially designed front-mounted power switch to launch in Europe, Korea and Russia mid-summer, followed by the 52-inch in late summer.Read - Samsung & Armani unveil new premium LCD TV at Milan furniture fairRead - Armani turns back to 1930s for home collection
Promotional Consideration: Communion Day
Promotional Consideration is a new weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out. Our christening post takes a look at an Italian ad for the handheld that won Epica's silver award for Press last year. Check past the post break for the full image.
Featured Friday Video: The Wii in Milan
Unsurprisingly, they dig Mario in Italy. Think it's the mustache? But wherever you're from, the Wii launch is big news, even in beautiful Milan. Check out the video after the jump for lengthy footage from the launch in Northern Italy, complete with shots of people trying out the system ... from where we sit, it looks like amore.
