Retro

The now ubiquitous iPod docking station continues to appear in an ever more imaginative number of guises, with the iCrystal from Speakal being no exception. Serving up a stylish dose of retro aesthetics with a futuristic twist, it combines unique looks with multiple control options and portability.  Read More

British digital and internet radio enthusiasts have enjoyed the quality sound and cool styling of PURE products for a good while now. Happily, the company has just announced that three of the range first announced at CES 2010 will shortly be available to U.S. customers. The award-winning EVOKE Flow, the independence-inducing Oasis Flow and the Siesta Flow bedside companion are leading the charge, with others following a little later.  Read More

For the last 18 months or so, the collection of design concepts featured on the website of Korean portable media player maker Mintpass has been steadily growing in number. The company says it will continue to push the idea envelope until a "concept is developed into a hot product that sweeps the market." With its retro styling, analog displays and tactile control interface - will the Mintcube concept be the next big thing?  Read More

If the mere mention of the word caravan gives you terrifying visions of formica fold-out tables, thermos flasks full of weak tea or being forced to play bridge with a bunch of sensible beige trouser-wearing accountants then fear not, there are those who are trying to leave such stale, cliched images behind and inject some modern thinking into the world of mobile holidaying. One person trying to bring some much needed cool to the world of the caravan is Rob Millington, who sought to create "something that had quality to rival that of a luxury yacht" with this gorgeous concept design.  Read More

Many of us remember the years when men were men, movies came on thick black VHS cassettes, and a well-dressed gent would wear an onion on his belt, as was the style of the time. Of course, these days we expect our media to be much more flexible, and with this in mind ION have released the VHS 2 PC - a VHS player with a simple USB output cable that lets you digitize all your old VHS content in one step and watch it online, on a DVD or a portable video player.  Read More

September 2, 2008 Grundig's disco-ball-esque speakers blasted funk in the 70s, and now the company is releasing a model for a new generation to enjoy. The Audiorama 9000 is set for an October release, for an RRP of €1100. The speaker set consists of two deep mid-range chassis, and incorporates a hyperbolically diverted treble system that provides clear 360 degrees surround sound without the “lattice fence effect”.  Read More

A 1920s-era wrist-mounted display that allowed the sophisticated gentleman to peruse his planned route; a 1930s “electro massager” rewarded the user with a “zappy ending” in the form of electrical shocks; and a pair of glasses equipped with two battery-powered lights alternately provided its wearer with illumination and set their head on fire. Outlandish contraption expert Maurice Collins is exhibiting these, and 50 similar items, at the British Library Business and Intellectual Property Centre.  Read More

January 24, 2008 The UK-based Roberts Radio Company has been producing portable radios since the 1930’s and one of their latest offerings is the MP-SOUND 41 digital radio. With its retro looks you could be forgiven for thinking it’s an old-fashioned analogue radio but with Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) capability, Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) technology and the ability to record up to 8 hours of radio onto a SD card, it has nearly everything required for the 21st Century.  Read More

In case you ever wondered, the word "Spyder" simply refers to a sporty, "speedy" convertible. It harks back to the days of horse-drawn carriages where it was used to describe small, light two-seater carriages with a simple folding sunshade on top secured by four bows that looked like, well a spider sitting on top of the carriage. The name has made its way through into the auto business, and has been particularly popular on Euro sportsters with the latest example from Porsche being the limited edition Boxter RS 60 Spyder. The German company plans to produce only 1,960 of them in homage to the groundbreaking, "giant-killing" Porsche Type 718 RS 60 that blitzed the larger, more powerful competition in 1960's 12 hours of Sebring endurance race, and kicked off a successful streak in motorsport for the company.  Read More