DESIGN [ Freeware App (01) ]

A good app that I'm now using. I find it a lot better than labelling folders the conventional way, especially when I have folder containing things I've yet to get around to doing (Red) and stuff I've printed or completed (Green-obviously)


HeyFolders




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TRASH [ Picture Of The Day (05) ]

"Hey Beckham.....THESE are Goldenballs!"




[Click the image for a bigger version]

[If you are gay]


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PERSONAL [ New weekly shopping ]

I don't know how the wife is going to react when she discovers what I'm about to do to our weekly shopping.

Dharma Initiative Rations

SNEAKERS + TOYS [ Nike/Transformers ]

Hang on.

New Nike sneakers plus a new Transformer?

I need to lie down.........

[via]

PERSONAL [ Artwork for my office ]

I've been trying to find some nice artwork for my office for the last couple of days and it's proving to be a futile task. I'd love to find the time to paint or photograph something myself but I'm so bogged under with paperwork and studying (he says as he writes his blog instead of doing said work) that i can't find the time to do it.

I did find the time recently to paint a canvas to go in the nursery of my first born (he or she will be arriving in 12 weeks!) and the excitement in starting it quickly turned to frustration at the length of time it takes to do one. Anyway I've tried in vain to find a nice print of the famous Esquire image above, but to no avail. I also like the work of Eelus but as soon as he releases something it's sold out.....

I don't think this is going to be the last time I write about this.....the search will continue....

TRASH [ Picture Of The Day (04) ]

" Heads! "





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DESIGN [ Hidden iPhone details from the Keynote ]

Some people are very clever. A observant viewer of Steve Jobs' Keynote has spotted some things that Steve either didn't want to mention or forgot to. Either way, it makes good viewing.

TRASH [ Picture Of The Day (03) ]

"Heads!"



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TOYS [ Transformers ]

Transformers
More than meets the eye!
Transformers
Robots in Disguise!

Autobots da blah da
da blah da blah da
da da blah da blah the Decepticons!

Transformers!

Anyway, the Transformers movie is coming this summer and I think it's going to be a big one. Expect the marketing tie-ins to be everywhere.

I still have my Optimus Prime:




and it goes without saying that the toymakers have taken the design and function up a notch or two. A fantastic amount of workmanship has gone into the current line of toys due on the shelves soon. The image below is a picture of one of the premium toys (yes that is a toy and not a CGI-rendered image) that they have developed. Check out Bumblebee below (click for a larger view):

FILM [ Wall-E ]

Wall-E is the latest film from the boys at Pixar, not due out until 2008 and it seems the studio is back on track (not that they slipped too far of it, but I wasn't too fussed about Cars.........still haven't finished watching it and that says it all) Anyway if this story synopsis is anything to go by then this should be great. Have a read over at Jim Hill Media

TRASH [ Picture Of The Day (02) ]

"Nobody panic! If your brakes don't work just use your face"




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SNEAKERS [ Adi-Vinnie ]

Who, you may wondering, is this guy?

His name is Vinnie and you had to go through him to get to the promise land of the new Adicolor range. It was a piece of marketing that wouldn't have been out of place in a small emerging shoe company rather than one of the biggest companies, let alone sneaker companies, in the world. It wasn't marketed, it wasn't emailed/spammed around, it wasn't even properly reported, the only news of this preview came by word of mouth. Knowing a guy-who-knows-a-guy. Or by being tipped off on the right sneaker forum.

Once you knew about it, the instructions were to head down to Canal Street in Lower Manhattan (if anyones been there, you'll know Vinnie wouldn't exactly stand out) and keep an eye out for Vinnie who may or may not be floating around in his all white Adidas outfit. You give him a nod, he'll nod back and beckon for you to follow him down a series of alleys and backstreets till you went downstairs to a subterranean store/gallery.

Once inside, absolutely nothing was for sale. You were there purely to look and then leave.

It was genius marketing. It hit on everything that collectors get excited about. It felt exclusive, rare and very cool. The prime ingredients of sneaker collecting


Courtesy of PSFK, this is a brief video of the journey with Vinnie.

TRASH [ Picture Of The Day (01) ]

" Nobody panic! I'll just catch this one with my chin! "












On a serious note, it's nice to see that the guy in the black cap/t-shirt, first instinct is one of self preservation rather than protecting the little girl next to him.

PERSONAL [ Sneakers & my big brother ]

Since I posted the sneaker item, I've been thinking about why I have this sneaker addiction. I think it's because my brother created a monster when he used to give me his sneakers. My brother is an ex-athlete (pretty successful - Commonwealth games medalist, Welsh Champion/record holder, etc, etc) and he had; at varying times, exclusive contracts with most of the big shoe companies; Puma and Adidas specifically. When he used to receive the ordering catalogue from his agent....it was back to that Xmas feeling again. Absolute joy.

I can remember back when I wasn't a fatty that he got me a pair of red Puma King football boots that were the first of their kind. Nobody had seen different coloured boots back then and I'm sure it was half the reason I was able to out-fox defenders as they were staring at the boots. Nowadays, if you wear coloured boots you are either the greatest player on the park or gay. Sometimes both. Times have changed.

Footnote: My brother is the one on the far right. With him are his training partners Darren Campbell, 'Plug' from the Bash St Kids :sorry: I mean Matt Elias, his coach Linford Christie, his friend, footballer Nathan Blake and an up and coming rugby player called Jonah Lomu.

(Sorry, did that hit your foot? I dropped a name or two........)

SNEAKERS [ Uncontrollable desires......]

As previously mentioned, as well as being a general nerd. I'm also specifically a sneaker nerd. Or a Sneaker Freaker as it's known in those circles.

The above picture is my sneaker collection to date.













I'm joking. But in all honesty it's not far off that (as a guess-timate, I'd say approx just under half of that) as you can imagine (if you aren't a Sneaker Freaker) it's not amusing to my wife. I wish I could say I don't understand what she moans about but I do know it's wrong to keep sneakers in the box that'll never see the light of day, that I won't dream of selling either, let alone; God forbid actually wear them inside the house let alone outside.

But what can I say, I'm like a moth to a very expensive-leather smelling-flame. I can't help it.

I'll try at some point to get my shoes all together in one place to see exactly how many I do have. A job for another day...

DESIGN [ iPhone ]

I. Have. To. Get. This. Phone.

This is why i love Apple. Beautiful design + innovative technology + usability = A must have.

Currently I'm carrying a non-state-of-the-art Nokia that resembles something pieced together from surplass mechno bits. It's crap and I have no desire to carry it with me all the time, much to the frustration of everyone who attempts to get hold of me. But this thing. I'm sure it will be with me everywhere, taking a shit, sleeping, eating, doggying the missus etc, you get the picture.

At the risk of starting this blog and immediately sounding like a nerd (if I haven't already) the days leading up to the iPhone Keynote were the closest I can remember to that feeling I had as a kid waiting for Xmas. The constant checking of the calendar, counting how many 'sleeps' I had left till the big day, etc. And when that day arrived, Duke and I raced from work to be ready at his for the 5pm (9am USA) start time, where we sat and not watched the keynote, but read a typed feed of the developing presentation.

You did read that right. We READ, line by bloody line everything Steve Jobs said on an updating minute by minute basis, punctuated by the occasional shout and cheer as the news was delivered.

I wonder whether that's fantastic or terribly sad. Either way I know I'd do it again as it was great fun and I really feel we were watching (reading) a landmark moment happening in front of us.

Footnote: yes I am also the sort of guy who waits, refreshing his screen to snag a place in a queue for a games system, I'm also a guy who waits with my girlfriend (now wife) for Star Wars tickets (with :cough: a lightsaber in my bag :cough) I'm also a guy who pays half what I paid for my current car, on a pair of rare sneakers and I'm also the sort of guy who leaves my gorgeous wife alone in bed while I paint/ sculpt Vinyl figures.

I'm ashamed......:)

The start........

Hi. Thanks for visiting my blog.

After spending more time than I should visiting other blogs, sites and feeds I thought it was about time I started something of my own. My Powerbook is crammed full of design resources, film developments and spoilers, exclusive sneaker info and urban vinyl news that I have collected over the years.

Most days I send my buddy Duke (you'll hear more about him in time) info on some of the previously mentioned subjects, normally focusing on the latest developments from Apple Inc; as we are unashamed Apple nerds! And I've decided after accumulating this stuff for so long that it's time to give a little back to where it came from.

P.S As time goes by (if you continue to visit this blog) you'll come to understand that I lead a uncharmed life. I'm one of both, the unluckiest and luckiest people I know, so prepare to hear some of my bizarre experiences along the way.

Anyway, moving on......