jewelry
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Echo Loop hands-on: Alexa on your knuckles and at your fingertips
Aside from a pair of glasses, Amazon also announced another interesting Alexa-powered wearable: a smart ring. The Echo Loop is a chunky piece of smart jewelry made out of titanium, with a tiny discreet button. In order to activate it, you have to press the button with your thumb, after which you can say the usual Alexa commands. It has a built-in microphone and speakers.
eBay will now authenticate luxury jewelry
eBay announced today that it will start certifying the legitimacy of luxury jewelry sold on its platform through its eBay Authenticate program. To coincide with the expansion of its authentication service, eBay is also listing more than 45,000 professionally verified diamonds and gemstones for the holiday season.
Dell and Nikki Reed harvest gold from old laptops for jewelry
Dell's no longer just an electronics company -- it now makes jewelry too (sort of). It has teamed up with actor and activist Nikki Reed on the Circular Collection, which comprises pieces made from gold recovered from Dell computer motherboards. These are 14- and 18-carat gold rings, earrings and cufflinks, mind you, and don't look like they've been remade from waste material at all.
Ringly is back with a vibrating, activity tracking bracelet
Ringly, purveyors of vibrating jewelry, are at it again -- this time with a bangle bracelet. Unlike the company's ring, this will track your steps, figure out how far you've walked ("even in heels") and track your calories burned via a connected app, according to Racked. You can snag one of these absolutely not at all patronizing wearables for $195 now that pre-orders are open, with options for quartz, lapis, rainbow moonstone or labradorite stones. The Ringly website says that the first 1,000 pre-ordered rings will get a real diamond on the side where the notification light is. Shipping starts this summer.
Kickstarter celebrates STEM with a slate of kid-focused projects
This week, Kickstarter hosted a special STEM event at its headquarters in Brooklyn, showing off a variety of products intended to teach kids programming skills. If the prevailing wisdom is "hook 'em while they're young," that ethos was certainly on display here: The projects were fun and colorful, and one was even meant for children as young as three.
A Misfit Flash wrapped in glitter is still a Misfit Flash
Misfit has teamed up with BaubleBar to create a necklace and bracelet for the Misfit Flash that'll provide the wearable with some much-needed style points. Essentially, the Helena Necklace and Bracelet are glittery lockets that keep the device tucked inside, hanging from either a six or 32-inch chain. According to the company, the pieces are "as smart as they are stunning" and will be available exclusively at Target from November 29th for $69.99 a pop. It's worth mentioning that the devices come with their own $29.99 Flash tucked inside, as well as the traditional rubber strap for workouts.
Amazon launches a Handmade rival to Etsy
If you've been looking for for a hand-sculpted Gothic dragon weathervane, you now have a new way to find it: Amazon's Handmade online store. As rumored earlier, the new venture has arrived in response to the success of Etsy, the artisan-goods company that just went public with a massive $3.5 billion valuation. The store is divided into seven categories, including jewelry, home decor, artwork and furniture. That'll give you a chance to find some one-of-a-kind paintings, along with items like leather magnetic cuffs, walnut rocking chairs and a beer growler holder.
Leatherman's multi-tool bracelet is 29 kinds of dysfunctional
Hey guys, remember paracord bracelets? Those were cool for a hot second, right? I mean, strapping 20 feet of intricately woven, high-tensile rope to your wrist "just in case" seemed like such a good idea at the time. The trouble is that for an overwhelming majority of their wearers, those "just in case" moments never actually materialized and the bracelets simply became man jewelry for the Eddie Bauer crowd. Leatherman's new Tread tool-bracelet is just as bad, except instead of a length of rope you've convinced yourself you need, it's a ring of tiny, useless tools.
Tago Arc is an e-ink bracelet that can change designs
A new smart bracelet called Tago Arc can't notify you of incoming messages or monitor your activities, but it has already raised more than its $40,000 goal on Indiegogo. Why? Because it has the potential to become a high-tech fashionista's best friend, provided it works flawlessly. See, you can easily swap the design on the Tago Arc's e-ink screen, and since that screen takes up most of the accessory, you're effectively changing the jewelry's whole look. If you're wondering, yes you can create your own designs to come up with a unique bracelet for each outfit, but you can also buy images from the accompanying app for around $1 a pop.
Fossil teams up with Intel to produce its line of wearables
We heard plenty about Intel's wearable aspirations for 2014 back at CES, and since then it has announced collaborations with the likes of SMS Audio and more. Fossil was named as having a plan for Android Wear, and as of today the two are officially in cahoots. Unfortunately, details are scarce at this time, as we're left with the announcement that the pair aims to team up on "emerging products and technologies that will be developed for the fashion-oriented consumer." Judging by the wording of the PR, it seems that Fossil has more than watches on its agenda, and the outfit designs jewelry, handbags, wallets and more in addition to the traditional timepieces like the one pictured above. Of course, MetaWatch is an offshoot of the lifestyle company, and this is the latest in a group of accessory brands diving into the wearable craze.
Fitbit's Tory Burch jewelry makes your activity tracker slightly more fashionable
Even though activity trackers are all the rage, few would call them fashion items. Do you really want explain why you're wearing something so gauche at a wedding or high-brow luncheon? Fitbit isn't happy to have its devices treated as eyesores, though -- it's teaming up with designer Tory Burch to launch jewelry that makes the Flex tracker a little more suitable for upscale gatherings. The newly available collection starts off with a $38 printed silicone bracelet that, to be frank, is just a small step above (?) what you get out of the box; it's more for casual situations than formal galas. If you're up for something more luxurious, you can spring for a brass bracelet or pendant for $195 and $175, respectively. With that said, it's hard to see a truly style-conscious person picking these up in the first place, no matter how nice they look. Many attempts at shoehorning fashion into technology haven't fared well, and there's a good chance that you'll still look a bit silly with a tracker hanging from your neck. May I suggest using your phone instead?
For the iPod-loving secret agent
Sure you love your iPod, but you can't exactly keep your EarPods in all the time -- especially at fancy dress affairs. These iPod cufflinks will let everyone know that you adore Apple's fancy music player, even when you're wearing that sharp three-piece suit. [Photo credit: Stewart Priest]
Pebble Steel review: at last, a stylish smartwatch
Smartwatches are supposed to be pieces of jewelry that are just as personal as the smartphones they're attached to, yet rarely are they thought of as fashionable. We've seen a handful (or is it wristful?) that are hip, ornate and sporty, but we've also admittedly endured plenty of ugly options as well. Sadly, none have successfully matched the opulence brands like Seiko, Rolex, Citizen and Victorinox are known for on the analog side. Granted, not many companies are in a position to even try this. Without a strong developer platform and guaranteed return on investment, few (if any) smart watchmakers want to take the risk. It makes a lot of sense, then, that a company like Pebble is taking advantage of what appears to be a completely untouched segment of the smartwatch market. In just a short year, the nascent watchmaker quickly gained the experience, resources, platform and developer support required to even try tackling such a project. The result is the $249 Pebble Steel. It's designed to be a more elegant version of the original Pebble, with few changes to overall functionality. So, have we finally found a smartwatch that you can feel comfortable showing off to your business partners on the golf course?
Premium Collection hot shoe covers are cufflinks for your cam, let you dazzle up that DSLR
You love the focus speed, image quality is top-notch and even videos turn out just as expected -- still, there's something missing with your latest DSLR, though it's just a tad hard to place. What your camera needs is some bona fide bling. Not using that hot shoe for a flash or EVF? It's time to tuck in a beautiful raised floral cover, elegantly outfitted in a shiny silver finish. It's sure to stand out against the contrast of an all-black body, though it'll feel equally at home on your silver Leica. Designed by Jay Tsujimura in Tokyo, Premium Collection includes matching hot shoe and shutter release covers, letting your camera stay coordinated just like your cuffs. They're priced to fly off store shelves at a mere ¥24,150 (about $300) each -- get an up-close look in our gallery and at the source link below.%Gallery-162718%
Nokia could sell luxury Vertu brand to VC firm for $265 million
As much as it'd be interesting to see Windows Phone running on a $21,000 gold-plated cigar lighter, that's probably never going to happen. According to the UK's Financial Times, Nokia has been trying to hive off its luxury Vertu brand for months already, and has finally found a suitor with the right cash / sense ratio. Although still far from a done deal, we're told that venture capitalist firm Permira is willing to contribute up to $265 million to Nokia's needy coffers -- which might sound like a lot, but is mere costume jewelry to a manufacturer that just lost $1.7 billion.
Roland's iModela 3D milling machine: it's a crafty tool
3D printing. Sure, that's pretty neat, but there are other ways to make three dimensional objects at home. Roland's new iModela, for example, is an "affordable" ($899) digital hobby mill that can carve 3D shapes, jewelry, textures and prototypes out of balsa wood, foam, modelling wax and plastics. Projects definitely need to be more on the petite side, but the 3.39inch x 2.17inch x 1.02inch milling area should be good for a wide range of small craft creations. The iModela comes with all the cutting tools, software and materials you need to get started, but if you've already been tinkering with ideas, there's also compatibility with other "popular" CAD software. Want to get making right away? Tap the source, or hit the PR after the break for more info.
Mouse Computer's LuvBook S heals emotional scars, one Hello Kitty at a time
What the world needs now is just one thing, and that thing is a bejeweled Hello Kitty laptop. Fortunately, Japan's Mouse Computer is well aware of this, which is why it's unleashed the LuvBook S, pictured above. Designed in collaboration with Sanrio and Swarovski, this masterpiece is powered by a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i3-2330M processor and boasts an 11.6-inch, 1,366 x 768 display. It also packs a 500GB HDD and a 1.3 megapixel camera, but all that really matters is the swaggy centerpiece -- a heart-ensconced Hello Kitty mug made out of about 1,100 Swarovski stones and untold buckets of cuddles. The LuvBook is available now for ¥69,930 (about $900), at the source link below.
Adafruit Industries now selling the iNecklace
This is great -- the iNecklace is Adafruit's latest open-sourced, electronic jewelry. It's a pendant shaped like a power button, complete with a pulsing LED inside. It's beautiful, stylish, and a nicely subtle way to proclaim your loyalty to tech in a sleek and cool way. It's all open source, too, so you can go to GitHub and download all of the files and tech setup if you want to try and make your own. For those of us not so DIY inclined, the iNecklace sells for $75 and will begin shipping in September.
iNecklace lets you wear your Apple love around your neck
Adafruit is at it again. After releasing its Apple power button-inspired cufflinks, the company is now going after the ladies with its iNecklace. Similar to the iCufflinks, the iNecklace has an attractive aluminum Apple power button that flashes. A simple but fitting chain lets you wear the iNecklace around your neck and show off your Apple geekiness. The product is in beta, so pricing and an official launch date are not yet available.
Gresso flaunts $30,000 white iPhone 4, holds more ice than a skating rink
Sure, you probably waited longer than you should have to get the elusive white iPhone 4. But, you know what's better than a boring regular model? One with diamonds, crystals and pearls... of course! Known for its ridiculous custom mobile devices, Gresso may force you to refinance your house and hock a kidney to afford its latest creation, the Lady Blanche. A solid diamond-coated mineral glass backing, three independent Swiss clocks and pearl dials replace the usual body on this iced-out iPhone. If the $30k diamond model is a bit out of your price range, the much more affordable Swarovski crystal version will only set you back 7,000 bones. Release details are unclear at this point, but when they drop you better act fast -- only 150 of these gems will be available. Heck, if you have that kind of cash lying around, just get the salesman to throw in one of these for your iPad, too.
