bltd

This little camera is pretty special; you can focus each picture after you take it. The Lytro captures the entire light field, allowing you to pick foreground/middle/background, whichever you prefer, by simply clicking on the area you want to focus on. Take a look at their living pictures and the ‘science inside’ page to get the idea.

(more…)

I’ve always thought of the umbrella as a good example of our throw-away culture. After every rainstorm in the city, you’ll be sure to find a blown-out, discarded umbrella on the street. A properly built umbrella is an investment in a product that won’t fall apart and will guarantee to keep you dry for years to come, not just through the next rainy day. Bulletproof and hard-wearing workwear manufacturer Filson applies their rugged and practical design standards to the Cover Cloth Umbrella. It’s made with heavy-duty construction and water repellant Cover Cloth material which will only look better with age. Available in Tan at Blackbird and Otter Green directly from Filson.
(more…)

I’m a bit late in the game in posting these, as you’ve most likely seen them before, but it is MUJI and they are touchscreen gloves, so it’s better late than never. Plus, no doubt you’re in danger of a cold snap soon enough… so, protect your little fingers while you use your touchscreen device with these gloves (they have conductive material in the thumb and forefinger).
(more…)

As the holiday season fast approaches, you might consider this vegetable-tanned leather portfolio as a gift idea in the $150+ range. It’s hand stitched with nylon thread with a long leather strap to keep it securely closed. The handmade feel of the portfolio gives a nice balance to the technology it protects.
(more…)

Do you ever wish for a little extra something when using your phone’s camera? I sure do. This handy little lens boosts your photography on the iPhone 4 or 4S by providing fisheye, wide-angle and macro lenses all in one small package. It connects to the phone in seconds, and you simply flip it over to switch lenses. For those of us that insist on using our smart phones for every conceivable photo, it’ll be added to our wish lists pronto.
(more…)

This looks like a tiny little thing that could possibly improve your iPad/tablet experience. These thin silicone-rubber rails adhere to the back of your device to keep it from slipping or scratching. While I’ve not used or seen these in person, it looks to be a smart idea with minimal impact to your device (and wallet).

(more…)

Each Uni-Fold wallet is made from a single piece of leather with only two hand stitched saddle seams. Noah Lambert, the designer, uses vegetable tanned bridle leather from Wickett & Craig of Pennsylvania, so the whole thing is made right here in the US of A. The simpler, the better, huh?
(more…)

Need or want a stylus? This one seems to be a good choice. It has a smooth silicon rubber tip 7.0mm in diameter and a black loop cap that can be hooked onto a lanyard (if that’s what you want to do) or screwed onto the back to lengthen the stylus. There’s no screeching across the screen while writing, and the tip offers control and accuracy. For notes or drawings, it looks like it’d be a great companion to your device.
(more…)

Grove, best known for their beautifully crafted iPhone cases, recently released a new product to cozy-up our Macbooks. The Bamboo Backs are thin self-adhering bamboo veneers that stick to your laptop lid. Nothing particularly ground breaking or innovative in that regard, but what really does it for me is the custom cutouts that uses Apple’s glowing logo to create an extra accent piece. Check out their gallery for currently available cut-out graphics, or for a minimum order of ten, you can customize your own. Designed and made of sustainable bamboo in Portland Oregon.
(more…)

Building upon their original speaker design, Koostik expands their product offering to those looking for a slightly less expensive and smaller footprint speaker. The Mini Koo measures at just 3.5″ x 5″ x 1.5″, making it a good size for bedside tunes and to follow you on your travels. It makes use of natural passive amplification through its “trumpet horn” speaker port, and requires no power to operate. Available in solid walnut and cherry, finished with an orange oil & beeswax. (more…)

I’m currently writing this with a hole in the crotch of my pants. I have three other pairs of pants suffering from the same condition, all from the result of riding my bicycle. Levi’s thinks they could help me with this. Recently launched is their Commuter series, a line of jeans with specific features for urban bicycle riders. Based on the 511 skinny fit jeans, they feature enhancements such as stretch fabric, a water-repellent & anti-odor finish, a built-in U-lock holster, a raised back to help with unwanted skin exposure in the riding position, a reinforced crotch gusset (yeah!),  and 3M reflectors for better night-time visibility.
(more…)

Have you ever seen a nicer wash bag? It’s almost too nice to get anywhere near water, though you could protect the leather/suede with a Scotchguard-ish spray and wax. If you’ve cycled through several wash bags in your recent past, it might be time to consider investing in something that will last, not to mention that looks so darn good. It’s worth mentioning it could also be used as a case for gadgets and cables and such.
(more…)

Sure, there’s plenty wool sleeves for gadgets nowadays (Simple iPad Sleeve and Pad Stash Sleeve, to name two), but this one has no seams or extraneous details. Perfect for a purist, I suppose. Check out the colors too- there’s some nice hues to choose from.
(more…)

Looking for a different sort of portable speaker? Dominic Odbert (aka Mr. Simo) takes old suitcases and transforms them into portable music speakers. Every BoomCase is constructed in California by hand and is made to produce the best sound possible. The BoomCase will last 9+ hours on a single charge (charger included) and can also be plugged in if you prefer. Pretty fun, aren’t they? A few are shown below, but see more of the selection at Decurate.
(more…)

Use your gadget skills to navigate this watch; you simply tap, touch, pinch and swipe to access the functions. A vibrating alarm alerts the wearer to the time, and can be adjusted by swiping and tapping; see the video below for a quick demo. Recharge the battery via USP port (runs up to two weeks before charge is needed) and hand wash to clean the rubbery surface.
(more…)