Gadgets & Gizmos
On the Right Track
Ah, Youtube film directors. Documenting weddings, staging amateur dog shows, directing skits based on inscrutable inside jokes… The dubious quality of their films is renowned, but perhaps for no longer. The Mobislyder from established Hollywood outfit Glidetrack gives aspiring directors a mini-trolley to track shots from their smartphones and digital cameras just like the pros. Look out Spielberg.
Price: RMB 830. Web: www.mobislyder.com
A Digital Analogue
Photographic Luddites may cling to their film cameras, but deep down they long for the ease of digital. For them, the Fujifilm X10 is the best of both worlds with a retro design and an on-board 2/3-inch censor. Plus with cutting edge features like 360 panoramic pictures and HD video, film-camera holdouts might be turned digital once and for all.
Price: RMB 3,820. Web: www.fujifilm.com
A Ray of Hope
You're not doing much to reduce your carbon footprint, are you? Maybe recharging your iPhone using solar power is just the start you need. Solar Joos' Joos Orange solar charger promises to give you two hours of talk time per hour of direct sunlight. Plus it's portable, ready to soothe your green guilt-ridden conscience everywhere you go.
Price: RMB 950. Web: solarjoos.com
Why Guitarists Shouldn't Fret
Looking for a new axe to grind in the digtal age? The Kitar from Misa Digital dispenses with strings for oh-so hip buttons – 334 of them to be exact – and a touch screen to strum on. It's wild, it's ambitious and who knows? It might just strike a chord.
Price: RMB 6,500. Web: www.misadigital.com
The Song Remains the Same
iPod docks are everywhere, but few have the power (or the price tag) of the Bowers and Wilkins' Zeppelin Air. This dirigible-shaped stereo will get a whole lotta love from music lovers with its five independently-amped speakers and AirPlay, a system which lets you rock 'n' roll without plugging in your iPod. It might be the stairway to audio heaven.
Price: RMB 3,820. Web: www.bowers-wilkins.com
Move Over, C3PO
No desktop is complete without an action figure, the ultimate in geek accoutrement. The genesis of these items was once the purview of fascist toy manufacturers, but no more. With the birth of My Robot Nation, you can design your very own robot from scratch and have it shipped to you.
Price: From RMB 115. Web: www.myrobotnation.com
Old News is Good News
If you're a history buff still banking on the invention of a time machine, sorry. Still, the British Newspaper Archive gives you the ability to look at the news going back more than 200 years. Want to know what new gadgets were hot in England in 1811? Find out once and for all.
Price: RMB 799. Web: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
