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The Principals x Billy Reid Bare Bones Concrete Dominos Yes, these strangely-shaped blocks are indeed dominoes. You’ll want to haul the cotton carrying bag with you wherever you roam and play as often as possible. Just maybe not on a glass table. $55 |
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Need Supply x Alden Patterson Unlined Dover Shoe Do everything you can to keep cats off these blue suede shoes. You won’t want any bit of the dark, unlined suede, hidden eyelets or contrast sole stitching marred in any way. On second thought, dogs are banned, too. $490 |
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Seagate 600 Solid State Drive Upgrade your laptop’s internals with one of Seagate’s new solid-state drives — the company’s first for non-pros — and witness the 6Gb/sec SATA interface for yourself. Or scorch your buddy’s lame rig in a speed test if you’re feeling cruel. seagate.com |
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Oliver Spencer x Mr. Porter Oliver Spencer’s military-meets-streetwear catalog is now available on Mr. Porter. Snatch up everything you could want from the British clothier: thick-woven color block sweaters, unique sport jackets, distinctive sport shirts and more. mrporter.com |
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CrossRope Workout Jump Rope If you’re using vinyl-coated galvanized steel cables as workout gear, we’re not gonna mess with you. Multi-piece sets ensure you’ll always have the perfect custom workout, and the weight and resistance of the rope can adjust to your needs. crossrope.com (★) |
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Adobe Ideas Vector Drawing App It’s better than a diner napkin. The Vector app lets you create graphics on the go (the time when all good ideas come) using your iOS device. If you’ve got a subscription to Adobe’s Creative Cloud, you’ll be able to automatically save your files to the ether for further editing when you’re in front of your desktop. Free |
Today in Gear: May 10, 2013

Staff Favorites: Amos Kwon
The fifth installment of our Staff Favorites series features Mr. Amos Kwon. Amos is, simply put, a man’s man. He’s entirely focused on family (he’s a proud husband and, more recently, a father), but he’s also passionate about cars (he’s the heart and soul of our automotive coverage), cigars (it’s amazing that he hasn’t yet hired a personal Cuban roller), Scotch, and a mean EDC. He’s a diligent, talented writer, zipping absurd humor (we still can’t get over his “Whoever chose this… should be slapped with a pair of wet Depends” line) into the tight copy of his otherwise earnest reviews. We’re proud to have this proud Chicagoan on the team — and his favorite gear doesn’t disappoint.

Resealing Your Deck: A GP How-To Guide
Spring doesn’t really exist anymore. The belief that a season actually occurs between that last dumping of snow and when your smartphone weather apps start to sweat is mythical at best. What we get now is essentially a two-week meteorological reprieve during which we need to squeeze three months’ worth of work. To make sure those precious days aren’t squandered, we’re dishing out the goods on how to git ‘er done so you can make the most of this summer — and it starts with resealing your deck.
Take me to the Moon
Time on Our Hands: Baume & Mercier Clifton Complete Calendar
After some years occupying the dreaded fashion watch segment, Baume & Mercier has been regaining its former glory with several beautiful new timepieces and an evocative brand image. With the new Clifton series, Baume has managed to avoid the sophomore jinx, delivering yet another brace of seductive watches. We got our hands on the Baume & Mercier Clifton Complete Calendar and gave it a few weeks of wrist time.
Today in Gear: May 9, 2013
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Mod Mobili X-Base Table If you’re tired of using your ironing board as a workstation but don’t want to stray from the general principle, the X-Table is wildly more practical and almost definitely better-looking. Rather than relying on electricity (is that a thing for desks now?), the Scandinavian-designed beauty can be adjusted manually. $1,250 |
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Adobe Mighty and Napoleon Tablet Peripherals Now that Adobe’s got their heads in the Cloud, they’re stepping into the hardware game, too. The Mighty is a pressure-sensitive stylus connected to Adobe’s Creative Cloud; the Napoleon is similar in principal but functions as a tool for tablet drawing. Both should be major boons to creative techies. adobe.com (★) |
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Seize sur Vingt Cotton Oxford Weave Suits Seize sur Vignt’s Portuges-made cotton wool separates are perfect for men who can’t dress down during the summer months. Each piece is machine washable and lightly tailored for a comfortable, cool and versatile fit. 16sur20.com |
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Sony XBR 4K Ultra HD TVs Just in time for graduation gifts and Father’s Day, Sony has revealed two new 4K HD TVs (55-inch and 65-inch) that would look great in a first apartment or dad’s den. Or anywhere else. A 4K media player is also available for purchase, and comes with a pack of 10 movies. Just add popcorn. $5,000+ |
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Chiefs Energizing Man Soap Made especially for men, these bars are built with oatmeal to slough away dead skin and are infused with moisturizing elements and essential oils that’ll keep even the burliest fellow’s skin just smooth enough. $11 |
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SpiderOak Hive Private File Storage With a heavy emphasis on privacy (“100%” private, in fact), SpiderOak’s file storage system is for users who don’t want their files sullied by unwarranted eyes. The first 2 gigs are free (same as Dropbox); after that you’ll need a subscription. Of course, if you’ve got nothing to hide, it’s still nice for syncing, sharing, Et al. Free (★) |
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Bentley Le Mans Edition In honor of the 10th Anniversary of their 2003 Le Mans win, Bentley is issuing a limited number of Le Mans Edition Continentals and Mulsannes — 48 examples of each, to be exact. Each one will have a numbered badge, Le Mans Edition clock, embroidered Le Mans headrests, Le Mans Edition wheels and unique interior and exterior colors. bentleymotors.com |
Only good things in store
Mix It Up: Great Store-Bought Mixers
A decent drink can be hard to find, especially when you’re at home. For the do-it-yourselfers who would rather the “do” simply be mixing the strong stuff with the not-so-strong stuff, we’ve compiled a list of the top five mixers you can find in your friendly neighborhood high-end liquor store. All you have to do is add booze, ice and maybe a wry wink as you drop in the cocktail straw.
Vice President of Product Design at Kalamazoo Gourmet
30 Minutes With: Russ Faulk
Plenty of guys think they’re grill masters. But Russ Faulk, vice president of product design at Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, actually happens to be one. After asking him to add his personal notes to our tips for mastering the grill, we caught up with him to talk about life, family, battling squid and American craftsmanship.
Smoke some grass
Blade Runners: 5 Great Riding Mowers for Under $2k
Though you might dream about dropping lotto-winning cash on a pimped-out riding mower, the truth is that you don’t need to spend more than $2k for a mower that you can captain with pride. Whether you plan on doing your best Bill Murray (Caddyshack, not Lost in Translation) impression on your own personal links, or hope to trim a more modest green acres, we’ve got the riding mower for you.

Grill Master: Tips for BBQ Bliss
Grabbing the tongs, stoking the coals and biting into a lightly charred piece of meat is and always will be a shared summer pleasure. That doesn’t mean everyone knows how to do it right. To teach you how to truly master the grill — or even just to bone up the old pros — we’ve compiled a list of 10 grilling tips (along with notes from Russ Faulk of Kalamazoo Grills) to make your sizzle entirely satisfactory.
Today in Gear: May 8, 2013
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IMAX Private Theater Maybe you’re a sheik, maybe you bought into APL early; regardless, you’re a movie buff, so this is a no-brainer. IMAX designers work with your architects (you have those right?) to offer their expertise, and once the in-home theater is done, IMAX continues to monitor and service your system 24/7/365. imaxprivatetheatre.com |
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Smoke: New Firewood Cooking There’s nothing quite like a smoky barbecued… well, anything, to get the ol’ mouth awaterin’. Chef Tim Byres introduces recipes for cleverly smoky foods as well as instructions for making your own smokehouse, and much more. $25 (★) |
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Nike Mercurial Vapor IX SE Paying homage to the 1998 Nike Mercurial soccer shoe originally designed for soccer legend Ronaldo, the Mercurial Vapor IX SE updates the tech along with the classic design. Only 1,998 pairs will be produced, so you might miss out if you don’t pre-order. Our advice? Just do it. $350 |
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Doane Grid + Lines Notebook Paper Whether you’re an artist, and architect or just a practicing penman, a few extra lines can go a long way. The small-scale grid on Doane’s notebook paper is a doodler’s dream come true, and every bit as functional for pencil jockeys who need to stay between the lines. $9 |
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Wicked Lasers Phosforce Laser Flashlight A whole 500 lumens shoots out the business end of the Phosforce, which uses technology similar to BMW’s headlight systems. The laser’s blue light is transformed into white light, and can change back at your whim. $80 |

Stepping Back in Time: An Horological Visit to Lancaster, PA
To the casual observer, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with its tidy towns and the waft of manure from plowed fields on the spring breeze, is a far cry from the vaunted watchmaking regions of Europe. But there are similarities between this rolling farmland and the mountain valleys of Switzerland and Germany: a history of rural isolation, strong Puritan work ethic, cold winters, and a history of fine timepieces. Lancaster was home to the Hamilton Watch Company from 1892 until the mid-1980s and was, at one time, producer of some of the finest timepieces in the world. Today it is still a treasure trove of American watchmaking.
Hunter, Safari Guide and Photographer
30 Minutes With: Alex Walker
Alex Walker grew up in a National Geographic photo spread. Instead of a lawn with a picket fence or a city playground, the fourth generation East African’s childhood stomping grounds were the tea fields of Mufindi, the bush of southern Tanzania and Kenya’s Mau forest. Today he makes his home in Masai Mara, Kenya, one of the most famous wildlife ecosystems in the world. After staying at one of Walker’s camps on our adventure in Kenya, we were curious to hear more about what makes this safari guide tick.

Sweet Sound of Silence: 10 Best Noise-Canceling Headphones
A respite from noise might seem thin on paper, but spend a few hours on an inescapable airplane with crying babies, heaving green-faced passengers or even a chatty cathy neighbor and get back to us on what you’re willing to pay for a little peace and music. What’s more, NC options have some of the best sound profiles available, making them true gems for audiophiles and the easily distracted alike. Considering the vastly small market for noise-canceling headsets available at the moment, the problem isn’t necessarily narrowing down the field — it’s choosing the best one for your audio needs. From pioneering audio staples to buzzing newcomers, these are the noise cancelers worth turning your ears to.
Today in Gear: May 7, 2013
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Halda Watches Halda’s interchangeable concept watches feature base “time platforms” and multiple “time modules” in a horological version of Face Off. Mechanical and digital modules for both the “Race Pilot” and the “Space Discovery” mean you can tailor your look and your timekeeping features to your environment. haldasweden.com |
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Kreg Tool Automaxx Bench Klamp System This Bench Klamp System automatically adjusts for every change in material thickness with just a squeeze of its padded handles. It also gives you the freedom to work on every square inch of your workbench — not just the edges (like lesser craftsmen). $50 |
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Black Diamond Vector Climbing Helmet At only 231 grams (half a pound), the Vector is a high-powered lightweight. Think Vern Troyer meets the Hulk. Six vents keep your scalp cool, and headlamp clips are built in. Here’s hoping you won’t have to use it. $99 (★) |
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Sleepy Jones Clothing Andy Spade (of Jack Spade fame) is back for more with his latest project, Sleepy Jones, a stylish collection of basics, underwear, tees, socks and more. Wistful patterns and small details make up the oeuvre here, and small details (like the coin pocket on the boxers) are real gems. $36 (★) |
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Aecraft Ultra-Slim MacBook Air 13-inch Sleeve The problem with Apple’s Macbook Air is that it’s so gorgeously, impossibly thin that it’ll fit anywhere — but if you just throw it in any old bag bag its brushed finish will be marred in no time flat. This Merino wool and leather sleeve features a magnetic closure for slim, secure storage of your gossamer gadget. ~$79 |
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Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a New Southern Kitchen Edward Lee, owner of the Beard Award-nominated restaurant 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Kentucky, combines his Korean heritage and Southern upbringing for 130 recipes and bits of narrative that make this book both a kitchen tool and a good read. $19 |
Viewfinder: The Ghurka Story
Toward the end of this quick film Walker Macwilliam, creative director of Ghurka and narrator of the video, says Ghurka’s purpose is “making beautiful things out of beautiful leather”. We say that about sums it up perfectly.

Kit: Music Festival
Ah, the music festival. Concert after concert under the hot sun, huge fields of camping fans, available yet astronomically priced food, and port-a-potties stretching to the horizon combine for a strange breed of “roughing it” with large doses of civilization mixed in. Prepare properly and you’re in for the weekend of a lifetime; shirk the prep and you’ll be poor and plenty grumpy come Sunday night. Here are ten pieces of gear — appropriately fitting the chaotic and not at all fashionable atmosphere you’ll come to know and love — to get your music festival experience on track for “Epic!” status. We’ll leave the collapsible peace pipe to you.
Today in Gear: May 6, 2013
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Rapha & Braeburn Cycling Apparel Designer Christopher Braeburn and his brother Graeme’s three-piece spring line for cycling apparel king Rapha is well tailored and modern to a T. The lightweight shell jacket, merino henley and cycle-centric jeans are England-made and look sharp anywhere. rapha.cc (★) |
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RAWBKNY Wooden Keys Getting that self-aware feeling that your Apple keyboard looks too modern and design-y? Thanks to a currently underway Kickstarter campaign by Brooklyn-based RAWBKNY, you’ll soon be able to apply beautiful, thin bamboo or rosewood veneers to your keyboard for a truly unique (hipster lumberjack) look. $40+ |
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Uniqlo AIRism Innerwear Because you really need new underwear, anyway: Uniqlo’s new AIRism line provides super lightweight moisture-wicking and odor-repelling fabric to their undergarment line. The fabric’s slight stretch also adds comfort and flexibility. $10+ |
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Crumpler Cut of Horror Macbook Pro Backpack Australian manufacturer Crumpler has partnered with Apple to create a backpack specifically for the 15-inch MacBook Pro and iPad. A simple fold-over bag style provides easy access, and its fabric and zippers are highly water resistant to protect the goods. No word yet on what the hell the name means. $130 |
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Denon AVR-X4000 AV receiver Denon’s future-proofed home audio receiver boasts top-of-the-line specs including 4k upscaling for your ridiculous TV as well as 4K passthrough. It’s also easy to install and plays nicely with internet radio and AirPlay. $1,300 |
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Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol The legendary designer behind the Civilization franchise moves to mobile with Ace Patrol, a turn-based strategy game based on World War I fighter planes. Get your Sky Pilot playlist ready. Free |
Beer o'clock comes early this summer
Suds Up: Perfect Summer Craft Beers
A true hot-weather brew is not necessarily easy to find. We won’t knock macrobrews — their simple refreshment is enhanced all the same by hot weather, scantily clad women and baseball games. Those (the beers, not the women) are easily snatched from the corner store shelf, though. This list tackles the summer micro brew, a trickier topic, if only because there are so damn many. Pop the cap off the right one of these beauties and any summer activity can be filled with crisp, carbonated, slightly buzzed pleasure.
Reel Wheels: 15 Iconic Movie Cars
Weeding through Hollywood’s entire crop of iconic movie cars in the hopes of arriving at an agreed upon best of list is like trying to choose the sexiest Victoria’s Secret model — it can be grueling work, but the research isn’t exactly painful. Car guys are a picky lot, especially when looking to the silver screen: Some go weak in the knees when they hear an American V8 rumble to life slightly out of frame, while others are gaga for the svelte silhouette of a European exotic on a twisty backdrop. A select few believe the essential chase scene is the deciding factor, while yet another breed is only happy when the director has chosen an “appropriate” vehicle for the character driving, regardless of whether the movie was even watchable.
The GP Team’s collection of petrolheads put all of these variables into play, entered into deep philosophical debate and eventually agreed to disagree so we could present you with our picks for the best movie cars ever. Gentlemen, start your arguing engines!
Today in Gear: May 3, 2013
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Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S Though our hearts are loyal to naturally aspirated 911s like the awesome GT3, the Turbo is mighty in its own right. The all-new 991-based 911 Turbo and Turbo S are cause for celebration, especially in honor of the 40th anniversary of the inception of the 911 Turbo. Twin turbos drive the potent flat-six engine in both cars, and the S hits 60 in 2.9 seconds. Auf Wiedersehen, baby. $148,300+ |
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Nudie Jeans Grim Tims Org. Dry Pima Selv These jeans are forged through a trinity of bespoke glory: (1) organic Pima cotton grown on small-scale, organic New Mexico farms, (2) woven into selvage fabric on shuttle looms in Japan, and (3) put together by hand in Italy. Each pair is numbered from 1 to 480, furthering your denim individuality rating (refer to your hipster handbook for more info on that score). $265 |
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DirecTV Voice Turning inanimate objects into slaves is a lofty ideal that we can always get behind. If your kids/better half/pets won’t listen, at least your TV will with DirecTV’s voice search. Just yell “explosions!” or “Megan Fox!” into the iPhone app and your TV does the rest. directv.com |
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DIY Pelican Watchcase Some intuitive watch geek out there figured out that the Pelican 1470 laptop case works great as a watch case, too. You can always buy your own case and adjust it for your collection — or you can let Martin Lim, an enterprising graphic designer and apparently a real go-getter, build one with pro-grade foam for you. Either option is a relatively cheap way to tote your wrist candy. $260 |
| Acer Iconia A1 Android Tablet Acer’s new tablet is designed to go head to head with Google’s popular but aging Nexus 7 and Apple’s iPad mini. The price is right at $199, especially when you consider its mini-matching 7.9-inch, 1,024 x 768 display, quad-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, the option for 3G, a microSD slot and Micro-USB and HDMI ports. Then again, we’re sure new versions of the competition are right around the corner. $199 |
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CHIEF Pocket Squares Spruce up your summer blazers with these pocket squares from Brooklyn-based accessory company CHIEF. Each is made in the USA from exclusive Japanese fabrics that are fun, versatile and sure to give you style points. $55+ |
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Bot Objects ProDesk3D Printer There’s no doubt that 3D printing will revolutionize the manufacturing game and change how we buy certain things. The device reaches a new milestone in the industry’s first true full-color 3D desktop printer. Oh, and it also looks mighty fine too. botobjects.com |

The 2013 Comprehensive Summer Movie Guide
Nowadays, no summer preview would be complete without a mention of the movies. Mother nature’s decision to crank up the thermostat and the possibility of BBQ ribs for lunch provide all the natural motivation society needs to bunker down in a cool dark room to watch Megan Fox sweat on cars 120 minutes of explosions. We love a good superhero flick as much as the next guy, but massive marketing budgets shouldn’t be the only thing coaxing you into a theater seat this summer. This season has its fair share of CGI orgies and deep think pieces that don’t rhyme with “fan of seal” — and none of them should be missed.

Best of BaselWorld 2013
Another BaselWorld is in the books. Journalists, retailers and watch nerds alike are retreating as we speak to their blogs, stores and web forums to debate who the winners, the losers, the biggest surprises and the biggest disappointments were at this year’s show. Of course, all of the hype surrounding the biggest watch event on the planet is a sign of the times. Watches have become big business, and the launch of a new OMEGA or TAG Heuer attracts the same buzz as a new U2 album or Bond film. Watches are cooler now than they’ve ever been.
Our intrepid band of watch experts has elbowed past the hype and tirelessly pored over the onslaught of new watches shown this past week to distill a list of the most interesting, groundbreaking and just plain sexiest new timepieces of BaselWorld 2013.
Bee open minded
Tasting Notes: Dewar’s Highlander Honey
Putting honey into alcoholic things has a bad rap. It’s effeminate, it’s weak, it’s a cop-out. The parallels to shitty, girly strawberry-kiwi-whipped-cream-lip-gloss vodka are overwhelming. But everyone’s doing it. Now Dewar’s (a Scotch!) has joined in. We’re here to tell you: their take isn’t wrong. It’s just… different.

Staff Favorites: Matt Neundorf
The fourth installment in our Staff Favorites series features Mr. Matt Neundorf. Hailing from Toronto, this proud Canadian is one of GP’s newer recruits — but there isn’t a lick of green about him except for his prowess in DIY projects. A confessed car nut, an avid drinker of craft brews (especially those from his native Great White North) and an old hand at home renovation, Matt’s a natural — especially since he also brings his level-headed, humorous writing to bear on GP assignments. When he isn’t filling GP readers’ heads with dreams of roaring autos and whirring power tools, Matt works on his own personal home renovation projects, purveys construction equipment and sources consumer goods.
Today in Gear: May 2, 2013
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Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock Santa wouldn’t be nearly as efficient had he but one tiny reindeer out front of the ole sleigh instead of the de rigeur eight. Belkin, taking a play out of Saint Nick’s book, hitches up eight ports for ultra-fast gadgets in one fell, 20x-faster-than-USB 2.0 swoop. $300 |
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Jazz. New York in the Roaring Twenties Via anecdotes and vivid images, this book, replete with an audio CD of the jazz greats themselves, is a must read for any jazz enthusiast. It chronicles 24 key players in the 1920s jazz scene in NYC — from the recording sessions to big band dance halls and back again. $31 |
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Jefferson’s Bourbon Barrel-aged Cocktail Program Time to bring a bit of the booze-aging process to your favorite |
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Specialized Turbo E-Bike The Specialized Turbo’s alloy frame is super light yet strong enough to support a custom lithium ion battery (set nicely in the downtube) and a rear-hub motor that helps riders reach speeds of 28 mph. While you’re boosting, consider leaving your Livestrong bracelet at home. $5,900 |
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Kingston MobileLite Wireless Flash Reader An update to Kingston’s Wi-Drive, the Mobilite Wireless now features SD card memory instead of internal memory, allowing access from multiple devices. Turn on the Mobilite, navigate to its IP address in your browser and voila: all the files are available on your computer. As a huge bonus, this little guy doubles as a USB device charger, and it carries enough juice to charge up a cell phone. $94 (★) |































































