Pocket watch, 3G Tablet & a Hand-built Supercar

• Engine type not confirmed, but Panoz promises 600+ bhp.
• Trifecta cooling tech lowers coolant temperature as it flows to and from the radiator.
• The chassis uses a new material, R.E.A.M.S (recyclable, energy-absorbing matrix system) a multi-layer composite, lighter than carbon fibre but more dent-resistant.

TECH
Big Head

 Strontium has launched three superfast flash drives with encryption for data security. They’re called  the Key, the Spin and the Hulk. The Hulk, pictured here, has 128 GB of storage space, and can transfer files using HighSpeed USB 2.0. Enough for lots of movies, your entire music collection and pretty much every photo you want to keep, right?
Rs. 19,999, strontium.biz

Get Charged

We love our fancy gadgets, but they’re just  expensive paperweights if they’re out of battery. Battery life is the bane of all portable gadgets and that is exactly why Gum Plus is such a must-have. Encased in a pseudo-aluminium casing, this portable power pack is tiny enough to slip in your pocket and delivers juice on the go. It has a mini USB port on one side to charge it, a regular USB port on the other for power output, and an on/off toggle switch on top along with five blinking LEDs to indicate battery status. It comes with a USB charging cable, another one to charge your iPhone or iPod, and a micro fibre pouch. With a 4,400 mAh battery, Gum Plus outputs 1,000 mAh of power. It can charge your  iPhone up to 90 percent capacity in just an hour, and a fully-charged Gum Plus can recharge your iPhone up to four times before it puts its legs up and dies.
Rs. 3,250, just-mobile.com

First Cut
The Olivepad VT 100 is the country’s first official 3G tablet.
The 7-inch WVGA screen is surrounded by a black bezel, a silver spine and glossy black rear with a mirror finish. The feel is quite plasticky, and it doesn’t look like it can survive nasty bumps or a fall.

Apart from a custom dock at the bottom, the UI is vanilla Android 2.1. There are five home screens and you can add widgets and shortcuts, like on any Android phone. On top, there are SIM card and memory card slots, along with volume keys. There’s a VGA camera on the front for video calls. The 3 MP main camera isn’t really a killer but does the job. Likewise for its music capabilities; you get a 3.5 mm jack, but no FM.

Connectivity-wise, it’s typical again. The SIM card slot lets you access the Web and make calls too. But you’d look dorky holding the device to your ear, so a headset is recommended.

Usage isn’t bad. The capacitative touchscreen is responsive, and supports pinch zooming. The extra screen real estate comes in handy for Web browsing and videos. But the screen isn’t really crisp. You get access to Android Market, but the weird screen resolution limits usable apps. The pre-installed Aldiko e-book reader works well though. Text input is via a full-blown QWERTY and comes with predictive text. Typing isn’t smooth; the device doesn’t register touch sometimes.

The Olivepad is stuck in no man’s land: Too big for a phone and short of delivering the full tablet experience.

At about 15k, it would have been a great gadget; at the current price, it’s approaching iPad territory.
Rs.  25,000, olivetelecom.in

Easy Listening

The Plantronics Voyager Pro Bluetooth headset makes you look like a telecaller. But despite the design, it’s a premium product, feather-light, well put together and comfortable. The behind-the-ear loop design might stick out, but its comfortable: You can wear it all day long without ever noticing it. Limited buttons, thoughtfully placed, ensure hassle-free use. The ear-piece rotates, which means the headset can be used on both ears. A swivelling boom mic and a flexible ear band make getting a comfortable fit easy. And it comes generously accessorised: Wall charger, car charger, USB charging cable and an extra pair of silicone tips. Performance-wise, it’s the best we’ve seen so far. Even in traffic, reception is clear and natural. Plantronic’s Audio IQ2 suppresses wind noise — you can talk business sitting before a turbine! For performance over aesthetics, it’s the best Bluetooth headset money can buy.
Rs. 4,199, plantronics.com



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