You can now listen to headphones through your hoodie

So you just bought a flashy pair of headphones, and you’re worried that your hoodie might prevent you from flaunting your new gear. Are you stuck? Not if you pick up Betabrand’s upcoming Audio Engineer jacket. Its hood is made of the same “acoustically transparent” fabric you’d find in a nice set of speakers, letting any sound pass through while keeping your noggin relatively dry and warm. There are also holes for your headphone cables or portable audio gear, and you’ll even find a diagram to help you make any wiring permanent.

If you’re interested, Betabrand is taking pre-orders through an already successful crowdfunding campaign. Spending $142 will get you the all-black attire when it ships in late October. And before you ask: yes, the company knows that wearing a set of cans over your hood can look decidedly silly. The jacket is partly meant for producers stuck in the studio, or DJs who want to cover up during an outdoor gig. Don’t be surprised if you raise a few eyebrows by wearing a hoodie-plus-headphones combo on the street, no matter how stylish your hardware might be.

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Wearables

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Via: The Verge

Source: Betabrand

How would you change Kobo’s Aura HD e-reader?

Canadian e-reader company Kobo had a dream. That dream was to ignore commercial convention and ask its most hardcore of users what they would want from their dream e-reader — a bit like How Would You Change, in that respect. The result was the Aura HD, a 6.8-inch slate with a high-res (for an e-reader) display, impressive storage and a best-in-class front light. In our opinion, the hardware was gorgeous, but the software left a lot to be desired, not to mention that Kobo’s bookstore isn’t as strong as Amazon’s. Still, what we want to ask is, if you bought one of these, what did you think of it? Head on over to the forum and spill your brains.

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Source: Engadget Product Forums

Whirlpool’s new machine freshens your clothes in 10 minutes flat

Odds are that you’re used to ironing some of your clothes to keep them wrinkle-free, or taking them to the dry cleaners when you can’t (or just won’t) put them through a washing machine. No great shakes, right? Well, Procter & Gamble and Whirlpool apparently believe that these are terrible burdens — the two have unveiled Swash, an appliance that freshens your clothing one piece at a time. The device uses the combination of heat and a special solution (held in “Swash pods”) to eliminate wrinkles and smells in your apparel without either damaging it or requiring time-consuming care; your duds should be (almost) as good as new in roughly 10 minutes. It doesn’t require water, and it can handle delicate materials like cashmere and lace. At first blush, it looks like a good way to save a favorite coat or sweater from the ravages of time.

However, this is most definitely an extravagance. While Reviewed.com found that Swash worked as advertised, you’ll really have to despise dry cleaning to justify the running costs — the device by itself is $499, and each 12-pack of pods is $7. That could quickly add up if you’re using the machine multiple times a week. It’s also not going to remove stains, so you’ll still be in dire straits if you spill a drink on your shirt right before a big date. You can buy the Swash at Bloomingdale’s this September, but you’ll want to think carefully about your typical attire before you splurge on a unit. Just how badly do you want to dress to impress?

Filed under: Household, Wearables

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Source: Swash, BusinessWire

Revisiting the Apollo 11 Moon landing 45 years later

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission where Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins made their trip to the Moon. Sure, you could say that there’s likely more tech in our pockets than what was used to put those three into out of the atmosphere. For whatever reason, though, powering up an Android device or an iPhone isn’t nearly as impressive as the fact that we shot humans into outer space and that they walked on the nearest hard surface. Join us as we celebrate that monumental event in the gallery below. For even more, be sure to check out the recent Reddit Ask Me Anything session with Aldrin. Spoiler: he thinks that Gravity is the best depiction of astronauts in zero-G he’s ever seen.

[Image credit: NASA]

Filed under: Science

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Source: Apollo Archive, NASA