__ Fetish - F E T I S H __
__ Take It with You __
Very soon, computers will make the great leap off the desktop. With this goal in mind, Adam Oranchak designed Wearable Information Technology Unit 1, a truly portable computer. The bag contains a 386 CPU, 8 Mbytes of RAM, and a 20-Mbyte hard drive. A five-button chording keyboard and LCD have been fused into a single handheld unit, and a small trackball provides all the pointing capability you need in your favorite Windows programs. Oranchak completed the project as his industrial design thesis at Pratt Institute. If you fancy staying two steps ahead of the Joneses, he'll make you a bag of your own. Adam Oranchak, Schema Design Labs: oranchak @pipeline.com.
__ Digital Pocketcam __
Sate your technology fetish while on the road with JVC's latest in video cameras the GR-DV1. About the size of your average walkman, the DV1 is the smallest and lightest camcorder in the world. It records digital video, audio, and still frames. And since it fits easily inside your pocket, it's ready for anything you are. Back at home, you can use the docking station for playback on TV or output to videotape. GR-DV1: US$2,999. JVC Company of America: +1 (201) 794 3900.
__ Music of Tomorrow __
The theremin, granddaddy of the modern synthesizer, has added ethereal sound and atmosphere to countless drive-in flicks, not to mention the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations." Big Briar has updated Leo Theremin's vintage design with contemporary analog and digital integrated circuitry. Controlled by moving your hands around two brass antennae, this beauty resonates over more than six octaves, from a low growl to an unearthly squeal. Series 91 Theremin: US$2,500 for traditional walnut model. Big Briar Inc.: +1 (704) 251 0090.
__ Mickey and Minnie __
Deep in the Guinness Book of Records is a mention of the world's smallest robot, Monsieur. Meet its siblings, Ricordo and Lubie, two microbots from Seiko Epson in Japan. The mouseketeers have light sensors in their eyes and 32-KHz processors for brains. Ricordo can rerun a course by recalling stored data, while Lubie (French for whim) will skitter toward any light source and act, well, whimsical. Each bot comes with a flashlight, manual, and charging unit. They're only available in Japan, so call ahead. Ricordo and Lubie: ¥60,000 (approximately US$569) each. Seiko Epson Corp: fax +81 (263) 52 9922.
__ Good Evening, Dave __
Sometimes even a Sun SPARCstation isn't enough. If you hanker for raw, gut-wrenching power, take a gander at the new SPARC-based HALstations. Based on HAL Computer Systems' 64-bit microprocessor and running a version of Solaris 2.4 with 64- bit extensions, the HALstation blows the doors off single-processor Sun workstations while maintaining compatibility with current 32-bit Solaris applications. The flagship HALstation 350 cradles a 118-MHz processor, along with a 2-Gbyte hard disk, 64 Mbytes of RAM, and a 20-inch monitor. HALstation 350: US$23,115. HAL Computer Systems, a Fujitsu Company: (800) 425 0329, +1 (408) 379 7000.
__ Juice Squeezer __
If you care about the size of your monthly electric statement but are too busy to turn everything off when you leave the office, the Steelcase Power Pincher power strip fits the bill. An infrared sensor attached to the strip detects movement in the area if all's quiet, it shuts down three of its five outlets. The Power Pincher incorporates a programmable time delay for shutdown, and the sensor has a Velcro strip for easy mounting. Power Pincher: US$142. Steelcase Inc.: +1 (616) 247 2277.
__ Mouse That Roared __
Coffee with sugar and donuts with rings, these are a few of my favorite things. Unfortunately, my mouse isn't as fond of that which misses my mouth. Not to worry. DuraPoint is an industrial-strength pointing device that can take a java spill with the grace of a four-star waiter and handle a toss from a five-story building with ease. Made from stainless steel with silicone rubber buttons, this mouse can truly take a licking. DuraPoint: US$279. Interlink Electronics Inc.: +1 (805) 484 8855.
__ Ease of Use __
Just about every TV in the US originated in Japan, but it's the sets you don't see on this side of the Pacific that will really get you going. The Sharp LCD Display TV sports a 10.4-inch active-matrix screen with TV and radio tuners. The monitor can be swung left and right or tilted for optimum viewing pleasure. And while many TVs come with off-timers, this beauty has an on-timer you'll never miss the start of your favorite show again. In the tradition of the walkman, the Display TV is a stellar example of Japan's vision. But why add the radio tuner? LC-104TV1: ¥150,000 (around US$1,423). Sharp Corp.: +81 (6) 625 3007, fax +81 (6) 628 1667.
__ Verbal Abuse __
Motorola's Tenor voice pager combines both paging and answering-machine technology and it fits in your back pocket. It looks and works like a pager, alerting you when messages are received. But like that old clunker next to the phone, the Tenor lets you listen to as well as rewind, fast forward, scan, delete, and save messages. Though the Tenor stores only four minutes of messages, any extra messages are stored in a "virtual memory bank" and can be accessed once your old messages are deleted. Tenor: US$20 per month. Motorola Corp.: (800) 520 7243; +1 (817) 245 4663.
__ Get Coordinated __
Trek fans take heart, the tricorder is here. Vital Technologies' Tricorder Mark 1 is the first environmental sensing device marketed not toward researchers and scientists but to the general Trek-loving public. The Mark 1 can detect EMF emissions, monitor light intensity, record temperature and measure barometric pressure. It also functions as a colorimeter to help style-challenged Trekkies pick out matching fabric patterns and wallpaper. Oh, and it tells time, too. TR-107 Tricorder Mark 1: US$398. Vital Technologies Corp.: (800) 263 0096, +1 (905) 951 1219.
__ Cone of Sound __
Need some isolation? The Virtual Audio Imager will immerse you in an ocean of panoramic, lifelike sound. At first glance, the Audio Imager looks like a castoff from the set of Get Smart. The domed unit can be positioned to fit any device and will streamline sound to a chosen focal point. By isolating stereo sound and using the reflective properties of the dome, the Audio Imager performs like a pair of headphones without the funky earmuffs. Virtual Audio Imager: US$699 to $799. Brown Innovations: +1 (312) 296 6400, fax +1 (312) 296 4350.
__ Scalpariffic! __
This is simply the best-designed late-night TV mail-order money waster you'll ever see. Put the Skälpi over your noggin and stomp around like Buck Rogers or one of those nasty Battlestar Galactica Cylons. Once you're done impressing yourself, flip the on-switch and enjoy a massage on the nape of your neck and scalp. Be forewarned, however, that its highest settings do have an unsettling effect on the uninitiated. Skälpi: US$120. Wisco Development Inc.: (800) 769 4726, +1 (818) 980 6330.
