In case you hadn't heard already, this morning Esquire officially unveiled the first "digital" E-Ink cover in paper magazine history at an event in a Borders store in Manhattan. The special cover, which helps promote/commemorate Esquire's 75th anniversary edition, is only incorporated into 100,000 copies, all of which are available only at newsstands for $5.99 a pop--that's $2 more than the usual price. Sorry, subscribers, you get a ho-hum nondigital version.
The whole venture is sponsored by Ford and its campaign for its new "crossover" vehicle, the Flex. The cover is actually pretty cool in a gee-look-what-we-can-do sort of way; it's basically an electronic billboard that flashes on and off in different sequences, highlighting words and images. E-ink is monochrome but there's a plastic overlay that has some color images printed on it, so from a distance, the ink appears to be in color in spots--but it's not. On the inside of the cover, there's also a bit of e-ink flashing on the background of a Ford Flex ad that kind of makes the car look like it's moving (OK, not really, but I'm trying to be generous).
Neither Esquire, Ford, nor E-Ink would say how much it cost to produce the special cover, but we imagine it wasn't cheap. As for the built in battery that powers the 2.0 by 4.75-inch electronic paper display (EPD), Esquire Editor in Chief David Granger said they initially expected it to last 90 days but it appears it will last significantly longer--upwards of 250 days. Once the battery dies (it's not replaceable) a static image will be left on the EPD. In other words, part of the display will remain "on" with the ghosted remnants of the E-Ink, much like what Amazon's Kindle does with its screensaver images.
All in all, we're not sure what the point of the whole exercise is because Esquire is a paper magazine and wants to stay that way. But as a marketing stunt, it's fantastic for all the parties involved. Esquire gets to appear cutting edge, as does Ford. And E-ink? Well, plenty of people have heard of the Kindle and maybe Sony's Reader, but not that many people know what kind of technology is at their core. With potential competitors like Plastic Logic and its superslim electronic reader popping up, E-Ink needs to try to stay ahead of the curve.
What do you guys think?
Related news: Plastic Logic's plastic reader is thin, simple, strong
(Credit:
Casio)
I got an this e-mail Wednesday afternoon from the Casio PR team, suggesting that if I did a really good, creative blog post about Casio's upcoming 25th anniversary G-Shock Watch event on May 14 in New York, I might win a prize. Here's the whole tawdry e-mail:
Hey all!!
By now you should have received your invitation for our upcoming G-Shock anniversary celebration. This is going to be a very exciting evening for everyone and we are looking forward to having you join us. Please remember to wear your wristbands, as that is your ticket in the door and be sure to arrive between 6-6:30, as the doors will close after that for media. In addition, we are very excited to have you tell our story to your readers. As you may already know, this is a very private and exclusive event that is not open to the public but we want to make sure everyone knows how great it will be! That being said...
We are running a contest that will start today and end on May 14th. I have provided some "cool" aspects below of fun things that will be going on at the celebration on May 14th and Casio is challenging you to come up with an intriguing and informative post to get the word out to your readers. The site that receives the most hits and comments from readers will be determined the winner of our contest and that individual will receive a brand new, slim and stylish Casio digital camera, along with a brand new 25th anniversary G-Shock watch. So get your creative caps on and show G-Shock some support!!! Below are some interesting facts to incorporate into your post...
- Famed surfer Gabe Kling and G-Shock rider will be at the event showing G-Shock support.
- Director Spike Lee will be unveiling his exclusive collaboration watch with G-Shock.
- Supporting companies such as Monster Cable, Patron and Philosophy will be giving away some great gifts.
- Clothing companies LRG and In4mation will be displaying their G-Shock collaboration.
- Kanye West will be giving an exclusive performance and will be unveiling a special G-Shock message.
- Graffiti artist and designer of our 25th anniversary logo will be on site to discuss his initiatives with G-Shock.
- DJ Cassidy will spin it out in club G-Shock
Good luck with the challenge! Casio is looking forward to reading some creative posts!!!
What do you think, folks? Is that creative enough? Feel free to rewrite the press release and make your own gloriously snarky post. Perhaps Casio will let me give the camera (if I win) to the most creative poster since I can't keep it.
(Credit:
Casio)
(Credit:
Sybarites)
Having created such specimens as the $310,000 "Signature Cobra," it's not surprising that Vertu is a brand that isn't afraid to celebrate itself. So even though it's already released one special line marking its 10th anniversary this year, there's nothing to stop them from doing one more.
To that end, the luxury handset maker has unveiled its "Rococo Constellation," also in honor of its first decade, following the "Monogram Constellation" that did the same thing. As indicated by its name, the new collection was inspired by the French design movement of the 18th century, according to Sybarites.
Oddly enough, these models seem surprisingly subdued considering their maker and mission. On closer inspection, however, the "Sapphire Edition" of the collection features cabochon sapphire screws, as well as a center stone button. Say what you will about Vertu, but at least they're consistent.
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Sony)
Talk about feeling old. We can scarcely believe it's been 10 years since we bought a Sony T505 laptop, one of the smallest in its class at the time. (Actually two of them, to be exact, after dropping the first one and cracking the screen.)
So it is with both fond and very painful memories that we herald the "10th Anniversary Limited Edition" of the laptop, which was key to Sony's success in the computer industry when many doubted its ability to make the transition from consumer electronics.
The special edition, which will be limited to 505 computers on the Japanese market, has been updated with a Core Duo chip and up to 2GB of memory--a tad better than the 300MHz Pentium and 256MB RAM in the original we purchased. Its design has a few new accents but retains the laser-etched logo and metallic purple hue that was almost shocking amid the sea of gray that colored most notebooks of the day.
Unfortunately, the price is about the same as it was back then, when laptops were often considered luxury items: $2,555. Even when adjusted for inflation and including the matching accessories, we can't see how it would be worth it. We're going to dig out our old ones and get them fixed (eBay).
(Editor's note: This item was made possible with an assist from fellow Craver Michael Kanellos, who was at the bar where the original laptop mishap took place in 1997.)
(Credit:
Gizmowatch)
Intel may have been around for only half as long as Ferrari, but that doesn't mean it can't pull out the stops for its own special-edition creation. And what better way to celebrate the birth of a California company than with a commemorative motorcycle?
Gizmowatch says the chipmaking pioneer has created two custom motorbikes--one in real nuts and bolts, the other virtually for Second Life. The brick-and-mortar version, not surprisingly, showcases various examples of Intel's embedded technologies, including an automated dashboard that doubles as a PC and video screens instead of rear-view mirrors. It's also no slouch on the open road, boasting a 250-horsepower engine.
We have just one question: Is there a Mac version in the works?
Ferrari's marketing department is apparently as finicky as the legendary brand's automobiles. That, at least, is the only explanation we can assume given its fickle nature on branded mobile phones.
(Credit:
Tech Digest)
Just a few months after announcing a custom Motorazr Maxx V6 that bore its nameplate, Ferrari has already made a sharp turn to another manufacturer: luxury handset maker Vertu, which will produce the "Ascent Ferrari 1947 Limited Edition" to mark the automaker's 60th birthday.
As for the specs, we'll leave you with Tech Digest's summary: "To match the year, there's 1947 of the phones being made--each with very little to offer technically beyond Bluetooth, limited memory, four hours of talk time and 270 hours on standby." But really, what would one expect of Vertu, the company that gave us the $310,000 "Signature Cobra" with its diamonds, emeralds and 439 rubies? Now those are specs.
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