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Bentley's first plug-in hybrid is an ultra-luxurious SUV
Bentley has been promising a hybrid version of its Bentayga SUV for over 3 years, and it's finally here... although you might not want to pat yourself on the back if you buy one. The simply-titled Bentayga Hybrid delivers the same ultra-luxurious design of the regular model, but replaces the usual powerplant with a 3.0L V6 and an electric motor. However, that motor will only get you about 31 miles of pure electric driving -- fine if you're a footballer driving to the local nightclub, but not very useful for visiting family. It's meant more to offset the lousy fuel economy from the V6, which musters just 12MPG in the city and 19MPG on the highway.
Xiaomi's Mi MIX 2 comes with a stunning ceramic unibody
For most of us living outside of China, we tend to be limited to two options when it comes to the choice of materials on our phones: either metal or plastic, or a bit of both (and maybe a touch of wood, if you're lucky). While Essential was grabbing headlines with its titanium device, Xiaomi continued tinkering with something that many others dare not touch: ceramics. Following the Mi MIX, the Chinese smartphone maker has once again collaborated with Philippe Starck's design studio to bring us yet another ceramic device with a near-bezel-less display: the Mi MIX 2.
Xiaomi aims to be more than king of the budget smartphones
The day after the Mi Note 2 and Mi MIX launch last week, the flagship Mi Home store next to Xiaomi's headquarters was packed with visitors. Nope, they weren't there to spend their yuan, but simply to wait for their turn to play with the new phones. But the real star was clearly the Mi MIX "concept phone." People were drawn to its near-bezel-less display and fancy ceramic body. Despite this being Xiaomi's most expensive smartphone ever, I heard many visitors ask if they could buy one immediately, only to be let down when told they have to wait until Nov. 4th. Xiaomi must be doing something right
Outside China, Xiaomi seeks another home on US networks
October 9th marked Hugo Barra's third year at Xiaomi, and as its Global Vice President, he watched the company evolve from a China-centric smartphone e-tailer to an IoT ecosystem with a growing international footprint. Xiaomi's recently entered Russia, Mexico and the Middle East, with Poland, Vietnam, Thailand plus a couple other Latin American markets next on the docket. But the long list is still missing one key region: the US. While the ex-Googler continues to stay mum on a launch date, he did reveal to Engadget that his team has already started testing phones in America. Such commitment is an important milestone ahead of the notoriously tough US carrier lab tests.
Xiaomi's Mi MIX is all about its gorgeous edge-to-edge display
We're used to surprise announcements at Xiaomi events, but this time, it's a rather special one. After showing off the Mi Note 2, the company unveiled the Mi MIX "concept phone" -- one that's headlining with a cool 6.4-inch, edge-to-edge 1080p LCD (even at the top two round corners, and without using the old optical illusion trick). The high-end device also features glossy, full ceramic body and buttons, with no earpiece or proximity sensor, allowing for a cleaner look on the device's top edge. And, naturally, as the flagship phone it has flagship specs. For a moment there, we were wondering why Xiaomi would spend so much time talking about a concept phone, but then, as a final surprise, we learned it's something people will actually be able to buy.
Netatmo's radiator valves take cues from its smart thermostat
It seems like it was only yesterday that most smart thermostat makers were content with their simple solutions, leaving the more complicated heating zone control systems to those with prior experience. Actually... that was only yesterday. Just a few short hours after Tado announced the addition of smart radiator valves to its product range, Netatmo has revealed it's doing exactly the same thing. You probably know the score by now: Replacing existing, dumb radiator valves with internet-connected ones allows you to remotely control the temperature of individual rooms.
Parrot Zik Sport headphones do noise canceling, heart monitoring
Parrot's Zik 2.0 noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones may not be ideal for workouts, but fans may want to give the new Zik Sport a spin to get a similar experience. Granted, these are actually in-ears instead of the earcup type, but Parrot and Philippe Starck still managed to tuck in eight microphones -- six for noise-canceling, two for voice calls -- in addition to a heart rate sensor, pedometers and a five-hour battery (and this is with all the features turned on). That's a very impressive package given how much smaller these headphones are.
Parrot brings big color and big comfort to its touch-controlled headphones
As much as we enjoy Parrot's advanced Zik Bluetooth headphones, many complained that they're a tad on the hefty side, and not everyone's a fan of the earcups' bulky look. Worry not, though, as the French company has finally delivered a new and improved version to tackle these issues. The aptly named Zik 2.0 weighs in at 270g, which is 17 percent (or 55g) lighter than its predecessor. Not bad considering all the original features remain, especially the large trackpad -- this time with a soft-touch leather exterior -- on the right earcup for playback and volume swipe gestures, as well as NFC and the removable battery on the left side.
Philippe Starck's latest project is a fleet of electric bikes for all terrains
We've come across a variety of wares from renowned French designer Philippe Starck. He's tinkered with everything from external hard drives to headphones, and now he's added electric bicycles to the list. Working alongside Moustache Bikes, the M.A.S.S. collection is a set of four powered two-wheelers built to tackle mud, asphalt, sand and snow with a corresponding acronym to boot. The fleet of Starckbikes have a handlebar-mounted control unit for sorting five modes (eco, tour, sport and turbo) alongside GPS navigation. Depending on which of those modes you choose, advertised range is 30 to 60km (around 19 to 37 miles) and the lithium-ion battery fully recharges in 3.5 hours. Of course, mileage goes up if you're okay with pedaling the extra distance. In terms of speed, three of the bikes top out at 15.5 MPH (25 km/h) and that road-tuned option can zoom around at up 28 MPH (45 km/h). As you might expect, the sand and snow models feature frame covers to protect that 250-watt Bosch electric motor from the elements, one of which is made of some quite dapper fur.
Philippe Starck wants you to make 3D-printed custom furniture
Philippe Starck is no longer satisfied with crafting exotic-looking products that don't change -- he wants to give you control over the design process. He tells the Wall Street Journal that his newly opened custom furniture venture, TOG, will eventually become an open source community that lets you create your own 3D-printed furniture and share designs with others. He'd also like to see kiosks that make it easy for anyone to produce their own furniture, even if they can't justify a 3D printer of their own.
LaCie Blade Runner drive now available, offers stand-out storage for $300
LaCie teased us at CES with the prospect of a rare high-concept hard drive design in the Blade Runner, but it left out the rather important matter of when we could buy the Philippe Starck-designed storage. As we've discovered, we didn't have to wait long -- the Blade Runner has just become available. Plunk down $300 and you'll get a 4TB, USB 3.0-based external drive that melds a blob-like disk shell with aluminum blades that both cool the main body and create a (minor) conversation piece. Just be sure to hurry if you're looking for a dash of art with your extra drive space, as it's doubtful that the Blade Runner's 9,999-unit production run will last.
LaCie teams up with Philippe Starck on the Blade Runner limited edition hard drive
Philippe Starck, the design mind behind various Parrot wares, has teamed up with LaCie once more for a quite dapper external storage device. The duo has just announced the Blade Runner here at CES: a 4TB USB 3.0 hard drive wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum and sporting a LED power button in the shape of Mr. Starck's logo. That's not all. Only 9,999 of these bad boys will be produced so you'll need to have your affairs in order ahead of time if the gadget strikes your design sensibilities. The drive will also include 10GB of Wuala secure cloud storage to lend a hand with the archival process. No word on when the Blade Runner will arrive, but when it does, you can expect to nab it online from LaCie and other retailers after parting with the requisite $299. For a closer look at the goods, hit the galleries below to take a gander at the press shots and our brief hands-on. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Daily Update for December 21, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Designer has Steve Jobs' yacht impounded over unpaid bill
Philippe Starck, the man who designed Steve Jobs' yacht, had the boat impounded in Amsterdam due to unpaid bills, according to Starck's lawyer. The yacht, known as "Venus" cost almost US$130 million to build. It was started in 2007 by Jobs and Starck, who worked together in designing it. Since Jobs passed away in October 2011, he never got to see the finished boat, but after its completion it was delivered to his family. However, now Starck's lawyer says the Jobs family has only paid him a portion, $8 million, out of the $12 million he and Jobs agreed on. A lawyer representing Starck told Reuters, "The project has been going since 2007 and there had been a lot of detailed talk between Jobs and Starck. These guys trusted each other, so there wasn't a very detailed contract." The yacht was impounded on Wednesday and will remain in the Amsterdam port until Jobs' estate lawyers pay the outstanding balance.
Details of designing the Jobs family yacht
Last month we saw images and a video of the Jobs family yacht Venus, which features a row of 27-inch iMacs on the bridge, floor-to-ceiling glass in many places, and a very unique design. SuperYacht Times recently interviewed famed French designer Philippe Starck, who collaborated with Jobs on the design of Venus. Starck noted that at the beginning of the design process, Jobs gave him "carte blanche" to do whatever he wanted -- the requirements were just the length of the yacht and the number of guests Jobs wished to entertain on board. After that point, Jobs and Starck spent one full day every six weeks between 2007 and Jobs' death in 2011 poring over design changes "millimetre by millimetre. Detail by detail." The result of the collaboration is a design that's very much the embodiment of Jobs, something useful, yet simple. Starck notes that there is not a "useless pillow" or other object without a purpose on the entire yacht. The SuperYacht times interview is a fascinating look into both the mind of designer Starck as well as the design philosophy of the late Jobs. [via CNET]
The Engadget Interview: Parrot CEO Henri Seydoux
This man sure knows how to entertain photogs, but he's much more than just a charming French poser. Meet Henri Seydoux, the founder, chairman and CEO of today's multi-talented Parrot. While promoting the recently launched Zikmu Solo wireless speaker in Hong Kong, Seydoux sat down with us to share the amusing story behind himself and his company. Check out the video after the break to hear how Seydoux's encounter with Roland Moreno, the inventor of the smart card, made him drop journalism in favor of software engineering, as well as his detailed explanation on why many Bluetooth audio products suck, and how Bluetooth will continue to rule the world "like Beyoncé." Enjoy!
Parrot Zikmu Solo reaches US in November, makes a tower of wireless sound yours for $999
Parrot has taken some time trotting out the Zikmu Solo speaker since we first saw it at CES, but those enamored with very vertical audio can rest easy now that the unit has a North American release schedule. Both Canada and the US can buy the Philippe Starck-crafted speaker in November, when it will cost $999 for Americans in its black and white guises (sorry, no red for now). While that's a lot to pay for a 100W speaker, Parrot is counting on the unique acoustic design, a conventional iOS dock and a mix of Bluetooth, NFC and WiFi to tempt people away from the land of horizontal sound. It's undoubtedly one of the easiest ways to make a speaker dock the focus of a room -- and that's part of the point, isn't it?
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: portable audio
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're taking our audio with us -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! With all of the studying and on-campus traveling you're about to delve into, sometimes adding a bit of music to your step can spice up those mundane times in your daily routine. That's why we've rounded up a selection of portable speakers and headphones that'll not only help you rock out whenever the mood strikes, but also go a step further by letting you take phone calls without skipping a beat. It may not be audiophile-grade gear in the official sense, but it won't matter when you're enjoying good sound just about anywhere your smartphone-connected life takes you.
Parrot Zik by Starck review: Is $400 worth it for the fanciest, techiest headphones around?
You do know that Parrot makes more than just the AR.Drone, right? It was at CES earlier this year that we first caught a glimpse of -- and subsequently began geeking out about -- the Parrot Zik by Starck. For those unfamiliar, these headphones are jam-packed with enough technologies to make even the geekiest audio lovers smitten. Priced at about $400, they feature Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth connectivity, on-board capacitive touch-control, active noise cancellation, head detection, a jawbone sensor for speech and Parrot's audio-enhancing DSP app for iOS and Android -- not to mention a striking design by the renowned Philippe Starck. This isn't the first time Parrot and Mr. Starck have worked together, but this does mark their debut in the portable audio market (as opposed to home-based speaker systems). In the case of this review, not one, but two Engadget editors spent some time testing the product. So, do they impress? More importantly, are they worth the $400 asking price? You know the drill: meet us after the break where we'll lay it all out.
Parrot Zik launching in August for $399, free app included for iOS and Android
Remember those cool-looking Parrot Zik wireless headphones we saw back at CES? Well, now we have a date and a price for you Philippe Starck fans out there. Announced at the Hong Kong launch event earlier today, these NFC-enabled, active noise cancelling Bluetooth cans will be available globally in August, with the US getting a price tag of $399 before tax (and for those who care, you'll be able to nab one in Hong Kong for HK$3,399 or US$440). During our brief ears-on, we certainly enjoyed the Zik's great audio quality, noise isolation and the intuitiveness of its swipe gesture input. While the battery is swappable, note that this expensive package only comes with one cell (accessible under the magnetic cover on the left can) that typically lasts for around five hours, so road warriors will need to chip in about $30 for a spare one. Alternatively, product manager Theodore Sean (whom we had the pleasure to interview at CES) pointed out a unique and handy feature that sort of bypasses this problem: you can still use the Zik as a pair of passive headphones using the included 3.5mm audio cable, but without any battery juice left, you obviously won't be able to enjoy the noise cancellation function (on a plane, for instance) or even make phone calls. %Gallery-159769%
