Google starts filming underwater Street View

Mapping the world is a goal of Google and to take it to the next level they have started to map what is beneath the seas as well.

They have unveiled their first  images of their "underwater Street View" covering the barrier reefs in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii, with more to come.

You can view and interact with some of the beautiful images here or take a look at the video below.

Tweet Shop opens in Central London

Kellogg's has opened a pop-up shop in SOHO, London that bridges the gap between social currency and real-life money.

The shop offers you a menu of Special K Cracker Crisps and accepts Tweets as currency to buy them. Combining social media and real-life interaction the promotion not only engages those that tweet to buy a special pack but also across social channls as the word spreads.

The response has apparently been very positive, always a gamble when asking consumers to Tweet about your business, as Waitrose found out recently.

If you missed the shop I'm afraid that it closed yesterday, 28th September, but you can find out more about this interesting multi-media experience below.

Samsung attacks Apple in mobile phone battle

Samsung attacks Apple in new ad for the Galaxy S III.

Whilst iPhone fans queue for the new iPhone 5 Galaxy users demonstrate why the new big thing is already here.

Enjoy!

A new taller iPhone 5

With the much heralded launch of the iPhone 5 there had a to be a few parody ads around.

Panoramic views, full body 'face time' and apps to die for - we think that this could really catch on.

Enjoy!

A little 'Hangman' distraction with the Guardian

If you fancy a little distraction then check out The Guardian's weekly Hangman game - simple, vintage fun!

Click here to get started.

The way journalists use social media

Global public relations software and media tools provider Cision has conducted a study into the use of social media by journalists.

In the 2012 Social Journalism Study they asked journalists how they use social media, and how it impacts their work. A summary of the very interesting results can be seen in the infographic below or you can download the full study by clicking here.

It's a must for all PR professionals and marketers.

A musical swinging experience

An unintentional Montreal theme continues with this post looking at a new installation of 21 Swings that combined to create beautiful music.

21 Swings offers a fresh look at the 'idea of cooperation and the notion that we can achieve more together than separately'. In essence it is a giant instrument that is made of 21 musical swings with each swing triggering different notes when in motion.

All the swings together compose a unique piece of music, but some sounds and notes can only emerge from cooperation and synced movement to reveal the installations true potential.

The project was created by Daily Tous Les Jours who are developing a travelling version of installation to take around the world.

See more of this great installation below and read more here at http://dailytouslesjours.com/

21 Balançoires (21 Swings) from Daily Tous Les Jours on Vimeo.

Multimedia show lights up Gaudi's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

The Moment Factory, an internationally renowned new media and entertainment studio based in Montreal, Canada, has created a stunning multimedia experience in Barcelona to be displayed during La  Merce festival.

They were invited by the City of Montreal to create a seven-act multimedia show to be launched on 21st September and running at various times for three days.

The work is called Montreal signe Ode à la vie and is a combination of animation, images, film and sound projected onto the Nativity façade of the Sagrada Familia basilica. It was inspired by Gaudi, for whom “creation continues incessantly through the media of man,” and based on an original idea by Renaud Architecture d’événements.

For three nights the show will illuminate – for the first time – the Nativity façade of the Sagrada Familia with an ode to the creation of the world, humanity and life!

It is simply stunning and a preview can be seen in the video below. Alternatively a live feed will be shown here from Sunday 23rd September.

Sagrada Familia (Ode à la vie) - Démo officiel from Moment Factory on Vimeo.

Best for PR Awards

The Think Tank has received four awards in the 'BestFor PR Industry Awards' announced today, 18th September 2012.

The awards have been keenly contested and 'BestFor' describe them as follows:

' PR Agencies across the UK have the opportunity to apply for a BestFor PR ranking. Our independent judging panel rigorously assesses each application and if successful, agencies are awarded a gold, silver or bronze ranking and listed within the relevant ranking table.

Each ranking table on the BestFor PR website enables companies seeking PR agencies to identify, select and contact leading agencies in the applicable sector or region that match their requirements.'

We are thrilled to have received the following awards:

Silver - Consumer Category
Silver - Property and Construction
Bronze - Technology
Bronze - National Category

This is a great credit to our PR team. Well done to all.

Click here to find out more.

Formica joins forces with Material Lab at 100% Design

At this year's 100% Design, (19 - 22 September 2012, stand E360, Earls Court) Formica Group has partnered with design resource studio Material Lab to create a unique pop-up gallery showcasing its latest innovative surfaces and materials.  

"Both Material Lab and Formica Group believe that being able to see, touch and feel materials is key to the design process as architects, designers and specifiers need to understand how their vision can come to life through the selection of materials," says Simon Wild, European Marketing Director at Formica Group.  

The Material Lab pop-up gallery features Korten from the DecoMetal® range, AR Plus® High Gloss Laminate and also the latest addition to Formica Group's product portfolio, Formica® Magnetic Laminate.  

The rich tones and intriguing surface relief of Korten evoke the look and feel of one of the favourite materials of modern architecture, corten steel. The handmade design incorporates iron particles, which make each individual sheet unique, creating a strong visual statement for any project.     

To find out and see more get along to 100% Design this week.

Click here for more info.

Banksy art comes to life

A Serbian artist called ABVH has created a series of animated GIFs that reinterpret famous artworks by Banksy.

Transforming six well-known pieces - 'kissing coppers', 'no stopping rat sign', 'man walking keith haring dog', 'pink floyd: the wall', 'parking' and the 'banksy rat mural' painted on Canal St. and West Broadway - by the prominent street artist come to life.

See the other designs on Design Boom here.

Kreod pavilion launches in Greenwich

Kreod launches this week at the Greenwich Peninsular, London. In fact the Grand Launch takes place at 10.30 am on 18th September.

According to their website, Kreod is London's newest architectural landmark, an innovative architectural sculpture that is sustainable and organic in form.

The structure is created by Pavilion Architecture and is the brainchild of architect, Chun Qing Li. It is a sustainable, portable, demountable and multi-functional indoor or outdoor exhibition space in an organic form that is inspired by nature, resembling a seed. It celebrates new life and power of nature.

Find out more about this interesting space and forthcoming events by clicking here.

Photos By Ed Kingsford

SportsDirect launches sports news website

For those interested in all things sports then take a look at the new SportsDirect News website which went live this week.

The site offers all the latest sports news from the UK and beyond, in picture and video.

And we are pleased to say that we designed and built the site.

So click here, have a good look and spread the word. Let us know what you think.

Working up a sweat

Here's a great viral ad from France.

Combining exercise bikes, a neon male stripper, DJ decks and several fit Parisians, the ad encourage exercise with the reward of an animated striptease.

A great bit of fun.      

 

A crystal ball for FIFA 2022 World Cup

Building up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar has announced its plans to construct a gigantic shimmering crystal ball that will host a sports museum and shopping centre.

It was conceived by Danijel Koletić, owner of Apriori Communications,  and was designed by architects Vedran Pedišić (SANGRAD) and Erick Velasco Farerra (AVP-arhitekti).

Incorporating cutting-edge technology to ensure energy efficiency (they will need a crystal ball to know what these might be), the structure will be called the Crystal Ball-Light of the Future.

See more on Inhabitat.

Russian aquarium covers all five continents

This beautiful structure, still in construction, is the Primorsky Aquarium, which is the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Combining a research centre, Dolphinarium and the underwater worlds from five continents the centre will have tanks that are more than 10,000 cubic metres in size. 

These will hold around 500 species of marine and fresh water inhabitants with a complex of different sized tanks, allowing visitors to explore a range of habitats including the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea, Lake Baikal, the Amur River and Lake Khanka.

The centre has been design by architects, OJSC Primorgrajdanproekt and you find out more on Arch Daily.

Photographs by Alexander Hitrov.

Illustrations of interesting reverse inventions

Designer Dominic Wilcox has created a great little animation that brings together some of his illustrations of absurd inventions, including a reverse bungee jump in a humorous and thought provoking two minutes.

See the animation below and find out more on Dezeen.

A typographical cafe

Heading down to Greenwich, London and fancy a cup of tea then pop in to the Movement Cafe, a new project by Studio Myersough. 

This eye-catching temporary cafe is near the Greenwich DLR station and makes use of a corner of what was once the Greenwich Industrial site. This is being redeveloped into a mixed-use scheme of flats, business units and retail units which will be called The Movement by developers Cathedral Group.

The Studio worked with poet and author Lemn Sissay on the project, who was commissioned to write a poem about Greenwich. The result, Shipping Good, runs along the hoarding and will eventually be set into the road that cuts through the site.

The cafe is open until Christmas and you can find out more here about the cafe and events planned.