Citizen Eco Drive Satellite Wave + Appleseed

Start saving now for Citizen's Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE:

Debuting in Autumn 2011

Time from Outer Space
For 2011, CITIZEN introduces “Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE,” a limited edition watch with a totally new timekeeping system. This next-generation timepiece searches for the closest of the 24 navigation satellites that orbit the earth. It captures the day, date and time signals the satellite emits from space, 20,000 kilometers above the earth. Since the satellite signals are controlled by atomic clocks, this watch’s timekeeping is ultra precise. Each of the 24 navigation satellites orbits the earth once every twelve hours, so that this watch receives the signals from any open space, even in the boundless Western Pacific or atop the world’s highest peak.

The metal ring embedded in the glass bezel seems to float in outer space, like a satellite in planetary orbit. The round case, which appears to be independent of the lugs, suggests the image of the earth. These design elements resonate with the technological combination of light power and time/calendar data received from outer space to keep this watch on time, always. The spiral parts visible from the sides of the glass bezel are both a design motif, suggesting the radio waves that link this watch with outer space, and visible symbols of the light waves that provide Eco-Drive an inexhaustible source of energy. The three-dimensional forms on the watch face evoke the futuristic image of spaceship engines.

2011 will, thus, be the year in which time signals link wrist and outer space in an unprecedented experience. Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE will bring ultra-precise timekeeping to whatever human beings do, wherever they are on the face of the earth. It is purely powered by light.
Specifications
-Calibre H990
-Satellite Timekeeping System (Reception Area: Worldwide)
-Perpetual Calendar
-World Time in 26 Cities
-Ceramic + Stainless Steel Case
* The final design and specifications are subject to change without notice.
* Pricing and production volumes to be determined.

And check out the promotional video:

CITIZEN X APPLESEED XIII

This film is the result of collaboration between CITIZEN and the animated series APPLESEED XIII. Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE draws its energy from light and receives signals from navigation satellites to display accurate time. Through the medium of animation, one of Japan’s leading cultural exports, the film encapsulates the world view that inspired this watch.
Dawn breaks over Olympus, a solar-powered city of the future.
Time signals stream down from space.
The leading characters of APPLESEED XIII, Deunan and Briareos, sprint through the city. The hands of Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE on their arms move in unison as they receive accurate time signals from navigation satellites. Time signals stream down from space to every corner of the earth.

*Buy Appleseed toys at eBay.

Link roundup

1. Catcher in the Rye/Batman and Robin mashup.

2. As a practical joke, restaurant reviewer Jonathan Gold told his photographer to meet him at Olive Garden because they were going to review the restaurant:

The chain has introduced an aesthetic of Tuscan goodness, I assured Anne. Olive Garden chefs now undergo rigorous training at the Culinary Institute of Tuscany, in the heart ofChianti Classico, where "they learn the key values and skills needed to remain true to the rich history of Italian cuisine.'' They bring in their own chianti now, grown around an 11th-century castle called Riserva di Fizzano — the "village'' name is the rough equivalent of calling an olive-oil town Extra-Vergine di Olio. They use pecorino Romano. From Italy. It's cheese. And they were planning to remodel a certain percentage of their restaurants to resemble Tuscan country inns — Tuscan country inns of a sort that didn't really exist until a 1980s ad campaign for digestive biscuits convinced the Italian populace that they did, but no matter.

I had no intention of eating lunch at the Olive Garden. I was planning to intercept the grumpy photographer at the door and spirit her to the Derby, a track-fueled steak house less than a minute's drive down the street. We'd have a Sidecar or two. We'd laugh at how she'd been fooled. There would be leftover meat for her bull terrier.

Except that I was caught in traffic and ended up at the restaurant 20 minutes after she got there. She had commandeered a big table upstairs, and was already into the bread sticks, long, doughy things slicked with grease and oil.

Did he end up changing his opinion of the restaurant?

3. TechCrunch evaluates/semi-recommends five cheap Android tablets (especially if you're interested in hacking and modifying).

Illustration roundup

Harry Potter meets Ziggy Stardust by Russell Walks - - it's part of a planned series of iconic album covers mashed with iconic pop-culture characters that he's considering turning into calendars or prints. He'd like some feedback, so if you'd like to see more, please say so in the comments, including whether you'd like top see prints or a calendar.




Jason Chalker's poster for The Lord of the Rings featuring The Beatles is on sale as a $15 print.




Captain America and Wolverine by Travis Charest.




Mecha Bison by BossLogic.





Tyson Bodnarchuk posted some the sketch cards he created for the Star Wars Galaxy 6 set. Original paintings are available at Etsy, and he's also looking for commissions.

*Buy Travis Charest comics at Amazon.

Marvel trading card-style business cards

Joe Martin created Marvel trading card-style business cards for himself. His commissions start at $15 each.

*Buy Marvel trading cards at eBay.

Emergency supplies recommendations?

For obvious reasons, I'm planning on upgrading my family's earthquake kit, specifically to add a tent, sleeping bags (for four), a stove, and a solar charger. Can anyone point me to a good review source, or recommend items they have? Obviously, I don't need something that's top of the line - - just something fairly small, light, and durable that'll do the job in an emergency.

For example, this solar charger sounds good, but is pretty expensive for something I'll probably never use before it's outdated. Maybe this is a better choice?

Also, I thought this was pretty funny in response to a camper asking, "is there a titanium water bottle that could be used to boil water over a campfire?":

The other thing to consider is that if you really are in a survival situation, why worry about the water? You'll be rescued—or not—before anything in the water gets you. And once you're out, you can be treated for whatever it is you drank.

Medals for Trials of Modern Love

Some of the medals in Stefan Bucher's Medals for Trials of Modern Love:

For more than two millennia, heroic public deeds have been rewarded with medals. But what about personal affairs? You Deserve a Medal commends those who struggle in the search for true love with forty hilariously truthful stops along that timeworn path.

You can see closeups of several of the medals here, and the book is $15 at Amazon. Via.

Nike+ SportWatch GPS

Now that my boys are getting older, I hope to start running again. The Nike+ SportWatch GPS looks intriguing:

Starting April 1st, get the extra push you need with the Nike+ SportWatch GPS powered by TomTom. Not only does it track what you do, it tracks how you do it, then makes you want to do it again and again. Here's how:

It's accurate.
The Nike+ SportWatch GPS combines the accuracy of GPS with the shoe-based Nike+ sensor to track time, pace, distance, calories burned, and heart rate. So you have your whole running history in the palm of your hand.

It'award-winning.
The watch just won two CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Innovation Awards in the Health and Wellness and Personal Electronics categories. Which is kind of a big deal considering that CES is the world’s largest consumer tech tradeshow.

It's motivating.
Onscreen run reminders help get you out the door. You also get props for personal records.

It's inspiring.
The watch connects to NikePlus.com so you can view completed runs, set new goals, and interact with a community of almost 4 million runners around the world.

Can't wait to see how expensive it is. Via.

*Buy Swatches at eBay.

New rules for the boring board games everyone owns

The Boardgame Remix Kit:

Liven up your Christmas by remixing the boardgames in your house to make brand new games. The Boardgame Remix Kit works with all the great family favourites. It's got twenty five games that you can play using the boards and pieces you've already got. As well as smoothing out or speeding up a standard game, the kit can turn Monopoly* into a family poker tournament, Trivial Pursuit* into a surrealist parlour game; Scrabble* into fight between a wasp and a robot, and Cluedo* into a zombie invasion.

You can see the Clue/Scrabble mashup above. (The site got linked by Boing Boing and Lifehacker (and presumably others) over the weekend, and couldn't handle the strain, but it's back up now.)

Also, at the site, you can download a sample pdf. If you click on the link in Chrome, it instantly opens the pdf in the Chrome browser. No need to wait patiently while Adobe Reader opens up. (Chrome is awesome.)

Relatedly, from a series of new (maybe NSFW) comics by Eric Colossal:



*Buy board games at eBay.