SO POLISHED: FORM AND FUNCTION MEET WITH CHRISTOFLE'S DAZZLING SPHERE, A FLASHY ROUND HARD DRIVE

Photo courtesy of La Cie

Much of the country is going through a deep freeze this week, from an unusual weather occurrence called a Polar Vortex. Unusually cold temperatures like we are experiencing are likely to produce hail and snow, and the results of which can sometimes be as big as the silver ball shown above. The Sphere,  a gorgeous new silver-enrobed round hard drive designed in partnership with French luxury silver maker Christofle and hard drive manufacturer LaCie, is a beauty.  Pushing the boundaries of form and function, the silvered circular orb has sculptural qualities that would enhance any desk, by introducing a sleek, more streamlined tech element.  So, what does it do differently? Well, a few things.  It eliminates the need to have another unsightly black power cord, and since it works off a high speed USB 3.0 instead of the slower 2.0. it uploads files, images and videos three times faster, and looks good doing it.  And while we are on that topic, if someone gets fingerprints all over it's highly reflective surface, you can clean it with silver polish.

The new hard drive is a flashy drive,  cast in one seamless piece of silver-plated steel. At almost $500, it might just be the best way to start collecting art, as you work your way towards another reflective masterpiece from artist Anish Kapoor.