Drum roll please.....introducing the G1, the new Google phone - one of the most hotly anticipated gadgets to hit our techno-hungry world in the last few years. The world's first Android phone, the GI has been developed so users can have the Google 'instant' search experience on their phones. It boasts impressive features such as a motion sensor, which allows users to navigate Google Maps just by turning the phone. The good-looking handset features a 3.2 inch touch screen and slide-out qwerty keyboard, so it slips easily between the two functions withouth one crowding the other.



The phone was designed by San Francisco-based designers Mike and Maaike, who worked with Google to create a pioneering mobile communications device which fulfills all of our phone, internet and search needs just as efficiently as our laptops or desktops. What does it mean for Apple, we hear you wondering out loud? Time will only tell. It's certainly the first real competitor the iPhone has faced. Whatever happens...it's got us interested. We want one. Now. - Lisa Evans

When Philippe Starck works, our world watches – and when Starck teamed up with LaCie to help design two new external hard drives, we stayed attentive. Both the mobile and desktop hard drives appear to have fluid silver magma protected by a hard aluminium outer shell – or as Starck describes it, a brain with a motorcycle helmet.

Beyond pure aesthetics, the inner ‘brain’ is touch-sensitive as well, allowing users to manipulate applications. The devices connect via a USB cable and do not require their own power supply. The desktop model comes in 1TB or 2TB capacities, while the mobile drive holds either 430GB or 500GB. - Andrew J Wiener.

Maybe you're someone who constantly thinks: if only I were more organised? Or maybe you're one of those overly organised people who knows exactly where everything is at all times and is always searching for the next best thing to fuel your obsessive compulsive tendencies? Either way, the Cocoon GRID-IT! Organizer could be just what you need. 

Woven elastic bands hold your stuff in place - whether it's electronics that were previously shoved into extra pockets of your laptop carrying case - or the bottomless pit of a toolbox that's stored under the kitchen sink waiting to explode open. The Cocoon GRID-IT could even be used for toilteries - so imagine not having to worry about leaky shampoo bottles floating around inside your travel bag. Organisation never looked better. - Andrew J Wiener

If you cannot find a pair of headphones that visually meets your needs from Kotori’s more than 100 variations, you may have more serious problems than just the lack of cool audiowear.

However, if you just don’t like any of the suggested colour combinations, you can easily design your own by selecting the colour of each of the 10 components, or just hit shuffle and see what happens randomly.

With the technology of the Japanese Fostex, supplier of recording and speaker gear for professionals, Kotori headphones should meet your needs also in audio quality.

These headphones will likely add a few problems to your life, though: They are so cool that you will forever be telling everyone where you got them AND you will have to keep a close eye on your Kotoris as your design-hungry friends will want to borrow them.

Apparently, kotori means little bird, or lucky bird in Japanese, and screech owl spirit in native American Hopi language. Either way, you will want to flaunt these, even if you only played mute.

In the appealing Japanese style that it both cute and sleek in its rounded friendliness and minimalist functionality, Kotori headphones have a yummy sensibility that makes you want to choose several pairs at once. Each of the seven pre-set themes – pop, sweet, cool, vivid, natural, animal, and delicious – has 15 variations. Our current favorites are the Mikan in Vivid and the retro Woody in Natural. - Tuija Seipell

In days gone by, headphones were the size of half-a-head and blocked out the entire outside world. The audio was amazing but you sweated profusely because of the generous foam padding. And you looked idiotic. Through several mutations, we then ended up at the other extreme, with minuscule earbuds that nearly vanished in your ear — and you still looked dorky.
 
Now, we have moved on to “audio fashion wear” that combines the best of all worlds. Copenhagen’s AIAIAI with its design partners at Kilo has come up with stylish, light-weight Tracks Headphone Series that combines toned-down nostalgic looks with superior sound quality. A leather version of Tracks, in natural and black, is apparently in the works as well.

More retro on-ear fashion is available at WeSC (WearetheSuperlativeConspiracy), established in 1999 in Stockholm. Some of their latest models seem eerily and comfortingly familiar, especially our current favourite, the MARACA 0004068 created for WeSC by Stockholm-based Norra Norr. - Tuija Seipell