Kolelinia Lab's Halfbike Proves Less Can Be More When it Comes to Urban Mobility

by Beth Buczynski, 03/17/14

In most cases, waking up to find half a bike in your garage would throw a wrench in your morning commute. But that’s not the case with the Halfbike, a new vehicle by Kolelinia Lab. Technically a tricycle, Halfbike combines the motions of cycling and running to provide a remarkably quick and enjoyable mode of transportation. If you don’t like the feeling of being hunched over traditional road bike’s handlebars, and if the aesthetics of the Segway cramp your style, Halfbike could be the perfect medium. And unlike other crazy bike concepts, it’s actually for sale!

“We see the Halfbike as an alternative for people tired of sitting in traffic jams, which at the same time improves their experience of travel,” writes Martin Angelov, inventor of Halfbike and co-founder of Kolelinia Lab with Mihail Klenov.

The Halfbike combines the familiar functions of pedaling and braking with the upright steering normally reserved for vehicles like the Segway. The upright riding position provides better visibility and excellent control. You turn simply by leaning in the desired direction. Just feel the ride and follow your body – the rest comes naturally. As the video above demonstrates, with a little practice, the Halfbike becomes an extension of the human form, flowing over various surfaces and through pedestrian traffic with ease.
The Halfbike was designed for commuting short distances of 1-3 miles, but it’s small enough to take on-board public transport for longer trips. It’s compact enough for an elevator, light enough to carry up stairs, and it fits into spaces too small for a normal bicycle–perfect for the urban commuter living in a fourth floor walk-up.

The Halfbike is produced by hand locally from high-quality materials and components. The lightweight aluminum frame is laser cut and hand welded, and the handlebar is handcrafted from impregnated plywood. All components are meticulously selected from well-renowned manufacturers and carefully assembled in Kolelinia’s USA workshop.
Think the Halfbike could be the whole answer to your transportation woes? It’s available for purchase now on halfbikes.com and on Kickstarter. Shipping begins Summer 2014 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Prices start at $799 for the limited edition model.
+ Halfbike
All images © Kolelinia

 

Read more: Kolelinia Lab's Halfbike Proves Less Can Be More When it Comes to Urban Mobility | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building 

BlackBerry Unveils Low-Cost Smartphone With Indonesia in Mind

By JOE COCHRANEMAY 13, 2014

John S. Chen, the chief executive of BlackBerry, showing off the Z3 device on Tuesday. Credit Beawiharta/Reuters  

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The smartphone maker BlackBerry unveiled a new model on Tuesday that it has hopes of bringing to emerging markets in Asia and South America.

The phone, the BlackBerry Z3, will at first be available exclusively for Indonesia, one of its largest markets. John S. Chen, the chief executive of the struggling company, said it was a step toward one of the biggest parts of his job: to make the BlackBerry brand cool again.

“BlackBerry has new technology and is financially stable,” he said on Tuesday after an event here to announce the new phone. “I think that’s got to be the first step — to explain that.”

“When people have no concerns about BlackBerry the company,” he added, “then the product will be cool again.”

BlackBerry has struggled in recent years, as its business in the crucial American market collapsed. The company posted a loss of $5.9 billion for its last fiscal year.

In 2012, Thorsten Heins was appointed chief executive with a mandate to turn the company around. He left late last year as a takeover bid for BlackBerry fell apart. Mr. Chen took the reins and said this year that he planned to focus on the company’s smaller software and services business, though he added that BlackBerry would still sell phones.

Mr. Chen denied that the low-cost Z3 touch-screen model was a last-ditch effort to remain relevant in the industry.

“If this device allows them to grow again, even if it’s just small, steady growth, that’s a success in itself,” said Ryan Lai, a market analyst at the consulting firm IDC, Reuters reported. “That says there is still room for BlackBerry in Indonesia.”

BlackBerry produced the Z3 in partnership with the Foxconn Technology Group of Taiwan. Mr. Chen said that the partnership with Foxconn, which manufactures the Z3, had given BlackBerry the ability to compete in emerging markets, and that, if sales went well, “it could be a sign of things to come.”

For its part, Foxconn is considering investing at least $1 billion in Indonesia to build manufacturing plants that would produce smartphones and other electronic devices.

BlackBerry plans to sell the Z3 in six other Asian markets, including India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and is hoping for unit sales “in the millions” across the region.

In Indonesia, the phone will retail for 2.2 million rupiah, or about $190. The words “Jakarta Edition” will be engraved on the backs of a limited run of 25,000 units.

BlackBerry held a flashy event for the Z3 on Tuesday at the Ritz-Carlton hotel here, featuring hip-hop dancers on a laser-lit stage and female ushers wearing aqua-blue cocktail dresses and black high heels.

The Z3 Jakarta Edition will go on sale in the capital on Thursday through authorized sellers, and as on many debut days for new phone models, lines are expected to be long.

The phone has several special applications for Indonesian users, including local banking and travel services, and, in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, a directory of halal food. The Z3 operates in the Indonesian national language as well as many regional dialects, including Javanese.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/business/international/blackberry-unveils-low-cost-smartphone-in-effort-to-win-back-indonesia.html?_r=0

SMART PHONE CURE!!

If this isn't the truth !!!!!!!!!!!!

SOMEBODY PLEASE FIND A CURE!!!

FACELESS

New Signs

Becareful with GPS and mobile phones

Useful advice perhaps..!!??

- - - WE MUST TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY ! ! !

With all the new electronic technology - this experience gives all of us something to think about. GPS A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken-into while they were at a Football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included: a garage door Remote Control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard. When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen. 1. The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house.  2. They then used the Garage Remote Control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house.  3. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house.  4. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents. Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen. MOBILE PHONES I never thought of this....... This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet... Etc...was stolen. 20 minutes later when she called her husband from a Pay Phone telling him what had happened, he said 'Ireceived your text asking about our Pin Number and I've replied a little while ago.' When they rushed down to the Bank, their money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text 'Hubby' in the Contact List and got hold of the Pin Number.. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn considerable amount of money from their Bank Account. Moral of the lesson: Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your Contact List. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc.... And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back. Also, when you're being text by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call them back to Confirm that the Message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you. *PLEASE PASS THIS ON * I never thought about the above! As of now, I no longer have 'Home' listed on my cell phone.

Custom Namiki Falcon Resin Fountain Pen HD 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRebkWHsHC0