If the Drobo is the Pierce Brosnan of storage, the ioSafe would more likely be Ranulph Fiennes. Sir Ranulph, an ex-SAS officer, was shortlisted for the role of James Bond but then turned down after famed producer Cubby Broccoli told him “your hands are too big and you’ve got a face like a farmer” (according to an interview on the BBC’s “Top Gear”). So he may not be the most stylish man alive, but he sure is durable, having survived countless adventures on both poles as well as every point in between. The ioSafe is much the same – it doesn’t look that great, having similar style to most regular pieces of technology (silver – check, flashing lights – check). However, when it comes to protecting your data it certainly fits the bill, being fireproof, waterproof and crushproof (as demonstrated on the BBC). For that we can forgive the appearance, because, much like Sir Ranulph, actions speak louder than words, and the ioSafe proves that it can perform in the most extreme conditions. To put it simply, there is no better way for a gentleman to protect his digital memories and other important data.

Three of our current favourites include:

• Charles Tyrwhitt – Hints for a modern gentleman
  We love Charles Tyrwhitt, especially their Italian Travel Suit, and these hints really resonate with the English gentleman in us. Especially the piece on the Ten items that should be in every modern gent’s wardrobe.
• Gilt Man
  We are suckers for good deals on anything from stylish suits to suave separates. Gilt offers a fantastic range of designer sales, with new ones being added daily. Our staff have already availed of several big discounts on jackets and timepieces thanks to the Gilt Groupe, and we look forward to seeing more. Their Jetsetter site also offers great deals on stylish travel.
• Magnificent Bastard
  The MB, as it is fondly known, is at the top of our list, and offers great insight on all matters style. It offers great go-to guides on everything from watch straps to cocktails to custom shirts. One of our favourite features is the Top 10 Ways to Look Like a Total Toolbag. MB has the uncanny ability to provide irreverent advice that is always 100% spot-on. For that it gets our Recommended Seal of Approval.

Stylish cameras are generally hard to come by. The film market has always had some great examples, but the digital market is saturated with plastic-bodied contraptions with as much style as a 1980′s cellphone. Recently, however, there have been some examples which caught our eye.

The Olympus EP-1 is an attempt to recreate the style of the Olypus “Pen” film camera. And it partially does. It supports the micro four thirds system, which means it has a sensor which gives much better pictures than your point-and-shoot. And it allows interchangeable lenses too. And the view from the front is quite compelling. But it is as if the designers forgot their brief when it came to the back of the camera, which looks like it has been taken directly from a modern point-and-shoot.

The Panasonic GF1 is another stylish micro four thirds camera, and competes directly with the Olympus. We prefer the styling of the GF1, with it’s more minimalist, less-kitschy appearance, and Panasonic is renowned for producing great, vibrant images.

But the clear winner here, both in terms of style and capability is the Leica M9 (pictured above). Leica has always produced beautiful cameras, and with the M9 you can literally see the pedigree stretching all the way back to the M3 of 1954. It is an 18 megapixel full frame Rangefinder camera, and camera and 50mm lens weigh less than many digital SLR bodies without lenses. The portability and style make it the ultimate travel camera, and the fact that Cartier Bresson used to shoot with a Leica makes it even more compelling.

That is where the Drobo comes in. Firstly, the form factor is very slick. It hides all the technology behind a cool dark exterior reminiscent of something from the Bang & Olufsen school of design. And when it comes to the technology, it’s a very classy solution – simple and effective, without overwhelming the user. It’s what we would call “redundant storage for idiots”. That’s a good thing – believe us. And when you hook it up to your equally stylish MacBook Pro, the integration with Apple’s Time Machine software is seamless.

In truth, it could possibly be one of the only storage solutions you would want to have on display. (We only say possibly).