sunglasses

After Oakley came out with its "Medusa Hat" last month, we were beginning to wonder what was going on over there. But now that we see it's releasing a new pair of MP3 sunglasses dedicated to Jamiroquai, perhaps it's becoming clearer where they get their inspiration for headgear designs.

The latest version of Oakley's "Split Thump" line of shades is a 1GB Jamiroquai special edition, according to Engadget. With a purple and white camo pattern, it's sure to bring you right back to your disco-rave days--or something. We just appreciate that, thanks … Read more

Oakley has announced their latest redesign of their popular Thump series of MP3 player sunglasses. The new design, called the Split Thump, will be out for the holidays in both black and white, offered at 512MB ($249), 1GB ($299), and 2GB ($399) capacities. Aside from a new, more understated look, the Split Thumps now allow you to remove the included earpieces for those times when you just want to wear a normal looking pair of sunglasses.

Of course, I can already tell that the new detachable design will be the Split Thump's biggest drawback as well, since it makes … Read more

Sharing music has never been easier, or perhaps sillier, than this.

Asia Vantage, a Hong Kong-based company, has designed a sunglasses case that features a built-in portable speaker. Users can plug their iPod or mobile phone into the case and groove away with friends.

The cases also come with compartments for loose change and credit cards.

The cases, called Shady Beats, are designed to protect sunglasses from getting scratched as they are tucked in next to a NXT, flat-panel speaker, the company said on its Web site. The speaker is powered by two triple-A batteries.

Couldn't find them for … Read more

As spy gadgetry is concerned, this one isn't exactly 007 smooth. It's quite the opposite, actually, in that talk-into-my-carnation kind of way.

Although this product is presumably meant for covert activities--it's being sold on Spycatcher, after all--these "Spy Sunglasses" are basically a pair of shades with a camera stuck on the side, about as camouflaged as a snowman in a coal mine. It would go perfectly with the Discovery wrist cam in the Department of Glaringly Obvious.

Besides, now that we can sneak a video feed with a pinhole camera built into a tie, who … Read more

Crave usually isn't fond of objects that change colors just for the sake of doing so. But there's something about sunglasses that makes a chromatic carousel seem natural.

A pair of shades developed at the University of Washington promises to "change colors on command," though it's limited to various intensities of blue at present. "It uses an organic compound inside the lens, which, once zapped to change, stays that way without any sustaining power," according to Shiny Shiny.

The real fun will begin when researchers add red and green to the mix, which … Read more

I wouldn't call it a tech dynasty, but Oakley's Thump franchise has owned the MP3 player sunglass market (despite numerous copycats). Everyone from Manny Ramirez to trash-talking nerds has an opinion about the wearable music accessory that entertains both eyes and ears. Oakley's latest, the Thump Pros, have made it into the office. I have to say, while I'm not into the style, they are incredibly comfortable. Look for Jasmine France's review later today.

Available in up to 1GB, the lunettes de soleil electroniques are based on the athletic style of the open-edged Bottlecap. Details … Read more