Archive for the ‘News’ Category

News, Sports, Sportswear

Adidas Originals Euro Cup Collection: ‘Cos there’s football this summer too

By Gerald Lynch on May 18th, 2012
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With all the hype surrounding this year’s London 2012 Olympics, it’s easy to forget that there’s also a major football tournament going on too this summer in the shape of the Euro 2012 cup.

Adidas, key sponsors and kit designers for Great Britain’s Team GB, would have more excuses than most if they were to forget the fact. But quite to the contrary, they’re putting out their retro-inspired Euro Cup Collection as part of the Adidas Originals line to mark this summer’s footie highlights.

The unofficial collection includes reworked old-skool designs of England, France, Germany and Poland kits, with the Poles hosting the tournament.

Track tops, windbreakers and jerseys for each nation round out the collection.

Available now, check them out over on adidas.com



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Grooming, News, Scent & Aftershave

Brad Pitt, male, is new face of ladies’ Chanel No. 5 perfume

By Gerald Lynch on May 9th, 2012
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Marilyn Monroe, Nicole Kidman and Audrey Tautou. What do they all have in common? Well for starters, they’re all women. Obvious one that. And all beautiful. No points for spotting that one either. But, however, they’ve all also been at one point or other in their careers the face of Chanel No. 5 perfume.

Well, as of today, you can now add Brad Pitt to that list of celebs who’ve attached their faces to the most famous of ladies’ scents.

The thing is, Brad’s harbouring a deep, dark secret. Underneath those wavy blonde locks, piercing blue eyes and striking features, the Se7en and Benjamin Button star  is…actually a man!

That certainly sets Mr Angelina Jolie apart from his predecessors, and marks a bold new direction from Chanel’s marketing department.

Confirming the news in a press release today after rumours began circulating yesterday, Pitt is the first male face of the iconic perfume. A full blown ad campaign including a UK TV advertising spot is to follow in the Autumn, with Pitt picking up a cheque with a tidy seven-figure sum inked onto it.

Though Pitt’s the quintessential ladies-man and multi-generation spanning heatthrob, the 48-year old is still an odd choice by the brand, leading some to speculate that sultry Jolie may be making an appearance in the campaign at some point too.

“Hang on, aint this a site about men’s stuff, guvnor? What’s this gotta do with us blokes?” I hear you cry!

And you’d be right. With Pitt being the kind of guy that women want to be with and men want to be, there’s plenty of speculation that Pitt’s appearance with Chanel could be the start of a massive push from the brand into the male sector.

Come Christmas, you and your missus both could be unwrapping a bottle of scent sold by Pitt’s lovely mug.



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Lifestyle & Gadgets, News

WHICH SHOULD I BUY? – Samsung Galaxy S3 or iPhone 4S?

By Gerald Lynch on May 4th, 2012
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There was a time when every self-respecting man about time worth his salt wouldn’t be caught dead with any smartphone other than an Apple iPhone. And though Apple keep on delivering the goods year-on-year with updates to the range, Android smartphones are now every bit as desirable. The new best-in-class model is Samsung’s Galaxy S3. Revealed at a glitzy launch event in London last night, Brandish’s pals over at Tech Digest went hands-on with the new smartphone to get all the juicy details. Is it better than the iPhone 4S, or should you steer clear of the Samsung Galaxy S3? Read on to find out which smartphone you should be spending your money on!

review-line.JPGDesign and Build Quality

iPhone 4S
Though it’s a rehashed version of the iPhone 4 (with the dreadful antenna issues all ironed out) it’s hard to fault the iPhone 4S design. Whether you grab it in black or white, the angular unibody design with chrome trim oozes style. It’s arguably hit the sweetspot for mobile-phone size at 115.2 mm x 58.66 mm x 9.3 mm too. It does however lack a HDMI-out port, pretty much a standard with high-end Android handsets these days, and it’s a little delicate, with its glass prone to shattering if dropped from even a modest height.

Galaxy S3
Thin at just 8.6mm and light at 133g, the Galaxy S3 feels great in the hand, and slips almost invisibly into a pocket. Available in Pebble Blue and Marble White, its curved edges are meant to conjure memories of nature. However, its plasticy “Hyperglaze” finish lacks that premium feel, and some may decide the Galaxy S3 is a little flimsy, albeit unfairly.

Winner – iPhone 4S
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Screen

iPhone 4S
The latest iPhone’s Retina Display is pretty much as good as it gets for mobile display technology right now. Measuring 3.5 inches diagonally, it uses LED backlit IPS TFT LCD technology to deliver images at a staggering 326ppi. What the screen lacks in size it more than makes up for in detail, with vibrant colours, lush brightness and deep blacks.

Galaxy S3
A 4.8 inch Super AMOLED HD display sits on the front of the Galaxy S3 and it’s gorgeous. Though its extra size and resolution mean it “only” hits a 309ppi pixel density, to the naked eye that won’t make a difference. Vibrant and colourful, it dwarfs the iPhone 4S screen, which is a far less comfortable size to view videos on. Bigger, in this case at least, is better.

Winner – Galaxy S3

Processor

iPhone 4S
Apple’s 800Mhz dual-core A5 chip may sound a little dated in this age of quad-core mobile CPUs, but thanks to Apple’s careful marriage of software and hardware, you’ll never find the iPhone 4S being overly taxed. You’ll fly through menu screens, tap away at breathtaking polygonal-3D gaming apps and playback detailed HD video without a stutter.

Galaxy S3
Samsung have popped a quad-core 1.4Ghz Exynos processor in the Galaxy S3. And despite having to push more pixels than the iPhone 4S (and running off the sometimes temperamental Android OS) there wasn’t a stutter or hang to be seen. This is one powerful phone, best presented by the Pop Up Play feature that offers true picture-in-picture multitasking, offering windowed HD video playback. Impressive is an understatement.

Winner – Galaxy S3

Storage

iPhone 4S
Though Apple’s iPhone 4S doesn’t offer expandable storage, they at least offer three different configurations when it comes to size. 16GB, 32GB and 64GB iPhone 4S models are all available, with pricing rising appropriately. It’s a crafty tactic though, as those opting for more storage space have to pop money directly into Apple’s coffers, rather than picking up cheaper expandable storage elsewhere. With the iCloud back-up feature too you’ve got a little leeway with which to store files remotely too, though extensive cloud storage through Apple doesn’t come cheaply.

Galaxy S3
Samsung’s generous storage options make Apple look very cheap here. For starters, you’ve got the same 16GB, 32GB and 64GB handset options. Add on to that the option of popping in as much as an extra 64GB from a microSD card. Then pile on top the 50GB of FREE Dropbox cloud storage that comes as standard with every Galaxy S3 purchase. There’s no competition here.

Winner – Galaxy S3
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Battery

iPhone 4S
The iPhone 4S is said to have 200 hours worth of battery standby time, 8 hours talk time on 3G, 14 hours talk time on 2G, 6 hours 3G browsing, 9 hours Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hours of video playback or 40 hours of audio playback. In reality however, you’re going to be juggling through all these tasks (at times simultaneously) throughout a day, meaning that you’re going to need to recharge that battery long before the day is done.

Galaxy S3
Samsung have popped in a whopping 2100mAh battery in the Galaxy S3. It sounds awesome, but remember there’s a massive screen to power, as well as a quad-core processor draining juice all the time. Touches like the Smart Stay tech should keep battery usage as low as possible, but we can’t pass judgement here till we’ve put the phone through its paces for a bit longer. We’ll call it a tie for now.

Winner – Tie

Software and Apps

iPhone 4S
Apple say there’s an app for everything, and with the iOS App Store, that’s pretty much true. With over 500,000 different apps available in Apple’s store, there’s pretty much an app to cater for every potential need. From fitness to finance, arts to archaeology, you name it, there’s a shed load of apps for every possible niche. Gaming in particular is well served on the iPhone, with it more than a match for handhelds like the Nintendo 3DS or PS Vita these days. Just check out Infinity Blade 2 if you need convincing.

The iPhone 4S also features the much-publicised Siri voice control app. With it, you can search the web, set calendar reminder, dictate emails and much more with just your voice alone. In the US it’s a fully-featured service that has a giant database of details on local businesses and events. In the UK, it’s far less comprehensive in terms of what it can do, making it a bit of a novelty for the time being.

As for the iOS operating system itself, it’s incredibly easy to use and looks beautiful. It pretty much invented the grid-based app layout that everything from the Xbox 360 to Roku entertainment players have ripped off since. It is also however incredibly limited in terms of customisation, and if you’re a tinkerer who likes to get under the hood of his device and tweak every property and potential UI layout, it’s not a patch on Android.

Galaxy S3
The Galaxy S3 runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich. When it comes to apps, Android just can’t compete with iOS. For starters there are fewer apps available, and they tend to be uniformly less visually appealing than similar ones available on the Apple App Store.

Likewise, Android is a far less user-friendly OS, but what it lacks in dummy-proofing, it excels with customisation options. You can make your Android look and act pretty much however you want it to, freely adding widgets and personal touches throughout the device.

Samsung have also gone a long way to stamping their own touches into the software of the phone too. As well as the aforementioned Pop Up Play feature, there’s superfast data sharing over NFC with S Beam, intelligent facial recognition and photo tagging capabilities, eye-tracking screen dimming tech called Smart Stay and their own Siri rival called S Voice.

Winner – iPhone 4S
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Camera and Video Recording

iPhone 4S
Though its megapixel count of 8 isn’t any higher than the majority of top-tier smartphones the iPhone 4S’s imaging systems consistently deliver stunning results. Using a lens with an aperture of f/2.4, and combining that with clever HDR and Macro software, you get excellent still image results almost every time. A super-fast shutter speed that lets you snap multiple images directly after each other sweetens the deal, as do the many superb photography apps on the App Store. However, you can’t tweak sensitivity settings like white balance and exposure, which may irk pro photographers.

1080p video recording with anti-shake functionality likewise returns brilliant results on the iPhone 4S, with the iMovie app letting you make a few simple edits on the go.

Galaxy S3
Samsung’s top-tier smartphone camera seems every bit as good as the iPhones. Again, it’s an 8MP offering, with impressive start up speeds of 990ms, and the ability to fire off 3.3 photos a second. A 20 in a row, six photos per second, burst mode also features, alongside Best Shot, which takes 8 pictures and picks out the best based on framing, lighting and blur, as well as elements such as open or closed eyes on the subject.

Then there are the facial recognition features. Snap a friend, tag them in one photo, and every subsequent picture you take of them in the future should automatically be tagged accurately by the handset. Groups of people appearing in the same shots can also have group tags associated with them, making organising large photo libraries incredibly easy. Images can quickly be shared via email or social networks using this feature too.

Elsewhere, more standard features like High Dynamic Range (HDR), panorama, Smile Shot and Beauty Modes are onboard too, as well as plenty of manual settings for things like Exposure values.

Though we spent less time with it, 1080p video recording is also onboard. Just like the S2 before it, the results from our early tests looked a real treat, with video stabilisation options working superbly. Up front, a 1.9MP camera for video calling and shooting 720p video is also available.

Winner – Tie

Price

iPhone 4S
Unlocked, the iPhone 4S in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB sizes cost £499, £599 and £699 respectively.

Galaxy S3
We’re still waiting for official pricing for the Galaxy S3, but if the Galaxy S2 was anything to go by, expect premium pricing. The S2 started at around £500 SIM-Free too depending on retailer, so we’d imagine things to be similar with the Galaxy S3.

Winner – Tie

review-line.JPGOverall Winner – Samsung Galaxy S3

There’s not much in it, and the Apple faithful will likely see nothing that will make them change their ways, but our first impressions of the Galaxy S3 suggest it may be the best smartphone on the market today. A great camera, superb screen and innovative software features show Samsung have really pushed the boat out with the Galaxy S3. If the price proves right, and the battery is up to scratch, we could have a new smartphone king on our hands. Remember though, the iPhone 4S is based on a design (that of the iPhone 4) that is now a couple of years old. With the iPhone 5 launch almost certainly looming, the tables could turn yet again very quickly…

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News, Retail, Sales

FLASH SALE: 50% off Lazy Oaf T-Shirts till 12pm 20/04/2012 !

By Gerald Lynch on April 19th, 2012
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Now this is the kinda sale we like to see! Ultra-hip Carnaby Street-based Lazy Oaf have just announced a 24-hour flash sale on all their men’s T-Shirt designs, knocking a whopping 50% off the tag price.

“Today is a very exciting day as, for the first time in Lazy Oaf history, we’re giving you a whole 50% off ALL of our men’s T-shirts,” reads the Lazy Oaf announcement.

“This ridiculously radical offer starts at 12pm today and finishes at 12pm MIDDAY tomorrow Friday 20th April. This is a once in a life time discount deal so make sure you get involved before it is too late.”

HALF PRICE! Just in time for summer too, making this a very timely way to update your wardrobe before the sun starts shining.

Including long-sleeve T-shirts and polo shirts too, the offer is also available instore at Lazy Oaf’s 19 Fouberts Place retail outlet, just off Carnaby Street in London W1F 7QE.

We’ve already bought two, and suggest you do too. Click here to check out the deal.



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Celeb style, News

Tinie Tempah’s new “Disturbing London” fashion range and other notable celebrity lines

By Gerald Lynch on April 19th, 2012
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The ever-dapper Tine Tempah has been on the press offensive this week after launching his own clothing line, the Disturbing London range, exclusively for Selfridges.

A collaboration with streetwear label MH1, the GQ Best Dressed Man of 2012 will also be the face of the upcoming London Menswear Week in June.

“At the end of the day, I’m a 23-year-old male from inner city London. Of course I’m into tailoring – but in the right circumstances: swanky events, awards or fashion shows,” Tempah told The Telegraph.

“I want [the collection] to show the different layers of what makes me who I am. I thought it would be good to do something that was high-end streetwear, based around the whole Americana storm that is happening now.”

But Tine Tempah is not the first celebrity to launch a fashion line. Far from it in fact; from sports stars to popstars, many have dabbled with a needle and thread over the years (or at least gave the blessing to have their name attached to a project by those that do all the hard work).

Just this week Mancherster City’s Joleon Lescott launched his own fashion line, with a star-studded event that saw team-mates Yaya Toure, Nigel De Jong, James Milner Micah Richards and Adam Johnson checking out his threads.

In the pop world, having your own fashion line is just as common an occurrence as putting out your next album.

Rapper Sean John Combs (AKA Puff Daddy AKA P. Diddy AKA Diddy AKA Swag AKA…) also launched a line back in 1998. Sean John Inc. sold men’s shirts, jackets and trousers. The star has also invested heavily in other fashion brands, including couture label Zac Posen. He also bought Enyce from Liz Claiborne.

Mr Beyonce himself, Jay-Z, has had great success in the fashion industry. Based on his own “street-style”, the star’s Rocawear brand has brought in annual sales of over $700 million.

Justin Timberlake brought sexy back with his Willam Rast clothing line in 2006, working alongside childhood friend Trace Ayala. It was a denim-heavy line. Timberlake also designed a small collection for Target in 2010.

Outspoken Kanye West took a slightly different tact by launching a line aimed at ladies. A big fashion fan, Kanye has worked with Fendi and Louis Vuitton, and has often spoken of his admiration for designers Riccardo Tisci and Raf Simons. For his début line he enlisted the help of Brit designer Katie Eary.

Scroll down for a few pics of the dapper celebrities who have put their names to their own fashion lines:


Tinie Tempah - Disturbing London

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Tinie Tempah - Disturbing London
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IMAGES: Press Association



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News, Sportswear

SUMMER STYLE: The Kooples Sport Polo Shirts

By Gerald Lynch on April 18th, 2012
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Sure, so we’re still in the doldrums of April showers, but the summer sunshine is surely just around the corner now, so it’s time to whack out your pasty forearms and dive into some short sleeve tops.

Comfy yet flexible enough to work in both formal and casual occasions, men’s staple the polo shirt is a must-have in any wardrobe. Leading the charge in the cut this summer are French brand The Kooples, whose new Sport range has a superb selection of polo shirts in all manner of styles and shades to suit practically all tastes.

From primary colours to pastels, short sleeves to long, ribbed colours to embroidered trims, The Kooples have probably the best range of polos from any brand this year we’ve seen so far, and are doing well to push their wares.

Indeed, their pumping plenty of cash into the marketing campaign for the range, enlisting ex-Manchester United madman and sometime-actor Eric Cantona and his wife Rachida (pictured top). As pretty much the most recognisable French sports personality on UK shores (aside perhaps from Thierry Henry and his va-va-voom) they’ve got the campaign pitched pretty much spot on in our opinion.

If we were to pick one stand-out item, we’d go for the red “Very light cotton pique polo” with white colour. We can see Cantona knocking a few past Peter Schmeichel on the training ground wearing that one!

Prices start at £80 and go up to £120 for long-sleeved polos.

Click here for more info.



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News, Sports

St George’s Park and the tech-savvy future of the FA’s football coaching schools

By Gerald Lynch on March 30th, 2012
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While all eyes are on the 2012 Olympics as the nation’s favoured sporting occasion for this year, the summer also offers the Euro 2012 international football tournament. After a string of disappointing performances at the top-flight of football for the England senior’s squad, blame often falls at the feet of the FA, and the coaching staff, as ex-England manager Fabio Capello’s recent departure will attest to.

Looking to strengthen England’s coaching prospects from the ground up, and looking for long-term fixes rather short-term ones, the FA are building the impressive 330-acre National Football Centre (NFC) at St George’s Park, Burton-upon-Trent.

It’s a massive undertaking that encompasses building leading football training facilities (with 12 pitches, including two full-size recreations of the Wembley Stadium pitch, both outdoors and indoors) and creating two world-class hotels for accommodating players, coaching staff and eventually the public too.

“The project started around and got the green-light in November 2010. We first cut the ground here in February and we’re on target for our summer deadline. It’s gone very well so far, it’s been a smooth ride,” says the FA’s director of Digital & Information Technology, Rob Ray.

“It’s all about delivering better coaches for better football, it’s not a finishing school for elite players. This is about moulding elite coaches. It’s very much a long-term strategy.”

The improvements in coaching training will come from the implementation of advanced technology across the site. With a £100 million budget, a generous £3 million has been set aside for technology.

23 touchscreens will be installed in key training locations across the site (partners for the touchscreens have been confirmed, but have not been announced yet), while pitch-side cameras will capture training sessions from many angles, streamed instantly to locations both on and off site. Players will be outfitted with GPS modules to track their work rate, as well as biometric monitoring equipment, and coaches will have access to the same touchscreen software regularly used by the likes of Andy Gray and Gareth Southgate, with 50 terrabytes of storage set aside for video recordings of training sessions.

“We’re also expecting coaches to take a tablet to training sessions,” says Ray, hinting at the iPad being the FA’s slate of choice.

“The coaches definitely have a preference and it’s a very good device but then we see them go ‘Oops!’ and drop them. We have to look at technologies that are as robust as possible, but we have a number of iPads in-play now, and our coaches like them.”

Solid web infrastructure is also a key goal of the site:

“There’s a lot of information technology going into the whole site. BT are a key provider and key supplier of our technology here,” said Ray.

Indeed telecommunications support is vital for the site. St George’s Park will be linked with Wembley Stadium and other international sites via high-speed broadband provided by BT. This will allow for massive amounts of data to be transferred between coaches across sites (particularly useful considering the amount of pitch-side video capture expected to be done on site), as well as talks from leading international coaches across the globe via teleconferencing in one of the site’s many conference and lecture rooms.

This isn’t the implementation of technology just for the sake of bragging rights though, and Ray is being sensible about what installations will actually be beneficial to staff. “We don’t need touch everywhere,” says Ray for example, when questioned about the distribution of touchscreens across the site. Frank Lampard won’t be sitting on an Android-powered toilet, for instance.

Improving sports science literacy among the England support staff is also a major goal of the site, and advanced facilities will include a minor procedures room, a hydrotherapy pool and even a velocity-sensitive running track that can measure when a player is putting more weight and strain on one leg than the other.

“We’re aiming to reach the FIFA F-Marc standard; there are only ten facilities around the world that can claim that at the moment, and we’re going to be the eleventh,” beams Ray.

Training world class coaches is not an overnight task, though those looking for an overnight stay at St George’s Park will be well catered for.

“We have a partner in Hilton Hotels, who are providing 128 beds in the Hilton wing, and 86 beds in the Hampton wing,” says Ray.

“It’s the first time they’ve combined two different star-rated hotels on one site. We have 24 England teams, and they’ll all train here, and need accommodation as well.”

The hotels, and select areas of the site, will be open to the public, and Ray is keen to stress that it’s very much a business proposition too. As well as generating revenue from public visitors, St George’s Park is also offering the use of its facilities to travelling international teams.

“We’re close to Birmingham and Manchester, so who are our other customers? I’d say Real Madrid. Barcelona. They can be here bracing themselves for a match against Manchester City, United. Any of the European teams, or even members of other sports, will want to train here,” suggests Ray.

In fact, lots of different sports are being considered for facilities on the site:

“Tennis, badminton, netball; we’re still figuring out the colour combinations for pitch lines,” says Ray. “But this will become a great facility for many sports.”

But the focus, naturally, will remain on the England stars, both new and old, says Ray:

“Part of the vision, and Stuart Pearce (current manager of the England national under-21 team- ed.) would articulate this better than I would, is to see the England senior teams, under 21s, under 17s and the women’s teams training at the same time on site. Getting all those people together and creating a sense of being one united England team under the 24 individual banners will be greatly beneficial to players and managers alike.”

Work on St George’s Park is expected to be completed by the summer. For more information on St George’s Park, click here.



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Gallery, Health & Fitness, News, Sportswear

London 2012: Stella McCartney’s Team GB kit for Adidas revealed

By Gerald Lynch on March 23rd, 2012
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Team GB London 2012 kit

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Team GB London 2012 kit
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British Gymnast Louis Smith (top) poses on a pommel horse as Adidas unveil the British Team Kit designed by Stella McCartney during a photocall at the Tower of London, London.

Forget going for gold. Team GB will be decked out in indigo as they take to the track and field for the London 2012 Olympic games.

Inspired by the Union Jack flag, the Olympic and Paralympic sportswear will feature predominately blue hues paired with red footwear as they compete across the summer.

Designed by Beatle offspring Stella McCartney in partnership with sponsors Adidas, over 900 British athletes will be kitted out with a total of approximately 175,000 items of clothing from the range during the games.

“All eyes will be on the British athletes when they take the stage at the Games,” said Adidas UK Marketing Director Nick Craggs.

“We wanted to ensure that they would be the best equipped team through a combination of leading technologies including PowerWEB and Climacool and a unified and striking team identity.”

So what’s the rough verdict on the kit? While the public seem a little sceptical on the actual “Britishness” of the clothing, it’s garnered unanimous praise from the athletes themselves.

“It is very blue and that is nice and subtle but, at the same time, it does what it needs to do,” BMX cyclist Shanaze Reade told BBC Sport.

“You can often blend in with French wearing red, white and blue but this is completely on its own and makes us feel very British. As females it is all about what it looks like and if you feel good it makes us perform even better.”

110 metre hurdler Will Sharman was equally chuffed, noting that the kit was functional as well as fashionable:

“It needs to be lightweight, which it is, it needs to be aerodynamic and it is. There is no flapping about so, from a performance perspective, it’s exactly what we were looking for. The colours are different but it’s definitely British. I get excited putting it on. It has the Olympic rings on and that gives you pride.”

So what do you think? Will you be sprinting down to your local sportswear dealer to get a piece of McCartney’s Olympic designs, or has one of the UK’s leading fashion designers missed out on a medal this year? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

IMAGES: Press Association



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Gallery, News, Suits & Tailoring

Attack of the Clothes: Star Wars fashion prints by John Woo

By Gerald Lynch on March 19th, 2012
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We all know that Lando “Billy Dee Williams” Calrissian is a sharp dresser. Heck, even his Cloud City pad would be a dead cert for the title of “Best Intergalactic Crib” should the MTV show ever spread among the stars. But what of the rest of the Star Wars cast? With a whole empire at his disposal Darth Vader would surely be able to charm (READ: Force Choke) a decent tailor into suiting him up into some crisp threads. And what of an outdoorsman like Chewbacca? He’s going to need some serious Birkenstocks to keep those furry paws in shape.

John Woo (the illustrator/designer, not he of “Face/Off” fame) has the answers, dressing up the galaxy’s finest aliens and Empire henchmen on trend for his new “He Wears It” project.

It’s not only great fun, but they look neat too; the Clone Tropper in Junya Watanabe and Darth Vader in Band of Outsiders look particularly sharp! Still, there’s no saving Jar Jar Binks; in Maison Martin Margiela he’s even more of an annoying dick.

All of Woo’s Star Wars illustrations (alongside some Forrest Gump and Edward Scissorhands ones too) are available to purchase as prints from his Etsy.com shop, priced $60.00 USD.



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Lifestyle & Gadgets, News

Should I buy a new iPad 3? Dissecting the hype behind Apple’s latest tablet

By Gerald Lynch on March 16th, 2012
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Launching three new versions of their swanky iPad tablet in as many years, chances are you’re already pretty familiar with the Apple gadget that’s leading the charge for a whole new era of mobile computing. You may even have one already, swiping through your iPad to read this very post. How meta!

Today, Apple unleash a brand new version of the iPad, with queues wrapping around the block outside many an Apple retail store, and the entire online pre-order stock already snapped up until April.

So what’s so special about the new iPad 3? Is it worth your money if you haven’t already got a tablet, and is it a worthy upgrade if you’ve already got an original iPad or iPad 2? Scroll down for our gut reaction on the new generation device’s key improvements, and the areas we feel it’s still lacking in.

5 things that are great about the new iPad

    1. The Retina Display: Apple’s new iPad packs in brand new screen technology, similar to the super-high resolution display found in their iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S mobile phones. Still 9.7 inches in size, the Retina Display has a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution. That adds up to 3.1 million pixels, approximately 1 million more than you’d see on an average 1080p HD TV. In other words, high-res images look as close to printed pictures as they possibly can, text is more readable than ever, and individual pixels are practically indistinguishable.
    2. Faster A5X processor: Claiming to be 4x faster than their Nvidia rivals, the new chip inside the latest iPad should allow for superior performance across all apps, and allow for more graphically intense games to feature too. If developers get their act together, it shouldn’t be too big a gap between the quality of PS3, Xbox 360 and iPad games now.
    3. Better camera: After putting a dismal camera into the iPad 2, the new iPad finally has a decent imaging system. The “iSight” camera can take 5MP stills and capture 1080p video, which should lead to some very nice results when paired with the new iPhoto image editing app and the updated iMovie video editing app.
    4. 4G mobile connectivity: If you’re a reader in the US, the new iPad is now compatible with superfast LTE mobile broadband, which will make downloading larger apps or streaming video on the go a speedy joy.
    5. Price: Despite all the new features, the new iPad retains the same pricing structure as the last generation. So for just £399, you can walk away today with the basic 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad 3. If you’ve been saving up for an iPad 2, jumping straight up to the new iPad 3 won’t cost you any extra notes.

5 reasons not to care about the new iPad

  1. 4G doesn’t work yet in the UK: With Ofcom still divvying up the new 4G spectrum in the UK, it’s going to be likely more than a year (at the very earliest) before the 4G standard is widely available in the UK. The new iPad will still be faster over mobile internet than older generations thanks to an improved antenna system, but the incredible speeds that 4G allows for will be out of reach to those in Blighty.
  2. It’s thicker and heavier than last years model: It’s only a slight difference, near invisible to the naked eye, but the new iPad is bulkier than the iPad 2. Using the Wi-Fi models as an example, the iPad 2 is 8.8 mm thick and weighs 600 grammes. The new iPad Wi-Fi only by comparison measures 9.4 mm thick and weighs 650 grammes. It’s not a massive difference, but will be noticeable to those used to the svelte lines of the iPad 2.
  3. The iPad 2 is now way cheaper: While the new iPad is reasonably priced at £399, if you’re not fussed about the new features, the iPad 2 now sits attractively at £329 for the basic model, brand new. Second hand iPad 2′s will likely be drastically cheaper again than that price too.
  4. No Siri: With the iPhone 4S Apple introduced the voice controlled personal assistant feature Siri, which can help manage your calendar, find directions, take notes and search the apps and media stored on your device, as well as a ton of other cool features, just by speaking to it. The iPad 3 gets voice dictation. Seems a bit of a let down, and perhaps even a little cheap on Apple’s behalf if they’re withholding this for a future generation of the tablet. Which leads onto our next point…
  5. Apple almost certainly have something EVEN better lined up: Just prior to the iPad 3 launch, rumours were shooting around the web that Apple were going to be squeezing in new cutting-edge touchscreen technology into the new iPad. Apparently in talks with a company called Senseg who specialise in displays that react to touch differently depending on what’s displayed onscreen, it turned out not to make the cut for the final product. But knowing Apple, it’s likely that the Senseg technology, along with a host of other improvements, are being held back for future updates to their tablet, as they drip feed new features in with each successive update to the device, encouraging existing owners to splash more cash with an upgrade.

Should I buy a new iPad?

If you’ve been waiting to jump onto the tablet bandwagon, the new iPad is easily the most advanced offering out on the market, and, backed by the superb App Store and intuitive iOS user interface, it’s the slickest and easiest to use too. The screen looks great, it’s faster than its predecessor’s and it’s no more expensive than earlier versions.

If however you have an iPad 2, it’s a little more difficult to say. Without 4G connectivity in the UK, the new iPad isn’t quite as impressive as it could be, and unless you’re really into gaming or image/video editing, the new camera and screen upgrades wont mean that much to you. Also,  if you’ve never owned a tablet before, and are strapped for cash, the iPad 2 is now available from a number of retailers and second-hand stores for a really great price.

Overall though, we’d say grab the new iPad if you can afford to. The screen really is a revelation in our opinion, and you’ll be the envy of your mates with your shiny new tech toy.



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features, Grooming, News

GOOD BEARD, BAD BEARD: Is facial hair sexy?

By Gerald Lynch on March 14th, 2012
1 comment

Razors at the ready folks; a new scientific study claims to have proven that your chin chaff is about as attractive as draping a mangy cat over your face and then combing yesterday’s porridge through it.

OK, so that may be a tad extreme, but there’s a fair amount of research backing up the anti-beard brigade this time. Haven’t we spent the last few years following in the footsteps of bands like Kings of Leon and Fleet Foxes with a “back to nature” look? What else goes with the wardrobe full of plaid shirts and hunting accessories we’ve all been collecting for the last half a decade?

Without going too deep into the specifics of the Behavioural Ecology journal, which has re-ignited the debate, cultivating all that fur seems to have been for naught. The journal’s researchers asked 127 New Zealand females and 100 ladies of Polynesian decent from Samoa for their opinions on the facial hair of 10 men each from their own race (apparently the island of Samoa hasn’t been all that westernised over the years, and produces good subjects in terms of those who haven’t been too influenced by western media views on beauty). Though the Samoan test subjects were more forgiving, on the whole, the study showed that beards are out.

The conclusions drawn were, as you’d expect, a hodge-podge of evolutionary theory (there was mention of the importance of lions’ manes at one point!), finding that, on the whole, beards merely “augment perceptions of men’s age, social status, and aggressiveness, but not attractiveness”.

On the totally non-scientific filpside however, having a chat with my female friends suggested that the blokes used as bearded/non-bearded examples in the study weren’t exactly Brad Pitt to begin with, which may go some way towards explaining why so few found the guys attractive in the first place.

Which compelled us to do a short study of our own. Called “Good Beard, Bad Beard” we’ve pulled together a handful of celebrities who, for better or worse, have donned or dashed facial hair over the course of their careers.

Scroll down for our verdict on their beardy looks!

Zack Galifianakis - GOOD BEARD

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Zack Galifianakis - GOOD BEARD
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For some, beards are such an integral part of their character that getting rid of them just leads to weird, nigh-on creepy results. Take Hangover funnyman Zack Galifinakas, whose appeal lies in his off-beat sense of humour. Remove the beard and the rotund comedian starts to look just a little too respectable, and a little less relatable. And we all know that respectable isn’t funny.

 



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Designer Spotlight, Entertainment, News

Ozwald Boateng movie “A Man’s Story” hits cinemas this Friday

By Gerald Lynch on March 5th, 2012
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Varon Bonicos’s documentary “A Man’s Story”, following the trials and tribulations of tailor-to-the-stars and leading light in men’s fashion Ozwald Boateng, hits UK cinemas this Friday March 9th.

14 years in the making, the film follows Boateng’s day-to-day life from around the time of his 1998 divorce from first wife Pascale, up to his triumphant London Fashion Week 2010 closing show.

Littered with star studded talking heads like Jamie Foxx, Spike Lee, Richard Branson, and old big ears himself, Prince Charles, it offers a rare insight into one of fashion’s most dynamic and exciting personalities.

Click here for more info.



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Footwear, News

Jimmy Choo opens first men’s store in London

By Elisabeth on November 2nd, 2011
1 comment

British luxury footwear and accessories label Jimmy Choo has opened its first men’s only store in London.

You can find the new store, which extends across two floors, in fashionable Burlington Arcade where you can browse the complete assortment of Jimmy Choo men’s shoes.

A favourite among women for years, the brand debuted its men’s shoes for autumn/winter 2011. The collection includes styles such as lace-ups, loafers and side zip boots, as well as slippers, biker boots and trainers, all creating the perfect balance between classicism and Rock ‘n’ Roll style.

The store reflects the global design concept for the men’s collection, and its interior colour scheme of charcoal grey, black and silver evokes a modern gentlemanly aesthetic with a hint of a 1960s Mayfair playboy. Ebonised wood fuses with grey flannel and English pewter hardware to further reference the sartorial inspiration.

Describing the store, Tamara Mellon OBE, Jimmy Choo founder and Chief Creative Officer said: “I want it to feel as though you are walking into a gentleman’s club, with all the luxurious appointments and comforts. It’s a mod update on an English men’s smoking lounge.”

You can also buy the collection online.

14 Burlington Arcade
London W1



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features, News

Topman General Store Shoreditch

By Laura on September 30th, 2011
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Topman have just launched their latest concept store in Brandish’s very own neighbourhood – Shoreditch, London.

The store is set to function as a social and fashion destination for the local community. With its exposed brickwalls, it has a very NYC vibe to it and will feature a curated selection of key Topman pieces, seasonal project collaborations with a handful of branded items and limited edition artwork/books.

If your by Spitalfield Market make sure to check out the shop at 98 Commercial Street.



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features, health, Lifestyle & Gadgets, News

Skate For Cancer takes on France

By Laura on June 2nd, 2011
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Skate for Cancer (S4C) was started by Rob Dyer after he lost a number of important people including his mother to Cancer. Anyone who has ever met Rob will tell you that he is a truly inspirational individual who turned something very tragic into a source of inspiration, dedicating himself to raising awareness of cancer amongst young people.

In 2004, S4C was formed as a project that would see him and his crew skate across North America, building awareness and raising money to fight cancer. Since then he has now skateboarded across North America, New Zealand and Australia. Next up he will be tacking France

S4C is about “inspiring youth and building a community of informed people who were hyped on getting involved and making healthy choices that prevented contracting the disease in the first place. Rob always understood the importance of medical research, but felt that his purpose was to focus more on the preventative lifestyle decisions that are often ignored by many charities. Instead of concentrating on collecting money for research, Rob preferred to inspire people…”

Rob is an amazing individual who proves on a daily basis just how much one can achieve with a little bit of passion. To follow his journey as he prepares to for his Skate across France you can check out his blog here.



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