Cinemagraphs

Photography duo capture fashion's poetic moments with animated GIFs

Whether showing how to drop your pants or adding creepy slow-lidded blinks, animated GIFs perhaps come the closest to capturing the true essence of a moment—what photographic technology has often struggled to achieve since the first recorded image. NYC-based innovators Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg poetically attempt just that with their forward-thinking fashion photography that they’ve dubbed “cinemagraphs.” Teaming up with high-fashion names such as …

2012 VW Passat

We take a ride in the first Passats to come off VW's new energy-efficient factory line

Introducing a new streamlined body while lowering the price, the 2012 Volkswagen Passat sleekly updates previous models. The big advancement being that it’s now made stateside at the German automaker’s new sustainably-minded factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My recent visit to the plant included a detailed overview of the manufacturing process there, which begins with building the cockpit and continues until all 2,300 parts (excluding nuts …

UCube

Rich stereo sound via USB-powered speakers with a desk-friendly footprint

Artfully designed with science in mind, these desktop UCube speakers deliver a powerful 170-degree field of sound in an an equally impressive 3.25-inch package. The surprisingly small speakers require only two cables and no external power supply, meaning less mess on your desk without sacrificing sound. Rather than being limited by standard USB port five-volt-max output, the UCube’s “smart” power supply stores energy during low …