Author: ChipChick.com

Well it seems like everybody wants to dress like a Star Wars geek these days or companies are assuming you want too. Marc Ecko started it with his line of fugly jackets that turned you into a Storm Trooper or Darth Vader. Now Adidas is getting in on the act and not only are they selling track jackets but also sneakers, and t-shirts all inspired by Star Wars pop culture. Currently the whole line is available at Foot Locker and range in price from $19.99 to $89.99. I mean picture it – some dude or dudette wearing an Adidas Star Wars track jacket featuring Darth Vader on it with a pair of Star Wars themed sneakers that look like they fell out of the 80’s….HOT!

You know how you always have the urge to pop bubbles on bubble wrap? Well the Bubble Sleeve isn’t something you can technically pop but Hard Candy’s signature bubble design is certainly attractive enough for your iPad. This unique, well made, and very styled hard sleeve features a molded EVA-foam case, fitted rubber bumpers, soft interior lining. It is one of the most unique – well made sleeves I have seen thus far before the iPad has even launched.  It is also zippers so you can use the iPad in or out of its case. The Bubble Sleeve ships March 2010 but you can Pre-order for $44.95.  If the Bubble Sleeve isn’t your taste, Hard Candy has a nice selection of more subdued cases for your iPad as well.

Really, what can the iPhone/iPod Touch not do these days?! Well it seems the possibilities are endless! How about making it into a cuckoo clock? The application is called BirdBox Alarm Clock, and the App is free, but you can also purchase an accompanying Bird bird box to complete the cuckoo clock look. If you touch the clock face it reveals the interior of the birdbox, whilst the alarm gently wakens you with the sound and sight of the nesting birds. No bird pops out of your iPhone or iPod Touch – instead just an image appears through the hole of the box. The Bird Boxes come in colors White, Green, Blue, and Wood and can be purchased for $12.75 the App however is free from the App Store.

A few months ago we got a hands-on with the Openmoko WikiReader, and today they just announced a 2010 Update. The palm-sized electronic encyclopedia that puts Wiki in your hands is still kind of useless to those with iPhones and any other smartphone. But for those folks that love their knowledge accessible in a minute, this latest update features an improved on-screen keypad that makes finding Wikipedia entries easier and faster and now also has math equations within Wikipedia’s more scientific articles. WikiReader owners can download the update for free, or, for $29 purchase two pre-loaded microSD cards per year complete with updates.

If waking up in a cold sweat, thinking the dark side is waiting to take your soul seems far fetched, then you haven’t seen this newest Darth Vader Shadow Alarm Clock. It’s 2010 and that means new and exciting wares with the Star Wars branding. So to kick start 2010 – the Star Wars shop has on pre-order this wicked projector clock that displays Darth’s shadow on the wall when the alarm goes off. That should scare you right out of bed! The clock is all black with a orange/reddish hue for the digital clock display. Right now the imagery for the clock is subject to change, but I’m sure it won’t deviate too much from this prototype’s pic. The Darth Vader Shadow Alarm Clock retails for $26.99

If you love Swarovski crystals, then I have the mouse for you. The Deco Mouse is a Gyro mouse completely covered in Swarovski.  The Deco Mouse is adorned with only 500 crystals – you know, so that it’s not too flashy. The mouse is made of stainless steel, but honestly I can’t imagine how comfortable operating this mouse could possibly be with it covered with crystals all over, and it being so extremely oval-shaped. I can only foresee the crystals coming loose from your sweaty palms. The Deco Mouse retails for $229.99, the tackiness is free.

Here is one more gift for Valentine’s day that we could have included in our 2010 Valentine’s Day gift list. The Blackberry Curve 8530 Smoky Violet is the perfect gift for the girl who prefers violet to pink, and the Walentine who doesn’t want to spend money on a custom ColorWare job for the Curve. You can pick up the BlackBerry Curve 8530 Smoky Violet from Verizon Wireless for as little as 0.01$. If you don’t care for Verizon, you can always pick up the Curve 8530 in a darker shade of Purple for 0.01$ from Sprint. But with all of these Barnie-like shades of color floating around, we need to ask – is purple the new pink?

Neon Green’s Soular Powers Back-Up Packs is a brand of backpacks and bags that have built-in solar panels. The bags are able to passively capture energy from the sun, to store it for future recharging of your gadgets. This technology is really nothing new, as we have seen solar bags coming out for a while now. However, unlike most of the solar bags out there, these bags are hip and colorful. Neon Green’s bags come in a variety of shapes, designs, and colors so that you don’t have to feel like a total geek for wearing a solar backpack. For starters, there is the Centruian that comes in several colors and is equipped with many compartments, including a dedicate laptop compartment. Then there is their more reserved Capsoul which is a black backpack that is a 3-in-1 bag that features a detachable solar panel that can be carried as either a shoulder bag or a hand carrying case. If backpacks aren’t your thing, there is the Piggy Back messenger bag that comes in a nice selection of colors.
Finally, if you have your own bag that you want to use, you wont be out of luck either. You can use the Piggy Back Soular Back-up Pack which attaches to any standard backpack and transforms it into a solar backpack. Neon Green’s bags should be available to purchase soon here.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to shower your loved one with gifts. Probably not because you want to, but because you know you have to. An upgrade from your standard flowers, candy, and jewelry are these adorable Valentine’s Day gifts for the techie goddess or guy in your life.

	For the Facebook addict or picture sharing fanatic who has everything, there’s the HP DreamScreen. Kind of like a hybrid between a TV, digital frame, and computer, this “smart screen” is designed to connect to your PC via wired or wireless network and provide viewers with an all-in-one Internet experience focused on social networking, video, and pictures. Once synced with your computer, you can view all your Facebook updates, the weather, share pictures or video with friends, and even listen to Internet radio like Pandora. Such an upgrade from your standard framed picture or even digital frame, the 10.2 or 13.3 ($199-$249) smart screens provides extra flair to any room in your home.
	Thinking about making a scrap book to remember all the fun times you’ve had together? Why not upgrade to a Samsung Mini Portable Hard Drives to really preserve those memories in case your computer (or relationship) gets a virus. Samsung’s S1 Mini comes in Valentine’s Day candy colors like Sweet Pink, Wine Red, and Ocean Blue and is about the size of a credit card. The pink version is even decorated with tiny little hearts – how Valentine’s Day fantastic! The S2 Portable holds a staggering 142,000 digital photos, 125,000 MP3 songs, and 220 hours of DVD-quality movies so you can be sure to keep track of all your favorite pics, movies, and your special songs together because even if your computer doesn’t last, your memories should. Pricing ranges from $75 – $110.
	Probably the sexiest headphones ever, the Heartbeats by Lady Gaga, $119.95, are the perfect alternative to buying your lady earrings. The geometric style headphones are designed in the shape of a triangle to represent the three things Gaga would die without: love, fashion, and writing. Available in sexy Valentine’s Day red, black, or gun metal grey, these in-ear headphones are the perfection combination of fashion and technology.
	For the extra sweet lady in your life, there’s the Meiji Chocolate Bar Compact Mirror, $7.10. Designed to look like a chocolate bar, the compact opens to reveal a mirror that can be easily thrown in a purse of backpack. Even though she’s probably already sweet enough.
	Give her your heart this Valentine’s Day…literally. And when it comes to true romance, we all know that nothing says “I Love You” like a gift from the heart. Now you can express your feelings of affection with this anatomically correct plush beating heart, $14.99. Simply shake the Spawn of Teddy Bear Autopsy Heart and it starts beating and pulsating in your hand. It’s just like the real thing… but without all that messy blood.
	The Electric Blue Plasma Heart with Touch and Music Response is a heart shaped plasma ball of love right out of a science fiction movie. The plasma heart, $25.00, is one of those cool electric plasma balls that responds to your touch and lights up any room. What makes it even cooler? It’s heart shaped to turn up the romance factor. Like the plasma balls you’ve seen as a kid, this heart shaped version features an orb in the middle that sends out waves of electricity that responds to touch. With two modes, constant static and audio mode that pulsates to the beat of your favorite couple’s song.
	These adorable Mimobot USB flash drives from Tokidoki are the perfect couple’s gift because the mimobot flash drives are a couple themselves. Available in a male and female version, the two USB keys are as unique as their personalities: Adios is clad in black, while his hotsy totsy girlfriend Ciao Ciao is dressed in very appropriate Valentine’s Day pink. Starting at $24.99 for 2GB and ranging up to 16Gb, these USB keys are a wonderful couple’s gift.
	The Sony Reader Valentine’s Special Bundle, $329.99, is the perfect gift for your favorite bibliophile or Sony Reader fanatic. The bundle includes a red leather cover to hold your Sony eReader and comes with a free eBook download of The Heart Speaks by Mimi Guarneri. Even if you’re Valentine-less this holiday, this could be the perfect gift to yourself to celebrate the holiday without the candy, flowers, or jewelry.
	Show her how much you care for her with the Velvet Heart Optical Mouse, $31.50. Compatible with Mac and PC, this velvety mouse will replace that boring standard mouse and remind her how much you care with every click.
	For the lady that has everything, show her your care with her very own customized Lego set! Lego’s Valentine’s byME will surprise any Lego lover because you choose the pieces, size, shape, colors, and even the design of the box your gift comes in. A gift you know she’s never seen, you’ll have a blast building the custom gift together this Valentine’s Day. Download the free Lego Digital Designer for Mac or PC and get started designing your very own custom Valentine’s Day gift (prices vary depending on design).
	Probably the most adorable hunk of a Valentine’s date ever, Julius is back with the Paul Frank Colored Hearts Julius Case for iPhone 3GSand Paul Frank Be My Valentine Silicone Casefor iPhone. The cases are designed in shades of pink and red with the adorable Julius smack dab in the center showered with hearts. Available at the Apple Store, these $34.95 cases are durable, compatible with the iPhone, and probably the cutest gift you’ll ever get your love or better yet, yourself!
	Why not play “your song” on this adorable Heart Speaker, $14. Compatible with most MP3 players and audio devices with a jack, you can take the battery powered speakers on a picnic or trip to the park so you will have romantic mood music no matter where you go.

Congratulations to:

Lana B. of Sterling Heights, Missouri for winning the Sony Ericsson MBW-150 Bluetooth Watch

and

Crystal O. of Columbus, Ohio for winning the Sony Ericsson HBH-PV720 Bluetooth Headset

No popular gadget is safe from the likes of ColorWare, and now the Beats Solo by Dr. Dre have fallen prey to get a color makeover too. Everything from the earcups, to Beats by Dr. Dre’s logo can be repainted with the color of your choice. A paint job will run you $399 for a new pair, or you can send in your old pair to have it painted for $199. Unfortunately, the page doesn’t say if these are the first gen Beats Solo or the newer Beats Solo HD that were announced at CES.

Planning for an out of this world dinner party? Why not start with a flying saucer bowl set. It’s perfect for holding fruits, cookies, or maybe even some salad. But whatever you choose, it’s bound to be impressive just by the bowl that it’s in. The Flying Saucer Bowl Saturn ring comes in three different colors: Charcoal/Canary, Blonde/Cerulean blue, and Natural/Green Orchid. Each one retails for $150 bucks over at the Museum of Robots.

PixelModa is a brand new store that is offering up stylish new watches similar in vein to the Philip Stein watches that make you feel good when you wear them. The idea behind PixelModa was to bring style to the plate, but also to utilize the ionic material tourmaline, a mineral that boosts ‘relaxation, vitality, and mood.’ The watches themselves are quite adorable and come in 30+ colors, feature a rubberized bracelet look, anti-perspiration slits, and it is water resistant. The PixelModa watches will be available soon online, but the site claims that they are currently being sold at retailers nationwide.

No this isn’t another mixe tape USB hub, or even a mixed tape disguising a flash drive. Instead this is a retro looking mixed tape that is a speaker. The Power Speaker from IMIXID is a MP3 power speaker with a built-in 800 milliwatt amp supposedly powerful enough for listening to music without a pair of headphones. The Power Speaker is rechargeable by USB and will be available in assorted colors to match your iPhone case. Pricing and availability is TBD but expect it soon, as its part of the company’s 2010 catalog.

Gelaskins just doesn’t stop us giving us the hippest and trendiest skins for us comic geeks. Frank Miller’s graphic novels are the latest to be adapted into Gelaskins for our iPhones and laptops. The comics to be depicted as skins will be 300 and Sin City and will retail for $14.95 and $29.95 respectively.

BudSock may just save you 10 to 15 minutes of your day – everyday from untangling headphone wires. Budsock is a simple, eco-friendly design that allows you to stow away your earbuds in your pocket, your bag, or any place you might shove them without them getting tangled. It is easy to use, weightless, bulkless and saves you time and hassle. The earth-friendly BudSocks are made of brass with the surface electroplated in silver and the fabric used for the BudSock is 100 percent organic cotton. I’m not sure its the greatest fashion statement wearing this thing around your neck, but I guess if it saves you just a smidgen of aggravation due to tangled wires its worth it. All you do is thread the earbuds or headphones through the pouch and the wires stay in place and untangled. The Budsock retails for $4.99. Dopey creation or ingenious design – we will let you decide…

If you want to look like a gunslinger when packing your iPhone, the new ihipHolster from Urban Tool is a special edition of the company’s original hipHolster that features an embedded iPod / iPhone remote control and additional slots to store other cell phones, strangely enough.  It also has a secret zipper on the backside of the device to store cash, an earphone opening, and a pocket for your wallet or camera. This is basically the perfect tool-belt for any geek without being completely hideous looking. The iHipHolster retails for $129.90 and will debut at MacWorld. (more…)

Webcams set up in tourist spots are relatively common nowadays, but a webcam installed near the sea in St. Peter-Ording in Germany, ended up saving a man’s life when a webcam watcher noticed the man calling for help out on the frozen water. The man, a tourist in his forties, had headed out onto the sea to take pictures. But as it got darker, he ended up getting disoriented and was no longer able to find his way back to the beach. He began using his camera to send flashing signals for help. Fortunately, a webcam viewer who was busy watching the sunset noticed the man’s camera flashes and called the police. Thanks to the woman’s efforts and sharp eyes, the man was rescued before getting hurt.

(Via Yahoo News)

When it comes to the bluetooth headset market, only until recently are companies realizing that style and color are becoming much more relevant and appreciated versus the traditional boring black headset with a boom mic.  Earloomz is one such company that goes even beyond color choices, for their bluetooth headsets by fusing fashion, and pop culture with technology. Earloomz has hundreds of graphics and licensed images to choose from such as Lady Gaga, Betty Boop, the Godfather, Star Trek and more. So for those who thought this was just a skin you put on your bluetooth headset you would be wrong.  However, as much as I love Lady Gaga, I would probably never wear this as a bluetooth headset. Regardless, the concept is great and the more unique bluetooth headsets the merrier – I just hope the quality is as good as the imagery. The Earloomz bluetooth headsets retail for $59.95 and it debuted at CES and will be on display at MacWorld.