360 DEGREES Weblog

Harley-Davidson has rolled out its revised line of motorcycles for 2010, and according to the Motor Company, the nine new models included in this year’s catalog represent the largest number of introductions in the company’s 106-year history. There aren’t any new platforms for 2010, so expect to see small, incremental changes and improvements across the board in lieu of anything particularly radical.

A few of the highlights include four new models from Harley-Davidson’s Custom Vehicle Operations group: CVO Fat Bob, CVO Softail Convertible, CVO Street Glide and CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide. As you would expect from Harley’s upper-crust division, prices for these top-end models range from $25,299 to $35,999. At the other end of the spectrum, HD also points out it has a total of five models priced under $10K. Naturally, there’s plenty in between those opposing price brackets for fans of the good ‘ol American V-Twin to choose from.

Leica has said its S2 autofocus medium format DSLR will be available in October for a recommended selling price of £15,996 (UK). The camera is built around a 37.5 megapixel 30×45mm sensor (56% larger than ‘full frame’), that puts it squarely into the apparently troubled medium format sector. Customers willing to spend an extra £3,096 will receive an S2-P featuring a sapphire glass monitor screen and ‘Platinum Service’ support package.

The Dutch have been fighting the rising and falling tides for centuries, building dikes and pumping water out of areas that are below sea level. Now, rather than fight the water infiltrating their land, the Dutch will use it as part of a new development called ‘New Water‘, which will feature the world’s first floating apartment complex, The Citadel. This “water-breaking” new project was designed by Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio in the Netherlands, and will use 25% less energy than a conventional building on land thanks to the use of water cooling techniques.

Olthuis is responsible for a number of floating residences around the world and he thinks that we should stop trying to contain water and learn to live with it. The New Water and the Citadel projects are an attempt to embrace water in the Netherlands, which is almost completely composed of wetlands. The project will be built on a polder, a recessed area below sea level where flood waters settle from heavy rains. There are almost 3500 polders in the Netherlands, and almost all of them are continually pumped dry to keep flood waters from destroying nearby homes and buildings. The New Water Project will purposely allow the polder to flood with water and all the buildings will be perfectly suited to float on top of the rising and falling water.

The Citadel will be the first floating apartment complex, although there are plenty of floating homes out there. Built on top of of a floating foundation of heavy concrete caisson, the Citadel will house 60 luxury apartments, a car park, a floating road to access the complex as well as boat docks. With so many units built into such a small area, the housing complex will achieve a density of 30 units per acre of water, leaving more open water surrounding the structure. Each unit will have its own garden terrace as well as a view of the lake.

A high focus will be placed on energy efficiency inside the Citadel. Greenhouses are placed around the complex, and the water will act as a cooling source as it is pumped through submerged pipes. As the unit is surrounded by water, corrosion and maintenance are important issues to consider. As a result, aluminum will be used for the building facade, due to its long lifespan and ease of maintenance. The individual apartments are built from prefabricated modules. The Citadel will be situated on a shallow body of water, and in the future numerous buildings, complexes and residences will float on the water alongside it.

We love our Flips, but the Kodak Zi8 ($180; September 2009) has us ready to switch sides. Available in blue, red, or black, the Zi8 offers Flip-beating 1080p video, with built-in electronic image stabilization, a 2.5-inch LCD, 5 megapixel, 16:9 still pics, an external microphone jack, an SDHC card slot, and a swing-out USB arm for easy uploading to YouTube or Facebook.

Lounging is definitely one the most pleasurable things to do. To add a little more sweetness to the experience, Living Earth Crafts - a renowned name in the field of highest quality spa equipment production - introduces its new wave relaxation loungers for household as well as commercial use. The product line features a high-end glowing wave lounger that makes relaxing a delighting experience. The shiny wavy body boasts a striking S-curve and a zero gravity wave top to suspend your body in a weightless position to deliver ultimate comfort and relaxation. The smooth cushioning system of this ironically designed lounge is made from luxurious yet eco-friendly Natursoft upholstery and the base is handcrafted with renewable hardwoods for maximum durability. This glowing furniture adds comfort and an extraordinary style to your home while fructifying everyone’s needs and desires all together. The Wave Glow Lounger will cost you around $4,995, whereas the low-end model comes for $1,995.

The SmartSwipe home credit card terminal plugs into your computer’s USB port so you can happily swipe your life away with the credit card of your choice. Need some more junk for the basement or attic? This’ll help you fill the gap with no messing. It’s not real money, and that chocolate covered toaster looks ever so nice. Shop shop, chop, chop. Swipe and smile. Yours for just $99.95 Canadian. There, you’re saving money already.

SmartSwipe is the new, smarter, more secure way to shop online. The SmartSwipe (by NetSecure Technologies) is the world’s first truly secure personal credit card reader. When you install SmartSwipe, you can swipe your credit card at your home or office computer just like you would in a store. Plug the SmartSwipe into your computer’s USB port, go shopping to your favourite online stores and swipe your credit card – it is that easy. The best part is that you know your credit card information is safe and secure.

Stuffing your money into your mattress to save it is a time honored tradition, and one that is easily accomplished with this miniature mattress money bank. Measuring approximately 24.7 cm x 16 cm x 4 cm, it takes very little room for you to store this mattress. It’s small size will also minimize the possibility of your relatives tossing it in the trash when it is time to clean house.

As a Steve McQueen fan you can just dream away on the wonderful 60’s tunes from the soundtrack of Bullit (’68) by famous  Argentinian composer Lalo Schifrin. Schifrin has also been responsible for the soundtracks of Dirty Harry, and Mission Impossible among many others.

Itunes €7.92

The Kensington Nightstand Charging Dock turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a handy bedside clock. The right angle dock holds your device in landscape mode using a kickstand to clearly display the time. A free application features a clock that doesn’t go into sleep mode. It has an optional screen dimming setting as well as weather info. It’s available for pre-order for $39.99.

We’re sad to see the Ferrari F430 go, but at least its replacement is a step up — in nearly every way. Set to make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Ferrari 458 Italia ($TBA) sports a new direct-injected, mid-rear mounted 4.5-liter V8 good for 570hp, a 0-62 time of 3.4 seconds, and a top speed of 202 mph, a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, a breathtaking new Pininfarina body with a compact, aerodynamic shape and terrific curves, 20-inch wheels, and more.