Filed under: Gadgets

Robots can clean your floor and entertain you, now they can also help you shop. Uniqlo’s Soho store will debut Wakamaru, the first robot to be used in a retail store int the U.S. to greet customers, during the second week of September in their SoHo store. Fashion Week Daily reports that the bright yellow robot takes its name from a famous 12th century warrior and was designed by Toshiyuki Kita and developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. The friendly robot will recognize people, let customers know of special promotions, make eye contact and even lead store staff in motivational morning exercises.

Last month, Newsweek had an interesting piece on household robots, highlighting Wakamuru and Roomba. While the Roomba has been a huge seller, Wakamaru with its $15,000 price tag was not so successful. It was expected to be a popular household helper robot when it first rolled off the assembly line in 2005 but was not been a hot seller.The large robot was pulled off the market and units have been rented out for greeting gigs like the one at Uniqulo.

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Filed under: Gadgets

Remember that movie, Coming to America, with Eddie Murphy where he plays Prince Akeem who has royal bathers and servants waiting on him hand and foot? Well, the Kohler C3 Bidet Seat to me is the technology equivalent of someone there to clean your backside. A seat attachment that sports bidet technology complete with a remote is designed to cleanse your seat after you take care of business. It may even be considered somewhat ‘green’ since it reduces the need for toilet paper if not eliminating it altogether. For $950 you can purchase the seat, attach it, program it to suit your size/needs, and enjoy a temperature controlled bum-washing after nature has called.

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Filed under: Gadgets

I’m not generally a big fan of diamond-encrusted cell phones but I think the iPhone lends itself to the idea better than others because it’s so sleek and has such a limited area where diamonds can be placed. Claiming to be the world’s first real diamond-studded iPhone, the Apple iPhone 3G by Swiss jeweler Knalihs Athem is made with 475 brilliant cut diamonds totaling 3.75 carats. Only 50 iPhone 3G handsets will be created on a made-to-order basis, with the first 10 units being sold at the special price of $10,000. iPhones 11-50 will be priced “sharply upwards.”

I’m not sure what that translates to exactly but it sounds like if you want one you better move fast.

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Filed under: Gadgets

We are late to the party on this one, the Engadget gang covered it way back in May and seemed quite unimpressed but the latest designer in the cellphone game is Christian Dior. The Dior phone is aimed at the Chinese and Russian luxury markets and will sell for around $5,000. The slim phone has a touch-screen, camera and Swarovski crystals on the faceplate. The most unique feature is that Dior phone is so posh it comes with its own phone. The phone has a mini mobile phone that resembles a USB key so that you can put the main phone in your Dior purse and use the mini phone to make calls. Why? I have no idea.

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Filed under: Gadgets

It’s called the Freewheeler, and it’s a wireless outdoor speaker that won’t do anything unexpected or special except roll around a little and ‘freewheel’ you out of $20,000.

Features include: wireless up to 656 ft, recharging station, and the capacity to project the quality stereo sound you’d expect from two speakers out of just the one unit. And apparently it’s pretty good sized (as big as small car tire???) and that could be a pro or a con, depending on your taste.

It’s got a nice contemporary design, and the “roll it around the yard” feature certainly is convenient, but I’m still not sure why the price tag is so high at £10838.74. Anybody have any idea?

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Filed under: Gadgets

I like sports cars, and I LOVE coffee, but I admit I totally don’t get why the two seem to get combined so frequently. First we had this Lamborghini-inspired espresso machine and now, from Brunopasso, the PD-1 machine was created with Italian sports cars in mind. Of course there aren’t many ways a coffee machine can look like a Ferrari, except of course a shiny red paint job (among other choices), automobile-inspired gauges that form a little mini-dashboard, and a lever made of beechwood for pressing the coffee. $850

Via Dvice
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Filed under: Gadgets, Wheels

Golfing gets more and more popular every year it seems, and although lots of people think it’s a really good time it still has a reputation of being a somewhat quiet, calm, and sophisticated sport. That stereotype could be changing, however, thanks to Bad Ass Golf Carts.

Yes, that’s really what they’re called and yes, they really are bad ass. There are numerous customized carts available, including one that jumps (seen here), one modeled after a Hummer, and a limo version that seats six. You can also buy customized parts like wheels and accessories for existing carts if you want to make your own. Sounds like good times! $12,000 - $18,000

Via Wired
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Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

It’s cool to spend lots of money on fancy electronic gadgets but it’s totally not cool to spend several minutes fishing around for a remote control to (gasp) actually have to get up off the couch in order to turn them on manually. Of course The Clapper could do the trick but who needs such a startling way to adjust the mood when you could have this gold (that’s one of the last places you thought you’d see bling, isn’t it?) electricity switch by Tobias Wong. Put it wherever you want (it works wirelessly) and you’ll be having lights, music, and whatever else whenever and where ever you want — no fumbling required. $150

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Filed under: Gadgets

Store your music, and add to it as you choose, on a 17-inch touch screen monitor with the Sooloos media system. It links to every room in your house, plus you can synchronize it at multiple residences. The system features storage, playback and control components that can be combined in a number of configurations. This is a new concept and a new product, so for those more technically-oriented who want to know more, go here to get the details, as we patiently wait for the site to get up and running. I just like the look of it, and would love to be able to get all my music going with just a few fingertip movements. If only I had $13,000 …

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Filed under: Gadgets

Tennis star Maria Sharapova and her cute white dog Dolce are starring in another campaign for the Canon Powershot cameras. As part of the promotion and in anticipation of the U.S. Open, Canon will be giving away five diamond-encrusted cameras in each color that the camera is offered in. Sharapova will debut the five diamond-covered Canon PowerShot Elph cameras during an invitation-only event at “Canon Center Court” on Aug. 20 at South Street Seaport. The cameras are worth around $12,000 each and the contest will run from August 20 to October 20 on the Powershot website.

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Filed under: Gadgets, Spas

Who doesn’t wish they had access to a professional massage at any time of the day or night in the comfort of their own home? Apparently enough people do to warrant the invention and production of this gadget, the Personal Dry Water Jet Massager. Laying down inside this space-looking capsule will get you what I can only imagine is a truly dreamy massage experience, as the 28 water jets mimic a shiatsu massage while the rest of your senses are relaxed via the Bose speaker system with iPod hookups, aroma diffuser, and 7 ” LCD television with DVD player that’s positioned perfectly as you lay on the headrest.

Sounds pretty awesome! Looks awesome, too, but seeing as how it costs more than my car I doubt I’ll be treating myself to one anytime soon. $29,500.

Via Acquire

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Filed under: Gadgets

The Olympics is always a big deal and this year the event seems more spectacular than ever, and as always there is no shortage of Olympic-themed goodies and gadgets. One group of such gadgets would be these limited edition USB flash drives created by the Chinese company Lenovo. Ranging in price from $199-$980 there’s one set that’s made of some of the same material as the Olympic torch, one set shaped like medallions on a chain, one set that features a Chinese mascot, and one sleek silver set that comes in a special mahogany box. And of course all the sets also feature the official logo of the Beijing Olympics.

If you’re interested in getting one of these themed drives you better hurry because they’re selling out quick — the “medallion” ones are already gone.

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Gone are the days of the little red toolbox that was barely big enough to hold a hammer. This beastly beauty by Kobalt not only has room enough for every hand tool imaginable (it can support up to 4000 pounds, which might be more than the floor you sit it on) but it also features fun (and necessary!) stuff like LED lights, a built-in power strip, a Pioneer sound system with iPod hookup, and a mini refrigerator.

Sounds like the perfect early Christmas shopping item for the guy (or tool-loving gal) who’s got everything. $1600 %Gallery-29436%

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Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

The Travelmate Portable Fireplace by Conmoto is made of black powder-coated steel and glass with an adjustable steel fuel-holder and burns on bio-ethanol liquid fuel (not included). Now you can put a fireplace where you want or need it for warmth or atmosphere. It’s smokeless too. Safe to place on carpet, a table, near furniture, or outside. The glass pane is held on with magnets and only is removed in order to light the fire. Once the glass pane has been replaced, the fuel tank can be opened and closed, using the stainless steel slide at the front of the fireplace, so the flames can be regulated from the outside. I would love this in my home! Dimensions: 20″ H x 28″ W x 8″ D, 55 lbs. ($3,300)

[via acquiremag]

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Who wants a plain old Mickey-shaped mp3 player when you can have one all decked out with ribbons and Swarovski crystals? The Mplayer Swarovski is the same Mplayer it always was on the inside (1 GB, up to 9 hours of play time), but the outside is now all jazzed up with a variety of different colors, themes, and accessories (this one is called “Little Girl”). Available in limited edition of 500 they’re now available in Japan for about $137-$150 each (the standard versions sell for around $50).

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Filed under: Decor, Dining, Gadgets

Sub-Zero has just announced a new line, its “Built In Refrigeration Series,” which will keep food fresher longer, effectively reducing food waste. Between its unique dual-compressor system, advanced air purification and water filtration system, this refrigerator is a work of science. For those of us who don’t quite understand how aforementioned systems work, there’s also a “freshness guide” inside the unit to tell us where best to store fruits versus leftovers.

The line will be available in Fall 08. Check out the gallery to see some of your options!

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Filed under: Gadgets

The latest hot iPhone application that has caught everyone’s attention is the “I Am Rich” app by developer Armin Heinrich. The app costs $999.99 and displays a glowing ruby-like light. and the words I Am Rich. Open it and it will load which Heinrich calls a secret mantra that may help you you to “stay rich, healthy, and successful.” Ridiculous? Certainly, but rather clever too and subtler than having Amosu hook you up with a diamond or gold-covered iPhone.

Technologizer is conducting a poll on whether or not the app should be pulled from the App store. So far it looks like most are in favor of keeping it.

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Filed under: Decor, Gadgets

Sony has been coming out with some interesting speakers lately. Rigel recently mentioned the tiny Bravia Theater Micro System which put big sound in a package the size of a strawberry. Now check out the Sony Sountina. We’re not talking small here, the six-foot tower is made of glass and has a 13 cm woofer and 7 cm mid range speaker. The speakers spread sound out in a circle giving listeners equal sound no matter where they are in the room. Even cooler, in dim light, the glass turns colors, displaying blue, amber, and purple. It sells for $11,800 from Dynamism.

[via Uncrate]

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Filed under: Gadgets

To be filed under the ridiculously aspirational: the new Bentley laptop designed by Ego. For the fools who believe that a hood ornament transferred to your leather-bound laptop will lead you any closer to mogul status, please contact me so I can steer your financial missteps in the right direction (philanthropy, real estate, ok, fine, a pair of YSL Tribute sandals). I’m glad Engadget seems to agree on the absurdity of the latest to enter the luxury laptop division, which starting at close to $20K makes my current laptop wishlist (comprised solely of the Macbook Air) look like a trip to the 99 Cent Store. Barneys appeared to drop the line after carrying an earlier design, and this version is sold only at Selfridge’s, although Ego is expanding its market in the label-happy UAE. Check out the Ego website for diamond-encrusted laptops and more signs that society isn’t on its way to hell in a handbag after all. It’s headed that direction via your luxury notebook.

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Filed under: Gadgets

Known for his silversmithing across the globe, Adrian Pallarols has created polo championship cups, pens for kings, goblets for stars and even requests from the Pope himself. His latest collection of Argentum Leathermans speak to his exceptional quality and taste even when applied to such a functional object as this. Ranging from $40,000 to $240 the luxury leathermans are crafted from sterling silver and few have 18K gold accents as well. These stylish gadgets would turn even rugged MacGyver into a well-dressed Armani man in seconds! Useful, sexy and one-of-a-kind the luxury leatherman would even fit in the high-class woman’s luxury handbag.

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