Today in Gear: In-the-Know on New Releases

In Los Angeles, consumers are buying, flipping and bidding huge sums on new electric vehicles. With demand skyrocketing, wait times have increased to upwards of nine months, and those unwilling to wait are paying more in the resell market. The Los Angeles Times spoke to one electric vehicle flipper who made a $4,000 profit on his second EV flip, $7,000 on his third and still has three Teslas on the back burner. The same article pointed to a 2022 Hummer EV1 posted for $220,000 in a Facebook group, despite the car only retailing for $105,000. Yet the wait time for Hummer EVs is likely only going to grow, as GMC currently has 77,000 Hummer EV orders – but is only building 12 models per day. Meanwhile, demand for electric vehicles is also increasing across the rest of the country. One report from iSeeCars found that demand is actually growing faster in central and rural areas of the United States. There, the top three states seeing significant conversions to alternative fuel sources in the last seven years included Mississippi, Hawaii and Utah. Today we’re looking at new gamer phones, a smart ring and the world’s thinnest watch. This is Today in Gear.

Asus Launches Two New Gamer Phones

Asus

Asus recently announced it will be adding two new smartphones to its Republic of Gamers (ROG) lineup. The brand initially launched ROG in 2006 to focus on computer hardware, devices and accessories geared toward PC gamers. Now, with the ROG Phone 6 and ROG Phone 6 Pro, the company hopes to upgrade its current gamer phone lineup. Both models offer up to 512GB of storage, faster refresh and touch-sampling rates and cooling technology to ensure smooth gameplay. The Phone 6 will launch in the UK and Europe at €999 ($1,203 USD) while the 6 Pro will retail for €1,299 ($1,330 USD) but Asus also plans to eventually release both models in the United States.

This is No Mood Ring

Gucci

Gucci has teamed up with Oura to release a new smart ring. The waterproof ring features a titanium band with yellow gold accents, seven temperature sensors and three LED sensors. It’s powered by the technology behind Oura’s own health-tracking app and is designed to monitor one’s sleep, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, physical activity and menstrual cycle. Fans looking to shop the release can secure the Gucci x Oura Ring for $950 – though Oura’s own (third-generation) version offers the same technology and reporting for just $299.

Bags That Just Make Sense

Yoshida Kaban

PORTER is a storied Japanese brand that has been creating high-quality bags and accessories for decades. Now, it’s unveiled a new collection of all-black bags, entitled “SENSES.” The collection includes a daypack, tote bag, shoulder pack, backpack and more with pricing starting at ¥21,780 ($160 USD). Each bag is made with a high-density nylon ox material and αGEL technology for added shock absorption. As an added bonus, PORTER has also equipped each bag with a nylon satchel full of sandalwood incense from Shoyeido.

Thinning Out the Competition

Richard Mille

Richard Mille and Ferrari have teamed up to release the world’s thinnest watch. The RM UP-01 Ferrari arrived at just 1.75 millimeters in thickness – to beat out Bulgari’s previous record holder. Bulgari had unveiled the 1.80-millimeters thick Octo Finissimo Ultra just last March, only to lose the title now to Richard Mille. Notably, RM assembled the entire movement into the case (whereas Bulgari and other contenders often use the caseback as a baseplate). The movement plate is skeletonized, 1.18 millimeters thick and can withstand accelerations of over 5,000 Gs. Currently, the RM UP-01 is limited to 150 pieces and will retail at $1,888,000.

Train Harder From Home

NordicTrack

NordicTrack has released a new Elite Treadmill equipped with a rotating 32-inch screen and -5 percent to 40 percent auto-adjusting incline. The treadmill boasts an ergonomic design and a wide array of workout videos (accessible through iFIT) so users can swap between running and walking to guided yoga, incline training and even hiking classes. The 32-inch (screen) model ships for $4,499, while the 22-inch model ships for $3,999.

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