Short cut...

If you're a bit busy to work out there's good news: 'The Four Hour Body' is coming out next week. Smart-Guy Tim Ferris (author of 'The Four Hour Work Week') shares his insights on fitness with some surprising twists. Cost: about 15 USD






Available for pre-order from Amazon.com:
www.amazon.com

Filtered...

One thing you can't really live without is water. The 'Katadyn Pocket Water Filter' is a good way to make sure there's always clean water available. The ceramic based filtration system can hand pump up to a liter of water per minute. Cost: about 235 USD.

Available from Backcountry.com:

www.backcountry.com

Flasks of Steel...

Classic design comes together with function in Dalvey's Stainless Steel Flask. It includes a collapsable stainless cup that nests into the body of the flask. Cost: about 121 USD.




Available from Dalvey Online:
www.dalveyonline.com

Evolution of the suitcase...

Two years of research have yielded the 'Travelteq Trip'. It looks like a stylish suitcase, but it has some interesting features. The front opens as a kangaroo pouch for your electronics, it has it's own electrical system for either charging gadgets or powering it's speaker system. The case made of honeycombed aluminum converts into a chair that can hold up to 300 lbs. Cost: between 595 and 795 GPB (based on options)





Details, tech specifications, and order via Travelteq:
www.travelteq.com

Land yacht...

If you want your support vehicle to match the decor of your yacht, you might want to talk to German tuning company Startech. Their 'Land Rover Defender 90 - Yachting Edition' adds nautical styling queues to the classic off road vehicle. Touches include teak deck interior, illuminated running boards, and navy blue interior leather.







Details and photos via Autoblog:
www.autoblog.com

Suite...

In Paris,, the Seven Hotel is offering the '007 Suite'. Room features include a private turkish bath, mood fragrances, and retro chic styling. The hotel is located in the Latin Quarter. Cost: 485 EUR





The Seven Hotel homesite:
www.sevenhotelparis.com

Ex Libris...

Every Playboy from 1953 to 2010 - available in digital format on a branded hard drive. Really. Cost: 300 USD



Available from Playboy Archive:
www.playboyarchive.com

EBay...

If you're looking for an interesting holiday gift to bid on - consider this: 'The HMS Invincible'. For as little as 1.5 million, you could have your own aircraft carrier. Built for Harrier Jump Jets (not included), the original cost was in the billions. Houses 22 jets. Quite a bargain, really.



Details and bidding via Edisposals:
edisposals.com

Cutting corners...

If you're planning on skiing some difficult slopes this year, you might want to check out these: The 'Nezza' (blade) carbon fiber composite skis from Zai. Working out of an old monastery in Switzerland, the company has created a 173 centimeter ski that only weighs 3.1 pounds. Cost: about 7,000 USD.





Details from Zia;
zai.ch

A hole in the ground...

A Russian company has announced rather ambitious plans to dome over the abandoned Mir Diamond Mine in Siberia - creating a city for 100,000 people. 'Eco-city 2020' would be situated in the second largest man-made hole (a quarter mile wide, and over 1,700 feet deep)




Sketches from the designer AB Elise:
www.el-ab.ru/comp/comp1.php?lang=en#no

Drinking and driving...

'The Aston Martin Club Lounge' is newly opened in Singapore. A private club, it's theme is the history of the famed auto. For cocktails - Bollinger champagne and Macallan whiskey, of course.





Read more about it via luxury insider:
www.luxury-insider.com

Hardly...

Deflexion is a very interesting material. It's a textile that's soft and supple - normally - but when it's struck, it turns into 'armor'. Then it returns to being a fabric.





A quick primer on Deflexion via Core77:
www.core77.com

Remotely possible...

The 'Mega Hurtz' tactical robotic platform is available with many options - lasers, lethal and non-lethal weapons, night vision.. But really, the chassis itself is quite capable - it can tow a hummer or knock down a wall. The perfect holiday gift for the guy who has everything.




Details via 'InspectorBots':
inspectorbots.com

Going big...

The house of Buben & Zorweg has long been known as an excellent maker of mechanical clocks. Their latest project is a humidor - the 'Grand Connoiseur'. The giant cabinet stands 5 foot six inches tall, and store up to 1,000 cigars. High tech touches include a state of the art humidification system, automated anti-contamination measures, LED lighting, and a high tech locking system.




Details and photos via SuperYacht Design:
www.superyachtdesign.com

Graphic story...

If you're looking for a lively read, you might check out 'Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws'. Illustrated in a graphic style - it's a factual account of ninja lore and techniques. Authored by Hiroko Yoda - Cost: about 15 USD




Available from Amazon:
amazon.com