The Material Boy #421

Below: I love these granulated Buffalo Leather ipad Case from Burberry!

Burberry Buffalo Leather Ipad Case

The luxury brands have Apple to thank for. Every nifty piece of gadget they come up with, from ipods to iphones to now, ipads have all created new business opportunities for luxury brands all around the world. Yes, leather cases for these devices are hot items!

We all love our apple gadgets. And we want to match all that technology with high style. Hence, our vanity has driven us in pursuit of leather cases worthy of these technological extensions of ourselves.

If you are an ipad owner, this is for you! One handsome Burberry Buffalo Leather ipad Case made from granulated leather in stunning red or delectable chocolate hue. I love the zip around design, which will turn this handsome leather case into a folio, allowing you to even store documents securely. The ipad will sit snugly behind the cutout leather frame, gloriously displayed for your eyes. A stand is also provide when the device is in use which I though was very thoughful. I also adore the luxurious suede interior lining which adds a tactile touch.

Subtly branded, this is one leather ipad case not to be missed! Get them at Burberry stores or online for USD450!

Me love!

Source: Burberry

The Material Boy #418

Below: Will these Balenciaga Smart Phone Pouch be my new iPhone 4 case? Love the black one!

Below: Caroline from Carolines mode just got one...fabulous!

Balenciaga Smart Phone (iPhone) Pouch

Since Apple failed to sent me my free iPhone 4 rubber case (was lost in the mail and impossible to contact Apple to follow up. Horrible customer hotline that puts you on hold for more than an hour!), I am out to find a new iPhone pouch.

Look at these Balenciaga versions which I am liking more and more. The lighter coloured ones may look odd with the pewter coloured regular metal studs, but the black and anthracite colours are simply complimentary... Love it! The zip and leather pull details adds some attitude!

Currently out of stock now at Balenciaga Hilton Hotel, Singapore. But do call to check on availability before you make a trip to the store.

Price is SGD360 (US$275 on Balenciaga's website) which is not too bad for a leather case. The pouch can also hold blackberry, iPhone 3 and some other smart phones. Do test it for yourself!

Source: Balenciaga, Carolines Mode

My MANy Bags News #264

Braun CruZer and BodycruZer Stylers - Illegally Hot Styling

There are cheesy ads and then there's this TV commercial from Braun (master manufacturer of styling and shaving devices) that tops the list as my most corny ads ever. However, being imbued with larges does of hotness, sex appeal (from the so hot and cute male model Gonzalo Teixeira), it is sometimes 'legal' to pay a visit to 'tackyville'. Who thought of the idea?!?! Boo to you for that, but thumbs up to you for the gorgeous male cast. Having a major nose bleed now...

Happy Friday everyone...eye candy time!

(If you enjoyed this commercial, check out another hottie from my previous post here)

Source: Braun

The Material Boy #414

Below: Apple gadgets always brings new means of revenue for designers... check out these designer ipad cases!

Designer Ipad Cases

If the cool extra large touch screen and cool interface do not tempt you to want to own an ipad, then perhaps these designer ipad cases will... especially the Chanel version.

Ohlala...

1) Louis Vuitton (Price: US$390)
2) Oscar De La Renta (Price: US$290)
3) Salvatore Ferragamo (Price: US$390)
4) Gucci (Price: US$290)
5) YSL (Price: US$795)
6) Chanel (Price: US$1555)
7) Burberry (Price: US$475)

Source: Harpers Bazaar

My MANy Bags Trendspotting #110

Is This The New 'Hippest' Accessory For Men?

What is the new 'must have, to be seen with' accessory for men now and in the future? Check out these guys during Milan Fashion Week - Spring Summer 2011 Menswear happening right now...

The pics above seem to hold the answer.

Source: GQ by Tommy Ton

My MANy Bags News #41

Travelling Light? Oh Yeah!...Sony Vaio P

OMG...While browsing Chuvaness's blog, I found this cool piece of gadgetry from Sony. The ultra portable Sony Vaio P Laptop...smaller than anything ever...and I bet lighter than even Macbook air. Perfect for slipping into any handbags or man bags! It's gonna revolutionise the way we travel with laptops! I would love for Mac to create a similar laptop this size! Meanwhile, this is definitely worth any fashionista/fashionisto's online needs while hitting the fashion capitals of the world for more shopping~! COOL!

Prices start from $899 (US?)

Source: Chuvaness

Goodbye...Nokia E71...

Below: Goodbye Nokia E71...:-P

Below: Nokia's 'Beautiful Connections' Website

Below: Very engaging website user interface...

Below: Interesting short film by Carl Burgess

Below: Very cool and quirky short film by Shft

Nokia E71 Trial Report #02...Time For Goodbyes

Time flies. Very soon it will be the end of my 2 week trial of Nokia E71 phone from the wonderful ladies at WOWworld. Thanks Katie and Steph! I am all ready to return this marvellous piece of technological wonder and I will seriously be considering making this the top choice of my next phone purchase (in the next couple of months).

It may be all the rage for touch screen phones now due to the popularity of iphone, but in terms of practical functionality, I still feel physical buttons to press tops touchscreen any day. I have a Prada phone, have tried on iphone...but the text messaging for a heavy duty SMS user like me, is just not my cup of tea. Hence, when I started using this Nokia E71, I find lots of ease and pleasure in doing my messages. It was fast and very intuitive. I love it. I thought I had been permanently won over by Sony Ericcson now, but Nokia E71 changed my perception altogether. I am happy to say I am a Nokia convert now.

During the last trial moments of the device, I tested the video capturing capabilities of the phone. Suffice to say, although quality is not comparable to actual video camera, what came out of this small device is still impressive. Sharpness is good, the internal mic being very sensitive so it will pick up even the most remote of ambient noises. I especially love the B&W shooting mode which creates a certain artistic quality to the video clip.

As evident in their new Nokia E71, Beautiful Connections website (which I had the privilege of being granted preview access by the kind ladies of WOWworld), imaging capabilities is one of the qualities Nokia want to reinforce for their positioning of the phone. The 'Beautiful Connections' website features an interesting user interface, with the phone's central navigation button as a main source of finding your way around the site. There are four short films created by 4 artists each inspired by the beauty of everyday communication.

I have checked out all 4...and I was captivated. Out of the lot, 2 stood out more for me and they were created by Carl Burgess and Shft. The film by Carl Burgess features 'slithery' images of the artist's daily journey between east and north London. Images of signs, road names and overhead conversations slip thru a hand, somewhat 'Salvador Dali' style and morphing in different forms to give a real visual treat!

The other clip by Shft is very quirky and fun. It shows 2 person (same face:-P) literally spurting out 'communication' at each other. Horses, trees, crushed paper, clouds etc...were exchanged as the characters engaged in a 'bicker'. It's so visually engaging. I was amused and applauding the innovative treatment as I watched. Finally, the clip ends with both guys spurting out a mini version of themselves and a good hug to symbolise a reconciliation of the conversation. Absolutely remarkable! Do check it out yourself at the website:-P

So this ends my trial of Nokia's E71. This is probably one of the best phones I have used and I love 'qwerty' keypads now. Slim, and sexy...Nokia E71 is befitting a fashionisto/fashionista who wants style and substance for their gadgets! Congrats to Nokia for another brilliant innovation.

Source: Nokia

Nokia E71 - Wonder or dud?

Below: 2 modes for quick easy access to your needs: Work or Play. Work mode featured here with my YSL wallpaper:-P More sombre and serious. But a red theme for good luck at work in CNY!


Below: Lots of applications for this Nokia E71 phone...

Below: Example of sub menus...easy and clear to understand

Below: WLAN wiz to get connected easily...

Below: Switching modes...'WORK' is over and time to go 'PLAY'...

Below: Louis Vuitton Graffit Wallpaper for my 'PLAY' mode! Relevant applications are now displayed for easy access. And I can customised again, my theme and wallpaper:-)

Below: Blue theme to unwind and chill...

Below: Sample pic taken in midday, bright daylight. More inclined towards bluish/reddish hues. Quality and sharpness is pretty impressive for the 3.2 megapixel camera.

Below: Sample pic taken in evening before darkness falls. Using night mode without flash. Again more inclined towards bluish/reddish hues. Quality and sharpness is acceptable. Can see an increase in noise levels in dark areas

Below: Sample pic taken in night time using night mode. More inclined towards bluish/reddish hues. Quality and sharpness drops due to high levels of noise. But almost all camera phones are like that.

Nokia E71 Trial Report #01

It has been almost a week since I first trying out this Nokia E71, so I thought I want to share with you guys how I have been getting along with this new gadget.

And contrary to my doubts, this complex piece of gadgetry is actually more simple and user friendly than what it appears to be! All those function keys, abundant menu items and applications and the cramped qwerty keypad are just mere appearance. This phone do deliver! I can't say how much I have fallen in love with this phone. I was a Sony Ericcson convert, but upon using this wondrous device, Nokia E71, I think I am going to 'cheat' on my Sony and may have a long and rewarding 'affair' with Nokia again.:-P

First up, the most curious question that a lot of friends have for me...is the qwerty keypad easy to use? The small cramped keys seem intimidating for guys especially since we tend to have big thumbs and fingers. Okay, since I am a slim person, my hands are not huge, so it really does not pose a problem to me. To be honest, guys with bigger hands than me will be surprise with the ease and feel of the keypad. The keypad is designed in such a way where it tapers to the top, leaving a gap around each key, although they are placed closely to one another. So that means, you really do feel where each key is and with a bit of getting used to, you can hit the right button without pressing the adjacent ones. Plus, one more amazing thing, the pressure needed to press a button is perfect. Not too hard and yet not too sensitive. I have so much joy pressing the keypad. This is probably the best I have encountered and I am saying becos I really felt so and not to flatter Nokia. To alternate between alphabet, punctuation marks and numbers, there is a simple function key at the corner to enable to quick switch. It is so clever!

Next, the applications itself...Although I am not a tech wiz, I am impressed by the amount of capabilities this phone can perform. The most interesting feature is that you get 2 separate modes for the phone, one for work and one for play. That means, you customised your each mode to have different easy access applications. For example, while at play mode, you have all your music player, gallery etc right on display for your convenience. While at work mode, all the working applications like email, internet, calendar are display for easy access. Being a 'vain' phone user, of course I customised my wallpaper on both modes to reflect the different moods for each. Louis Vuitton graffiti pattern for play, and YSL B&W photography for work!:-P Beyond wallpaper, the themes can be customised for each mode as well. Since it is chinese new year, I am using a red based colour theme to reflect the joyous festivities!

The phone has WLAN, or GPRS functionality for web browsing. GPS capability, Quick office for browsing Microsoft Office documents. The video and camera capabilities are more than sufficient for all the photo and video fanatics around. At 3.2 megapixel, the camera delivers very crisp quality images, although they tend to lean towards a more red based colour tone. You have Realplayer, Flashplayer to ensure compatibility for video formats. The LCD screen is both sharp and crisp with brilliant colours. I love it!

Now, for the flaws, I dunno if I am an 'idiot' with gadgetry...but I cannot seem to find a way to turn the phone into silent mode with a simple button. I have to run thru selecting menus and sub menus before reaching profiles to get into silent mode. Kinda hassle. The same goes for mass deleting of messages, there is no 'MARK SEVERAL' function, so you have to mark the messages one by one, going thru the pull down menu, before you can mass delete. Sucks!

Beyond the basics, I have yet to explore deeper into the capabilities of the phone. But for now, I am very contented and pleased with this device and am seriously contemplating to buy this phone once my mobile contract expires and I am eligible to purchase a new phone. This is truly design meets capability. Slim and slick, stylish and powerful. Way to go Nokia! You did it again!

My MANy Bags News #33

Below: Mail for Kevin!


Below: It's a Nokia!

Below: It's a Nokia E71!

Below: Such a sleek device and with a qwerty keypad! Holy Moley!

Below: Accessories galore...

Below: Behold the technological beauty of Nokia E71!

Below: Red velvet lined slim leather pouch..

Below: Good size and weight..

Below: Not to mention...SLIM as well...

Nokia E71 In Grey Steel

Thanks to the lovely ladies from Womworld, I am being offered another opportunity to trial a new device from Nokia. And this time, it's the super sleek Nokia E71 mobile phone:-)

The DHL man delivered the package to my doorstep this Monday morning. It really perk me up:-) What a pleasant way to start the work week. I rushed home immediately after work and was so excited to open up the package and see/hold the device in real.

My excitement and all the anticipation do not disappoint. As the package is being slowly uncovered, the sturdy packaging unveiled one of the most immaculate and sleek devices I have seen. I am so surprised by the choice of materials and most of all, how everything is so slim and light-weight! Oh wow. The body of the phone is cast in shiny chrome metal, with a tiny checks etched pattern at the back. The phone features not a typical mobile phone keypad...but a qwerty version:-P Perfect for those long SMS texting! The phone weighs nicely in your palm, definitely quality construction from quality material choices. Sturdy and very sleek.

The accessories are a standard set of ear piece, battery and the smallest, lightest phone charger ever. This is just perfect for travelling. To add to the aesthetic appeal of the shiny device, a slim leather pouch and strap lined in red velvet is included.

I like how everything is well thought of and you truly do get impressed even at first look.

The phone comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera and should be more than enough to satisfy that 'photobug' in you.:-) Apparently from what I can gather, this phone is a truly multi media marvel. Hopefully, the 'technology imbecile' in me can fully exploit the features of this hi tech device:-) Wish me luck!

I shall do more test on functionality when I start reading the manual and using the phone.

Next up...the new E71 website that I had the privilege of having a preview. Thanks to Steph again! This is another great opportunity beyond the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte trial. I am smiling! Dun we all love technology!

Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte Has 'Landed'!

I Got My Trial Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte!

Yay...it's here! And in record delivery time:-) Thanks to Donna, Danielle and the team of WOM World. You guys are fast! DHL did their job well!

First thing that caught my attention when I unwrapped the parcel, was the elaborate packaging that this phone comes in. In a nice sleek black box with layers of unveiling for the contents, top marks are scored for first impressions! Afterwards, when I finally hold the phone in my hands, the feeling is simply divine. Sturdy construction, high quality materials and beautiful design simply overwhelms you. The numerous amounts of accessories that comes with this phone also speaks volume of how exquisite the Nokia 8800 is. I especially love the leather pouch. Most mobile phones have ugly ones. There is also a very thoughtful foam pad that lets you rest your phone on so it can avoid being scratched.

I will start to have a play on the phone tomorrow. Will update more here:-)