$ENTS FOR YOUR DOLLAR

生日快樂

Surprisingly it has been a year since I registered for this domain. I’m glad I have been able to keep up with it for the most part (sans the month or so of none)

With a year under me, I think at the very least my entries are those of more substance.
Traffic has grown consistent, but could pick up some more along the way

SENTS.COM still hasn’t become available. blasted.

For the iPhone power user, I noticed something new on the INcase site, a new slider case which offers double the battery life of the iPhone.

The Power Slider for iPhone™ 3G is the first accessory of its kind to offer protection, expanded battery life and integrated sync and charge capabilities. While most supplemental batteries simply satisfy the need for added power, the Power Slider more than doubles the battery life of iPhone 3G while providing complete device protection and the ability to sync without removing iPhone 3G from the case.

With its low profile, complementary design and innovative functionality as both a case and power solution, the Power Slider provides the best in hardshell protection and extended battery life for iPhone 3G.

While the light up battery meter and the soft touch coating is a nice touch, the extra battery seems to add a bit of bulk to the casing. I guess it is up to you whether or not the extra chunk is worth twice the usage time. It could always be used as an emergency case.

There is no price set yet, but guaging by the price of its other cases ($34.95) I would guess that this would be well over $60. If that is the case, there are some cheaper options for extended battery life, though it just wouldn’t look as cool.

So the unthinkable happened. Apartment rental prices in the city….came down.

During the time I was searching this past summer, prices for an apartment in a full service building would be in the area of $3200+ for a 1 bedroom and around $2500+ for a studio.

For instance, price in a full service financial district building has gone down to the unheard of $2500 for a 1 bedroom, most of which were not over the price of $3k. Studios have gone down to $2200+.

Taking a look at the sublets available on craigslist, there’s plenty of people trying to unload their overpriced apartments they signed for during the financial heydays of last year.

Vacancy rates have increased 1.3-2.0% with financial district being the highest vacancy and West Village being the lowest. Anyone with a basic understanding of economics will understand that with higher vacancy, comes less demand and thus decreasing prices. Question remains, HOW LOW CAN IT GO.

This was the newspaper handed out free on the streets yesterday. A fake New York Times newspaper dated July 4, 2009 with the headline that the Iraq war is over.

In an elaborate operation six months in the planning, 1.2 million papers were printed at six different presses and driven to prearranged pickup locations, where thousands of volunteers stood ready to pass them out on the street.

1.2 million papers? Thats not the most impressive part. The people that picked up these papers are now ebay’ing them online. Last checked, the highest bid was going for over $200. Goes to show, guerilla art pays.
Pays well.

Digg and street wear isn’t really something that you would imagine in the same sentence, but recently Digg created a their own Air Force 1’s sporting their website colors and including the Digg logo.

At a cost of $400 - $700 per shoe, they aren’t exactly the most affordable shoes out there. It also makes me realize how ugly their colors are now that it is splashed on a shoe.

The Glow in the Dark logo is a nice though though. I think that the $ents sneakers would be much cooler. Digg that!

Always a fan of reflective…well…anything. New Balance and DDCLAB recently came out with a new shoe which is fully reflective. It is a slimmed down version of the original New Balance running shoe with a Schoeller-Reflex material which reflects better than 3m and so makes it scuff resistant, water repellent and dirt repellent.

Now running in the dark will be a breeze. The material can be seen from over 300feet away.
I should mention again how glad I am that they finally slimmed down their shoe. The fat shoe look just means you have fat feet.

A stop at Shake Shack [Madison Sq. Park - 24th and Madison] and I came across some two hundred lights all pointed towards the center of the park, strobing. Unfortunately it was not a rave but a new interactive light installation put up. The lights strobe to the pulse of the person holding onto the heart sensors creating massive club lighting outdoors.

Notably strange, there was also tree houses in the trees….?

I wonder if its strong enough to cause seizures eh?
Good installation, better burgers.

Triumvir recently got the opportunity to design the Nike SB Beijing shoe taking into consideration Beijings roots of crazy loopy highways, Tianamen sq, and of course the ever present face masks.

The interesting part of this design is that Triumvir (really a company with TW roots) was able to take all these things in as factors in designing the shoe. You can really see the step by step thought process into the design.

[ triumvir3 ]

Starving artist? Hardly. This artist couple, Christine and Justin used their art to pay for specific things in their lives.
Food, sunglasses, and trips to vegas????
They managed to raise $3,626.10 for their trip to Vegas including money for shows, gambling, more gambling, buffet, room and flight.

Basically what they do is paint what they want, set the painting at the price of the real item, and then go out and buy the item once they sell the painting. TaDA. They want an Iphone? Paint one, sell it, go out and buy it.
I wonder if they can paint their monthly AT&T bills as well.

Pretty creative idea, and it doesn’t hurt that they can actually paint quite well. Gives some meaning to the the term, “painting your future”.