Loggers aren't exactly reaching for the job ads cursing the new wonder technology of electronic paper for rendering them as employable as horse-drawn carriage drivers. But the promise of flexible sheets of electronics that can do everything paper can do -- only better and without having to fell the timber -- remains alluring. Beyond the obvious applications of electronic books and advertising signs, at least one more obscure usage for e-paper has already made it to the marketplace. Timepiece maker Seiko hit the headlines two years ago with a men's watch, the Seiko Spectrum, that used an e-paper display. The advantages of the unusual material are that watches can made lighter, the faces can be contorted into a variety of shapes and e-paper uses far less power than what conventional technology does. Seiko's new watch is for ladies and does double duty as a bracelet with the watch face wrapped around the wrist of the wearer. Combining titanium with e-paper, the device weighs in at just 80 grams and is 7 mm thick. The watch face does its job in four different colors and thanks to its use of e-paper it can change its size and style, accounting for up to two-thirds of the entire surface area of the bracelet. When set to "efficiency" mode the face sticks to being informative and easy to read. If the user switches to a "mystery" mode it adopts a more imaginative method of telling the time. While the new, as yet untitled, timepiece looks like a radical new direction, it sticks to the tradition of new technology debuting with a hefty price tag. The limited edition piece, only 1,000 are planned to be crafted, will carry a price tag in the neighborhood of 500,000 yen with production set for August.

Old and new: Seiko isn't the only company trying to mix new technology with an old use. The always innovative but practical Thanko has come up with a combination USB hub and adhesive tape dispenser, maybe not two functions that naturally blend together but actually rather a clever combination in the office of today. Coming in small and large sizes, the device looks like a standard tape dispenser but sports four USB ports. It operates with Windows 2000/XP and Vista, and the Mac OSX operating system. Priced at 2,480 yen for the small version and 2,980 yen for the larger piece, they are available at www.thanko.jp/usbhub

Catch that train: Electronics have to do more than just help us to create our lifestyles, they have to accommodate our obsessions, too. So it is with the N700 USB flash memory drive, which really is one for the train spotters. Looking like a model Shinkansen train trailing a key chain, the driver's cabin lights up when you plug the drive in. Its appeal is certainly in its novelty as it can only store a relatively flimsy 128 megabytes of memory and while it is compatible with both Windows and Macs, it does not work with the new Windows Vista operating system. Enthusiasts can check out the 4,500 yen gadget at traindo.com