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Customized iPad is world’s most expensive gadget at £5m

Nov. 02 Gadgets no comments

British luxury goods specialist Stuart Hughes creates a one of a kind customized iPad embellished with gold, diamonds and shavings of Tyrannosaurus Rex bone, reportedly costing £5m.

The device’s iconic Apple logo alone is encrusted with 53 separate gems of 12.5-carat diamonds. The back section has been covered with 24-carat gold and weighs two kilograms.

But the most expensive part of the iPad is actually the main front frame which is made from Ammolite sourced from Canada. Ammolites are said to be the oldest rock in the world. The particular stone used for this gadget is said to be more than 75 million years old.

Another unique design element is a Tyrannosaurus rex thigh bone, which dates back to 65 million years. The fossilized bone was embedded into the stone. As a final touch, a single-cut 8.5-carat flawless diamond inlaid in platinum surrounded by 12 satellite gems serves as the iPad button.

The limited edition just has two pieces for sale. Surprisingly, one was already sold to an undisclosed buyer.

The “pricey” iPad is not the first from Stuart Hughes. The man is known for for creating “ultra-luxury” goods, including a £219,995 Macbook Air and a diamond and platinum iPhone costing £20,995.

Luxury Yacht features Bang and Olufsen audio-video system

Oct. 31 Others no comments

Ultra exclusive sound system manufacturer Bang & Olufsen joined forces with Danish Yachts to build the ultimate in yacht luxury. The new AeroCruiser 38 II, also known as the Shooting Star, was completely equipped with state of the art Bang & Olufsen audio and video technology that has now set a bench mark in the international superyacht industry. The installation included the top end latest equipment of the BeoVision 10, a BeoVision 7, a BeoVision 4, a BeoCenter 2 and BeoLab 3 loudspeakers.

The impressive system includes the BeoVox 2 in-wall/in-ceiling loudspeakers which give the user full control over where the sound can be directed towards. And of course with the range of exclusive materials, finishes and overall craftsmanship, there is no doubt that Bang & Olufsen’s journey towards newer and more exciting sound destinations is just beyond that horizon.

BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 luxury smartphone announced by RIM

Oct. 28 Gadgets no comments

Blackberry manufacturer, Research in Motion, and luxury car brand Porsche join forces to create the state-of-the-art luxury smartphone BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981. RIM recently unveil the new smartphone’s prototype. Actual units will be available in Porsche Design stores around the world later this year. There’s no word on the smartphone’s price yet.

The Porsche Design P’9981 runs BlackBerry OS 7 with an “exclusive Porsche Design UI”, and is 11.3mm thin. It’s build from a forged stainless steel frame, and has a “sculpted QWERTY keyboard”, in addition to a hand-wrapped leather back cover.

Other features include a 2.8 inch VGA touchscreen display, HSDPA, NFC, Wi-Fi, GPS, Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app, 5MP rear camera with 720p video recording, 768MB of RAM, 1.2GHz single-core processor, 8GB of internal memory, and “exclusive PINs that help easily identify another P’9981 smartphone user.”

BMW expects to keep luxury lead in 2012

Oct. 28 Cars no comments

Luxury car brand Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) is looking forward to keeping its post as this year’s best-selling luxury brand in the U.S. up to next year’s first quarter as it introduces its redesigned 3-Series sedan.

Ludwig Willisch, who took over BMW’s North American operations Oct. 1, is confident that the company will remain number one. ”Our model lineup is broad. We have a lot of opportunities to get there,” he said.

The BMW brand and Mercedes have been fighting to take the luxury sales crown away from Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus, which has been the annual leader for 11 years. BMW ended September in the lead with 177,679 sales while Mercedes is in second place with 170,058. Those results exclude Daimler’s Sprinter vans and Smart cars and BMW’s Mini brand, which aren’t luxury vehicles.

Willisch’s remarks run counter to his predecessor, Jim O’Donnell, who said in August that BMW will probably be outsold by Mercedes-Benz next year before the redesigned 3-Series hits U.S. dealerships.

Updated Mercedes C-Class models went on sale last quarter while BMW is still selling older 3-Series compacts. The 3-Series is slated to hit U.S. showrooms in March or April, BMW says.

Luxury Cinema Cinepolis invades California

Oct. 28 Others no comments

Latin American luxury cinema chain Cinepolis opens its first state-of-the-art movie theater on US soil at Del Mar, California. The Del Mar theater is San Diego County’s first luxury theater that cost $8 million to construct. Aside from the movie, patrons are expected to enjoy the high-end ammenities including the plush leather recliner seats. With a press of a button, patrons can order gourmet treats such as teriyaki beef skewers, sushi rolls or a glass of chardonnay.

The eight-screen Del Mar theater is modeled after similar high-end movie houses that Cinepolis operates in affluent areas of Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and other Latin American countries. As early as now, there are already plans for expansion. In fact, the chain intends to open more theater complexes in Southern California particularly in the Los Angeles County area.

Despite the down economy, Cinepolis is taking chances that consumers are willing to pay a hefty premium to watch movies in their theaters. Tickets cost as much as $19.50 in a Cinepolis theater, a pretty cool deal for those who want to experience movie watching at its finest.