Xeni Jardin

Snapshot: A series of tubes.

iPhone snapshot: an array of vertical lights, Louis Vuitton window display, Macy's San Francisco Union Square, September, 2009. stills | video (also embedded after the jump).

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Rob Beschizza

LED Apple shirt

Domenico Panacea's Philips Lumalive T-Shirt cost more than €900. You could have bought a refurbished MacBook with that, Mr. Panacea! But then, I guess you already have one. [Cult of Mac]

Lisa Katayama

Review: Two recovery sandals for post-run relief

After running 10 miles, even walking on hardwood can feel painful. Enter recovery sandals, or shoes that are designed to let your feet rest after lots of hard work. I've been alternating between these two — the Crocs Prepair (right) and the Sole Sport Flips.

The Prepair feels like sticking your feet in jello — it's really that soft. Crocs claims that it reduces peak pressure by up to 50% and peak muscular effort by up to 25%. It's also anti-bacterial, so no musty funky fungus. The problem I have with these is that the fit is not perfect — this could be a problem with the shape and texture of my feet, but if I walk for too long in these the skin between my big toe and second toe starts to chafe. The cushy Croc-y material is definitely great for pain relief though. For athletes who can't afford foot massages after every run, dropping $35 on these is not a bad idea.

Sole is a company that mostly makes custom footbeds, so they've applied their expertise on molding and arch support to a good-looking sandal that costs $70 and comes in some really cool color combinations. I love switching from my sweaty kicks into these because they're very light and airy, and even after a long time there's no chafing or hot spots. Did I mention they're approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association?

Steven Leckart

The Venn Diagram of Social Media

Available on a t-shirt for $20.

[via Kevin Kelly]

Steven Leckart

BirkenCrocs!!!

Birkenstock's Birkies shoe was developed by fuseproject. Simple, slip-on clogs you can wear gardening, at the beach, or even while cooking, just like NY chef Mario Batali.

Looks familiar, no?

[via Bike Snob NYC]

Steven Leckart

Shoe Cell Phone Holder: It's For Real?!

Only $19 from Amazon:

The perfect place for the fashion-plate to park her cell phone... Comes with built-in channel for recharging cable

Oh, and did I mention the manufacturer is called "Perfect Solutions"?

As if the company's ingenuity wasn't already evident by the hideous make that, ridiculous instantly-classic product you see before you.

Rob Beschizza

Laptop sleeve disguised as a newspaper

Protect your laptop from thieves' attention by wrapping it in a foreign language newspaper. Or, perhaps, a bag designed to resemble a foreign-language newspaper. There are 5 mastheads to choose from. Unlike the Saddleback, this looks like one you'll need to see in real life.

Product Page [Mitemite via Technabob]

Rob Beschizza

A $3,000 steampunk thumbdrive

If this had been made in 1886, three grand might be a convincing price tag.

This drive was featured on Geeky-Gadgets.com with the remark " I am still unsure why it is being sold for $3,000, unless it was a typo and it should be $300." Nope, it's not a typo, $3,000 is simply what it would take to pry the drive out of my hands and take it from my world into yours.

As it happens, many of artist Will Rockwell's similar designs are much more affordable. Check out the Spirit Harvester!

Rob Beschizza

A perfect leather case for big laptops

Perfectly-sized for 17" laptops (there's also a 15" cut), Saddleback's $245 bag is made of waterproof, oil-tanned full grain boot leather, padded with neoprene, and comes with a 100 year warranty. There are no breakable parts, either, such as snaps or zippers. The shoulder strap is removable, too, for use as a briefcase.

The outstanding quality here shines off the page (screen?), even without a close look. And there are so many variations: backpacks, messenger bags, pouches. There's even the lasts-forever suitcase I always wanted, but am too cheap to buy. That said, I can already sense that my better half is going to be complaining soon about this site.

One problem: needs a 13" edition!

Update: Reader Icey writes: "It's honestly the best bag I've ever owned. I buy laptops based on whether or not they'll fit in the bag."

Laptop Case Chestnut with pouch [Saddleback]

Steven Leckart

Designer IV Bags

[Insert Douche Bag Joke]

[via Trendland via MedGadget]

Lisa Katayama

New Justin Timberlake fragrance looks like an MP3 player

Justin Timberlake's new men's fragrance for Givenchy is called Play, and the bottle looks like an MP3 player. The design, according to the web site, is inspired by "mobile multimedia gadgets, those quintessential objects of modernity and style that have become both everyday objects and icons of our era."

[Play by Givenchy]

Steven Leckart

Review: Chrome Warsaw [Verdict: GINORMOUS]

Chrome's Warsaw bag is made from 1000-denier Cordura, lined with a weather-resistant PVC liner and features a super-padded back panel, making it one of the toughest and most comfortable packs I've slung on my back. Also, the most enormous non-touring backpack I've ever traveled with.

When opened up and fully-loaded, the Warsaw is an awe-some 5400 cu. in. The inside pockets, smaller compartments for clothes, laptop, etc., and the comfy straps/backing are helpful, sure. But really, the big sell here is the massive main compartment.

I once carried a 16-quart cooler in the Warsaw for a picnic at the park. All this week, I've been loading up the bag with product boxes to drop off at the Post Office and Wired. It's fair to say I've pushed it fairly close to the limits...

...and yet, riding with that sucker on my back never got uncomfortable.

I've also flown with the Warsaw to Portland, OR, Denver, CO, and Los Angeles, CA on two different airlines and had zero trouble carrying it on. Best of all, it crammed into the overhead compartments without much elbow grease.

I realize messenger bags are "hipper." People complain that backpacks make you sweatier. This HUGE backpack has the tendency to make me look tiny.

1) Hip is showing up to the picnic with cold beer, in a cooler, you pulled out of your backpack, Mary Poppins-style.

2) Yes, you get sweatier. Still, I prefer the weight distribution of a backpack when cycling. Messengers have the tendency to pull on one shoulder or slide around.

3) As big as the bag is, it's not nearly as ludicrous as this TITAN.

Steven Leckart

Review: O'Neill SL Gloves [Verdict: Wipeout]

I bought O'Neill's SL gloves for three reasons:

1) The water is frigid in San Francisco, so 3mm neoprene seemed like the way to go.
2) $40 seemed reasonable at the time.
3) The model name boasts my initials (SL = Steven Leckart).

I've worn these gloves while surfing, on average, twice a week since February. At first, I loved them: The fit is great and allow for reasonable dexterity; the gloves enhance paddling; and they really keep my hands warm... well, kept my hands warm.

After the jump, check out why I'm embarrassed to share initials with this product...

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Rob Beschizza

Floppy disk purse

BraveMoonman's $18 floppy disk coinpurses come in all the colors of the rainbow. [Etsy via Technabob]

Lisa Katayama

Sanyo's rechargeable neck warmers

Sanyo just announced this new product a couple days ago &mdash it's a battery-heated rechargeable neck warmer that zips up into a turtleneck. This would be awesome for ski season.

[Press release (Japanese)]

Lisa Katayama

Louis Vuitton's fancy Apollo-inspired trunk

Starting today, you can see this very schmancy Louis Vuitton trunk that has been custom-made for the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing at the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the Museum of Natural History in NYC.

via Hypebeast

Steven Leckart

Vampire Fangs Flytrap, Headgear

I'm a sucker for all things miniaturized and oversized. So I'm especially fond of JAAAHWS, a big version of those classic novelty vampire fangs. Use them to build your own maneating flytrap (above) or put the fangs on your noggin', like so... (adults can wear them, too)

Interesting tidbit: JAAAHWS were created by Brian Morishita who also works with Rick Baker at Cinovation Studios, which means he has two super cool jobs.

Available in white ($20) and glow-in-the-dark ($28 - limited).

Steven Leckart

Video Gallery: The Humanimal Kingdom

Using bodypaint, makeup, teeth and other prosthetics, people are succeeding at some pretty mind-blowing transformations. Not to knock furries, but there's a big difference between putting on a fuzzy suit and adding prosthetics and silicone to alter the bone structure of your face. These folks, namely Russian Model Alex Kovas, really go the extra mile:

(Not the best artistry, especially compared to Kovas, but bonus points for doing everything himself quickly and opting for the Rolling Stones as a soundtrack.)

Steven Leckart

Official KISS Army Makeup

Each set comes with "creme makeup, brush, sponge, puff, powder and detailed instructions."
$50 for all four characters: The Demon, The Starchild, The Catman, The Spaceman.

Still, I'm not sure these are quite as awesome as the 1978 "KISS Your Face" kit from Remco.

Rob Beschizza

Levertigo laptop bag for 13-inchers

Be.ez's new Levertigo bags are nice shoulder slung models made of recycled materials, out today for 13" laptops like you know what. Reminder: we're holding a be.ez competition and haven't had a lot of entries: show us your fancy laptop customizations/art and win a case. [Be.ez]

Joel Johnson

Felt Playstation is really an iPhone case

An adorable felt PlayStation is really a case for your iPhone, crafted and sold by etsy seller rabbitrampage for just $20. (It's sold out now, but I bet they'll make you another one.)

The PS1 controller keychain is sold separately, but is probably essential. [via]

Steven Leckart

O Beautiful For Spacious Bag, For Amber Waves of Beer

Timbuk2's Dolores Cooler messenger sack can hold a 12-pack of canned PBR*. The lining is insulated. One of the straps features a red pop top. All you need now is a designated cyclist.

*Person who comes up w/the best addendum, wins.**

**The prize: respect and admiration from your peers.

Lisa Katayama

PARC's responsive mirror = every girl's shopping fantasy come true

I'm sitting on a stool in a plain white room at the Palo Alto Research Center, checking out my new earrings via a small desktop mirror. They're a big dangly pair, each with a white porcelain rose and a black stone hanging underneath. On top of the mirror is a webcam attached to the computer on its right &mdash it's recording my every move and sensing the angles of my head and the closeness of my face as I check myself out. After a couple of minutes of striking poses, I click on the mouse to pause the camera and take the earrings off. I put my old pair back on &mdash a petite gold and silver lotus root that I bought in Japan several months ago &mdash and press play. Two screens pop up, one of me now and one of me just a few minutes ago with the previous pair. It's like I'm seeing double &mdash every time I move my head in real time, the me from a few minutes ago moves her head the exact same way. The flower earrings, I notice, look a lot better from the side, but I like the way the lotus roots dangle when I'm looking straight ahead.

By streaming video taken by the camera through their spatially oriented machine learning software, PARC researchers have figured out how to give people like me a real-time interactive comparison shopping experience. The responsive mirror system, which comes in both a desktop and full-length version, displays previously worn outfits on a second "mirror" &mdash the playback of a movie taken by a webcam on the ceiling that locates you spatially within the frame and then finds the same angled shot from the previous clip. The technology hasn't hit retailers yet, but PARC researchers are hoping to implement it in dressing rooms soon.

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Rob Beschizza

"LIGHTSABER MADE IN TRUE STEAMPUNK STYLE"

"Look, Master!" said Darth Zeddo. "I have acquired a splendid steampunk lightsaber from eBay."

Sith Lord Rowcha drew back his hood and inspected it.

"Steampunk? Just because it's brass and wood doesn't mean it's steampunk," he paused and exhaled. "Look, there is not a single cog. Not so much as a leather belt loop. How much did you pay for it? You didn't empty our PayPa..."

Rowcha's voice trailed off as he realized he'd upset his apprentice. Darth Zeddo tightened his jaw and stared into the middle distance. Rowcha reached out tentatively to console him. He drew back at the last moment, leaving his bony, force-shriveled fingers floating uncomfortably near Zeddo's forearm.

Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked.

Rob Beschizza

Good lord, they still make the Flowbee

"Flowbee may be used on pets with a Pet attachment. Please note when cutting your pets coat down to 1/2" inch it is essential to use the pet attachment. This will keep the pet's skin in place."

Rob Beschizza

OSX Hypnowheel Pin Badge

It's just a dollar at Bean Forest. Spotted by Cult of Mac.

Joel Johnson

Michael Jackson's patented "Smooth Criminal" leaning shoes

Patent number 5255452, filed in 1992, shows how Michael Jackson and his dancers could lean at 45-degree angles during live performances of the song "Smooth Criminal".

1. A system for engaging shoes with a hitch mans to permit a person standing on a stage surface to lean forwardly beyond his or her center of gravity, comprising:

at least one shoe having a heel with a first engagement means, said first engagement means comprising a recess formed in a heel of said shoe covered with a heel slot plane located at a bottom region of said heel, said heel slot plate having a slot formed therein with a relatively wide opening at a leading edge of said heel and a narrower terminal end rearward of said leading edge, said recess being larger in size above said terminal end of said slot than is said terminal end of said slot; and
a second engagement means, detachably engageable with said first engagement means, comprising a hitch member having an enlarged head portion connected by a narrower shank portion to a means for raising and lowering said head of said hitch member above and substantially level with or below said stage surface, said head portion being larger in size than said terminal end of said slot and said shank portion being narrower than said terminal end of said slot, wherein said hitch member can be moved through apertures in said stage surface between a projecting position raised above said stage surface and a retracted position at or below the stage surface, and when said head portion of said hitch member is raised above said stage surface, said first engagement means can be detachably engaged with said projecting hitch member, thereby allowing a person wearing the shoes to lean forwardly with his or her normal center of gravity beyond a front region of said shoes, and maintain said forward lean.

You can see them perform the move in the below video; watch the guy on the right, as he has trouble disengaging his loafers after the move.

Rob Beschizza

Leather laptop bag folds 8 ways

Hard Graft's 2UNFOLD laptop bag is, well, my kind of laptop bag: leather, lots of pockets and compartments, and unnecessarily complicated. Designed to transform into 8 different styles--briefcase, shoulder bag, rucksack, reversible courier (leather or canvas) and reversible clutch--it can fit a 17" or 13" laptop depending on which config you fold it into, and is made in Italy.

Steven Leckart

Touch-Sensitive Hoodie Lights Up, Plays Tunes

Leah Buechley Kanjun Qiu* designed this hoodie at the MIT Media Lab using a LilyPad Arduino, power supply, LEDs, tiny speaker and iron conductive fabric.*

I've looked at a ton of light up garments, El Wire, etc. This is one of the most tastefully- and artfully-done articles of clothing I've seen as of late. Instead of hiding the electronics, the graphic on the back integrates, even highlights the main board.

Really well done, imho.

The how-to up on Instructables is thorough and straightforward. Considering a handmade touch-sensitive hoodie can fetch $6 300 (not kidding!), you really should try going for it on your own.

*Update: Kanjun Qiu (who appears in the demo video) actually designed and built the hoodie while she was an undergrad researcher in Leah Buechley's lab.

*Here's a good assessment of various types of conductive thread.

Lisa Katayama

Review: Plantronics Discovery 925 bluetooth headset in Heidi Klum Gold

It's funny how the right celebrity can make a product suddenly seem more sexy. I'm not 5'9" with hazel eyes, but Heidi Klum is, and we both use the same bluetooth headset: the Plantronics Discovery 925 in glittery gold. It's actually a great piece of equipment &mdash it's lightweight, the battery lasts forever, and it's simple v-shaped design is easy to stick in and out of the ear. It also comes with a really pretty rectangular gold case that doubles as a charging station. $150 might sound like a bit much for an earpiece, but it's nothing compared to what you'd have to pay to replicate the rest of Heidi's outfit, even if she's just hanging out a white sweatsuit.

Product page [Plantronics]