I couldn't help but write about this. You might already know about these, which means you think they are as cool as I do. Nike has decided to build a limited edition set of the Nike MAG shoes from Back to the Future Part II as part of their "It's About Time" collection. These shoes have until now only existed as movie props. People have been begging Nike to actually make them for years - and here they are. There will be 1,500 pairs made - every single one will be auctioned off on eBay from now until September 18th, 2011.

Every kid who has ever seen the Back to the Future movies has wanted at least part of what they saw in the films to be real. 26 years later and we don't really have much. No time machines, no hover boards, no flying cars. Not even flux capacitors. And we certainly don't have self lacing, self drying shoes that make cool wooshing noises. Though we have had shoes with lights in them for a while... And look at the state of our civilization now. The 2011 Nike MAG doesn't fully live up to its 1989 promise, but is here and is a reality as a perfect replica. All the tech toys we wanted it to have aren't here, but it does light up and has a battery charger that comes with it.

While this is not a watch, and it does not tell the time, it is tangentially related to time travel. Good enough right? It is however a very cool collectible that many people will eagerly try to buy. Why did Nike make them? Well last year they released the Dunk 6.0 DeLorean shoes as a limited edition of 1000 pairs that were a silent nod to the 25th anniversary of the original Back to the Future. I think the easy success and publicity those shoes had helped fuel the decision to make these MAGs.

According to Nike the full proceeds from auction sales for all 1,500 pairs will go to the Michael J. Fox Foundation that is dedicated to finding a cure and treatments for Parkinson's disease. This means that the entire project is essentially for charity. Nike claims the shoes are a direct aesthetic replica of the movie prop shoes from the film. In Back to the Future Part II Marty McFly actually travels to 2015 - so perhaps in a few years we will get the real deal. I do not believe that the Nike MAG 2011 shoes will be commercially available outside of the eBay auctions.

The auctions started last night and I believe go for 24 hours each. All 1,500 pairs are available in eBay's Fashion Vault. Sizes for the shoes are 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. As cultural icons these shoes are great. If I had a pair it would be really hard to wear them. I have a feeling that most of them are going to go for very handsome prices. Check out the Nike MAG shoe auctions here.

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Still in Japan now, but I need to keep up the blogging else my loyal readers may violently demand I continue to write. I miss being at the computer, no worries about long pauses in content. While on my trip a reader pointed out this eBay auction for an interesting piece of watch and photographic history. It is the Stienbeck Kamerawerk A-B-C Camera watch from 1949. A fully functional worn on the wrist made over 50 years ago. I will republish a bit from the auction details to give you some of the nuts and bolts of this interesting item the banks on our love of spy gear, watches, and what looks to be a bit of the ol' steampunk aesthetic.

I would call it a spy camera watch, but it was not meant to look like a regular watch. It was just a special wrist mounted camera that looked a lot like a watch. While it is hard to find the right film for it, it was made so that film from regular 35mm rolls of film could be used to make film for it. The watch for sale should still work, and is certainly a very cool collectors item. One sold for well over $2,000 over 10 years ago. The best part is the history. Meaning that it was actually popular back in the early 1950s among hobbyists and real detectives. Cool piece of watch and camera history. Here are some words directly from the eBay auction page:

"1949 Steineck Kamerawerk
Tutzing, West Germany
Lens: f2.5, 12.5 mm Steinheil, two aperture settings.
Shutter: Single speed, self-capping.
Construction: Metal body, Red leather strap.
Format: 8, 6 mm diameter exposures on a 25 mm diameter disc of film.
Focusing: Fixed.
Attributes: Curved mirror view-finder with pointer. Exposure counter.

The film is loaded into the removable back of the 'watch' and made light-tight by a rotating plate. Attaching the back to the camera rotates this plate and moves a circular aperture to lie behind the lens. When the release trigger is pressed a second plate in the camera rotates until an aperture is behind the lens, the shutter then operates. After exposure the plates returns, as it does, a spring loaded claw on the plate engages the film holder in the back and advances the film.

One of the longest running sales of a unique spy camera was the Steineck ABC Wrist Watch Camera. It was sold in the USA from the late 1940's until the late 1950s. Although this was not a watch, and it really was not disguised, it was a highly popular camera for it's time. If you were a private investigator and had one, you were the talk of the industry. No one, even to this day; quite knows why it was so popular but it was. Our guess is that it was just a show piece of modern camera technology for it's time period.

(1949) Looks like a large wristwatch. Came with a 12.5mm (f2.5) fixed-focus lens. Single shutter speed. Eight round exposures with a 5.5 mm diameter are produced on a round disk of film 24mm in diameter. Disks can be cut from standard 35mm film. A cassette, with its own exposure counter, is used to hold the film. To load the camera, the cassette is pressed lightly into place in the opening in the back of the camera, and the knurled rim of the cassette is turned firmly to the right until it stops and the red dots on the camera body and cassette are aligned. Film advance is automatic -- the film is readied for the next frame immediately after an exposure is made. The lens is a 12.5m f/2.5, made by Steinheil. It is fixed-focus so that everything from 4.25 ft. to infinity is sharp. The lens has a two-point aperture setting: one for bright light (red dot), the other for dim light (blue dot), set by a control knob on the face of the camera. The metal focal-plane shutter has only one speed, 1/125 sec. In making an exposure, the camera is held between the index finger and thumb, the shutter release being depressed by the thumb while the index finger serves to steady the camera by exerting a counter pressure. No separate action is required to advance the film or cock the shutter; as soon as the exposure has been made, the camera is ready to take the next picture. The A-B-C has two parallax-corrected finders: an optical hollow mirror viewfinder, which permits sighting from above when the camera, worn on the wrist, is held in picture-taking position. The other, a direct-vision viewfinder, is used at eye level, requiring that the camera be removed from the wrist. When the direct-vision finder is used, you sight through the hole in the back (cassette) with the camera close to the eye; the camera is held by the straps, both thumbs steadying the body, and the shutter release is operated by the index finger. The original accessories included filters, close-up lenses, and even a special enlarger. Steineck planned an M-sync flash for a future A-B-C, as well as a built-in filter carousel (to be put in front of the aperture control), and even a tripod-mount accessory that fits through the eye-level finder!"

This latter text is from the eBay auction page to help you understand the nature and function of the watch. I don't know who wrote it exactly, but to check out the eBay auction you can check it out here:

Steinbeck ABC camera watch on eBay.

See camera watches on eBay here.

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You might be thinking that this is just some gimmicky concept, or another of those skepticism filled no-name Chinese watch phones, but you'd be wrong (it is Korean, not Chinese). And it is from large manufacturer LG nonetheless, which signifies a new era for Dick Tracy wannabes. With an official announcement due at CES (the consumer electronics show) soon, the LG GD910 is a fully functional 3g (and 7.2mps HSPDA) watch phone with most of the bells and whistles in its non-wrist worn counterparts. LG calls is a "wrist phone." It even supports voice-to-text commands as well two way video conferencing. Talking on the phone is done in one of three ways. You either hold the watch phone up to your ear like... well, an idiot, use the speaker phone function, or more logically Bluetooth. All in all, the people using this wrist phone at CES have been loving it.

In what is likely to be a device with abyssal battery (well maybe not that bad), the LG GD910 features a touch screen and microphone, as well as a few buttons on the side as its data input options. Yea, you might need small hands to operate it, but don't you carry a stylus around with you anyway? I have a feeling this little watch phone is going to be easier to use than people predict. I stress that this is a bid deal because it is the first time I can tell that a major electronics manufacturer is taking watch phones seriously enough to mass produce them. The LG GD910 will be available in Asian and European markets only, but that isn't to say that a few stray units will make it to our shores.

More importantly is what these watches represent for the future of computer watches and mobile phones. We haven't heard the term "convergence device" in almost a year, but don't worry, the concept is still strong. This is a real convergence device that makes sense. They just need to work out the practicality kinks. Think of it though. This little device actually delivers two way video conferencing on your wrist. While this service has been available in advanced Asian nations for a while, it is something that we haven't received here in America on any wide scale, even though it has been promised to us since childhood. LG has promised full production with US distribution for the LG GD910 is North America starting this year.

Video above is via Engadget.com.

Read some more about the LG GD910 on Engadget here.

See watch phones on eBay here.

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Lets go over the major flaws right away. 1) You need to use the Internet (probably ok via a smart phone too) to locate your brood.  2) Any rascally (or semi independent kid) who is able to count jelly beans is gonna figure out really quick that for mommy and daddy to stop playing big brother, they just need to take the big plastic thing on their wrist off (LOK8U note to self, "make next version attach with single handcuff, not plastic, no big goofy key"). 3) This device is not going to have a battery life long enough to find your child who has been kidnapped by criminally disabled ransomers. Aside from these issues, the technology is pretty cool.

The included GPS tracking system is viewable on a Google Maps like map from the Internet. You'll see a beacon of where the wearer is, and you can even set "notice parameters." Meaning if children stray out of a predesignated area, you can get e-mail and SMS (text message) alerts. The device says that it can also send you a text message when the watch is removed. Meaning that if your youngster takes the watch off you should be sent a text message. I'd have to see how this works. It reminds me too much of the beginning of Running Man with the neck collars. Remember? The open prison where if an inmate strayed too far their head would explode. Well your kid's wrist won't blow off, but your phone will blow up ("device separation alert!"). All sorts of "security" features are built in apparently. This is going to make for some very safe, very sad children.

When I see this device, I think about all the non-child related uses that it might have. Spousal control, super secret spy games, pet monitoring, and just plain "I know where you are" fun!" The device itself will be about $220 bucks with various monthly service fees depending on your level of offspring attachment.

See GPS monitoring devices on eBay here.

See GPS monitoring devices on Amazon here.

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What do you get when you try too hard to make a luxury mobile phone that stands out? In fact, what do you get when you try too hard to make just a luxury mobile phone? Most of the time it is some hideous creation that excels at delivering a sub par technological device in an expensive skin. So if you want to spend big bucks on a luxury phone, you can have a device that is probably antiquated before it reaches market, and is covered in gems, gold, and other gaudy looking essentials. The message no one seems to be getting is that mobile phones are mostly a commodity because technological changes and advancements require an upgrade every 12-24 months. Stick luxury watches, those can last for generations - literally.

Still, there are a slew of "successful" luxury phones out there. Vertu is one of them, as well as the Tag Heuer Meridist. There are also Nokia's line of "fashionable" phones that come with hefty style premiums. These phones do well in limited markets, especially among those are are more interested in phones being fashion icons rather than productivity tools. As such, a luxury phone needs to look nice, and be nice to the touch. The materials it uses are important, but overall it is the user experience that is key to pushing a product.

The shortcoming of most luxury phones is that they use very complex and expensive materials. The rationale? The expensive watch market puts a premium both in price and prestige on use of exotic materials. Because it works there, and presumably there is a market overlap between luxury watch buyers and luxury phone buyers, it seems like a good idea to use exotic and very expensive materials on luxury phones. The reason this unwise, is that it dramatically increases the price, does not seem to be valued much by mobile phone consumers, and is placed on an item with a very limited useful life. Like I said, nice watch can literally last you generations. A luxury phone will last maybe a few years max. Thus, it makes more sense to spend a lot on a luxury watch than phone.

So the subject of this discussion is the Professional 105GMT Gold Discovery phone from Russian based luxury phone maker Mobiado. Funny enough, I hear that their phones aren't even sold in Russia. Further, I have no idea exactly what is supposed to be professional about this? Mobiado seems to have a mission to take a bunch of fancy materials and make a phone out of them. While they have succeeded in this, the sum of the parts is seemingly cheaper than the parts individually. So I'll talk about the good aspects of the phone first; the bad aspects should be obvious.

The gold you see on the case is gold plated (base is brass). The case is also offered in a gun metal version (screws are gun metal too), which is just specially treated steel. The dark parts of the case are Ebony wood with thin layers of synthetic sapphire crystal over them. This is the same type of sapphire crystal used on watch faces. It is very strong and doesn't scratch, and probably forces the phone to weight a lot. There are also diamonds around the watch faces. They aren't particularly well placed, but they are real diamonds. Though I do get a distinct low-end blingy feel from this phone.

The phone is also a "world phone," and pretty flexible. With quad-band GSM and WCDMA (world CDMA), this phone should work on just about every network or carrier; great so that you can appear in absolute fashion disarray from the cities of Africa to the suburbs of Korea. This item represents one of the few hybrid GSM/CDMA phones out there, and you'll certainly be paying for it...in money and dignity. The phone also has 3G connection. Otherwise the operating system seems to be some Symbian derivative. Nokia's Symbian OS is a really functional and flexible OS, but the version in this phone just seems totally outdated from a UI standpoint. Further, the mediocre small screen (two inches) is probably not the best to look at, but adequate. Inside it has enough stuff to offer decent functionality. Nothing better than a decent free phone from your local carrier.

You then have the oddly incorporated watches. Two automatic mechanical Swiss watch movements are in a section at the bottom of the phone. I don't even think the phone will get enough movement in your pocket to keep the movements wound. Why are these there? Mobiado says to add two time zones, but really it was just something to add. The mechanical movements are likely ETA 2824-2 movements, or something of the sort. Beyond being gold plated (or simply gold toned), they are not decorated at all really. The faces are skeletonized, which in this case just mean there is no dial. The hands are pretty boring, nothing special, and the placement of the diamond hour markers feels awkward. This is not a watch lover's timepiece-phone. Between the two watch faces is an "M" shaped diamond cluster. This is backlit when the keyboard lights up. The keyboard itself features those tiny keys that everyone hates to press. Nothing comfortable there.

You can go to www.Mobiado.com if you want to learn more about the technical details. My feelings are that the Professional 105GMT Gold phone is pretty hideous looking. For lack of a better term, there simply is no design. The elements are just thrown together symmetrically. This phone is in all senses, as ugly at the large brick cellulars phones from the late 1980s, just with a different look. It isn't ergonomic, it doesn't offer anything special in terms of technology, and once the tech life is out dated, you simply have an expensive paper weight. The company offers other ugly models, but this model wins for being the most hideous. For these reasons I am giving this item the aBlogtoRead.com Bad Idea Award. Price? At least $5,000.

See Vertu, Tag Heuer, and Mobiado phones on eBay here.

See luxury mobile phones on Amazon here.

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The name really sums it up: "Land Instrument." It is meant for land based operation as opposed to Linde Werdelin's upcoming Sea Instrument. Specifically, the functions are focused on cold weather, high altitude exploration. For example, it features such notices as an "avalanche warning" or "frostbite warning." This might seem gimmicky, but using the external thermometer and internal barometric pressure gauge and altimeter - as well as its logging functions - the Land Instrument can actually give you accurate information that is worth paying attention to (and can save your life in dire situations).

To help you understand the full functionality of the Land Instrument, it is best to go over everything it does and what it comes with. Let's start with what is actually contained inside the instrument itself, and then move on to the included accessories which contain external sensors. Inside the land instrument is a 3 axis compass with a tilt sensor (this provides you with a compass as well as ascent and descent monitoring), and an atmospheric pressure sensor (for barometric pressure and altitude reading). There is also the internal low power consumption 16 bit RISC computer with 4Mb of storage that has wirelessly upgradeable software. While the storage might seem scant by today's device standards, this is plenty to store the log data for all the sensors. Then there are the external sensors. First is a carabiner clip with a temperature sensor built in. This accessory does two things rather cleverly. First, it serves as a connecting point for the Land Instrument itself. Meaning you attach the Land Instrument to the clip and it can hang off of a belt or bag. Second, the internal thermometer in the clip communicates wirelessly with the Land Instrument. Not having the temperature sensor in the Instrument itself is helpful because it allows you to get an accurate reading of the ambient temperature. If the sensor was included in the Land Instrument itself, it would potentially be influenced by your body heat (as is the case with virtually all other temperature reading watches). The other included sensor is a heart rate strap that goes around your chest. This also connects wirelessly to the Land Instrument and provides you with accurate heart rate data every 5 seconds.

I'll now list the major functions of the Land Instrument based on its sensors and computer. This in my opinion, is the best way of explaining what it can do:

• Time
• Date
• Chronograph with four split times
• Altitude (with graphical tracking) and a freezing level warning
• Barometer for weather prediction
• Compass
• Tilt sensor for calculating the degree of rise on your ascent or descent with an included avalanche warning.
• Heart rate monitor with calorie replenishment data (the harder you work, the more energy you'll need in a climb).
• Logging function that tracks various monitors such as heart rate, barometric pressure, altitude, and more.

Everything is displayed on the Land Instrument's surprisingly sharp gray four-tone 128x128 pixel LCD screen. There is a backlight that can be activated during low light situations for a few seconds at a time. Linde Werdelin's other Instrument, the Sea Instrument, features a color screen. I don't really think that a color screen is necessary on a device such as this. To properly display different colors the backlight would need to be on too much and significantly reduce the battery life. A gray scale screen is just fine here, and accordingly, it has a good level of battery life with about 60 hours of standby time. This will give you a good day or two of usability, but it will need to be recharged. It is important to note that Land Instrument is not a watch per se, meaning that it is not made to be worn all the time like a watch. If you do, you'll need to charge it pretty regularly (makes me think of the Microsoft SPOT watches). Right out of the box, the Land Instrument cannot be worn on your wrist by itself. However, a special wrist strap can be purchased separately from Linde Werdelin that you'd probably want to get if you don't have a Biformeter watch. The Land Instrument also comes with a world charger. If you take your Land Instrument on adventures, it'll be a good idea to bring along a solar charger or other types of charging equipment.

The Land Instrument is a nice feeling device, and is built to be light (41 grams) yet durable. The body is constructed from aircraft grade aluminum, with a mineral glass screen. While the device looks thick, most of the underside in concave allowing for it to fit on a Linde Werdelin Biformeter watch - making it pretty slim in reality. Size wise, it is about 44mm long, 52 mm wide, and 18mm tall at its highest point. Two little hinged clips on the side of the case allow for it to be clipped on to a Biformeter watch, charger, or the Land Instrument's accessories that come with it or can be purchased from Linde Werdelin.

All this information is nice and dandy, but any device, no matter how much it does, isn't worth your time if you cannot figure how to use it. Features need to be accessible, menu's can't be contrived, and I don't want to have to carry around an instruction manual for basic operation. For the Land Instrument to receive my full praise, it would need to enjoy logical operation in addition to looking nice. So I put the Land Instrument to the "idiot test." Evaluating how easy it was to use the device right out of the box, and seeing how much I could do with it in just a few minutes. This also involved handing the watch to the mechanically disinclined and asking them to play with it. In all, the Land Instrument fared really well. To accomplish my testing, I used the device myself and handed it to a few other people and asked them to perform a specific function with it. I'd say for example, "Use the device and tell me which direction is north," or "what altitude are we at." None of these requests ever took more than a few seconds, even from someone who never saw the device before. Further, when using the Land Instrument myself, I don't recall even feeling inclined to look at the instructions to figure it out. I thought there might be a few advances features that I was not really thinking about, but nothing felt illogical or overly complex. It performed with a smooth grace that most anyone can figure out in just a few moments. No wide learning curve here, and "idiots" may apply. Allow me to go into a bit more detail, and feel free to use the images as a reference.

It is easy to tell when a company hires competent UI (user interface) designers. Linde Werdelin clearly did in this case, as the Land Instrument is actually pleasant just to play with. Mimicking the sound of machinery, a small speaker in the device sounds a satisfying "click" every time one of the four comfortable buttons are pressed. Around the screen are eight labels identifying various modes of function. They are pretty easy to figure out: "ALTI" obviously means altitude, and "PULS" obviously means pulse, the mode that measures your heart rate. Pretty simple right? The central part of the screen has a tab that moves around, connecting to the written labels. This gives you a very clear indication of what mode you are in, and you can cycle between the modes in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. This is done by the outside buttons on the lower part of the case. Also nice is the fact that labels show up on the screen telling you what the buttons do in any given mode. This takes most of the learning curve out of using the device making it really easy to use. Further, and of great importance, is that I didn't notice any computer lag when using the Land Instrument. That means the processor isn't being over burdened.

You'll probably spend most of your time using the Land Instrument in "VIEW" mode. Here you see the time and date, but it also gives you handy information (that is customizable) like the barometric pressure, altitude, and operation of the stopwatch. A push of the center button on the bottom of the device brings up relatively easy to use menus for adjusting the settings of the watch. When you want to turn the Land Instrument off, you push the single button on the top left down for a few seconds, and you have the option of turning it off. Turning it back on is done in the same way. This all might seem esoteric, but if you are used to using multifunction devices that come in small packages, you know that too many of them are frustratingly complex with un labeled buttons and deep menus. Engineers are brought in to make something work, designers are brought in to make something look nice, and most of the time companies don't take the extra step that Linde Werdelin did by focusing on design efforts to merely use the device. Thank you Linde Werdelin for considering that people will actually use the Land Instrument. I hope other companies will pay attention.

What is interesting is that all this effort was spent for what is arguably a niche device. The Land Instrument doesn't really have any competitors that I know of. Sure there are some similar devices, but nothing quite like this.  Again, go back to the traditional European ideal of "no matter how small the market it must be perfect." This philosophy pays off  and separates European manufactures from those in the rest of the world. The result in the Linde Werdelin Land Instrument clearly illustrating this concept. No piece of software is ever really done, and Linde Werdelin is proud of the fact that ongoing efforts are involved in upgrading the device. As the Land Instrument is user upgradeable, the company will likely ensure you are always up to date with the Land Instrument's firmware.

More urban and nature adventurers should probably know about the Land Instrument. It is a pretty handy tool, and it doesn't take up too much space. The Land Instrument is perfect for the occasional nature excursion or the serious world adventurist. Either with one of the Biformeter watches or with its own accessories, it offers a lot of functionality, reliability, and is more than a digital toy. It is a serious tool, it is an 'instrument.'

See the Land Instrument at Linde Werdelin here.

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Looking at the Geochron right away, you see a map of the world. You then see a bell shaped lit section which represents the portion of the planet that is sun-lit. Look at the strip at the top to determine what time it is in any given time zone. The Geochon represents 40 timezones. How is that possible with only 24 hours in a day? Simple. Lots of places (like India) cut timezones into 30 minute chunks. While places like China have only one timezone that stretches across the entire country. You'll then be able to determine all sorts of other information like the time of year, seasonal light changes, and generally how cities place in relation to one another on the globe. If you do business internationally, this is a gadget you are going to want to have. It also makes you look really important having it sit behind you in your office.

But think about it, what is this clock really? Look at its large framed visage with choice of wood and colorful pre-computer era tech. This is a dream vestige from the golden age of the Cold War. This belongs in a war room, next to one of those giant Risk-looking boards when you push the little model tanks and battleships around. Seriously, hispter wannabes, or just plain hispsters will love the retro 1960's style. Hell, I like it to. I admit to wanting this more as functional art, but it would come in useful enough to justify mounting the large wood, metal, and glass device on a wall.

While each new Geochron is made to order, it is a good idea to know what goes inside of it. This really is pretty low tech, which is good. The back lighting comes from two fluorescent bulbs resting behind a map that slowly scrolls across the Geochron passing over the "lit" area. All the gauges are on rollers and simply scroll in the background. No LCD screens or complex computers here. Just good ol' fashioned tech like with all the enthusiast charm of a vacuum tube radio. Size wise, the Geochron is about 34 inches high by 22 inches wide (the Boardroom model is 36 X 24). The map itself is 15 inches by 26 inches. The main housing of the Geochron is aluminum, with glass covering the map display. Oh, and you can update the timezone information, just to ensure some longevity out of the device.

Pricing is about $1,500 to $2,600 depending on the model and materials uses. Its not a cheap frill, but its something worth investing in if you like its unique looks and surprisingly useful demeanor. Best news is that Geochrons can be had for significant discounts on eBay. Best to get one soon if you are planning world nuclear domination, out of your office or study.

See Geochron clock son eBay here.

See Geochron clocks on Amazon here.

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Vintage Kilburg Geochron World Clock and Map light up as is not working $230.00 Time Remaining: 4d 7h 18m Bid now

Boardroom Model Geochron World Clock Mahogany Gold Trim 945 D57G $3,124.99 Time Remaining: 11d 5h 3m Buy It Now for only: $3,124.99 Buy It Now

Boardroom Model Geochron World Clock Mahogany Gold Trim 945 D57G $3,124.99 Time Remaining: 11d 5h 3m Buy It Now for only: $3,124.99 Buy It Now

Boardroom Model Geochron World Clock Mahogany Gold Trim 945 D57G $3,124.99 Time Remaining: 11d 5h 3m Buy It Now for only: $3,124.99 Buy It Now

Boardroom Model Geochron World Clock Mahogany Gold Trim 945 D57G $3,124.99 Time Remaining: 11d 5h 3m Buy It Now for only: $3,124.99 Buy It Now

WORLD WATCH Software Screen Saver CD Must C GEOCHRON $36.76 Time Remaining: 14d 16h 5m Buy It Now for only: $36.76 Buy It Now

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I waited months for this to arrive after pre-ordering it on Amazon.com. The day finally arrived last week, and I have to say that my waking moments are now consumed with this game; the first I have feverishly played in literally years. So as a corollary, I highly recommend playing Fallout 3.

Amazon.com offered the Fallout 3 Survival Edition. Which was one of three editions available (standard, collectors, and survival). The limited edition survival edition was the only that came with this fancy Pipboy 3000 replica. The Pipboy 3000 is part of the core mechanics of the game, which is worn on the character's wrist in the game. You spend a lot of time staring at the Pipboy 3000 and now I can spend, well a little bit less time staring at my own. The Pipboy 3000 replica features a large alarm clock style clock. It is actually more practical as a clock, thus coming with a stand to keep it upright being able to be used as a clock. The entire  device is plastic with a weathered greenish gray tone to it. It is a nice look given plastic nature of the item.

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The entire  model can open but by a little click-lock so that you can fit your wrist in it. This is really cool, but it doesn't fit all that well unless you have that perfect combo of stocky, yet long arms. I'd suggest stuffing it with some soft material, maybe foam if you really want to use this as an everyday being. The three little buttons underneath the clock are used to adjust the time, and light up red when pressed. A nice touch. On the upper left hand corner the Pipboy 3000 has a player radiation meter. On the model, the radiation meter has been replaced by a working compass. I guess it wasn't that simple to insert a Geiger counter.

The clock itself is in green, and has a unique little twist to it. When the time is between 1-11(am or pm) the initial zero stays lit. So 2:30pm, would be shown as 02:30 (with the pm symbol small and in the corner). The box has some cool looking schematics but say "Deluxe Chronometer." Well us in the watch world know what that means, and this is not exactly a chronometer (officially certified for a particularly high level of accuracy by the COSC).

You can see me happily brandishing my Pipboy 3000 in the images below. It is a fun addition to my otherwise non forearm sized watches, and Iove having it as part of the large fan base of the Fallout series. I am sure there will be some of these popping up on eBay. Check out Fallout 3 if you have the time and want some post0apocolypitc good times.

See Fallout 3 items on eBay here.

See Fallout 3 items on Amazon here.

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Lets start with the watch itself. Using a modified Swiss automatic Valjoux 7750 movement Erwin Sattler creates an attractive regulator with a classic looking, yet high functional look. While the dial may look white, it is actually solid sterling silver. The watch is impressively large at 46mm, which I love because most of the time classically styled watches such as this are 42mm or smaller. I have no doubt that this Erwin Sattler watch will look impressive on the wrist regardless of the material used (steel, silver, or gold). Hands are blued steel with that turn of the century instrument look that is so popular now with the industrial revolution look revival.

In another homage to old world and German watch making, Erwin Sattler uses the famous Jochen Benzinger to engrave the movements of the watch as seen in the picture. Benzinger uses turn of the century machinery that only they know how to operate and upkeep it seems, to apply a large variety of polishes, engravings, and other decoration on watches and movements. It is a pleasure and a treat in itself to own anything with the Benzinger touch. The case of the watch is also German being sourced from Fricker. Honestly, this is the most attractive looking Valjoux 7750 movement I have seem. The combination of perlage, engine tuning, and engraving make it look amazing, really. I've noticed that Benzinger decoration is becoming more and more popular.

Aside from the watch, there is the unit that serves as both the watch winder and clock. This structure is beautifully crafted, and you can really see where the steampunk influence comes into place. Exposed gears, both decorative and functional reveal themselves among a series of gauges and knobs. The Trilogie can be either plugged in or connected to a power source via USB. It is really a mix of electronics and mechanics. The clock is part of Erwin Sattler's Nautis series and is a regulator just like the wrist watch. Funny enough, the Nautis clock is not that much larger than the wrist watch, put probably enough to to be useful. Again, this is going to be mostly a super ultra showpiece.

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The winder itself features various most, and is almost completely silent. It part of Erwin Sattler's Rotalis series. Lots of effort was placed in the winder to ensure its usefulness for not just the Erwin Sattler watch, but any watch you place it it. Most of the electronics go to the winder, but are shared to power the otherwise mechanical clock. Basically, a motor winds the mainspring, so the clock is purely mechanical in function. There is even a power reserve indicator for the 15 day power reserve of the clock.

Overall, the Trilogie has a resemblance to early Breguet clocks, and this is no coincidence, as Erwin Sattler makes this whole project as an homage to pre-industrial clock art; with an industrial twist. No expense is saved in the materials used. The case is make of crystal, precious metals (gold or platinum), makassar wood, and two diamonds.

More about the Erwin Sattler Trilogie at ErwinSattler.de here.

See Erwin Sattler, watch winders, and regulator watches on eBay here.

See watch winders on Amazon here.

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SS Real 1 Min FLYING Regulator Tourbillon black $1,499.00 Time Remaining: 53m Buy It Now for only: $1,499.00 Buy It Now

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Armand Nicolet Tramelan Automatic Regulator Stainless Steel Watch AN9047A $550.00 (13 Bids) Time Remaining: 6h 53m Bid now

Moving at the speed of lifetime Regulator Javelle DEUTSCHLAND Automatic NEW $129.00 Time Remaining: 8h 6m Bid now

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Perrelet Regulator Retrograde Automatic Mens Watch A1041 1 $4,550.00 Time Remaining: 21h 44m Buy It Now for only: $4,550.00 Buy It Now

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The particular model that I saw was the yellow gold plated Limited Edition Kunstwinder. However, there are steel editions available as well. I really don't know too much about these watch winders or Kunstwinder as a company. Here is a run down though. The winder itself is plugged in for power. It sits on a wooden base, that has a drawer for watches or whatever can fit. The two watch "springs" that hold the watches in place are the same or similar to JFA watch winder springs (which is a good thing). That means it works for almost every watch for a secure fit that makes it easy to place and remove watches. The winder has two modes of operation. One is just continually spinning in the same direction, and other has the watches spin in alternating directions with pauses (to avoid over winding). Orange and green LED indicators give you an idea of the operating mode that the winder is in. The entire winder is covered with a rounded glass covering dome.

You really need to view one of these winders to appreciate it. The operation is so fluid, the resemblance to actual horse head oil pump derricks is uncanny. It's like a little reminder of how you made your fortune winding what you spent your fortune on! Really, the only place to display a Kunstwinder Industrial Collection Oil Barron watch winder is top a obsidian column in the middle of your watch appreciate room. You do have a watch appreciation room don't you? Last I checked, there was even a guy selling them on eBay brand new. Price? Well, figure $4000 - $5000. Say, a couple of minutes worth of crude pumping?

See Kunstwinder watch winders on eBay here.

See watch winders on Amazon here.

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