Category Archives: Uncategorized

Porsche is Debuting its First Laptop in China, It Looks Fancy

Today in fancy stuff geared to rich Chinese consumers: the Porsche Design Book One. Get a load of this bad boy’s very auto-flavored PR description:

The Porsche Design BOOK ONE is an uncompromising reinterpretation of the 2-in-1 concept. In one of the world’s thinnest convertibles / detachables, maximum performance meets a breathtaking design. An optimized 360° functionality combined with the latest generation of technology.

Nothing like cruising the weird streets of the internet with the top down, we say. But how does this fine piece of German engineering handle in the real world? Let’s stick with car metaphors:

“A laptop that needs a pit stop,” judges The Verge.

“It just might get the attention of passersby… in the same way that rolling up to a stoplight in a 911 or, worse yet, a Cayenne SUV might get you a few side-eyes,” rips Yahoo Finance.

“Well, if you have a Porsche and really want a matching laptop, then here’s your new laptop,” — oof, sick burn TechCrunch.

But… so pretty….

If you have enough cash on hand to buy approximately 1.5 Macbook Pros, you can grip your own Porsche Design Book One on newegg.com. Eventually.

As TechNode reports, this luxe slab of steel will first roll out in China, before being offered in 17 other countries. Those of you in China feeling the need for speed can pre-order it on JD.com for a cool RMB 18,888 (lucky!) and be revving your Facebook at full throttle by mid-October.

Photo of the day: Early Moonrise

All this week, Radii is posting a photo essay by Edward Evenson of snaps from outside the buzz and noise of the Chinese megacity. Rural landscapes for a quick daily moment of serenity…

This shot was captured on a small bridge connecting the northern and southern walls of a canyon about an hour outside of Lin Hai. The bridge, stretching more than a football field in length, provided some fantastic views of the canyon and surrounding mountain. However, at the moment I spotted the small facade-like structure at the end of the bridge I knew I wanted to capture it. I have always enjoyed the symmetry and minimalism of these structures. Its location also reminded me of a scene from the fantasy novels I read as a child: a nondescript portal that leads to a mythical world, placing the viewer mere steps away from adventure (or maybe I’m just a nerd).

Photo of the day: Afternoon on the Yangtze Delta

All this week, Radii is posting a photo essay by Edward Evenson of snaps from outside the buzz and noise of the Chinese megacity. Rural landscapes for a quick daily moment of serenity…

Outside of the sprawling metropolis of Shanghai, the Yangtze River flows into the East China Sea. A short trip from the city, you already experience a different world; one of fishermen, cargo ships, nature enthusiasts, family picnics, and sweeping views of the ocean. I chose black and white for this picture, as it was mostly composed of the muddy browns of the sea and ships paired with the grey, overcast sky. Without much color present in the scenery, black and white romanticized the seascape while providing some nice contrast.

Photo of the day: Golden Hours in Xianju

All this week, Radii is posting a photo essay by Edward Evenson of snaps from outside the buzz and noise of the Chinese megacity. Rural landscapes for a quick daily moment of serenity…

I was hiking for about 5 hours before this shot presented itself to me. It filled me with excitement and relief, as I had only glimpsed small fragments of the mountains until this point and the mountain trail was closing soon. So, atop a rickety bridge hundreds of meters above a canyon, I waited for the sun to go down just enough to bathe the mountains in golden rays of light. It had the lovely effect of bringing out detail on the ridges near me, while providing a silhouette of the mountains of Xianju in the distance. The “Golden Hours” truly bring out the majesty in nature.

Radii Happy Hour, September: Fang Bar

If you’re around Beijing this Friday, September 29, join Radii for drinks and post-work-week chatter at Fang, purveyors of some of Beijing’s finest cocktails. Fang recently re-opened after their original location on Fangjia Hutong got swept away (along with most everything else on Fangjia) over the summer. They swiftly maneuvered a few clicks south and have opened a lovely new location on Shoubi Hutong (map and address below).

We’ll start at 7pm and go til 10 or so. Come talk about the site, life in China, Rap in China, fake news scandals, fireflies, lasers, or whatever else happens to be on your mind.

Event details:

Radii Happy Hour, September 2017

Venue: Fang Bar

Add (EN): #15 Jiaodaokou Nan Dajie, Xinhua Culture Mansion South Entrance (near #1 Shoubi Hutong)

Add (ZH): 交道口南大街15号，新华文化大厦南门（近寿比胡同1号）

Time: 7pm-10ish

Google Map

Baidu Map

See you there!

Twitter Bits: Puffer Fish and Gibberish

To wrap up the weekend, here’s some random China stuff from Twitter.

Starting with… whoa look at that puffer fish! Chinese State newspaper Xinhua reports on blowfish issues in Hai’an county of Jiangsu province, where these delicious yet deadly suckers are bred and attract a growing tourist industry. We doff our caps to the killer use of alliteration in this tweet:

Meanwhile, in the capital: Beijing is gearing up for the 19th Party Congress next month, and is being draped with all kind of signage in anticipation of this very important event, during which the country’s leadership is set for the next five years. Even Elements, a dance club in the city’s Gongti neighborhood famous for its late night EDM debauchery, is getting in on the action. TechNode writer Frank Hersey spotted this festive sign adorning Elements’ facade:

While the core audience for these kinds of messages is mostly Chinese, a lot of the posters going up around town do introduce a bit of English into the mix. Some more successfully than others. Rogue historian and Radii contributor Jeremiah Jenne spotted a less than dedicated attempt at international dialogue:

Hmm… what else. “Did you know that the ketchup you eat in China has a 70% chance of being made in Xinjiang?” Blogger Josh Summers, who recently visited Beijing for a couple of meetups, lays out the tomato-related facts:

That’ll do!

Got a tip on weird memes or hot takes ricocheting around the China Twittersphere? Holler at us.