ZBoard Electric Skateboard 1
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  • 2 min

ZBoard Electric Skateboard

Like all great innovation, the ZBoard was created to cater to a genuine and specific need – in this case, the need for a faster, easier, and more portable way to get around Los Angeles. The designers of the ZBoard were students at the University of Southern California, who grew weary of having bikes stolen, and pushing their skateboards up the notorious hills of LA. The creators, unable to get the project off the ground without sufficient funding, setup a Kickstarter in March of 2012, which quickly raised $US278,767, far more than their initial goal of $US10,000. Their creation is the latest in electric skateboard technology; rather than using a remote control, the ZBoard has front and rear foot pads, which use sensors to evaluate the pressure applied and hence dictate the speed of the boards electric motor. This design allows the user to simply lean forward to go forward, and lean back to stop, and this system creates a feeling of independence, and authenticity, that other electric skateboards don’t provide. The board can travel up to 30km on one charge of 5 – 7 hours, and reaches speeds of close to 30km/h.
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Katy Perry's "Oh So Sheer" Perfume 2
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Katy Perry’s “Oh So Sheer” Perfume

Following on from the success of her Killer Queen perfume, Katy Perry has released a limited edition spin-off perfume, the “Oh So Sheer”. The perfume has an airily sweet floral and fruity scent, featuring the likes of juicy wild berries, blackcurrant and dark plum. The fragrance also carries hints of Jasmine, freesia, plumeria, kashmir wood, liquid praline and more, giving it a unique intensity and sweetness.
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The Tile 3
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The Tile

When was the last time you put down your keys, and promptly forgot their location? How about your wallet? Your laptop? Well, the age old problem of misplacing your essentials is about to be solved. The Tile is a matchbook sized bluetooth device, which can be attached to your laptop, keys, wallet, even your bike, and works in conjunction with an iOS application to allow you to find your misplaced items. If your item is within earshot, it can be found by activating the Tile’s inbuilt speaker which will sound an alert when triggered. The application also has a radar-like function, which uses the strength of the bluetooth connection as an indicator of how close you are to the device as you search. The Tile also allows for the tracking stolen of items; if an item is tagged as ‘lost’ within the app, it will be automatically detected by other Tile users devices. If your device is detected within up to 150 ft of another user, you will be notified of its GPS location through the application. Although this feature may not be particularly useful in the products early days, the more users the application has, the more productive it will be.
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Peanut Butter Bites Back 4
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  • 3 min

Peanut Butter Bites Back

For too long has Peanut Butter been taken for granted. American TV shows would be incomplete without its mention –especially when coupled with jelly (which is their name for jam!) Even Homer Simpson recommends it as a cleaning product when he uses it to get bubble gum out of Lisa’s hair! It even has a national recognition day in United States (24th Although a firm family favourite in Australia for decades, it has now become newly fashionable –there is even a peanut butter martini served in some bars.
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Wacom Cintiq Companion 5
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Wacom Cintiq Companion

Produced by Wacom, creators of drawing-specific digital interfaces, the Cintiq Companion is a portable and powerful Windows 8 tablet. The Cintiq Companion is separated from other pressure sensitive, stylus friendly devices such as the Windows Surface by its focus on artistry over versatility. Rather than being an accessory to your regular desktop or laptop, as other Wacom products are, the Companion is completely self-contained, portable and light-weight. Despite donning a familiar Windows 8 interface, the Companion is deceptively powerful, running on an Intel Core i7 chip, with 8GB of RAM. Its matte 13.3” screen has full HD resolution, and the accompanying stylus is precise in its functionality and aesthetically comfortable, making the drawing experience unprecedentedly natural. Due to its size, the device is less practical as a multi-purpose tablet than the iPad or Surface, however it remains an exceptional tool for artistry and design.
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Tesla Model X 6
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Tesla Model X

The pioneers in electric car manufacturing, Tesla Motors, have begun the rollout for their latest creation: the Model X. The dual-motor all-wheel drive was unveiled by Tesla in 2012, and orders placed soon after the release are set to be delivered later in 2014.  The Model X sports ‘falcon wing’ doors, which open upwards using sensors to determine their opening sequence and avoid hitting nearby objects, making them ideal for tight parking spaces. This innovative design also allow step-in entry to both the second and the third row of seats, making them as easily accessible as the passenger seat. The car can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in less than 5 seconds, outperforming many sports cars. Running only on electricity, it is estimated that the Model X will be capable of travelling up to 370 km on one charge, and Tesla Motors have recently rolled out a network of 480 volt ‘supercharger’ stations across the USA and Europe to facilitate long distance trips. The Tesla interior contains a range of premium surfaces and panoramic glass, and an inbuilt touchscreen device which provides access to entertainment and information on-the-go.
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iTunes Radio Reaches Australia 7
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iTunes Radio Reaches Australia

Having been launched almost 6 months ago in the United States, the much anticipated iTunes Radio is finally available in Australia. iTunes Radio is a free, ad supported service which features over 100 stations, along with an incredible catalogue of music from the iTunes store. iTunes radio is accessible from iTunes on PC and Mac as well as apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. The application ‘evolves’ in accordance with the music you play and download, hence the more you use iTunes, the precise iTunes Radio will be in its music selection. iTunes Radio also plans to feature exclusive music premieres from top selling artists, as well as streaming special events such as the iTunes Festival in London. In addition to the free service, iTunes offer the iTunes Match service. A subscription to Match costs $34.00AU per year, and allows the user the complete streaming experience with no ads, a clear competitor for the Pandora equivalent which costs $36AU per year. Along with ad free streaming, the Match service automatically stores all your music, including imported files, in the iCloud. On Apple devices, iTunes Radio will be bundled in with the ‘Music’ app on mobile devices, to integrate streaming into a familiar app we all already use.
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5 Tips for Holiday Planning 8
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5 Tips for Holiday Planning

With the myriads of pre-planned tours, experiences and package deals available online, holiday planning has never been easier. However, for those who prefer creating their own itineraries, the process can be a little more arduous. With that in mind, here are 5 tips for planning your next holiday:
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Ducati 1199 Panigale S: Back to Basics 9
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Ducati 1199 Panigale S: Back to Basics

The focus of the new motorcycle, Ducati 1199 Panigale S, from Italy is to take the driver back to where it all begun, the drive, creating that first experience of getting on the motorbike and going for your first ride, the adrenalin pumping through your system as you zoom across the track. The sleek, sharp, traditional design is a unique take on motorcycling manufacturing. The simple yet dynamic frame of the bike, along with the bold red large shapes and smooth round surfaces take on the balance of modern engineering and design, which means the driver, has more control over the bike. The Panigale S is a leading combination of elegance and power whilst maintaining an impact of safety, enhancing the qualities of performance and beauty. The introduction of LED headlights, as well as an angled steering wheel, engine and exhaust pipe and the two wheeled design has generated the way motorcycles are created and how the motorbike is used. The market is consumed with a number of motorbikes each year but the Ducati 1199 Panigale S proves you can rely on traditional design and powerful performance and still, your motorbike will remain timeless.
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5aver Emergency Flashlight and Mask 10
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5aver Emergency Flashlight and Mask

In Australia, every summer we’re faced with the dangerous burden of fires which lead to many homes and, more importantly lives being lost each year. There have been various innovations that have helped detect the rapid nature in which a fire grows such as, fire extinguishers and fire blankets, though it seems Australia’s bushfires are growing more rapid and stronger every year. This year a new innovation has landed, 5aver is a new form of technology which can help save lives. This practical innovation consists of a flashlight and respirator in an all in one functional unit. At the scene of a fire it will activate in five seconds and filters 92% of toxins in the air. The 5aver is functional for a full five minutes, the designated time period in which a person is meant to leave a fire. It’s a compact and colourful device which comes in bright red and orange and can also be formed into many configurations and can be used in all locations in high visible areas including schools, museums and office buildings. New products such as 5aver is a solution to an ongoing development where technology is leading the way in helping save lives one invention at a time.
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