For the true globetrotter a dual-time watch just won't cut it. Enter this 24-zone masterpiece from Porsche. Just touch the button to flick to any zone in the world and you're right on time no matter where you land.
Available in matt-finish 18 carat rose gold, or matt-black PVD coated titanium (pictured)
£6600 from Porsche Design
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The latest in a long line of car/computer tie-ins is this little beauty from Ego Lifestyle for Bentley Motors.
A lot of the unique Bentley details can be found in the bespoke Ego for Bentley notebook, each of them painstakingly hand-built and designed in collaboration with Bentley’s own styling team in Crewe. The colour options of the lacquered inside matches the car’s most popular exterior paint colours for ultimate suitability. The external panels have been trimmed with the finest selection of Bentley leather and finished with the authentic Bentley cross-over hand-stitching, designed to match exactly an individual’s particular requirements.
An ergonomic, integrated handle provides true portability and removes the need for an unattractive bag or case. The iconic Bentley etching, known as knurling, is echoed on parts of the Bentley for Ego notebook, such as the handle and the sliding doors that cover the access ports and ensures a secure grip and a luxurious feel.
Pure chrome detailing is featured throughout, with unique technology on the inside: next to the latest Microsoft Vista Ultimate software, a 64-bit processor and a 160Gb Hard drive, Ego for Bentley’s elegant design incorporates 12 dedicated direct access keys to make Wi-fi, Bluetooth, Webcam, Media centre and other applications both simple and fast.
Each model of the Ego for Bentley collection is a limited edition luxury notebook, accentuated by the white gold frames engraved with your Ego for Bentley’s limited edition number.
Ego Lifestyle, founded in 2003 by Huub van de Boogaard, designs, markets, produces and distributes high-end luxury lifestyle consumer electronics. These activities are executed in co-operation with renowned international firms as well as organisations in the fashion, luxury and lifestyle sectors.
Completely breaking with traditional design and use of computers, Ego moved away from the traditional notebook and created an exclusive fusion of unique fashionable design, ultimate functionality and an individual’s personality.
Available for a mere ten grand from Selfridges and Harrods, only 250 will be available.
Rather more affordable options include the Acer Ferrari 1100 and the Asus Lambourghini VX3
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Since time in memoriam, the human race has been fascinated by any mechanical, or electronic, device that looks like – and, moreover, acts like – a human being. This accounts, at least in part, for the popularity of robots for entertainment purposes, but, more fascinating still, robotics technology has advanced to a point where the dividing line between "toy" robots and those for functional, practical purposes is becoming increasingly blurred. This means that the latest toy robot may, in fact, represent a fundamental technological breakthrough that may improve the quality of our lives in years to come; in the meantime, of course, toy robots are fun!
Toy Robots Then & Now
The history of the toy robot can be traced back to the clunky, clockwork models that were produced in Japan in the 1940s and 1950s. The first toy robot to bear any resemblance to the technological marvels of today, however, was the Omnibot 2000, developed by Tomy Kyogo, Inc., in 1985. Although still fairly crude, by today`s standards, the Omnibot 2000 could be controlled by programs stored on magnetic tape, or by a handheld remote control. More recently, the Furby, created by Tiger Electronics in 1998, and the Aibo electronic dog, created by Sony in 1999, used a variety of sensors to react to their environments, and their owners. The Aibo, for example, could recognise its owner, provide surveillance with an integral camera, and apparently "learn" – although the learning, itself, was simulated – behaviour patterns. A robotic pet cat, named "NeCoRo", was released by Omron, in 2001, as direct competition for the Aibo.
Fast forward to today, and the market for toy robots is booming, and filled with any number of offerings, at various levels of sophistication, and price, from many different manufacturers. For younger robotics enthusiasts – those aged 10 years, and upwards, according to the manufacturer – the advanced Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics kit allows a variety of different robots to be built. The kit comes complete with computer software that not only allows robots to be programmed, wirelessly, from a Bluetooth enabled laptop computer, or mobile phone, but also provides instructions for building robots in the first place. Also available as a kit – although requiring between 6 and 8 hours – is a humanoid robot, called "Robonova I", available from the Korean company, Hitec Robotics. The Robonova I is programmable, can walk, run, dance, etc., and is designed for "edutainment", for teachers, students and robotic enthusiasts generally.
With a few to the future, and the shape of things to come with regard to toy robots, one of the latest developments is a 20" long, robotic dinosaur, called "Pleo". Pleo is the brainchild of the same team responsible for the Furby, back in 1998, and features 38 sensors, 14 motors and 100 gears to provide movement, and response to its environment. Pleo is covered in plastic, rather than metal, skin, which allows it to look, and feel, more like a tiny dinosaur than a robot, but the most important point to note is that Pleo incorporates much of the technology available in expensive robotic toys at a much lower price.
Above all else, toy robots and electronic gadgets are popular because they are the epitome of "cool"; they fit in with the modern, creative lifestyle of many young people, which encompasses clothes – including, for example, the range of t-shirts, hats, bets, etc. available from Volcom UK – music and more.
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While Wi-Fi is nice, what mini-notebooks need to reach their potential (and be more functional than the average smartphone) is 3G data. The LG X110 appears to be a pretty standard 8.9” mini-note, but it’s packing HSDPA so you can browse [fill in crude meme of choice] almost anywhere. In addition to the wireless data, it’s got the 1.6GHz Atom, 1GB of RAM and integrated webcam that we know so well, along with a 160GB hard drive. The LG X110 arrives in Europe this October for a pretty reasonable €399/$589.
This is the first netbook where “net” actually means something else: direct 3G network access without additions.
The Good: The LG X110 felt solid and compact in the hand, heavier than I expected for such size. Good hard plastic finish outside. Fast operation under Windows and fast rendering and access to the Web, although unfortunately I was only able to try it with the Wi-Fi connection. Good set of ports, although I wish all these computers implemented HDMI video output, rather than VGA.
The Bad: I was disappointed the interior wasn’t real aluminum but painted plastic. They keyboard didn’t feel good to me, too bland and not enough clickety-clack action, but that’s just my personal taste.
GHG Verdict: For those looking for a good Windows- or Linux-based netbook with no-fuss internet access at all times, my first impression is that they will be happy with this one.
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