Luxury

Attention, cheapskates: So you refuse to pony up a measly $300,000 for the "Morphis ESP" simulator we told you about. And you call yourself a gamer?

If you absolutely must go bargain-basement, Uncrate says there's a twin-unit "Ford Racing Arcade Game" selling for just $19,000 on Amazon. It doesn't seat eight as the Morphis does, but these machines do have "force-feedback wheels, driving pedals and authentic racing seats."

Most important, if you're a Ford buff, are the legendary cars featured in the game: a '68 Mustang GT, '66 Thunderbird … Read more

A sun-bathing device that tells you when you're fried to a crisp? Please.

Sure, Minox's "Suntimer" has sensors that indicate UV intensity. So does something else--it's called skin. And yes, sunbathers can "program their skin type and the protection factor of sunscreen in use for accurate readings," as MobileWhack says. We have an alternative suggestion, shade.

Those who insist on getting one of these may need help figuring something else out: The strap could leave some unsightly tan lines. There's also this thing called melanoma, but that's probably information overload for … Read more

If you thought a 150-inch projection was over the top, try this life-size drive-in movie screen up for auction on eBay.

This is could be perfect if you're one of those boomers who's obsessed with reliving your teenage years--and if you have a spare $10,000 lying around (backseat not included). But unless you live in an airplane hangar, this isn't exactly a media-room item. According to Tech Digest, it measures a full 40 by 60 feet. One more thing: The winning bidder is responsible for dissembling and transporting the screen from the Big Pevely Flea Market … Read more

What? What's this you say? You don't have a private jet? Well, then. If you did, you'd probably be interested in knowing that TAG Aircraft Interiors ("Your Palazzo in the Sky") has teamed up with Italian design house Versace to create custom interiors for the private plans of the uber-rich. This way, you don't have to worry about whether or not the colors of the seat cushions go well with the paint job on the interior of your in-flight hot tub. You'll have Versace's experts to do all that dirty work for … Read more

If phones, cameras, printers and anything else can be dipped in gold, why not cars?

A company called RealGold apparently will gold-plate your grille (the one on your car, not your teeth) or any other part of your vehicle as long as the price is right. Some of its work was featured at this year's Bucharest Luxury Show, where the Hummer pictured here was on blinding display with its 24k-plated parts. As BornRich says, it would look fetching in the garage next to your chrome-covered BMW and diamond-encrusted Mercedes.

It must be nice to own a phone from Vertu, maker of handsets for the rich and famous. For one thing, you have to be able to afford one. (A Signature Standard platinum model lists for for $31,850.) Second, you may need connections just to track it down, as only hundreds of models are made in particular lines.

Now Vertu has finished the last of its "Racetrack Legends" series, completing the set with the "Monaco" and "Nurburgring" editions, in yellow and titanium gray, respectively. Like others in the line--limited to 1,000 phones … Read more

(NOTE: Yes, I am aware that this post's headline probably makes no sense.)

By now, it's clear that "user-generated content" is going to be one of the big tech buzz-phrases of 2006. Most of the time, it refers to the antics of AJAX-filled Web apps with cutesy names and cutesier logos, or to grainy YouTube videos of kids breaking TV screens with Wiimotes. But clearly, user-generated content goes beyond the series of tubes and into other niches of 21st-century lifestyle. Boozing, for example. A while ago, we wrote about the WinePod, which lets oenophiles with a … Read more

You may be quite pleased with yourself, having mastered your new WinePod. And you conveniently forgot to peel off the $3,500 price tag, thereby impressing everyone with your commitment to your latest hobby/indulgence/waste of time.

But once you begin the anticipated decanting ritual, how will you be certain that your liquid gold has reached the optimum temperature? This laser wine thermometer lets you test it from afar, without opening the bottle. "Simply point the thermometer at your bottle of wine, and with the press of a button, the thermometer registers the wine's internal temperature," … Read more

A lot of people seemed to like to idea of a remote-controlled H2 terrorizing their homes, so we got to thinking: These folks need a real one to go with it. But given their obviously discriminating tastes, it couldn't be just any old Hummer.

That's why this custom creation is the perfect mate: Not only does it have all the appointments of a fully loaded model, but it also has--get this--a fireplace and chimney, including a built-in flat-panel display to go with the oh-so-klassy white shag rug. Gizmag says this beauty was made for a German TV show … Read more