Architecture Design

“The BlackBerry Bold smartphone houses a comprehensive suite of new features as well as the traditional functionality of the BlackBerry platform that users have come to know. We’re pleased to announce plans for DoCoMo to bring it to Japan.”
This is the exact statement of Mr. Ryuji Yamada, CEO of DoCoMo, concerning Blackberry Bold’s Japan endeavor. [...]

 
The M8800 Pixon (PIXON for “pics on” and M8800 for 8 megapixel) has just been publicized by Samsung. With an autofocus lens and a pixel-count soaring equally with that of some famous digital cameras, this handset will surely rock the mobile phone world. M8800 Pixin also boasts of an anti-shake technology, face and smile detection, [...]

It seems like the Meizu M8 has been talked about relentlessly forever and besides a few screen shots of the device, we haven’t heard much else. But could a release date actually be on the horizon in the coming months? All indications point to yes.  

In fact, the Meizu M8 might be released this year. Geek IT Stores, a Taiwan-based retailer have announced they will be a distribution partner for the device. No date has been revealed but December is most likely the month it will make an appearance.

The Meizu M8 is set to be released in China first and then in India. Expected costs are Rs. 18,000 and Rs. 22,000 or $384 and $469 for the 8GB model. Just the 8GB model will be available when the M8 launches.

[via Engadget Mobile]

We’ve covered the expansion of networks quite extensively here on PhoneMag and for those that like to keep up with such things, you’ll be pleased to know Sprint’s XOHM WiMax service just launched in Baltimore today.  

Now, if you live in the Baltimore area, you can buy the XOHM hardware, sign up for Internet service and enjoy faster connection speeds. The home Internet services costs $25/month, the mobile service costs $30/month and you can pay $10 for a single day of “On-the-Go” access.

You can use more than one device as well with the Pick 2 for Life plan that makes is so 2 WiMax devices can be used without a contract for just $50 a month. It’s about time 4G started sweeping the nation. And while it might be just localized to a few cities at this point, it’s bound to expand like mad.

[via The Boy Genius Report]

All is well in the land of 8 megapixels today. Or, at least, it would seem that way. After just talking about the Samsung Pixon, which was announced today, this image of the LG KC780 crossed my screen. Yes, this one has 8-megapixels, too.

Photographers can rejoice, because there will soon be many more camera phone options on the market that give you a chance to take a decent shot when out and about. The LG KC780 is dubbed “the slimmest 8MP to date” by LG and that very well may be true. However, Samsung claims something similar about their Pixon device calling it “the slimmest full-touch 8MP.”

In the end, both LG and Samsung could be right! However, we won’t know for certain until we get our hands on the full specs for KC780. we do know that it will likely offer quad-band GSM support and limited touchscreen features. 30fps video recording is also expected.

[via GSMArena]

Rumors about the Samsung Pixon were popping up toward the end of last week, but now we’ve got our hands on the official information. The Pixon was announced today and it is to feature a much talked about 8-megapixel camera.

Specs include a 3.2-inch 240 x 400 WQVGA touchscreen, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, TouchWiz OS, a photo browser with accelerometer screen rotation, a media player, video capture, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0 and an internal storage of 200MB which is expandable with microSD cards.

But the real highlight here is the 8-megapixel camera which is set to have wide dynamic range, face detection, advanced shake reduction and smile shot. France is expected to get the Pixon sometime in October, though no release dates are set in stone yet. Price at the moment is also unknown.

[via SlashGear]

My weekly page update:

Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile by Rodrigo Searle & Matías González.

This week’s book review is Graphic Anatomy by Atelier Bow-Wow.

Some unrelated links for your enjoyment:

Archinnovations
“News and views on the world of architecture.” (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)

Ribapix
Images from the collections of the British Architectural Library at the Royal Institute of British Architects. (added to sidebar under architectural links::photography)

A/N Blog
The Architects Newspaper blog. (added to sidebar under blogs::architecture)

Monaco House, originally uploaded by jonolist.

Monaco House in Melbourne, Australia by McBride Charles Ryan, Architecture + Interior Design, 2008.

To contribute your Flickr images for consideration, just:

:: Join and add photos to the archidose pool, and/or
:: Tag your photos archidose

Flipping through the latest issue of New York Spaces in the dentist’s office the other day, what stood out amidst the primarily opulent and interior design-focused projects was the Bar House by C|S Architecture in Fairfield, Connecticut.

[photograph by Peter Margonelli | image source]

The juxtaposition between what are in effect two bars is definitely contrasting, but nevertheless pleasing. The new addition actually bows to the older structure (a horse barn built from a kit on site in the 1990s) via its massing and subdued color. Where the barn’s “face” is oriented to the open field in the foreground above, the Bar House opens itself in the same direction, with a sliding glass wall.

[photograph by Peter Margonelli | image source]

Since the architect’s web site does not include this project, the two images above will have to suffice. From what I recall when skimming the magazine’s description of the project (truncated in the online version) plans are underway to physically link the two structures. If that should occur, I’ll be sure to post about it here.

Here’s a few views of the Rehabilitation of the Theater and Foyer of the André De Gouveia Residence (aka Portugal House) at La Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris by AAVP Architecture (Vincent Parreira), 2008.