The Ferrari Art.Engine

March 4, 2007 At the opposite end of the visibility spectrum to the Masquerade loudspeakers is the Ferrari Art.Engine. It’s one of the most exclusive audio systems on the planet, it looks like something from the 22nd century, and it’s accordingly a whole lot more connected too. Art.Engine is a complete music system that combines twin speaker arrays, wireless signal input and digital electronics in a single tower designed specifically for the home or office. One press of the red “Engine Start” control button beams music wirelessly from your computer, or you can plug in an iPod, MP3 player, satellite radio or CD player and instantly enjoy an extraordinary music experience. More a fine instrument than a piece of electronic equipment, the Art.Engine is a luxurious and timeless sculpture of aluminum and carbon fiber that combines performance, beauty and simplicity, not to mention a presence that cannot be ignored, make it the focal point of any space it inhabits. Limited to only 1000 pieces, the elegant Art.Engine is one of the most exclusive products ever licensed by Ferrari and is an objet d’art that introduces a new standard in room-filling music reproduction and visual presentation.

The Art.Engine is the creation of design and innovation studio David Wiener Ventures and has been endorsed by Ferrari as an official Ferrari-branded product.

“Art.Engine’s development demanded highly advanced audio technology, performance, style and construction methods, and was inspired throughout the development process by Ferrari’s engineering and standards,” says David Wiener, President and CEO of David Wiener Ventures. Giulio Zambeletti, Director of Brand Development Ferrari SpA, emphasizes Ferrari’s commitment to excellence. “Any high end product licensed by Ferrari must have an uncompromising approach to quality, breakthrough technology, and ultimate performance. The Art.Engine encompasses them all.” Powerful, yet streamlined at 47 inches tall, 16 inches wide and only 6 inches deep, the Art.Engine creates a room-filling sound field of high-definition stereo entertainment. Needless to say, performance is outstanding. “Vibrant,” “clear” and “three-dimensional” are some of the words listeners use to describe the Art.Engine.

Art.Engine’s every detail exhibits the passion and elegance influenced by Ferrari — from the racing-style NACA cooling ducts, sumptuous carbon fiber baffles, and Ferrari-inspired paint finish to the extraordinary sonic performance. Today’s tech lifestyle has created a new mode of music listening and demands a totally new approach to audio. DWV, with input from Ferrari, has accepted this challenge and the result is Art.Engine. Art.Engine’s sophisticated technology brings considerable advantages in performance, yet its extreme simplicity provides immediate ease of use.

Gizmag.

The most expensive TV in the world

October 28, 2006 On display for the first time at the recent IFA show in Germany and also in New York earlier this month at an exhibition promoting Italian craftsmanship was the Yalos Diamond, a EUR 100,000 (US$130,000 in round figures) television set by Neapolitan (from Naples) Keymat Industrie s.p.a. The 40 inch LCD TV has provision for 1080i and 720p high definition picture formats and is as technologically sound as is humanly possible with a picture contrast ratio of 1200:1. The really expensive bit is the workmanship, the design and the fact it’s plated in white gold and studded with 160 diamonds (4 gm) of diamonds.

Gizmag.

Lab-grown diamonds now an alternative

December 14, 2006 Diamonds may well be the world’s most beautiful gem, though we suspect there are many factors contributing to why they remain a “girl’s best friend.” The association with love may soon be tested as technological advances have finally enabled laboratory-created diamonds which have a distinct advantage over their naturally occurring identical twins - they are 100% conflict-free and have not paid the wages of a child soldier, been exchanged for armaments, financed a brutal civil war or have been smuggled at least part of the way to landing on that engagement ring. The New York Times writes ,“Across vast stretches of Africa, diamonds fuel war. Diamonds are so lucrative for predatory governments and marauding rebels that war has become a useful cover for hugely profitable smuggling enterprises. But for millions of Africans who happen to get in the way, diamonds are agents of terror.” In addition to their humane aspects, lab-diamonds also have virtually no environmental impact and they are physically, chemically and optically identical to mined diamonds yet a fraction of the cost. Of course, there are those not even convinced in the worth of diamonds in the first place. For example, “the diamond engagement ring is a 63-year-old invention of N.W.Ayer advertising agency. The De Beers diamond cartel contracted N.W.Ayer to create a demand for what are, essentially, useless hunks of rock.”

In addition to their humane aspects, lab-diamonds also have virtually no impact on the environment, whereas diamond mines typically remove 275 tons of ore to produce a one-carat gem quality polished diamond. This material is removed through an open cast strip-mining method, which destroys ecosystems and the environment in the process. We suspect that a growing social awareness and the availability of manmade changing the way people think about diamonds.

Bill Pearlman, president of laboratory-diamond manufacturer Adia Diamonds, says "the fact that lab-grown diamonds don't come from a mine is of growing importance to a more environmentally and socially aware segment of the luxury jewellery market."

The focus on conflict-free diamonds will become even sharper with the release of the film "Blood Diamond," starring Leonardo Di Caprio. Set in Sierra Leone, it portrays the use of diamonds by rebel groups to fuel conflict and civil wars. Another documentary film about conflict diamonds is slated for release in 2007, based on hip hop artist Kanye West's recording, "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," which won a 2006 Grammy Award.

Human-rights campaigners welcome Hollywood's focus on these issues and say it will help shed more light on the politics and practices of the diamond mining industry.

Adia Diamonds is the first and only company to bring laboratory-created, non-treated, fancy blue and colorless white diamonds to the luxury jewellery market. Hand-cut in Antwerp, Belgium, to the highest quality standards, all diamonds are then issued certification by EGL USA. The GIA announced they will begin grading laboratory-grown diamonds in 2007.

Gizmag.

Diamond ring sold online for $412K

July 12, 2007 When the internet business was in its infancy a bit over a decade ago most reasonable folk thought it impossible that someone would ever buy something online without having seen the item in the flesh first. That was pre-ebay, pre-amazon and pre-paypal, and now people buy diamond rings for presumably very intimate purposes – in this case a $412K, 10.50 carat square emerald cut diamond ring - despite never viewing them in person. How wrong we all were.

The sale announced by online diamond and jewelry retailer JamesAllen.com is the largest sale in the company's nine-year history. The ring featured a 10.50 carat square emerald cut diamond flanked on each side by a single emerald-cut diamond and mounted in a handmade platinum ring.

The growing acceptance of online purchases on this scale is in part enhanced by the ability of the technology to duplicate viewing an item in the flesh. In this case the company offer prospective buyers to view diamonds at a magnification of up to forty times the actual size and also provide 3D demonstrations showing what the ring will look like on the hand.

JamesAllen.com report a more than 55% growth in overall sales volume in the year to date, a trend mirrored by other online jewelry retailers like Amazon.com, BlueNile and eBay, which have all reportedly experienced a surge in sales since 2005 with overall dollar figures running into the billions.

The Porsche USB 2.0/FireWire buspowered portable hard drive

July 3, 2007 The LaCie Porsche mobile hard drive is a Road Warrior’s delight – it’s gorgeous, small, built to withstand hard knocks when travelling, holds 250GB and doesn’t need a power adaptor. There is also no software to configure on Windows 2000, Windows XP and Mac OS X because it’s driver-free and it’s preformatted for immediate use on PC or Mac. With plug and play convenience, one-click back-up software and a sexy Porsche-designed case and nameplate, one of these babies will set you back US$339 (USB 2.0) or US $359 (FireWire).

Gizmag.

The New Porsche 911 GT2

Highlights of the New Porsche 911 GT2

The 911 GT2 is the fastest and most powerful production road Porsche 911 the company has ever released. Its 3.6-litre horizontally-opposed six-cylinder power unit with biturbo technology develops maximum output of 530 bhp (390 kW) at a speed of 6,500 rpm. Maximum torque of 680 Newton-metres or 501 lb-ft, in turn, is maintained consistently over a speed range from 2,200 – 4,500 rpm. Acceleration to 100 kmh comes in just 3.7 seconds and the new top sports model within the 911 Series reaches a very jolly top speed of 329 kmh or 204 mph.

Efficiency Focus

While it's not likely to be high on the priority list for the intended buyer, a number of factors combine to give the GT2 an impressive gas mileage figure for what's really a road-going supercar. Low weight of 1,440 kg or 3,175 lb, rear-wheel drive and a superior drag coefficient of Cd = 0.32 contribute not only to a very sporty ride, but significant gains in efficiency as well. As a result, the 911 GT2 consumes just 12.5 liters /100 km of premium plus fuel in the composite EU test (equal to 22.6 mpg imp), thus offering a standard of fuel economy exceptionally good for a car of this class.

The GT2’s innovative expansion intake manifold contributes further to the car’s efficiency and power gains; using the oscillating air during the cooler expansion phase is a clear step forward in turbocharged engine technology. So benefiting from a brand-new, innovative expansion-type intake system with its own special geometry and an exhaust gas turbocharger with variable turbine geometry operating at a maximum pressure of 1.4 bar, new 911 GT2 offers an extra 50 bhp over the already very powerful 911 Turbo.

Chassis, suspension and ceramic brakes

Compared with the 911 Carrera, the new 911 GT2 has been lowered by approx 25 mm or 1.00" – the active electronic suspension adjustment has been tuned to suit it, with a harder and sportier “normal” mode than previous models, and a particularly unforgiving rock-hard “sports” mode suited mainly to racetrack use.

The GT2 is well-looked after in the slow-down department by the all-singing, all-dancing servo-assisted PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake system, which features 15" discs at the front and 14” rear discs fitted as standard. The ceramic composite discs are developed to racetrack standards, meaning they’ll grab strongly and smoothly time and again under heavy heat loads with very little brake fade. They’re also around 20 kilos lighter than comparable cast-iron brakes, reducing unsprung weight and contributing further to the suspension’s effectiveness.

Three-stage PSM and Launch Assistant

The GT2 is the first Porsche to get the new PSM Porsche Stability Management system, which keeps the car in line under acceleration, braking and cornering forces. Sideways slide control and acceleration traction control can both be turned off if you’re getting up to mischief, but the ABS braking system is permanently active.

The stability management system is rounded out by a launch assist function that adjusts the ignition angle and incorporates fine engine braking forces to keep both rear drive wheels from spinning up and losing acceleration. It’s activated when you press the clutch and throttle pedals right to the floor when the car’s at a standstill and in gear, boosting revs to maximum torque for takeoff. Dump the clutch and sink back into your bucket seat as the GT2 leaps out of the blocks, finely managing traction for the perfect drag takeoff every time. Again, this is turned off at the touch of a button.

Titanium exhaust system

The new 911 GT2 is the first Porsche homologated for road use to be fitted as standard with an exhaust system featuring a titanium rear-end silencer and titanium tailpipes. coming in at around 50% lighter than the equivalent stainless steel system.

Impact safety systems

In a clear nod to the GT2’s racetrack-ready design brief, the frame features a roll-cage, which isn’t so much a late inclusion as a basic foundation around which the interior has been designed. Deformation zones absorb impacts while protecting the passenger cabin, fuel tank and fuel lines.

Like the 911 Turbo, the GT2 features six airbags: two-stage full-size frontal airbags for the driver and passenger, thorax airbags integrated in the seats at the side to protect the upper body in a side-on collision, and, finally, head airbags housed in the upper section of the door lining.

Porsche have also thrown in bucket seats and a very spiffy interior. The fastest production 911 of all time will be available as of February 2008 in the USA at a retail price of US$191,700.

Gizmag.