It has been predicted that perhaps folks  will never be able to get enough of Swarovski the coming festive season. After all, isn’t it then when everything is expected to shine and sparkle! And when you are in New York, you always look forward to see the Rockefeller Center for it has been celebrated as the most popular sparkle in the city during the holidays. Hundreds of locals as well as tourists have gathered at this famous sport to get a glimpse of the glorious Christmas Tree, that has a tradition of being topped with a Swarovski star since 2004.

And this year, we shall witness a star with a diameter of 9 1/2 feet, depth of 1 1/2 feet and a weight of 550 pounds. Believe it or not, but this twinkling star constitutes 25,000 crystals and has some 1,000,000 facets. A very high tech item, the star has been designed as a low cost decoration thanks to its energy-efficient LED bulbs.
A little research told us that the Rockefeller Center started the Tree Lighting Ceremony in 1933. Each year, the Christmas Tree was covered with 700 lights. However, this year will be the first time that a Swarovski star with a dynamic light movement will be featured. The 77th Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, December 2, from 7-9 pm.

Via luxist

The first thing people will say when they hear the news, “Does a charity organization need a $500 million headquarters?” You might debate that all night long and question the decision’s sensibility but we believe that its Bill’s money and he has every right to spend it any way he wants… As simple as that. Now with the morality issue out of the way, what is so special about this building that it will cost Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation a whooping $500 million when Russell Investments paid one-third of that for its 42-story building not very far away from the project location.

Add to that the structure to be constructed is just two six-story, boomerang-shaped buildings on 12 acres near the Seattle Center and you can imagine what the interiors of this expensive real estate might look like.

The latest structure that is about to be built will sport a living roof on the parking garage, a million-gallon rainwater storage tank to reduce water use, Gates museum and will try and achieve an LEED Gold Rating just to ensure that it is all green and eco-friendly. So, whether you like the idea or not the headquarters will surely add a new charm to Seattle and if you actually think about it, could help increase both the image and employment opportunities of the city.

wsj

How about riding the world’s very first e-Motorbike? Ok, if that does not really excite you all that much then how about riding an e-Motorbike that sports an indestructible frame and is crafted from Euro Warplanes and Formula1 car parts? Yup, now that sounds more like it, does it not. No matter which way you look at it, Grace is all that and a lot more.

In a world where environment issues are becoming a key factor and yet design and speed and indispensible, Grace combines the best of both world’s to give you a ride that is unlike anything else you have gone on before.

Made with the precision of German engineering, Grace can race to a top speed of 45 km/hr and can go at its top speed for a whole hour on a single charge. The battery pack is as sleek and advanced the bike itself and is integrated into its frame seamlessly. With e-bikes getting popular by the day, Grace could be a pioneer that lays the patch down for many such designs in the coming years.

The e-Motorbike’s sleek design, high efficiency, smooth performance and the entire cool-factor makes it a must have for every e-bike enthusiast. Of course, it will be a while before that happens… Till then dig yourself into the video!

Highsnobiety

LED is much appreciated, be it in eco-friendly electronics or on your clothes. It doesn’t matter, we just love to see it everywhere! LED clothing really isn’t anything new for we have seen the likes of glow fur coats, LED tops and brassieres. But so far, these clothes were seen to be the forte of techie geeks alone. However, thing will change now. The London based designer duo CuteCircuit has taken matter in their hands to create a spectacular Galaxy Dress.

It took the winners of the Best Inventions of 2006 Award by Time Magazine for their Hug shirt close to 24,000 full color LEDs to design their new trend. Already being claimed as the largest wearable display in the world, the Galaxy Dress is quite a sight. It has been made from silk and then embedded with full-color LEDs. But this has been done without letting go og the comfy feel of the dress. The LEDs are like flat paper and measure only 2 by 2 mm.

CuteCircuit designers, Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz say that they have kept the circuits extra-think and flexible. These have been hand embroidered on the layer of silk such that it lets the LED fabric to stretch while behaving like normal fabric in lightness and fluidity. Several iPod batteries power this dress. These have enough charge to keep you glowing for a good 30 minutes.

Via wired

In the near future, Ducati might not just only be a car for the rest of us? A recent buzz tells us that it is also going to be an electrically-assisted pedal bike manufactured by the same brand mogul in a partnership with Italian company Italwin. Dubbed the City of Pearl, this eco-friendly mode of transportation will be available in both men’s and women’s styles. Come January, and you can lay your hands on this one at most Ducati dealerships across Europe.

And to our surprise, the City of Pearl isn’t the first two-wheeler that Ducati came up with. In fact, its predecessor is known as Cucciolo and very few are aware of its existence. But this one had a small four-stroke engine that was attached to the bicycle frame.

Here are the specs on the City of Pearl. This one is all set to compete with the electric bicycles thaks to its six-volt 9Ah Panasonic lithium ion battery pack. Then there is the front-mounted 250W brishless electric motor that can propel the bike to 24 kilometers per hour. So, go ahead and enjoy being an adveturer the eco-friendly way!

Via ducati

It addresses the need for adjustable private spaces within open offices. It helps create flexible partitions without disturbing the aesthetics of the surroundings. Eclipse Office Partition System that has been the result of work by Australian designer Marcus Ward Curran, is a modular workplace that can not only evolve and adapt to the needs of privacy and interaction change during the course of the day.

It takes into account the current office needs of desks, spot furniture, and distributed possession of furniture. Its four main components are, the hot desk, pattern table, table partition and full size partition. Every one of its components, when used along with others, can deceptively allow a space to get divided into a meeting area, a private space or a breakout zone. The components are movable and flexible, which is what gives the offices their much needed freedom of layout while letting privacy thrive within an open office space.

Despite its techno look, the product has adhered to eco-sense principles of respect to the environment. Materials that have gone into making the product are eco-friendly materials and allow design for disintegration and recycling.
Via: mgwcdesign

Unlike the popular belief, recycling can be a whole bagful of fun. In fact, lately we have come across several examples of recycling that burst the bubble of the aforementioned myth. Take the case of classic Vespa scooters for example. We have witnessed how the scraps of old autombiles have been used to contribute majorly to a green lifestyle. In fact, recycled bike furniture as well as the reuse of aircraft parts to make real stylish chairs and tables have all been greatly appreciated.

Well, this furniture range just got wider with the vintage Vespa scooters adding their own special charm. The Spanish design studio, Bel & Bel has taken up the task of converting the discarded Vespa scooters and into real cool office furniture.

That is not all. The design team has lent the handmade upholstered chairs a whole range of colors to gel with your office decor. Apart from the chairs, one can also get these unqiue scultpure models that let’s say combine the scooter handle and lower body of a mannequin. It does sound a bit crazy but it sure looks quirky and good.

Via blog.motorcycle

What is interesting is that this scooter, bicycle or downhill wheeler can be packed into your backpack for your trek uphill or journey elsewhere. Is that not a better choice to a really tough bet on bicycling uphill? Considering it works only on downslopes, when you reach a plain while downhill you may need to fold it back into your backpack, and for the smoother terrain, you can kneel when you ride down.

The bike is custom-made for rough terrains, has an aluminium frame, full suspension, triple-hardened tubes, adjustable air shocks and disc brakes. With this, you can store your other things in the backpack too.

The bicycle comes at € 1,499 or around $2,300. It is certainly a worth-buy thing in case you are an avid traveler with a penchant for downhill rides.
Via: Bergmonch, Craziest Gadgets

Come winter and all homes will be glowing with the familiar glow of the warm, cosy hearths in their living rooms. Now the deal is, which of these fireplaces will dare to be different from the rest vis-a-vis the design, functioning or even the eco-friendliness! Well, that’s a toughie. While you figure the big mystery, let us present to you the world’s first and only spherical wall-mounted fireplace. Called Cupola, this one comes from the same fellas at Vauni who earned kudos for the ‘Globe’ fireplace.

Back to Cupola, this beauty can be mounted on the wall just like a flat-screen TV. Not just flaunting a unique shape, this one displays a very superior technology too. The adjustable bio-ethanol burner lets you enjoy a very vent-less routine of hassle-free and safe flames.

A valuable addition to your modern decor, the fireplace looks nothing short of a stunning sculpture thanks to its dynamic and out-of-the-box design. Lightweight aluminum has been used to make Cupola, which is available in shades of white and black both with a matte finish. The price tag reads $2,735.

Via vauni

EV-Cub electric motorcycle is one of them, besides EVE-neo electric scooter and its already announced PCX global scooter. The motorcycle offers more stability and traction than its rear-wheel cousins, as touted. It could be a lot more easier to learn too, for riders who are just beginning to get their ropes in driving.

The 2WD bike EV-Cub can ferry riders around on its retro-styled frame early 2010. Of late, big names other than Honda, like Yamaha, Ohlins, Christini and KTM have also been working on 2WD (two-wheel drive) motorcycles.
Honda however is all ready to commercialize a 2WD motorcycle, or at least an electric one. EV-Cub has features like the car2car, car2driver communication tool and also has electric motors in front and rear wheels.

Traction advantages of vehicles like EV-Cub are primarily on loose surfaces and wet roads. This one is also slimmer than a normal motorbike. It may be to make optimum use of its lower power.

Via:Gizmag