The Super Smart I'm Watch Gets A New Look and Updated Technology.

In August 2011, I introduced to you the i'm watch, a hip smart phone for your wrist made in Italy. Since that time, the design and technology have been updated.


above: comparison of the original i'm watch and the newest version (composited by if it's hip, it's here)

It now sports a new interface making it better looking than before and updated technology that works with Android-based phones and iPhones.




The world’s first real smartwatch. It connects via Bluetooth and brings you calls, SMS, e-mails, notifications and any app directly to your wrist. Now you can leave your phone in your pocket, in your purse or on the desk,and have all the messages, phone calls and social network notifications directly on your wrist.






With i’m Watch you can do things that with a smartphone alone you wouldn’t be able to accomplish. Because, with an i’m Watch on your wrist, your hands are free! When needed, just activate the touchscreen display to access the numerous functions available.





Connect to your smartphone through a Bluetooth™ connection and control emails and sms, check Facebook and Twitter activities, see the weather forecast, upcoming appointments, new pictures and applications.

The Colors Collection (7 colors with aluminum case and colored straps):


The Tech Collection (black or white with a Titanium case):


The Jewel Collection
Silver Case with colored straps:

Yellow and Pink Gold:

Black Gold and White Gold with Diamonds:


Operating System
The software, i'Droid, that controls i’m Watch is a condensed form of the best technologies. With a single gesture, you open and close applications, receive social networking notifications and read e-mails. And even with all this power - and the compact dimensions of a watch - the battery goes on and on. A small, BIG technological miracle.

Apps

Connect and Download. i’market is the biggest smartwatch app store, not just an ordinary one. Many applications, waiting and ready to be downloaded and installed on your i’m Watch. Do you want to workout? To have fun? To work quicker and more efficiently? Come have a look in i’market, and you will find the appropriate app for you.

Mobile and Computer Control (PC and Mac)
The i’m Watch world does not stop at i’m Watch. With the innovative i’m Cloud system, you can control it remotely: thanks to powerful, high performance cloud technology, you can manage your smartwatch apps and data via the Internet. And with the brand new i’m Cloud Mobile, you do not even need to go through your PC or Mac: you just need your smartphone.

For Fitness and Health

Thanks to the connection between i’m Watch and the Heart rate monitor Zephyr you can control your heart frequency. The specific App, i'msport, lets you set up your training, work out, count your calories, monitor your heart rate and all sport activities.

Music

i'music is an app of i'm Watch that allows you to download and listen to your favorite music among a selection of over 9.5 million songs. It's unlimited. i'music offers a rich music collection: latest top hits and a lot of channels including Pop, Urban, Indie, Jazz, Oldies and Rock. Choose among many artists or select your favorite genre!

Starting at $449
the i'm watch

Addendum: the Apple iWatch is said to come out this year. And I certainly hope it's better looking than this report or this report suggests.

Animal Pocket Knives by David Suhami & How To Get One Of Your Own.

Israeli designer David Suhami's Animal Pocket Knives have been getting a lot of attention. The stainless steel and wood wildlife versions of the traditional Swiss army knife are actually undergoing production so you can have one of your own soon. With blades silhouetted to look like an Antelope, a Rhino and a Giraffe, complete with legs and tails, the pocket knives are adorable. How functional, I don't know, but they look as if they can at least open a beer bottle and that's good enough for me.







The story of the APK  and a cute little presentation video:
The Animal Pocket Knife was developed as David Suhami's design school project and rapidly got lot of attention throughout the web. It combines the idea of a Swiss army knife and a jungle safari in Africa. It is made from stainless steel to represent the current technology while the handles are made from fine Ipe wood to symbolize the traditional craft.



The knives will soon be available for purchase.
Sign up to be notified as to when they are available here.

About the designer:

David is a 3rd year student of Industrial Design at Shenkar College of Engineering & Design in Tel Aviv. He likes snowboarding, open sea fishing, motor sport and more. He speaks Hebrew, English and French.

He works with the following 3D software: Solidworks 2012, Rhinoceros 4 and Sketch up 7. For his graphic design works he uses Illustrator CS5, Photoshop CS5, InDesign CS5 and Flash CS5.

David Suhami


Chateau D'Eau. WWII Watertower Converted To A Modern Living and Working Space.

Chateau d’eau by Bham Design Studio is a complete renovation/conversion of a 30m tall concrete Belgian Watertower into a single family home and work area.



The water tower was initially built between 1938 and 1941 for and by the village of Steenokkerzeel. It has been in service until the beginning of the nineties and was used by the Nazis during the 2nd world war as a “tour de guete”. In 2004 the Royal commission agreed to preserve and protect the historical monument.



The exterior of the tower was fully renovated to its initial state. Damaged concrete columns were repaired and painted, brick joints were completely removed and replaced and the windows in the floor top were enlarged.




In 2008, Bham Design Studio began the renovations for a couple planning to live in the tower and who intended to rent part of the building once or twice a month for exclusive events targeting people looking for a workshop or seeking a unique meeting place for clients near by the airport. Every room is equipped with the latest IT technology, domotics and the possibility to install projectors virtually anywhere on the top floor.



Interior architecture
The finished conversion includes a main entrance and 2 car garage, a technical room, storage and utility, a guest room with bath and office, a circular main bedroom with it's own bath, a library, a cloak room, a cat house, a livingroom, a kitchen, a dining room and a panoramic terrace with wood flooring and outdoor shower.

An envelope inside the envelope, the combination of vertical and horizontal wengé surfaces delineates the guest’s bedroom area with its own bathroom.

Bathroom



A central 4.5 meter high shower was created in the bathroom in order to maximize the water flow experience. Black tainted glass walls surround the walk in shower increasing the sense of intimacy.




Textile as visual separation from the cupboards was introduced to create a balance with the other “hard” materials and enhance the room’s acoustics.

Main Bedroom and Bath


This circular room with a dome ceiling hosts a revolving stairs leading to the upper floor and a full monolithic mirror dressing which reflects the surroundings and gradually disappears.





Wengé wood flooring contrasts with the cold nature of the mirror surfaces. Light reflection on the wood bounces providing warm reddish tones on the walls.

Kitchen and dining room







Impressive by its circular shape and large surface, the top floor affords some incredible vistas to the airplanes landing on the national airport just a quarter of a kilometer away.

The elevator block integrates a rest room, a library, the cat house and a cloak room.




Panoramic Terrace
Above the sculptural kitchen furniture, a steel bridge takes you to the terrace which provides a full panoramic view and is equipped with raised IPE wood flooring and an outdoor shower.



The preservation of existing concrete elements such as the main water conduct, concrete ceilings, concrete stairs and the 250.000 liters concrete water basin were essential to preserve the strong identity of the building.

Every visible concrete element inside was painted in dark grey in order to mark the old from the new. This choice works in both ways since it makes the contrast created makes both bright and dark stand out.

Video:


Building
Construction: 1938
Beginning of interior redesign: 2007
Surface: 450 m²
Floors: 6
Height: 30m

Architecture & interiors
Interior architect Mauro Brigham,
BHAM design studio
Interior architecture, garden, terrace and coordination of the works,
Architect Wouter Bilzen, MUNA
Renovation of the exterior and structural works.

Most pictures by Jasmine Van Hevel, n°2 by Olivier Papegnies, n°1 by Xavier Hang


Bham design studio
Rue du Canada 44
B-1190 Brussels, Belgium