Marvelous gadgets and unique innovations

Technology giant Sony’s Personal 3D Viewer head-mounted display is the world’s first personal, wearable OLED HD/3D TV. The HMZ-T1 viewer has a unique form factor that allows users to simply slip the device onto their head and immerse themselves in a virtual theater experience. 

Resembling a futuristic visor, the $799 device is worn like a pair of chunky goggles and earphones in one. This head-mounted audiovisual system uses a pair of 3D-capable HD OLED displays and a set of virtual-surround earphones for a fully-immersive media experience. 

With this system wrapped around your head, you can enjoy a new connection to PS3 video games, you can watch movies from your iPad or connect with other media in ways you haven’t experienced yet.


The HMZ – which stands for head-mounted display – displays footage that is crystal clear. It is equipped with two 0.7in high definition organic light emitting diode (OLED) panels. 

With these two 1280×720 0.7-inch OLED panels mounted in front of each eye as well as 5.1 surround sound from headphones integrated into the Head Mounted Display (HMD).

You can see the helmet above, as well as the processor unit (complete with HDMI input and output, so you can take off the helmet and watch on TV). Displaying high-quality HD video with high contrast and fast refresh rates, the device is capable of enhanced 3D display. 

The viewer can enjoy a more natural 3D video experience that is completely free of crosstalk since each eye has its own display. 
For more information: http://store.sony.com

It is not recommended for people 15 years old and younger because some experts believe overly stimulating imagery is not good for teenagers whose brains are still developing, according to Shigeru Kato, a Sony vice president. 

Sony claims “an immersive experience,which is similar to watching video on a large screen approximating 150 inches from 12 feet away (750-inch virtual screen, virtual viewing distance approximately 65 feet away).”

Yves Behar, founder of the San Francisco-based design and branding firm has collaborated with Danish mobile phone design company Aesir Copenhagen and created a luxury phone in a very fashionable and minimalist design. 

The concept here was more about making a functional phone and sound quality was more important than some of the dazzle you’d expect in most modern mobile phones.

With this understanding you may no longer need to take a moment to ponder how such a costly mobile phone is not equipped with a camera, games or GPS. The only things that Yves Béhar can provide are clarity, simplicity and top deluxe design supporting the primary functions of the phone – talking to people.

However, this phone is available in aesthetically pleasing two versions, namely, 18-karat gold and 316L stainless steel with sapphire crystal lenses, laser engraved keypad characters with LED backlighting, caller ID, text, calendar, calculator and Bluetooth functions and an open SIM card. 

Among other things to mention are the world clock, alarm clock and currency converter. The menu provides eight languages. The phone is designed to work in GSM networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and is equipped with a 2-inch screen.

Of course, the price also must match this most luxurious phone. The 18 carat gold version costs around €42,000 (nearly $58,665 USD) and fine stainless steel €7,250 (nearly $10,120 USD). In both versions, the manufactures used such materials as high-strength ceramics with a special protective coating.


It places value on a unique user interface while championing the idea of craftsmanship. At the very first sight the mobile phone will remind you of a very luxury, extraordinary watch, which isn’t that surprising, as, after all, the device was designed from a jewel’s point of view. 

The phones also include custom ring tones composed by the Master of the upright Bass, Chris Minh Doky. This decadent cell also holds a 5.2 talk time charge, lasts 220 hours on standby, is engineered for superior sound and displays 7 languages. 

It seems like the phone arrived right from the beginning of the millennium, as its slightly outdated forms appear to be very sentimental. It’s the best mobile phone, capable of emphasizing and characterizing the high status of its owner and his nobility.

Diesel and Monster have teamed up to produce a pair of lightweight, high-performance headphones with a slick faceted design. The new Diesel Vektr Headphones sport a set of titanium-laced drivers designed to deliver a well-rounded auditory experience. 

Yet the Vektor ‘phones are as much a fashion accessory as they are a sonic sidearm, refreshingly styled by the Diesel clothing brand. The geometrically-driven design wraps the ears in angular facets, while a glossy black band stretches around the wearer’s head. 

They’ll be available for $279.99 in the months to come, a premium price that is justified by Vektr’s rare visual appeal. A scientifically backed assault on your senses, these Diesel noise division phones change the way you listen to music and even your perception of sound itself.
For more information: http://www.monstercable.com

There’s no other headphone on the market that captures the international flair and glistening excitement of its startling multi-planar, tri-fold design. And thanks to Monster’s advanced technological expertise, it sounds as exciting as it looks with crystal clear highs, accurate mids and stunning bass. 

Of course, it’s obvious just by looking at the Vektr on-ear headphones that they look ultra sleek. Monster is no stranger to great looking and great sounding cans, and given the company’s advanced technological expertise.

Wacom, the maker of illustration interfaces for designers and artists, has finally forgone the tablet and put pen-and-ink back in the hands of creatives. The Wacom Inkling Digital Stylus Pen is a real, ink-filled pen that records an illustrators drawings and transports them to a computer. 

Artists who prefer to sketch on paper can do so again, yet a digital representation of their work can be tossed into Photoshop and Illustrator in moments.

Inside the 200g-chocolate-bar-sized Inkling carry-case is the Inkling pen, the matchbox-sized receiver, a series of five replacement nibs and a mini-USB to USB cable. 

You clip the receiver to the top or side of your paper or note and start drawing away. Each stroke is recorded separately onto flash storage on the receiver, and a button on its top allows you to separate series of strokes into layers. 

To start a new drawing, you just turn the Inkling on and off, or just unclip it from the paper and insert a new page. 
When you’re back in your studio, you plug the either the receiver or the case into your Mac or PC over USB (both the pen and receiver connect into the case so you can charge both). 

The files are quickly imported into Wacom’s SketchManager software, where they can be converted into layered bitmap images for use in Photoshop or Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, or as vectors for Illustrator or SketchBook Designer. 

Pressure sensitivity in the pen means that the thickness of strokes is reflected in the digital artwork.
For more information: http://www.wacom.com

It uses standard removable ballpoint nibs that you can pick up from any art or stationary store, and changing them is a doddle using a hooked hole built into the case. It’s heavier than most ballpoint pens, and with a rechargeable battery in its top, its balance is a little top-heavy. 

Its very user friendly, simple to use and very small. A ballpoint pen with a tracker in it that records your strokes to a small box you can carry with you, it’s been described as the ideal digital tool for artists who prefer real pens to digital substitutes.

The iTwin is a tiny device like A USB stick with two ends, Twin allows you to securely access your entire hard drive. It’s as if you are carrying an access-key to all your files in a device that fits in the palm of your hand. 

Unlike portable storage, iTwin lets your data stay safely at home (or in the office). Wherever you then find yourself in the world, you can plug the portable end of your iTwin into any internet connected computer of either type and gain full, secure access to your office machine.

There’s no actual data carried on either end of the iTwin, and no data or capacity limits, so if you are on the other side of the world and want to view a huge video file, there’s no problem. 

And although it’s an outstandingly simple system to use, with no subscription charges or other complications. The security is extremely sophisticated. Only the two halves of the iTwin know the key to speak to each other and they generate a new key each time you pair them.
For more information: http://www.itwin.com

iTwin doesn’t store any data on itself. It just enables a secure connection between two computers. Your remote data can only be accessed if you have the physical iTwin with you. 

Additionally, you can set up your iTwin to require a password. iTwin is a secure USB device providing Two-Factor Authentication (hardware device + password). It includes a feature that allows you to remotely disable the connection if you lose your remote iTwin half. So you can get assured that your data is safe, even if you lose your iTwin device.

The Atomic Floyd SuperDarts offer powerful, punchy bass with clear high frequencies that are sure to appeal to fans of electronic and dance music. 

If you’re into electronic music, the skull-shaking bass offered by the Atomic Floyd SuperDarts will give you endless hours of pleasure with their bright red cable and shiny metal bits stuck on the end, bullet-like tips are back, complete with aggressive grooves. 

They’re machined from stainless steel, so should be sturdy enough to withstand an accidental attack from an errant foot. That metal does make them pretty heavy, so you’ll have to make sure you use the correct size of tips to ensure they don’t fall out of your ears. 

Settled in the top half of the left-hand cable you’ll find an in-line remote made from more of that tough metal.

The remote is placed so it dangles just below your chin, which makes it better for picking up your voice than some headsets we’ve used, and makes it easy to find when you have to quickly skip the songs. 

The SuperDarts use dual drivers, meaning you have two speakers pumping out music in each ear. The dual drivers handle low and high frequencies separately, with the purpose of providing a more defined sound than headphones that rely on one driver for everything. 

The silicon tips provide an excellent level of passive sound isolation, which allows you to listen at lower volumes, providing a clearer song and happier eardrums. 

The attention to detail has been so great that even the cable has been designed so that it doesn’t get tangled in knots when tucked away in your pocket. But, although these headphones are good, ultimately it all comes back to the price as it costs around £199.

Upon its first revelation to the world, the tourbillon was seen as a device of magic. Inspired by tourbillion watches—invented in the late 18th century to offset the supposed effects of gravity on accuracy by rotating a full 360º within a cage—Celsius’ love for mechanical triumphs of centuries past permeates the many components of the the Papillon. 

The Celsius X VI II Papillon Tourbillon Mobile Phone features a tourbillon, front-and-center within its sleek black case. It is used to tell time with the precision only a mechanical watch could offer, but built into a mobile communications device.
The Papillon Tourbillon may not feature an app market or a QWERTY keypad, but it is the phone for the luxury watch collector to add to their collection. That price may be silly, and we still prefer our trusty android smartphone, but we appreciate the craftsmanship of this beauty.

This cell phone merged with a tourbillion watch featuring a patented Remontage Papillon mechanism, heralds a new generation of objects with high emotional value. 

Celsius X VI II reinvents micro-mechanical applications to humanize the future of communication: pushing the boundaries of established watchmaking, each creation will be a significant step towards the dream of a completely mechanical mobile phone – a phone in which every function will operate mechanically, solely through human energy. Its starting price will approximately €200,000 ($275,000).
For more information: http://www.celsius-x-vi-ii.com

The successive design sketches reveal a quest for perfect elegant – skilfully contoured lines, fine materials and subtle details – through a functionalist approach, beauty without excess. 

The quality of the manufacture hints at a fine watchmaking influence. The pieces of the case are of the best workmanship, and most of the roughly 547 mechanical components are hand-finished.

This ultimate appeal is an asset that opens up new horizons, as Celsius X VI II begins to explore mechanical functions that will revolutionize the world of communications, things never before seen or heard that in the future will become a major sector of the prestige market.
Canon has officially revealed the hotly anticipated Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR, bringing a new 22.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+ Imaging Processor to the high-end digital camera party. 

Packing 61-point High Density Renticular Autofocus and up to 6fps continuous shooting, the EOS 5D Mark III also steps up its HD video game, capable of capturing 1080/24p, 25p and 30p as well as 720/60p half hour long clips with H.264 compression and a headphone jack for real-time audio monitoring, a first for an EOS model.
22.3-megapixel CMOS sensor– Basically, the quality of an image shot at ISO 25,600 by the Mark III should be similar to one shot at ISO 6,400 by the Mark II. 

Lower noise and higher sensitivity are promised from a gapless microlens design, with an eight channel readout doubling the speed the sensor can shuttle data to the imaging processor. The end result is better quality RAW, JPEG and movie. 

61 autofocus points–Canon claims that this is the same autofocus system used by their professional EOS-1D X dSLR. It allows you to track and acquire a focus lock on your subjects more quickly. 

6fps burst-mode shooting is great for capturing fast-paced action such as sports or event photography. In-camera High Dynamic Range (HDR)–Shutterbugs now have the ability to capture the same scene in three different exposures and combine the images in-camera resulting in an evenly-exposed image.
Video makers can now have their full-HD videos time-coded and the company claims that the camera’s video capabilities have reduced moiré and artifacts. In recognition of some of its new features Canon has given the EOS 5D Mark III a Creative Photo button. 

This enables users to select Picture Styles, capture multiple exposures and access the HDR shooting mode. 5D MKIII is capable of recording and merging three shots to produce a high dynamic range image.

As portable as it is pretty, this imaginative new synthesizer is a music warehouse in a tiny form factor. The Teenage Engineering OP-1 Synthesizer includes eight unique synthesis engines, a slew of on-board effects, a live sampler and a built-in 4-track tape-style recorder.

Synthesizers like this one produce a nearly innumerable amount of electronic sounds by the manipulation of wave forms. Select a basic wave form or two, twiddle a few of the knobs to effect its tone and volume over time, then play out a melody with the two-octave keyboard. 

You can then record your melody on the included 4-track recorder which works just like old-fashioned analog tape.

For more information: http://www.teenageengineering.com

You can sample a sound from another song, something you say or sing, or even something off of the built-in (and totally awesome) FM radio.That recording capability (and the FM radio) make this little stunner a serious synthesizer. 

Add to it that it’s fully portable (and capable of 16 hours of use per charge) and you have reason to celebrate. It can connect to PC/Mac/Linux systems via USB for greater control and to transfer completed songs to and from the device for storage.

The Skiff Reader brings two new technologies to the large-scale e-reader market: a touchscreen e-ink display and “silicon thin-film-transistors on a flexible steel substrate”. 

The Skiff Reader pushes the e-reader standard by featuring a full touchscreen display spanning 11.5-inches. The “silicon thin-film-transistors” technology is a bit more esoteric. 

In short, the technology used in the Skiff Reader makes it flexible– meaning it can bend and warp on a whim, giving it a more durable and rugged build in contrast to those crackable Kindles. 

The Skiff uses a metal foil design that merges with the thin film transistors to fit into a low-profile shape, in this case just a quarter-inch in thickness. The Skiff Reader has overtaken the as the largest e-reader on the market, but its size isn’t what makes the Skiff so special. 

It provides a new, finger-friendly world of navigation as you flip pages, highlight and select content modules and skim through your favorite ebooks.