man's (new) best friend

it's a rabbit!

Yes, the newest addition to every fashionable crowd's life is Nabaztag, a 23 cm tall white rabbit that acts completely crazy! If the name sounds strange, you should know it's the Armenian word for "rabbit" - a tribute to developer Rafi Haladjian's origins. Created by French based agency Violet, this plastic rabbit has a permanent wi-fi connection, allowing its master to stay connected to the Internet, listen to music and...even listen to the intelligent pet talk! Nabaztag gives you all the essential info you need (news, weather report) and it can also help you give the loved one a cute message (and with a Cupid like this, it's sure to be accepted).

So get one for only 115 E now! Paying for this good friend is not a compromise, that we can tell.

Check Nabaztag's blog here.

citizen journalism

the handbook of free communication

In this era, it seems "traditional" (whether it's media, thinking or w-h-a-t-e-v-e-r) is a term no longer loved or cared for, as "new" and "innovative" are taking over fast. This is the case of journalism, too. Learning it in school and getting degrees for is a bit "out of fashion", for anyone that has something to say can do it. The concept of "citizen journalism" is almost self-explanatory. It means people from different corners of the world, with different backgrounds or interests can post information about the "hot" subjects they find themselves taking part in.

Blogs, postcasts and the like have created - or probably just developed - this concept, taking it further and further each day. That might be a reason why citizen journalism is solidly linked to "netizens" - citizens of the Internet - people that surf the World Wide Web and actively use it by getting involved in online discussions and activities.

Get more info on ohmynews.com, slashdot.org and globalvoicesonline.org. And if you're interested in the book above, you can download it for free from the Reporters Without Borders website.

rubber duck meets designer

is it a toy? is it a jewel? no, it's a designer duck!

Are you the kind that takes long bubbling baths or the quick-shower type? Well, in fact it doesn't matter how you like to spend your time in the bathroom. What counts here is that you MUST own a rubber duck!

Now you can have one of the Luxury Ducks from Bud by DesignRoom - they come in unique designs and individually created boxes - just a pleasure to have! Around their necks there is the designer label that will make you quack with pride. And yet another plus: these ducks were already made famous by the Celebrity Big Brother in U.K.

P.S.: and if you prefer to take a bath in the seaside, be the first to sport the cool look for this season. Of course, matching your designer duck!

see more here.

go crazy! (now with support)

the next toy-mania

It's summer, it's hot and it's crazy. But it can be even crazier if you buy yourself a CUBee! Still, you have to follow a simple set of rules that will help you still look normal in the eyes of your friends, co-workers or even family. First, you have to have a kid; that way, you can pretend you didn't buy the CUBees for yourself, but "for the little one, look how happy he is with his new toys". If you don't have a child yet, make one or "borrow". After creating the alibi, get a piece of paper and write down the name of your favourite animal. Remember, just one (it's for your own good, remember money doesn't grow on trees). Does it:

a) bark; b) meow; c) oink; d) moo; e) chirp or f) quack?

Once you settled that, write another one (damn, it's so hard to resist, so we'll let you buy TWO of them!!!).

Now that you're ready, get here and buy them. You'll have a singing animal choir in no time - and bonus: each CUBee comes with other two smaller companions inside it - so you'll drive everyone crazy!!!

via crazy about gadgets.com.

save yourself while you still can

the masterminds behind it all

I'll start with a question: when did you last ckeck yourself for adultitis? Never?!?! Hmmmm...my thoughts exactly. That's why I thought of giving you a push and directing you to The Escape Plan, made up by Kim and Jason, a cute couple that you can admire in the picture above.
Do you suffer from severe stress attacks? Do you ever get bored, think you're no good, feel like everything's going to fall apart, give up your plans because you have to work, refuse to meet friends because you're feeling down, get depressed just by looking at the bills, find it hard to smile anymore?

Well, trust us: that's severe adultitis and it can only stop if you try the plan. What's so great about it? Well...it makes you happy, carefree, joyful and...a kid again. It's simple, useful and the best fun you've ever had! So what's stopping you?

cool, cooler, the coolest

it's all about style. lifestyle.

Because it's summer and we're all getting a vacation (yeah, you too, work-aaah-olics!!!), we decided to build up a list of hotels, bars&lounges and other significant party places for you. So that you know exactly where to go and why. Ohhh...did I forget to mention that these are the COOLEST/HOTTEST places in the world right now? You'll just have to tick them all on your summer list this year, if you want to be the trendiest in town!
But let's start. For the beggining, don't miss The Pure Hotel in Frankfurt if you want a minimal&tasteful experience in your book (photo above). Continue with the Unique Hotel in Sao Paulo in you enjoy a mind-blowing architecture once in a while. Remember, it looks like a smile (the poetic way of saying "watermelon slice", as the locals call it) and it's got a great rewiev from The Observer as one of the seven magnificent hotels in the world at this moment.
While you might be getting hungry with all this design craze, take a moment to relax at the Angels restaurant and wine bar in Florence - they say that the looks of it might make you think of fusion foods, but instead it's all about traditional Tuscany meals. Mmmm...sounds like a blessing.
And if you've had enough of angels and all, get down and get...lost. In the 16th century Lost Society bar (you'll find it in London or here), a 2-storey decadent party place with a story to tell. But beware: it is said the halls of this bar are haunted by the ghost of an old flower seller - the more reason to go and check it out for yourselves.

You'll think: no cool place in Romania? Well, there are a few, but right now a friend of mine is planning a tea-house that seems to be the craziest thing ever seen here - so I'll just wait for that to come true and then list it up in here :)

Bon voyage!

on food again...

...only this time it's fast

Working hard in the "breakfast war", McDonald's created this interactive billboard that needed the help of an engineer to be built. Designed by Leo Burnett Chicago, the billboard was set in Wrigleyville and it consists of a sun dial in the shape of the McDonald's logo. Therefore, each hour of the morning, just up to breakfast, the shadow falls on one of the fast-food breakfast offers displayed on the board. You generally start with a coffee and finish off with a Big Mac, that is until noon, when you probably get a large menu to keep your appetite in place.

Too bad this idea only works on daylight, we are really curious to see how the evening menu looks like - McDonald's style.

Anyway, good idea and a great execution.

via bigu migu and chicago business.

gourmet love

Japan for inspiration

Here's a thought for all you sushi lovers out there! Cindy&Mel offer some great car ornaments that look exactly like the real thing! This way, people will immediately know your taste in food and recognize your style - just by entering your car or passing by it.

The only problem? Some of your greedy friends might eat them up!

via pixelgirl shop.

sex, lies and advertising...

...or something like that

It seems that advertising takes out the best in everyone! A Dutch design student, bored of ads creeping everywhere at any time decided to fight this social phenomena his own way. He made up a web site for a fake advertising agency, in stores now, and decided to have fun with it. By promising animal advertising (on lions, penguins and such), beachvertising (huge billboards just floating on the sea), religious advertising (on church paintings, floors etc.) and prostitute advertising (on...them, of course!!!), he just had his share of fun, we think!

Moreover, clients that really called the agency were "punished" by being put on hold and listening to endless pitch sales until they hang up.

via ad arena.

be prepared...

...you never know when you'll need to use your teeth!

Perlodent found a really good innovative idea for their toothpaste: a girl's mouth transformed into a bottle opener next to a Coke vending machine. With just a copy saying "For strong teeth".

That's funny and interactive and we love it!

via bigumigu.com.

interactive bag no.2

funny

OK, it seems that bags are going to become a classic communication medium in the near future (if they haven't already...). It's not bad, as some of them are pretty funny. This one is for blush lingerie. Bold and cute. But we don't want innovative media to become deja-vu, do we?

via advertising/design goodness.

interactive bag

good cause, great idea

This bag was designed for the Dubai Autism Center. The copy says "Reach out to children with autism" and the visual totally supports this idea. Indeed, a very good use of this medium.

via advertising/design goodness.

Robinson Crusoe meets Captain Hook

fashion...and a bottle of rum!

Guys, we just couln't help keeping you in the loop with the spring 2007 trends in fashion. As we totally love the Etro collection, here you are: be prepared for the adventure of your lifetime, 'cause we're talking pirate gear all the way! Stripey tees matched with business pants, flowery bermudas and eye patches to pull out fab outfits - that's the idea.

It should be easy for boys to follow this trend, as they all have their inner child waiting for an ocassion like this! So get out there and prepare yourself for the next season! And don't forget to accessorize: parrots, hooks and bandanas seem the right choice!

via men.style.com.

rock on!

wearable passion

Whether you're in a rock band or just a groupie - or you simply like being different - these are the perfect bags for you! Satin guitars to wear all day long - in bright combinations - this is what every music lover should have NOW!

So get to mables.com as fast as you can and get rockin'!

funny capture

"Hello, Mr. Wolf!"

If you're out on a fun hunt, be sure not to miss Natascha Rosenberg's world in a box. It's a great 3D collage of original paper illustrations and different fabrics depicting a scene from The Red Riding Hood, all gathered in an Ikea box.

The result is a cute ornament for the wall or any other place that might be in need of a little fun stuff to liven up.

via kiddley.

summer cash

get them rollin' in

At cut+paste we surfed through a large array of crafty items, but for today we chose these super-cute wallets from Frozen Peas. They come in olive and pink and you can choose whether you like yours "Bear love" or "Dinosaur".

Tough choice! In any case, we respect your decision if you just can't pick and want them both!

very trendy oldschool

the right stuff for the working gal

In the mood for some retro designs? Shirt-story has just the thing for you! Whether it's a sweatshirt or a tank top, you'll surely love every little design they do!

P.S.: guys were not left out, of course - they too can find some nice things to wear - no matter the occassion.

cars, foam...

...what's missing?

Well, some ladies to wipe it off the windscreen, some would say! Although Gillette thought this could be put to a better use as a guerrilla action. Therefore, they placed a giant Gillette razor blade in gas stations and used it instead of the usual window cleaners.

Nice move in order to get consumers think of your product.

Done by Ogilvy&Mather Peru.

via creative brain.

with the desk car...

...on the streets of London

Vodafone UK came up with a brilliant idea to advertise their 3G technology. A branded desk car was placed on the streets of London, immersing in the traffic. Of course it caught everybody's eye, as a travelling desk is not your common transportation medium.

Fresh idea for a service demo.

via marketallica.

we know you want to see more...

...so get on www.noper.ro

Above are just a few pieces done by a great Romanian artist called NOPER. Some of you might know him, some of you might just have a revelation now. Anyway, he's got lots of talent and that's obvious in all his work, whether we're talking stickers, collages or hand drawings.
We like to call him a god :) You might be able to see why.
Fantastic work!

DIY stamps

take your pick

These great transparent billboards promote a new Estonian post service: do-it-yourself stamps. Nice and involving.

via billboardom.

the coolest phone!

speech balloons reinvented

We're totally in love with the smart phone from plusminus design (we've talked about these guys' work before, remember?). What makes it so hot? Well... it resembles a comic book speech balloon and it has a colour touchscreen. Moreover, you can adapt it to match your favourite comic - it can talk to you in your favourite character's language, updates you on new series and containes all things based on the comic: ringtones, games and tunes.

After iPods and urban toys, we imagine this is going to be the new gadget craze! You've been warned, so don't miss out on it!

fine cuttery...

... and sharp thinking

This outdoor for zwilling j. a. henckels is great for demonstrating the product experience: cuts sharply through every material.

German technology at work. We like it!

via ZitrionE.

cute little things

funny fashion

If you're looking for some cute little accessories for your wardrobe, be sure to visit Sonja Ahler's site. We personally love the Fierce Bunnies collection - you can see the stickpin bunnies and the siamese brothers above.

They surely give lots of personality to any outfit and they can be attached to anything - from blouses to bags, from jeans to hair clips.

(in)visibly clean

watch your face!

Above you can see the latest ad creep from TBWA South Africa - stickers with people that smash their faces to doors were placed in order to emphasize the product's characteristics - we're talking about ICU, a window cleaner. Nice idea, though it seems to have been seen before here.

via advertising/design goodness.

seasonal shopping

nekko - the single flower vase

The nekko single flower vase by &design is great for your home if you're a design freak - or just a plant lover! Feel special with this vase that looks like a pot frame with the flower's roots showing.

via big perk.

old school

fun on the boards

For skateboard lovers, we found some beauties at stacks. They come in red and blue and they're up for fun all day long! Enjoy the ride!

blackmail for the masses

3 easy steps for the perfect blackmail

With the motto: "Heck, what's a little extorsion among friends?", extortr.com gives you a great opportunity: blackmail your friends, relatives or even stars (if you've got what it takes).

The procedure is simple and effective: the blackmailer (a.k.a. YOU) uploads a photo or a video containing scandalous content on the site. Afterwards, the victim is asked to pay what you demand and they're given a time frame in which to do this. If they refuse to pay, the scandal goes public.

Isn't that great fun?

P.S.: the site is just a joke, did you really think we'd approve of such things? ntzntzntz...

via pop mk.

emergency fashion

a wardrobe staple for rainy days

Designer Yael Mer created this interesting inflatable skirt right after the storm in New Orleans. Following the current trend that mixes usability with design, she took the concept a bit further, trying to see how fashion and emergency can blend together.

The wearer can inflate the skirt and transform it into a canoe in case of need. This is a great idea with the floods these days - but...could it mean that only girls deserve to be saved?

:)

via we make money not art.

get a pet

introducing square cat

Finally! We are starting to have some urban toys in Romania, too. This is the square cat and it deserves your full attention as it comes in unique designs and it takes 3 shapes (we just can't decide which one is the best): 1) urban toy; 2) book; 3) badge.

It will soon become a hit among young people, that's for sure!

Find these cool items at Boarders, on Brezoianu Street - Bucharest - or write for any on-line orders, comments or questions.

Via undergroundBD.

show your true colours

kitchenware for the retro chick

Want to throw a fabulous party or just to splurge on yourself? Well, then the Pop Ink collection is just what you need. You can choose between several retro-design plate sets. Our favourites are above: Lovesick and Fashion.

It's the right moment to pay homage to those great patterns of the retro era, so don't think twice!

Buy them at elsewares.

food for thought

on-the-go

Mc Donald's knows how to advertise its drive-thru. By carefully immersing into the consumer's environment, the french-fries-newspaper-columns point out the main benefit of the product: when there's no time, there's Mc Donald's.

That's a nice idea for an ad creep, and it gains points for being placed naturally in the medium.

via Ads of The World.

spirited look

cute-boo

Anyone who's ever been a fan of Casper knows that not all ghosts are bad and scary. Some of them can actually be veeeeery cute and friendly. This is the case of the smiley ghost necklace here.

Forget all other jewelry for this summer - chunky necklaces, belly rings, diamond pendants. Your best friend for this season is the adorable crochet necklace.

It's easy to wear, it matches every outfit (remember: this summer's looks are white and navy) and keeps you protected, as it was inspired from the Japanese dolls that are used to scare away rain.

Pretty adorable!

via outblush.