Swany's g.cell snowboard glove secretly doubles as Bluetooth handset

Bluetooth technology has been finding its way into ski gear for years now, but Swany has taken things to a whole 'nother level -- one that's only reachable via the heated quad-lift. Unless this description is positively inaccurate, there's actually a Bluetooth module, speaker and microphone tucked within one of the g.cell gloves. When it detects an incoming call, it gives your wrist a shake (read: there's a vibrate function) and enables you to quite literally talk to the hand. Swany asserts that it'll last for 12 hours on standby (4 hours of talk time), though your phone may crap out a few hours earlier in extreme temperatures. Now that we think about it, wrestling that mobile out of our deep coat pockets with frostbitten hands is pretty annoying -- maybe that $495 price tag isn't so staggering after all.

[Via bookofjoe, thanks llya]

[Cad @ Aug 20th 2008 2:37AM]

Only way I'd pay that much cash is if the earpiece was in the thumb and microphone was in the pinky. Then you've got yourself a deal.

[Aedile @ Aug 20th 2008 9:47AM]

Go Go Gadget Phone!

[Mustaine @ Aug 20th 2008 12:43PM]

"Hi..yes, Cad is here...."
"CAD!"
*Thumbs Cad in ear*

[lettcco @ Aug 20th 2008 2:46AM]

moot point if the ski resort has no coverage....

[Esoteric @ Aug 20th 2008 2:56AM]

@Cad: Nice lol...

Yeah, tech is cool and all, I love shiny things, but I'd want to be interrupted by phone calls while riding about as much as a monk would want to be interrupted by calls while meditating.

The guys who would get this would be the same guys who ask, "So what do you ride?"...

... missing the point...

[Ito @ Aug 20th 2008 3:02AM]

Fucking brilliant
Drop down the price tag to something reasonable and I will buy them without a doubt. Not having to wrestle to get the phone out of you pocket and having to take your gloves off to get at it is something that would be priceless.
I hope to god this catches on

[Reader @ Aug 20th 2008 4:02AM]

Could DIY one without too much trouble.

[dervheid @ Aug 20th 2008 4:43AM]

Or, and here's a radical thought, you could always
LEAVE YOUR PHONE BEHIND!

Too radical an idea?

Just think what else you could do with the $500.

[Mustaine @ Aug 20th 2008 5:15AM]

2 ski-bunnies

[giyad @ Aug 20th 2008 6:37AM]

Amazing idea!!! Price is just stupid.... specially with the amount of times ive lost my gloves, but i guess thats just me

[rick @ Aug 20th 2008 7:59AM]

Talk to the hand.

No really, its your mom.

[mdekkers @ Aug 20th 2008 7:59AM]

this only works if the mic is in the pinky and the speaker in the thumb

[Jake Maheu @ Aug 20th 2008 8:11AM]

Go go Gadget Phone!

[E @ Aug 20th 2008 9:52AM]

Most people wear helmets now when they ski = this is not such an "amazing idea."

[Luke @ Aug 20th 2008 1:06PM]

Echo Three to Echo Seven. Han, old buddy, do you
read me?

[Adam Williamson @ Aug 20th 2008 1:37PM]

Cad: you were thinking Denno Coil too? Heh.

[plm5002 @ Aug 20th 2008 5:49PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2005/02/17/the-bluetooth-phone-glove-no-the-other-phone-glove/

Been done, on this site, in 2005

[Kellermueller @ Aug 21st 2008 9:38AM]

Hi there

We are the developer of this glove and it is great to read all your comments. Some feedback below:

Version 2005: There is a very big difference in doing a hand made prototype and a mass marketable product in both, product reliability and ease of handling. Just think requirements to flexiblility of electronics, waterproofability etc. etc....
Helmet: Correct, but you can wear this glove not only when skiing but in any occassion in outdoors - casual (ie. walking the dog) or sport (biking) etc. There is nevertheless something to this comment. We have therefore a more casual all day-version already in the pipeline.
Price: Noted and yes, we work on it
Coverage: see comment under helmet
Thumb/Pinky: That was our first thought as well. A first prototype was set-up exactly that way. However, think about a loudspeaker that is in the inner of your thumb tip and try to grab something or prevent it from getting filled with whatever you try to grab. Also, if you are in the windy outdoors the current version allows to build a "protection shelve" around your loudspeaker with your 4 fingers for improved accoustics. The thumb/pinky version looks cool but in practice is not suitable.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Best from Switzerland
Mike

[Dustin @ Aug 25th 2008 1:05AM]

aaaaaaaand what's wrong with a normal BT headset? I mean, they make small enough models that would go inside a set of earmuffs or 180s..

[Fahad @ Sep 1st 2008 6:17AM]

Exactly what I was thinking. Just make a super-padded bluetooth headset that can stand extremely low or high temps, and you've got yourself a much more practical product than this.

[B-SLO @ Sep 18th 2008 2:24PM]

This incredible new technology and they've been testing it for quite a while...there's more info on their website: http://www.swanyamerica.com