Fetish
The Sun Has No Meter
If you can't afford to be ejected from cyberspace because of loss of power, look to the sun. The Solarex SX30 solar panel (US$299) can charge the Power Pack rechargeable battery ($69) while it juices your computer, letting you work at the beach, in the outback, or in my case, in the backyard with a PowerBook 180c. I can go all day and at least five hours into the night before I have to switch to my standard battery power. The Real Goods Catalog sells all you need, offering a wide selection of solar technology products. My setup cost US$770. Real Goods Trading Corp.: (800) 762 7325 (orders only), +1 (707) 468 9292.
Speed Limit: 150 mph
From the aerodynamic coach work to the five-spoke alloy wheels, everything about the Supra Turbo from Toyota says "fast." Its six-speed manual transmission and 3.0-liter engine with twin sequential turbochargers make it easy to reach the maximum speed of 150 mph, at which time a built in speed-limitation device kicks in. With loads of horsepower and excellent cornering, even the basic four-speed, US$44,100 Supra Turbo will give you the performance of a Lamborghini with the reliability and easy maintenance of a Toyota. (800) 331 4331, +1 (310) 618 4000.
Fast Focus
One of the problems I have with binoculars is constant refocusing. To use the new Autofocus binoculars from Minolta you simply press the Autofocus power button, and the subject you want to see comes into razor-sharp focus. For moving objects, hold down the AF button, and it will continuously update the focus. Designed to reduce eyestrain and wrist fatigue, the binoculars have lenses made from distortion-free glass and prisms that correct color aberration. 10 x 23 model: US$342. Minolta: +1 (210) 825 4000.
Stack This, Sucker
Dealing with mounds of data requires efficient storage and retrieval. Sony has just unveiled its first multifunctional 5.25-inch magneto-optical jukebox: the OSL-2000. By combining fast robotics and 20 mag-neto-optical discs, you can have almost instant access to 26 Gbytes of storage capacity. The discs are loaded into two removable 10-slot magazines, making it easy to carry around and archive large amounts of data. The OSL-2000 has an LCD screen with a GUI interface and three buttons – no DIP switches or one-line interfaces. The jukebox will be priced at US$8,000 to $10,000, depending on configuration. Sony: (800) 352 7669, +1 (408) 432 1600.
Newton's Envoy Envy
The personal digital assistant market is heating up. Priced under US$1,500, Motorola's Envoy represents the best merger of hardware and software in a PDA to date. The Magic Cap software platform displays an image of your desk, with your calendar/date book, telephone, Rolodex, file cabinet, clock, and an In/Out box. I bet you already know what these objects do, which is the whole point. Even better, when you get tired of "sitting" at your virtual desk, you can step outside and go to the library or the game room, or even "Downtown," where you can shop at stores for products and services. Motorola: (800) 535 5775, +1 (708) 576 1600.
Video Mixmaster
Bored by the same old point-and-shoot home videos? The new Panasonic WJ-AVE7 digital A/V mixer will let you add spice to your presentations in the form of image superimposition, picture-in-picture, still strobe, mosaic, and paint effects. The advanced features of the US$2,000 digital A/V mixer allow you to apply effects to two video sources simultaneously. With all these tricks, dinner guests won't fall asleep at your next home movie screening. (They might get motion sickness, though.) Panasonic: +1 (201) 348 9090.
Gobstoppers for Your Laundry
Environmentally conscious fetishists use Clean Power Washing Disks instead of toxic detergents. Just throw this reusable three-disk set into your wash load. Electrically charged ceramic particles inside each disk ionize the water as it is agitated during the wash cycle, which helps release dirt and odors from clothes. For the most part, the disks get your clothes clean and fresh, but you may need to keep a little detergent on hand for tough stains. The US$69 Clean Power Disks are good for two years, or about 500 washes. Real Goods Trading Corp.: (800) 762 7325 (orders only), +1 (707) 468 9292.
Magic Fingers Vest
The Interactor Vest from Aura Systems, Inc. will kick you in the chest and tickle you up and down your spine. Strap it on and plug it into the audio output of any game, CD, or TV system. Using the same technology currently employed at the Luxor Hotel's Theater of the Future, the US$100 vest translates bass sounds into transducer vibrations. Adjustments allow you to filter out particular sounds while intensifying others. With the Interactor, playing Mortal Kombat will never be the same again. Aura Systems Inc.: +1 (310) 643 5300.
A Notebook for Batman
Batman would love the retrofuturistic look of the PowerBook 540c from Apple. Its 68LC040 processor gives it the same raw power as a Quadra, but the most radical innovation has to be the TrackPad, a small rectangle that sits where the trackball used to go. By wiping your finger over the smooth Mylar surface, you move the cursor across an active matrix color monitor. One bummer: with all the features jammed into this laptop, it's Popeye, not Batman, that'll come to mind after you lug it around. At 7.3 pounds, it'll make your forearms huge. US$5,000 (approximate). Apple: (800) 538 9696, +1 (408) 996 1010.
Little Engine That Can
For cyclists who want a little push up those big hills, try the Hammer from Chronos Research. With the flick of a switch on your handlebars, this battery-powered 2-pound motor delivers a 0.2-horsepower burst of energy. The rechargeable battery weighs 3.7 pounds and fits nicely into the average water-bottle holder. But don't get too comfortable: you'll still have to pedal, just not as hard. The battery pack delivers enough juice for about ten to fifteen minutes of continuous hill climbing. Chronos Research: (800) 364 8894, +1 (619) 455 7345.
Faxman
While on my honeymoon in Australia I couldn't resist visiting the Computers 94 conference in Sydney. My fetish antenna homed right in on the Microfax. It's a Walkman-sized fax system that can redirect the faxes it receives (it has a fifteen-page memory) to any other fax machine or retrieve stored faxes from any remote fax machine. It easily connects to your computer or printer to produce output. Macintosh version, A$760 (US$428); PC version, A$690 (US$398). Microfax Modems Pty. Limited: +61 (2) 918 0068, fax: +61 (2) 918 8627.
Hot Seat
Originally designed for race car drivers to alleviate fatigue from sitting in the same position for a long time, Recaro seats became highly sought after by serious street drivers. Now you can enjoy Recaro comfort while you're driving your mouse around the screen. The US$3,499 Recaro desk chair is designed to alleviate neck and back tension with an S-curve that supports your spine. And just as you'd expect for any high-performance automobile, this leather chair has recline positions and lower lumber support and is electronically controllable, powered by two 6-volt batteries. Recaro: (800) 873 2276, +1 (313) 288 6800.
Edited By David Jacobs
