Smart Home Lifestyle

January 27, 2007

Snow sports and new tech gadgets go glove to glove this winter

A little snow play is now a lot of snow sport- extreme snow sport that is, thanks to new MP3 and Bluetooth technologies. So, whether you’re hitting the slopes, or making angels in the snow, these gadgets make it simpler to stay connected while keeping you warm.

Wear your tunes on your sleeve

Ski-bunnies are quickly becoming tech-bunnies with new tech-enabled snow gear. Burton (www.burton.com) caters to the “girly-girls with a brain” in the sport, promoting a “looking good is only half the battle” approach.

Burton’s Dutchess jacket, one of their many hi-tech clothing options, offers Bluetooth integration. Simply plug in your iPod and headphones to jacket ports, and control your tunes from a water-resistant touchpanel on your sleeve. The Dutchess costs just under $600 and comes in various colors, including, you guessed it- pink.

Slalom Symphony

Want to strut your sex appeal out on the slopes? Check out Oakley’s Thump MP3 Sunglasses. Thumps provide 512 MB of flash memory and play MP3, WMA and WAV files.

Buttons on the left control volume, and three on the right control song maneuverability. There is even a USB port for fast and easy file transferring. Thump's adjustable earbuds give a comfortable fit, a plus for the six-hours of battery life. Thump runs $299 and comes in several colors. For even more music storage, check out Oakley’s 1GB version costing $349.

This ain’t no bunny slope

For the hard-core hound, Burton’s Audex Bluetooth helmet gives ultimate wireless domination. Hi fidelity speakers and streaming Bluetooth connection give you “hands free” mobile phone connection. It even has a one-touch mute button.

And that’s not all, like Burton’s jackets, you can stream music wirelessly from your iPod to the Audex. Don’t have a Bluetooth gadget? No problem, Audex has a wired audio connection so you can still play your favorite tunes.

Audex costs $300 and offers a ClimaControl Ventilation System, comfort liner and vent plugs.

Freeze free

Where there’s snow, there’s water- and the chance your cell could get soaked. OtterBox gives ultimate peace of mind for waterproof protection. And it’s not just about phones, OtterBox offers a line of cases for GPS units, PDA’s, laptops and even cigars.

”The OtterBox for iPod video allows iPod users to take their music, photos and movies anywhere without fear of damaging their iPod,” said Curt Richardson, CEO of Otter Products, LLC. “The case completely transforms the delicate iPod video into a rugged device.”

Otterboxes are waterproof, dustproof, dirt-proof and drop-proof. And the iPod cases protect while allowing full functionality through the case. Otterbox even offers waterproof headphones for those days with a snowy mix.

Prices range from about $20 to as much as $300 for tablet cases. But most iPod cases run around $30. Just remember, these cases are not meant for underwater use like scuba diving.

Author: Diana Kostigen, Marketing/Public Relations Director, Comtec