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Mobiado's 712 Mokume Gane: because your Galaxy S lacks ancient Japanese metallurgical craftsmanship
Is there any way to sensibly justify Mobiado's colossally overpriced, underspec'd handsets? Not as far as we can tell -- but Mobiado seems to be eminently aware of (and okay with) that, diving yet deeper into the bottomless pit of conspicuous consumption this week with the announcement of the 712 Mokume Gane candybar. What's "Mokume Gane" mean, you ask? Well, turns out it refers to an ancient Japanese metalworking technique used to craft decorative weapons in which several types of metals are folded into one another to create a wood grain look. Oh, and if you're wondering why they don't just simply things a bit and use real wood, the short answer is that Mobiado already does that -- see the 712EM model -- so this would be for people looking for a little more heft (and presumably, cost). As with most of Mobiado's models, this is a situation where you're going to have to hit up a retailer to find out how close to bankruptcy the phone is going to push you.
Safretti's back with Double Vision hanging HDTV / fireplace combo
Nothing quite says "the holidays" like warming up to an artificial fire in a spacious, well-appointed apartment while watching a DVD of generic snow-filled landscapes. Unless you're in our family, in which case "the holidays" is more about drunken egg nog brawls and recrimination. Either way, it looks like the kids at Safretti have improved their hanging, portable fireplaces the only way, really, that it could be improved upon: by adding an HD LCD TV to the mix. We're not sure what the Netherlands-based company is charging for this, but seeing as how this purveyor of ultra-expensive home furnishings doesn't even have an office in the states (the closest is in Mexico, and the one in Liechtenstein refuses to answer our emails) we're pretty sure you can't afford it anyways. It comes in two sizes, featuring either a 37-inch or 47-inch TV. Get a closer look after the break.
Manufacture Royale debuts $1.2 million Opera accordion watch, Sir Steampunk scoffs
Well, pardon us. We balked at the $208 price tag affixed to Tokyoflash's RPM LED wristwatch, but the value proposition there now looks an awful lot brighter when compared to this. Manufacture Royale's looking to catch at least one or two elitists off guard with its new Opera Time-Piece, a $1.2 million device that's composed of 319 parts in the wilds of Switzerland. Purportedly, it was designed by Fabrique du Temps, and the minute repeater plays the hours in the key of A as the minutes chime in C sharp. It's also encased in 18k gold, sapphire crystal and a healthy dose of self-worth. Word on the street has it that only a dozen of these will be made available for sale, with the accordion casing being the standout feature in our eyes. In a manner of speaking, of course.
Hasselblad's Ferrari-branded H4D camera: now available for just €21,499
Now that you've wasted precious moments of your life saving $10 here, $8 there and $6.23 in your local Target, how's about a Black Friday deal that you'll never forget. Hasselblad's Ferrari-branded H4D medium format camera, which we saw unveiled earlier this year at Photokina, is now shipping to the affluent, the zany, and the select few that happen to be both. So far as we can tell, this is just an H4D with a Ferrari-approved design scheme, and neither point helps to make this thing anywhere near affordable. A grand total of 499 are being made available today, with each one to run €21,499 ($28,425) + tax. Who knew you'd be buying something today that's only purchasable via your Centurion card -- puts a whole new spin on Black Friday, huh?
Olive's 2TB O6HD music server makes audiophiles (and designers) swoon
How exactly does a boutique outfit like Olive match its lowest-end offering yet? Why, by announcing it's highest-end offering yet merely two months later, of course! Sure enough, Olive has just issued its newest music server (the O6HD) with an eye on affluent audiophiles -- ones willing to pay a meager $4,999 for a 2TB unit. Aside from buying what's likely the most guapo piece of AV equipment we've ever seen, that tally also nets you a pair of TI 192khz / 24-bit Burr-Brown PCM1792 modules, "flawless" encoding and decoding of lossless audio, simultaneous stream support, an ultra-quiet 2T AV hard drive, eight layers of noise canceling padding, a TEAC CD-RW drive, gobs of analog and digital outputs, a gigabit Ethernet jack, inbuilt 802.11n WiFi, HDMI out, a USB 2.0 port and a 10.1-inch 800 x 480 color touchpanel. It's all encased in a fine-grade aluminum shell (passively cooled), leaving you with only one simple decision: silver or black, Sir Godfrey? %Gallery-107496%
Mobiado 105 Damascus handled on video, which is the closest you'll ever get to one
Mobiado's 105 series of Series 40-based luxury candybars is nothing new -- in fact, it's quite old -- but as Vertu has discovered over the years, customers that are looking to spend four or five figures on a phone are apparently often uninterested in smartphone capability for some reason. On that note, the 105 rolls on with the recent introduction of the 105 Damascus, coated in hand-forged Damascus steel from Sweden with sandblasted (or rather, glass bead-blasted) steel buttons and screws to match. That's neat, but you know what isn't neat? The 2 megapixel camera, the 2-inch display, or the "more than" 1GB of memory available. Anyhow, enough venting -- point is, the recently-announced device has gotten a little hands-on time courtesy of Vietnamese site MaiNguyen, and though the steel edges are admittedly pretty beautiful, they wouldn't seem to come anywhere near justifying the phone's heart-stopping $4,500 asking price. Judge for yourself in the video (paired with a hands-on of some neat Damascus steel pen) after the break.
ASUS finally ships Lamborghini Eee PC VX6, but mind that gas guzzler tax
It was introduced way back in June, but it looks as if ASUS has just now gotten its ducks in a row with regard to this speedster. The 12.1-inch Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is now shipping across the pond, offering an Intel Atom D525 processor, NVIDIA Optimus graphics and Bang & Olufsen audio. It's available from a host of retailers for £499 ($798), and there's precisely zero doubt that you'll be buying one. Because, you know -- nothing goes together quite like bargain basement hardware and elitist branding, right? Bonus vid is after the break, if you're so inclined. Update: B&H has this guy for sale in America for $673! Thanks, Roland!
CrystalRoc Galaxy Tab: 5,700 Swarovski crystals, zero shame
We can only assume that Stuart Hughes will eventually one-up it with a gold-plated, diamond-encrusted model of its own but, for the time being, it looks like this new CrystalRoc Galaxy Tab is the most "exclusive" Android tablet around. While there's no word on a price (we assume it's on a need to know basis), CrystalRoc does proudly boast that the tablet packs 5,700 Swarosvski bright crystals, not to mention a custom logo to match. Head on past the break for a quick video, and look for this one to show up exclusively at Harrods in London on Monday, November 1st.
Bang & Olufsen rolls out 32-inch BeoVision 10-32
It's still a long way from the more budget-friendly model you may have been hoping for, but Bang & Olufsen has now at least introduced a smaller BeoVision LCD TV. That comes in the form of the company's new 32-inch BeoVision 10-32, which hangs onto many of the features of the other BeoVision 10 series TVs, including edge LED-backlighting, a DVB-HD module, and a pair of built-in speakers that B&O says offers a sound quality that is "quite superior compared to the market level for TVs of this size" -- you can even add your choice of one of two motorized stands. Just how much will it cost you? Try €4,000, or roughly $5,500. Full press release is after the break.
Munk Bogballe debuts Classic Bespoke luxury laptop line: $7,000 and way, way up
With a name like Munk Bogballe, it has to be pricey... right? Right. 2.5 years after launching what's likely the most expensive MacBook of all time, the aforesaid purveyor of fine, fine mobile computers has introduced its Classic Bespoke collection -- at the Millionaire Fair in Moscow, no less. So, what does a base price of €5,200 ($7,180) buy you? A 5.1 pound slab of aluminum, accented with lush leather, a mahogany screen frame, freshwater pearl on / off button and oodles of gold. Oh, and a single line of diamonds, presumably for squeezing out six to ten more frames per second in Portal. You may also expect to get only the latest and greatest when it comes to technology, but you'd be badly mistaken; the standard configuration ships with a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a paltry 500GB hard drive. If you're hot for an SSD, ostrich leather or an 18 carat gold power button, that'll be extra. Not like you really care, Mr. Millionaire. %Gallery-106090%
Microsoft to spend one billion dollars advertising Kinect and Windows Phone 7
Microsoft's serious about making Kinect a success. A $500 million kind of serious. That's the latest report, courtesy of the New York Post, on the change Steve Ballmer and company intend to drop to make sure that every living and breathing creature in the US knows about the controller-free controller this holiday season. That mirrors earlier analyst estimates placing the Windows Phone 7 marketing budget at a similar figure, which in total would amount to a cool billion dollars in advertising expenditure. We already know Microsoft's scooped the Old Spice Guy for WP7, but Kinect is getting the extra special carpet bombing treatment with Burger King, Pepsi, YouTube, Nickelodeon, Disney, Glee, Dancing with the Stars, People and InStyle magazines, and even Times Square all having a role to play in spreading the word. Yup, it's gonna be pretty hard to miss it.
No Comment: A diamond-encrusted iPhone 4
So, Apple's free bumper case wasn't enough for you? Do you want to encase your iPhone in something a little more ... erm, maybe "classy" isn't necessarily the word for this one. At any rate, as you can see above, customizer Stuart Hughes has enwrapped this iPhone 4 in over 500 diamonds (totaling over 100 karats), which are placed around the outside (that antenna gap has never looked so sparkly), on the Apple logo, and on the Home button. The back of the phone is plated in gold, and the unit comes in its own custom-made granite box. Total price: US$8 million. Apparently, two were made, and both were for an Australian businessman who wanted a little more bling on his iOS device. Was it worth it? No comment. [via Engadget]
Vertu Constellation Quest 'coming soon,' finally puts QWERTY in your Hermès handbag
What's been missing from Vertu's lineup so far? Okay, yes, a touchscreen model -- touché -- but what we were really getting at was a version with a full QWERTY keyboard. The company has started sending out emails teasing a new Constellation Quest model, and while you can't make much either from the included picture or from the Flash-based teaser site you're directed to, it's pretty obvious there's QWERTY involved -- perfect for texting in your bids to Christie's, agreeing to a sale price for your summer home in the Hamptons over email, or letting Jeeves know to have the jet fueled and ready while you're still in the back of the Roller some 45 minutes away. Needless to say, we're confident it'll carry on the Vertu tradition of being overpriced and under-capable, but let's be honest: does a billionaire have the time to figure out how to use a smartphone anyhow? [Thanks, Mudilamus]
Leica announces Nieman Marcus Edition M9: $17,500, limited to 50
Is that Leica M9 Titanium announced at Photokina last month not limited enough for you at just 500 units available? Then take a gander at the Leica M9 Neiman Marcus Edition pictured above, which is available exclusively through Neiman Marcus's Christmas Book, and is limited to a mere fifty units. The camera itself is, of course, the same M9 you already know and covet, although it's wrapped in a brown ostrich leather trim this time around, and it comes paired with a chrome-finished Summicron-M 35mm f2.0 ASPH lens for this occasion. Sure it costs $17,500, but that includes Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 and a personal delivery from a Leica photography expert, who will also provide a private training and orientation session. It's really quite a bargain when you think about it.
Ultrasone Edition 10 headphones sound and are expensive: $2,749 for one of only 2,010 made
Hands up if you actually know what ruthenium is. Don't worry if you don't, it's just used as an external plating on these extremely luxurious open-back cans. More familiar expensive materials can be found within, with titanium-plated 40mm drivers, silver-plated copper wires with 99.99 percent purity and kevlar-coated cables, and of course, for that extra special touch, Ethiopian sheepskin earcup pads. That's skin, not wool, so bear it in mind if you care for the welfare of little fluffy ones. Either way, the Ultrasone Edition 10s do seem like they've packed just enough luxury and exclusivity to justify their $2,745 price -- only thing we need now is a matching mahogany furniture set, preferably with some endangered species' heads adorning our walls.
Colorware ships its first original product: the $300 Grip for iPad (hands-on)
Colorware's been making the products you buy look better (or worse, if you'd like) for years on end, but up until now, it has never actually created a product from scratch. Enter the Grip for iPad, a simplistic new iPad holster that's less of a case and more of a handle. It's a metal frame that you bolt around the edges of your tablet, and as you can tell, it adds a major grabbing point to the side. But here's the rub: it's $300. Yeah, three Benjamins. We get that it's manufactured in Minnesota using that high-priced American labor, but seriously? The major problem is just how awkward that $300 price tag looks beside the $499 MSRP of the device it's supposed to hold; imagine buying a $13,000 set of tires for your $17,000 vehicle. It just doesn't sit well in the cranium. And then there's the problem of using it. %Gallery-104030% You see, as nice as it is to have a handle on your tablet at all times, it makes actually using the iPad in portrait mode practically impossible. You're constantly trying to figure out how to work around that bulge that's now there on the left side. Furthermore, it does essentially nothing for protection. The back is still wide open and susceptible to drops / scratches, and the front isn't recessed in the least. Adding insult to multiple injuries, there's not enough room to have a case wrapped around your iPad while it's inside of the Grip. Oh, and did we mention that the slightest bump against a rough surface will rip the paint right off of the device? We'd love to love the Grip -- it's mighty pretty and it's built like a tank -- but it simply makes no sense whatsoever at $300. Even at $100, you've got way better options when it comes to actually protecting your iPad. %Gallery-104033%
Hasselblad intros Ferrari-branded H4D camera, refuses to talk pricing (hands-on)
The big news out of Hasselblad this morning was the new entry(ish)-level H4D-31 at just under €10,000, with the CFV-50 adding yet another option in the higher-than-high-end category. But what really caught our eye was the flashy red version that popped up just as the press conference was concluding. We were told that Hasselblad had teamed with Ferrari in order to create a limited run of Ferrari-branded H4D medium format cameras, and the model on-hand had just received approval from Ferrari's paint squad yesterday. Yeah, it's like that. As for detailed specs? Fuhgetaboutit. And as for pricing? "You'll have to speak with Ferrari on that" was that line that we were fed. Only 499 of these beauties will ever be produced, and czars you never knew existed are phoning in their orders from the Seychelles right now. But hey, at least we had our camera (a lowly D3S) ready when it was unlocked from its carbon fiber box for a grand total of 30 seconds, right? Indulge yourself below -- but don't go getting too cocky, okay?
Leica quietly showcases D-Lux 5, redesigned X1 and rebranded DMC-FZ100
We're tucked away in Leica's high-brow design preview event here in Köln, and while it appears that the vast majority of those in attendance showed just to boast about their suit, we're strictly here for the gear. That being said, let us be the first to formally introduce you to the now-official D-Lux 5 rangefinder. Or, sort of official D-Lux 5. Unlike the M9 'Titanium' -- which the company spent a solid two hours boasting about -- the D-Lux 5 (a rebranded / tweaked LX5?) has been given nothing but a passing glance of affirmation, though we're anticipating a more formal release with specifications and the like tomorrow. Leica aficionados have likely been hearing whispers of this beaut for the past dozen months, but at long last, the unicorn has apparently transformed into a Gypsy Vanner. Though, still a mysterious one. In case that's not exactly your cup of million-dollar tea, it appears that Panasonic's DMC-FZ100 -- deemed the world's best megazoom by critics back in August -- has been reborn as a Leica, though the shell doesn't appear to have changed at all. Of course, we've seen Leica pull this rebranding trick before, but we're sure the so-called V-Lux 2M is far superior in some way that we've yet to be informed about. Rounding out the round of mystique is the gently refashioned X1, which was seen sporting a far more luxurious casing compared to the original. Feel free to drown yourself in the images below, and keep it locked right here for more as we hear it. %Gallery-102818% %Gallery-102820% %Gallery-102821%
Leica introduces M9 'Titanium,' limited to just 500 luscious pieces
Can't afford anything that's been introduced at Photokina so far? Unfortunately for you, there's hardly a chance that Leica's newest limited edition product will be the one that slips under the budget. At the outfit's exclusive press preview this evening in Cologne, a gallery of executives from Leica and Volkswagen (who chipped in on the design) formally unveiled the M9 'Titanium.' For all intents and purposes, this is just a souped-up M9, but there's plenty to love for those who fancy high-fashion. You know, like a trim that uses leather "typically reserved for the interiors of Audi's premium automobiles." According to Leica, "anything that looks like titanium, is titanium." It's also coated with a fingerprint-resistant overlay, and the bundle is slated to include the camera itself, a 35mm Summilux F/1.4 prime lens, lens hood, a new carrying concept (just a single hook for a carry strap), a newfangled electronic illumination system and a fanciful cardboard box made somewhere in the Black Forest. Just 500 of these kits are being produced and sold for an undisclosed amount starting in November, and chances are all but one or two have already been claimed. Good luck getting in line, and you might as well forget scoring the four millionth Leica camera to be produced since 1923 -- a specially-stamped M9 'Titanium' -- as that one's being given away to someone far more important than us tonight. %Gallery-102807% %Gallery-102808%
Olive Media finally goes 'affordable' with sexy $999 O3HD music server
We'll hand it to 'em -- Olive Media sure knows how to design a music server. For the niche crowd out there wishing to blow big bucks on a not-at-all-multifaceted jukebox, the company has just introduced its first "affordable" HD music server, the O3HD. It's designed after the OH4D, which retailed for a buck under two large when it debuted last November. This guy, on the other hand, is listed for the low, low price of $999, and it's pretty obvious to see which corner was cut the most. The aforesaid 4HD packed a 2TB HDD, and while Olive isn't saying how large (or small, as it were) the hard drive is in the O3HD, it's built to hold just 1500 CDs versus 6000 in the 4HD. Ideally, you'd rip all of your discs directly to the system, where it would store them as FLAC (lossless) files and then pump them out over the 24-bit DAC. There's also a color touchpanel on the front, support for internet radio and a gratis iPhone / iPad controller app, just so you know. She's on sale starting today should you find yourself with copious amounts of disposable income.
