The Cloud: MIT Mobile Experience Lab

by Tim Yu

Located in downtown Firenze, the MIT Mobile Experience Lab put their brilliant minds together to create The Cloud, a large interactive sculpture.

Consisting of 15,371 individual fibers and 65km of fiber optics, The Cloud senses human movement and tactile engagement provoking a variety of responses, including changes in light, animation and sound. We don't have anyone on the ground yet to go check it out in person but it seems to be a hypnotic and engaging experience. Check out the video to get a better sense of its functionality.

The software used to create The Cloud is open source, so if you have what it takes feel free to add to the sculpture. More information can be found at The Cloud.

via Designboom

LTD Magazine Online Giveaway

by Mike Giles

The guys from LTD magazine have been on our radar since 2006 but as of 6 June, when they launched their new website, that blip on our radar screen got a lot bigger. Aimed at giving the consumers who don't receive a hard copy limited access to the LTD world (the print run is always under 10,000 and only distributed to the publisher's list), the site provides a "Spots" listings, a premiere resource for shoppers to get info for the best shops around the world, not to mention a ridiculously addictive “arcade” section that’s pretty self explanatory.

If you think you make the cut to get on the list, you can fill out the “subscription request form” on the site. Or, if you're feeling lucky and want to get your hands on a signed copy of the summer issue featuring legendary artist, writer, and punk label owner Pushead you can name which classic arcade games that the “LTD invasion” game is based on.

To enter, follow the contact link at the bottom of the page, select "LTD magazine Giveaway" from the pull-down menu and send us your name, address and answer. The contest ends this Monday, 23 June 2008, 11:59pm EST.

25 Under 25 Up-and-Coming American Photographers Vol. 2

by Max Gold

"25 Under 25" is the second volume of the collection of work of young, up and coming American photographers. Curator Sylvia Plachy selected the photographers based on whom she believes offer the viewer the greatest passage into a visual epiphany.

The body of work covers everything from the political to the metaphysical, and each photographer has in common the fact that they offer a unique truth through their extraordinary abilities in visual storytelling.

I was most excited by the work of Ami Howard, who opens up the lid on what we assume to be reality and takes an eerie look inside with her series, "Other Dimensions." Howard riffs off of a strange ritual of the eighteenth century French Jansenists, who would often transcend reality by convulsing until they entered trance-like states. She repeats the image of an obscured creature covered in a sheet, alone and oscillating in different environments. Howard's work is a perfect example of the way a photographer can not only bring us into a single moment but also show us something that we may not have considered as to what it means to be alive.

"Emptiness is the homeostasis of a space" is the premise of Greg Mrotek's series, "Between Rooms," exploring emptiness as a signifier of transition and as something that holds its own story. "In some, the physical appearance is changing; in others, the space itself awaits new occupants or reveals old ones."

Futoshi Miyagi merges social experimentation and sexuality with photography with his quirky series, "Loving Strangers." He says, "The procedure was simple: go to a stranger's place and take photographs of us together, acting as if we were in a relationship." Miyagi's images feel awkward and resonate deeply, akin to the films of Werner Fassbinder.

Pick it up from Amazon.

Gram Design Sneaker/Boots

by Ami Kealoha

by Naomi Nevitt

When is a sneaker more than a sneaker? When it's a boot, too. Stockholm-based footwear label Gram Design has crafted a kicker that's just that: part city sneaker, park hiking boot. With a focus on clean lines, subtle humor, and refined classics, three-year-old company Gram kicks shoe-making forward, without stepping on the toes of functionality or comfort.

Gram's 406g style is no exception. Sure, the 406g, crafted out of a three-toned plaid canvas, can run with its ball-court counterparts and clomp with the Timberland crowd thanks to its thick rubber sole and signature mesh eyelets. But with work-ready metal hooks, crisp black piping and a multicolored high-top make (though we prefer the stealth all-black version), this hybrid will also past muster with the toughest judges of all—sidewalk-walking, big-city sneakerheads.

Read more...

Ashworth Turtle Knife

by Tim Yu

With the holy trinity of male essentials (phone, keys, wallet) bulging pockets already, adding anything to the roster is tough. To that end, having a pocket knife may not be very fashion forward but its usefulness is undeniable. The new Ashworth Turtle pocket knife is small enough to carry and well-designed. It's a good choice for those looking for something more subtle without compromising usability.

Designed by famed custom knife maker Boyd Ashworth, the Turtle features a fold out spear point blade made of polished high-carbon stainless steel. The blade itself is a stubby one inch long, the whole knife is only two inches when folded and it weighs in at 1.3 ounces. For artists and outdoorsmen alike, the turtle assists in daily tasks easily opening with one hand by pressing on the lower blade trigger.

Available in a variety of colors and finishes, purchase one for $40 from CRKT.