The BLU Network

These Alluring (& Oh-So-Zany) Accessories Aren't What They Seem

We hope you know that it takes a lot to amuse us. On the scale of meh to wowee, we prefer to feature pieces that incite a d8$*#&@#!-like buzz around the R29 offices. Well, we're so speechless over this accessories collection that the symbols have officially been invoked this afternoon.

Laurel Broughton's WELCOMECOMPANIONS "Mr. Knife, Miss Fork" medley has us tickled neon pink for so many reasons. First, it's inspired by a René Crevel novel in which a butter knife woos a dinner fork and they run away together to ditch their table-side duties. Also, you know we're suckers for anything Surrealist, and these objects play on the fundamental "Ceci n'est pas un pipe" tenet of the movement (that's a Magritte reference in case you were wondering!).

Regardless of your art-history ardor, how cool will you look strolling into the next gallery opening with a hat that doubles as a clutch or popping change in the meter from a crisp white glove-shaped change purse donning poppy-red nails? d8$*#&@#! indeed!

Available at Creatures of Comfort, 7971 Melrose Avenue (near North Crescent Heights Avenue); 323-655-7855.

Photo: Via WELCOMEPROJECTS

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Pinterest Account Of The Day: Mark Kelty

Thanks to pinner Mark Kelty and his humorous-slash-disturbing "Scary Bunnies" board, if you've ever wondered, "Are there really that many scary bunnies out that?" you now have an answer. Who knew our furry little friends were such a big deal...in such a terrifying way?

Hands-on with Intel's new ultrabook-friendly Ivy Bridge CPUs

The first batch of Intel's third-generation Core-i-series processors (also known by the code name Ivy Bridge) arrived in late April. But, those initial chips only covered the very high end of the spectrum, being quad-core Core i7 CPUs destined for high-end gaming and multimedia laptops.

While more mainstream Ivy Bridge CPUs have been expected for some time, Intel has now officially revealed new details of the Core i5 and low-voltage Core i7 chips. We've been testing systems with some of the new processors, most notably the 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3427U. This is a low-voltage mobile processor specifically targeted at ultrabooks, a category both Intel and PC makers are trying to expand.

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Toshiba Excite 10 review: Monstrous expandable storage potential

Making copies...of a tablet. OK, we weren't actually trying to make copies. Were we?

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Not two months after its release of the "thinnest and lightest" tablet, the Toshiba 10 LE, Toshiba is back with a new 10-inch tablet: the Toshiba Excite 10.

It's not thinner or lighter than the LE, but the Excite 10 does bring Android 4.0, a Tegra 3 CPU, and 128GB expandable storage option to the table.

That may be enough to outclass the LE, but what about tablets that offer more than just a thin profile? My full review of the a Toshiba Excite 10 attempts to find answers.

The Toshiba Excite 10 in a copy machine (pictures)

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Meeting Sergio Marchionne

Meeting Sergio Marchionne

Gifted strategist or reckless gambler? Fiat's corporate headquarters, across the road from the historic Lingotto factory with its famous rooftop test loop, is a meticulously restored fortress with endless corridors, tall ceilings, and numerous security checkpoints. Sergio Marchionne's dimly lit office sits halfway up the massive building block on a corner facing the street. It appears to be smaller than the bright, adjoining room where three secretaries reign supreme over a huge desk laden with monitors, keyboards, and paperwork. As I approached the master's inner sanctum, another door opened and lanky John Elkann stepped out, followed by the stooped figure of Sergio Marchionne, smoldering cigarette in hand. Talk about extreme contrasts. Wiry, with wide-awake eyes and a broad smile, Elkann, the young Fiat heir, is dressed immaculately in a blue suit, a light blue shirt, and a brightly striped tie. Slightly pudgy, chortling with laughter in response to a joke told in Italian with only a faint Canadian twang, and displaying a grayish thirty-day beard, Marchionne is a committed supporter of the Italian knitwear industry and a dedicated ambassador for sweet-smelling Muratti Privat filter cigarettes.
Photo Gallery: Meeting Sergio Marchionne - Automobile Magazine

Deep Dive: The Mercedes A-Class Spawns Three Siblings

Deep Dive: The Mercedes A-Class Spawns Three Siblings

A CLA coupe, CLA shooting brake, and GLA crossover are all in the works. The trio and their competitors
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is the sleek four-door coupe that was previewed at the 2012 Beijing motor show under the guise of the Concept Style Coupe. Production is due to start early next year, in the new, state-of-the-art assembly plant in Kecskemet, Hungary. Twelve months later, the brand is going to release the five-door shooting brake (wagon/hatchback) variant. In autumn 2014, the stylish yet functional GLA crossover is set to complete the revamped A-Class line-up.
Photo Gallery: Deep Dive: The Mercedes A-Class Spawns Three Siblings - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Deep Dive: The Mercedes A-Class Spawns Three Siblings - Automobile Magazine

McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

The death of metal. That massive hunk of steel in your driveway is slowly corroding into obsolescence -- both figuratively and literally. About the time that rust finally eats through the floorboards of your shiny new 2012 model, you'll be able to purchase -- no, afford -- a plastic car.
Photo Gallery: The Death of Metal: McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: The Death of Metal: McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport - Automobile Magazine