Toy Trends | Zhu Zhu Hamsters Toy Hit of Holiday Shopping Season

Toy Trends

Zhu Zhu Hamsters continue to be the hit of the holiday toy season, and with good reason: they create a strong emotion and attachment in those using them.

Not only do Zhu Zhu's draw on human emotions, but have a few themselves; each one with a unique personality and likes. Even the interesting names like "Mr. Squiggles," "Num Nums," Pipsqueek," and "Chunk" make you feel like you know them some.

Not only can you enjoy the little Zhu Zhu hamsters, but there are a ton of accessories you can use to create a great play city if you choose to. There are things like a car and garage, slide and ramp, sleep dome, and numerous other things you can add to the fun.

Another interesting element to the interaction is some of the hamsters prefer to be loved on, and chatter away when they're spend time with, while others prefer to explore, and they'll run around at any excuse or curiosity.

Great fun! Just be sure if you find one you get one, as they're getting harder and harder to acquire the closer you get to Christmas because of the extraordinary popularity of the Zhu Zhu Hamsters.

Toy Trends

Retail Trends | Instantaneous Price Comparison

Retail Trends

I've been writing for years on the ability of shoppers to use the Internet to comparison shop. That's gone a step further now, and in some cases you can take your mobile phone and scan the barcode at the store and receive immediate feedback on where to get it at a better price.

You can also search for a specific product you're interested in and receive back a list of the prices you can find online for it.

Of course the caveat to this is you must have a smartphone to perform these tasks, so only about 17 percent of Americans can take advantage of those services.

Of course you can still go the route of checking out the Internet via your computer if you must go to a physical store to make your buy.

All of this scares retailers, and it'll probably take several more years before market penetration is at the level where it really could impact their bottom line at the potential it could.

Retail Trends

Christmas Trends | Thomas Kinkade Art

Christmas Trends




I don't think I've ever found something by Thomas Kinkade I didn't like, and that's true with this work of art depicting the night before Christmas.

All those lights on in the house seem to speak of nobody wanting to go to bed because of their excitement, and their color is very nicely done.

The yard light throwing light on the snowman and cobblestone path is also fantastic, as well as the arch behind the snowman.

A nice fire is going as shown by the smoke escaping the chimney, along with the trees filled with snow as the sun starts to go down, depicts just what many of us remember when we were children. Great piece of Christmas art from Thomas Kinkade!

Christmas Trends

Extreme Vampire Shoulder Tattoo

Extreme Vampire Shoulder Tattoo

Talk about an extreme vampire tattoo, this one definitely is, and the look of the male vampire image with its hair and teeth make it seem he's about to feed on whoever he is looking at. Pretty cool.

Too bad the skull next to the vampire portrait isn't as compelling, as that would have been a great combo if it was as intense as the vampire tattoo image.

Extreme Vampire Shoulder Tattoo

Gothic School Girl Halloween Costume

Gothic School Girl Halloween Costume

Gothic Halloween costumes lend themselves to great theme combinations, as you can see from the Gothic and school girl theme that is popular for a costume at Halloween time.

Another fun part of this school girl costume is the black and white lollipop and teddy bear, which make it so enjoyable, to go along with the black and white colors throughout the rest of the Gothic Halloween costume. Lot's of fun!

Gothic School Girl Halloween Costume

Eliza Dushku in Complex Photoshoot

Celebrity Trends

In anticipation of the premiere of the second season of Dollhouse, Fox has Eliza Dushku out and about doing a photoshoot with Complex, where she dons some bras, swimsuits and other skimpy clothing in a sexy photoshoot for the mag.

One interesting side to the photoshoot was the background, which in most cases are very compelling and outstanding, in this case had the look of being at someone's home; maybe it was the point, but you never know with creative types.

Either way, you can see Dollhouse and Eliza Dushku in the September 25 premiere of the show on Fox.




Celebrity Trends

Kate Gosselin Halloween Wig

Halloween Trends

One of the funny and interesting Halloween trends this year is the look some people are looking for in copying reality TV star Kate Gosselin. Now you can have it with this great wig which looks very close to the hair style Kate always wears.

I'll bet you'll see a lot of women wear this at Halloween this year, and you won't be seeing many attempting to get the look of her estranged husband Jon.

Halloween Trends

Bing Grabs More Search Market Share

Internet Search Trends

Microsoft's (MSFT) Bing grabbed more search market share from Google, as its U.S. search share climbed to 9.3% in August. Also seeming to decline in search share at the expense of Bing is AOL, which fell from 31. percent search share in the U.S. to 3 percent. Google droped from 64.7 percent to 64.6 percent search market share.

Now the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo (YHOO) search share stands at 28.6 percent in the U.S., with expectations that it'll grow more, assuming it passes regulatory hurdles.

As far as monetizing those searchers, all major search engines have declined in generating click revenue, as together they dropped as a whole by 13.5 percent from August of 2008 in comparison to August 2009, while also falling from August from July to August 2009 by 0.6 percent.

Year-over-year, Google (GOOG) click revenue fell by 9.4 percent; Yahoo by 5.7 percent; and Microsoft by 27.2 percent.

Internet Search Trends

Advertising Trends | Converse Hybrid Animals

Advertising Trends

The ongoing campaign of Converse to draw attention to their costumized shoes is very effective, and billboards sporting these animals like seen above and below in the photos really grab eyeballs when you see then, and quickly get the message out that Converse is attempting to convey.

I really like the way you immediately look at the hybrid or chimera animals and get the idea that things are being put together in a different way than normal, communicating their customized message very strongly.

Very strong advertising campaign and message from Converse.

Advertising Trends

Bicycle Trends | Wind-Solar Energy Bike

Bicycle Trends

This hybrid concept bike called the Wind-Solar Energy bike from Chen Chun Tung is interesting, as it can help you up difficult terrain, or at the same time, just get you home when you get tired from a long bicycle ride.

Energy is captured from four different sources: wind energy, solar energy, shock energy and muscle power, where it can then be stored in a rechargeable battery for use at those opportune times.

In conjunction with the four different energy sources accessed, are four areas on the bike where that energy is harnessed: the adjustable solar energy plane, the Spoiler, the Two front forks and the front and back wheels.

Each place has a gadget in place to harness that energy.

According to designer Chen Chun Tung, it was “Specially designed in a compact manner, can convert various natural power sources into electric power when the user rides it.”

Bicycle Trends

Bicycle Trends | Forkless Bikes

Bicycle Trends

It's not new to see a forkless bicycle, but it's always fun to see one when its designed, and in that sense the latest forkless bicycle entry is from Ollice Erkklia.

Some people commenting on this don't understand how it works, with only the chain connected to the back wheel. But I don't get the mystery in it all. All you have to do is look at the pedals and know when you pedal the bike the back wheel would propel it. Not that hard to understand.

But it is always fun to see the fork usually coming from the handlebar to be gone, and the ensuing puzzlement and intersting design emerging from it.

Bicycle Trends

Motorcycle Trends | ZEVS Electric Motorcycle

Motorcycle Trends

Created by designers Bernhard Ranner, Anders August Kittilsen and Rudolf Stefanich, they are marketing their concept motorbike ZEVS as the electric motorcycle design for "real men."

The motorcycle design includes a futuristic look that does give a hint of choppers and Harley's, although the sound (or lack of it) has always been a problem for electric motorcycles hitting the market.

I do like the futuristic look of the bike, which when it comes to motorcycles making headway in the market, design is one of the key factors in successfully introducing them at a profit.

With cool electric motorcycle designs like the ZEVS, we should see more acceptance of them as people gradually embrace electric as one means of transportation.

Motorcycle Trends

Fashion Trends | Model Isabeli Fontana

Fashion Trends

Brazilian supermodel Isabeli Fontana not only graced the cover of Spanish Vogue, but was included in a great editorial inside, showing of designs from the likes of Dior Homme, Armani, Alaia, Chanel and Louboutin.

Photos included color and black and white, with Fontana looking great in all of them, and making the fashion look great as well.

The shoot was in a beach setting as well as a lounge, with the lounge solely being portrayed in black in white.

Along with her beauty, you can't help loving the name of Isabeli Fontana. Nice fashion editorial from Spanish Vogue.

Fashion Trends

Tech Trends | AMD Multi-screen TV

Tech Trends

While this new multi-screen TV from AMD looks cool and everone has been talking about it, my first response was practical, and that was do we want multi-screens which interrupt the flow of the image by the connection points of the TV, like in the photo above. Why not just just use a single-screen TV for films, shows and playing games? I don't see what this adds other than a trophy used in attempts to enhance AMD's reputation. In other words, this may never be more than a marketing gimmick.

As far as the technology involved, it uses a new AMD Eyefinity DirectX 11 graphics card, which allows the graphics to show as one on the multiple screens.

This may be interesting for work and study uses, but as an entertainment device I think once people realize the limitations, it'll fizzle out. Tech is cool, but it still has to have uses consumers' demand. I don't see this being something that will inspire the masses, but will probably be a very expensive niche player, once some uses for it are discovered.

Tech Trends

Tech Trends | Apple's iPod Nano Will Continue to Dominate its Niche

Tech Trends

Apple's iPod Nano got a great boost today from the re-emergence of Steve Jobs to the stage, and the latest additions to its features which should help it retain a strong hold in the midmarket niche it now dominates, and probably extend its market share even more.

Some of the additional features include a pedometer, video camera, voice recorder, FM radio, new digital-album format and precut ringtones for $1.29.

The latest version, which will include 8 GB, will go for $149, while the newest 16 GB version will sell for $179, keeping in that nice range, which should cut into competitors' offerings.

While the price of the Shuffle was cut to $59 for its version with 2GB and $79 for the 4GB version, it probably isn't a enough to sway the minds of consumers who will probably continue to go with SanDisk's Sansa Clip+. That seems to be sending a signal from Apple that they're focusing on the iPod Nano as their chief entry in the mobile market. That's the same with the iPod touch, which has strong competition from the Zune HD, depending on what your priorities are.

Tech Trends

Toy Trends | Mini Polaris Ranger RZR

Toy Trends

Now why didn't they have something like the mini Polaris Ranger RZR when I was a kid? Oh, well, now I can live vicariously through my children as they travel on almost any type of outdoor terrain with this very cool ride-on vehicle based on the Polaris Ranger RZR.

The ride-on vehicle includes dual 24-volt electric motors and a variable-speed accelerator which allows it to smoothly accelerate from 3 1/2 MPH to 7 MPH.

Wheels on the vehicle are 15" molded with treads, and there is also a rear suspension to make the ride smooth as it could be, depending on the type of terrain being navigated.

As safety is always at the top of our minds for our children, and to addresss those concerns there are power brakes which can be used by moving the child's foot from the pedal to the brakes. There are also safety harnesses included on each of the adjustable bucket seats, along with a rool cage.

For added fun, if driving isn't enough, there also is a FM radio and an MP3 player which work, and a couple of cup holders built in if the little ones want or need a drink.

The ride-on all terrain mini Polaris Ranger RZR can run for close to two hours on a four-hour charge. It supports up to 150 pounds and goes for $1,000.

Toy Trends

Bicycle Trends | Kiddimotto Balance Bikes

Bicycle Trends

These new wooden balance bikes from Kiddimotto in the U.K. are great. They are built to help your child build balance and confidence in preparation from taking on the challenge of riding a regular bike, and for just helping learn balance itself.

The bikes are made of lightweight birch plywood, which allow easy handling and steering for the children. Tires on the bike are made of rubber to make the easy to ride outdoors on a variety of surfaces.

There are four styles of the Wooden Balance Bike, with each one looking too cool. Each style is based on a past classic scooter or motorcycle. There is the Scrambler, which as a more typical bicycle shape, with a slighted elevated seat. Another is called simply the Scooter, which is based upon the Mod Scooter of the 60s. You can even see the little footboards that were a popular design of those times. Next there is the Superbike, which is exactly what it says, looking like a cool racer. Finally there is the Chopper, marketed for those who are the Easy Riders of the future. Very cool.

Great idea to get kids to want to ride them in order to build their balance and coordination, while have a lot of fun burning off all that energy.

Bicycle Trends

Bicycle Trends | Urban Electric Bike

Bicycle Trends

An increasing number of people are enjoying riding around urban areas with electric bicycles, and designers have offering up a number of new creations to meet that growing demand.

The latest is named "The Mosquito," from German designers Tom Mudra and Hans-Tobias Schicktanz.

According to the two men, the idea “... was to create a lightweight and attractive E- Bike suitable for urban places. The motor is powered by lithium batteries which cost about 50p to charge. The Mosquito has got a range of about 60 km (37 miles) with a maximum Speed of 50 km/h (31 miles).”

A couple features of the bike are with the consumer in mind, and they'll appreciate it. First, the center section you see in the photo can be removed, making it easier to get on and off the electric bike, while not interfering with the stability of the ride itself.

The rider can also easily find the majority of the electric bike components at a bike shop, making it easy to deal with parts that need to be replaced.

Overall a nice urban, electric bicycle.

Bicycle Trends

Auto Trends | Noble M600 Supercar

Auto Trends

Noble Automotive is about to release their latest entry into the supercar field, and it's got a lot going for it if you like speed and great 0-60 mph time.

The stainless steel, space frame chassis, along with the twin-turbo Volvo engine allows the Noble M600 to have a great power-to-weight ratio, and it shows in the speed, which can reach up to 225 mph and generate a 0-60 time of three seconds.

Another cool feature if you decide to take this baby off the track is the ability to switch between horsepower modes, where it can alterate between 450 and 550 bhp.

The Noble M600 is a speed demon, no doubt about it, but lacks several things like anti-lcok brakes and ESP. Still, an nice entry into the supercar field.

Auto Trends

Design Trends | Spaceship Yacht RFF135

Design Trends

Being touted as a "spaceship on water," the latest yacht design from the partnership between the Porsche Design Group and Singapore-based Royal Falcon Fleet is fantastic, and definitely delivers on the promise.

Named the RFF135, it is able to hold up to 20 passengers, split between ten crew members and ten guests; giving a nice one to one service ratio if you're on a luxury yacht charter.

“Our newest project once again demonstrates that our design, outstanding in many ways, is setting trends in numerous fields. With the first Royal Falcon Fleet yacht, we are building a bridge to the Porsche Design Sport textile collection that was developed specifically for the maritime area,” says Dr. Jürgen Geßler, CEO of Porsche Design Group.

The luxury yacht, which travels at 35 knots, will be available for sail or charter sometime near the end of 2010.

Design Trends

Tattoos | Kat Von D Tattoos DJ AM Portrait On DJ Fashen's Forearm

Tattoos

Kat Von D is among the best tattoo portrait artists in the world, and she displayed that again with her tattoo design of DJ AM which she inked on his friend DJ Fashen to honor him.

The tattoo was inked by Von D on DJ Fashen's forearm, and she proportioned it perfectly, only in a way a talented tattoo artist could.

Many fans and friends of celebrities get inspired to get them tattooed on them at the time of a celebrities death. It was no different with DJ AM and DJ Fashen.

Great tattoo portrait of DJ AM by Kat Von D.

Tattoos

Social Trends | Duggar's Face of Large Families

Social Trends

Now that the Jim-Bob and Michelle Duggar have announced they're pregnant with baby No. 19, it brings to mind a growing mentality and movement maintaining that children are a blessing from Jesus.

The term used by many is quiver full, which refers to a place in the Bible which say concerning children that "“Happy is the man who hath his quiver full of them…."

There's even a web site dedicated to that end named, of course - QuiverFull.

It's actually great to see many people returning to the desire for a large family and recognizing the blessing children are and can be.

This is a great trend to see, and many people are embracing the importance of family again.

Social Trends

Celebrity Trends | Sexy, Hot Megan Fox Photos in Wonderland Magazine

Celebrity Trends

Megan Fox is sizzling in the latest issue of Wonderland magazine, where she stands out in all her beauty with a dark and gloomy background behind her, accentuating her gorgeous assets.

Photographer Mariano Vivanco was the creator of this terrific fashion, photo editorial, and did a great job of showing a super mood piece.

It didn't hurt to have the beautiful Megan Fox as the centerpiece of the work either.

Those nice, tight mini dresses and slender figure, with her usual wild and outgoing look add to the feeling of the piece. Great job!

Celebrity Trends

Entertainment Trends | Disney Acquires Marvel Entertainment for About $4 Billion

Entertainment Trends

Looking for an inlet into the hearts of young males, the Walt Disney Co. solidified that place today with the blockbuster acquisition of Marvel Entertainment, which they paid $4 billion for.

Not only will this give them an almost endless number of characters to experiment in movies with, it'll also give them that same number of characters to put into their theme parks and to sell to consumers via action figures and other products.

This should give them a great increase in licensing fees, above and beyond those they generate primarly target young females.

While Marvel shareholders will have to approve the bid, it seems like that shouldn't be a problem for the Mouse, which has just greatly added value to the company.

Entertainment Trends

Political Trends | End the Fed From Ron Paul Could Change America's Economic Future

Political Trends

There is probably no more important book in economic history than the one about to be released from Ron Paul named "End the Fed."

Now that the economic crisis in America has Americans focused on the policies and actions of the Federal Reserve, this hard-hitting book from Ron Paul will help them understand even better the destruction implementing these policies have had and will continue to have if the Fed isn't removed from the economic equation.

Very few Americans have ever really noticed or understood the Federal Reserve until recently, and this book by Ron Paul will help them understand why the Fed has always been a dangerous institution, and the reasons the economy would do much better without it.

This is the reason the Federal Reserve and Ben Bernanke are battling to even be audited in a complete way with the introduction of the bill H.R. 1207, which was authored by Ron Paul and co-sponsored by over 280 fellow lawmakers.

You can get this very important and unprecedented book by preordering now, which is scheduled to be available on September 16.

Political Trends

Wedding Trends | Two Couples in Fintstones-themed Double Wedding

Wedding Trends

This was a funny and creative marriage by this pair of couples, as they were evidently inspired by the cartoon The Flintstones.

One couple dressed in wedding attire based on the look of Fred and Wilma Flintstone, while another decked themselves out as Barney and Betty Rubble.

It gets even better though, as their guests got into the spirit of the theme of the wedding and dressed as fellow denizons of the stone age era: Stone Age cavemen and women.

What was the music for the bridal march? You guessed it - the theme song from "The Flintstones."

Wedding Trends

Medical Trends | Concept Chair to Help Those with Cerebral Palsy Walk

Medical Trends

This cerebral palsy concept walking device could be a great help to children with cerebral palsy over the age of five.

Dubbed the CPLEGIA, it offers children to use the unit to work on their walking skills and leg movement at three different stages, giving those performing cerebral palsy occupational therapy another potential tool to use to help aid therapy for cerebral palsy.

The CELEGIA, in what could be called a treatment for cerebral palsy, operates in three different stages, like mentioned above. The first stage allows the young user to simply use their feet to move around while remaining seated.

For the second stage, you can straighted out the in a way that the children can actually walk.

In the third stage there is no support for the back added and users can walk about freely without any aid of the walker for back support, although they still use the walker to help them walk.

There is not a lot of cerebral palsy help, and so this is a welcome addition for those that are victims of the brain damage which causes cerebral palsy.

Medical Trends

Furniture Trends | Mud Furniture Series

Furniture Trends

A new chair collection from Jennifer Anderson is named the "Mud Series," and it takes three classics from an Eames LCW, a Thonet Café Chair, and a Wegner Wishbone and recreates them into mud and steel.

The feel is that you went into an old building and discovered some chairs from an age long gone, giving the feel of wear and damage from cracked earth.

Commenting on why she chose these particular pieces for her inspiration, Anderson said this:

"In addition to admiring the forms of the pieces that I choose to recreate, I look at their recognizability and their social commentary. I thought it would be interesting to make Thonet's Café Chair in mud because it's the most reproduced chair of all time. Taking an iconic form that is the epitome of mass-production and making it a one-of-a-kind piece in a non-traditional material makes people think about that object. The Eames chair falls into the same category, but it was also a technical challenge because the individual elements are so thin. My goal was to make the entire chair fully structural and functional, which it is."

You can order the Mud Series starting off at $2,900 by special order only from Anderson's website.


Furniture Trends

Chris Boardman's Future Concept Bike

Bicycle Trends

British Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman has created a new bike design which he believes will be the wave of the future.

Some of the cool features are the puncture-free tires which can self-inflate, a theft-proof mechanism where only the owner's fingerprint can unlock the bike, calorie monitoring, a carbon fiber body, built-in music player and a backup solar motor.

But let's face it, it's the sleek, cool look of the bike that is attractive, and the rest are accessories to give the stated reason for getting the bike, which is only a concept at this time.

Bicycle Trends

Furniture Trends | Modi Sofa Design Allows Numerous Customized Furniture Looks

Furniture Trends

This piece of Italian furniture, or should I say 'pieces' of Italian furniture called a Modi Sofa, comes in a design style which allows it to be shaped in formed into the need or desire of the moment which you want.

It comes with modules which can be dissembled and reassembled in a fun way that gets your creative juices flowing.

Whether it's a corner end table with glass, a flat bench, arm rest chair or whatever creative thought comes into your head.

what's really cool, as you can see, it's made to look great no matter which shape you decide to create with the pieces. Lot's of enjoyment and fun.

Furniture Trends

Sports Trends | Dueling with Cardboard Tubes

Sports Trends

Talk about the ultimate in recession fun, the Cardboard Tube Fighting League gives enthusiasts the opportunity to square off with opponents to duel with with the cardboard tubes we used to do battle with with our siblings when special occasions demanded the use of wrapping paper.

The fighting league, amazingly, has reached global proportions, and attracts crowds of people to watch the events. A lot of fun.

But the ultimate cool to me is when the combatants also make their own cardboard armor for the duels and show up in cool suits; include head armor.

Sports Trends

Trends | Personal Rapid Transport Vehicles

Tech Trends

Heathrow Airport has been the recipient of Personal Rapid Transport or PRT vehicles, which are essentially four-person battery-run taxis running on rails, which through a touchscreen system, a rider can direct which parking lot in the airport they want the taxi to take them.

Designed by Mark Lowson, who also was part of the design team for the Saturn Rocket used to launch the Apollo missions, shows you why it has such an interesting, futuristic look.

The initial number of PRTs will be 18, which will cost $41 million, and if as successful as hoped, will be expanded by the BBA with another $331 million which will allow passengers to embark to hotels located near Heathrow terminal.

At such high costs it's doubtful the pods can be used in anything other than a than a smaller, controlled environment. Still, the idea of zooming around in one of these little pods with a couple of friends is pretty exciting.

Tech Trends

Advertising Trends | Unique Business Card

Advertising Trends

All you've got to do is look at this very compelling, but simple business card to know it's a winner, as far as getting someone to take a look at least at the name on the card.

Agrie Paint Services is the recipients of this interesting tear-off business card from advertising agency Extreme Group.

Why do I know this is a winner? Simple. You know you want to tear off that little tab when you look at it. It begs to be done, and that doesn't even include the paint-looking addition to it, which pre-advertises what the business located under the tab will be, although it may be doubtful the one tearing the tab will connect that until they look at the name.

But that's part of the success of this unique business card; it not only taps into your curiosity and propensity for taking an action the majority of human beings would do, but it then ties that into the paint-looking colored tab, which reinforces the company. So it gives at minimum a double chance at the person interacting with the card to connect to the company and its message. Very well done.

Advertising Trends

Universe Beach House Rooftop Pool

Design Trends

This rooftop swimming pool from Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao is the showpiece of the Universal Beach House in Mexico.

Add the ocean-side rocky landscape to the home and it's a brilliant place to play and enjoy.

As far as the house goes, the design was more minimalist to accentuate and celebrate the rooftop swimming pool, so was made mostly of concrete and included large, open spaces with little decor added.

The pool included beautiful underwater lighting which is extraordinary, especially at night.

A very unique home and rooftop swimming pool.

Design Trends

Travel Trends | Butlins’ Ocean Hotel

Travel Trends

Everything retro, nostalgic and vintage seems to be in, and that's true of hotels as well, as the latest one to emerge with a retro-chic look is Butlins Ocean Hotel with spa in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.

Along with the usual luxurious spa treatments, guests at Butlins Ocean Hotel also enjoy a lot of fun and unusal places to engage and interact with.

For example, there's a snow cave where you can enter in and freeze while having a snowball fight, or you can enjoy taking a disco shower with flashing lights and the rest. There are other showers that reproduce the sense of your skin being hit with raindrops.

Of course other places like a Kaleidoscope Bar have the mirror balls so widely used in the disco era, along with galaxies on the ceiling that slowly move.

You can't escape it in the elevators either, as disco music continue to emerse guests in the overall experience.

But that relaxation pod really appeals to me, which you can see in the photo below. Now that's a way to relax after disco fever wears you out.

Travel Trends

Bicycle with Surfboard Carrier

Bicycle Trends

This new concept bicycle could be a great match for those weekend surfers who prefer to enjoy a ride to the beach on their way to riding the waves.

With this new idea the bicyicle includes a small console built to hold a full-sized surfboard which still allows you to ride the bike with two hands.

The bicycle concept comes from industrial designers Gegi Primanata and Rinda Setiawan, who have named the idea the 'Wave,' and offer the bike in a number of color, depending on what the customer prefers.

Bicycle Trends

OCC Builds Electric Motorcycle

Motorcycle Trends

Don't tell me Orange County Choppers have sold out by building this no-noise electric motorcycle for Siemens. Said it ain't so Paul Sr.

Picture driving down the street on a bunch of noiseless moving wheels. Yawn!

While you can see the quality of the bike design itself, as that's surety with Orange County Choppers, the idea of building it for Siemens is disgusting.

As far as the bike, it allegedly can travel 60 miles on a charge, while hitting speeds up to 100 mph. You have to charge the trinket in a 110-volt socket for five hours to be able to ride it. It includes a 27-hp electric motor.

Motorcycle Trends

Disney to Offer Their Version of 'The Diary of Anne Frank'

Entertainment Trends

The Diary of Anne Frank continues to be a valuable story to the creative community, and Disney is the latest in the entertainment industry to take a crack at recreating the tragic story of Anne Frank and her family's struggle during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam during World War II.

For a little over two years the family hid from potential capture, but finally they were discovered, arrested, and taken to the concentration camps, where they, along with Anne, perished.

Playwright David Mamet has been enlisted by Disney to write and direct the production, who says he'll take parts from the original story, the stage adaptation of Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, along with his own interpretation of events to tell his version of the story.

Mamet is already scripting the story at this time, which took producer Andrew Braunsberg a year to acquire the rights to the story from the estate of the Franks, and also from Hackett and Goodrich.

A Disney version of the Diary of Anne Frank should be done very well. I'm looking forward to it.

Entertainment Trends

Cocoon Escape House Called 'Hibernate'

Design Trends

In a similar way you may make a paper mache object, Aimee Pegram has created what she calles "Hiberante," which is supposed to represent your own little cocoon to dwell in when you need a relaxed environment to escape to.

How it is made is a large five-foot inflatable balloon is wrapped with a weave of rope, which when set, the balloon is popped and the weave design remains to create the 'nest.'

As you can see, you can put down what you prefer to relax on while being able to see what's going on outside the hibernation pad.

While I'm not sure this works in the way described, just the unique design itself is interesting, and would look good in the right environment and scenario. And if it works for you as the stated purpose - all the better.

Design Trends

Fashion Trends | Goth Punk Comes Back for Men at Copenhagen Fashion Week

Fashion Trends

When photographers took shots at the Copenhagen Fashion Week show, it was shown that goth punk for men is making a comeback; not only with clothing, but hairstyles as well.

As far as goth fashion for men, it included the usual footwear worn by goths, along with black trench coats, black layered chains, and a lot of torn denim.

But the inclusion of punk style hair cuts was somewhat surprising, and shows that every fashion trend from the past always comes around again. So keep those black shoes, chains and coats, and you can always do anything with the current flavor of hair you want.

Fashion Trends