Carte Blanche...

Soon, the newest James Bond novel 'Carte Blanche' will be released. In it, the return of the Bentley as a car of choice. In celebration - there will be a Bentley edition of the book. The special collector's edition will a white leather bound volume encased in a metal Bentley GT shaped holder. There will be a built in 9mm shell used as a place marker. Only 500 will be made. Cost: about 1,130 EUR.






Read more about it via CarScoop:
carscoop.blogspot.com

No parking...

Finding a parking space in San Francisco can be a little difficult sometimes. One homeowner turned to the architectural firm Beausoleil for help - a disappearing garage.






Story, background, and video via BeauSoleil:
www.blog.beausoleil-architects.com/2011/03/architectural-magic.html

Party Glock..

It's been 25 years since the Glock pistol was introduced in the United States. To commemorate this, Glock is offering the Silver Edition Glock 17 Gen4. Presented in a silver collector's box, only 2,500 will be made.





Read more about it via AmmoLand:
www.ammoland.com

Lock box...

For the truly security conscious - 'The Safe House' designed by architectural firm KWK Promes might be what you looking for. The house can quickly transform into a fortress with the touch of a button. The backyard also doubles as a confinement area.





Photos and description of The Safe House via knstrct:
knstrct.com/2011/04/10/the-safe-house

Packing light...

To celebrate their 80th anniversary, renowned tobacconist Nat Sherman collaborated with the famous luggage maker Globe Trotter. The result is a portable leather humidor lined paper backed oatmeal and spanish cedar. Only 25 will be made. Available at the New York store. Price available on request.




The homesite of Nat Sherman:
www.natsherman.com

Got your number...

What do the professionals use to pull data from a phone? The UFED Physical Pro. This device is used to pull everything - including deleted information - from a physical phone device.




Read more about it via The Atlantic:
www.theatlantic.com

Wish list...

German book publisher TeNeues latest volume is 'Luxury Toys for Men' - a lavishly illustrated volume of men's favorite expensive toys. Cost: 59 USD.





Info and details via TeNeues:
www.teneues.com

Have to bounce...

If your looking for a little more variety in your workout routine, you might consider a rebounder. Using the specially built mini -trampolines have a wide variety of health benefits. The Bellicon is an excellent example. Cost: about 650 USD



Information, details and order via The Bellicon rebounder homesite:
www.bellicon-usa.com

Dangerous jewelry...

It seems someone has made a small, functional crossbow out of precious metals. Follow the link for a demonstration and decide for yourself if it's the most dangerous jewelry you've seen.


Mini crossbow in action via YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfOyE5b2jh4

Endurance record (Jetpack UPDATE)...

The Jetpack designed by Martin Aircraft has passed a new milestone - an endurance record. In a recent test, the jetpack stayed aloft for 7 minutes. The plan is to have them on the market by year end. Estimated Cost: 100,000 USD





Story and video via New Scientist:
www.newscientist.com

In the bag...

If you're concerned that your electronics are being tracked, you might like one of these; 'Faraday Bags'. Bags in various sizes that can block electronic signals. Cost: 80-240 USD



Available from Faraday Bags:
www.faraday-bags.com

Skiing solo...

Now you don't need to take turns driving the boat while water skiing. The 'unmanned ski boat' from Hammacher Schlemmer be controlled via the handle grip. The boat can reach speeds of up to 40 mph. Cost: about 17,000 USD





Detail and order via Hammacher Schlemmer:
www.hammacher.com

Hauling...

If you're looking for the perfect support vehicle, you might want to check out 'The Bremach T-Rex'. The hand built modular trucks have all steel cabs and come in a myriad of configuration options. They can also be ordered as gas, natural gas, hybrid or electric. Cost: about 120,000 USD




Info, config and photos via Bremach:
www.bremachusa.com

Spring break...

Great news if you're planning a getaway - Sir Richard Branson's Caribbean home, Necker Island, is available to rent. The private island can accommodate up to 28 people and features a bar, gym, spa, infinity pool, and entertainment center. The view aren't bad either. Cost; 53,000 USD per night.




Details and reservations via CarribeanWay:
www.caribbeanway.com

Water landing...

The 'FlyNano' is a tiny new flying machine that lands in the water. The single engine rig is available in multiple configurations - gas and electric. It can fly up to 76 mph for a distance of 43 miles. It weighs only 150 lbs., and requires no pilots license to operate. Cost: about 37,000-39,000 USD (depending on configuration)



Details via FlyNano:
www.flynano.com

Scanning the crowd...

The Brazilian police are trying something new for the 2014 Olympics - facial recognition sunglasses. A small camera will map faces in the crowd, quickly scanning for bad guys.






Read more about it via Wired:
www.wired.com

Buzz bomb...

When a regular taser won't do - there's the HEMI Taser Grenade. (Human electro muscular incapacitation) The canister can be fired at a longer distance than a standard taser can shoot - and it has the capacity to continue shocking for an extended period of time.






Read more and watch the reporter 'test on himself' via The Blaze:
www.theblaze.com

Fun and games..

When the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel remodeled, they had a little space left over. 'The Spare Room' is a game room with a classic look and some timeless entertainment options - including a couple of stylish bowling alleys, cocktails and board games.





Pictures and details via the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel site:
www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt/

Hand me that wrench...

There's quite a variety of multipurpose pocket tools out there, but very few of them include a wrench. The 'WREX' is a pocket sized titanium adjustable wrench, among other things (a blade, bit driver, wire strip, and bottle opener) Total weight of only 2.9 oz. Cost: 179 USD





Details and order via Pocket Tool X:
pockettoolx.com/products/wrex

Heavy lifting...

Last week, SpaceX announced their plan for the 'Falcon Heavy' - a heavy lifting rocket with double the capacity of the rockets used to lift the space shuttle. One of the surprising aspects of the announcement was the price per pound lift - one third to a quarter of price compared to a shuttle mission. First launch is scheduled for 2013.






Read more about it via the SpaceX site:
www.spacex.com/falcon_heavy.php

Weekend classic...

If you're looking for a classic weekender bag, you might want to check out 'The Killspencer Weekender 2.0'. Built from military spec flame retardant nylon, it has just right amount of space and pouches inside. Fits modern gear like iPads and laptops, and it's water resistant. Cost: 375 USD Available in Black, Olive Drab and Dessert Sand.




Details and order via Killspencer:
www.killspencer.com

You sank my battleship...

If you're wanting to try your hand at submarine warfare, you've got a new option. DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) is offering a strategy game they've built. You can submit your best work for analysis. Cost: Free





Read more about it via DARPA:
actuv.darpa.mil

Pitch black...

If you need to take photos in complete darkness, you might need one of these: 'The Midnight Shot NV-1 Camera'. It functions as a standard camera, but in InfraRed mode it can flash in the infraRed spectrum unseen by human vision. Cost: 130 USD





Available from ThinkGeek:
www.thinkgeek.com

Singles only...

If you're doing a little exploring, you might need one of these: 'The Cedar Strip Wooden Kayak' by Justin Charles. Made of western cedar strips and glass fiber - it features waterproof compartments, adjustable seating, and carrying handles. The kayak weighs only 38lbs. Cost: about 16,000 USD.




Read more about it via Justin Charles:
www.justincharles.com/wood-kayak.aspx

That's Creepy...

It's getting easier all the time to locate people since they're carrying all kinds of electronic gear with them. 'Creepy' is a GPS aggregation software - meaning it will collect data from a person's social sites (twitter, facebook, etc) and mark them on a map showing their favorite hang outs. Creepy. Cost: Free for Window and Linux.





Read and download from ilektrojohn:
ilektrojohn.github.com/creepy

Surprise!

Most people wouldn't expect the old 'Palm Pistol'. A modern version of an old classic - the single shot pistol has a few advantages that are worth bringing it back. This version is triggered using the thumb - making it a good self defense choice for senior citizens.




Read more about it on the Palm Pistol site:
www.palmpistol.com

A little foosball...

After two years of talking about it, Audi is offering the aluminum foosball table for sale. Using design queues from their car line, 20 of these handmade games will be made available. Cost: 18,300 USD





Read more about it via AutoWeek:
www.autoweek.com

Flying around...

Here's a short clip of some wingsuit fun shot mostly from the 1st person perspective. Filmed over California, Florida, Nevada, and Puerto Rico.

Exploring the Sky - Wingsuit Flying 2011 from Richard Schneider on Vimeo.