Let’s face facts: the world-famous spy was only as good as his gadgetry
No matter how hard he tries to avoid it, James Bond always seems to find himself in situations where his life — and the rest of the world — are at risk. And without the vast array of cutting-edge, high-tech gadgets provided to him by the Q-branch of the British Secret Service, none of the Bonds would have survived in any of the franchise’s 22 films.
Sean Connery as James Bond
This got us thinking: what are the best of the rest featured technologies from over the years?
The list is long. Surprisingly long, as a matter of fact. But after much debate, and many a sleepless night, the following is a compilation of the five-best gadgets, devices, and technologies featured in all of the Bond movies. Ever.
Let the hate comments start pouring in.
Aston Martin DB5
Throughout all of the films, Bond’s gadget-laden car was always tricked out with the very best in spy technology. This includes bulletproof glass, revolving license plates, smokescreens, oil-slick generators, machine guns, and tire shredders. Oh, and let’s not forget the passenger-side ejector seats!
To date, the car has appeared in Goldfinger , Thunderball , GoldenEye , Tomorrow Never Dies , Casino Royale , and Quantum of Solace , the latter of which saw Bond actually be brought back from the brink of death with a mini portable defibrillator and antidote that was, naturally, provided by the car.
Mobile Phone
Specific to the more recent Bond films, there have been three variations of Bond’s awesome cellphone. The first appeared in the film Tomorrow Never Dies . It was a Sony Ericsson phone that also acted as a stun gun and fingerprint reader, had a screwdriver/lock pick hidden under the antenna, and allowed Bond to navigate a BMW through a parking garage while lying down in the backseat.
In Casino Royale , Bond has a much more stripped-down version of a Sony Ericsson phone. It acts more so as a personal media hub and on-call M.D. and this time around includes an MP3 player, Bluetooth capabilities, RSS newsreader, 3.2-Mpixel camera, and an injectable sensor that monitors vital signs and sends them back to headquarters for emergency diagnostic testing.
In Quantum of Solace , Bond again uses a Sony Ericsson phone, and this time it’s the titanium C902 model. While it’s still a stripped-down version of the first model, this one does feature an upgraded 5-Mpixel camera to help Bond during surveillance.
Lotus Esprit
Perhaps the only vehicle that ever truly challenged Bond’s Aston Martin on the scale of awesome, the Lotus Esprit got Bond from point A to point B by land and sea. You see, it could transform into a submarine, complete with sonar, retractable wheels/fins, periscope, surface-to-air missiles, harpoons, and mines. What’s more, it also had a self-destruct anti-theft function, you know, just in case anyone tries to carjack it while Bond is inside shopping for groceries.
Jet Pack
Bond’s jetpack had 20 seconds of fly time and used a hydrogen peroxide fuel. In terms of design, it was essentially two fuel tanks strapped to Bond’s back, which helped him flee the scene whenever things got a bit hairy. It folded up easily to be stored in the trunk of Bond’s car.
Omega Laser Wristwatch
Even though Bond has worn a bevy of wristwatches throughout all of his films, it’s the Omega wristwatch that stands out the most. That’s because in GoldenEye , it had a laser on it and it could also arm and disarm magnetic mines. Later, in Tomorrow Never Dies , Bond’s Omega watch is able to detonate bombs from a remote location. Then, in The World Is Not Enough , Bond’s Omega watch can illuminate his inflatable ski jacket, and also comes equipped with a grappling hook and micro filament cable.
Wait just one second . . .
We couldn’t conclude this story without at least including an “Honorable Mention” list for the gadgets that almost made the cut. In no particular order, they are:
Little Nellie
While it might look like a toy helicopter, this single-seat autogiro packs a major punch! It features two fixed machine guns, two rocket launchers, two heat-seeking missiles, and a pair of flame guns and smoke ejectors in the back.
As if that’s not enough, mines can be dropped from it, that is, should the situation ever call for it.
Q-boat
This hydroboat is super-tiny, fitted with a jet engine, and at one point in The World Is Not Enough , Bond is able to actually navigate the vessel onto dry land.
Briefcase
This thing is dangerous! It contains, among other things, a gun with silencer, couple rounds of ammunition, throwing knives, a bottle of tear gas dressed up as a bottle of talcum powder, and gold sovereigns. ■
Sources for images: 1. EscapeFromAmerica.com, 2. Gizmag.com, 3. bondpix.com, 4. serendipity3864.files.wordpress.com, 5. telegraph.co.uk, 6. anhkhoi.blogspot.com, 7. dawnofthedad2010.wordpress.com, 8. ajb007.co.uk, 9. techdigest.tv
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