In 1972, having created the still-lovely arc of the Porsche 911, Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, grandson of the Bauhaus-trained original, left the car marque to cast the family eye wider. Design groupies across the world venerate the master’s (and his studio’s) subsequent work. Ranging from watches, televisions, sunglasses and all manner of consumer art pieces, the brand had never gone mobile, till now. The P’9981 is less a portable device, more a handheld talisman of alpha status. Cut from one piece of stainless steel, but backed by the most subtle and supple black leather, this is where anima meets animus meets email.

Porsche have even re-designed the (touch screen) interface. A thing of European hard-edged beauty, it will retail for $2,000. One can’t imagine many users upgrading when the tariff runs out after two years, nor giving up the special BBM PIN numbers all owners will be issued with.  

Available from Porsche Design later this year.