Fancy laptops are becoming fashion statements because of sleek models like the MacBook Air. But if you really wanted to stand out from the crowd, you could get the Vye Mini-v S41, a tiny laptop that is available only in Japan — or through Dynamism.com, which imports high-tech gadgets to the US from Asia.
The Vye Mini-v S41 weighs 1.2kg — less than the MacBook Air, which is a little over 1.3kg. Unlike the Air it has a built-in DVD reader and burner. The 7-inch touch screen twists and swivels, turning the laptop into a tablet PC, while the standard keyboard and trackpad make it a full-fledged Windows Vista computer.
Those with large hands may find it hard to get used to the tiny keyboard. The touch screen, however, makes it easy to tap and drag windows and icons.
Although this machine, which Dynamism sells for US$1,499, won’t beat bigger laptops in performance, it’s nice to know you can tuck it under your arm and be the undisputed champion of geek cred anywhere you go.
Using your cell phone ... to mow your lawn?
Owners of Kyodo America’s newest robotic lawn mower, the LawnBott LB3500, can program the little guy using a Bluetooth-equipped mobile phone, telling the mower when to leave its docking station and run around your estate, happily chewing up the grass while you sip a mint julep.
The US$3,249 device can mow up to 0.4 hectares out of the box — and 0.8 hectares if you add two more lithium-ion batteries. A guy wire tacked around your property’s perimeter keeps the LawnBott from straying into your neighbor’s yard.
You can program the number of times per day and days per week that the LawnBott should mow, either by entering information on its screen or by using a Java program downloaded to your phone.
One glitch is that Kyodo America says that an incompatibility between Bluetooth technologies in Europe and the US means that it will be a few months before the phone features work in the US. Meanwhile, if you need to impress your friends, you can always accessorize the LawnBott with a US$79 pair of spiked wheels.
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