Lewis Hamilton - F1 World Champion 2008

I have been a keen follower of F1 since the days of Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Alan Jones, Jody Sheckter, Nicki Lauder, Keke Rosberg and the rest of course including our home grown world champions James Hunt, Nigel Mansell and prior to Lewis our last world champion Damon Hill.

Lewis has risen to the highest levels of F1 through his involvement and sponsorship by Mclaren. From Karting, to the lower formulas and onto GP2 he showed immense talent and an eagerness to win each time out.



Under the careful wing of Ron Dennis he has been transformed into a huge talent and at his tender age thankfully will be there for many years to come.

I have to be honest when I say I never looked upon him as a coloured driver only a British talent. However, he has been compared with the great Tiger Woods who both share immense talent in their fields. It has also been suggested he will be the first £billion racing driver as the rewards at the top level these days are immense.

Having narrowly missed the championship in 2007 he came back in 2008 to redress the balance with avengance but had it not been for Glock's dry tyres in wet conditions in Brazil and passing him 15 seconds before the flag the dream would have gone away.



The MP24-23 performed well all year but still Lewis has a problem with the front tyres being the same as in '07. The team must also sharpen their act with bad decision making in and around pit stops. They took control of the race in Brazil and once again nearly lost Lewis the title with bad decisions for the tyre change.

The new Vodaphone Mclaren Mercedes 2009 car will be completely different with its narrow wings, slick tyres and the new KERS system which we can only hope will work for all the cars or the season could be a damp squib.

It will obviously take a time for all the cars to settle down once the season starts and lets hope Mclaren don't take long about it.



We can all only hope the Credit Crunch does not affect the future of the sport and major efforts are in place to reduce costs across the field. The deal between Mclaren and Force India will bring them up the grid and with only a second between first and last every 10th counts on the way.

Volkswagen Touareg on the move!

It all started in 2004 after resigning from my previous role as Sales Manager of a litter bin manufacturing company in South Yorkshire. A career move at 58 they said, are you mad! The truth of the matter was I wanted to return to being self employed after being in that status for the 30 years prior to 1994.

So Scorpion Executive Private Hire commenced operations 1 October 2004 with a Silver Peugeot 807 Executive. As with all 6 seaters they are fantastic for bums on seats but somehow manufacturers forget about luggage!

In my desire to offer the complete service I also purchased a trailer, colour coded to the car so I could cater for the larger luggage loads such as golfers and surfers.

Things moved along fine but I really wanted to be in the corporate market place so I worked very hard at business customers who came along.

Eventually I had my big break with one of my regular 6 seater customers. This relationship developed and eventually, due to the corporate nature of his businessand his requirements I decided it was time to move into more luxurious transport than the Peugeot.



As shooting was to be involved it was ultimately decided I would purchase a Volkswagen Touareg and was seriously advised the only one to buy was the 3 Litre Tdi. As my brother in law owns Hayselden (VW dealer) Barnsley I knew I could get the best deal and advice around.

As it happened he had a 3 months old Touareg 3 Litre Tdi Altitude in Shadow Blue metallic and down the motorway it came. What a magnificent piece of technology they are being basically the same interior specification of its sister, the Phaeton, but with incredible off road capabilities.

It is unusual for Private Hire companies like mine to use 4x4's and I love it. All the chauffeurs say to me "You don't use that magnificent thing as a chauffeur car do you" and I rest my case. It is different and it makes a huge difference as my customers love it to.

VW is split into 2 divisions, the normal VW range such as Polo, Golf, Passat etc and the luxury car division for the Touareg and Phaeton. To be a VW Luxury Car Dealer there are special paramaters set down by VW and one is they have to provide an equivalent vehicle when one of the 2 luxury cars goes in for service.

Obviously these cars are cheaper so when buying a Touareg ask the dealer what demonstrators are available or ring me and I will put you in contact with Hayselden's.

As every new Touareg comes with a free off-road day with Volkswagen off I went and was trained by the team how to use the technology off-road. With a morning on Oulton Park and the afternoon on rougher terrain in one of Volkswagen's V10's I learnt what to do and more importantly when!

One of the failings of all off-road vehicles is they are not really equipped for off-road use, more for posing or running the children to school. The first season from October to January of 2005/6 I ran with the standard tyres and whilst I managed it was obvious I had to respond.

All Touareg "Altitude" variants come with 19 ins Senna wheels and tyres and unfortunately they don't sell off-road tyres for combination use, what is called a 50/50 tyre i.e. 50% off-road and 50% on.

So, down to Micheldever Tyres near Basingstoke and I purchased a set of 18ins Alloy Wheels with General Grabber AT tyres and what a difference. Now I can go anywhere, anytime in whatever weather. Micheldever store the tyres when I am not shooting and I go in and change them when going off-road. The tyres are for the road an not off it.

I had an amusing experience recently when washing my Touareg in a garage in Sherborne after a days shooting. A gentleman came across and said at least he has met someone who uses an off-road vehicle for off-road use as it looked as though it had been in a rally.

The Touareg is absolutely fantastic for both my Chauffeur car and its off-road capabilities. Obviously the inside is fully protected when shooting and the car looked like new after nearly 70,000 miles.

One of my customers was so impressed he wanted to buy it and of course it had to go. I spoke with my brother in law, Michael about a replacement and of course, accepting boys and toys I was looking for betterment and that is exactly what I bought.



Here we have the new one, A Touareg 2 after the facelift in 2007. The spec on this one is as good as it gets with air suspension which links to Zenon turning headlights as you go round corners, electic memory seats which memorise the seat position, column and seat belts, keyless go, convenience entry which brings up the drivers seat and column so one can get in and out easier, tow bar which fits as required, tyre pressure monitoring.

On the road the new one is as my big customer comments "more refined". The air suspension makes the ride easier having comfort for normal road and sport for more serious motoring as this stiffens the suspension and then cornering and road holding go to a different level.

Volkswagen have also put a lot of effort into sound insulation and I can only comment it has worked, it is more like the Phaeton than ever, smooth and very quiet.

You can see more on the website of the Volkswagen Touareg and Scorpion's unique operation on our web site.

Power Traveller: Monkeynuts from Scorpion

Monkeynuts - are a range of adaptors or tips which enable you to very simply connect your Powertraveller products to a wide range of phones, iPods, MP3's, headsets and digital camera's.

I have mentioned these items throughout the blogs relating to the range of Powertraveller products.





This image shows the Powermonkey with the standard tip for Nokia phones such as the 6230i moulded to the lead.








The other tip is the mini USB and used for example for all Blackberry's ready to be attached to the standard tip.

This tip is now becoming more universally used.



The Mini USB tip is now in place and ready to fit into the Blackberry.

The list below is comprehensive and continually being updated as new products become available. If yours isn't listed then please email me or contact us on 0800 4488059 for assistance with your Power Monkey
needs.

Power Monkey Tips List

Acer N35
Archos
DC4.0
Blackberry All Mini USB
Creative Zen DC 4.0
DC 2.3
DC 2.5
DC 3.0 for Motorla W220
DC 3.5 x 1.3
DC 5.5
Dell Axim C55
Dell Axim DC 4.0
Dell Axim X30HP
iPaqiPod Direct Black
iPod Direct White
iPod USBLG 8080
LG Chocolate
Mini USB
Motorola V998
Motorola V66 ROKR
Motorola V3 RAZR
Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS-Lite
Nokia Mini DC 2.0
Nokia Std (End of Powermonkey)
O2 XDA Mini USB
Palm / Tungsten E2
Palm / Tungsten i705
Palm One / Tungsten E
Panasonic D92
Panasonic D95
Samsung A288
Samsung D600
Samsung A990
Samsung E900
Samsung X820
Samsung Z500
Siemens A31 (EL71 / S68
Siemens C25 & A65
Siemens C55
Sony Clie PEG Full Series
Sony DV1 Cynershot
Sony DV2
Sony DV3
Sony DV4
Sony K750i wide connector
Sony PSP DC 4.0
Sony T28USB Retractable Cable
USB Retractable Cable
Vodaphone / Sagen VS1

Motormonkey from Scorpion

Your car journeys will never be the same again! The monkey business at Powertraveller is now filling the zoo with all types including the Powermonkey, the Powerchimp, the Powergorilla and now are you ready for it....

Motormonkey - The smallest, lightest in-car charger in the world can charge most popular mobile phones, iPods, PSPs and BlackBerry's whilst you're on the move!



Its Slimline design means that Motoromonkey is unobtrusive in your car and you can leave it plugged into your cigarette lighter when you're not using it, without worrying about draining your car's battery!

Motormonkey will fully support Apple iPod nano, iPod Classic, iPhone, iPod Touch and other iPod series via motormonkey USB socket.

Each Kit Includes:
1 x motormonkey unit
1 x Samsung M300 / G600 adaptor
1 x Nokia & 1 x Mini Nokia adaptor
1 x USB retractable cable
1 x Mini USB adaptor for Motorola Razr, BlackBerry and other USB powered devices
1 x Sony-Ericsson K750i wide adaptor
1 x DC 4.0 adaptor for Sony PSP and some digital cameras
1 x LG Chocolate adaptor

If your product is not listed above don't panic as of course we have a solution for that and this you are going to love....

Monkeynuts - are a range of adaptors or tips which enable you to connect your Motormonkey to a wide range of phones, iPods, MP3's, headsets. The list below is comprehensive and is continually updated so if yours isn't listed then please email me or contact us on 0800 4488059 for assistance with your Motormonkey needs.

Monkeynuts Adaptors
Acer N35
Archos 4.0 (Kit)
Blackberry All Mini USB (Kit)
Creative Zen DC 4.0
DC 2.3
DC 2.5
DC 3.0 for Motorla W220
DC 3.5 x 1.3
DC 5.5
Dell Axim C55
Dell Axim DC 4.0 (Kit)
Dell Axim X30HP
iPaqiPod Direct Black
iPod Direct White
iPod USBLG 8080
LG Chocolate
Mini USB
Motorola V998
Motorola V66 ROKR, Motorola V3 RAZR (Kit)
Nintendo DSNintendo DS-Lite
Nokia Mini DC 2.0 (Kit)
Nokia Std (End of Powermonkey)
O2 XDA Mini USB (Kit)
Palm / Tungsten E2
Palm / Tungsten i705
Palm One / Tungsten E
Panasonic D92
Panasonic D95
Samsung A288 & D600
Samsung A990
E900 & X820 (Kit)
Z500
Siemens A31 (EL71 / S68
C25 & A65 (Kit)
C55
Sony Clie PEG Full Series
DV1 Cynershot
DV2
DV3
DV4
Sony K750i wide connector (Kit)
Sony PSP DC 4.0 (Kit)
Sony T28 USB Retractable Cable
Vodaphone / Sagen VS1

Movie Traveller from Scorpion

Being a Chauffeur I am always on the look out betterment for my cust0mers particularly when I have parents in the car with children. These days it is not uncommon to have DVD's in the back and Scorpion is no different.

Powertraveller Movietraveller



Powertraveller have once again come to the rescue with this fantastic portable DVD player.

The clear, sharp 7" widescreen TFT display allows for top-quality playback and will even work with CDs, Kodak picture CDs and MP3 CDs so your travels will never be boring.

Featuring integrated stereo speakers, this unit is made from rubberised materials for extra durability and is slot loading - meaning it measures just 2.6cm deep!




Movietraveller in the Scorpion Touareg

The pic on the left shows the Movietraveller in-situ in my Touareg. In the base of the Movietraveller is a centre fixing hole which is screwed to a bespoke Brodit centre armrest bracket which simply slips over the armrest with no drilling.

The Movietraveller can then be turned to suit the rear passenger occupants.

Using a headphone splitter I then have 2 sets of headphones for 2 rear seat passengers. This allows the other occupants in the car to travel without the sound from the DVD and keeps the kids quiet. I use a 12v cigarette lighter socket to power the unit and when not in use it slips neatly into the rear pocket on the drivers seat.

The Movietraveller can be powered via the included battery pack, from the mains or the cigarette lighter cable and because its so compact although there's no room for an internal battery, the ultra-thin lithium-ion travel battery will provide you with about 2.5 hours playback when you're away from a power source. Pack contains: SDV 37-S portable DVD player, earbud headphones, remote control, headrest mounting kit and carry case.

More details about the Movietraveller are available from our website or email us about the movietraveller, alternatively, call 0800 4488059.

Power Gorilla from Scorpion

In the beginning there was Powermonkey, then came Powermonkey eXplorer shortly to be followed by the Powerchimp. Now the zoo just got a little larger and the Monkey's are scattering since the arrival of the silver backed Powergorilla.

This ultimate emergency charger has come from an unknown land far, far away, traversed stormy seas and scaled impossible summits to reach us here in the UK.


Powergorilla is the ultimate portable charger for your laptop and the answer to many maidens prayers. This Silver Back will give you an extra 2-5 hours of Laptop power, depending on your laptop's spec and over 20 hours on various other electronic devices

Powergorilla will work with devices up to 24volts - so from your laptop, right the way down to your mobile phone or iPod! Just select which voltage you require; 5v, 16v, 19v or 24v and the LCD screen will indicate which setting has been chosen.



Then simply hook up your gadget and away you go! You can even daisy-chain, so whilst the Powergorilla is charging your laptop, you can charge the Powergorilla from the mains power supply.

Or you can charge your laptop and your mobile phone simultaneously! One-touch button technology means the Powergorilla is easy to use and its sleek, aluminium casing with shock resistant rubber protection strips makes it totally robust.

Powergorilla also has many safety features including output auto-lock, voltage limitation protection, short circuit protection, over charging protection and over heat protection.

Whilst it didn't annoy the troops this Silver Back has been on field tests out in Afghanistan where it was subjected to extremely hot temperatures and successfully charged a Dell laptop without problems.

Power Gorilla Kit Includes:
Neoprene travel case
Tip pack containing 8 male and 7 female laptop connectors
Tip pack containing connectors for most small devices
12v car charger socket
Universal AC laptop charger
Lightweight (631g)
Portable (220 x 130 x 15mm) and tough

Powergorilla really does let you ROAM WILD just like the Silver Back.

To use with Macbook Pro, Macbook Air and Macbook you will need an:
Apple Magsafe Airline Adaptor

Use the Apple Mag Safe Airline Adaptor to connect your powergorilla or solargorilla
to your Macbook, Macbook Pro or Macbook Air!

Simply use it with our car charger socket (included with the powergorilla - available to buy for the solargorilla), and you can power your laptop wherever you are!

This useful cable is sleek and lightweight and will work with in-seat DC power ports that are now available on many commercial airlines (check your airline regarding the availability of in-seat power ports).



In the desert, on safari, up a mountain or simply on the move, the Solargorilla gives you power anywhere under the sun. Solargorilla's 24 volt and 5 volt USB socket make it the ultimate renewable power station for your laptop, mobile phone, iPod and many more devices.

Solargorilla works via two PV (photovoltaic) solar panels, which generate electric current when they are exposed to light. The green LED on the Solargorilla indicates the strength of charge - the more UV intensity - the better it will work!

The technically advanced solar panels ensure superb power and reliable performance, all housed in a tough outer casing. Solargorilla is compatible with most laptops, mobile phones, iPods, PDAs, handheld games consoles and Sat Navs.

You can even use the Solargorilla to recharge the fabulous Powergorilla - simply attach it using the 2m extension cable and the L52D tip. A total portable power station!

Solargorilla features:
Tough, rubberised casing
Portable, fold-up design protects your solar panels when stored
Water resistant design
Slot to allow Solargorilla to be suspended on vehicle or tent for outdoor use
20V power socket out
Standard 5v USB socket
Green LED charging indicator

Dimensions: 264 x 200 x 19mm

Each Solargorilla kit contains:
1 x Solargorilla
8 x male laptop connectors
9 "monkey nuts" mobile phone connectors
1 x female USB charging tip for smart phones
PDA's
Other powered devices

Note:
Solargorilla is a charging option. It relies on the UV intensity of the sun. Therefore, at this time of year it may not be suitable for use in the Northern Hemisphere unless combined with the Powergorilla. The Solargorilla has been trialled successfully in the Southern Hemisphere by aid agencies, emergency services, the military and adventure travellers, where power is a crucial element of their communications strategy.

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation suffered communications problems in the past and the products have been hugely acclaimed as being a long overdue solution to power issues. Pre-production units have also been on field tests in Africa, Australia and even Afghanistan.

The Solargorilla was extensively field-tested in the UK earlier this year, where it powered a number of laptops for a week at a time. To use with Macbook, Macbook Air and Macbook Pro you will need an Apple MagSafe airline adaptor and one of our universal car charger sockets. The MagSafe adaptor is available to buy from us. please contact us if you require the universal car charger socket.

To view more details about the Powergorilla click on the title or go to our website, alternatively, call 0800 4488059.

Travelling Accessories from Scorpion

Powertraveller manufacture a range of options directed at the modern traveller and here are some very useful products. You can view the full range of Powertraveller products by clicking the link above to go to our website.

The Powertraveller USB Travel Plug

One adaptor with four options that means power in over 150 countries worldwide.*

Not only is it a handy worldwide travel adaptor, but ours is unique as it has an additional USB converter - allowing you to recharge or operate your device directly from the main power supply, where ever you are!

Simply remove the usual cap, replace with the USB cap and hey presto!

Suitable for all devices without ground pin (2-pin connections; 2.5A; 110V - max.275W; 220V - max.550W).

When USB module is connected, voltage is reduced to 5 volts as per a standard USB outlet socket. Includes essential USB charging unit - charge your iPod, travel speakers, PDA, MP3 player and mobile phone via USB CABLE (not included).

Universal Travel Charger

For use with Soundtraveller speaker, Powermonkey portable charger and most Nokia phones!

This handy little charger comes with interchangeable heads for UK, Europe, US/China and Australia - meaning you can use it in over 150 countries around the world! Featuring Over Voltage and Short Circuit protection, this is a 3.3 Watt AC adaptor with a maximum output voltage of 5.5V.







Sound Traveller K3000ST
Introducing the new Soundtraveller K3000 ST! Editor's Choice winner - MacWorld, Feb 08 and Editor's Choice, iPodUser, July 08!

The big brother to the original Soundtraveller, the K3000 ST has all the style and portability of its smaller companion but is miles ahead in terms of sound reproduction. The K3000 ST pumps out a massive 6 watts of music power, amazing volume from such a small unit!

Soundtraveller K3000 ST is a top of the range sound system which gives crystal-clear audio reproduction - no distortion or tinnyness - so you can listen to your favourite tunes in style!

The highest quality materials and technical know-how have gone into making this speaker one of the best portable speakers available on the market today. Featuring touch button volume control, K3000 ST uses only 2 x AA batteries but also comes with a USB cable so you can hook it up to your computer.

The Soundtraveller K3000 ST will dock directly with all iPods including the new iPod Nano and iPod Touch. For those of you who don't own an iPod, it also comes with an audio adaptor cable so can be used with virtually any other audio device! So grab your Sony PSP or your Nintendo DS, hook up this little beauty and feel the noise!

Did we mention that if you've got a Bluetooth connectivity set - you can attach the receiver to the K3000 ST and connect to the speaker wirelessly!!

You never need to worry about not being able to power your Soundtraveller K3000 ST speakers...

• Power them via the 2 x AA batteries included


• Power them via the included USB cable


• Power them via the universal mains charger


• And you can even power them via our other great gadgets...

Hows this for compatibility? If you own a powermonkey-eXplorer - you can use it to power your speaker! Simply attach it to the rear of the K3000 ST and you can power your speaker without the need for batteries! With these two great devices together, you've always got power and music!

You can even use the Solarmonkey power the K3000 ST - giving you free play for your music! Simply plug the Solarmonkey into the back of the unit and it will run your speaker from the power of the sun - no batteries needed! The Soundtraveller and Primate Power ranges have been designed to work together - total convergent technology!

Brilliant for when you're on holiday, or if you're one of those really adventurous types who climb mountains and things!

(The Solarmonkey is available to buy separately or as part of the Powermonkey-eXplorer.)

Pack Includes:

• 1 x Soundtraveller K3000 ST Speaker


• 1 x Audio adaptor cable


• 1 x USB power cable


• 1 x Tough, protective travel case

Sound Traveller K3000


The SoundTraveller speaker delivers dynamic, crystal-clear audio reproduction from a unit small enough to fit in your pocket. Fantastic sound quality...made from the highest quality materials with precision engineering, this micro speaker delivers a massive 3 watts of total music power from just 1 x AA battery. One battery will provide 12 hours of continuous playback - more than enough for even the most hardened of party fiends!

Make the most of your Soundtraveller by purchasing one of our Universal Travel Chargers! This compact charger comes with interchangeable heads for UK, Europe, US/China and Australia - meaning it can be used in over 150 countries around the world! See below for details!

Connect it to your gadgets...
The SoundTraveller features an on/off switch and an adjustable volume control, so you can have your music as loud or as quiet as you want, whilst the 5 volt mains-in socket allows you to power the unit from the mains or from your computer via USB. The SoundTraveller will work with any iPods with a dock connector but also has the added benefit of having an audio-in socket, so you can use it with other MP3 players, PDAs, your Sony PSP, your Nintendo DS, CD & DVD players and more!

Great design...
The sleek metal front and rear is complimented by the luxuriously soft silicon skin which wraps around the speaker unit, making this unit stylish and coveted.

The SoundTraveller is available in Black, Blue, Pink, Red and Silver - so you can match your speaker to your mood! Essential travel companion... with the SoundTraveller, you have no excuse for being without music in your hotel room, apartment or even your tent! Small, compact and ultra-portable, this fantastic gadget will fit neatly into your hand luggage without taking up masses of space and you can watch others go green with envy when you crank up the volume!

SoundTraveller is the ONLY micro speaker system to be seen with!


Apple MagSafe Airline Adaptor



Use the Apple Mag Safe Airline Adaptor to connect your powergorilla or solargorilla(see separate blog) to your Macbook, Macbook Pro or Macbook Air!

Simply use it with our car charger socket (included with the powergorilla - available to buy for the solargorilla), and you can power your laptop wherever you are!

This useful cable is sleek and lightweight and will work with in-seat DC power ports that are now available on many commercial airlines (check your airline regarding the availability of in-seat power ports)

Powertraveller rechargeable AA 1800mAh batteries


4 pack A set of powerful, rechargeable AA batteries you can use again and again!
Taking only 5 hours to recharge from USB, these batteries have a 10 year shelf life - and will still have 75% capacity remaining after 6 months.
They can be recharged 1000 times - so plenty of power to be had from them! Use them in digital cameras, walkmans, shavers, toothbrushes, toys, PDAs, and much, much more!
Powertraveller batteries are made from Ni-MH and have no mercury or cadmium content.



Led Lenser Aviator V2 Torch


As used by pilots and professionals the world over, the Aviator torch from Led Lenser is one gadget you shouldn't be without! Featuring a cloverleaf 6-reflector system,3 x high intensity white light chips as well as 1 x high intensity red light chip, 1 x Blue and 1 x Green for night operation and signals! Aviator is made from tactical lightweight aircraft aluminium casing - meaning this torch is totally portable and compact.

Plus, the Quad Switch system means you can flick between all the different LEDs at the touch of a button. Weighing just 98gms and with a burn time of up to 50 hours from the 3 x AAA alkaline batteries which are included, this stylish and compact torch comes complete with a durable nylon travel pouch and lanyard for safe keeping.

Aviator V1 Torch


Used by pilots and professionals the world over, the Aviator V1 torch features five high-intensity white LEDs for an ultra-bright beam and has the added bonus of a high-intensity red light LED which aids night vision.

Beautiful lightweight aluminium casing means the torch is durable enough for anything. It even comes with a protective nylon pouch and lanyard. It runs on just three AAA batteries and weighs just 98g.


UV Monkey


Get the most out of your Solarmonkey and Solargorilla! This nifty little gadget has a chemical compound in its core which changes colour to indicate the UV intensity of the sun - the stronger the colour - the more effective your Solarmonkey and Solargorilla will be at charging your device!

UV monkey will even keep you safe in the sun - if the colour on the chart shows as strong, put up your parasol and get in the shade!

Made from the same tough, rubberised materials as the Solarmonkey and Powermonkey-eXplorer - chuck it in your beach bag and head out into the sunshine!

Portable Power on the Move from Scorpion

In 2004 when I started Scorpion I looked for every option which I thought would provide a benefit to my customers. One most valuable asset was the provision of a series of cigarette lighter leads to enable customers to charge their mobile phones. This worked extremely well albeit the amount of cables I needed grew and grew.

Then, one day a customer got in the car and unfortunately I had left my Blackberry charging cable at home. Without fuss he pulled out of his brief case something that could only be described as a Silver bullet. He plugged it into the side of his Blackberry and switched it on.

Being the ever inquisitive individual I asked him what it was. He advised it was a Powermonkey and I thought ask a silly question, of course it's a Powermonkey what else. He continued to explain what this Silver bullet did and I was impressed....

....and here it is, the Powermonkey Classic.

I then found out they are only a few miles away from where I live and hot footed it to their office. Without hesitation I purchased my first one and have never looked back. Immediately I realised I could get rid of the charging cables I carried in the car as it comes with a range of interchangeable adaptors or tips to suit a very wide range of mobile phones and more (see below).

"VOTED "BEST BUY" BY COMPUTER SHOPPER MAGAZINE, DEC 06" the Powermonkey will revolutionise the way you charge your devices. Imagine it's a portable petrol pump for your technology! Change the way you charge - forever!

I now market the entire range of products from Powertraveller as not only are they of the very highest quality, they are perfect for traveller's on the move.

As is usually the case your mobile phone or iPod goes flat at the most inconvenient times. that is when you need the Powermonkey. Plug it in, switch it on and very quickly you are back to full power again.

Powermonkey's come pre-charged ready to go straight out of the box! To get the most out of your monkey, simply use the included mains adaptor to fully charge the Powermonkey and you will get up to 96 hours standby on your mobile phone, 40 hours on your iPod, 6 hours on your Sony PSP, 2 full charges on your PDA plus it's original charge and up to 1600 pictures on your digital camera!

The Powermonkey will even hold its charge without leakage for up to 6 months!

Small, agile and powerful, the innovative Powermonkey can be left in your bag, car, desk, etc and will be ready to provide you with emergency power when you need it most. Ideal for holidays and trips, no need to worry about bulky chargers taking up lots of space!

Powermonkey features 2 LEDs; 1) Powermonkey Charging: flashes red when Powermonkey needs charging, shows red whilst charging and green when fully charged. 2) Device Charging: flashes green when discharging to device and red when low battery voltage.

The universal mains charger will work in over 150 countries and has inter-changeable heads for UK, US, Australia and Europe.

Powermonkey key comes with:

1 x Power Monkey Unit
1 x Universal Mains adaptor
Adaptor for Nokia and Mini Nokia, Motorola V66, Samsung E900, Siemens C25 and Sony Ericsson wide connector
1 x Mini USB for Motorola Razr V series, Blackberry and Bluetooth headsets
1 x Direct iPod adaptor
1 x USB smart phones, PDA and other devices 1
x Connector for Sony PSP and most digital cameras
1 x Black travel pouch

The range of tips in the Powermonkey kit cover a wide range of mobile phones, iPod's, PDA's, MP3's and digital cameras. The Powermonkey lead has the Nokia tip attached to it and the range of optional Monkeynuts tips simply push onto that to ensure compatability with a further extensive range of technology.

Monkeynuts - are a range of adaptors or tips which enable you to connect your Motormonkey to a wide range of phones, iPods, MP3's, headsets. They also work with the entire Powermonkey and Powergorilla range.

The list below is comprehensive and is continually updated so if yours isn't listed then email me or contact me for advice. Where marked (kit) means that tip is in the kit.

The list below shows the optional tips and where marked with (Kit) means that tip is in the standard tips which come with the unit.

Acer N35
Archos DC 4.0 (Kit)
Blackberry All Mini USB (Kit)
Creative Zen DC 4.0 (Kit)
DC 2.3, DC 2.5, DC 3.0 for Motorla W220, DC 3.5 x 1.3, DC 5.5
Dell Axim C55, Dell Axim DC 4.0 (Kit), Dell Axim X30HP
iPaqiPod Direct Black (Kit)
iPod Direct White (Kit)
iPod USBLG 8080
LG Chocolate
Mini USB
Motorola V998
Motorola V66 ROKR (Kit), Motorola V3 RAZR (Kit),
Nintendo DSNintendo DS-Lite
Nokia Mini DC 2.0 (Kit), Nokia Std (End of Powermonkey)
O2 XDA
Palm / Tungsten E2, Palm / Tungsten i705, Palm One / Tungsten E
Panasonic D92Panasonic
D95 Samsung A288 & D600
Samsung A990, E900 & X820 (Kit), Z500
Siemens A31 (EL71 / S68, C25 & A65 (Kit), C55
Sony Clie PEG Full Series, DV1 Cynershot, DV2, DV3, DV4
Sony K750i wide connector (Kit)
Sony PSP DC 4.0 (Kit)
Sony T28USB Retractable Cable (Kit)
Vodaphone / Sagen VS1

The Powermonkey eXplorer does the same thing but also has the benefit of a Solar Panel to enable charging whilst out in the field.

The pic on the left shows the eXplorer kit with the Solar Panel.

I have to say I prefer the standard Powermonkey for normal use as one has to be in better sunlight than we have in the UK for the Solar panel to work effectively. Of course, for those travelling abroad it can offer benefits.

In my VW Touareg I have Velcro on both mobile phone holders and my Powermonkey sits on either ready to leap into action to provide portable power for my customers and is constantly used.

Here the Powermonkey is connected to my Blackberry 8310, Curve. I have sold many units straight from the car once customers realise what it does.

We started with the Powermonkey, then onto the Powermonkey Explorer and now we have the new cheeky little chappy, the Powerchimp. This offers the same power portability but is powered by rechargeable batteries.

Powerchimp

Introducing - the brand new Powerchimp! A nifty little charger for most portable gadgets which can also re-juice rechargeable batteries! Use it to recharge your mobile phone, iPod / MP3, PDA, PSP and other digital devices! Choose from grey, blue, pink or yellow and you'll wonder how you ever lived without this little chap!

The Powerchimp will recharge most mobile phones once fully before the batteries in the chimp will need
recharging.

They include the most popular mobile phone tips including the Sony-Ericsson wide connector, Samsung E900, Mini USB (motorola V3 Razr/Krzr,etc), LG Chocolate, Nokia and Mini Nokia.

If you need an alternative connector, you can purchase these directly from me as I carry them all.

Please note, the powerchimp will not work with Apple iPhone - if you require a charger for an iPhone, please take a look at the Powermonkey Classic or Powermonkey-eXplorer. These will provide approximately 2 full charges for an iPhone.

The clever little chimp will also power your Soundtraveller (see alternative blog) speaker should you be lucky enough to own one! Simply attach it to the speaker and play your tunes without the need for inserting batteries into the speaker unit!

The Powerchimp comes complete with a Made for iPod approved charging tip, so you can re-juice your iPod whenever you run out of power! You can use the Powerchimp with all iPods including the new iPod Nano as well as the iTouch - a total iPod solution!

Why let a little thing like running out of battery power on your Sony PSP stop you from playing your games? With the Powerchimp, you can recharge the PSP with the included DC4.0 charging tip! You can also purchase extra adaptors from me for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS-Lite portable games consoles! Game playing has never been such fun!

Use your Solarmonkey to recharge it...

Why not take advantage of our complete convergent charging solution and team up your Powerchimp with one of our Solarmonkeys? Use this compact solar charging unit to recharge the batteries inside the Powerchimp from the power of the sun! When using the Solarmonkey to re charge the Powerchimp, the LED on the chimp may flash red if the solar strength is low - continuous red LED means that the Powerchimp is being charged.

Once your little Powerchimp has used all its juice, simply connect it to your computer's USB socket via the included retractable USB charging cable and recharge its poor exhausted batteries! When charging, the LED will be continuously red, once it's fully charged, the LED will turn green.

The Powerchimp also features quick battery charging with over charge / discharge protection and a pulse charging technology system to ensure long battery life. Powerchimp will be fully charged via USB in 5 hours.

What better way to keep your Powerchimp in power than with our fantastic new Powertraveller rechargeable batteries! The Powerchimp comes complete with the requisite 2 x AA Ni-MH 1800mAh Powertraveller batteries, so you can use the chimp straight out of its box.

And it's a handy torch! What more could you ask of such a lightweight and portable gadget...? It will recharge practically all your small digital devices, comes in a variety of colours, has lots of tips with it and even comes complete with rechargeable batteries!

But that's not enough, we thought....let's add a useful torch to it as well! Yes - the Powerchimp has its own integrated bright LED torch located at the top of the unit. So you can use it to locate your keyhole, your shoes in the dark or even that five
pound note that you "just know" is at the bottom of your bag somewhere...

Power Traveller Rechargeable Batteries

Powertraveller AA 1800mAh Rechargeable Batteries - 4 pack,A set of powerful, rechargeable AA batteries you can use again and again!

Taking only 5 hours to recharge from USB, these batteries have a 10 year shelf life - and will still have 75% capacity remaining after 6 months. They can be recharged 1000 times - so plenty of power to be had from them!

Use them in digital cameras, walkmans, shavers, toothbrushes, toys, PDAs, and much, much more! Powertraveller batteries are made from Ni-MH and have no mercury or cadmium content.

Powermonkey - because life doesn't stop....

Rain Away

Several months ago I found Rain Away on the internet and immediately ordered some.

We all think glass is perfectly smooth, not the case. Rain Away fills in the pores in the glass using an advanced polymer formula, creating a perfectly smooth piece of glass hence allowing the water on the windscreen to run off with the wind.

Rain Away creates water to form into droplets which are then easier for the wind to move off the glass.


This is not a gimmic, it really does work. Rain Away improves vision in all weathers, reduces dirt build up and releases rain and sleet.

Once applied you can wash your windows in the normal manner but you will find them more resistant when wiping with a leather as you are now cleaning the whole of the glass with the pores filled in.

It is easy to apply onto a clean glass using a dry cloth or paper towel, leave to dry for no longer 2 minutes and buff off with a second dry cloth, then reapply again immediately following the same procedure.

Regular re-treatments each 4 to 6 weeks, depending on how often you wash your car assist in building up the resistance to water retention on the glass. You cannot over apply.

The product is used by the police, racing drivers, motor cyclist helmet visors and many other applications such as shower doors, boat and aircraft glass to name but a few. I use the product on all my glass including door mirrors and headlights. It is actually fascinating to watch the water droplets moving around on the different items of glass.

Once the vehicle is travelling at speeds in excess of 50 mph there is no need to use the wipers at all. Accepting the water is now in droplets, at speeds below 50 mph it is up to the driver but vision is greatly increased. I use my wipers in a morning to remove the overnight dew and then only on damp roads to get rid of the spray.

Night driving is quite remarkable as you never seem to see the rain at all, not sure why but it is a fact. Rain Away also assists with snow and ice as they are much easier to remove due to them not being able to stick to the screen.

Being a Chauffeur my customers are always intrigued by the product and most purchase it after seeing it work.

One bottle of Rain Away will give the user 5 to 7 windscreen applications (dependent upon the size of the screen) plus once around the whole of the glass. Obviously the side windows and mirrors don't need such regular re-treatment as they are not getting the same abuse as the windscreen.

I would highly recommend this product and those that have taken my advice have not regretted it. If you click the link above you can go straight to the photo album on my website and you will be able to order the product directly from there very shortly.

At only £9.99 including post and packing it is a very worthwhile investment and even more so over the winter period.

Hands Free Mobile Phone Solutions by Scorpion

With increasing traffic volumes on the highways and byways you must never hold a telephone in your hand, in fact it is now illegal apart from being very dangerous. However, you wouldn't think so when watching drivers dangerously flouting the law.

There are many inexpensive ways of achieving hands-free solutions. Since the early days of Scorpion's operations it was vital I was as legal as possible in every way and my mobile phone was no exception.

Most mobiles now have Bluetooth technology which makes life a lot simpler and I have always had a Bluetooth Headset which are inexpensive and come in many forms. These are great as they move with you wherever you go albeit stuck in your ear. I have known to have gone to bed with mine still in place and didn't know!

I have always preferred the Motorola models as they don't go inside your ear and they have a good battery life. None of us can manage without mobiles these days but DO NOT drive with it in your hand, it is dangerous. We have all heard of accidents on motorways caused by those talking on the phone and the Police quite rightly take a dim view as do all responsible drivers. Don't blame the Police for issuing penalties for the illegal use of a mobile phone in a motor vehicle.

OK, so now we can connect the phone hands free but what about the phone itself, where does that sit? In 2004 I created an association with a company called Nemesis who supply a fantastic range of mobile mounting solutions manufactured by Brodit. I now supply their products to chauffeurs, private hire operators, taxi drivers and the word is spreading.

Distributors of a wide range of mounting solutions for multi media products


Brodit ProClip Mounting Platform


Without doubt these products offer the ultimate solution for mounting such items as mobile phone's, iPod's, Sat/Nav's, PDA's and many items of multi-media. I have used these products in many forms in my initial Peugeot 807's and latterly in the VW Touareg's with great success.

The items come in 2 sections. A Proclip is a bespoke vent clip tailored to suit your vehicle. They are available for a phenominal range of vehicles for either the centre or right vent, LHD or RHD and in some vehicles there are also console mounts which fit either to the left or right of the centre console.

This pic shows a ProClip attached to the right hand vent in my VW Touareg and attached to it is the holder for my Trafficmaster unit which monitors traffic problems on the main motorways and trunk roads.

No drilling is a feature of the product and once clicked in place is very, very solid.

This shows the Traffic master screen securely in place on the Proclip in the perfect position for the driver.

Once you have the ProClip you can then purchase a holder, once again bespoke to your particular item of technology i.e. mobile phone, iPod, Sat/Nav etc.



The left pic shows a LHD ProClip fitted to the centre vent on my VW Touareg for the passenger phone and attached to that is a padded phone holder for a Blackberry 8310 with a Tilt Swivel. The Tilt Swivel is a great addition as the angle of the phone can be adjusted to suit the driver.



The pic on the left shows my Touareg with 2 ProClips and phone holders with tilt swivels to suit the Blackberry 8310's. Both were simply fitted in minutes and are very securely attached. The angle of the different ProClip's is due to them being 1 each of left and right hand drive versions. There are more pics of the Brodit Mounting platforms on the photo album on the scorpion website.


There are basically 2 additional phone holders. Those mentioned above are Passive i.e. no power supply. There are versions of all phone holders with either connection to the cigar lighter plug or hard wired to the vehicle.

In line with the job I do as a Chauffeur I have gone the whole way now and fitted a Bluetooth phone kit in my Touareg. Through my connection with Nemesis I am now marketing the Bluetooth Parrot kit along with the entire Brodit range which in my opinion are a revelation. Watch my blog as new models are coming soon.

The pic on the left shows the Parrot 3100 neatly fitted beneath the right hand vent control lever. This is obviously hard wired to the vehicles electrics but also with the proper cabling plugs into the rear of the Touareg's media centre. This allows the volume to be changed from the media centre when a call comes in. As the Touareg also has an active steering wheel the volume can also be changed from there.

Once installed all one has to do is pair it in the normal manner with instructions from the mobile manual, set the Parrot to pair and off you go. Once connected the Parrot then synchronises the phones contacts into the unit along with names and all numbers. Set the unit to Auto Answer, pre-set volume level and you are done.

I have mine connected through the ignition so immediately I start the car the pairing is automatic and you never have to do that again. You can pair up to 5 mobiles but please note the first one paired will be the master i.e. if there are 2 of the paired mobiles in the car the second one has to be selected in place of the master from the Parrot control centre.

So now you can see how quick it is to be road legal and maybe not as expensive as you think. All these products or for advice about any of them please contact Peter by email or phone at 0800 4488059. It is always nice to talk.

Mobile Solutions Web Site

Introduction to Scorpion EPH

Now, I have to tell you this is my first blog and when you have a daughter like mine you simply do as you are told. In the past few days she has had me flicking, twitting, roboforming and now finally it is time for the blogging bit. However, Simone and her husband Chris are a tremendous help and apart from being great friends they are both an integral part of my wife and I's lives. As a web design company based in Monda, Marbella, Spain they right and administer the Scorpion website and their input and expertise is invaluable so I just do as I am told. Their comment "just drive the car Dad, we'll do the rest".

I digress. Since the age of 9 my life has been connected with motor cars in all sizes, shapes and descriptions, from the small to the large. My first car was some model of a Morris Eight which cost my Dad the princely some of 3 quid but that was now some 53 years ago. All I ever did with it, apart from driving it around a field was to strip it down, repair the thing whether necessary or not, clean and polish it and go and get it dirty again. I then started work at 15 at the local Austin (a name from the past) dealership and progressed ultimately to sales where I thought my talent was destined.

At 19 I then started my own motor accessory shop and ultimately became the largest independant number supplier in the UK, serving new car dealerships throughout Yorkshire and Humberside and beyond. During the miners strike in the early 80's things weren't looking good with the economy (understatement). After being approached in 1979 by the Hire Car Operators in Jersey I commenced a weekly service there which progressed into the launch of PB Motor Plates (Jersey) Ltd serving the entire Islands requirements.

When I eventually sold the UK operation in 1982 we moved there as family in 1983. Life was good there but it was obvious we were never going to be able to purchase our own house there so moved back to the UK in 1990. However, the business still flourished but I found myself commuting each Monday and Friday which after a few years became too much.

My daughter was to fly the nest so the wife and I were left with 600 miles of Ocean between us 48 weeks of the year. This does not represent the most practical marital situation so the ultimate decision was to move away from Jersey altogether. So at 48 I started a new role as Southern Region Sales Manager for a Litter Bin manufacturer in South Yorkshire.

I thoroughtly enjoyed the next 10 years albeit an immense challenge. Starting basically from scratch with a company turnover of around 3 million in 1994, I developed the South particularly and when I parted company with them in 2004 it was up to around 8 million. It was however time for me to go back working for myself as I had done for the previous 30 years prior to joining them, but most people thought a career change at 58 madness!

As a complete change of direction I started Scorpion Executive Private Hire in 2004 but had a very fixed view of where I wanted to be in the sector. I wanted to deal with company executives and corporate business linked to my love for nice cars. Starting with a Peugeot 807 Executive was a perfect direction as it offered something diferent to most other operators being a 6 seater.

This worked well but I soon got bored with the humdrum of the holiday maker sector and still wanted again with the professionals in the Corporate sector. I then had my break with the gaining of a regular customer who I met through the 6 seater. The regularity of this business guided me to the sector I always wanted to serve.

Throwing caution to the wind and out of respect for his business I felt it appropriate to run a car rather then the multi function Peugeot 807. After long discussions I purchased a Volkswagen Touareg Altitude 3 Litre Tdi and was on my way. As my brother in law is a VW Luxury car dealer in South Yorkshire he sorts the cars out and I just drive them, seem to remeber that from somebody else!

The Corporate side of the business was now on its way. The main reason for the 4 x 4 Touareg is its prestigious off road capabilities. Trained by VW I started to go shooting with my main customer and apart from being a break from the norm it is a great day out in the fresh air with a lovely bunch of people.



Things moved onward and I eventually sold the Peugeot 807 leaving me with, as far as I am concerned the cream of the crop customers. 2007 came and went and the new corporate regime was working well. New customers came, new challenges presented themselves and I responded to them all.

I have always been a perfectionist in everything I do and have always loved to give to others. The Chauffeur business allows me to do all of those things whilst also enjoying it at the same time, a bonus.

In 2008 came the largest motor vehicle purchase I have ever made with the new VW Touareg Altitude 3 Litre Tdi but this time a change of colour and major investment in its technology. I htink the term is all singing and dancing and that's bascially what it does. The upgrade version of the Touareg is a revelation and much more refined than the original but of course techology moves on.


With Air Suspension, Zenon moving healdights, Electic Memory Seats, Keyless Entry, Tow Bar, Tyre Pressure monitoring and a whole host of my own on board technology. This new Touareg is far advanced from the other being quieter, smoother and most say a better colour for the Chauffeur business.

So there we are up to date. The new Touareg is now run in having covered 11,000 miles since late August, registration number B1 5EPH (Burton 1, Scorpion Executive Private Hire for the uninitiated) is in place and things are settling down again. The credit crunch is of course having its effect but I am sure we will overcome that.



I have started my trading title of PB Marketing again and the items you will see on my blog shortly will all be sold through that. With my connections with other Chauffeurs and customers most of the products I will be marketing will be directed at that medium.

However, I have a very strict principle which has stood me in good stead for many years and it is simply "Only Sell the Best Products, from the top companies and use them yourself first". That applies to all of the sales items currently listed in the flickr photo album connected to this blog as well as being on my website.

Chauffeur Website Hampshire

I will no doubt talk to you soon and in the meantime have a good day and hopefully rise above the scare mongoring thrust at us form the press. Positive attitude is what will be required for at least the next 12 months at least.