Did you know that Louis Vuitton, French manufacturer of leather "luxury" goods, will make you a special one-off case for anything you ask for if you can throw down the cash to pay for the work? Apparently this isn't a new service, but I'd never heard of it until today, when I stumbled upon the most ridiculous tech accessory I've ever seen. It's an iPod carrying trunk made of black Taiga leather with brass embellishments and a red microfiber interior made to spec for Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld. Don't believe me? Peep old boy's red initials engraved on top of the lid.
The majestic travel case houses a smaller drawer inside that can hold 20 iPods at once along with chargers, headphones, Maltese Falcons, and other accessories in Karl's mysterious cache. KL also instructed LV to cut him a compartment specifically for his precious JBL Creature iPod speakers and subwoofer combo. Wait, back up...why does he have 20 iPods? And JBL Creature speakers? Are you kidding me? Is there a spot in there for his Apple Newton and spare floppy disks, too? Someone should probably escort Mr. Lagerfeld to the nearest external hard drive, it'll blow his mind. After that, maybe a crash course on the progressive history of laptops and the current state of high fidelity speakers. Actually, forget it; maybe he can just pay Louis Vuitton to build him a leather-wrapped time machine to transport him back to 2004.
If you're still chuckling over Steve Jobs' manila-envelope trick during the Macworld 2008 keynote, this one's for you.
The white Italian leather of the Inter-departmental Mail Computer Sleeve from Kena Kai is embossed with the address blocks found on a typical interoffice envelope. For thorough verisimilitude, the sleeve also incorporates a button-and-string closure.
One way the Inter-department Mail Computer Sleeve stands out among its many competitors: it's available in two sizes.
The larger size ($79) accommodates ultrathin 13-inch laptops, such as the Apple MacBook Air and the Lenovo ThinkPad X301, as expected. But Kena Kai also sells a smaller version ($69) that's designed for Netbooks, such as the Asus Eee PC 901 and the HP Mini 1000.
Bamboo laptops...why not?
(Credit: CNET)We first heard about this bamboo-covered laptop from Asus several months ago, and with that company's history of leather wrist rests and automotive-branded lids, it certainly fits right in with the creative Asus designs we're used to seeing. Now, at long last, we've finally gotten a chance to get a look in person, as Asus was in New York last week, showing off a handful of new systems (including the N10 "high-end" Netbook).
The bamboo laptops are built around two existing Asus models, the 12-inch U6S (which we reviewed very positively earlier in the year), and the 11-inch U2E.
... Read more
(Credit:
Akihabara News)
Of all the computer gear that seems destined to be made of natural materials, the keyboard is first on the list. Versions in ivory, gold, and several models in wood are only a few examples.
But here's one that tops all of those, at least in its weirdness quotient: It's made of leather. Japanese artist Kazuharu Sakura has tried his hand at other unconventional designs, but those were made of more or less standard materials. This bovine version appears to be one of those art pieces created primarily for shock value--it's about as unattractive as it is impractical.
(Credit:
Akihabara News)
Of all the copycat accessories that can be produced, the "AirMail" case for the MacBook Air has some unfathomable popularity. Started almost on a whim, it was followed by the higher-end "Air Manila" in hand-stiched leather, and now there's yet another pretender to the envelope throne.
Japan's curiously named Bird Electron, which has long been known for its odd products, apparently decided to take a safer route in this case and follow what appears to be a popular design. (The original version has been sold out for months.)
This one is leather too and, as the photos on Akihabara News show, come in a tan finish as well as the traditional black. They look fairly nice, actually, though it's not clear if they'll make it to U.S. shores from Japan.
(Credit:
Orbino)
If you're in the market for a MacBook Air case and aren't thrilled with the interoffice-envelope look--of either the vinyl or leather variety--there's another way to tote your precious cargo in style.
Orbino, which has brought the art of Italian design to Apple products before, has created an ultra-slim shoulder bag for the ultra-slim laptop. Called the "Arista," this handmade case comes in a variety of leather finishes ranging from "Burnished Whiskey" to "Deep Red Tuscan" (pictured).
These anorexic Italian models don't come cheap, of course--they start at $349. So don't lose it.
(Credit:
Civilian Lab)
Thank goodness some people finally came to their senses. The "AirMail" manila sleeve for the MacBook Air was cute when it came out, but please--it's actually sold out?
The "Air Manila" from Civilian Lab is a much more sophisticated version, dressing up the envelope concept with hand-stitched leather, Tech Digest says, as well as a padded interior and air vents. That should help keep it from getting mixed in with interoffice mail, which is important because the anorexic laptop is accident-prone enough as it is.
(Credit:
Luxurylaunches)
As one might expect from its name, Goldstriker is known mostly for its custom finishes in precious metals and gems. And even though we've seen far worse in that department, its products are still--well, gold.
Yet the U.K. modder has apparently developed a sense of restraint, for it has come up with a beautifully done version of the BlackBerry Pearl in Porsche red leather, reserving platinum for the accents alone. The "Platinum and Nightfire Leather Edition" was the work of German designer Sascha Hildebrandt, according to Luxurylaunches. Even without the gold and diamonds, however, it still sells for $1,600. It is Goldstriker, after all.
(Credit:
Crave UK)
Vegetarians should look away right about now--Asus has unveiled yet another leather-clad laptop in addition to its UE2, aimed at posers, fashionistas, and pretty much anyone from Essex. Ladies and chavs, introducing: the new and updated Asus F8P Stylebook.
We're being terribly harsh here. The F8P is prettier than most laptops and is available in black as well as white. The palm rest is finished in real leather and the lid in a matching ivory effect--although we doubt the latter is derived from the tusk of an actual elephant. Shiny metal accents around the edge and above the keyboard round off a truly elegant package. For a closer look, click here.
(Source: Crave UK)
"You have been attacked by a cyan ghost! You pass out and awake minutes later back where you began."
You might not remember it this way, but you--and probably everyone you know--has almost certainly had this experience, though in a different manifestation.
It's Pac-Man. Except instead of controlling your little yellow iconic character around a maze of dots and colored ghosts, this is Pac-Txt, a text version of the famous video game that recalls the old glory days of Infocom games like Zork and Leather Goddesses of Phobos.
A hilarious blend of 'Pac-Man' and 'Zork,' 'Pac-Txt' is an interactive fiction version of the iconic classic video game.
(Credit: Namco Bandai)I found the site after stopping in on one of my favorite link blogs, Waxy.org/links, and I just had to try it.
The truth is, I was never much good at the Infocom games, and that proved to be the case here, as well. I stumbled through a few moves before I found myself staring at the result that started this story off. Oof. One life gone and very little to show for it.
But, come on. Who could resist a notion as fantastic as Pac-Txt?
I wondered what the genesis of this had been, and lo and behold, the site told me:
"I had just got back from a party where the concept of a Pac-Man + Zork hybrid came up as a joke. So, being 2am with a little alcohol in my system, I thought it'd be funny to code it up."
And code it up, he or she did. And it's here for our playing pleasure.
I recommend having a little patience, though. It may be some time before you find a way to do anything besides smack into walls or get eaten by abstract ghost characters.
