Italian Modern...

If you're heading to Italy, but you're a bit more interested in the modern rather than historical - you might want to take a look at Urbanitaly.it. An excellent source for what's happening now in modern art, shopping, interesting hotel options, and dining. All without a hint of 'old school'.



Modern Italian travel advice via Urbanitaly:
www.urbanitaly.it

Cartoon violence...

This comically large handgun isn't a handgun at all - it's a SBS - Short Barreled Shotgun. The Taurus company has decided not to manufacture the 28 gauge revolver, much to everyone's relief.




Read more about it via the Firearm Blog:
www.thefirearmblog.com

Flip flops...

As unlikely as it sounds, soon you'll be able keep a pair of snow shoes in your pockets. These compact inflatable versions of snow shoes could be just enough to get you out of a tough situation. Cost: TBA






Info and details from the AnyExit Shop:
anyexitshop.com

Hi-top...

If you're looking for a bit of a view with dinner, there's good news: 'The Atmosphere' restaurant is open in Dubai. Located on the 122nd floor of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa - you might need to pack a snack for the elevator ride up.





Read more about it via Extravaganzi:
www.extravaganzi.com

Not Yacht...

One student in Australia is certainly thinking outside the box. His design for an ekranoplan yacht has raised some eyebrows. Using an old principle - the idea is to skim over the water's surface at high speeds.




Discussion and video of the ekranoplan via Coolest Gadgets:
www.coolest-gadgets.com

Australian awards for James Dyson:
student.designawards.com.au

Mightier than...

If you're looking for a simple and stylish writing instrument - you might check out the newest from Porsche Design. The P3105 fountain pen is available in black or titanium. Both come with a rhodium plated 18 carat gold nib. Cost: 400 (black) or 2,500 (titanium)






Details from Porsche Design:
www.porsche-design.com/international/en

Off again, on again...

Way back in 2007, DARPA had a project on the drawing board called 'BlackSwift' - an unmanned drone planned for speeds up to mach 6. The platform could have a variety of use. It was cancelled. It looks like the project is back on. It's complicated.






Read more via 'The Danger Room':
www.wired.com

Snowy fun...

Snow and cold weather is a great opportunity to practice the dramatic 'J Turn' driving technique. Here's a quick tutorial from the folks at jalopnik - don't skip number 1: rent a car with extra insurance.




Executing a J turn via Jalopnik:
jalopnik.com

Battlefield primer...

If your dating strategy needs a bit of a make-over, you might consider 'The Art of War for Dating'. Author Eric Rogell's adaptation of Sun Tzu's classic adapted for the dating world. Cost: about 10 USD





Available from Amazon:
www.amazon.com

Snow monster...

The Porsche Panamera is already a pretty speedy ride - normally it has a 500 horse engine. Once the guys at Edo Competition got ahold of it, they've tuned it up to an impressive 750 horse power. They've added a few more creature comforts as well.






Read all about it via Zercustoms:
www.zercustoms.com

Good vibes...

Standard microphones don't do very well in noisy or windy conditions. The latest generation 'NT3' throat microphone from IASUS Concepts takes care of that. Transmitting vibrations directly from the throat, there's no ambient noise to worry about.





Full portfolio of products from IASUS Concepts:
www.iasus-concepts.com

Nic Nac...

If you're looking for that perfect 'coffee table' book... check out the new 'Rat Pack' photo book from Reel Art Press. The limited edition book is beautifully bound and packed with excellent photos of the gang. The book also ships with a nicely crafted wooden box sleeve. Cost: 650, 1600 or 4000 USD (depending on the edition)





Info via Reel Art Press:
www.reelartpress.com

You can take it with you...

Later this year, Victorinox will be offering swiss army storage, in the form of a pocket SSD flashdrive. The blazing fast storage will be available in 128GB and 256GB formats. A 512GB size will be available before the end of the year. That would be a half a terabyte of storage in your pocket. The drive will also sport an integrated e-paper display.




Read more via the Victorinox Blog:
www.victorinoxblog.com

Pirates hate lasers..

BAE systems has developed a modern 'anti pirate' laser. The non-lethal long distance system temporarily blinds the pirates - making it difficult to aim weapons at their intended target.





Read more about it from BAE systems:
www.baesystems.com

Holed up...

If you're looking for a 5 star cave to hide out in, you might want to check out the 'Yunak Evleri' in central Turkey. Built from caves dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries. Refurbished in 2000, the 30 room hotel boasts all the modern amenities you'd need.





Photos and booking details from the Yunak site:
www.yunak.com