Philips researchers are working on a jacket lined with motors that can simulate characters' experiences on-screen.
(Credit: Steve Brewster)This one's from a research team at Philips Electronics.
Designed to enhance the emotional experience of watching a movie, the emo jacket comprises 64 independent actuators, arranged in 16 groups of 4, across the arms and torso. Eight of these, spaced 6 inches apart and located on each sleeve, can create the illusion of being tapped in several spots.
A pair of AA-size cells is sufficient to keep the jacket juiced for an hour, though the team should be looking at extending this since most movies run for about two hours on average.
Lest you're worried, the garment won't actually punch you in the stomach or enact any other such damage. Instead, it's meant to let you more closely immerse yourself in the experiences of the characters on-screen.
This is done via signals encoded on a DVD that are transmitted to the jacket on the fly to run a shiver up the viewer's spine, for example, or create a feeling of tension in the limbs.
If you are wondering whether the jacket comes with matching pants, the answer is no. We can guess why, especially when things start vibrating down south.
(Source: Crave Asia via Newlaunches.com)
The Executive Jacket for Kindle 2 has a wraparound closure strap.
(Credit: M-Edge Accessories)Somebody must have learned about Amazon's Kindle 2 long before the rest of us.
Practically at the same time Amazon launched the new digital reader, M-Edge Accessories, a maker of accessories for the original Kindle, announced its newest collection of jackets designed specifically for the device.
This is actually fitting, as unlike the first generation device, the Kindle 2 will not include an Amazon-supplied stock jacket with purchase.
M-Edge's products for the Kindle 2 include the Executive Jacket and Platform. Both jackets share a common accessory called e-Luminator booklight, which enables Kindle users to read in low-light environments.
The Executive Jacket for Kindle 2 offers full device protection, helps hold the Kindle securely in place with the Kindle-compatible mounting system, and features a wraparound closure strap. The Executive Jacket for Kindle 2 comes in more color options than the one made for the original Kindle, including colors with fancy names such as marbled red, jade green, sapphire blue, fuschia, and purple, as well as more basic options, including black, mocha, saddle, navy blue, cream, and gray.
The Platform Jacket for Kindle 2 introduces a new bookstand design that lets users read their Kindles upright and hands-free, while still offering full protection in a lushly-padded case.
Both jackets will be available by the end of the month and share the same prices: $29.99 for the synthetic leather version and $44.99 for the genuine leather version. The e-Luminator, on the other hand, will be available in March with unknown pricing at the moment.
Griffin Technology's AirCurve.
At Apple Expo in Paris on Wednesday, Griffin Technology unveiled its latest iPhone accessories, including the AirCurve acoustic amplifier dock and the Clarifi protective case.
The AirCurve dock collects and amplifies the sound from the built-in iPhone 3G speaker. It does so by using a coil waveguide within its base, and therefore doesn't need batteries or another power source to work.
While the acoustically amplified sound is not as loud as that made by electronic amplifiers, it's loud enough for you to enjoy music in a quiet room or to use as an alarm clock. The compact dock is made of translucent polycarbonate plastic, revealing the graceful curves within that magnify the sound. AirCurve also includes a pass-through slot that lets you charge and sync your iPhone using a Griffin Dock Connector Cable, which is sold separately.
The Clarifi protective case is also supposedly the first case for iPhone 3G that sports a built-in lens to give the phone's camera an optical boost. You can slide the lens into place for close-up shots or slide it aside for normal shooting. The added optical lens lets you zoom up to 6 inches closer.
Other than that, the Clarifi's case design, like other cases, allows for access to the power switch, headphone jack, volume controls, and touch screen. It also features Griffin's trademark EasyDock design, which allows you to slip off the case bottom to charge and sync, rather than having to completely remove the phone from its case.
Both the AirCurve dock and the Clarifi case will be available for purchase in October for $19.99 and $34.99, respectively.
The Air Jacket adds protection without changing the way your iPhone looks.
(Credit: Power Support)I finally got my iPhone 3G. Love it, hate it, this is all getting old. However, one of the things I do really notice is that although the phone seems very sturdy and scratch-resistant, it attracts fingerprints and shows sweat stains easily. I have the black model and it looks dirty all the time.
For this reason, the Power Support Air Jacket for iPhone3G caught my attention Thursday. It's one of hundreds of jackets you can buy for the new iPhone, but with one unique attribute: it's very thin (merely 1mm thick), and see-through. This means your iPhone won't get any bulkier and will still show its original color. You can also choose to have the Air Jacket in black if you have the white version of the phone and aren't happy with the color.
This is probably the most uncompromising protection jacket you can get for the iPhone. An Air Jacket kit includes the Air Jacket itself, one thin crystal film, and one piece of anti-glare film to protect the LCD.
The catch? It's not cheap. As a matter fact, at $35, it's easily one of the most expensive jackets you can get for your iPhone.
Griffin's TuneBuds Mobile headphones make it less obvious that you are using an Apple product.
(Credit: Griffin)
Well, sure, there are accessories, but I want the iPhone 3G! Don't you?
You are not alone. I've been to many AT&T and Apple stores over the last few days--the furthest of those being in Sacramento. (I live in the Bay Area and went there to visit some friends over the weekend.). At each AT&T store I was told to wait for more stock, and at every Apple store I got discouraged by the long line and withdrew. It's crazy.
Now, I can't help but wonder why Apple is doing this. Obviously they have tons of iPhone 3Gs at the Apple stores, but they only supply limited amounts to the AT&T stores. My only guess is that Steve Jobs gets a kick out of our frustration from waiting in line for a product that he's deliberately stripped of many basic features, knowing that we'll get even more frustrated when we actually get one. And yet we can't help wanting it. How embarrassing!
So, to ease the pain and make the wait worthwhile, why not just go get some accessories instead? You will want to have some of them anyway.
If you haven't found anything you want in my last blog, Griffin today introduced another slew of stuff that you can use with your iPhone 3G. The list includes:
- Wave for iPhone 3G: $24.99
- Nu Form with EasyDock: $24.99
- Elan Clip for iPhone 3G: $24.99
- Streamline for iPhone: $29.99
- TuneBuds: $19.99
- TuneBuds Mobile: $39.99
- StereoConnect: $14.99
Personally, I like the TuneBuds Mobile, as the original white headphones that come with the iPhone are just too telling (like "Look at me! I have an Apple product!") and don't offer very good bass.
The portable speaker for the iPhone can be folded up into a compact "ball" that's very easy to transport.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET Networks)Now that you've gotten your iPhone 3G, it's time to get some accessories for it.
Digital Life Outfiter (DLO) didn't wait for long and has just come out with a slew of stuff that you can use to protect, carry, and enhance your iPhone 3G. Most of them work with the original iPhone and the iPod Touch, too.
To keep your iPhone from scratching or bumped around if dropped, you can choose either the HybridShell ($24.99) that's bulky yet stylish, or the VideoShell ($19.99), which is clear and sturdy. Of course, you can get other old-school outfits like the Jam Jacket ($19.99) or the HipCase ($29.99).
Personally, I prefer the Action Jacket ($29.99) for iPhone, which works well for when you go jogging, which is probably the only time I would want to use a case for a smartphone/music player.
DLO also has the Portable Speakers that instantly turns your iPhone into a mini boom box, which works well for a small room or when you are on the go. The speakers can be folded up into an "egg" that's a compact 6 inches in diameter. It's rather expensive, though, at $49.99.
(Credit:
VitalJacket)
Usually when clothing and technology intersect, it's for purposes of entertainment or communication, even when physical activity is involved. But the "VitalJacket" made by Portuguese company BioDevices wants the combination to focus on your health.
Rather than rely on cumbersome devices that need to be worn on the arm or strapped to the chest, this smart shirt tracks your heart rate and electrocardiogram levels with built-in technologies. The VitalJacket comes in two versions, according to Coolest-Gadgets: one that stores data on a removable SD card that can be transferred to a computer, and another that features "online visualization" through a smartphone.
If you have particularly nosey bosses, however, be careful if they start issuing new uniforms that resemble these.
(Credit:
Pocket-lint)
Although automobiles have countless safety devices and technologies, there are relatively few for bicycles by comparison. And that makes little sense when you look at the global trends, which will only increase in coming years with the growth of green initiatives.
That shortcoming inspired London design student Michael Chen to come up with a concept for a jacket he calls the "Reactiv" (that's right, there's no "e" at the end--it's not at typo or some weird British spelling). Using an accelerometer to track movement, the high-tech garment has LEDs on the sleeves that change colors depending on the cyclist's actions--such as green for acceleration, red for braking, and flashing amber for turns, according to Pocket-lint. The design has won a James Dyson Award from the foundation of the same name that's dedicated to inspirating design innovation.
The Reactiv jacket is only a concept at present, but Chen hopes to make a reality in production. In the meantime, there's always the "Bicygnals."
(Credit:
Crave UK)
We were recently contacted by a PR man so excited by what he was going to tell us that we actually thought he was going to pass out. But as he managed to string a few sentences together we realized what he was so excited by--the Modu phone.
It might not look like much, but it's a very interesting concept with masses of potential. Better yet, it's not just a concept: This thing really exists and will be out later this year. So why are we so excited by a tiny phone with a strange looking keypad?
Think of this phone as a SIM or memory card. Imagine you could turn it into a multitude of different phones or devices, without needing to pay as much for those devices as you would if they were standalone products--sounds interesting, right?
On its own, the Modu phone might not have a standard keypad, but it will still make calls. Put it into a "sleeve" or "jacket" (which are essentially cases), and you can turn it into a multitude of different devices. View some of the options here.
(Source: Crave UK)
(Credit:
Princess International)
It may not seem like it in the middle of January, but you won't always need to protect yourself from the elements with heavy-duty MP3 outerwear. Before you know it, mini-skirt weather will be right around the corner.
But music-playing suspenders? That, at least, is what the wrongly named "MP3 Smart Jacket" appears to be. Like other holsters of its kind, it has compartments for various gadgets that can be controlled by sewn-in buttons, according to Gadgetell, but it also has its own built-in speakers. Even so, this thing makes the gadget vest look like haute couture.
