Technology - 27 year old mac goes online !

Source - http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/engineer-gets-27-year-old-macintosh-plus-online/

A engineer in the USA has adapted his 27 year old original Macintosh desktop PC so it can actually go online a job it was never expected to be able to do.This was a challenge to test if new technology and some clever coding could bring this retro piece of technology back to life. The computer has only 4mb of RAM and a 50mb hardrive which couldn't even hold a simple high resolution image in today's online society. The trend for retro products is becoming more and more popular with with new products being made in the style of old ones this makes these real old objects collectible and has a really strong market of people who are willing to pay a lot of money to own one of the original pieces.

I feel this has worked really well and could be applied to many other old products which it already has been such as using the old PlayStation controller for the new one and playing Xbox one on a old box television this is a clear trend and it influences a lot of people and the reason behind why they buy a products and for what use it will be used for.

Technology - High Tech law enforcement

Source - http://innovation.uk.msn.com/personal/nowhere-to-hide-the-incredible-future-of-law-enforcement#image=4

The police in America are well know for their use of guns but now they are using a different approach by adopting new technology and gadgets to further their law enforcement capability. These gadgets include drones which are already used in the army and bomb disposal so its not that impressive but others such as the LRAD Sounds weapon which uses high frequency sounds waves to push people back and the focused contact lens which allows the officer to record what he sees and see closer are really futuristic and much more impressive. This is needed because as criminal are getting smarter taking advantage of technology as well such as 3D printing their own weapons the officers need to be up to date and on trend so they can combat it and be able to do their jobs efficiently.

Technology - Gold Xbox One

Source - http://pursuitist.com/24-karat-gold-xbox-one-londons-harrods/

The trend of the Xbox one is forever getting greater with people seeing what it looks like first hand with them either seeing it in the shops or playing on a friends but the huge London Retailer Harrods has released a custom gold plated version for a huge £6000 so anyone who wants to buy it. It will appeal mainly to collectors as not many people will have one and aesthetically looks different to ant other consoles. The features of the Xbox one are exactly the same it just has a different case which in today's market is all it takes for one person to start the trend the the rest will follow. The Christmas period is especially busy and as time goes on more and more versions will come out as they have with the 360 aimed at specific games and colours with smaller companies making their money from building custom parts which avid gamer's and tech enthusiasts will spend a lot of money and purchase them.

Movies - New 2014 Godzilla trailer

This is the new teaser trailer for the remake of the iconic film Godzilla and from the trailer you can see how it has been adapted to modern day film standards. The production company is Legendary and they specialise in motion graphics and cgi and have recently worked on the man of steel film where I feel the graphics are really enhanced and clear and some of the best around. This film has the same feel and links into the trend of bringing old things back to life with modern day techniques like Marvel have with their comics turning them into the most successful films of our time. Overall, I feel the film will be successful and will keep people wanting more by the secretive nature to the trailer with the directors only showing parts of the actual beast to keep the audience wanting to see more which is a really clever marketing method.

Innovation & Lifestyle - Could this be the end of the Jumbo Jet

Source - http://innovation.uk.msn.com/design/could-the-new-boeing-777x-kill-off-the-jumbo-jet

Air travel is always changing with many companies competing and trying to find faster easier ways to travel around.But now a new planes has emerged called the Boeing 777X and it was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow along side many of the other famous new planes such as the Airbus and has been said to be that promising in what it can deliver it may even become the 21st century equivalent of the famous 20th century iconic plane the Jumbo jet which was used by everyone of the time as it was the latest piece of engineering. The plane is said to be able to carry 405 passengers and is significantly fastest and more spacious than other model with rumors of new versions being producing featuring extending cabin space for families and business class passengers.

Overall, I feel this clearly shows the trend for new technology and how simply a plane can become a trend in itself and become a symbol worldwide which can be easily recognised in any language just as the Jumbo jet did. The aesthetics of the plane also look modern and streamline fitting the stereotypical futuristic aesthetic people assume to see while retaining its original forms which closely resembles the Jumbo jet.

Photography - 360 degree GoPro videos

Source - http://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/create-awesome-360-degree-videos-dslr-gopro-eye-mirror-accessory/

This new piece if kit is really simply but effective it used a mirrored surface to capture the reflections then the camera simple records them but it has depth so it feels as if you are actually in the environment when watching the video making it great for 3D televisions. The device can also be used on a DSLR for high quality videos and images and comes in a variety of sizes for different immersive effects. I feel this design is really good because of how simple yet effective it is making it stand out from the competition. The key feature to this camera is also its ability to produce images x4 the quality of standard HD which comes in useful as its mainly being used by adventure photographers and extreme sports people also it is being used in simulations to provide a more in depth surrounding and that combined with the small and tough GoPro creates one of the ultimate image capturing devices around today.

Technology & Innovation - Copenhagen Wheel

Source - http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/superpedestrian-finally-accepting-pre-orders-revolutionary-copenhagen-wheel/

This is a new piece of kit to help cyclists and the purpose of it is to simply replace your old wheel and store energy you create form biking to be released when you want when going up hill or need an extra boost. The product has got $2.1 million dollars of funding to help commercialise the product and get it used more. This can be related to the trend of the environment as its encouraging people to cycle in stead of use car and also allows them to create their own energy and power with out the need for a charge point and wasting money on buying batteries. The aesthetic of the product overall is really simple and clean which will appeal to most people as it fits the modern day image associated with technology.

I feel this product will be successful because of how easy it is to use because with most modern bikes now you simple click off the wheel without the need to use spanners and wrenches so this can be easily applied and swapped depending on where you are going. It will also be successful because more and more people are living active lives and the product has a lot of space on it allowing it to be customised and also could come in a variety of colours and styles to suit the different types of bikes people use.

Cars - New Ford Mustang

Source - http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/sound-2015-mustang-gt-firing-reving/#/1 

This is the latest show room car which shows the new Ford Mustang one of the great american classic which featured in many iconic films and is said to be due for sale around 2015. The car itself has a 5.0 litre engine and delivers and huge 420 horse power from two 2.5 litre eco boost engines. The car also boasts a digital dash board which integrates all the latest technologies allowing you to connect your device to the car in order to get diagnostic information or simply to see the music and contacts you want storing within in the car. The aesthetics of the car are a lot different from the previous model which has always been more angulated but this is adopting the new modern day aesthetics following curves and vented bodies. Also the lights use fluorescent tubing and ultra bright LEDs so project clean and bright light as far as possible. 

I feel this car is a good car and accurately shows all the changes that are being made within the automotive industry to insure the cars are the safest and most up to date pieces of technology around. This is important as its a extremely competitive business with other famous companies creating new cars all the time so the pressure to stay ahead and produce new vehicles has never been greater.

Technology - 3D printed Heart

Source - http://innovation.uk.msn.com/personal/heart-transplants-using-3d-printed-organs-within-10-years

This is the yet a further advancement in the use of 3D printing and it uses cells and soft tissues created in a lab to accurately over a short time physically grow a fully functions human heart which can be used for transplants to save lives and for medical research and drugs testing. At this time its in its concept stage and they have made a few rough models and figured out how it will function and what it will look like as you can see from the image above. But top engineers and scientists have said that through advancements in technology this will be fully functioning and available within the next ten years. This is truly amazing and shows the influence of technology and how fast its developed and created which is called technology push where they are always out doing them selves and creating new products to stay ahead of the times and up to date. 

The concept is so real and believed in that medical institutes around the world have invested a huge total of around $65,000,000,000 in the product and when its fully up and running its said to be able to print a heart within 24 hours saving many lives and they are even looking into a way in which the hearts can be kept beating and stored so they is no delay in waiting times.

Overall, I feel this trend is a positive one and and the whole 3D printing business is forever and growing with new possibilities and will change the way we live and from this help save many lives along the way.

Social - Twitter #music

Source - http://tech.uk.msn.com/apps/twitter-music-guide-getting-started#image=1

With social media getting more and more important and becoming a vital part of many peoples lives Twitter has been rumoured to be releasing a new feature where you can manage music through their site. The problem is there are already so many good and well known companies that already offer this service for example the most well known are iTunes and Spotify. The main advantage twitter has is that their website in itself is unique from the others such as Facebook with the hashtag system which they said they will adopt in this new idea.

I feel this will be a hard step for the site but I feel if they get it right it will work really well the main things are that they design the interface so its clean, simple and easy to use like Apple have done in iTunes.

Technology - Phone calls from space

Source - http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/nasas-nexus-s-satellite-phones-home-space/

Recent advancements in technology are allowing NASA to send up a small 4 square inch box into space which has been called "PhoneSat". It cost around $7,500 to build and is a highly modified Nexus S smartphone that allows calls from space. The box is useful because with it being based around a smart phone it not only can be used for communication but can be used for file sharing, storage and even as a source of power. This is a positive advancement because it will allow different types of communication and even promises to improve cell reception miles beyond 4g so effectively you with never loose signal.

Lifestyle - High tech roller coasters

Source - http://innovation.uk.msn.com/design/high-tech-thrills-the-rollercoasters-of-2014-and-beyond

With many thrill seekers always looks for the next roller coaster to amaze and thrill them the theme parks behind them are also getting more advanced by using lighter materials that allow modern and unusual twists and turns enhancing the riders experience on the ride and this intern allows them to increase the speed which is the main fear factor that gets people adrenalin going and coming back for more. The colour of the rides is also getting brighter to look more modern and in your face so you can see it for miles and want to go on it where the old wooden ones simply blended in the news ones sore high above everything and completely stand out and contrast against the surroundings. i feel this is an engineering amazement and the limits to what we can do are only getting greater.

Technology & Innovation - A New Way To Test Plane Engines

Source - http://innovation.uk.msn.com/design/the-incredible-way-to-test-a-new-aircraft-engine

A new life for old and obsolete planes has arose recently with many of the major Aviation engine development companies buying old planes as a way of testing their engines before adding them to the new concept which if any goes wrong will save a lot of money and lives. This is because on new models a team has to go on the test flight as its a new system and not everyone knows it but with this method everything is stripped away making it so any pilot can fly it on their own then escape easily if anything went wrong. All the airline companies around the world are said to introducing these new more powerful, faster and more efficient engines in their aircraft over the new few years so I feel this testing is vital to ensure they are successful and work correctly. This can also be related to the environment and even the main contributors to the greenhouse problem with their large c02 emitting planes can make small changes such as reusing things to cut down the time, effort and money that goes into making a set of new planes which in tern will harm the planet even more through the high energy manufacturing methods.

Cars - The new Lamborghini Veneno Roadster

Source - http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/knowing-bread-buttered-lamborghini-unveils-veneno-roadster-uae-coast/#/5

Lamborghini are renounced world wide for creating some of the best, fastest and wacky looking cars you can buy. It seems they are only getting more advanced in terms of styling with the unveiling of their latest model the Veneno Roadster which many have said looks more like a jet than a car and the only things its missing is wings. The car has a 6.5 litre v12 and can reach a top speed of 220 mph. Back to the stylings this has only been made possible in the last few years with their first really crazy design being the Aventador making the classic Gallardo and Murcielago look tame in comparison. Advancements in technology has been the main contributor allow them to push the boundaries between whats a car and what isnt and this super car does just that with huge vents and fins sticking out from everywhere enhancing it performance its a real breakthrough in the car industry inspiring other companies to follow suit. Overall, I feel this angulated modern look will catch out and we will start to see it in small amounts in everyday cars soon raising the level of motoring of even the most basic car to a new level.

Home - Digital Chairs

Source - http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/cool-ipad-accessories/#/4

This is the latest in combining home furnishings with some of the latest technology many sofa companies are already selling sofas where you can insert your iPod or iPhone to play music through to act like a giant dock and beds with integrated televisions but this seat has been specifically designed to deliver that experience in the best possible way. It uses sounds combined with the drum shape of the chair to bounce and amplify the sounds though and around the cushions surface which intern vibrates the mesh and turning the whole thing into a speaker. The main feature that sets this apart from the rest is the aesthetic it looks clean and modern and has a built in tablet stand so it can be placed in any location and still be used. I feel this is a good piece of design and the whole concept of a interactive home is becoming more and more real.

Innovation - Amazons Drone Delivery

Source - http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/02/amazon-drone-delivery-jeff-bezos-hype

This is the latest idea from Amazon and it uses remote controlled drones to deliver small items to your home. The drones aren't quite ready yet as they is still some improvements to be made and possible larger scaled one to be draw up. The drones would only deliver within a specific distance so if you live by a amazon warehouse which isnt ideal as it will only benefit a small number of people. The drones are said to run off electricity generated form the companies solar panel so they are being introduced as a way to reduce their carbon footprint and help the environment. Overall, I feel its a good idea but to really be successful they have to be tried and tested and be reliable and efficient in their jobs.

Technology - Mac Pros New Look

Source - http://www.apple.com/uk/mac-pro/

This is the newest Mac from technology giant Apple and is going to be a game changer in terms of their aesthetic and whole design process as apple are used to creating slick metal cases but this is a cylinder and made glass with various other component inside. The design of this allows you to see the workings of the computer which relates back to the old macs and at the same time opens up for easy maintenance and upgrades. I feel this change will influence all the other Apple products as many people have said they need a new style for some time. The downside to this product is its shape although its a lot smaller and when powered on and lit looks impressive you have to plug in all the extra disc trays and blu rays drives to use them and many people argue that discs are becoming unused but they are vital for people creating graphics and animations which is one of the main target market that this computer is aimed at. Overall, i feel this computer is adapting to a new style and although not everyone likes it with it already being compared to a bin or a wine cooler I feel its a stepping stone and we will see a whole new range of products from apple in this transparent rounded style.