Crave

This bracelet supports a unique cause: 8GB of wearable storage!

(Credit: Meritline)

It's rare enough to find an 8GB flash drive for less than $20, but one you can wear? Meritline (yeah, it again) has the 8GB Bracelet Wrist Band USB Drive for $12.35 shipped.

That's after applying coupon code MLC40142835P, which is conveniently listed right on the product page. That code will also work for the blue, yellow, red, and orange versions of the bracelet.

As you'd probably expect, this is a USB 2.0 drive that's compatible with virtually every operating system. (Linux and Mac aren't listed, but I can't see any reason the drive wouldn't work with them.)

So, you tell me: Is a wearable flash drive more or less convenient than a typical thumb drive that rides on your keychain or in your pocket?

If you're the kind of person who uses a flash drive all day, every day, I think this might be seriously handy. Definitely a conversation piece (to say nothing of a geek badge of honor).

In any case, it's hard to argue with the price. The coupon code expires Friday, August 7, and I desperately hope these don't sell out in five minutes like yesterday's Meritline deal. (Again, sorry about that.)

Also, I should note that after yesterday's mention of problems with the vendor, I received several e-mails from readers. Some said, "Meritline, never again!" Others: "Meritline, love 'em!"

Because I haven't had any problems with the company myself, I'll simply pass along what others have told me: Customer service via e-mail is poor, but much better if you pick up the phone.

NERDS!

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

I once saw a homeless teenager with piercings all over his face standing on a San Francisco corner, and I asked him about the meaning of those little pieces of metal. Misinterpreting my genuine curiosity, he barked, "To shock people!" and refused my dollar.

Well, while I personally don't believe in self-expression via extreme piercing, I trust these bracelets I got here are gonna scream to the world that you identify as a nerd. In a good way.

The USB wristbands come in many different colors.

(Credit: USB-Hub.net)

They're the USB wristbands from USB-Hub. Basically, they're regular USB drives, up to 4GB in capacity, in the form of bracelets.

The band has a rubberized exterior and makes a complete circle when you put the USB head of the drive into the other end, which is also the lid that keeps the drive protected and holds the ring together. The retention is just strong enough to keep the band from falling off your wrist by itself while still allowing you to pull the USB head out fairly easily when need be.

This is actually kind of convenient and helpful, as you won't have to look in your wallet or fumble through keys and coins in your pocket to find the drive. Some of them are even sort of stylish.

And USB-Hub banks on this notion. The bands come in many different colors, and you can have a logo or text printed on them. One of the bands I got actually has the word "NERD" written on it, which is sort of redundant. However, if you don't want to wear the wristband, you can also securely hang it on another object, like the handle of your laptop bag.

The USB-Hub wrist drives are USB 2.0-compatible and work well with virtually any computer, be it a Mac, PC, or Linux machine. They're available in capacities ranging from 1GB to 4GB, with the latter version costing around $15.

As a bonus, I found out you can also put a few of them together to create a necklace, which will not only increase the amount of storage but also make you look even more nerdy, especially when you also wear two on your wrists.

Bacon bracelet: no natural additives

(Credit: Diffraction/Etsy)

Let me guess what you're thinking: "What the heckbeans is this doing on Crave? Where are the diodes, LCD screens, or batteries? Not even one Swarovski crystal?" Well, we realize this isn't tech-related, but considering the amount of bacon-related blog posts popping up on here, we doubt anyone will care.

Now I know I said before that men who wear jewelry should be stoned to death or something to that degree, but I think we can all agree that bacon is the crunchy, greasy, artery-clogging tie that binds us all together, so I'll make an exception for this bacon bracelet, courtesy of Diffraction's store on online crafts marketplace Etsy.com.

Anyway, the bracelet is a shiny silver and closes with a lobster clasp; it's also fully adjustable up to eight inches, but the seller can also make it larger if necessary. The "bacon" itself is professionally shot in a studio, printed on thick plastic, and then sealed with three coats of polyurethane for added durability. The result is a little slice of bacon that looks so similar to the real thing that you're likely to get a few strange looks in line at the bank, and maybe even one "Uhh, you gonna eat that?"

And now, for some bad news: unfortunately, the bracelet is sold out online right now, but check out the maker's Etsy store for future updates and other food-themed accoutrements. EDIT: The store has been updated, additional bacon bracelets available here!

More pictures of the bacon bracelet after the jump.

(Credit: The Sound Advice Project)

The picture you see here is a bracelet modeled after the waveform of someone saying "I believe in you." Made by a group called The Sound Advice Project, it is a way for parents to record a message, which is then custom-made into a piece of jewelry as a gift to a teenage child. The purpose is for the child to always have a visual reminder of the advice.

Though primarily an effort against teen drug abuse (thus the focus on parent-child advice), the geeky-cool nature of this bracelet is undeniable. Check out the official site, where you can record a six-second message and buy your own waveform bracelet for $18.

(Source: Crave Asia via Boing Boing Gadgets)

Apparently, Apple fanboys (and girls) are determined not to let the iPod fade away into obscurity and let Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak's prophecy come true where he predicts the music player's death.

With the sleekness and sexiness of most recent iPods, or the extreme portability of the old minis, Indian designer Gopinath Prasan, creator of the iBangle, must've wondered how to go about turning it up a notch and make the iPod a wearable fashion accessory as well as a functional one.

Don't let its loose look fool you; the iBangle is a thin piece of aluminum with a multitouch track pad that won't easily slip off. That tiny blue button seen in the illustration somehow inflates the blue cushion inside the bracelet with air for a snug fit on the wrist.

(Credit: dvice.com)

The "voice interface"--where you hear what track you're "scrolling" through--is supposed to help offset the fact that there is no visual interface on the bracelet/MP3 player. Also, instead of being tethered to the standard earbuds or headphones, audio is transmitted wirelessly via Bluetooth.

The multitouch interface is a good idea until it brushes up against you and changes your song.

(Credit: dvice.com)

Now, if only it had a way to play video files. Perhaps a screen could be put on it, and the iBangle could pass for a watch--go, go gadget! However cool the concept is, there's no mention of how you would charge the device--dock, dongle, adapter? Also, is it gender neutral? Well, being as this is only a concept from the designer, we'll cut it some slack. There is definitely something here to work with.

So, my question to you is: if Apple co-opted the designer along with the idea and started mass production on this, would you buy it?

Discarded floppy diskettes have found a new home on a bracelet.

(Credit: Pure Design Company)

Some early computer enthusiasts probably found it sad to witness the demise of the floppy disk. The original 8-inch storage device was made smaller and smaller until it was eventually scrapped in favor of compact discs. But for the sake of recycling and geeky fashion, the floppy diskette has been reborn as a bracelet.

Designed by jewelry maker Oxx-An Alleweireldt, the diskette bracelet takes the shape of a floppy flower sewn onto a cotton band, and it would most likely be seen on the wrists of green fashionistas or computer lovers who'd also don keyboard button earrings or circuitboard cufflinks.

For a price of almost $110, perhaps the bracelet is trendier than it seems. A smaller version is available for $87, and each bracelet is handmade to order.

If you are more into vinyl than computers, Alleweridelt also makes bracelets from old records and conflict-free diamonds, for $218.

(Via Great Green Goods)

(Credit: Boys Stuff)

After dismissing the concept behind the "BlueQ" wristband alert last year, we were immediately lambasted by readers. (Something that's become all too familiar for some of us.) So we proceed with due caution in passing along this similar product.

The "BluAlert Vibrating Bluetooth Wristband" works on the same principle as the BlueQ: Both are wearable devices that discreetly and wirelessly alert you when you get a call while the phone is in your bag or purse with the ringer turned off, according to 7Gadgets. We do appreciate that this new version at least attempts to look like something other than a sweat band.

At the same time, you may not want to wear one during a job interview. Your prospective employer might think you were on a break from house arrest.

(Credit: Thanko)

If you give an item like this any kind of consideration at all, it's probably a sign that you're spending more time playing games than with your loved ones. Actually, it may mean that you don't have any loved ones at all, or won't for very long.

Thanko's "Charger Bracelet" is designed for addicts who just can't put down their handhelds when the batteries run dry, supposedly providing another 4.5 hours for a PSP and 28 hours for a DS Lite with a recharger strapped to the wrist, according to Engadget. On the other hand, given the fashion statement that this will make, there'll be plenty of time for those games every Saturday night.