Author: JD
Lotus C-01 Motorcycle
THIS SHIT SICK Following two years of planning and intense development, Kodewa Performance Motorcycles has announced that the prototype of the world’s first motorcycle to bear the legendary Lotus marque is now road registered and ready for action. The C-01 combines ample power via a V-twin engine with a distinctive body designed by Daniel Simon integrating carbon fibre, titanium and aerospace quality steel. Simon is a German concept designer and automotive futurist, he’s best known for his vehicle designs in movies like Tron: Legacy and Oblivion, and his book Cosmic Motors. The C-01 will be available in a range of styles some of which pay homage to Lotus’ sporting pedigree. A customization service is also available, limited only by “the imagination of the client.” With an exclusive production run of just 100 units, superbike collectors and fans of the Lotus brand will need to move fast to secure one. For more information head on over to Lotus.
Luxury Submarine Provides Lovers With Sound-Proof Rooms For $292,800 Per Night
WHOA!!!!! For adventurous couples who may have already inducted themselves into the Mile High Club at 35,000 feet, Oliver’s Travels has adapted a leisure submarine with luxury furnishings and “sound-proof living accommodations” as part of their Mile Low Club. The underwater marine hotel called “Lovers Deep” can be moored near the coral reef off the coast of St. Lucia or near a sunken battleship in the Red Sea. But love at the bottom of the ocean doesn’t come cheap. You’ll need to cough up $292,800 USD per night for a stay on the submarine vessel.
Audi S3 Cabriolet Unveiled
The turbocharged four-wheel-drive convertible gets a 296bhp 2-liter engine, good for a 0-100km/h time of just 5.4 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. To make the most of that acceleration, the car comes with Audi’s S tronic six-speed dual clutch paddle shift gearbox as standard as well as its Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system so that the car stays glued to the road, come rain, shine or an unusually heavy right foot. Making the car stand out alongside the standard A3 convertible are aluminum effect wing mirror housings, an enhanced front grille and 18-inch alloy wheels (19-inch wheels are also available as an optional extra). The car will be available to order from April with first deliveries expected in July.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Trust your hunches…. Hunches are usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.” -Dr. Joyce Brothers
Stylish Office, Cool Clothes & Killer Apps: Fueled Collective
Digital alchemists Rameet Chawla and Ryan Matzner discuss the evolution of their firm, the secret sauce of Fueled Collective and why New York is the place to be for tech-based startups.
Strategy for Pharrell’s ‘G I R L’ Album Banks on Oscars, Red Bull Ad and Europe (Exclusive)
Pharrell Williams, Girl Prior to the release of Pharrell Williams’ new album, “G I R L,” on March 3, his music will be heard in a Red Bull TV ad, promos on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and, quite possibly, on eBay. The wildly popular first single, “Happy,” will definitely be heard on the Academy Awards on March 2. “Coming off the Grammys, his performance at the NBA All-star Game that showed the depth and the breadth of his work, the Brit Awards (Feb. 19) and the Oscars — it’s taking advantage of the global spotlight on him,” Columbia Records senior VP of marketing Scott Greer tells Billboard of the newly set release date. Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ Is Highest Charting Oscar-Nominated Song in More Than a Decade None of the music from the Columbia album will be released in advance and anyone choosing to pre-order the album on iTunes has to do so knowing only one of the album’s 10 song titles, “Happy.” The Red Bull ad will debut March 1 with a track from “G I R L” that is expected to run for several months. “Happy,” which has already been prominently featured in a Beats by Dre commercial, will be used in Fiat commercial with Diddy and in promos for “GMA” as it makes inroads in at least six radio formats. “Now we’re going to work on ways toward telling the story of what the album is,” says Columbia Records GM/executive VP Joel Klaiman, who called it “innovative yet comfortable.” “How much we get to do in the next 13 days is in discussion. It’s not fully decided.” Pharrell Williams Enters Social 50 Thanks To New Hit ‘Happy’ The decision to release the album globally the day after the Oscars was made less than 10 days ago after it was determined Williams and his management team was satisfied with the music. Ideas about standard rollouts and waiting to break a second single were discussed, but ultimately the label decided to strike when hot. “We’re happily tightening the window between announcement and release,” Klaiman tells Billboard. “When you look at the last year, Columbia had three of the most talked-about album releases. David Bowie was in silence without any activity (prior to release). Beyonce had rumor and speculation and she put out an audio-visual experience that shocked the world. Daft Punk had an incredible collaborative effort with teaser announcements. Pharrell wanted a sense of urgency to the project.” Williams’ announcement was made at midnight West Coast time on Feb. 19, coinciding with his performance of “Happy” and “Get Lucky” with Nile Rodgers on the Brit Awards in London. He sent out a 25-second video via Twitter andInstagram of him working in the studio with a string section under the direction of composer, and Williams’ film music mentor, Hans Zimmer. Future messaging will also come through eBay, which has a pre-existing relationship with Williams. The middle of April is the earliest a second single would be released, Greer says. “The impetus for that is the timeline on the international side with the European market and the U.K. moving faster through singles than the U.S.” And fans of “Happy” should circle March 20 on their calendars. That’s the International Day of Happiness, and Williams and his team are exploring a way to explore another 24 hours of happy.
2014 HTC One Gold Leaked
Here’s the first leaked image unearthed by @evleaks that shows the 2014 HTC One in gold, a successor to HTC’s flagship smartphone. HTC is planning to introduce its newest HTC One on March 25, however, it might be called “All New HTC One, 2014.”
Roland Launches New Versions of its Iconic 808, 909 and 303 Instruments
IM GETTING ALL THESE Roland has announced the long-awaited series of AIRA products. The first four products introduced in the series are the TR-8 Rhythm Performer which combines the classic 808 and 909 into one machine, the TB-3 Touch Bassline which replaces the older 303, the VT-3 Voice Transformer and the SYSTEM-1 PLUG-OUT Synthesizer. At the heart of the range is the newly developed Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) which captures the sound and feel of some of Roland’s most revered classics. It utilizes original design specs, consultation with original engineers, and a detailed part-by-part analysis of each analog circuit using Roland’s collection of archived drum machines and synthesizers. The AIRA range will be available at select retailers beginning in March, for more information please visit Roland.