He applauded them for their long service and loyalty to the company and at the end of his address he asked demoniacally, "And, oh yes, what is it that this company does by the way?" Clearly ruffled by the seeming insolence of this young brigand, one of the veteran machinists shot back, "We make drill bits. And we've been making drill bits for over 50 years!"

Pausing a moment before responding, the young president smiled broadly and then replied. "No, we are not in the business of making drill bits. We make holes!"

The secret of the Husqvarna Auto Mower is a decking station that serves as a conduit through which the mower recharges itself.

A similar shift is now occurring in the technology of lawn mowers. Cutting grass with manually operated mowers with steel blades has been indelibly imprinted on the minds of consumers and manufacturers alike. Yet, in the past year some inventors are beginning to break the mold by introducing sophisticated new technology to the problem of making grass shorter. Some of the solutions to this problem are presented in the following product review.

Husqvarna Auto Mower

The Zero can carry two people and their materials to the site and execute the work automatically; the majority of the attachments are controlled by means of cameras and sensors.

The Auto Mower can trim approximately 100 square meters per hour and can cover up to 2,000 square meters. After a cutting time of 1.5 hours the computer instructs the mower to recharge itself and returns to its charging station.

The estimated cost for this unit, which includes a built-in theft alarm, on-board computer, and a continuously variable height setting is between $1,500 and $1,800.

Friendly Robotics Robomow RL-500

Developed in the unlikely region of Qadima, Israel the Robomow RL-500 from Friendly Robotics is the combination of sophisticated weapons technology and state-of-the-art electronics. Overkill you say? Obviously you're not taking your mowing seriously.

The Robomow RL-500 features a radio controller for manual over ride, independent two-wheel drive, three blades that operate at up to 5,800 revolutions per minute, and a proprietary RoboScan technology. The unit is contained in a sleek plastic chassis that is 12.4 inches in height and 35 inches long with a net weight of 42 lbs.

The retail price for this unit is $795, which includes everything the customer needs for installation and operation. It also comes with a full-service two year warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Wolf Garten's Zero

The RL 500 is an environmentally friendly "clean machine"; it uses no gas, no oil, produces no exhaust, and requires no bagging.

The laser used by the Zero can cut grass to within 1 mm while leaving other plants unharmed. The process called "siltidry" cuts the grass blades and dries the particles that fall on the lawn. The manufacturer suggests that drying mulch through this process will reduce the incidence of lawn disease caused by the rotting of wet grass.

The Zero also includes leather seats, a convertible top, and for the contractor who needs to stay connected, built-in internet/intranet access. You can pick up this mower for a mere $30,000. LCM