Archive for the 'Accessories' Category

Burton, well known for the fashion-street-skating-snowboarding brand and the very first brand that commercialized an interactive backpack added a BoomBag or Ghetto Blaster backpack to it’s range called: Feedback Pack.

Actually, the Feedback Pack has been available since 2007 but Burton made a style makeover for a Spring 2008 launch with cool looking designs.

The Feedback Daypack has a built-in stereo speaker set, an amplifier and auxiliary input allowing to connect any portable audio player or a laptop that has an 3.5mm headphone plug. A tear-off CD storage panel fits underneath the zippered speaker cover.

The large main compartment comes with a laptop sleeve. A great feature for skater: the Feedback includes vertical skateboard carry straps.

The speaker module as well as the backpack itself is weather resistant so there is no worry if you walk down the street in rain. The Feedback Pack will keep on playing.

Available in Rock Salt Bullet (my personal style favorite, see photo above) and True Black Strict Plaid, the Feedback Pack can take a lot of stuff on board measuring 19in x 11in x 9in / 48cm x 27cm x 22cm adding up to a volume of 24l.

There are many online stores selling the Feedback Pack for $ 89.95 for example following this link.

Burton’s choice of speaker technology might not be as ‘magic’ as the NXT technology but it does give good sound quality and most important: another option to have decent background sound while skating, a basketball game or just relaxing in the great outdoors.

As there was a time in the 80s and 90s where a Boom box or Ghetto Blaster was a must have item, it seems the 21st Century equivalent will be the BoomBags.

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REEBOK, a top name when it comes to sport apparel and fashion is joining the list of brands who add interactivity to their products.

Reebok’s first product in the Interactive Fashion segment is the NXT Speaker Backpack featuring a complete stereo sound system seamless integrated in a cool backpack design in Reebok’s signature style.

The NXT flat panel stereo speaker at the bottom of the bag blends into the design while delivering impressive audio quality powered by 2x AA batteries from any device connected via the 3.5mm audio jack.

Personally I like the use of the NXT speaker technology when adding sound into bags as it allows a ’soft’ integration using the bags ‘natural’ materials such as EVA for the speaker membrane. Whit NXT technology there is no need of any additional or different material that would make bags or backpacks look geek like.

NXT’s flat-panel speaker technology transforms the backpack itself into a speaker for portable devices and even a laptop.

Reebok’s NXT Speaker Backpack is tough enough to withstand harsh conditions of school, business and travel.

The Reebok NXT Speaker Backpack is available at this UK online store for £69.99 ($ 136.77) but online for shop pick up at the moment. There are a couple of online retailers from Germany that sell it online for €129,90 ($ 201.-) like this online store.

It is a pleasant surprise to see such a low price at the launch of the Reebok NXT Speaker Backpack. Style and function wise the Reebok is similar to Quiksilver’s NXT sound backpacks which come for a very steep price of $ 500.- and more.

Getting the price of sound enabled BoomBags to a more ‘tolerable’ range will help to bring this product concept to a larger audience. The uses are manyfold: music can be enjoyed without earphones (where appropriate), have a ‘real’ sound background for a quick PSP or DS game or a magic sound system for presentations ‘on the road’.

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Noon Solar starts selling the Spring/Summer 2008 solar bag collection. The first model launched is the Logan satchel which comes in three different finishings: the all leather Black Logan for $ 476.- the Midnight/Slate Logan and at the bottom the Chocolate/Olive Logan. The last two models go for $ 452.- each.

Noon Solar is not just making Solar bags, their solar bags are made of materials that can either bio-degrade naturally or be reclaimed and re-used. This ‘cradle to cradle’ philosophy, rather than the common ‘cradle to grave’ product lifespan helps minimizing the growth of our already overflowing landfills.

The use of an high end solar-to-electricity conversion module which shows the loading status of the battery, a very helpful feature to manage your power hungry gadgets, stores the sun energy for rainy or cloudy days.

Additionally the power module can be charged via mains to have power in your bag in case the sun is hiding too long. A handy power source when out and away from the power grid.

How do you get your hands on one of those cool but hot Logan satchels? Send an e-mail to: info@noonsolar.com that includes your name, shipping address and type of cell phone you own. Each bag will be shipped with the corresponding cell phone connector identified in the e-mail. On top of that, you get an ipod/iphone adapter.

Noon Solar will send you a PayPal invoice that can be settled via PayPal or with with a credit card (no need to be a PayPal member). Alternatively you can give them a call at 773-225-6141 and give the credit card number over the phone.

The ‘Willow tote‘ solar bag for the ladies will be available for sale in a week or two according to Noon Solar. We will let you know when the Willow tote hits the store.

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Footwear is getting another upgrade by offering multi dimensional interactivity to shoes for comfort and socializing in the real as well as the virtual world.

VectraSense Technologies, a spin-off company from MIT ‘the mother of Wearable Electronic’, launched the smartest shoe on the market called: ‘Verb for Shoe‘.

As a pioneer in the field of computerized footwear and creator of Verb for Shoe, Ronald Demon from VectraSense Technologies, said ‘We are not just selling some high tech gadget, but are providing an entire experience which includes technology.’

VectraSense does indeed have a lot of experience in computerized footwear as they brought the world its first computerized adjustable shoe back in 2000.

Since then VectraSense has worked out a cool looking 21st Century shoe that provides excellent wear comfort due to a computer controlled cushioning system. Two balloons in the shoe sole will inflate or deflate depending on the activity of the wearer. The on-shoe computer is constantly monitoring the activities, adjusting the cushion comfort on the fly in real time..

The interactivity of the Verb for Shoe does not stop here; it can interact with other wearer of Verb for Shoes to exchange personal data (if wanted). I can already imagine a social network community forming that is partly off-line and partly on-line active. More interactivity than social networks like Facebook or MySpace can offer.

The Verb for Shoe connects to a PC wirelessly so you can literally walk with them in the virtual world as well. Part of the experience VectraSense offers is to create an online platform where Verb for Sense wearer can link up and socialize in the virtual world as well as in the real world.

It’s an amazing shoe that is now available via Verb for Sense online store for a – hmmm - experience for money price of $ 699.99

For that money you get a combination of signature styling, craftsmanship, innovation, lushness and exclusivity of having the world’s first shoe leaving a mark (foot print) in the real as well as in the virtual world.

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We have seen gloves that control the iPod, that keep the fingers cozy warm in winter and that make phone calls. The next generation of gloves will have many more sensors integrated to control multiple wearable devices by lifting different fingers.

This is at least the vision of RallyPoint, a recent MIT startup, which wants to deliver innovative solutions that reliably enhance the safety and effectiveness of professional heroes: Soldiers, law enforcement officers, firemen, and rescue divers.

The glove called ‘Handwear Computer Input Device‘ (HCID), will be used as an input device for soldiers’ wearable computer systems. It has four push-button sensors sewn into its pinky finger, fourth finger, middle finger and index finger, as well as a fifth sensor on the middle finger that can act like a computer mouse.

Embedded in the backhand area are three accelerometers. The sensors are used to activate radio communications, view and navigate electronic maps, and send commands.

The glove’s functionality makes a lot of sense for the soldier in the battle field where silence is not only gold but also life saving. Being able to communicate with fellow soldiers via the wearable electronic system silently can safe lives.

Rescue personal and emergency staff will be another area to be explored for the usefulness of this concept.

Going down the time line I can see the computer game industry adopting the Handwear for even more realistic game experience after the successful adaption of the 3rd space gaming vest.

The Handwear Interactive Glove is yet another example of the emergence of a truly wearable electronic wardrobe. Gloves that control an iPod today will soon become a MacBook navigator

[via Technology Review]

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We have seen some hi-tech shoes lately so lets round of this week with another ‘technology meets shoe’ product, Alina Designs‘ LED lighted Dress Shoes.

For women, shoes like handbags are something you can never have enough. They are bought based on emotions and only as a second thought on practicality. Let’s face it ladies - that’s the truth and the truth only.

Alina Design has made LED illuminated shoes that hit exactly this sweet spot, the emotional side of buying a pair of shoes.

Each shoe has 3 LED’s red/green/blue which can be mixed to create any color shade imaginable. The LED’s are so powerful, they light up easily the floor near the shoes. One AAA battery will illuminate the heel for about 12 hours. A tiny computer controls the LEDs in each shoe to give 5 basic modes of LED cycling plus “secret” modes and “holiday” modes that the user may figure out based on some hints.

Besides the high-tech heel, the LED shoe’s upper part is fairly standard using real leather in some shoes or intricate woven transparent synthetic in others.

The Alina LED shoes are truly Hi-Tech using Chromasic™, a technology invented by Color Kinetics, which is the ‘brain’ of next generation LED lighting systems making a host of previously unimaginable applications possible. Another technology used in the heels is Smartjuice® also from Color Kinetics which is a technology that multiplexes power and data over a 2 wire circuit. That’s enough tech-speak and a lot of technology in our heels nowadays.

Alina Designs is selling this Hi-Tech shoes via their online shop starting at $85.00 and go up to $125.00. To my surprise (or actually not that much of a surprise) all except the STARRY NIGHT (left model) is out of stock. I visited the online store two days ago and found four out of six models where available. It seems the LED Shoe is a big hit.

Put your feet in the spotlight they deserve

[via trendhunter]

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The magic or practicality of renewable energy provided by sun light and transforming it into electrical energy via solar cells has attracted Italian fashion designer Ennio Capasa from CoSTUME NATIONAL to create a range of high end - high tech Solar Handbags combining fashion, functionality and technology wrapped in Italian design.

Fine strips of mini-solar panels in contrasting colors on the front of the bag supply a small battery concealed in the lining.

The bag scome with a selection of connectors that adapt to every brand of cell phone, iPod and other digital accessories.

For women, the Solar Bag comes is two stylistic variants: the burgundy or black suede bauletto or the classic handbag. The male version offers a city bag made from brushed calfskin or buffalo.

For years, Ennio Capasa has experimented with sustainable materials — bamboo mixed with cashmere for example, and with new concepts. The solar handbag is his latest exploration in sustainable fashion using solar technology in combination with bag design, making Italian luxury contemporary.

CoSTUME NATIONAL is a luxury goods brand creating innovative style by merging street and couture with day and evening wear elements.

Ennio Capasa founded together with his brother CoSTUME NATIONAL in 1986 with stores in Milan, Rome, Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Generating your own electricity for your cell phone, audio player or PDA has never been more fashionable. The launch date of the solar bags is set for September 2008.

[via: fashion & runway]

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We had an article on talk2myShirt last October speculating about the revival of the BoomBox trend of the 80s in form of bags and backpacks with speaker and amplifier integrated to hook up to our 21st century small audio players like the iPod.

Sure enough another option is coming to the market via iWorld with a bag design that takes the retro spirit for a Wearable boombox to a higher level.

With the fashionable retro design of the Boom Bag in the style of an Tape Deck or an DJ Mixer, sharing music has never been more fun.

This Boom Bags will let you share your music wherever you are, in the park or on the cool beach party or on the sports ground to cheer you on, the reasons for having a boom bag box are endless.

Revive the spirit of the 80’s Boom Box era with this 21st century wearable boom bag that cleverly hides an FM radio and set of speakers ready to connect any portable audio device like iPod or other MP3 player, mobile phone, CD player anything that comes with an 3.5mm headphone plug and gives out an audio signal.

In the 80s many carried around big boom boxes. At the begin of the 21st century we can carry around boom bags that give off sound just like the boomboxes in the last century only we have now the option of a soft touch and multifunctional boomboxes that double as bag.

Boombox evolution enabled by wearable technologies

The price for this retro hip bag is very reasonable at £18.99 which makes in $37.82 in US currency. Available via iWorld’s online shop.

[via Chip Chick]

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