Nubrella: tomorrow's fashion mistake, today!

This is frankly brilliant. A hands-free umbrella is perfect for walking to work while yapping on your phone with one hand and cradling a cup of coffee with the other. Unfortunately it's just never going to make it past the "my friends will laugh at me" stage, because they will. They will laugh so very hard. It's a cruel, backwards society we live in, and it's no wonder we don't have flying cars yet. That said, you can destroy your own fashion credibility today for a mere $59.99. Maybe the fanny pack types will accept you, but we can't make any guarantees.

[Thanks, Chris]

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 7:53PM]

Is there any chance this was invented by Professor Cone*?



*inventer of the Cone of Silence

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 8:01PM]

"To infinity ... and beyond!"

[Rollins Posted Feb 20th 2008 8:12PM]

Reminds me of a Big Daddy for some reason.

[FoodieMonster Posted Feb 22nd 2008 11:35AM]

I thought the same thing. I expect there to be a Big Daddy helmet skinned one soon.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 8:17PM]

More like n00brella... HAH!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 8:15PM]

Yes! Now my hat won't get wet! Wait... :/

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 8:44PM]

Ok, I don't know about the rest of you, but I want to see this thing take off!

(If only to see kissing scenes in movies when everyone is wearing one) :-)

[psyclotron Posted Feb 20th 2008 8:49PM]

can't quite say why, but this reminds me of A Clockwork Orange somehow...

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 8:52PM]

But how do you get said phone and coffee to your face?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 9:41PM]

It's actually not a bad design. It's a little bulky - it could be a little smaller. In very cold environments, it would be a good thing - it would block wind from your face. It has a little bit of an astronaut outfit look to it and its functionality isn't bad at all. Too bad it looks too radical for people to take to it readily - I think the styling will make people shy away.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 10:09PM]

http://www.pal-v.com/

[mm360 Posted Feb 20th 2008 10:13PM]

This has inspired some of the best comments we've had on Engadget since I joined.

All I have to say is, all I can think of when I see this is hurricane force winds....

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 10:49PM]

Mary Poppins wouldn't approve

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 12:37AM]

I'm the Juggernaut.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 12:42AM]

The hood...it does nothing!

[crow610 Posted Feb 21st 2008 1:16AM]

Looks like something you would find in SkyMall or SharperImage!

Looking at their website, I can't get a clear idea on how this attaches to your body. Does it strap to your shoulders?

[ZeroCorpse Posted Feb 21st 2008 1:45AM]

Dammit Engadget! You guys are such Nubrella fanboys!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 1:57AM]

Looks to me like it just sits on the shoulders. If it does somehow avoid the lift phenomenon associated with normal umbrellas, that's all it needs to do.

It could take off-- some of those very made-up women in places like New York would sooner look like retro-futuristic idiots than mess up their hair and make-up. If you spent as long as they did in front of a mirror every morning you'd probably feel the same way.

You'd probably also feel hollow inside, but that's beside the point.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 6:12PM]

LOOK SOOOO KOOL!!! I WANT ONE!!!

[psyclotron Posted Feb 21st 2008 4:29AM]

die. now.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 7:00AM]

Or just get the umbrella that's shaped like a stealth fighter jet. Cool...and practical! It'll stand up to force 10 winds easily.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 8:42AM]

I wonder if Rihanna could do a song about this? Though really can't imagine what the video would be like.

[carbonize Posted Feb 21st 2008 1:20PM]

Yeah but she never wrote that song. It was written by two blokes for Brittany Spears but she didn't want it so JZ bought it for Rhianna.



*shoot me now*

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 8:43AM]

GO GO Gadget brolly!

[ramchagol Posted Feb 21st 2008 8:59AM]

Does she come with the Nubrella too?
*wink*

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 9:45AM]

Here's an interview with the inventor:

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=26000&select2=8615

Do you think she can hear what he's saying?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 10:17PM]

Will it come in fashionable colors?

[OneLove Posted Feb 21st 2008 12:53PM]

I'll take the misguided hottie, you can keep bubbrella.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 4:14PM]

Kccchhhht…I am venusian woman from the future…Kccchhht…will you have dorky sex with me? Over…. Kccchhhht.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 4:16PM]

What a towel.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 22nd 2008 2:15AM]

WOW! That's actually GOOD! The only problem is the name: Dumbrella would have been more accurate.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 26th 2008 6:29PM]

Fashion mistake be-damned. If enough folks use this, it will take off. I, for one, am looking to buy one.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 2nd 2008 3:04PM]

actually used one of these during a recent snowstorm in Chicago...I was well protected from the snow and wind while some geeks were chasing after their bluetooths and trying to hold onto their homemade knit hats and scarves. I will never leave home without it. next to a 9mm, best investment I have made in personal protection.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 27th 2008 7:35AM]

I think this is a seriously COOL product - at last someone really has invented the windproof umbrella - these are definitely going to be the next big thing - already umbrellaHeaven.com are selling them - it won't be long before these are commonplace on the streets of London - something slightly yuppyish, don't you think?