Music: Cheers Elephant - ‘Leaves’

What was instantly different from British festivals is how easy it was to get a drink or food. Lines were short and the fact that there were maybe 5,000 people compared to Glastonbury’s hordes, was so refreshing. The people were also really chilled compared to the British crowds where there was far too much tension. I heard that the Austin City Limits Festival attracts 70,000 people which means you cannot get close to the bands. At the Austin Psych Fest, I was lucky enough to get into the press pit at the front but even if I hadn’t, you could still get really close to the band from the sides of the stage. Fingers crossed that Carson Creek Ranch gets the event next year as I heard a lot of people singing its praises.

A big thank you to Joan Havard who treated us like kings whilst we were there.

You can watch the commercial here, play the game at the end of it and tweet to Clarence Seedorf who will be representing Heineken’s latest advertising element. Go to the Facebook page for more info: http://apps.facebook.com/roadtothefinalgame

- What do you think of the video?
- What 2 teams would you dream of watching in the final at Wembley?

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The stats:
- Crosskix shoes are made with separate components which allows the shoes to be more flexible, resulting in a fit and wear comparable to fabric-made sneakers.
- Crosskix shoes only weigh 7.5 oz, making them very lightweight and comfortable for multiple uses including leisure, exercise as well as work.
- Crosskix shoes absorb impact when running, jumping or during high-impact type workouts.
- The shoes are made of soft composite foam that is 100% recyclable. As part of their RECY-KIX program, Crosskix repairs and donates all returned shoes to children and families in
need around the world as well as offers customers a 15% discount on their next pair.

Image: The Edge

The tour will take in performances across the US, Europe and Australia, and by all accounts looks set to be the most electrifying stage show the artist has ever put together. But it’s not been easy getting back to stage fitness, and Pink has put in the face time at the gym to get back into shape.

Pink ducked out of the limelight in the spring of 2011, before giving birth to her first child in June – Willow Sage Hart. Sources close to the songstress say that she had almost 60 pounds to lose to return to her pre-pregnancy weight. Given the athleticism of the Pink show, this clearly wasn’t optional.

Her last album ‘Truth About Love’ was released in 2012, and its supporting tour in 2013 is expected to touch millions of fans worldwide. Produced by Greg Kirstin, the album was announced in typical Pink fashion through her Twitter feed on June 19th 2012, where she unveiled the lead single ‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’.

When the tour was in its early stages, it was reported that Pink had settled in to life as a new mother. Her next move was to start aggressively fighting her baby weight, with an enviable determination, ahead of her planned stage return in 2013.

Through a combination of kickboxing, bootcamp training and power-yoga, the star was able to shed the weight and get back to her trim, slim self. She’s even confident enough to expose her midriff on stage – she’s clearly enjoying the fruits of her hard work.

Fans will also not be disappointed. And with some 14 million followers on Twitter, that’s a lot of people to keep happy. ABCTickets, which deals with ticketing for some of the Pink-artist tour dates, says that the new tour is her most dazzling yet.

“Pink’s comeback tour is one not to be missed. This new ‘Truth About Love’ tour looks set to be her biggest and best yet, and there’s already strong demand for tickets.” The rocker has amassed millions of followers on Facebook and Twitter, and her fans are amongst the most loyal in the music industry. Her career to date has included 6 studio albums, with numerous film appearances helping establish her profile in Hollywood.

The ‘Truth About Love’ Tour is scheduled for 130 dates across 3 continents. With over 300,000 tickets sold within hours of their Australian release, it is expected to be the artist’s biggest production yet. The tour will showcase music from the album of the same name, which went platinum shortly after its release in 2012.

Originally from Montgomery, Pennsylvania, her career got off the ground back in 2000 with the launch of her debut single ‘There You Go’.

Tired of having your pink bits tickled? Go see Pink-artist

I was sent a pair to try out and boy was I not let down. I studied sound recording a few years back and have always had a keen ear when it comes to music. Having used Apple’s earphones on my iPhone (they always fall out and the sound is tinny) and gone cheap with a pair from The Sharper Image (lasted a while but you need a battery to boost the bass and the wire comes loose from the headphones), I was desperate for a reliable pair that enhanced my tunes.

On arriving, I liked the LSTN packaging and then realized that these phones were definitely Origin of Cool material. You can fold them up into a little carry pouch that they included and even unplug the wiring from each headphone. Unlike most headphones that have a rubbery wire that often wears down, the wiring is covered in an eloquent woven material that looks as if it will last a while. The headband is padded  and adjustable. The acid test was to see how long it would take for them to hurt my ears. I would say if you keep them on continuously, it might be an hour or so but they feel great and I would recommend them as DJ phones as they are very versatile and can be rotated and held to your ear if they are around your neck. The pair I got are made from an ebony wood which gives it a sleek finish. I love these things and they haven’t been off my head in the few days since I got them!
More info here: http://www.lstnheadphones.com/

Not quite sure if tablets are your thing? Maybe it’s time to reconsider what the new face of technology can do for you. Tablet PCs offer portability and ease to any and everyone. You can easily browse the internet, access your e-mail, shop till you drop, watch your favuorite movies (Netflix has an app for that!), play games, read the latest books, chat on Facebook and all other social media sites, those are just a few of amenities tablets offer.

One of my favorite brand of tablets is the  Xperia™ Tablet, it allows you to use a remote control to command your TV, Blu-Ray Disc player, HiFi system and even your cable box! Instead of using your phone and laptop at the same time to do simple tasks on the go, use your tablet to do everything than a laptop could offer. One thing I love about my tablet is the ability to take it anywhere with me, quickly and comfortably. I love having it to watch my favorite videos while waiting in long lines or whipping it out at the grocery store to price check an item compared to other stores.

Tablets like the Xperia™ Tablet, offer a super clear image and are insanely fast. My laptop is only a few years old but due to its slow speed I rarely use it and I have switched almost entirely to using my tablet now .You can upload music, podcasts and music videos from your favorite artists. Stream music sites like Pandora, Soundcloud, etc. Another one of my favorite things about my Tablet is it allows me to see pictures via Instagram and Twitter much larger than on my phone. I can screen shot or save these picts and then email them to myself in one touch. Tablets really are the way to go this day and age.Talk about making life simpler. I rarely spend a day without using my Xperia™ Tablet. Are you ready to experience the ease of technology can bring you? Check it out, simple as 1, 2, touch.

Xperia™ Tablet

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Although simple in design, each couch is handmade with the most luxurious yet practical of fabrics. The punching bag/back rest is also hand made using heavy duty lasered steel, high quality PU foam, and a super-strong steel spring. The design is genius for those who like to surround their home with playful, yet practical pieces. Just fold up the back rest and start swingin’. The Boxing Couch is just as ready for a workout as any professional equipment you see at the gym. With the exception that the risk injury is low enough for a even child to play on it without danger.

It is often best never to assume what the weather in the UK will be like. If anything, we all know it almost always a tad (or a lot) different than expected, often leaving you unprepared and left scrambling for a way to cope. Knowing the woo’s of UK weather, British Gas recently launched a innovative piece of technology that not only promises to bring you control back into your life but also stops the worry of returning to a cold house. The device is called Remote Heating Control™and allows you to manage the heating elements in your own home via a smartphone or any other internet based appliance at the touch of a button from anywhere, anytime. Remote Heating Control™ gives you the control of your home’s temperature at all times, in or away from your thermostat.

How does it work? RHC app has a simple design allowing you to switch on or off, your heating as well as creating a heating schedule and of course, adjust the temperature. This is made possible by The Remote Heating Control™’ wireless thermostat that connects directly to the boiler via your internet router. As if it could get less complicated then is, you don’t even need to have British Gas as your heating provider to have the device installed.

Why it’s worth it- The Remote Heating Control™ ensures the little things that make life easier are only a click away. Increases comfort, never come home to a frigid home again. Increases control over your homes temperature, adjust your heating settings remotely. Never wait in the cold for your heater to begin really making a difference, put the control back in your hands via your computer or phone. You and your whole family can control your heating remotely. Never waste a penny on sky rotted electric bills again, increasing energy efficiency means a noticeable decrease in your household bills. Never wonder if your wasting gas or money, you can choose to receive temperature alerts that allow you to see if the temperature in your home is above or below a certain level. I have it and I love it. For more information on Remote Heating Control visit the webpage

The Remote Heating Control™ is now WINNER of the Stuff Home Gadget of the Year!

With British Gas working hard to impact the innovative future home, we were delighted to receive the Stuff Home Gadget of the Year Award!Remote Heating Control™,beating off stiff competition from vacuum Dyson Digital Slim DC44 Animal, robot vacuum cleaner iRobot Roomba 600, Belkin WeMo – the cheapest and easiest way to see the Internet, kitchen gizmo Philips HomeCooker and coffee machine, Krups Barista EA9000.

Stuff is the world’s best-selling gadget magazine with an estimated 2 million readers, so they think long and hard before announcing the shortlist and even more so when announcing the winner.

Will Findlater, editor of Stuff Magazine, said:

“We felt British Gas Remote Heating Control™ deserved to win our Home Gadget of the Year award, not just because of how useful it is but also because of the movement it’s representing towards connected homes and smart appliances.”

Visit theRHC Facebook tab to read some of our blogger stories, and to enter our Facebook competition to win RHC plus £100 worth of cinema vouchers for a ‘last minute change of plan’ yourself www.facebook.com/britishgas/app_272931232823508

This is a sponsored post on behalf of British Gas

From one of my favourite studios, founder Artemy Lebedev and his team created this full, 8-bit style, Space Invaders playing card deck.

More info here.

2) Solitaire.exe – Evan Roth

More nostalgia! This pack was created by Evan Roth as an entry into the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards in the Interaction Design category. The design is based on Windows 98′s classic game of Solitaire, originally designed by Susan Kare (illustrious icon designer who also worked for Apple) and Leslie Kooy. Roth was the eventual winner in his category, the pack however was only created in a limited 500 print run which has since sold out.

More info here.

3) Metrodeck – Norman Ibarra

A truly unique deck; each New York City subway card is found at random and painstakingly screen-printed by Ibarra with enamel ink, in a 4-colour process. Each face card is of a famous New York landmark, for example the Queen of Hearts is the Statue of Liberty and the King of Diamonds is the Empire State Building. Ibarra has a shop on Etsy where you can buy a complete deck which will set you back $550, or buy individual cards for $20-$25. It may seem like a lot but Ibarra has hand screen-printed each of the cards 4 times for each colour, that’s a lot of work!

More info here.

4) Zelda Poker Card Set – Nelde

The Swiss based artist and student known as Nelde replaced the boring, regular card suits and created a deck with “Heartpieces”, “Rupees”, “Swords” and of course “Triforces”. The conceptual deck was picked up by site fangamer and was created by the US Playing Card Company who are responsible for top card brand Bicycle.

Check out the “Link” here (couldn’t resist, sorry).

5) Helveticards – Ryan Myers

Whether you love or hate Helvetica, these cards are certainly different from your average pack. Myers created the pack based on the Swiss style of Helvetica; a clean, organised look; “Less is more”. The pack was also made available in CYMK and Cyan versions exclusive to Fab.com.

More info here.

6) Typographic Playing Cards – Hat-trick Design

Each of the cards created by Hat-trick has been carefully designed so that the number or letter creates an image of the suit it’s in. For example two ‘J’s from Jack rotated make a heart. I wouldn’t blame you for spending more time trying to figure out where the suit is on each card, rather than actually playing with them!

More info here.

7) Personalised Facebook Playing Cards – Firebox

Know someone in your life who is a complete Joker? Have a King or Queen of your Heart? Then this is the pack for you! Playing Cards get brought fully into the 21st century with this personalised Facebook update. Simply sign in with Facebook on Firebox and pick 54 of your friends, their pictures get added to the cards and hey presto you have a personalised deck.

More info here.

8) Creative Cards – Vlad Korzinin

Creative Cards is the vision of Vlad Korzinin, Spanish designer. Each card is designed by a different designer, artist or illustrator which were voted for by the public. Artists include some of my personal favourites; James White (of Signalnoise), Magomed Dovjenko and Zutto. Each card is truly a work of art!

More info here.

9) CMYK Cards – Hundred Million

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (the “key” colour – black). The suits are changed from the regular Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades to represent one of those colours, with each number representing a tone, 1 being 10%, 2 being 20% etc, the higher the percentage the darker the colour. They even have colour bars and registration marks for extra print geekery.

More info here.

10)  Animal Kingdom Cards – Hatch Design

Hatch Design in collaboration with WWF created a playing card deck made from FSC-certified paper from sustainable forests, starch-based laminates, and vegetable-based inks, so they couldn’t be any more green! The face cards are all replaced with adorable illustrations of animals but even better; $1.00 from each pack gets donated to WWF.

More info here.

Image Credits: Art. Lebedev, Gizmag, Etsy, Fangamer, Monomoda, Designboom, Firebox, Creative Cards, Hundred Million, Theory11.

The S3, like its predecessor, the S2 is a genuine landmark in mobile phone technology.  It’s packed with innovation and raw processing power making the phone a near complete multimedia device.  A mobile phone is now much more than just a communications device, reflected in Samsung’s extensive new product range of tablets, ‘phablets’ and phones – the Note, Galaxy Tab, Ace etc.

It seems like screen size is the prevailing argument emerging from the battle to be market leader and most high end Android phones do tend to err towards the 5 inch mark.  The S3 itself is an ample 4.8 inches, making it highly suitable for web browsing, gaming, social networking and generally as an all-round personal assistant.

That said there are now some superb examples of the modern mobile phone at http://www.dialaphone.co.uk that happen to weigh in at around the 4 inch mark.  A mobile phone with a 4 inch screen has an innate navigability, arising from the fact that it fits easily into the palm and can be controlled quickly with one hand.  If you have a tablet at home you may still see the mobile phone as needing a big screen, but not so big as to usurp the duties of the tablet or laptop.

Samsung have doffed their cap to this market with the introduction of the new Samsung Galaxy Mini – a 4 inch mid-range contender with many of the same assets as its big brother – the S3 – but with a slightly lesser spec.

The S3 Mini has a 1GHz dual core processor and 1GB of RAM, meaning it’s certainly no slouch and compared to most of its mid-range rivals it could be one of the hottest phones on the market in coming weeks.  Jelly Bean 4.1 and a decent camera will give it a status of its own outside the shadow of the brilliant Galaxy SIII.

4moms is a small start-up company based out of Pittsburgh. The idea for the company originated after holding a focus group between four real-life moms. The mom’s offered insights into what it is like to be a full-time mother the smallest tasks turn into the most difficult. If only someone could make a more functional version of all the necessary day-to-day items like the stroller. These four well spoken and opinionated women combined with tech and retail geniuses created the company 4moms is today. Thus the reason they choose 4Moms as their company name. The team members behind 4moms are dedicated to finding the newest, easiest, most innovative solutions to make parenting tasks easier, and more importantly enjoyable for families everywhere.

@MarioLopez tweeted this photo of him playing with his customized Uberpong paddle:

Want your face on a paddle? Maybe your company name or favorite piece of artwork- Uberpong is the place to go.