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Urban Tool's Bluetooth perCushion for rich urban tools
It's hard to pinpoint the most ridiculous thing about the Urban Tool perCushion which we first peeped as a concept. Is it the vendor's not so flattering name, the marketing shot above, or the fact that Urban Tool will be charging about $500 for their Bluetooth mono-speaker cushion when it begins shipping sometime between October and Christmas? We had the chance to try the perCushion out at CeBIT ourselves. The pillow itself is rigid -- think martini lounging, not bedtime -- and constructed with enough finesse to support your Bluetooth audio streaming or cellphone handsfree adventures in sloth. In its defense, Urban Tool knows that the perCushion is destined to be nothing more than a novelty product at that price range. It's simply meant to bring attention to the rest of its product catalog. Still, we're not sure this is the type of attention they wanted.%Gallery-17896%
Urban Tool's hipHolster reviewed... after the laughter subsided
Check it hipster, Urban Tool has some new gear bent on turning you into a, well, urban tool. Meet the $50 hipHolster. Besides featuring that super trendy, non-conformist alterna-capitalization in its name, this modern "fanny pack" (apologies to our more sensitive British readers) comes loaded with plenty of concealed pockets for your iPod, mobile phone, wallet or camera. Pocketnow went to town with a unit and came away generally impressed without so much as a single geek-pummeling. They gave it a 4 of 5 rating even though that elastic leg strap (which can be removed) caused some chaffing. Eww. [Via Pocketnow]
Urban Tool's "perCushion" pillowphone
Alright, this thing isn't technically a phone -- it's just a Bluetooth handsfree -- but we're not sure when we're next going to have the opportunity to whip out the term "pillowphone," so we thought it was in everyone's best interest to use it here. The "perCushion" concept getting passed around at CeBIT this year takes the sound pillow concept one step further, making it even easier than usual to nod off while chatting with boring peeps thanks to an integrated loudspeaker and a rather comfy-looking design. Power is provided by a rechargeable battery so you don't have any unsightly wires following the accessory into bed with you. Maybe designer Urban Tool puts it best when it says that the perCushion takes us back to a time when "communication with a close friend stood for something emotional and touching" -- and sleepy, Urban Tool. Don't forget that part. Look for the perCushion to make the courageous leap from concept to production in 2008.[Via textually.org]
URBAN TOOL's grooveRider iPod shirt
Just in case Ermenegildo Zegna's luxurious iPod jacket was a tad rich for your blood, or you just want that same utility in an everyday shirt, Australia's URBAN TOOL has you covered. Presumably designed for the always pleasant Aussie climate, this lightweight garment sports a joey-approved "secure pocket" to hold your iPod, nano, or mini, while the "smart fabric interface" allows you to control your 'Pod with the touch of a finger. If you're down with donning tees that resemble a scrub top, and don't mind fondling your own chest to crank up the volume or skip a track, the grooveRider shirt comes in black, khaki, and "savannah" colors, while boasting the ability to survive a wash cycle without any loss of button functionality. So if wheeling around that scroll wheel is just too inconvenient for you, this debatably fashionable iPod controller can simplify things for a whopping AUD$198 ($149).[Via AVing]
