Grape expectations

Like most good ideas, Invivo Wines first began in a bar. Schoolfriends Rob Cameron and Tim Lightbourne were working in the UK when they decided to start up a wine label with a difference: a virtual vineyard with a great brand story. And despite launching just as the recession struck, their wines have racked up an impressive number of awards and the export deals keep piling up. Their latest coup? An exclusive agreement with Grupo Codorníu—Spain’s largest wine producer and one of the biggest producers of sparkling wine in the world. All this from a label barely four years old. We asked Cameron and Lightbourne what their secret to success was, and whether mixing business and friendship was inspired or just insane.

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A mag for your thoughts

Bribe, incentive, whatever you want to call it: we’re giving away 25 subscriptions to any of our sister publications. All we ask of you is ten or so minutes of your time to fill out our reader survey. Tell us what you love, hate and want to see more of in Idealog.  Sound fair? Go on then, lay into us.

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Designed to dominate

While the rest of us will mow the lawns or fire up the barbecue, this weekend an elite group of high school students will be using the “World Dominance” camp at Massey University as a warm-up to represent New Zealand on the world stage. Ten teams have been chosen to fly the flag at next month’s Vex Robotics championships—three days of non-stop, high-energy robotics challenges—in Disney World, Florida. Sponsored by NASA, the competition was won last year by two combined Kiwi teams, both of which will try to defend their title.

Vex robotics involves designing, building and maintaining robots that compete in a game called Round Up, which involves the robots stacking rings on goal posts. Points are awarded for “owning” a goal while bonus points are given if the robot can also hang off a central ladder. The teams will use the two-day camp to hone their skills and refine their robots.

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Burst into song

“I contributed to the world’s first wikimusical.” That’d be a story for the grandkids, wouldn’t it? And it could be yours to tell; the Kiwi team behind Xerxes’ Atlas is ready for contributors to jump on board. Based on the biblical/Jewish story of Esther in ancient Persia, it’s a collaboratively written pop/hiphop musical to be licensed under the creative commons, with half of the profits donated to charity. Creator and board member Jade Wood says it’s about community and collaboration on a scale not seen in modern times in theatre. “It means anyone with internet access from around the world can contribute.”

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The Icky factor

A university campus may not be the obvious setting for a music video, but for rising stars J Geek and the Geeks it was a no-brainer. The band’s second video single, Icky Sticky, was filmed at Massey University’s Albany campus and features them performing in the library, a lecture theatre and a science lab. Group leader Jermaine Leef—a former Massey Food Science student—says they’re trying to change perceptions about Māori and young people and emphasise the importance of a “healthy mind and healthy body”. Leef has a passion for sciences and says Māori are under-represented in that area. “We want to promote an image of Māori people as being fit, healthy and educated.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL6blLslT9M

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Jolly good fellow

We all know about the importance of networking, but often fall through when it comes to followup. FellowUp, a new website and iPhone application, aims to fill that gap by plugging into Facebook, LinkedIn and Google APIs to help us better manage relationships. Creator Tomer Cohen describes it as a personal executive assistant that finds insights from user networks; once users connect their accounts, FellowUp pulls in contacts, data and updates, allowing them to engage with others on various networks through the app.

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From the ground up

The Auckland chapter of Architecture for Humanity has been hard at work fundraising and laying the groundwork for reconstruction as part of its Build Back Christchurch campaign. It’s partnering up with ‘Unlimited’—a state school integrating youth-based training centres, activities, community education and knowledge sharing—and will match them with various professionals to work on briefs. If you’re keen and willing to help out on any projects, they’d love to have you on board (designers, drafters, architects, or other specialty areas). Click here to find out more about ways to contribute.

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The little cube that could

A Rubik’s cube-sized device made by Alcatel-Lucent and due to begin trials in September could one day replace unwieldy cell towers entirely. The lightRadio can be deployed almost anywhere (think lampposts, bus stops, billboards …) and controlled virtually. Each unit houses multi-generational antennas that can relay 2G, 3G and 4G network signals all from the same cube, which the company expects to be producing in volume by 2012.

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In-Spired design

While it resembles a folding fan more than anything else, the Spire Clock can in fact be used to tell the time. Its shortest blade represents the hour hand; the longest, the minute hand. Watching its cycle is quite hypnotic, actually.

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Quote of the week

They have been given the tools to connect and engage without patent or the obligation to pay for the privilege.

- David MacGregor on the advantages of the social media generation