The Gadgets Page

I am always cold, so when I saw this heated vest listed on an advert, I clicked on it, eager to see what it had.

• Heated Vest at Hammacher Schlemmer

For 130 bucks, this vest has a rechargeable pack that provides four hours of heat. It takes five hours to charge and it comes in “Unisex” sizes, which really means they only make a men’s size. The smallest size they carry is Medium, which is shirt sizes 38-41, which would drown me. This vest won’t work for me, but if you are out there feeling cold all the time, this one might be a blessing for you.

After seeing what Eleksen can do, I wonder if their product has a hand in these jeans from Levi Strauss.

• Levi Strauss & Co. | News Releases – iPod Compatible Jeans – January 10, 2006

Unfortunately, no photographs of the product are available at this time, so we can’t get a glimpse of what the jeans look like. Here are the features:

• Docking cradle in pocket
• Looser design to eliminate the “iPod Bulge”
• Easy removal to see the screen
• Controls on the hip area featuring a “joystick”
• Handy wire retractor to prevent tangled earbuds.

After seeing what Eleksen can do with touch sensitive fabric, I completely believe that Levi Strauss has these jeans in the works. Now all the jeans need are some solar panels on the butt to power your iPod and they’d be the perfect jeans.

Via: gadgetgirl: ooh, technology

I just bought a fleece jacket for the winter. Unlike the pictured jacket, my version has a hood, but that’s not important. The important part of this year’s line of The North Face jackets is the little zippered pocket on the upper right side. That little pocket is perfect for slipping in my Treo. I can listen to music, wrap the extra headphone cord in it and zip it up. It doesn’t bounce when I run and it is secure. Best little gadget pocket ever.

It turns out that this little fleece jacket is just as warm as my leather coat. That’s an added bonus that I wasn’t expecting. It’s so light and easy to throw on, I didn’t think it would come close to being as warm as my leather coat. I actually bought it to be a liner for my coat when things get cold this year. Luckily, I’ll be able to weather whatever comes along this season.

O’Neill is really going all the way with their gear for skiers. They have a jacket that can control your iPod and your telephone. When you receive a call on your phone, the iPod transmission is interrupted and you can answer your call. The jacket (and the backpack) has a microphone built in to its left hand collar. You hear the call through your iPod earbuds and talk into your clothing. It’s so James Bond I want it, even though I don’t ski or snowboard at all.

• O’Neill – h2.series

The solar backpack can keep your iPod and phone charged via USB connections. It also has a microphone in one of its straps and a headphone jack on the other. You can control your iPod with the cool controls on the other strap. Very convenient. There is also a strap that can hold your snowboard on your back for transport. They have another backpack in the series that isn’t solar powered. There’s also room for a shovel. I guess snowboarders need to carry shovels for some reason.

On another note, their website is really well designed. It’s a Flash-based design, but it’s not irritatingly animated. I really enjoyed browsing through it to find out how the products work. The only thing it was missing was a big “Buy Me” button somewhere. The only question they left unanswered was, “How do I wash the jacket when it starts smelling like March snow?” Maybe they don’t have stinky March snow where they come from.

Unfortunately, when I went to the O’Neill online shop, I was unable to find the h2.series jacket or backpacks. I don’t know if it’s because their online shop wasn’t nearly as helpful as their website or if it’s not available yet. Because of this, I have no idea of the cost of these products. For all I know, only James Bond can afford them…

Via: Hautegear – O’Neill solar bag