PRELUDE: GADGETS

 

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1. STORM OBLIGATOR $260
WWW.STORMWATCHES.COM
Retro wristwear is gaining popularity for those wanting to experiment with their timepieces. Storm, always pushing weird and wonderful designs, is shipping out the Obligator. The price tag reflects its titanium case and Jules Verne-style design.

2. SONY NW-HD3 $349
WWW.SONY.COM
With a huge 30-hour battery life, double that of the iPod, the latest Sony Walkman is attempting to give Apple a run for its money. The NW-HD3 packs a punch: an easy file-transfer program, 20GB (about 5,000 tracks) of memory and a slim, stylish finish.

3. SEGWAY CONCEPT CENTAUR $3,500 APPROX
WWW.SEGWAY.COM
Hats off to the Segway engineers who dreamt up this funky, futuristic-looking buggy. Using the patented stabilizing technology of its two-wheeled transporters, Segway has designed the Centaur for on- and off-road riding with perfect balance.

4. FOSSIL WRIST PDA FX2008 $249
WWW.FOSSIL.COM
This stylish gadget combines a watch with all the functions of a Palm OS-loaded PDA. It can store hundreds of contacts, offers a calendar and memo pad and a host of user-friendly functions to complement its 8MB of internal memory inside a compact build.