(Credit:
BornRich)
There are two basic questions about Tiffany's entry into the luxury phone market: why it took so long and why it doesn't cost more. Sure, $94,000 is a lot of money but, come on, this is Tiffany. You'd think it would have hit six figures on principle alone (though it does sound more impressive in yen--10 million).
The 3G handset, a joint project with Japan's Softbank Mobile, doesn't skimp either: It's encrusted with more than 400 diamonds totaling well over 20 carats, according to BornRich. Maybe Tiffany just decided that it can't pass up a literally golden opportunity on the Japanese market. If Zeus Computer is any indication, there's clearly plenty to be mined.
(Credit:
GeekSugar)
The Transformers blockbuster has been a classic example of profiting from media obsession: Once a trend catches fire, there's just no stopping it. And the latest merchandizing spinoff--jewelry--just proves the point even more.
But if anything can trump the resurgence of "Optimus Prime," it's that icon of all icons, the iPhone. And in true Apple fashion, we would never expect something so cheesy as a mini-joystick pendant. GeekSugar, therefore, has come up with an elegant concept that we think would make even Steve Jobs crane his black turtleneck for a second look: Tiffany-made "iGems." Brilliant.
(Credit:
Pretec)
Some manufacturers are clearly hell-bent on making USB keys look like fine jewelry. And unlike most of these attempts (Swarovski), some of them actually seem to be done in relative good taste.
But we have to ask: When one of these products clearly looks like it belongs in a jewelry case, like the "i-Disk Vogue" from Pretec, why bother to include a USB drive at all? BornRich says this "pendant drive" is available in storage sizes up to 8GB and can work with the latest Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, but we seriously doubt that will be of much important to whomever wants to buy one. All those conspicuous consumers will want to know, perhaps other than the undisclosed price, is that it comes in gold or silver.
(Credit:
Anything But iPod)
MP3 players have already become fashion items and, as they've shrunk to Lilliputian size, we were wondering how long it would take for them to be designed as jewelry. After all, why take pains to sew them into clothing when you can make a statement right on your body?
That's apparently the thinking behind the limited-edition MusiQ from BenQ, an aluminum-magnesium music player that doubles as a dog tag, complete with a metal earphone chain. Anything But iPod says a 512MB version of the player will be available in December for about $88, but pricing for a 1GB version hasn't been released.
We're just happy that BenQ did a decent job in designing it. Because, as special editions go, it could have been a lot worse.
(Credit:
Core77)
This gravity-driven "car" (top photo) took the prize for "Best Design Exploration" at the Unlimited Derby car race, an event sponsored by IBM at the Industrial Designers Society of America conference in Austin, Texas.
It was designed by ID-One, a creative services company of engineers, industrial designers and graphic artists. (We wonder if they had been flipping through the Tiffany's catalog at the time--see the sterling silver baby rattle below.)
The race is akin to the Boy Scouts' Pinewood Derby in that entries must be gravity driven and fit specific size parameters. Unlike the Pinewood Derby, however, you don't have to start with wood. ID-One's winning car is mundanely dubbed the Quick-Silver, though I don't imagine Kevin Bacon will be riding in it anytime soon.
(Credit:
Tiffany & Co.)
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