Up-market department store Selfridges has unveiled a new augmented reality mirror that allows female customers to try on luxury underwear from the designer brand Triumph’s new ‘Essence Collection‘, without actually getting undressed. The mirror, developed by augmented reality specialists Holition, is an innovation in fashion retail.

So how does it work? Basically, a customer will stand in front of a specially designed screen that has a motion sensor camera attached. The camera will then scan the person’s body using infra-red and generate a 3D silhouette which imitates the movements of the shopper in real time. This way consumers can virtually ‘try on’ pieces from the Essence Collection to see how it would fit their form without having to take off a single piece of clothing.

The CEO of Holition, Jonathan Chippindale stated: “The Fantasy Mirror demonstrates how 3D virtual reality solutions can be used to develop the consumer experience. We have integrated elegant design with innovative technology to give female shoppers something they have never seen before. The mirror is not an alternative to trying-on clothes, but an additional shopping experience. Consumer expectations are constantly changing as technology evolves and Holition is proud to support this evolution by providing complementary services.”

Holition has previously worked with many luxury brands including, TAG Heuer, Tissot, Garrard, Hannah Martin and De Beers. It seems as time progresses this innovative method of attracting consumers will only grow and who knows maybe soon the technology will be utilized as customers enter a store, enticing them to buy things they may not have even come to shop for.

Selfridges ‘Fantasy Room’ Story Highlights

• Selfridges launches augmented reality mirror
• Allows customers to try on lingerie and underwear without removing their clothing
• Customers stand in front of screen with a motion sensor camera attached
• Camera takes infra-red scan and creates 3D silhouette of customer
• Products can be seen in real-time 3D
• Mirror is developed by AR specialists Holition

Related Sites

• Selfridges – http://www.selfridges.com
• Holition – http://holition.co.uk

See Also

• Xbox Kinect (SuperStoreSearch.com)

Health and beauty retailer Superdrug is now offering shoppers a loyalty card that also serves as a compact vanity mirror in a bid to better understand shopping habits whilst rewarding customers with loyalty points which can be redeemed for discounts against new purchases.

The scheme was launched on the 11th of May and shoppers can now pick up a Beautycard in store. Presenting the loyalty card at the point of sale allows customers to earn 1 point for every £1 spent, which can then be redeemed in 100-point batches which are worth a £1 discount from further purchases – equivalent to a 1% cashback rate.

Superdrug Beautycard vs Boots Advantage Card

The launch of the Superdrug reward programme has been seen as a move to rival the Boots Advantage Card loyalty scheme, which has a similar points based collection system that can be redeemed on selected products and gifts – however there are a few differences, which are as follows:

• The Boots Advantage Card scheme earns 4 points for every £1 spent, with each point worth 1p on redeemable products – equivalent to a 4% cashback rate, making it 4x times as generous as the Superdrug Beautycard.
• The Superdrug Beautycard points can be reclaimed as a discount (in multiples of 100 point batches) as part payment towards nearly any purchase with the remainder paid in cash, whereas the Boots Advantage Card requires accumulation of points to redeem the full value of the reward -  and which is restricted to those products offered by the Boots Advantage scheme.

Overall, the benefits of either loyalty card scheme should be balanced and judged on the basis of a like-for-like comparison by calculating the final purchase price minus the loyalty points discount – after performing a price check at both Superdrug and Boots stores to determine the best deal.

In perspective, the benefits of using the loyalty cards is ultimately a win for the consumer as it offers something for nothing on your purchases.  Superdrug will also learn about customer buying patterns and preferences and be able to better target promotions to card members.

The choice of name for the ‘Beautycard’ may prove to be a slight limitation or lead to a reduced uptake among male members of the population.  The Superdrug Beautycard is also trying to win its way into handbags and pockets by serving a practical function as a compact mirror.

Beautycard Promotion

As an introductory offer, the Beautycard can be used to earn 10 points for every £1 spent for a limited time only (expires 07 June 2011).

However, Superdrug will also feature the chance to earn double and triple points or more on special promotional products which are refreshed every 4 weeks.

The Beautycard “Smallprint”

Some important points to consider when committing to the Superdrug loyalty scheme, the Beautycard FAQ states that you must have used your Beautycard within the last 12 months in order to keep your account open and thus avoid losing your points – furthermore, points accrued must be spent within 24 months.

There are some exceptions as to what you can earn points from and spend points on, which includes:  “stamps, mobile top-ups, prescription medicines, infant milk formula and the purchase of gift cards.”

Related Sites

• http://www.superdrug.com/

Find great deals on fashion by the George range at the Asda Direct online store – with the mid season sale now on, shoppers can save up to 50% off across the range on George clothing and accessory items for Women, Men, Kids and Baby.

George for Women

Brilliant bargains for women at Asda – accessorize with handbags from only £3.  Lots to choose from with discounts on the G21 clothing line, and more options in knitwear, lingerie and nightwear.. including 125 products in the Tops range, with cotton crew necks from £2.

George for Men

Mens scarves start from £2.50 and stylish jackets from £15.  There’s a good variety of shirts and tops, with the soft touch knitwear range from as little as £4 for v-neck soft knit jumpers.

George Kids Range

There’s colourful fun and games for children with the George at Asda range, with the Character Shop that features a Mickey Mouse fleece set for £3 and a range of fancy dress costumes for kids role play as Snow White, Cinderella and Minnie Mouse (£8).

George Baby

Baby bibs are £1 and a range of baby clothes for boys and girls are available, including the Disney Shop range with character sets from under £5.

See the full range on the George at Asda Mid Season half price sale
Visit the Asda store website now to avoid missing out with 50% off a great selection of items by George, while stocks last.

A wooden playhouse can be an enchanting abode away from home, an appealing place to relax and play.  Encouraging roleplay and stimulating the imagination, a playhouse is practical and serves as a play area for the garden and provides a safe sanctuary for children to explore and fantasy play.

TP Forest Lodge Outdoor Playhouse

A good choice for a wooden playhouse is the multifunctional outdoor playhouse – the TP Forest Lodge.  It is raised on stilts for a heightened effect as though playing in a treehouse, and includes a ladder to climb up and accompanying slide for extra fun on the way down.

The TP Forest Lodge is constructed from pressure treated timber and uses a durable form of weather-resistant plastic.  It is suitable for children from 3 years old and measures 310cm in height and has a diameter of 175cm.

Walton Daisy Cottage Playhouse

An ideal choice for the smaller garden is the compact sized Walton Daisy Cottage playhouse featuring Georgian style styrene glazed windows, flower decoration on the door and roofing felt – constructed from timber and is certified according to European Toy Safety Standards.

Measures 120cm (length) x 111cm (width) x 139cm (height)

NIKKO R/C is the world’s largest radio controlled toy manufacturer.  Nikko holds licenses from the likes of Hummer, Ford and ‘The Fast and the Furious’ brands to reproduce R/C Toys in their likeness, aswell as proprietary toy designs by Nikko.

Nikko produces a range of radio controlled toys for use on the road, in the air and on water..

Nikko Subaru Impreza RC Car

The Subaru Impreza rally car is a popular design choice for land based radio controlled toy cars.

Nikko Radio Controlled Helicopters

Nikko has a range of flying toys, including remote controlled helicopters, with models that feature a gyroscope for a more stabilized flight.  Lately, Nikko has also released hybrid r/c toys such as the J-Kart which is a Go Kart with blades that lets it drive, drift, jump and fly!

Nikko Radio Control Hawaiian Star Boat

Nikko caters for water sport enthusiasts too with its line up of r/c boats including models such as the Nikko Hawaiian Star boat that lets you cruise in the lake or pond at your local park.

Related Sites

• Nikko RC (Official Site)

Did You Know..?

R/C vehicles are grouped into 2 categories – the most common and popular are known as ‘Toy Grade RC systems‘ which are usually toys made for children and have simplified circuits that are not designed to be taken apart or fine-tuned.  The second category is classed as ‘Hobby Grade RC‘ which allows for greater fine tuning of the components and a modular design that allows parts from one vehicle to be taken out and used in another – aimed at the RC hobby enthusiasts.

Reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-controlled_model

Sunglasses are primarily a form of protective eyewear, protecting wearers from bright sunlight and cancelling out harmful UV rays from the sun.  However, sunglasses have also become an essential fashion accessory item, with a huge selection of trendy styles available in the designer sunglasses range.

Here are 3 of the leading designer brands for fashionable sunglasses.

Oakley Sunglasses

Oakley produces a range of sporting equipment ranging from sport visors, ski goggles to watches and most famously for their line up of sunglasses.  With decades of experience, research and development – Oakley sunglasses blend smart technology, performance and style.  Oakley holds over 575 patents worldwide and its innovations include High Definition Optics® (HDO®) – a superior lens clarity that minimizes eye shift to readjust focus as it tends to happen with lower quality lenses.

Oakley sunglasses also benefit from the three-point-fit system which ensures the sunglasses only ever touch the bridge of your nose and the side temples of your head for greater comfort and convenience.

Ray Ban Sunglasses

Ray-Ban was founded by Bausch & Lomb after an adventurous Lieutenant John MacCready complained of sun damage to his eyes after a balloon flying trip.  Bausch & Lomb registered a patent in 1937 on a prototype dubbed ‘Anti-Glare’ for lenses which would filter out infrared and UV rays from the sun.

Ray Ban went on to develop their technology further for the US Air Force and today is one of the leading designer sunglasses brands, helped to its iconic status by celebrities including the Beatles and featured in a number of blockbuster movies ranging from Top Gun to Men in Black.

Ray Ban has a long history of over 70 years in the design and manufacture of sunglasses and currently produces its popular range of sunglasses  in 7 series:

• Active Lifestyle
• High Street
• Fast and Furious
• Families
• Icons
• Craft
• Tech

Police Sunglasses

The Police brand was launched in Italy in 1983 as a specialist designer sunglasses company – in later years, it launched a range of perfumes in ’97 and Police watches in 2003.  It eventually produced a range of apparel in 2008 but the Police brand has most famously been known for its stylish sunglasses that have been sported by many celebrities from the likes of David Beckham, Bruce Willis, and George Clooney to various fashion icons throughout the years.

Related Sites

• Oakley UK (Official Site)
• Ray Ban UK (Official Site)
• Police Sunglasses (Official Site)

Did You Know..?

In space, sunlight is more intense and harmful than on Earth.  During space walks, astronauts wear a special helmet that acts like a pair of sunglasses – the visor has a darker lens and a thin gold coating for extra protection from the much higher levels of Ultra Violet radiation.

Reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunglasses

Outstanding design features, functionality and class – these premium timepieces are among the finest and coolest watches for discerning men.  From simplicity to sophisticated styles, these refined watches stand out for their aesthetic design appeal, quality and time keeping.

Emporio Armani AR1411 Ceremica Gents Watch – £499

The AR1411 is a striking gents watch from Emporio Armani, featuring a Quartz-Chrono movement, with a watch case and bracelet constructed from ceramic, set in a stylish black dial with roman numerals in rose gold.

Water resistant to 30m and comes with a 2 year manufacturer guarantee.

• Buy Emporio Armani Gents AR1411 – £499 (via Amazon)
• Browse Emporio Armani Mens Watches UK

Omega Speedmaster Tachymeter Watch – £5,570

An impeccable bold design, the Omega 323.21.40.40.02.001 is a Speedmaster Tachymeter Watch from renowned watchmaker Omega – featuring a flawless 18kt yellow gold bezel and stainless steel case.

A refined set of luminous gold-tone hands and hour markers decorate the brilliant white dial. The chronograph consists of 3 sub-dials:

• 60 seconds
• 30 minutes
• 12 hours

Water resistant to 100 meters (330 feet), the Omega Speedmaster is powered by self winding automatic movement.  The bezel is fitted with a scratch resistant sapphire crystal.

• Buy Omega Speedmaster Automatic Mens Watch – £5,570
• Browse Omega Watches for Men
• Also see Omega Mens Gold Watches

Mondaine Evo Swiss Automatic Gents Watch – £345

A distinctive style with a highly legible display – the Mondaine EVO Swiss Automatic Gents Watch features a rounded stainless steel case with a subtle domed mineral crystal glass incorporating a magnifying effect.  Part of the EVO collection, these Mondaine Mens Watches have been inspired to capture the pristine and punctual look associated with the Swiss Federal Railways – renowned for over a 100 years for their precision and punctuality.

“Historically the train station manager used a special red Paddle to announce to passengers and train conductors that the train is about to depart. This red Paddle with its special shape is also the second hand of the Official Swiss Railways Clock.”

• Buy the Mondaine Gents Evo Swiss Automatic Watch – £345
• Also see Mens Watches with Day & Date function.

Casio Edifice Radio Controlled Analog Quartz Watch – £150

The Casio Edifice is part of the Wave Ceptor rave of Radio Controlled watches – automatically resetting the time based on your global position and the time of year.

A sophisticated look and feel is backed with an armoury of features and refinements.

• 1/100th second chronograph
• LED Lit Dial
• Water resistant to 100m
• Daily Alarm
• Date Indicator
• Time Zones

This Casio watch consists of a stainless steel case and bracelet and is supplied with a 2 year manufacturer guarantee and presentation box.

• Buy Casio Edifice EQW-500DBE-1AVER Radio Controlled Watch - £150
• Browse Radio Controlled Mens Watches

Casio G-Shock Mens Combi Watch – £65

Featuring an alarm, stop watch, and back light this Casio G-Shock watch is water resistant to 200 meters, has a Quartz movement and mineral crystal glass display.  A stainless steel and resin case, combined with a nylon band complements the superlative and powerful style of this practical watch.

• Buy the Casio G-Shock Aw-591Ms-3Aer Combi Watch – £65
• Browse Casio Watches for Men UK
• Also see shock resistant Casio G-Shock watches.

Did You Know..?

Casio created the shock resistant G-Shock watch range in 1983, changing the the perception that the watch is a fragile piece of jewellery.

An elegantly styled white gold diamond and tanzanite ring makes a lasting impression and represents great value with this special offer – RRP £136.65 available now for £81.99 (from Amazon)

Consisting of 10K white gold, this beautiful ring features a 3 round prong set of tanzanite (measuring 3mm with a total 3/8 ctw) – further accented with 2 round prong set side diamonds (H-I-J, I1-I2 totaling .018 ctw) creating a visually stunning effect on either side.

Customer Review Summary

Customer reviews of this ring have been positive with regard to the refined style and high quality, and a common theme emerges that this jewellery item appears much more expensive than it actually is.  A luxurious design for a great value price.

See Also

• Browse White Gold Sapphire Rings

Did You Know..?

Tanzanite is an extraordinary gemstone and has only been found in one place in the world, first discovered in 1967 and appropriately named after Tanzania in Africa.

Reference

http://www.gemstone.org

Transform the interior design of your home and add that special touch with the style of contemporary curtain poles. Curtain poles with a contemporary design include metal curtain poles in a variety of shapes and finishes, from oval and triangular forms to satin nickel and graphite finish effects.

Bloomsbury 16mm Steel Curtain Poles

In a contemporary curtain pole design is this Bloomsbury 16mm steel curtain pole, presented with a stylish barrel finial and a concealed fixing bracket with fixed eyelet rings.  Also available in an antique brass finish.

Swish Metal Block 19mm Satin Nickel Curtain Pole

For a modern look, this contemporary block style curtain pole from the Swish pole range measures 19mm and is produced in a satin nickel finish.

Contemporary Triangle 28mm Graphite Curtain Poles

The triangular finials on this polished graphite curtain pole are adjustable, enabling you to achieve a more varied and unique look.   The finials are hand made with a solid look and feel in a high gloss graphite colour but can also be ordered in a Satin Silver and Antique Brass finish effect.

Contemporary Oval 28mm Satin Silver Curtain Poles

This contemporary oval form curtain pole with a satin silver finish comes with a polished brushed steel look making it a good candidate for eyelet curtains because there is no painted finish that the eyelets could scratch.  The oval finials can be adjusted and twisted to achieve several kinds of looks with the same curtain pole.  Also available in an antique brass finish.

Did you know..?

In 1907 Charles W. Kirsch invented the first flat curtain rod

Reference

http://www.kirsch.com/about/

Blokus is the fun and tactical strategy board game for all the family, by Mattel. Blokus stimulates players to think in terms of logic and helps develop spatial perception, while encouraging children to learn about tactics and planning ahead.

How To Play Blokus

Blokus is a family board game for up to 4 players.  Each player takes turns strategically placing their chosen colour blocks on the board – but each new piece must touch at least one other piece of the same colour, and only at the corners.

At the end of the game, when the board is full, each player counts up the number of of squares in the remaining block pieces – and the player with the least number of squares wins!

See Also

• Buy Blokus at Amazon
• Browse more Board Games

Did you know?

Senet may be the oldest board game in the world, the popular game has been found in ancient Egyptian burials, dating as far back as 3500 BC

References

Senet Game (BritishMuseum.org)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senet