« April 2008 | Main | June 2008 »
A typically confusing watch from Tokyoflash - but you can't deny that the Infection is eye-catching.
But those lights do make sense if you know what to look for - the red LEDs cover the hours, the ywllow LEDs show the progression of time in five minutes an the green LEDs indicate one minute. All of that is packed into a stainless steel casing, supported by a leather strap and with water resistance to 3 metres.
Yours for just over £70.
Ideal to use with your computer - or ideal without - the 10 Key Calculator by Sam Hecht can operate either way.
As you've probably worked out, it's got the look of a computer's numeric keypad and can be attached to your PC via a USB cable. Or you can slip it into your bag, just in case you want to whip out some cool design at your next meeting.
Available in red or white, you can pick one up for £45.
Looking for a mobile phone you'll not mind losing on a night out? The Hop 1800 from Hop-On could be for you.
Retailing for $10/£5, the phone takes most sim cards, has polyphonic ringtones and a talk time of four hours. It's even eco-friendly, with a $5 rebate for anyone giving the phone back at a later date for recycling.
The only downside is a lack of display. If that's not a problem, look out for it in the coming weeks.
Hop-On website
You can buy any 'block' style puzzle game for your child - but only Branded will give them the knowledge to be a consumer-savvy kid.
New from French design mavericks Atypyk, Branded gets your children familiar with the design of real life. And let's be honest, the sooner they know the different between Apple and other computers, the better.
This seven-piece wooden playset is available now, priced at 36 Euros.
A simple thing, but certainly an eye-catching design - the Henriette Melchiorsen Rubber Vase for Menu.
Re-introduced for 2008 in new (bold) colours, the Rubber Vase is very much as it says - with the look of a ceramic vase, but actually made of a sturdy rubber. Which means you'll have a job breaking this one.
Various sizes available, with prices starting at around £13 for the small version.
Find out more at the Panik Design website
Sleek, slimline and stylish - that's the Lexon Jet FM/clock radio.
It's part of a range of Jet items from industrial designer Theo Williams (which also includes a travel alarm and LCD clock), all with that minimalist casing in anodised aluminium or shiny gold. This particular model also features an electro-luminous LCD display, rotary tuning, MP3 player connectivity and date, time and temperature readings.
If it had DAB reception too, it would be near perfect. But if you're happy with FM, you can pick this up for £54.28.
Dell has been showing off images of its new budget mini laptop, but details about what it can do are still vague.
The laptop is expected to sell for around £250 and be available in red or black, with a screen around the 8.9-inch mark. According to tech site Engadget, it's expected to have a choice of Windows XP Home or Ubuntu Linux for the operating system, an 8-in-1 card reader, integrated webcam, direct media playback buttons, and various wireless options.
The official launch is believed to be next week - and it could be on sale not long after.
Desktop computers are rarely good on the eye - but the Suissa Enlighten aims to buck that trend.
Each one is custom-built and yes, that case is made of polished wood (with other options available). There's also a choice of what goes inside, with a micro ATX motherboard hosting either a quad-core Intel or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ processor, an NVIDIA 8800GTX or ATI Radeon HD2900XT graphics card, 4GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, a DVD burner and power supply.
Matching keyboard and mouse? Well, it's not mentioned, but there's no harm in asking. And while you're on to Suissa, you might want to ask about price, as there isn't one listed.
Find out more at the Suissa website
Not just good to look at - the Amazonas nesting tables also help the environment.
That's because parts of the proceeds from the tables support The Children´s Rainforest, preserving rainforests in Central America. And as well as that warm glow of feeling good about yourself, you get these three distinctive tables made of green lacquered metal - looking not unlike a rain forest viewed from the sky.
Designed by Eero Koivisto and available to buy online, you can pick them up for £402.24.
Plenty of DAB radios out there - but the Magic Box offers one with a bit of style for not a lot of cash.
Indeed, for your money, you get a touch-operated screen, DAB/FM radio, 20 station presets, autoscan, a backlit alarm clock, 2x 3w speakers, connection for an MP3 player and battery/mains power.
Available now, you can pick one of these up for £59.99.
Find out more at the Magic Box website
We featured (and indeed loved) the Holmegaard One table lamp. So we're particularly excited to see a version for your ceiling - the Holmegaard One pendant light.
Designed by Maria Berntsen, it's one of those lights that would fit just about any room you can think of, with that distinctive shade (made from a single piece of handblown glass) creating an almost timeless piece of design.
Available online, you can pick up the One light for £218.
Find out more at the Panik Design website
Want to stand out from the crowd on the daily commute? Get a bag as bold as this Pantone messenger bag.
Take your pick from blue, green, black and pink Pantone colourways, with the bag itself made of thick canvas with plenty of interior pockets and a bright yellow lining.
Available online, you can pick one up for £45.
New in Japan next month is a new mobile phone from Sharp in conjunction with Walt Disney - the DMS002SH Cinderella mobile phone.
It's all about the shiny diamond-like looks in a choice of crystal, brown or pink - and all with matching interiors. On the technical side, there's an external 0.5-inch OLED screen, 2.6-inch internal display, 50MB of internal storage, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth and a TV tuner.
No news of it heading to Europe as yet - but if you happen to be in Japan, you can grab this from 7th June.
Slightly retro but at the same time very modern - that's the Donna Wilson Hue sofa for SCP.
it does have a touch of the mid-century about it (particularly in the legs), but those sharp angles and 'box' arms (ideal for a laptop apparently) make this very much a contemporary design. The frame is made from hardwood, padded with multi-density foam, with support from lacquered beech turned legs.
Prices start at £1,790.
Creative has launched the small and lightweight Creative Vado - making it easy to shoot your video and to upload to YouTube or Photobucket.
It's certainly small - small enough to fit into the palm of your hand- and easy to operate, with just the touch of a button required for shooting. And once you've captured your clip, just connect to a computer with the built-in USB connector - the on-board software making it easy to copy your video to YouTube or Photobucket.
Other features include a 2-inch LCD screen, 2GB of storage, a rechargeable battery and a colour choice of silver or pink. It will initially be available in PC World, price still to be confirmed - but unlikely to break the bank.
A stylish watch in itself, the Mr Jones Decider has one other big selling point - it could make those snap decisions for you.
You see, as every second passes, the word 'yes' or 'no' shows up around the face of the watch, offering a solution to those tricky dilemmas. A cool timepiece too - with stainless steel case, leather strap (with white stitching), a single jewel quartz mechanism and a presentation box featuring a specially commissioned illustration by Nadine Faye-James.
This life-changing watch can be yours for $145 (around £75).
Find out more at the Watchismo website
Not the most stylish camera you'll see this year, but the Olympus E-520 looks worthy of a look, should you be tempted into the world of digital SLR photography.
Features include a 10 megapixel sensor. 2.7-inch LCD screen with 'live view', image stabiliser, auto focus, face detection (for better people shots), shadow adjustment, 32 scene modes and the TruePic III image processor for sharper shots.
Available from June, it will retail for £479.99 for the body or £529.99 complete with lens.
Garden furniture doesn't get much more comfortable than the UFO folding garden sofa, available from John Lewis.
That huge foam cushion should be perfect for lounging and if there's an odd shower, the weatherproof polyester fabric should protect it. And if the rain comes down even heavier, just fold it up and store it away for the sun's next appearance.
Available instore or online, you can pick one up for £80.
The weather is getting warmer and if you haven't got air conditioning, that means fan weather. And for one with style, check out the Charly table fan.
Designed by Matti Walker, the Charly has a design that resembles a jet aircraft turbine, with three aluminium blades able to shift up to 2,000 m3 of air per hour. nd securely too - the zinc base keeping it firmly anchored to the surface.
Available online, you can pick one up for £95.
Another high-impact but ultimately confusing watch from Tokyoflash - the Oberon SS.
Reminiscent of the earliest digital watches, the watch has a solid brushed stainless steel body with bold blue LEDs telling you the time...if you know what to look for. To put it simply, the outer ring of LEDs indicate the hour, the second ring indicates single minutes and the inner ring indicates minutes in groups of ten. The date also shows in a similar format.
If you can spend the time working that out, you can pick up the watch for £79.
Find out more at the Tokyoflash website
Loving the quirky design of the Yumbrella - an umbrella-shaped fruit bowl from Benjamin Hubert.
Why would you want an umbrella-shaped fruit bowl? Well, you can keep your fruit in the ceramic bowl section, then hang your bananas onto the 'handle'.
Take your pick from a selection of colours, all sell for £49.95.
Find out more at the Design My World website
Kartell has stripped down the easy chair, offering the LCP as the lounger for the modern era.
Designed by Maarten Van Severen, it's made of a single piece of transparent methacrylate which spirals around itself to create something unique, but (allegedly) very comfortable.
Take your pick from a variety of colours, all retailing for £911.
Find out more at the Nest website
Ever get an urge to barbecue when you're out and about? Or are you just struggling for room? Either way, the Notebook Portable Grill from Direct Designs could fit the bill.
This is a foldable barbecue, super-slim and easy to carry and store. Unfold it and the lightweight grill has a stainless steel grate, waterproof finish and plenty of room for your coals inside. Yes - you'll need those too.
Great design and cheap too - just $48 (around £24).
Feel limited by the humble suitcase? Maybe your ever-expanding wardrobe is more suited to something like the Tumi Townhouse Trunk.
Yes, this is effectively a wardrobe for the road, packing three pull-down drawers for folded clothes, shoes and accessories, along with a more traditional wardrobe area (with hangers) for your larger garments. All protected with a tough outer case.
You can carry it or wheel it - although whether you can afford it is a different matter. It sells for £5,475.
Pro-Ject does a fine line in stylish record turntables without the huge price tag - the latest of which is the Genie 2 vinyl turntable.
For the technical amongst you, the Genie 2 offers a peripheral drive for improved speed stability, an inverted main bearing with close-tolerance bushes, a high-torque yet quiet running synchronous drive motor completely decoupled from the plinth and a substantial machined MDF platter with a felt mat.
There's also an S shaped 8.6inch tone-arm with an Ortofon OM3e cartridge, a drive motor decoupled from the plinth to eliminate the transfer of any vibrations to the surface of the disc and a choice of 33/45 speeds. You can pick one up for £140.
RIM has launched the BlackBerry Bold smartphone, complete with a brand new interface and slimline form.
The chrome-framed phone has high-speed conectivity (HSDPA) for high-speed email and net browsing, along with a colour LCD scree, sat nav, Wi-Fi, full QWERTY keyboard, 1GB of on-board storage, a microSD/SDHC memory card slot, 2MP camera with 5x digital zoom, media player, stereo speakers, Bluetooth and a battery with a talk time of approximately 5 hours, plus 13 days standby time.
The BlackBerry Bold smartphone is scheduled to be available from various providers from summer, price dependent on contract.
