The Apple’s iOS 4 arrives Monday for owners of the iPhone 3GS and 3rd generation iPod touch, delivering a bevy of new features worth the upgrade. If you’re not getting an iPhone 4 (by choice or limited stock availability), iOS 4 should supercharge your old iPhone with new tricks until your next upgrade.

Apple has not specified what time it will be releasing iOS 4, but if last year’s 3.0 release is anything to go by, expect the new operating system to hit the tubes sometime after 1PM Eastern/10AM Pacific. Patience is also a must, as there are millions of devices eligible for the free upgrade, and there will be a lot of pressure of Apple’s servers.

Before we delve into the goodies within iOS 4, a sad reminder for original iPhone and iPod touch users: you won’t be able to upgrade to iOS 4, as Apple says the hardware on these devices is not supported. iPhone 3G owners will get the update, but some of the features below won’t be available, such as multitasking.

Also, if you have an iPad (which runs iOS 3.2), iOS 4 will arrive for you only in September. On the reverse, many iPad-only features by now have been ported into iOS 4 for. So here are some of the cool new and useful features in iOS 4.

1. Smart Folders

As simple as it sounds, this feature was missing on the iPhone. The folders feature in iOS 4 will help you de-clutter your home screen, letting you compile under a single location up to 12 applications.

To access folders, enter customize mode (tap on an icon until all icons start jiggling), slide any icon on to another and a new folder is created. You can rename the folder to your liking, but iOS 4 will also suggest a folder name if applications grouped in a folder belong to the same category (like games, utilities, travel, etc.).

1. Wallpapers everywhere

iOS 4 lets you set a wallpaper not only for the lock screen (as previously available), but also for the home screen. Like on the iPad, you will have the option to select a different image for the lock and home screen, or you can use the same image throughout. There is no way to set a wallpaper for each of your home screens though.

1. E-mail improvements

The first thing you will notice in the Mail app in iOS 4 is the unified inbox. Users will multiple email accounts have been longing for this feature for a while, and Apple finally delivered.There is also support for threaded messages, so you can easily follow up on conversations (each discussion has a single entry that you can tap on and expand it). A big boon for business users will also be support for multiple Exchange account, as only one per device was available by now.

1. Spell-checker

Alongside the predictive typing on the iPhone, spelling corrections were missing, but this issue is resolved with iOS 4. Misspelled words will be underlines with a jagged red line, and when tapped correction suggestions will be displayed. This feature works system-wide, including in Mail and Notes.

1. SMS search & character count

You can search through SMS messages in iOS 4, just like you do with emails in the Mail app. Just flick the top of the main messages screen and a search bar is revealed. A character count while typing a message is also displayed, so you can keep tabs on your SMS allowance.

1. iPod playlist creation & editing

iOS 4 bring a few enhancement to the iPod app as well. You will be able to see a new music control bar at the bottom of the screen when listening to music in the background. There is also the ability to create and edit playlists on your iPhone with iOS 4, which get synced with iTunes when connected to your computer.

1. Orientation lock

The iPhone screen won’t annoyingly rotate anymore when you are laying in bed reading on a side. The new OS brings a software orientation lock feature, which you can access by double tapping the Home button and then swipe to the left (the same way you access the iPod controls).

1. iBooks

iBooks is coming to your iPhone with iOS 4. You will be able to sync your existing iBooks library (books purchased from the iPad) and also add PDF files to it. iBooks will keep in sync with your iPad (and viceversa) where you left off reading a book. You will have to download iBooks manually from the App store.

1. Bluetooth keyboards support

iOS 4 now enables you to use any compatible Bluetooth keyboard and type away long messages.

10.  Multitasking

Multitasking is the biggest feature in iOS 4. First off, developers will have to update their apps to be compatible with iOS 4 multitasking. Theoretically, you will be able to use Pandora in the background while playing a game, or receive a Skype call while reading your email.

To access your open apps, double-tap the Home button and icons of the application running in the background will be displayed along the bottom of the screen. Tap on the app you want to switch to and you are in.

Alongside multitasking, WiFi won’t disconnect anymore when your iPhone is locked, so you can receive calls and notifications from WiFi only apps (like Skype) as long as you have a connection available.

Five more noteworthy improvements:

·         5X digital zoom for the camera

·         Tap-to-focus video

·         Suggestion in Safari and universal search

·         Birthday calendar

·         Places and events in Photos app

We just had a look at Newell’s newest entry into their line of luxurious motor coaches and we are spell bound! Its better than a house on a hill top. The design and interiors are so cool, we bet you wouldn’t stop drooling!

Yet another fantastic house on wheels, this vehicle is perfect for hot shots who lead a nomadic lifestyle. Equipped with best quality furnishings, made for people with a taste for exculsivity, this coach-chassis has Newells cornerstone trademark of great quality and fine designs.

These customized motor coaches spell perfection in terms of mechanics, interiors, comfort and functionality. Each aspect of the chassis is so uniquely drawn and executed one doesn’t feel anything lesser than a king travelling around in the luxurious caravan. And oh, if you are wondering what to do with your red Mercedez while you are touring the country, they got a solution for that too.

Ever wonder how tomorrow’s bathrooms would look like? Will they be radically different from the ones we have today? What technologies would these futuristic bathrooms incorporate?

Here are some concepts that could give you some idea about what is in store. If you come across some ideas that you think need to be featured here, please mention them in the comments. Also we run a steady stream of cool posts like this at Home Designing and if you like to be notified when we have more such inspiring posts, please subscribe to our feed or newsletter!

Let’s get started now, shall we! The first three are via Yanko Design, a terrific blog that features new concepts in design. Check them out if you haven’t already.

There is a good chance that water might become a precious commodity in the future. Designer Jang Woo-seok keeps this mind while designing his concept bathroom which cleverly reuses the water drained from the sink for flushing the toilet.

Here is another concept by designer Young Sang Eun that lays emphasis on hygiene. What is special about this design is that on one side it features a urinal and the other a sit-down commode. With the flip of a switch the design is capable of swiveling around. It self-sanitizes using Steam and UV. No more dirty toilet seats.

Another one that focuses on hygiene. If you are using a toilet on a shared basis the toilet page concept by Jan Ctvrtnik would let you have your own ‘personal’ toilet seat.

Check out this Phyto-Purification Bathroom by Jun Yasumoto.

Using a natural filtering principle called phyto-purification, the bathroom becomes a mini-eco-system by recycling and regenerating the wastewater. During its filtering process, the water goes through different steps :

- The rushes are planted in sand which filters larger particles. The root system of the rushes contain various bacterias which break down these particles for absorption by the plant.

- The reeds are planted next to the rushes as they have the ability to filter the heavy metals from the water.

- The floating water hyacinths draw through their roots some of the water borne particles which are still present in the water.

-The lemnas, which are also aquatic plants, bind to the remaining aquatic micro-organisms to complete the filtering process.

-Finally, a carbon filter stops the remaining micro-particles.

The water from the shower and the washbasin is filtered through an organic system before being re-used.

Phyto-purification is a natural water-recycling process which is commonly used in ecological purification systems.

The software giant Microsoft, occasionally tries to visualize and anticipate future lifestyles. The MSN network recently featured an article that highlights some cutting edge bathroom designs that are already available in the market. Here are some highlights from it.

Linea Aqua’s Apollo steam shower lets you relax in the reclining chair as you take a shower and it’s blue-tinted safety glass with a unique overall shape gives you the feel of your very own space shuttle.

ProSun’s SunShower offers you more than a bathing experience. There are tanning unit of 400 watts attached along with a double UV filter so that you might achieve the perfect tan!

Kohler’s DT VII performance shower has a digital menu which lets you set up a mix shower experience for yourself. The six shower heads and two shower wands let you experiment a lot. It also has a mp3 player and you can control the light settings inside according to your mood.

The Ondus bath systems by Grohe lend an organic-digital feel to the bathing experience as you can control the flow of water in the shower and sink which mimic the natural flow of water.

The Kohler VibrAcoustic Bathtub has it all! You get to soak in the cool tub which has a pre-set music designed to add sound and music vibration to sooth your tired south. You can change the music pre-sets as well as the chroma therapy colours which light up the tub.

Aquavision brings you an entertaining bathing experience. Now you can watch television while soaking in the tub on a 17 inch waterproof television. You may install the TV in various positions inside the bathroom and it will still remain dry.

Aquavision bathroom designs gives you more than entertainment with a hot towel rail. Plus when you are not watching the television you can use it as a mirror. Talk about multi-utility!

You can stay connected with the rest of the world through Visomatic’s waterproof media centre while you soak in your tub. You can access the television and the internet. The screen comes in a variety of sizes.

To end with here is an interesting bathroom (not futuristic, but definitely interesting) that is made of see through glass in London. It is see through from the inside but viewed from outside it looks just like a mirror.

Comments anyone?

If you enjoyed these futuristic concepts and would like to see more stuff from the future, check out our feature on kitchens of the future. You will love it!

With the craze of graphic design, observing pictures is one thing we do most. We recently went around plucking bedroom pictures. And while doing that we fell. Not literally, but fell in love with some of these gorgeous ones we came across.

Each bedroom that is featured below has a different story to tell. One transforms you into the victorian era, another takes you on a stroll through the rooms of a house on some deserted street. Some are beautifully lit, some have got even the simplest blinds going for them. Some are design wise pretty dramatic while some subtle. One even has a swimming pool thrown in! Basically each is different from the other and we sort of love this design hotch potch.

What do you think of these bedroom designs? Do you know of a bedroom you think we need to feature here? Are we missing somethings out? Do tell us in your comments.

Here are some examples of art which has been put into chosen locations. Most of them are by Banksy as his work seems far and away the best.

The coming year will be the year of Soccer lovers, the year for the Fifa World Cup 2010. In May 2004, FIFA awarded the hosting of the FIFA World Cup to an African country for the first time in the 101 years of FIFA’s existence. As the host, South Africa stands not as a country alone – but rather as a representative of Africa and as part of an African family of nations. Hence, the logo design of the Fifa World Cup 2010 depicts the same essence and shows the map of Africa with blue, green, red, yellow, black and white stripes of South African flag. The design is dynamic and embodies the burning passion of Africa. A bicycle kicker in the Fifa logo symbolizes the passion of soccer not only for African people but for those of around the world.