The technological revolution has changed the way we do everything, from organizing our social lives to conducting business meetings, and we spend more and more time online. This has led to an increased demand for the hardware and software involved in accessing the latest apps and programs that are constantly changing and developing.
As we become more reliant on technology, the tech that we use to access it is being tailored to suit our needs more and more effectively. Where once we had basic mobile phones that allowed us to make calls and little more, we now have amazingly powerful multi-media devices in our pockets at all times, and this has had a massive impact on how we live our lives.
Early adopters have become used to waiting patiently for the latest drops from their favorite brands, making an effort to be among the first to test out everything from phone upgrades to the latest in wearable tech. New features and technological achievements have become headline news, and companies are investing in researching and developing new technology.
Tech as a status symbol
There was a time when video gaming was the preserve of the nerds, a niche group of trailblazers positioned themselves at the cutting edge of technology. Although now we look back on games such as Pong and Space Invaders as reasonably primitive, they spawned a generation of video gamers that set the scene for the multi-billion-dollar gaming industry that we have today and see on many console online stores.
This includes a wide variety of games, from intricate story-based massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) to digital versions of traditional games. From roulette and slots to blackjack and poker games are attracting more and more players.
It stands to reason that many players who appreciate the appeal of online gaming have a competitive streak that pits them against their fellow gamers. This extends to the technology they use to access their games, and the manufacturers are only too pleased to oblige, with top-shelf tech that stands out from the crowd.
A solid gold iPad
While people may joke about the high-end appeal of Apple products, the world’s most expensive iPad has undoubtedly attracted the attention of gadget fans of all persuasions. The solid gold iPad 2 was designed by Stuart Hughes from a company named Elite Luxury Gadgets, is dripping with diamonds, and has been valued at $8 million.
It isn’t just the gold and the diamonds that make this iPad special – the main front frame was built from Ammolite, which was sourced from Canada and is particularly special because it is the oldest rock in the world. The 75 million-year-old stone is complemented by the inclusion of sections of a tyrannosaurus rex’s thigh bone, dating back 65 million years.
Alongside nearly one hundred diamonds and an incredible amount of twenty-four-carat gold, the fact that only two of these immensely expensive items were ever made simply adds to their exclusive appeal.
The iPhone black diamond
Crafted from over a hundred grams of solid twenty-four-carat gold, the iPhone 5 Black Diamond features a host of high-end gems that make this phone one-of-a-kind. The process of building it took nine weeks, during which time the chassis was studded with six hundred white diamonds, and the Apple logo on the back was created from another fifty-three of these flawless gemstones.
The screen is made from sapphire, and the home button is another flawlessly cut diamond, this time in black. The combination of the intense workmanship and the exclusively rare materials earned this phone the price tag of $15 million. The phone was commissioned by a wealthy businessman who wanted a phone that reflected his status.
This piece was also made by Stuart Hughes, who has made a name for himself in the world of high-end tech design.
Hart golden loudspeakers
Already one of the most exclusive online tech designers, Hart Audio impressed their customers with an incredible pair of D and W speakers when they revealed that they had cast them in solid gold. At a cost of $4.7 million, the pair were part of a limited edition series that comprised just a hundred and five pairs, with ninety-nine made from bronze, five from sterling silver, and a single pair made from gold, with each weighing in at an incredible fifty kilograms.
The speakers combine cutting-edge design with traditional bell-making techniques to offer the clearest sound. The casing houses three drivers for bass and midrange, a tweeter for treble and one that the company describes as a ‘super tweeter’ that has a vast frequency range to enhance the quality of sounds in a wide variety of formats.
The price tag and the limited run of these speakers make them desirable pieces for anyone who appreciates life’s finer things. The ones crafted from silver and bronze commanded slightly smaller price tags but still cost $314 thousand and $63 thousand, respectively.
While tech can be among the most expensive items to buy, these items take prestigious brands and give them a touch of luxury that goes beyond the standards that most would expect, even from the most famously expensive designers. Although very few people can keep up with tech at this level, the details of these super-expensive items certainly make the cost of regular gaming equipment seem reasonable.
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