Category: Gadgets and Tech

I don’t think we’ve ever had a response to anything quite like the Colombo One phone. Picked up by numerous high-profile sites and magazines, we’ve also had numerous emails asking us when it will be available for sale. Well, now we know…sort of.

After a quick word with the designers, we believe that the Colombo One handset will be available around the end of April/start of May. The Joe Colombo-inspired handset will be officially launched at the Milan Furniture Fair in April, with purchase online available soon after. UK retail distribution is just being finalised – details to follow – but it’s likely to be later in the year.

When we get a specific date for sale and a confirmed price, you’ll be the first to know.

See the full details of Colombo One and Colombo Two at Switched On Set

We are big fans of the original Tangent Quattro – and now it’s had an upgrade to the Tangent Quattro Mk2.

Thankfully, it still keeps those stylish retro looks, but internally, the radio has had a few tweaks. That includes the addition of FM reception alongside net radio, an ethernet port added and WPA2 Wi-fi security. If that means nothing to you, let’s just say a good thing got even better.

Existing features include tuning into 9900 net radio stations, music streaming from your computer, access to ‘listen again’ BBC shows and podcasts, connectivity for your hi-fi or iPod, backlit LCD display, top-notch sound quality and a choice of finishes, including the walnut above.

Same price as previously – around £179.99.

Find out more at the Sennheiser website

There’s a distinctly 70s space age look to Sony’s first-ever DAB radio – the XDR-C705.

Rubbish name, but a nice bit of technology. Not just a DAB radio, it offers DAB and FM reception a large LCD screen for all the radio information and indeed the time – because this is also an alarm clock with various settings.

Completing things is a large black speaker on the front and the price tag – which is around £60. It’s available now.

Find out more at the Sony website

Bored of the iPod? How about replacing it with a real design classic – this Lego Brick MP3 player from Homade.

It’s not an official Lego product, but you’ll be hard pushed to tell the difference between this and a standard Lego brick. Look closely and you’ll notice that all the bumps have a function (play, rewind, pause etc). And each player also has a rechargeable battery, but you’ll have to provide your own storage, which is via microSD card.

If you want one, they retail for $46, which is around £23.

Find out more at the Homade website

Via Technabob