Microplane zester makes light work of grating

Billed as the absolute king of graters, the Microplane 40020 is said to be so adept at grating and zesting it has dropped into everyday shorthand as the generic term for a hand-held grater. Designed to be comfortably held in the fashion of a traditional carpenter’s rasp, the Microplane is reputed to be sharper and simply better at anything that requires grating or zesting than your everyday box grater – the use of which often results in lumpy gratings and painfully grazed knuckles.

Thanks to its plethora of surgically sharp holes, grating with the Microplane results in a fluffier grated product, said to not only look far more appealing but also delivering a grated product that has a finer and more consistent texture, as well as a sharper flavour. Suitable for just about anything that might need grating, the Microplane effortlessly handles all manner of texture. Just perfect for truffles, it will easily grate anything – from softer ingredients, such as cheese, right up to tougher items, including nuts and spices.

Zesting with the Microplane is, apparently, not only quicker and more efficient but also results in tastier, more flavoursome trimmings. These, in turn, impart more flavour to your dishes, resulting in an inevitable bombardment of compliments at your next dinner party. Dishwasher-friendly, the Microplane is as easy to use as it is to clean and maintain. No sharpening is required and it is available in a wide assortment of colours.

www.microplane.com

Walkman catches up to the future

The Sony Walkman has come a long way since Marty McFly used his to listen to rock music in the Back to the Future movie in 1985.

These days, the Walkman is not exactly a product from the future, but Sony has relaunched its iconic audio device with some serious upgrades.

The entry-level Walkman NW-A30 Series comes with support for DSD formats.

It is able to cut distortion and noise across a wide range of frequencies and it has two clock oscillators that are switched to provide optimal modulation for the sampling frequencies of each content.

The new Walkman only weighs 98g, and has Bluetooth and NFC capabilities which mean you can connect wirelessly to your speakers.

Sony is obviously well aware that poor battery life is the bane of our existence, so commuters and joggers can enjoy 45 hours from a single charge, unless you are competing in some hellacious running contest or commute to the ends of the earth.

The Walkman is available in 16GB or 32GB.

HiPriced

With the ubiquity of smartphone technology and Apple’s extensive market share, iPhones are far from a rare sight. Those looking to stand out from the ever-growing horde of iPhone devotees, need look no further than the bespoke handsets now on offer from Falcon, a New York-based luxury brand.

The company’s customised iPhones are the last word in super luxurious, having been upgraded using platinum, 24-carat gold or rose gold and then adorned with a variety of precious gems. The price of these bespoke phones reflect their exclusive nature with the base model starting at US$1.65 million, with costs then going all the way up to the Super Nova edition, complete with pink diamond, that comes in at US$48.5 million. The iPhone collection includes 24 choices, combining three same-cost case choices ― platinum, 24-carat gold and rose gold ― and eight embedded gems ― black diamond for US$1.78 million; emerald cut diamond for US$2.43 million; blue sapphire, emerald or ruby for US$5.13 million; blue diamond for US$35.1 million; orange diamond for $45.9 million and pink diamond for US$52.4 million.

Each phone comes with 128GB of memory as standard and includes a USB cable, power adaptor and standard Apple headphones. Of course, the standard white plastic Apple headphones don’t quite cut it when your phone is fully decked out in precious metals and gems, so Falcon also offer solid platinum, 24-carat gold or rose gold sets as optional extras for a mere US$300,000 a go.

Virtual escape

If you’re bored of the reality of everyday life or just want to get away from the stress of work/family then there has never been a better time to “escape”, with the help of a virtual reality (VR) headset.

Simply strap on a headset and immerse yourself in a reality so real you actually feel like you are walking on Mars or enjoying a spot of fishing on a quiet river.

And the majority of the big technology companies — Google, Facebook, Sony, Samsung and HTC — have launched or are about to launch a VR headset in Hong Kong, so there are plenty of options.

But what exactly is virtual reality?

Well, a VR headset aims to create a 3D reality in which you can walk around and interact with the environment without the sort of boundaries you’d get from a TV or computer.

For the headset to work you will need a PC, console or smartphone to run the app or game, and an input — head tracking, controllers, hand tracking, voice, on-device buttons or trackpads. Video is sent to the headset from the PC, console or smartphone.

VR Headsets come with different games and features. For example, Sony’s VR headset is linked to its PlayStation 4 and comes with about 30-40 games.

And remember, if you do buy a VR headset, don’t fall off the balcony at home exploring Mars.

Smarterphone

Ah, the manifold shortcomings of smartphones – the miniscule battery life, their infamous lack of water-resistance and their insistence on cracking whenever dropped. Thankfully, this can now all be remedied in one fell swoop thanks to one ever-handy device – the Juice Pack H2 Pro.

As well as a protective sleeve that fits snugly over your smartphone, the Juice Pack also boasts a back-up battery housed within several layers of shock-absorbing material – tested for vibrations, drops and shocks to a military standard no less – it also comes coated with a scratch-resistant membrane. Add to that water-tight ports to keep your phone secure, and you’re guaranteed to keep your phone safe and fully charged whenever you’re out and about. As to just how waterproof the Juice Pack actually is, it can apparently withstand being immersed in water up to a depth of 1.2 metres for as long as 30 minutes. It is also resistant to dust and those pesky “foreign objects.”

One tip for new users, however, is to ensure the device is correctly installed over your smartphone in order to ensure that it is wholly waterproof. To make things even easier, there is even a helpful video on the manufacturer’s website for the hard of thinking.

Morphie – the manufacturer in question– recommends waiting until the primary battery on your device hits the “red zone” (below 20 percent charge) and then switching to the supplementary supply. Once the phone is back up to 80 percent, revert to the primary battery as the top 20 percent of charge takes more oomph and will chew up your battery power unnecessarily.

The Juice Pack is compatible with the iPhone 6s/6, comes in black, grey, navy blue and hot pink, has a two-year warranty and retails at around US$130 (HK$1000).

Tube Fare

Bear Grylls – prepare to seek alternative employment. The Supplies Tube survival kit – the latest release from American outdoor utility tool specialist VSSL – has just made you pretty much redundant, thanks to its facility to make even the least forest-friendly folk feel safe in the wild.

The Tube is actually a weather-resistant, light-yet-sturdy aluminium cylinder chock-full of survival gear that all fits into its TARDIS-like impossibly compact 23cm by 5cm frame.

The contents of this must-have passport to eternal outdoor wellbeing include an LED lantern (with batteries), a compass, a beeswax candle, water purification tablets, a high-tensile wire saw, an emergency whistle, a signalling mirror, a can opener, first-aid supplies and a razor blade (because, after all, it’s important to look good while lost in the wilderness for when the inevitable rescue team and TV cameras arrive). There’s also a set of instructions on the correct use of the Tube’s invaluable inventory. In addition, the kit comes with fishing tackle, fire starters and waterproof matches. So you will be able to set yourself alight while wishing you knew how to fish.

James Otto, a bush-craft product reviewer – that’s a job apparently – said: “I really like how the contents are packaged. It’s very organised and you don’t need to make a mess out of the kit in order to use any of the products.” Fellow reviewer, Devin Stephens, agreed, saying: “The company has put a lot of thought and engineering into their light, and has created one of the best LED flashlight devices on the market.”

The Supplier Tube retails for US$99 (HK$768), plus postage. You may die if you don’t buy it. No pressure.

Cartier opens ultimate bachelor pad in Hong Kong

Every man at some point in his life wanted to own the ultimate bachelor pad. A place to get away from the stress of daily life and kick back with man stuff, like cigars, whiskey, games of pool, sports on a giant screen and a poker table. Sadly, in Hong Kong, this is merely a dream for most due to lack of space.

Thankfully, Cartier is on hand to help. The French luxury watch company has turned the Qube, a multipurpose event space, in Central into the ultimate bachelor pad until 30 September.

Click here for more on video

The event/tour, to celebrate the company’s Drive de Cartier watch, has objects and collectibles such as books, music, one-of-a-kind figurines and the latest gadgets.

Online retailer Mr Porter is on hand to help choose what will look good in your wardrobe and a personal shopper will offer style advice.

And like all good things, Cartier has left the best till last. The tour will finish in a room furnished with sofas, a bar, a garden, a games den and displays of the Drive de Cartier watch.

To register for the event, visit whatdrivesyou.hk.

Apple looks to the future with iPhone 7

The launch of the iPhone 7 comes at the perfect time for Apple to capitalise on the controversy surrounding its rival, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Apple recently unveiled the iPhone 7, and the company’s latest generation of smartphone boasts a number of improvements on the iPhone 6.

The upgraded iPhone looks similar to its predecessor and is the same size but it has a better camera, faster processor and improved battery life. One controversial new feature, however, of the iPhone 7 is the lack of a headphone jack.

Apple said they removed the headphone jack to free up space in the smartphone for extra technology and to move towards a wireless future.

The phones will come with headphones, but they will have to fit into the Lightning port, which is used for charging.

A smartphone’s camera tends to be a key selling point for a lot of people, and the iPhone 7 is an improvement on the iPhone 6.

The latest phone has a wider F1.8 aperture, image stabilization and a bigger image sensor.

The more expensive and bigger iPhone 7 Plus comes with a dual camera system. It has the same 12MP wide-angle lens as the standard iPhone 7, along with a second 12MP telephoto lens next to it. The two lenses allow for twice the optical zoom and better digital zoom.

The release of the iPhone 7 comes just as Apple’s biggest rival, Samsung, has urged owners of its Galaxy Note 7 to stop using and exchange their phones after some devices exploded during or after charging.

The iPhone 7 is set to launch in Hong Kong from September 16.

Flying Solo

An old Jedi mind trick once convinced searching sentries that “these are not the droids” you are looking for. It would take more than the power of the Force, however, to convince any true Star Wars fans that the Millennium Falcon Quadcopter was not the drone they were looking for. The team at Air Hogs, purveyors of only the ﬁnest ﬂying toys, have injected all their know-how into their latest levitating wonder, one that is brim-full of the technology you’d only really expect to ﬁnd in a galaxy far, far away.

The pla st ic mou lde d a nd ha nd-pa i nted exquisitely-rendered replica of the Falcon has been designed to cleverly conceal the four rotors that keep the drone aloft, with all the giveaway signs tucked neatly away inside the body of the ship. Battery powered and with an operating range of more than 200 metres, the ship is heavy on the juice, largely due to the need to fuel its striking laser features.

Should it engage with a drone from the Dark Side and take more than three direct hits, the Falcon will slowly spiral to the ground, leaving Han and co, hors de combat but thankfully intact. Even for young padawan pilots, controlling the drone is relatively straightforward, with Air Hogs having previously won several industry awards for the simplicity of its operating systems.

Its 2.4 GHz control, four-channels and gyro-stabilization systems provide amazing stability and flight performance, leaving users convinced they are indeed the New Hope and likely scourge of the Empire. Shipping starts next month so don’t miss your chance to pilot the only ship to have ever made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, presumably with a change of battery or two.

iJacked

Samsung, South Korea’s mobile giant and Apple’s bitterest tech rival, may have finally stumbled across the iDeal formula to woo even the truest Acolyte of Jobs away from the venerably iConic iPhone. Samsung’s approach is predicated on the notion that, as you are constantly connected to your phone, making seamless transitions between work and play, you need a phone that is big enough to handle it all.

The company’s answer is the Galaxy Note 7 and its array of features including, the biometric iris scanner that unlocks the smartphone, the curved edge screen that makes for its modern sleek exterior and its state-of-the-art camera technology. It is this combination that has seen many analysts hail the company’s latest handset as a prime example of why the company remains at the very leading edge of innovation.

Rumoured to be shipping almost imminently in the US, the new phone is said to be among the ﬁrst to feature HDR – High Dynamic Range – a new photography protocol that should allow your smartphone to capture images that rival the very ﬁnest professional-level photos.

In another innovation, the phone is fully-compatible with the Gear VR headset, allowing the user to become fully-immersed in the increasingly popular world of virtual reality.

The headset actually comes bundled with the new Galaxy Note 7, a real boon to keen gamers and the merely tech-curious. The light weight Gear VR headset features a white plastic shell exterior, all molded into the ski-goggle design that will already be familiar to many VR aﬁcionados. To the rear, it features an elastic strap that allows the set to be ﬁrmly attached. It also comes with a swipe-based touchpad and button for easy navigation.