Fetish
Beyond Mirror Shades
Revo sunglasses use lenses originally developed for the space program. Their unprecedented clarity and outrageous metallic colors are the reasons I own four pairs. I never thought I needed a fifth ...until now. The US$195 Revo Wraps hug the face to reduce wind resistance, and the full-peripheral lenses protect the eyes without interfering with vision. When my outings involve high-speed bike rides, ski runs, or pickup basketball games, Revo Wraps are my shades of choice. (800) 367-7386, +1 (415) 962 0906.
The Sun Also Travels
Computer users with a fetish for power need workstation-level speed wherever they go. Sun Microsystems's 15-pound Voyager is the first fully transportable SPARC workstation. With a 60-MHz microSPARC II processor, you'd expect it to suck a lot of watts. Wrong! The US$14,995 Voyager is EPA Energy Star certified and has power management capabilities that extend battery and system life. And it's quiet - the power supply is cool enough not to need a fan. There's even an infrared interface for integrating personal digital assistants with the system. (800) 821 4643, +1 (415) 960 1300.
Quick Takes
Tired of trips to the one-hour photo shack? Then go digital, with the Apple QuickTake 100. This US$700 camera uses no film, has an automatic flash, and lets you shoot 24-bit high-resolution color images. Weighing in at under a pound, the QuickTake 100 is as easy to tote around as a standard camera. When you're back from your field trip, just hook the supplied cable to your serial port, load the QuickTake software, and download the images to your Mac. This may be the easiest way to bring the world you see into the computer you use. (800) 776 2333, +1 (408) 996 1010.
Digital Deep
A case of the bends can ruin your whole day. That's why wired divers take the US$168 Scubapro SG-12 depth gauge with them when they embark on a voyage to the bottom of the sea. Worn on the wrist, the brightly colored unit features a luminescent LCD display that not only provides a precision depth reading but also keeps track of current depth, maximum depth, and time spent under water. A special feature that logs accumulated total dive hours is useful for determining when to get your regulator serviced. (800) 467 2822, +1 (310) 639 7850.
When Less is More
Need to stash a gigabyte of data in your jacket pocket? For low-cost, compact data storage, you can't beat this new format from Sony. The MD DATA drive holds 140 MBytes of rewritable data on a US$20 2.5-inch MiniDisc. The drive is available in both external and internal SCSI-controlled configurations. Each unit comes with a pair of headphones, so when you're finished crunching bytes, pop in a music MiniDisc and kick back. US$400- $700 (exact pricing to be announced). (800) 222 7669, +1 (201) 368 9272.
Use ONLY for Research Purposes
Sigma Chemical Co. is the place to shop for all your venom, scent, and mind-altering-drug needs. Cop a gram of 9, 10,-didehydro-6methyl-ergoline- 8beta-carboxylic acid (aka LSD) for US$194.65. (Note: You'll need to file some paperwork to get your order approved; call for details.) Need to train dogs to find people in collapsed buildings? Try Sigma Pseudo Distressed Body Scent, created to smell like a person who's in a state of panic. They've even manufactured scent to replicate the smell of a decaying human body. (800) 325 3010, +1 (314) 771 5765.
Bike Thieves: May They All Starve
Integrated Cycle Systems' B.A.D. Pack Attack integrates a standard U-lock with a pair of patented B.A.D. Bones, which are two steel strips that grip the U-lock on both sides and run across the center, and a collar that blocks a thief's ability to place a tool over the key mechanism. This extra reinforcement makes a jack, pipe, or two-by-four useless for your would-be thief. For US$35 this is low-tech insurance for your high-tech bike. (800) 597 2663, +1 (415) 543 4466.
Replace Your Antique PDA
Even though I knew that the original Newton MessagePad was an "almost, but not quite" product, that didn't stop me from running right out and buying it. Six months later, I want the new one. On the hardware side, the US$599 MessagePad 110 is a little narrower than the original, sports a protective cover, supports three times the memory for data storage, and has a much longer battery life. On the software side, the MessagePad 110 includes a feature to defer handwriting recognition until later and uses character- based, instead of word-based, recognition. (800) 776 2333, +1 (408) 996 1010.
Bristly Buzz
The Sonicare toothbrush buzzes at 31,000 strokes per minute - over 150 times faster than you or I can brush on our best day. Besides being the fastest toothbrush on the block, what makes the US$149.95 Sonicare so cool is that it works beyond the bristles, emitting high-frequency sonic waves that oscillate, creating tiny air pockets that penetrate the gaps and hard- to-reach areas of your teeth to break away plaque. (800) 682 7664, +1 (206) 957 0970.
Desktop Performance
Factory-standard computer speakers suck. The Bose Acoustimass-3 is a three- piece speaker set designed specifically to deliver the most from any desktop multimedia experience. Just connect the cable from the sound output jack on your computer to the three-amplifier base module, which you can stash under the desk. Two magnetically shielded 3-inch cube speakers sit atop little stands on your desk. The US$699 system is a must for anyone requiring high-fidelity audio, like sound designers and MIDI composers. But this is also highly recommended even if you just like to rock out while working at your computer. (800) 444 2673, +1 (508) 879 7330.
Search No More
Owning every phone book in the US could be a real nightmare. I used to have a complete set for Northern California, but I couldn't walk through my office. Now, one of the best CD-ROM values on the market - SelectPhone - provides you with a nearly complete set of phone directories for the US. ProPhone gives you four CD-ROMs with more than 90 million names, addresses, and phone numbers for both residences and businesses. The information is culled from printed books, so no unlisted numbers appear. You can enter a phone number, and the program will cough up the corresponding name and address. Pretty scary. US$299. +1 (617) 631 9200.
Put Yourself on the Map
How would you like to know instantly the best way to get across town in an unfamiliar city? Sony's on-board car Mobile Navigation System uses Global Positioning System satellites to pinpoint your location. A 5-inch LCD display updates your position on a CD-ROM-based map. You can identify highways, state and local roads, hotels, local eateries, and airports. The NVX-F15 will sell for about US$2,200. (800) 222 7669, +1 (201) 368 9272.
Edited By David Jacobs
