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Brookstone converts Sharper Image gift cards into practically worthless discount
What's worse than being forced to hang with your "pals" as they peruse the aisles of Sharper Image? Why, perusing the aisle at Brookstone, of course! In an admittedly ridiculous ploy to solicit business from now-shafted Sharper Image gift card holders, Brookstone is attempting to do the world some giant favor by converting any Sharper Image gift cards or gift certificate into a 25-percent off discount for its stores. Unfortunately, the individual with a $1 gift card and a $20,000 gift card get the same lame-o discount, and better still, the deal isn't valid on the few things in there worth a darn Sony, Celestron, Bose, Panasonic and Tempur-Pedic items. Thanks for nothing, Brookstone.[Image courtesy of OrlandoAirports]
Brookstone kicks out anti-snoring Sona pillow
While companies have been prying your hard earned dollars away from you for years promising snore-free nights, Brookstone is just now readying its own rendition for spouses on the brink of insanity. The anti-snoring Sona pillow "promotes a comfortable side-sleeping position" based on the belief that "people who sleep on their sides are less likely to snore." Of course, we're in no position to judge the truthfulness of such a claim, but its patented shape has reportedly helped a myriad of users snore less often, inhale more oxygen, and become less loathed by their easily annoyed SOs. Per usual with Brookstone goods, don't expect this miracle device to come cheap, as you'll be forced to pony up $99 for a pillow that only feels comfortable when laying sideways.
Brookstone's Digital Photo Wallet eliminates need for prints
While digiframe manufacturers keep pushing for larger and larger LCD sizes to adorn (or completely consume) your coffee tables, Brookstone's going the opposite direction with its Digital Photo Wallet. The presumably chintzy "nappa leather" wallet doesn't look to be of much better quality than those sold at your favorite dollar-for-everything store, but it does manage to house a 1.4-inch LCD that reportedly stores 55 photos. Additionally, it's completely removable and rechargeable, sports an on / off button and scroll controls, and interfaces with your PC via USB. Of course, you could just stick with the wallet you're comfortable with and pick up a digital photo keychain, but if you're serious about this one here, watch for it in mid-May for $59.
Switched On: Brookstone's music box
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment: Consider companies with an affinity for cubes that offer digital audio players and you'll probably think of Apple -- progenitor of the G4 Cube and the large glass one crowning its Fifth Avenue store -- or perhaps the developers of the MobiBlu player, once the "world's smallest" that was sold exclusively at Wal-Mart for a time. But specialty retailer Brookstone also has an MP3 device that embraces the six-sided solid. Hanging it around one's neck, though, would be a feat even for Flavor Flav. While many products exist that enable you to stream music from your PC to a stereo in another room, or to act as docking speakers for the iPod, the SongCube is one of the few shelf systems on the market that includes its own hard disk for storing music -- no tenuous streaming or PC required. Other products in this exclusive club include the aging JVC NXHD10 executive microsystem, which includes only a 10 GB drive, and Sony's NetJuke line, available only in Japan. The SongCube's main unit is about as tall as an iPod Hi-Fi (sans iPod) and about the third of the width of one, although it's about 25 percent deeper than Apple's iPod speaker accessory -- quite compact at first glance but not, geometrically strictly, a cube. Its speakers are also unobtrusive and Brookstone even bundles speaker stands with the system. However, there's a catch. The SongCube requires the use of its floor-standing 50-watt powered subwoofer where the main power switch is located. Normally, this wouldn't be much of a drawback. However, it comes into play when loading music onto the device, as I'll discuss shortly.
tub Speaker system
When I first heard about the tub MP3 Speaker system I was hoping that it would, somehow, be a speaker that would float in your tub and pump out some sweet tunes (am I the only one that like to bath whilst rocking our to a little John Tesh?). Sadly, or rather much more realistically, it is just a tub looking speaker with three rubberized feet for stability.Brookstone claims that the design is 'just plain fun,' and while I'm not sure I agree at $50 the price isn't too bad. Plus, it'll work with any MP3 player, though why would you want to use anything other than an iPod?[via The Red Ferret Journal]
iPillow: squishiness* for iPod cuddling
When I think of battery powered speakers for the iPod I usually picture a white plastic molded dock-type accessory, but apparently there is a market for cuddlier options. One such example is Brookstone's iPillow Portable MP3 Speakers (pictured here with a Creative MP3 player but compatible via mini jack with any MP3 player). This device takes six D batteries which probably means it can pump quite some volume in that huggable housing. Be careful not to use the iPillow in an iPillow fight because the mesh pocket doesn't offer much padding for that iPod of yours! The iPillow is only available in silver (but frankly in the picture here it looks blue to me).[via Popgadget] [*squishiness is not a real word]
