Kyocera goes for gold--the fake kind
(Credit:
Kyocera)
If you see people sporting a fancy gold Kyocera watch or mobile phone in the near future, don't assume they necessarily laid down a bundle on it. The Japanese company has come up with a new ceramic that closely resembles the texture and color of 18-karat gold. Kinda cheapens the Dolce and Gabbana Razr, now, doesn't it?
In developing the new gold ceramic material, Kyocera says it raised the brightness level approximately 5 percent over previous gold ceramic products while retaining the material's hardness.
The company says the new material is 5 to 10 times sturdier than gold, resulting in superior scratch resistance. At the same time, it's lighter. The new ceramic is about a twentieth to a twenty-fifth cheaper than available 18-karat gold, Kyocera adds.
The lesson here? The technology of fake gold seems to be making progress--good news for all of us who prefer to go the faux route.
Leslie Katz, senior editor of CNET's Crave, covers gadgets, games, and most other digital distractions. As a co-host of the CNET News Daily Podcast, she sometimes tries to channel Terry Gross. E-mail Leslie. 
