Luxury

Have you ever tried buying an AC/DC album on iTunes? Don't bother. It's not there. Unlike those sellouts, The Beatles, AC/DC is too cool for that crap.

So what better way to honor the world's most tenaciously old-school rock gods than to give them their own pinball machine? I mean, it's about time someone showed The Who, that serious pinball geeks deserve a more rocking anthem than "Pinball Wizard."

The AC/DC Pro, currently in production by Stern Pinball, weighs in at a whopping 250 pounds, and can be yours for around $… Read more

For the past few months, I've been trying to figure out how to rearrange my old wall art to make it look fresh again, but nothing's working at the moment. These mosaic LCD tiles would be the perfect solution--you know, if I were rich.

The Planar Mosaic LCD Tiles come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be arranged in different patterns, while proprietary software allows you to program whatever video or image you want displayed across all screens.

Customers can choose from the three models. The first is the Planar Salvador, which is a square LCD that measures 15.6 inches on each side and ideal for use over larger surface areas. Meanwhile, the Planar Pablo has a rectangular shape and measures 40 inches wide, or you can go slightly bigger with the 48-inch wide Planar Vincent.

Planar designed the mounting hardware so that the displays can hang in any position and at various angles, including "concave and convex arrays."… Read more

Strangely shaped speakers aren't exactly the most outrageous things we've encountered.

Speaker drivers can be built into almost anything, with results ranging from the cute and gimmicky iPig iPod dock to high-end horn speakers shaped like butterflies. Now, we have the MinuSkull, a dual-driver-powered speaker that's shaped like a more angular human skull.

With a distinctive design, the MinuSkull is the handiwork of French design company Kuntzel+Degas, which is made up of artists Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Olivie. The speaker is self-powered with a built-in 50W RMS amplifier and weighs less than 11 pounds. … Read more

To install your spanking new flat-panel TV on the wall, you can either purchase a regular bracket or go all out with a made-to-order Art Motion frame.

These window-like frames are compatible with screen sizes ranging from 37 to 65 inches and come in a choice of standard, deluxe, and ultimate versions. The standard edition is designed to clamp onto your TV's bezel, while the deluxe and ultimate equivalents go one step further by offering easier access to the sockets behind the panel.

Meanwhile, a total of 10 speakers and a powerful 100W amplifier have been integrated right into the ultimate version. … Read more

We've seen electric bikes before, but we've never seen anything like the Boxx.

This contraption, which looks like an oversize suitcase that sprouted handles--or a MacBook Pro on wheels, if you ask me--is actually a new all-electric bike made by a Portland-based company called Boxx. Its unique design certainly makes it stand out from the crowd, but so do its eco-friendly features.

The Boxx, is an emissions-free vehicle, can be charged using a standard household outlet system. It comes in two configurations: one with a standard Core power system that provides up to 40 miles of travel on … Read more

These horn speakers from Ring Audio are both aesthetically pleasing and sonically efficient on paper.

They can easily pass as art pieces at a glance and are available in different finishes, ranging from natural wood grains to composite materials, as well as contrasting colors, such as piano black and white.

The German speakers are also capable of producing rumbling deep bass up to 35Hz despite their small 4-inch drivers. What's more, this level of performance can be achieved with only 10W of power making them compatible with tube amplifiers, whereas most non-horn-type models require many times more power.

However, … Read more

A running analogy proved hard for Bang & Olufsen Chief Executive Tue Mantoni to resist.

Mantoni, an ultra-marathoner, described the launch of a new sub-brand of slightly more affordable goods from the struggling luxury consumer electronics firm as the first steps in a long race.

"We've run the first couple of miles in a marathon," said Mantoni, who once ran for 30 hours straight in the 102.5-mile Mont Blanc Ultra Trail Run in France. "In some parts of Europe, there is still a very big hill ahead of us. There's hail, and a very … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO--The Macworld expo isn't what it once was, but you wouldn't know it from the excitement of both vendors and Mac faithful attending this year's show.

The show started today at Moscone Center West here, and though Macworld no longer attracts the big crowds and big-name vendors it once did, I saw plenty of enthusiastic vendors and showgoers checking out the latest wares for Mac and other Apple products.… Read more

Another patent application has surfaced showing Apple's interest in changing the way people entertain themselves in their living rooms.

It may not be the much-anticipated Apple TV set, but it does provide a hint or two about a control system for such a device.

Chronicled by Apple Insider this morning, the patent filing details plans for a universal remote control system that uses a touchscreen to let users control multiple devices around their house. That includes the TV, stereo, and even the MP3 player on a user's computer.

The patent application, which Apple filed for in September … Read more