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Sci-tech

Tag Heuer Monaco V4
The Tag Heuer Monaco V4 is the ultimate time machine. And I don't mean that in a "it would let you open portals in the time-space continuum to discover a new dimension with an army that will obey all your commands and conquer the galaxy for you" way, but as in "it's one of the most amazing wonders of mechanical engineering in the world today". The Monaco V4 changes completely the rules of watch making by, surprisingly, getting its inspiration from car engines. Like mechanical watches, engines use the same concepts: transmission, friction, torque and power. The Tag Heuer First applies them in a different way so first, instead of a rotating oscillating weight for automatic winding, it uses a 4.25-gram platinum ingot which acts as a sort of cylinder, in a linear movement. Then it changes the transmission of power from the traditional wheels to a drive-belt transmission: 13 belts with a gauge measure of 0.5 x 0.45mm, which is quite crazy and has never been done before.

Philips X200 Hoists Its Screen
Philips isn't exactly the first brand that comes to mind when you think of laptops, but their upcoming X200 Ultra Portable actually looks pretty nice. It's got some pretty standard specs, such as a 1.73GHz Core Duo U2500 processor, a 100GB HDD, and 1GB of RAM, but what really makes it stand out is its Flybook-esque screen riser. It hoists the 12.1-inch widescreen LCD up to a bit closer to eye level, which keeps you from hurting your neck while you work. Oh, and it also has a 1.3-megapixel webcam built into the screen. The Philips X200 Ultra Portable is shipping now to the U.K. for $1,700.

Multi-Tool Pen Has 5-in-1 Versatility
There are plenty of multi-tool pens around, but none as beautiful as this hand-turned creation by John Russell. He chooses from 50 varieties of wood to craft these one-of-a-kind writing instruments. The type of wood you get is random, but one thing's for sure, you'll have a Phillips screwdriver, regular screwdriver, tweezers, X-acto knife, and of course, a ballpoint pen in hand whenever you carry this handmade work of art. We thought it would cost a lot more than $32.

HP Showing Off Slick Future Connecto-Tech From 2012
What's this? The fogies at HP have decided to update their act, traipsing all around the world with an HP Mobile Innovation Tour to show off some of those wild ideas emanating from the skunkworks in the back room. In the tour's latest stop in Mumbai, India, HP looks ahead to 2012, where all devices will be able to communicate with each other, and yes, we will each have our own personal helicopters and all known diseases will be forever cured. But really, there is some seriously way-cool stuff here, including a flexible display, a smart shelf, a media hub in the form factor of a watch, a digital wallet and a ghostly looking notebook. Take a look ahead five years in this gallery, with a plethora of pictures and descriptions of each coolness. Five years? Some of this tech is so advanced, a decade might be a more realistic arrival date.

Keyport Eliminates Pocket Jingle
Getting more and more keys to put on your keychain when you were a kid may have been cool, but now all that massive clump of metal looks quite clumsy. With the keyport, you're free to shove six of your favorite keys into what looks to be a lighter-sized gadget, easily extending and retracting them when needed. Plus, there's RFID and a built-in LED light, as well as keyless entry for your car. The thing is still in its design phase now.

Just Hanging Around
Had enough of those bothersome iPod cables getting in your way? This little black silicone spelunker is hanging around and here to help. He'll keep everything in order for you while you're wearing your iPod, letting you wrap all that excess "rope" around his waist. Then, he doesn't mind being tied up with all that wiring when your iPod's at rest. Until the iPod's voluminous wires can finally be completely eliminated, this might be a practical solution to that spaghetti bowlful of cable cascading down your torso.

Compiled by IMRAN H. KHAN

Source: Wired and Gizmodo Online