Paris-inspired booties and an LED watch from a sixth-generation Berlin shoe brand Known for inventing four-in-one and two-in-one zipper shoes, Munich’s Nat-2 shows a simpler side of shoe design with their new desert boot-inspired line created just for girls. The suede Marais booties, named after the Parisian neighborhood, combine classic French subtlety with a flexible fit. At the helm of Nat-2 is creative director Sebastian Thies , whose extensive know-how is due in part to his family’s storied history as innovative shoemakers. Originally founded by “Ferdinand Fischer” in 1856, the company folded during WWII, but was resurrected by Ingeborg Thies, Sebastian’s grandfather and a Fischer by birth. The company was renamed Thies-Fischer KG in 1949 and now produces several brands alongside Nat-2. In addition to their new streamlined shoe, Nat-2 recently introduced “Time”—a collection of plastic watches that reflect the pared-down aesthetic of the more grown-up streetwear scene. The patented 42 LED scroll system that lights the entire watch face up as each minute passes strikes a balance between the “keep it fresh, keep it classy” style that Sebastian has curated over the last three years. Perfect for the quantum computer nerd, the watch comes in several different colors including olive and purple. The Nat-2 Time and Marais sell from the Nat-2 online shop as well as from retailers around the world.

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Nat-2

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The GOP can’t be led by Sarah Palin. But can it live without her?

Small batch HDTVs from a company subverting the mass-production model If there’s such a thing as an artisanal television brand, NuVision is it. The makers of high-caliber flatscreens steer clear of mass production, preferring instead to individually source their materials and limit their quantity in favor of maintaining the finest quality. I’ve been testing the Superslim55 for the last few months and have been really impressed with the contrast, color quality and overall visual performance. Their manufacturing process is akin to that of assembling a hand-crafted watch. NuVision chooses software complementary to the hardware components carefully culled from a variety of high-end suppliers and painstakingly calibrates both grayscale and color using a Tristimulus Colorimeter. Proprietary “videophile” algorithms lead to seamless motion and natural general performance, and an automatically adjusted LCD backlight according to the onscreen imagery lends itself to an incredible sense of depth. Not only do slimmer-than-super-slim profiles allow NuVision televisions to blend neatly into their surroundings, but the recently introduced U Color Service provides users the option of selecting the TV’s bezel color, matchable to any paint, swatch, or shade in the Pantone scale. NuVision televisions also represent the best in green technology. The use of LED means that their TVs require 40% less power than comparable CCFL models and are both mercury and lead-free, but NuVision takes eco-friendly a step further by using only recyclable materials in their products, removing and recycling the televisions at the end of their life-spans. A two-year in-home warranty guarantees unparalleled service with the purchase of any NuVision HDTV. The full line of NuVision electronics sell on their site . They are meant to be procured through high-end audio-visual specialists and as such, the set-up can be a little complicated for the sub-technophile, but the picture quality is well worth the effort.

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NuVision Televisions

Robots write your messages in light over Trafalgar Square An upcoming collaboration between revered German automaker Audi and Swedish-German design firm Kram/Weisshaar turns London’s Trafalgar Square into an interactive message center. Called Outrace , the installation uses eight industrial robots from Audi’s production line to deliver messages sent from people around the world as 3D lighting graphics. Part of the nine-day London Design Festival the concept invites visitors to log on to the project website with any mobile device or computer to take part. Like Nike’s massive ” Write The Headline ” campaign that took over the fa