Philip J Mikal

Iridium is the big poppa of mobile communications. If you are the type that might find yourself in a sailing vessel in the Yucatan Channel and wanting to call back to the States, you’ve little options but a sat phone. The new 9555 is 30% smaller than my old Iridium phone – just losing that old bulky antenna is enough of a reason to upgrade. Can you hear me now?

Hotness from Japan for all you sneaker freaks that still want to be let into the club while sporting your kicks. High tech materials and an attention to quality are marks of this upscale streetwear brand.

If you are stuck stateside, HUF in San Francisco normally carries a few. NB, plenty of fakes on eBay – you’ve been warned.

Wiley is the modern day sampler of portraiture – making an old art relevant. Take for example Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres’ Portrait of Napoleon on the Imperial Throne from 1806. Wiley flips it with Ice-T, looking like his pre Law & Order thuggish self.

If you are a photo geek at heart, but don’t want to look the part, perhaps you’d be best suited to check out the DMC-LX3. It’s basically the Leica D-Lux 4 for $300 less.

The LX3 is the rare compact camera that photographers can get excited about. Design, control, and quality.