It was cold, it was dark and that loud thump THUMP made it fairly obvious that Ronald Durando’s Porsche had a flat tire. As an experienced Porsche driver, and a prepared one at that, Ron wasn’t worried. Not only did he know how to change a flat tire, he was prepared for almost all contingencies with an emergency repair kit, including a flashlight for the dark conditions. Unfortunately, all the preparation in the world doesn’t help when your flashlight’s batteries have gone dead from sitting too long.
Frustrated from his encounter with the dead batteries in his flashlight Ron decided then and there to come up with a better solution. Fortunately, as the co-founder of mPhase Technologies (a publicly traded company that manufactures and designs the batteries of the future, today) he was in a unique position to make good on his promise.
As a Porsche owner and enthusiast Ron was familiar with products from the legendary Porsche Design Studio. Confident in his company’s unique battery technology Ron fired off a “cold” email to Porsche Design in an effort to gauge their interest in creating a product together. According to Ron, “one thing led to another and we now have a co-branding agreement with Porsche Design for this very unusual flashlight”. Quite an understatement when you consider the technology and design of the Emergency Illuminator.
What is the mPower Emergency Illuminator?
First and foremost, it’s a flashlight. However, calling the Emergency Illuminator a flashlight is like calling your Porsche a car. It’s accurate, but it doesn’t do it the justice it deserves. Seriously, what “flashlight” do you know of that can sit left alone on a shelf (or in your glovebox) for 20+ years and still be ready to light the way the at the very moment you need it? As if that weren’t enough, the Emergency Illuminator has a built in USB port that allows you to charge any number of devices in the event of a power failure of other emergency.
mPower On Command™ Reserve Battery
At the heart of the mPower Emergency Illuminator is a revolutionary battery with a shelf life of at least 20 years prior to manual activation. Unlike conventional batteries, the mPower On Command Reserve Battery provides the full capacity of its charge decades into the future without deterioration or corrosion. In other words, when you need light, the Illuminator will deliver.
How does it work?
While we could try to explain the technology, it’s probably easier to simply watch the video below.
PorschePurist’s Review of the mPower Emergency Illuminator
When we first saw the Illuminator we knew we had to have one. When mPower offered to send us one of the first lights to roll off the production line in Austria to review, we jumped at the chance.
Our light arrived in typical Porsche Design fashion, packaged well and dressed in black
As sophisticated as the technology found in the mPower’s unique reserve battery is, getting the light working is incredibly simple. Included in the shipping and storage box is everything you need.
Under normal circumstances the Emergency Illuminator provides clean, bright, white light from the two included CR-123 batteries. Additional accessories include a wrist strap, handy carrying case, a set of instructions and, of course, the mpower On Command Reserve Battery
Porsche Design’s influence is evident the moment you open the box. The sturdy carrying case cradles the Emergency Illuminator in a foam surround that protects it both in transport and in storage. Out of the box, the matte black finish and sleek design of the two tube handle makes this light a piece of functional art. At first, I was a bit skeptical about the light’s small size and sophisticated design.
Here you can see how the Emergency Illuminator compares in size to my trusty 4 D Cell Mag Light
However, after simply unscrewing a machined cap at the end of one of the two tubes (that make up the light’s handle) and inserting the supplied CR-123 batteries, I saw the light I was converted.
An aluminum collar on the handle of the light is used to move between the off position, on and USB charging (more on this later). The intensity of the beam emitted by the Emergency Illuminator is nothing short of, well, illuminating. From such a small package, the LED throws a fixed width (as opposed to adjustable like the Mag) bright, white light that cuts through the darkness easily.
Additionally, the unique Porsche Designed case allows you to stand the light straight up (allowing you to illuminate an entire room, as if with a lamp, when the power is out) or to lie it on the ground and illuminate an object in from of you (say changing a tire in the dark) without having to worry about it rolling away as my Mag light so often does.
Due to its size and sleek, matte finish, I was originally concerned with the Emergency Illuminator’s durability. However, the light is actually quite rugged and water resistant. The body is made from extruded aluminum and most other parts are machined aluminum. In other words, if you drop it, it will take the impact.
USB Charging Capability
Besides the innovative On Command Reserve battery, the other unique feature that sets the Emergency Illuminator apart from any other flashlight currently on the market is its unique ability to charge a myriad of portable electronic devices via its built in USB port. By simply moving the aluminum selector ring from “ON” to the “USB” position I was able to easily plug in my iPhone and bring its completely drained battery back to life using the supplied CR-123 batteries. According to the product literature, in an emergency situation, the On Command Reserve Battery will provide power for up to two hours of continuous light as well as charging ability to make and receive calls or your cell phone.
What to consider when purchasing the Emergency Illuminator
Pros
unique battery technology with a shelf life of 20+ years
USB port to charge portable devices in an emergency situation
small, compact yet powerful and rugged
high intensity, clean white light
Items to note:
two tube handle makes for an awkward hand grip (this bothered me for quite some time until I realized the design is best suited for emergency situations where you will most likely be standing the light up straight or lying it on the side vs holding it your hand for long periods of time. Once I realized that I decided it’s not really an issue but would be remiss if I didn’t mention it)
available glove box bracket not included in price
no Porsche Design branding on the light itself
Price of the Emergency Illuminator and where to buy one
Like a lot of products developed in conjunction with Porsche Design, the Emergency Illuminator is not inexpensive. However, at $289 you’re not simply buying a status symbol from a renowned Design House. Instead, you’re buying a rugged emergency device that provides peace of mind and security!
What is it worth to know that the next time you need a light in an emergency situation, no matter how long ago you checked the batteries, that you’ll have one? Hopefully, you’ll never need to find out, but if you do and you have the Emergency Illuminator, you can rest assured that you won’t be left in the dark.
If you’re interested in owning one of these lights (as we are) to either put in your Porsche, or for your home, they can be purchased directly from the manufacturer. mPower’s web-site offers much more information on the product as well as the Amazon.com checkout feature for added security.
This light would make a great Father’s Day gift for the Porsche loving dad in your life and I’m sure it will make it on our recommended Porsche Christmas Gift list later this year.
For the New Year, like a majority of others, John and I each made some resolutions. One of John’s was to try and cut back a bit on purchasing even more Porsche related paraphernalia. At his current rate of consumption it won’t be long before we’re challenging Hank Hammer for the largest collection of Porsche memorabilia on the planet. Okay, that might be a bit of a stretch, but you get the idea; we have a lot of Porsche stuff.
Imagine my surprise (not really) when shortly after waking up on New Year’s day, John called me over to his computer to look at something “I just had to see”. Lately, we’ve been talking about possibly moving, so I though maybe he found a house we could go look at. Not quite…
As I walk toward John’s monitors (he has three of them) the first thing I notice is an image of a 1974 Signal Green Porsche Carrera taking up an entire two screens (this is the latest Porsche he’s been lusting after). I’ve known about this car, so I’m not too surprised to see it here. I am, however, pleasantly surprised to see that there’s an image of what looks to me to be the basement of someones home that’s been converted to a game room. I thought, “great, we’re getting things off to a good start and maybe we can take a drive by this house to check out the neighborhood.” Wow, am I naive…
It turns out that what I’m looking at is not an advertisement for a home for sale with a nice game room. Instead, it’s a nice home with a game room that includes a Porsche themed pinball machine and said machine is for sale (sigh). It’s barely 12 hours into the new year and our resolutions are dropping faster than Tiger Wood’s sponsors. For the next few minutes I listen to John explain why we need he wants this Porsche Pinball machine. His reasoning includes:
“You like pinball, you play our Elvira machine all the time. Wouldn’t it be great to have another?”
“If I buy this machine I won’t feel the need to buy another Porsche.” (yeah, right!).
“It’s a collector’s item and will probably appreciate. Think of it as a good investment”
“It’s a Porsche Pinball Machine!” (I think he believed this to be the most compelling)
Porsche Themed Pinball Machine
According to John, who doesn’t want need a Porsche themed pinball machine? What’s funny is that until 2 days ago he didn’t even know this machine existed. Now that he does, it’s a “must have”. The first machine he was looking at was found on Craigslist (it has since been removed). How ever, with a little additional digging, he found two of them for sale on eBay. The first one seems quite well priced, but the description, while written to be honest, doesn’t really make you want to pull the trigger and purchase it. The 2nd one sounds like it’s in much better condition, but the seller isn’t bashful with a $2500 asking price.
I think what interests John the most about this machine, besides that fact that it is Porsche themed, is that it has a built in radar speed gun that shows you how fast the ball is traveling. According to the eBay advertisement, it’s the “world’s first pinball machine with Lasermatic Speed Detection [that] shows the player’s speed in the dot matrix display. Dynamic play-by-play commentary tells you the actual speed the ball is traveling. Set a new speed record and hear the crowd go WILD! Multiball comes in a rush and a thrill as the Turbo Booster automatically sends another ball racing onto the playfield!”
Okay, I have to admit that’s pretty cool. The question is, do I really want another pinball machine in the game room? And, does he really expect me (or anyone else for that matter) to believe that a pinball machine can take the place of another Porsche in the garage?
As an owner of a less reliable older, higher mileage Porsche, I can list my top five most annoying aspects of roadside emergencies. They are as follows:
Discovering the air pump is broken when changing a flat tire
Discovering I don’t have the tools on hand to complete a repair
Discovering half the electrical system is either shorted out or otherwise in need of repairs
Not having spare clothes to work in the rain
(In addition to item number two) NOT ENOUGH LIGHT
While the burden falls on me to check supplies, be prepared and take care of preventative maintenance, there are always electrical gremlins that are impossible to predict or account for, so like most folks with a Porsche 924/944/928/964 etc., I have to devise a backup plan in case I’m stranded somewhere, day or night, rain or shine.
Before I Saw the Light…
My backup plan to date consists of a few emergency flares, a first-aid kit, and a 170-piece tool kit in the back hatch of the 944. In winter months, I carry a snowsuit and a blanket, too. I used to carry a 2,000,000 candlelight spotlight, as well. I saw this as an advantageous addition to my tools because it threw a lot of light and it allowed me to give people driving behind me with their brights on a taste of their own medicine (Please Note: This is so illegal it’s not funny, but it’s so incredibly entertaining that I’ll laugh anyways, and it’s still a very effective deterrent. PorschePurist.com does not in any way condone treating fellow drivers like this. Unless, of course, they deserve it). However, the spotlight was purchased from Wal-Mart, and its battery was useless after a year’s time and after two years it ceased to work at all! This left me up a familiar creek without a paddle any time I had to make nighttime repairs, especially now that my interior lights don’t work.
… But Now
This changed when I was introduced to the 12VSpotlight Rechargeable Flashlight. I admit I was very skeptical when I initially saw the device; the whole thing is no larger than my big toe, it has only one LED – I’ve been accustomed to a trusty 7-LED flashlight. Even so, I gave this thing a one-week trial.*
That was about six or seven weeks ago. I don’t know where my 7-LED flashlight is, and I don’t care! The 12VSpotlight packs tons of power in a tiny package! I was VERY happy to find that it’s about as bright as my old light, and where it lacks in luminescence it more than makes up for with portability and durability.
An Extended Trial
The first weekend I had it, the future Mrs. heard a cat crying outside her apartment late one night and I was so excited to have an excuse to play with and test the functionality of the Spotlight that I ran outside in search of the poor creature. Ten minutes later, I found myself precariously perched on a wavering wire fence, half climbing, half hanging from an oak tree in an effort to rescue a black and white cat that was stuck atop a branch some 15 feet above the ground. In spite of its darker colors, this animal was seen as bright as day, thanks to the Spotlight! There were several times when I lost my footing and had to drop the light to grab the tree trunk while coaxing the cat down. Any other flashlight would have fallen to the ground, but not the Spotlight, which comes with a handy lanyard, ensuring the Spotlight was always within my grasp.
We’ve since moved into a house together, and while I was still unfamiliar with the locations of light switches I oftentimes took the Spotlight around the house. I should also mention that in all these seven weeks, I’ve used it many times, and it is still on its first charge. My old LED light would have required four AAA batteries by now – which reminds me, this little guy doesn’t require batteries! Just plug it straight into your car’s cigarette lighter. Speaking of cars…
I was asked to write this from a Porsche enthusiast’s perspective, not some SPCA member! Strictly cars, from here on out!
Brilliance and Utilitarianism
Before my cigarette lighter ceased to work, I found the Spotlight was an excellent road-going companion. After the lighter conked out, the Spotlight’s performance wasn’t adversely perfected (obviously), but I became worried about being unable to charge it. Two months on one charge has since negated this opinion, though!
The Spotlight can be dangled through tricky spaces under the hood to diagnose oil leaks and examine the belts. 944 owners will also appreciate the fact that Spotlight’s brightness is strong enough to see the coolant level in all but the most hopelessly cloudy 944 coolant expansion tanks. The light is also small enough to examine the portal in the bell housing to find the mark on the crankshaft. The gritty, dirty work under the car is much brighter with the Spotlight. I found myself underneath the 944 more than a couple times, chomping on the Spotlight as if it were a Churchill-sized cigar, keeping both hands free to handle tools.
Porsche owners who are concerned that this would hog their only 12V outlet can breathe a sigh of relief – there’s a Spotlight adaptor that allows you to recharge your Spotlight alongside your cell phone/ GPS/ radar detector! Very handy!
Elegance and Convenience
Because I needed an excuse to drive my father’s 911, and not to leave owners of newer Porsches out of the fun, I borrowed the key’s to my father’s 997 C4S to test the Spotlight’s capabilities within the commanding confines of a newer 911. Newer 911s have a cigarette lighter near the gearshift and a power outlet in the center console storage area. The Spotlight outlet splitter fits in the console’s outlet and allows drivers to use another device besides the Spotlight, but it limits the amount of space left in the console – it’s small to begin with though, so this may not matter to most drivers. I can honestly say that the Spotlight is just as useful in a new 997 as it is in my 944.
In a darkened parking lot, 997 owners should know that I did not have to remain next to the car to shoo off hoodlums, thieves, infants or anyone else that could breathe on the car improperly. Thanks to the Spotlight, I was able to be as far as 40 feet away and still see the car, almost worry-free!
The Spotlight’s focused beam pierced the darkness my pitch-black basement. This shot was taken (sans flash ) from 20 feet away. The Spotlight doesn’t try to spread light around because it’s too busy doing a great job throwing light precisely where you need it.
Inside the car, the Spotlight is just as useful. I was able to open a bottle of Remy Martin Napoleon cognac with no guesswork, and filled the snifter without spilling a drop on the expensive leather interior. The wine test was not as seamless, but the Spotlight’s lanyard left both of my hands free to use the corkscrew and the red wine was opened without incident. I was again able to fill my glasses without incident; I even saw some of the rich, Italian vintage 2004 Reserva Sangiovese starting to drip from the bottle and was able to wipe it away with my silk handkerchief before things got ugly. The only complaint I can speak of is that the lanyard wrinkled my Armani shirt. Oh, and the Spotlight’s color – the Spotlight’s green metal casing clashed horribly with the 911’s stately black interior and refined white exterior. I’ve been informed that Spotlights are available in a variety of colors, so my father (along with other 911 owners) will be able to select a Spotlight with a color that compliments their 911’s colors. [Editor's note: You'll have to excuse Andrew's ranting regarding 911 owners. He's just jealous. ]
A Bright Addition to Any Tool Set!
As a Porsche owner, the Spotlight helped me when I worked past sunset or in confined spaces. It fits in places most flashlights won’t, so you can always get light where you need it. The battery life is unbelievable, and will provide plenty of light between charging times. It is the smallest tool in my arsenal and it is easily in my list of the top five most useful! My verdict: A worthy investment for any Porsche enthusiast!
[Editor's note: The makers of Spotlight are not a sponsor of PorschePurist, nor were we paid for this review. I asked Andrew to try out the light and give me his thoughts from the perspective of a Porsche owner, the review above is his answer to that question.]
Today’s post is compliments of frequent contributor Andrew Granieri. Andrew is a graduate from Miami University with a degree in Technical & Scientific Communications and a minor in Entrepreneurship. He has a strong passion for cars and is working hard as a private contractor and freelance writer so he can continue to support his (pseudo) extravagant enthusiast lifestyle. He currently drives a worn but strong 1986 Porsche 944 that his future wife has come to appreciate and adore.
When I first received the FR500 Solarlink from Eton (makers of the Porsche Designed P’9120) my original thought was, what am I going to do with this thing? You see, the FR500 is a self-powered and solar-powered AM/FM/Shortwave Radio with NOAA Weatherband, Flashlight, Siren and Cell Phone Charger. You name it, this little radio does it, but how does it relate to Porsche and why does it belong on PorschePurist.com?
The answer came a few weeks ago when my wife and I decided to take a drive in our cabriolet for the first time this season. We packed the trunk with a few of our normal essentials and on a whim I threw the FR500 in for the ride thinking maybe I would play with it a bit if we stopped somewhere for a picnic lunch. As it turned out, the weather was gorgeous and we ended up cruising longer than we originally anticipated. By the time we did stop, it was early afternoon, the sun was shining and we were both starved. At this point, I had completely forgotten about the radio and was concentrating completely on my surroundings and the portable feast my wife had packed (yes, I’m a luck man). As we prepared to pour a drink, I realized the corkscrew was still in the car and one of us needed to walk back and grab it; my wife volunteered (did I mention how lucky i am?). She came back with both the corkscrew (something you should always carry in your convertible) and the radio.
While I opened the wine, Mrs. 993C4S started to quiz me on the Solarlink. What is it? Where did it come from? How much was it? etc., etc. After explaining that Eton had sent it along for a product review and I was struggling with how to connect it with Porsche, she suggested we use it now to add to the ambiance of our picnic. Hey, why not? Some nice music couldn’t hurt things now could it? As I started to open the box I realized I had thrown the radio in the car but completely forgotten the batteries. Turns out, after a quick read through owners manual, that not having batteries was exactly the type of problem the FR500 was made to solve.
You see, not only does the radio run off three (3) AA batteries, it can also be powered by direct sunlight (hence the name “FR500 Solarlink”) or through an internal dynamo that creates its own electricity while conveniently storing it in the supplied Ni-MH rechargeable battery. So, no batteries, no problem! A minutes worth of turning the sturdy, built-in crank juiced up the radio enough for us to tune in a local station and place it in the sun where the radio would continue to run (battery or not) off direct sunlight. Needless to say I was pretty impressed. As I was more interested in enjoying lunch with my wife, I decide to explore the rest of the radio’s features later that day and just let it provide background music for the time being.
Arriving home that evening I decide to check out the rest of the features made conspicuously present present by the copious amount of buttons, bulbs and knobs. Here’s what you get:
AM/FM/Shortwave/NOAA radio
7 NOAA weather channels plus NOAA alerts
built-in LED flashlight
flashing red LED emergency light
built-in cell phone charger (charging cable and adapter tips not included)
digital clock with alarm
self-charging capability via solar power or hand-cranked dynamo
telescoping antenna
Overall, I found the FR500 easy to use and was able to tune in to my local FM stations with clear and strong sound quality from the single mono speaker. At first the reception was a bit off, but once I did a little reading I realized I had one of the multi-function knobs set to turn on the weather alert alarm. With this turned on, you can listen to any radio station you want, on any band, and if a weather alert is being broadcast an alarm will sound notifying you to switch over to your preferred weather band. A nice feature if you’re using the radio in an emergency situation. However, if you’re running on battery power (vs the optional AC power converter) during an impromptu picnic it does detract from the overall reception (and isn’t really that necessary). Once I turned this feature off, the reception was fine.
Additional Feature of the Eton FR500 Solarlink
The LED flashlight on the side provides reasonable light in small spaces and would come in handy at night in a power outage. While I wouldn’t recommend getting rid of your purpose built flash-light, it will let you get around in a pinch without tripping over your own feet (or anyone else’s for that matter). With a flick of the switch the LEDs convert from flashlight to a red blinking emergency beacon signal. Thankfully, I haven’t had the need to try this feature, but I’ve been told that a bright red LED can be seen in the dark up to a mile away. Lastly, if you’re really looking to get someone’s attention, there is a siren feature that is so loud and annoying it couldn’t help but to attract someone if only to ask you to please turn it off!!
Besides being able to generate its own electricity from the hand-powered crank, or store energy from the solar power panel, you can use either of these two features to power and re-charge a cell phone. The FR500 has a USB phone charger jack in the back that will connect to almost any cell phone via a “connector tip” that Eton supplies. In fact, according to the documentation that came with my radio, you can order a tip from Eton for free by calling, writing or emailing. In my opinion it would be more convenient to have a selection of tips supplied with the radio. However, knowing how many different charging configurations there are (I only need look at my own collection of varying cell chargers to be reminded) it’s understandable how it’s not practical for Eton to do so while keeping the radio at its current price point of $59.99.
Room for improvement?
The one item that could benefit from a possible redesign is the tuning mechanism. The physical dial is of good size and sturdy enough, but the digital tuner itself is extremely sensitive. While this sensitivity is great for fine tuning, it can, at times, be frustrating when trying to quickly move from station to station.
My wife just came in and asked if I was interested in going shopping this coming Friday (Black Friday) to try and take advantage of some of the deals that are sure to be offered. My response was an emphatic no! Actually, what I really said was, “I’d rather cut off my legs with a butter knife.” I think she got the hint.
There are many things I find enjoyable (like taking my Porsche for a spirited drive) and other things I’d just as soon avoid (like battling the crowds of screaming kids and stressed out parents in the mall). My guess is that there are a lot more like me out there and chances are (if you’re reading this) that you’re a Porsche fan too. With that in mind, I thought I would put together a list of gifts for the Porsche lover on your shopping list and make sure they were all things you could purchase on-line (there by avoiding the stress of the mall and giving you more time to drive).
Porsche Gift Ideas
Race Ramps and other Products from Brute Industries. A number of months ago I reviewed a safe and alternative method for jacking up your Porsche using Brute’s RaceRamps. If you have a DIYer on your gift list, here’s a chance to get them something nice for the garage and get a 10% discount at the same time. Either read through the review or simply go directly to Brute’s web-site. Either way, be sure to use the coupon code of 993c4s8 in order to get 10% off your entire order.
PORSCHE DESIGN BY Eton, Table Top Stereo System with Dock for iPod/AM/FM/Shortwave/RDS. I’ve found that a lot of Porscheophiles tend to be audiophiles as well. If that’s the case with you, then the Eton P’9120 is a great match. Complete with a built in satellite tuner, iPod dock and short-wave radio, this compact little stereo delivers big sound and will look great in your garage or office. Eton was kind enough to send me one a few months ago to review and I fell in love with its design and sound. I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Porsch Design Emergency Crank to see how that sounds in comparison.
Tamiya Porsche 911 GT3 VIP 2007 RTR RC Car: TT01E TAM57776. You may remember this one from a a few weeks ago. Here’s a gift you can buy for the kids and still enjoy yourself. Or, if you’re like me, just buy it for yourself and then set it up as a drifting machine. If you have a minute, you can check out the video I made and an even better one (produced by someone with better video editing skills) to see just how much fun this little toy can be. One of the coolest features on this car is the LED light kit that allows you to drive at night.
Porsche Reference Books. Any one of Adrian Streather’s “Porsche The Essential Companion” series. I own the 993, 996 and 911sc version (here’s a review on the 996.) I should be posting my review on the 911sc version soon. I’ve found my 993 book to be indispensable when trouble shooting problems. The 996 and the 911sc books are used for reference material and for researching my next Porsche purchase. Any time I post facts or figures about the 993, 996 or 911sc you can pretty much guarantee that the information came from one of Adrian’s books.
Video Games and Accessories. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a video game junkie. I love racing sim type games (as well as role playing games). If any of you have a similar affliction, you’re probably familiar with Need for Speed: Undercover. This game is a blast, available on almost all platforms and fairly inexpensive. I wrote a post a few months ago about driving games and how they might improve your track skills. Hell, even if they don’t it’s still fun. If you or the Porsche lover on your list already has all the video games they need, chance are they may not have a Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel made by Fanatec.
Finish off your Porsche Library. There are so many Porsche related books it’s tough to even know where to begin. However, I think most would agree that two “must haves” for any respectable Porsche library are Karl Ludvigsen’s Porsche: Excellence Was Expected: The Comprehensive History of the Company, its Cars and its Racing Heritage – 2008 Update and Genesis of Genius. I just received my copy of Genesis of Genius a week or two ago and I’m slowly making my way through it. Once I complete it you can be sure I’ll write up a review. Excellence Was Expected was first published in the late 70′s. Having gone through many, many revisions it is now comprised of over 1500 pages spread across three volumes. Some have called it “The Best Automotive History Ever Written”. These books are not inexpensive, but they are worth every penny.
Porsche Related Artwork. Given all the time I’m spending in my garage I figured I might as well make it a nicer place to hang out in. One of the easiest ways to do this is by hanging up some posters and other original art. If you’re looking for Porsche related items (and I’m sure you are) then you might want to take a look at the work of Paul Chenard. Last but not least, be sure to check out what’s available from Freck’s Auto Art. They have some great artwork signed by legendary Porsche race drivers.
A work of Porsche fiction. If you haven’t yet read Hunt for 901, by Kevin Gosselin, what the heck are you waiting for? To the best of my knowledge this is the first and only fictional book that has Porsche front and center. Even if there were other books, this is worth reading on the merits of the story line and writing alone. Hunt for 901 follows Faston Hank and his team as they search the globe to locate Rolland Zeller (the last man to see the missing Porsche 901 prototype). Find Rolland and you find the 901. If you want to read a more in-depth review on Hunt for 901, then you’re in luck; just click here.
A Subscription to 993C4S.com This will be the cheapest gift you buy this season. You know why? Because it’s FREE! If you’re not already a subscriber, simply follow this link and choose from receiving our newsletter via email or via RSS reader. If the subscription’s not for you, just plug in the email address of the person you’re sending it to and you’re done. I guarantee it will be one of the easiest things you do this holiday shopping season.
A More Comprehensive List of Porsche Gift Ideas
Wow, that’s a lot of stuff and I don’t even think I’ve scratched the surface. There are so many items available it’s mind boggling. The title of this post promised 10 Gift Ideas and I only listed 9 above. In an attempt to organize things (and give you 10 ideas) I’ve put together a list of Porsche related products available on Amazon. I’ve been building this list in anticipation of launching my new blog theme and new name. The new site isn’t quite ready to go, but the list is. It’s by no means complete, but it’s still better than going to the mall and fighting the crowds! HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE AND HAPPY SHOPPING!!!
There really is no point in a clock that runs fast, but how about one that looks fast? Take the Porsche Design P’9120 by Etón for example (just not my unit.) The well thought out, minimalistic design by Porsche, partners perfectly with the quality, craftsmanship and technology that are hallmarks of Etón’s success. Porsche Design Press Release Earlier this month we received a press release from the Porsche Design Group about the P’9120 Desk Radio. The first two paragraphs (shown below) were more than enough to pique our curiosity (who can refuse purist design and a top quality aluminum finish?):
Stuttgart/Palo Alto. Porsche Design is introducing a brand new radio into the market, a product developed jointly with Etón Corporation of Palo Alto, California. The radio, available now in Porsche Design Stores, blends purist design together with a top quality aluminum finish.
The P’9120 desk radio comes with three 1.5 inch speakers, an active subwoofer and double-wall structure, ensuring top-class true-to-life acoustics. In Europe, the radio, which comes in a solid aluminum casing, is available in a version which provides access to both analog and digital transmissions via the same device (AM, FM, short wave and DAB – Digital Audio Broadcasting). Different types of iPod can be linked up to the radio via an external cradle. Both the radio itself and any iPods connected to it can be operated via a remote control unit.
Seriously though, with the above information in hand, we reached out to Etón and secured our own unit for review. After playing and living with the unit for a week in the 993C4S garage, here are our thoughts:
PACKAGING: Right from the beginning the creative genius of Porsche Design is apparent. The all black, heavy cardboard outer box slides open to reveal a cleverly packaged grouping of components, accessories and instructions. Safely ensconced in a form fitting foam cutout it would take one deranged delivery driver to damage this system while in transit.
CONTENTS: Your package comes complete with the base unit, a universal “Made for Ipod” docking station, power supply, remote control (more on this later), AM loop antenna, multi-lingual instructions and warranty card(s).
FEATURES:
Double wall construction for superior acoustics. Okay, admittedly we’re not audiophiles here at 993C4S, so we can’t break this down in scientific terms. However, whatever it is, it works! The unit sounds great.
OLED alphanumeric display.
AM/FM/Shortwave with separate Made for iPod dock.
Metal remote control with torch (that’s a flashlight for all of here in the US.)
XM Satellite ready (don’t forget that Sirrius and XM are now one.)
Dual alarm clocks (this is a must in our garage as we depart at separate times.)
Back-up power source for your presets and clock in the event of a power-failure.
If we were asked, our only two suggestions for improvement or change would be as follows:
Provide some type of back lighting for the remote. While we like the heft and feel of the remote it becomes a challenge to use in the dark (tough to shuffle through the soundtrack to Le Mans) even with the built in flashlight.
At this price range, $600 in the US, the four batteries needed to provide the back-up power source for your pre-sets and clock settings should be included.
It’s Worth the Money
Our overall impression of the P’9120 is very positive. The instructions were simple to follow and setting it up was a snap. The clean lines and linear design are exactly what you would expect from Porsche and Etón. The ergonomic controls were intuitive and easy to operate. The sound quality is exceptional and did we mention the shortwave radio? If you’re not familiar with shortwave, this radio (with its built in antenna) gives you a great opportunity to explore the hundreds and thousands of stations broadcasting worldwide on this unique range of radio waves. It’s a great big world to explore!
At $600 the P’9120 is expensive for a compact system, but not prohibitively so. We believe you get what you pay for; in this case a quality table top stereo system with exceptional features, sound and design. If you’re interested in purchasing one yourself, they are available through Amazon.com and at any Porsche Design Retail Store.
About Etón Corporation
Etón Corporation is the established leader in consumer electronics audio products, and is defined by its mission of ‘Re_Inventing Radio”. By always combining the latest in technology with sensible design, Etón offers an extensive array of products that speaks to three main categories: Design, Innovation and Necessity. Etón is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and has offices in Berlin, Germany and Toronto, Canada.
“Etón’s consumer electronics expertise and marketing competency allows Porsche Design to enter into consumer electronics market,” said Dr. Siegmund Rudigier, President and CEO of the Porsche Design Group. “There is an obvious synergy between Porsche Design and Etón Corporation as our values both lie in quality, craftsmanship and cutting-edge design and technology.”
About Porsche Design
Porsche Design is a global luxury men’s brand and is determined by engineered products. Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche established the Porsche Design brand in 1972, whose products are attracting consumers with their technical innovation and represent functionality and timelessness in its purest form. Porsche Design products are sold in their own exclusive retail and franchise stores, shop-in-shops, up-market department stores and exclusive specialist stores.
“The heritage of Porsche Design not only offers an added element of prestige to electronics, but also the lost focus on an exacting attention to detail,” said Dr. Esmail Hozour, CEO of Etón Corporation. “Through this unprecedented partnership, we are confident that a new standard of electronics shall be set.”
The answer just may depend on how your system is set-up. Most people I know complain that they lose all “seat of the pants” feedback when it comes to car racing simulators and video games. With the introduction of Fanatec’s Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel, that objection may just go away.
Fanatec’s Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel is an officially Porsche licensed product
Created by the German company Endor AG (That’s right, they are German too), the system artfully emulates a 911 Turbo wheel and much more.
According to a review by gamealmighty:
The wheel is comfortable to use and the perfect size for racing games. Many racing controllers come with wheels that look like they’re from a Fisher-Price toy, but the 911 Turbo Wheel is large enough to make subtle steering adjustments and won’t strain your arms even after hours of playing. If anything is going to make your arms tired, it’s the force with which the wheel will fight you on the default configuration. They weren’t kidding when they set out to make a great force feedback wheel, and the rumble and resistance in the 911 Turbo Wheel are some of the best I’ve ever found in a controller.
Combine the above mentioned advanced force feedback with 6 +1 H patterned gear shift, wireless, realistic clutch pedal with declining resistance and a pressure sensitive brake emulation and you have as close to “seat of the pants” feedback as a racing simulator can give you (unless you have the money and space to put something like this in your game room).
Lastly, for those of you wanna be Porsche owners, the Fanatec wireless USB receiver is built to look like a current Porsche key. I wouldn’t recommend putting it on your key ring as an attempt to pick up the ladies, but overall it’s a nice touch to start your racing experience by “turning your Porsche key” into your USB ignition on your PC or PS3.
The few cons that I am aware of with regard to this package:
button on steering wheel are a bit flimsy
shifter mounting solution could be a bit more sturdy
you will need to reduce the force feed back if you use the wheel on your lap as the wings won’t hold it strongly enough
Cost for the Fanatec isn’t cheap, but neither is the experience. For $350 you get one of the best wireless controllers on the market. If you’re a real-world racer you get the added benefit of a life-like racing experience that may just give you that little extra edge next time your at the track. If it doesn’t, so what, you still have another great Porsche product to add to your collection.
In the coming weeks I’ll be doing a review of the many different driving games and simulators currently available. Let me know if there are any you want included.
List of Features:
• Original Porsche 911 Turbo steering wheel design • Licensed by Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH • Compatible with PC and Playstation 3 • 6+1 speed H-pattern gear stick • Additional sequential gear stick included • Wireless pedals • Realistic clutch pedal with declining resistance • Pressure sensitive brake emulation with soft-stop • Turning angle can be adjusted in the wheel to 900°, 360° or 180° or in 1° steps • Table clamps or lap wings to play in the living room • Illuminated button symbols switch automatically between PC and Playstation • Mabuchi RS 550 Motor as used in RC cars for force feedback • Two additional force feedback motors for rumble effects • Tuning ability with built-in LED display
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. I admit I was very skeptical when I initially saw the device; the whole thing is no larger than my big toe, it has only one LED – I’ve been accustomed to a trusty 7-LED flashlight. Even so, I gave this thing a one-week trial.*
Porsche owners who are concerned that this would hog their only 12V outlet can breathe a sigh of relief – there’s a Spotlight adaptor that allows you to recharge your Spotlight alongside your cell phone/ GPS/ radar detector! Very handy!
The Spotlight’s focused beam pierced the darkness my pitch-black basement. This shot was taken (sans flash 
) from 20 feet away. The Spotlight doesn’t try to spread light around because it’s too busy doing a great job throwing light precisely where you need it. 
(makers of the 
While I opened the wine, Mrs. 993C4S started to quiz me on the Solarlink. What is it? Where did it come from? How much was it? etc., etc. After explaining that Eton had sent it along for a product review and I was struggling with how to connect it with Porsche, she suggested we use it now to add to the ambiance of our picnic. Hey, why not? Some nice music couldn’t hurt things now could it? As I started to open the box I realized I had thrown the radio in the car but completely forgotten the batteries. Turns out, after a quick read through owners manual, that not having batteries was exactly the type of problem the FR500 was made to solve.
. I’ve found that a lot of Porscheophiles tend to be audiophiles as well. If that’s the case with you, then the 
to see how that sounds in comparison.
. You may remember this one from a 
series. I own the 993, 996 and 911sc version (here’s a review on the 
. This game is a blast, available on almost all platforms and fairly inexpensive. I wrote a post a few months ago about 
and 
, by Kevin Gosselin, what the heck are you waiting for? To the best of my knowledge this is the first and only fictional book that has Porsche front and center. Even if there were other books, this is worth reading on the merits of the story line and writing alone. Hunt for 901 follows Faston Hank and his team as they search the globe to locate Rolland Zeller (the last man to see the missing Porsche 901 prototype). Find Rolland and you find the 901. If you want to read a more in-depth 
for example (just not my unit.) The well thought out, minimalistic design by Porsche, partners perfectly with the quality, craftsmanship and technology that are hallmarks of Etón’s success.
