If you have the money and you also want to spend it, why not spend on gadgets? You could slide a dazzling Rs 2-lakh mobile device into your Armani pockets or, perhaps, acquire a wickedly handsome high-definition 3D TV for Rs 1.63 lakh to get your daily dose of entertainment. After all, life’s sure to be a notch easier when you are surrounded by gadgets and appliances that feel chic, look elegant and are a cut above the rest. Priyanka Joshi lists some of the elite devices that fit this description...
MOBILE GOES AFTER F1
Essentially meant for the well-heeled mobile phone users, the latest Tag Heuer’s Meridiist handset derives inspiration from the Lamborghini Murcielago. And the result is a grand-looking mobile device with just 1,963 pieces for purchase (a tribute to the year Automobili Lamborghini was founded). So what if this opulence is priced at Rs 3.99 lakh? After all, it sports a 1.9-inch display covered by a 60.5-carat scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The phone, if you can call it just that, has a battery-life of about seven hours.
The extravagance continues with Tag Heuer’s Rs 5.8-lakh handset, inspired by the super car Carerra GT. Bespoke digital engineering and more than 430 mechanical components assembled by hand — many of which are derived from the legendary Tag Heuer chronographs — pushes the Meridiist intothe realms of exclusivity. Styled with premium alligator leather and rubber sourced from breeding farms and legally approved for sale, Meridiist is definite haut monde.
WATCH PHONE
If James Bond can flaunt it, so can you. All you need is Rs 50,000 and this LG’s watch phone can be on your wrist. For dedicated technophiles, it’s just 13.9-mm in thickness and has a touchscreen interface.
It’s water resistant and comes with a Bluetooth handset if you get tired of raising your wrist to your mouth everytime you make a call.
The best part? The Watch Phone includes voice recognition and a text-to-speech feature that reads out text messages to you.
HD, UNINTERRUPTED
Just imagine a 54-inch plasma display, one-inch thick, adorning your walls. Panasonic’s Z1 plasma TV is that one purchase that says all — it’s hip, rich, beau monde. Almost wafer-thin, the Panasonic Z1 promises a clutter-free setup because it can transmit uncompressed 1,080p, fully high-definition content wirelessly. It comes with a cool price tag of Rs 3.49 lakh.
And that’s not all. Taking large plasma displays to a new level is the Panasonic’s newest 85-inch monstrous but gorgeously encased full-HD display. If this 99-mm ‘thin’ plasma panel in your home does not throw your guests into a tizzy, nothing can. To get an idea of how big this baby is, imagine four 42-inch widescreen TVs stitched together.
Panasonic promises a service life of 100,000 hours on the panel, and it can be yours for Rs 20 lakh.
THIN BLACK LED SLABS
A believer of TV viewing being “a holistic activity that engages your senses”, Sony’s Bravia NX series brings monolithic design TV sets that are Wi-Fi-enabled right into your living rooms. Besides being simply gorgeous to look at, the high definition NX series come with a six-degree tilt option. The edge LED backlit creates a remarkable sense of space, allowing you to position the TV at lower levels for a more comfortable viewing experience.
The NX models, available in sizes of between 32 inch (that cost Rs 45,900) and 60-inch (Rs 3.49 lakh), look straight out of the future. The model packs all the features you would expect in a new Sony panel, such as 1080p resolution, Wi-Fi and internet video, widgets, a USB input, Light Sensor technology and an energy-saving switch.
A gloss finish is sleek and the Sony NX series proves it.
AIR CONTROL
Classy gadgets demand bewitching accessories. That’s where Logitech’s MX Air finds its rightful place. With what the company calls Freespace Motion Control Technology, the mouse recognises physical gesture-based commands — you can now zip through MP3s or video clips, much like how you would on an Apple iPod. The difference is that, instead of fingering a touch-sensitive screen, you would be drawing invisible lines and semi-circles in the air.
In functionality, the Logitech MX Air is great when used in conjunction with Windows Media Centre and a home theatre. The Rs 11,295 MX Air is the ultimate media centre mouse with designs that truly complement your gadgets.
DIAMONDS THAT WHISPER
If you’re looking for a sound system that has power and clarity of sound while making its presence felt in any space, then look no further than the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) 800 Series Diamond speakers.
These have become legendary among professional recording studios and serious sound enthusiasts alike. The performance of the speakers is what you would expect from any Rs 10.8-lakh (approx) system — simply outstanding.
For the first time, B&W has included a diamond dome tweeter in every speaker that delivers unrivalled sound clarity.
CONSTELLATION OF STARS
Vertu has unveiled its latest exclusive handset, called the Constellation Ayxta, which starts at Rs 2.25 lakh. The handset is the first flip phone from Vertu and offers Vertu’s concierge service through a shortcut button that connects users to an agent who will assist callers with any requests or questions they have. There is also Vertu Select — an online service that provides travellers with ‘lifestyle information,’ including a listing of the trendiest bars, restaurants, exhibitions, shopping, clubs and more, in any city in the world.
A class apart, the Ayxta is fashioned in stainless steel with details in aluminum and fine leather. The screen is sapphire crystal, of course.
Additionally, users can choose from a number of ringtones recorded by Zero seven exclusively for the Ayxta customer. Now that’s value for money.
