Since May is "Bike Month" let me introduce the Skylock ($159), its a smart lock that has a theft alert system that sends a message to your phone when someone touches your lock for an extended period of time. Messages are sent via bluetooth or via Wi-Fi. "Using Bluetooth Low-Energy, Wi-Fi, and an accelerometer.

Skylock pairs itself with a smartphone to be contextually aware. Through this connectivity Skylock can keep cyclists safer by comparing accelerometer data from a smartphone to its own and determine when a rider has been in an accident. In the event of a severe impact Skylock will send a push notification to see if the rider is ok. If they fail to acknowledge the notification within a set number of seconds, Skylock will automatically determine that the rider is seriously hurt and alert emergency responders so they can come to the rider's aid as quickly as possible."

Those of you that follow The Collective Loop know that I'm a huge fan of Tycho a.k.a (Scott Hansen) and his graphical designs and music. So I wanted to share his new official video of "See" from his album Awake that was directed by GMUNK.

The visual and magical journey through this video is something that I would expect from Tycho.  Even the wood style geometrical props used within. Each movement and sound correlates to give an experience that is surreal but at the same time intriguing and wondrous. So hats off to you Tycho and GMUNK.

Tell me what you think of this video? Also check more on Tycho's music page.



See is from the album Awake released March 18th, 2014 on Ghostly International.

Tycho - See - Credit List

Director: Bradley G Munkowitz
Assistant Director: Ian Colon
Executive / Line Producer: Andrew Devansky
Concept: Bradley G Munkowitz, Ian Colon, Joe Picard
Director of Photography: Joe Picard
1st Camera Assistants: Magaera Stephens, Noah Hassie
2nd Camera Assistants: Dakota Wilder Smith
Grips / Lighting: Tej Verde, Dakota Wilder Smith, Patrick Walsh
Props design and fabrication: Conor Grebel, Mike Williams
Practical FX design: Conor Grebel, Mike Williams
Lead Actress: Hannah Helena Bjørnø
Lead Actor: Eone Darke n' Cray
Makeup: Melissa Capistrano
Production Company: Ground Control UK
Executive Producer: Michael Stanish
Editors: Bradley G Munkowitz, Ian Colon
Post Facility: Glassworks UK
Colourist: Matt Hare
Flame Artist: James MacLachlan
Process Photography: Dan Cowles, Maris Curran, Dakota Wilder
Process Editorial: Cyrus Tabar
Camera Rentals: Chater Camera, Keslow Camera
Equipment Rentals: Little Giant Grip & Electric
Extra Special Thanks: Autofuss + Bot & Dolly, Ghostly, Tycho

Visual Candy for the day. Enjoy the aerialscapes of German photographer, Jakob Wagner.  I'm a sucker for visual scapes of ariel parts of the world that I might not never see. He does a great job on his enhanced textures and shadow detail, while still make the images clean and natural. I recommend checking out more of his portfolio.



Source: Iso50

The Lunecase is a smart iPhone case that has the capacity to receive notifications from the iPhone and display an icon accordingly to the back to let you know when you've got a new message or incoming call. The geekest part is that it’s powered by electromagnetic energy, which is emitted and surrounds most devices, including your iPhone. In short, it doesn't need any batteries and it doesn't need to be charged to power up. The Lunecase Eclipse is currently up on Kickstarter, where a minimum pledge of $39 will get you one of these.  Get more info from Kickstarter.

Tech Gadgets and Bicycles, need we say more? This is another great idea that was made into a reality via Kickstarter and just in time for Bike Month! The Orp is a combination of a high decibel bike horn and a beacon light. Yes, it's cute but don't let the looks fool you; Orp means business when you press down on the wail tail, at 96 dB the Orp demands attention.

I took Orp for a 40 mile test ride last night and I'm really impressed by it. The 2 LED lights are surprisingly bright (87 lumens each) and the friendly sound (72 dB) came in handy while cruising down crowded trails. Making the Orp USB rechargeable was a nice touch too, carrying batteries is too much of a hassle for my minimalist ways. Tory and his team did a great job with the Orp, this thing is Orptastic. Check them out here.

No more waiting to get a plug in the airport or the coffee shop.  Why not use this GoPlug Bag? The GoPlug Charging Bags($130+) which are currently looking for funding on Kickstarter. The GoPlug is not just an ordinary set of bags that can be used to carry your travel essentials and gadgets, it also comes with a battery pack that has enough capacity to charge your phone up to six times and your tablet up to two times, and doubles the life on an average laptop on a single charge. Find out more information here.

Welcome to Playlist-61! In this installment I wanted to keep the hype momentum and bring in summer feelings and springs flowers. So check out some sweet music by   EMBRZ, Young Blood, Magic Man and more...

Click Play and have at it! If you want to check out any of the other Playlist then click on Archived Playlist in this post or on the right hand side of this blog or in the menu.


Cover Art by Damion Schweizer

Tracklist

The new Leica T Camera($3600+) has a huge 3.7-inch touchscreen, which sports a 16 megapixel APS-C sensor and a brand new "T" mount for lenses. It has Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity. It shoots 1920 x 1080 video at 30 fps.

Here it is, Bikespiration Part 19! In preparation for National Bike Month (May), The team at The Collective Loop thought it would be fitting to showcase the "SUV" of the bicycle industry. The Cargo Bike, the behemoth with a cult like following is a staple in many bicycle-centric neighborhoods. In my opinion, these bikes are a perfect blend of form and function. Whether you're a mobile party or dropping off the kiddos at school, Cargo Bikes will get it done. May is Bike Month and we hope this installation of Bikespiration inspires you to ride. Here are some of my favorites and remember... Keep two wheels on the ground. Enjoy!

Feel free to contact us at The Collective Loop if you have ideas for future Bikespriations.

Check out the other installments - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18 


Fat Cargo Bikes need love too.

This beautiful house was designed by A. Mosow and will be constructed around a large tree in the mountains of Almaty, Kazakhstan. The transparent house offers a breathtaking view of the forest landscape that some would call tranquil and amazing. It has inside a spiral staircase, kitchen and modern bathroom.  What do you guys think of the Glass Tree House?

Starting today Orlando Valverde will be joining The Collective Loop team as a contributor to the blog. He is no stranger to TCL and his desire and love for bikes and design will fit right in and collectively loop.

How would you like to customize and build your own phone? Google recently announced the Project Ara MDK (Modular Developer Kit), which is expected to launch in January 2015. The device will be called the "Gray Phone". "It’s called the Gray Phone because it’s meant to be drab gray to get people to customize it," It's scheduled to go on sale in January 2015 for around $50.

Google is looking to shake up the smartphone industry with Project Ara, the idea behind the project is that you will not need to buy a new device when you want the latest hardware inside your smartphone.

Instead you swaps components on the modular device, and this allows people to get the latest components they want to suit their phone needs. Would you get one of these?

If your in the market for a wireless keyboard/mouse combo for your home, then why not this? Logitech has announce a new home entertainment keyboard, the Logitech K830 ($99.00), designed to enhance your TV entertainment experience. It features a bright back-lit keys and a built-in touch-pad.

"While relaxing at home, the Logitech Illuminated Living-Room Keyboard K830 lets you sit back and browse your connected TV from up to 33 feet away, thanks to its advanced wireless connection. And, with back-lit keys that automatically dim or brighten based on the amount of light in the room, you can use the keyboard day or night. There’s also no need to use a separate mouse since there is a smooth and responsive touch-pad built into the keyboard."

Watch the video below or check out Logitech for more information.

Have you seen the Pibal bicycle crossed with what? A scooter. French designer Philippe Starck and car company Peugeot have unveiled a prototype bicycle crossed with a scooter, designed for a free cycle scheme in Bordeaux, France. Good idea. The first 300 units are expected to be manufactured and delivered by Peugeot in June, when they'll be loaned to citizens for Free. I wouldn't mind trying one out, but I don't live France.

Source: Dezeen

This is an interesting idea and looks to keep the cyclist safe while riding at night. The Lumen is a retro-reflective coating bicycle inspired by late nights, city lights, and full moons. By day its frame and fork appear to be dark gray, but by night they both glow white under direct light. There's no on/off switch, no batteries required.

This is there third Kickstart and if you pledge $499 on Kickstarter you get just the frame and fork. If you want the whole bike you're looking at spending anywhere from $1245 to $2500.  Check out the there Kickstarter to get more information.

   

Welcome to Playlist-60! In this installment I wanted to continue the hype that spring brings. So we have have some new music by Little Dragon, Pomplamoose, The Knocks and more...

Click Play and have at it! If you want to check out any of the other Playlist then click on Archived Playlist in this post or on the right hand side of this blog or in the menu.


Cover art by: Damion Schweizer

Tracklist

This printer works with iOS and Android devices and makes 3″ x 4″ photographs. The LifePrint is a WiFi and Bluetooth photo printer for your phone, which allows anyone with either a WiFi or 3G and up connection to snap a photo, and then beam it through the LifePrint App to the device itself, which pops out a hard copy at home. Even if home is 10,000 miles away. In about 60 seconds, the printer can receive and output any photo taken from anywhere in the world. Watch the video below, for its price, pledge at least $99 on Kickstarter.



Source: likecool

Field Notes Shelterwood Notebook ($10) to jot down your ideas. The covers are made from American Cherry wood sliced thin and bonded to kraft paper and comes in a packs of three. Each notebook has a one-of-a-kind wood grain texture. So go ahead and stop on by to Field Notes Spring Edition 2014 website before they are all gone.
Anyone that keeps a journal or any style of inspiration has a need to not only make the inside inspirational but also what surround it. So if creativity strikes, use the

Source: fieldnotesbrand.com

This is an innovative suspended staircase called Object Élevé. Combining a desk, storage, and shelving designed by Dutch design studio Mieke Meijer. The Dutch studio was commissioned by designer Just Haasnoot for his home in The Hague, Netherlands. Handcrafted out of oak wood and black steel, its minimalist and industrial look contrasts nicely with Haasnoot's pale walls and muted tones. You can find out more information on Mieke Meijer Website.



Source: Dezeen

I stumbled upon Reuben Wu and his photography and just like his work in Ladytron, I was impressed. His images let you get lost in the world that we might not always get a chance to see.  Also as you can see from the first image he also did the latest photography session with Tycho. 

About Reuben Wu

Check out all of his work on Behance or his website. I know I will be.



Source: Behance