Adding another dimension to portable music experiences, Kerchoonz's lightweight K-box speakers bring deeper bass response, making for to a spontaneous, on-the-go party-starter. Using patented Gel Audio technology to convert any smooth, solid surface into a giant speaker, the K-box generates an actual increase in the sound—the deeper the surface,...

Keep your household decor up to date with ease with Parrot's Specchio Digital Picture Frame. The digital frame can upload pictures via USB, through Wi-Fi connection to Picasa or FlickR, or even through your Blackberry via Bluetooth and a dedicated e-mail address. Now whenever you need a quick change in...

Beat Poet Menswear delivers another thoughtfully minimalist line with their upcoming Fog collection. The line works in tandem with their spring/summer line, Desert, a conceptual approach taken by the Sydney-based designers to produce a full year-round collection. Desert and Fog take their inspiration from the immense power of the...

Aussie-based water bottling operation Another Bloody Water brings some serious sass to the table. Their disregard for overly pretentious competitors shows in everything from their irreverent name to their simplistic design (consisting of a dazzling palette of white, gray and black) and the oft-acerbic commentary on their blog. Down...

An eco-friendly and vibrant solution to the rampant waste of disposable chopsticks (250 billion are trashed yearly), Yuento's travel-friendly alternative comes with a portable poly-carbonate case and silicon cap that doubles as a rest between bites. The designers make the chopsticks themselves—dubbed Eco-Pocke-My-Hashi—out of durable and sustainable bamboo in...

Urban visionary James Rojas captures the energy of L.A.'s transient Chinatown environment in his exhibit Re-imagining Chinatown: An Interactive Planning Process. Nationally acclaimed for his insight into U.S. Latino urban built culture and co-founder of the Latino Urban Forum, Rojas brings his intimacy with community to the exhibition aiming...

We love nature and we love innovative architecture. Cutler Anderson Architects showcase their amazing ability to combine the two in "Searching For True," an upcoming compilation of 22 of their most impressive projects. These projects range from chic, expansive forested villas to an inconspicuous yet undeniably moving Armed Forces...

Encouraging more meaningful interaction than status updates, social networking site thisMoment allows you to create a timeline of your life—adding photos, videos and feelings in an easily navigable format. We recently had a chance to catch up with thisMoment partner Ankarino Lara, who told us more about the site....

Highly functional and dead simple, Dynomighty Design's Desk Dots made us instant fans on our recent visit to their Manhattan studio. An indispensable desk-side companion, the powerful ceramic magnets can hold business cards, post pictures, build little wobbly structures (a surprisingly and incredibly addicting pastime) or stand in as...

A breathtaking monograph of prolific designer Marcel Wanders, "Behind the Ceiling" investigates the designer's motivations and inspirations, going beyond a simple catalog of work to lend real insight into what makes him tick. The coffee table-style tome looks at Wanders' ability to reference old motifs while simultaneously exploring new...

Dynomighty Design uses High Density Polyethylene threads (Tyvek to us non-chemists) to make their Mighty Wallet a tough and lightweight option. We recently had the opportunity to meet with Terrence Kelleman, the mastermind behind Dynomighty, who demonstrated the Mighty Wallet's incredible durability when faced with basically any stress imaginable....

Paying homage to some of their favorite design icons and the summer season, Furni teamed up with soft goods company Bruxe to create a very limited color and pre-release run of Bruxe's "Chairs" tee. Exclusive to Montreal's upper ground boutique Off the Hook and online at Furni's webshop for...

PSFK's new "Snapshot Brooklyn," breaks down the massive borough with a book of area highlights. The 60-page guide traverses a range of activities and interests, giving insider tips on the best eats, tunes, arts and otherwise desirable destinations in town. A few of their insights make for a picture...

Street artist INSA's recent buzzed-about work pays tribute to the runner with 35 portraits of feet that he hand painted in East London. Produced by media think-tank Protein and created in collaboration with Nike Sportswear's IAM1 Journey Project, it's part of a push by the brand (see the campaign...

An exclusive first peek, this trailer for Daniel Leeb's portrait of Italian bike frame-builder Giovanni Pelizzoli, aka "Ciocc," celebrates the renowned artisan and his work. The short film, called "Anima D'Acciaio" (Soul of Steel), documents Ciocc's expertise as he makes a new fixed gear frame by hand, sharing his...

A mash-up of NYC graffiti and the elegantly seductive lines of women's swimsuits, Graffini brings an edgy vibe to beachwear. Available in five different cuts—from a skimpy Brazilian string bikini to a classic one-piece—each sport a different set of vivid images. Designers use photographs of street art from walls,...

Drawing on the rich sense of history of thrift store objects, Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn founded SignificantObjects.com. The site is a collaborative experiment pairing cheap thrift store/yard sale finds with creative writers who create a unique personality for it. Items include cat figurines printed with chilis (above left),...

Of the eco-tourist travel boom lately, one of the most effective programs we've encountered is conservationist non-profit Reef Check. Tourists lucky enough to indulge in exotic island vacations have a chance to give back, combine active and activist lifestyles and help maintain reef integrity by joining Reef Check. The...

NYC label No Mas knows that nothing says summer like vintage shades, prompting their recent collaboration with Silver Lining Opticians. The two styles, modeled after those worn by baseball star Reggie Jackson and tennis' sex-symbol Bjorn Borg, perfectly complement No Mas' unpretentious approach to sportswear. Reggie's Italian logo-free aviators...

Celebrating a decade of art collective Mixed Greens' efforts in promoting struggling artists, their Tenth Anniversary Exhibition, X, brings together 84 members and alumni for a sensory overload experience. The show draws on a roster of talent (over 100 different artists to date) that speaks to the organization's careful...

RetroSpecs & Co.'s Buffalo Horn Inlay collection is another class of shade. The outfit has dedicated themselves to the discovery, research, and restoration of antique lens frames since 1992. In the ensuing 17 years they have established themselves as masters of their craft, catering to the high profile tastes...

We were just in London on the bus thinking the classic vehicle needed an update. Good thing premier luxury car producer Aston Martin and prominent architectural firm Foster + Partners recently teamed up to give a new spin on the classic London behemoth. The collaboration was prompted by London...

Alternative clothing promoters Altamont present their first collaboration with Off Bowery Production's infamous A-Ron (aka Aaron Bondaroff, NYC's downtown impresario and personality). A-Ron epitomizes Altamont's "Cut From A Different Cloth..." mentality, willing to go the weird or outlandish route to produce something with the right blend of aggro attitude...

ID Prints extreme-sports action images are cause for any radical aesthete to rejoice. Their purchasable posters are "staccato-quality offset prints," or in other terms, they are crisp and clean. Produced using only first-rate materials and processes these posters offer both action and integrity that is hard to match. As...

Lulan Artisans 11°/17° Textile Competition is an avenue for aspiring textile artists to publicize their craftsmanship and be discovered. Founded in 2005 by Eve Blossom as a sustainable textile initiative, Lulan produces handmade high-quality textiles using organic and renewable materials while at the same time providing sustainable income to...

Les Toiles Du Soleil, or "The Cloth of the Sun," is a 150 year old French company from Saint Laurent de Cerdans that is bringing generations of fabric expertise with its first U.S store in New York. Les Toiles Du Soleil produces all of their merchandise—excluding a few handbags...

Built's new camera cases are chic and affordable. The Soft Shell Camera Case (above left) is perfect for the simple point and shoot but for more involved photographers the Cargo Camera Bags (above right) will hold multiple cameras, lenses and other gear. The Cargo Camera Bags feature an exterior...

Blue Ember's 79,000 BTU 650 iQue grill is pushing the frontier of digital outdoor appliances. Every facet of its design lends itself to precision and versatility, allowing users to grill, rotisserie, smoke, sear, roast and even bake with ease. The most notable difference from a traditional gas grill is...

Environmentally-conscious designer Hiroki Hayashi is cleaning up the recycled-goods world with his new line of home scrubs dubbed Goodbye Detergent. The two main lines, Kitchen Cleaning Scrubs and Outdoor Scouring Pads, utilize the abrasive powers of recycled food remnants like ground peach pits, corn cobs and walnut shells to...

Any fan of introspective music on the alternative end of things must check out The Wailing Wall's debut album, Hospital Blossoms. The brainchild of NYC-based musician Jesse Rifkin, The Wailing Wall brings together an immensely talented group of musicians to tell a story of sadness, acceptance and catharsis. Rifkin...

Cool Hunting sponsored an old-school early-'90s jam at the Thrillist Loft earlier this week as part of their week of parties. Absolut Vodka supplied an open bar, calling for many drinks, dances and adventurous picture poses. The classic tunes—from Black Street to SWV—supplied by the illustrious DJ Sharee got...

Nathan Shedroff's new book, "Design is the Problem", presents a practical and layman-accessible exploration of sustainable design. In it, he breaks the progress toward sustainability into five parts: learning how to reduce, reuse, recycle, restore, and process. And Shedroff isn't afraid to get in reader's faces about the issue,...

Add new dimensions to guitar recording with Paul Kinny's Stereo Acoustic guitars, which use two sound holes to create a richer, more dynamic sound. The mammoth design, both intriguing and off-putting, is reminiscent of harp-guitars employed by innovative musicians Andy McKee and Michael Hedges. The two holes, oddly positioned...

The LA Times' up-and-coming new-media site Brand X is hosting a video competition (that we're judging) to explore what it means to be a next-gen Los Angeleno. Shape your creative vision in a three-minute or less video exposé by this Friday, 12 June 2009 and enter to win a...