That Funky Green Modern Air Purifier Is Finally Available To Purchase

above: Once called the Bel-Air, The Andrea has now been mass produced

Originally named the Bel-Air, the modern looking purifier was an experiment between the French designer Matthieu Lehanneur and David Edwards and was initiated by Le Laboratoire in October 2006.

The final design optimized the filtration capacity of leaves, roots, soil and plant water to achieve a first Laboratoire artscience innovation. It was produced in five unique, original prototypes signed by the Artist, and first exhibited at Le Laboratoire in 2007.



In 2008, the Bel-Air was exposed at MoMA in New York and won a prestigious Innovation of the Year Award from Popular Science magazine and was awarded Best innovation of the year by Popular Science in 2008.

You may recall seeing it on some blogs, in some magazines or quite possibly read about one of the many awards this inventive air purifier has received. But it has since been rechristened the Andrea and can now be purchased online in europe and the US.



ANDREA is the first award-winning designed air filter capable of absorbing toxic gases, such as formaldehyde, from home and office environments through the natural absorptive and metabolic properties of living plants.



As described in Living Filters in Urban Design, to appear in Ecological Urbanism (edited by Mohsen Mostafavi, 2009), ANDREA elevates the science of pure air into an art form by bringing fresh air and stylish design into the home and office.

* Transforms any household plant into an effective air cleaner for your home or office
* Cleans air locally and rapidly, therefore can be turned on and off throughout the day
* Uses any household plant (sold separately)
* Absorbs and metabolizes noxious chemicals
* Biochemically transforms waste
* Ozone-free operation
* Low power consumption
* No replaceable filters
* Complements any décor (okay, that I cannot agree with... perhaps any modern decor)



Any kind of household plant can be used as the filtration agent, offering freedom to select the foliage that best suits the motif of any part of your home. Simply put, it’s where form and function come together beautifully.




ANDREA is perfect for any room in the house. It is especially effective in high-use areas where air can stagnate, and harmful gases gather, such as bedrooms, home offices, kitchens & dining, family and living rooms.

Sleep Like A Roman God In Modern Multimedia Bed From Yoo Pod.

What is Somnus-Neu?
Som­nus was the Roman god of sleep — Neu is Ger­man for New- Thus new sleep.



Somnus-Neu® is an evolution of the idea of “technology convergence” and high design, bringing together into one space, comfort, design, connectivity, audio, video, lighting and experience.    

Programmable Lighting
   

A soft hue emanates from the underside of Somnus-Neu® your bedroom lit from the “night-light” zone, one of three distinct lighting zones built in, all of which are highly efficient and fully programmable LED lights. With 16 million possible color combinations, everyone can create their own unique shade, as mood lighting, underside lighting or reading light. Research has shown that color and light add are valuable components to the way we feel. Now there’s no excuse not to feel good.    

Audio
   
Everyone these days knows that music and sound can enhance and create our environment. Your music, Your media, Your environment. The heart of Somnus-Neu® audio is a Class D digital amplifier, which is highly energy efficient and produces less waste through heat than a typical Class A/B amplifier. Speakers fixed in 5 different points within the space create a listening experience controlled entirely by you. From soft waves rolling in as you embrace sleep, to hard hitting rock’n'roll, plug in your MP3 player, store your own music or stream it in from the outside.    

Upscale design
   
We’re connected through an ever growing internet community, the world at our fingertips, we at Yoo-Pod Ltd love being connected, we figured you might too. So we provided two touch-screens, one for you and one for your partner, recessed into the sides of Somnus-Neu®. Simply raise the screens from their hidden position, bring the arm around to place it in your perfect position and connect to the world.    

Movies In Bed
   
The real VIP movie going experience is right here. A giant movie screen lives hidden in the top end of Somnus-Neu, lower i57oftravelerst into position to take advantage of the “best seat in the house” – Yours. We incorporated a High Def video projector and brought the theater right to you. Hit the button, lower the screen, encapsulate the space with the automatic privacy curtains and experience the real thing. Every detail in Somnus-Neu® is considered, the upholstery the hand-crafted wooden bed head, the 100% recycled composites that create the form and shape, nothing has been overlooked. We understand also that people are individuals and as such have allowed for certain customization within the design. Different wood selections and upholstery are possible.

Here's a fun little animated video as to how the data trail works with the Somnus Neu:

     
Who is behind this? Founded by Grier Govorko (below), Yoo-Pod Ltd owns exclusively the Somnus-Neu® concept, registered trademark and design.

   

About the designer: Grier’s willingness to push boundaries has landed him much critical acclaim. His production design for the Chili Peppers’ 3-day concert run at Hyde Park in London –a concept which centered around a massive 100-meter wide video installation– has risen to the level of legend in production design circles. Nom­i­nated as pro­duc­tion designer of the year in 2005 for exem­plary work for the Red Hot Chili Pep­pers — he has been the designer behind all world tours since 2000. Somnus-Neu® is planned for release in 2010. Below is some wishful thinking on their part (Richard, are you listening?), this 'faux' branded image was posted by Somnus Neu on their facebook page.  


 all images and info courtesy of Yoo Pod Ltd. Yoo-Pod Ltd Contact info: Email: info@somnus-neu.com Ph: (New Zealand) +64 9 889 4254
Ph: (U.S) +1 310 928 3967

Back Up Beautifully. Philippe Starck's New Products For LaCie

Designer Phillipe Starck has created both a new hard drive and a mobile flash drive for LaCie, both of which look as good as they work.

The Hard Drive:


The hard drive is available in 1tb or 2tb and blends polished and matte aluminum in an eye catching design.

One of the most remarkable features of the LaCie Starck is its intelligent touch-sensitive surface, which responds to your touch. You can fully customize the front panel of the LaCie Starck so that it opens the application of your choosing, depending on whether you use a short tap or a long touch. It's easy to use and efficient.





Description: Desktop Hard Drive 2 TB, USB 2.
Rate of transfer: 60 MB/s.
Required configuration: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS 10.4, 10.5, 10.6.
Material: 3mm of resistant aluminum casing.
Dimensions: Length: 19,5cm, Width: 11,5cm, Depth: 5,2cm. USB 2.0 cable. External power supply. Quick install guide.
Warranty: 2 years.
Date of production: 2009.

Mobile Drive


The mobile drive is available as 320g or 500g and whose case is also is a blend of high polished and matte aluminum. A convenient aspect of the LaCie Starck is its embedded USB cable, which allows you to maximize its compact nature and portability. It's easy to extract your cable, as well as coil it back inside of the drive.





Description: Mobile Hard Drive 320Go,or 500Go USB 2.
Rate of transfer: 60 MB/s.
Required configuration: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS 10.4, 10.5, 10.6.
Material: Aluminum.
Dimensions: Length: 13,8cm, Width: 9,2cm, Depth: 2cm. USB 2.0 cable. USB power-sharing cable. Quick Install Guide.
Warranty: 2 years.
Date of production: 2009.

buy either one here.

Design That Speaks Volumes. Tiny Speakers With Huge Sound.

I get many requests for paid reviews and posts and turn them all down to maintain the integrity of the blog. Sometimes I find nice little packages for me in the mail, clearly from someone hoping to be added to the hip list. More often than not, the products aren't up to snuff.

But these warranted a mention. The line of speakers from Singapore Based XM-I are not only wonderfully designed (The x-mini even received the prestigious 2008 Red Dot Design Award) but they really work, and are priced right.

They've also received rave reviews from those in the know, so you can be assured from audiophiles far more respected than myself.




Check these out.

The Original X-mini:




The X-mini is the World's first pocketsize speaker with a built-in bass support and rechargeable battery. It strikes the perfect balance of pocketsize portability with uncompromising sound quality.

Pioneering a patented technology which enables an extendable vacuum to mimic the resonance of a sub-woofer, the X-mini is also equipped with high-fidelity speakers to ensure smooth delivery of the mid-highs. The in-built rechargeable batteries would also translate to zero cost on disposable batteries and increased daily convenience.

The X-mini II:



The X-mini™ II introduces a larger 40mm driver to project richer and fuller sounds resulting in superior end-user experience from its innovative capsule design. Not only does the new design deliver unsurpassed audio quality, it now performs even longer. Three times the capacity of its predecessor, the new X-mini™ II comes with a new built-in high capacity rechargeable battery capable of sustained output for 11 hours of nonstop audio pleasure.

A most distinctive feature is the all new system that enables you to connect one X-mini™ II to another, capable of forming an almost endless “daisy chain” of self-powered, bass-enhanced portable speaker system.



Finally to eliminate cumbersome audio cables dangling from the speaker, the connecting audio cable can be tucked neatly into the base for a cleaner and sleeker look.




The X-Mini Max (capsule version):



The X-mini Max (Second generation):



Thanks to Alexander Yap for the red X-mini Max II photos


•Pocketsize Portability
Small enough to carry around. Connected at the bottom by two magnetic base for hassle free storage and portability on a daily basis.

•Bass Xpansion System
Pioneering a patented technology, an expandable vacuum which mimics the resonance of a subwoofer

•In-Built Rechargeable Batteries
The in-built rechargeable batteries will translate to zero cost on disposable batteries and increased daily convenience

And keep an eye out for their latest edition, The X-mini Happy:



all images courtesy of X-mini and XM-I.




Shop for all the cool X-mini speakers here.


above: IM-X CEO Ryan Lee, photo courtesy of BusinessWeek

CEO Ryan Lee's speakers have made him one of Asia's Best Young Enterpreneurs, see the BusinessWeek article here.

If you are into loudspeakers, don't miss this post all about some of the most unusually designed speakers on the market:


Speaker Manufacturers Turn Up The Volume On Design