(Credit:
Dell)
Dell isn't exactly known for its cutting-edge fashion, but it's definitely creating a buzz for the New Year with its "Crystal LCD" monitor. To look at the flash ad on Dell's site, you'd think it was a new Mercedes that was being rolled out.
First impressions seem to be somewhat mixed, as Boing Boing and others have criticized this museum piece as being all about show and short on specs, notably its size and resolution (22 inches, 1,680x1,050). And Dell is baiting the detractors by adorning it with a price tag of $1,199--which, as Gizmodo notes, is $899 more than the company's other LCDs with similar technicals.
But as slaves to fashion (in our minds if not appearance), we have to side with the fans of this beautiful screen for purely superficial reasons if nothing else. From the Webcam on its forehead to the four speakers embedded in its ultra-thin 4-millimeter-thick glass, this limited-edition monitor is a stunner. The metal tripod alone is enough to turn heads.
Another designer has lived up to the fine sense of Italian aesthetics, which we've seen applied increasingly to home media furnishings. The latest example comes from Bonaldo in the form of a new twist--quite literally--on displaying a plasma or LCD TV with its "Swivel TV Stand."
But it's the striking circular design that will get your attention as much as its practical mobility. The stand's black lacquered frame is supported by a chrome base, according to Trendir, providing a "fantastic way to soften the harsh, square corners" of the television set and accompany component boxes, which can be stored below. The only problem: We'd be afraid to turn on the TV for fear of getting some idiotic show that would ruin the whole effect.
(Credit:
Crave UK)
Thin is in. You know it, right? Gear4 knows it, and in response it has released a speaker dock with dimensions that are usually reserved for supermodels--the StreetParty Size 0. It's so thin, in fact, it even gives that Flat Stanley bloke a run for his two-dimensional money. It clocks in at just 17mm (0.7-inches) thick and the iPod docking area cleverly folds away into the body of the system itself.
OK, so our tests prove it's no 300W Marshall valve amp but it'll help you party in the street, with the added bonus that looks invisible when viewed side-on*. With a weight of only 300g (about 10.6 ounces) it's obviously been counting those calories to good effect, but it still packs a cute 6W from its twin tweeters and twin low-resonance drivers.
The Size 0 is powered by either an AC adaptor or a pair of AA batteries and can be operated--as if by magic--with an infrared remote control (also thin). It charges your 'Pod while it's docked, functions as a PC dock for syncing with iTunes and can be used with other audio players via a 3.5mm line-in socket. It's got a solid feel and would certainly survive a beating inside a backpack during those long treks up mountains or a fun-filled family outing down mine shafts.
If you fancy pumping your beats through this slender piece of kit, it'll cost you around 40 pounds (about $79) any time from now. For those of you eager for more info, check back soon for our full review.
*Not strictly true, nothing 17mm thick is invisible. But is very slim indeed.
(Source: Crave UK)
(Credit:
PDC)
Technology's anorexic trend in has claimed another victim, this one a GPS device. Taiwan's Power Digital Card claims that its "Guide Dog" is the world's thinnest navigation kit, according to Navigadget. Even if it's not, this dog still hunts. Its roster of impressive features includes a 4-inch display, built-in antenna, 3D gaming, Web browsing, e-mail and a "parking sensor," whatever that is. We can't verify all these claims, but they already had us with the 4-inch screen.
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