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Warm and fuzzy are words to describe pleasant sounds coming from your speakers, but what if your speakers themselves were so? Copenhagen-based Libratone recently released a series of AirPlay-enabled wireless speakers wrapped in either wool or cashmere. Three sizes are available depending on your room size and portability needs. AirPlay works with all iPads, iPhone 3Gs or newer, iPod touch and Mac/Pc. Fabric covers are available in eight colors.
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Do you have €450 to spend on a leather hold-all? If so, check out Travelteq’s latest offering. The Mirjam is handmade in Italy of Florentine Vachetta leather and has 4 inside compartments to organize your laptop, files, and other necessities. Yes, the laptop compartment is shock resistant (as it should be), and yes, the bag is big enough to carry around everything but the kitchen sink, so it looks pretty perfect for everyday use or for travel- especially as a carry-on bag for longer flights.
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Ms. Wilson, take a break, please. There’s just too much pleasantly patterned cold weather wear to take in. The Circus Arm Warmers, for instance; who knew they needed these until spotting those colorful blocks of stripes and triangles? And the Tip Top Gloves. Our old gloves were perfectly fine, thank you very much, until thinking of waving our fingers around with blue, red, or pink tips. As stated before, it’s a little overwhelming, and it feels like you’ve detonated a quirky/cute bomb on us all without any prior warning.
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Need a no-nonsense, utilitarian briefcase? This bag by Industry Portage features an exterior padded pocket for your tablet, interior pen slots and pockets for organizing smaller items like business cards, and adequate space to carry a decent stack of documents (let’s hope you won’t need to do that though). Rugged canvas and suede handles reinforce the no-frills approach; there’s no doubt it’s durable enough for your everyday commute or for those longer journeys. Also available in red.
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If you’re fond of SIWA paper products, you’ll be happy to hear there’s an iPad case available. A simple string and button closure secures the contents and a matching color liner keeps your iPad scratch free. SIWA products are made of Soft Naoron (wood pulp and polyolefin using “washi suki” paper manufacturing process); this paper-like material is strong and highly water resilient.
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Remember the Blunt Umbrella? Now there’s a collapsible version that can easily fit in your bag. With the same patented BLUNT Tips (to you, these are the non-poke corners) and unique Radial Tensioning System (reinforcement to keep it from collapsing when strong winds strike), the XS gives you the same rain protection in a convenient carrying size. See the other sizes on Blunt’s website.

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This wallet is traveling light at its best. Handcrafted in Prague, a 100% Merino wool sleeve is stitched together with a vegetable-tanned leather pocket. Your phone and credit card, what else do you need? Fits iPhone 4S/4/3GS/3G (maybe the new iPhone 5?). Gotta love that red thread accent and packaging!
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For those of us that rely on our mobile phones for most, if not all, of our calls, a wireless handset is worth consideration. I recently received a sample of the Curve BT iDock to try out, and despite my reservations of adding yet another item to my desktop, I’m actually pleased with its look, feel, and function. At times our mobile phones can be a little awkward to hold, but the Curve’s handset is comfortable and more appropriate for longer conversations. It can connect to 2 devices (think iPad + phone) simultaneously and your iPhone/Android can sync and charge while on the dock to avoid losing any of that precious battery life.
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It’s an iPad sleeve, big deal. Except this one is made from reclaimed fleece jackets and sweaters, so it beats the pants off other normal sleeves (ba-dum ching!). The shells are lightweight, fuzzy, and water resistant thanks to a unique method of fabrication created by designer Sam Palmer. Every single case is made in the US from recycled materials that are sourced locally. There’s also a ReFleece Kindle Cover ($25, shown below), if you’re interested.
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Clunky batteries, impractical, and just plain ugly are words that come to mind when the words “electric bicycle” come up. However, as urban bicycle ridership increases, bicycle manufacturers such as new start-up Farady are addressing these issues. Their flagship bicycle, the Porteur, is their first offering. It starts with a US-made steel frame with time-tested geometry. Safety and practicality are built-in with a removable front rack, integrated lights, wood fenders, and an accessory bag. The 8-speed internal hub is attached to an electric assist for those challenging hills or heavy grocery hauls. I had the pleasure of seeing this bike at last September’s Oregon Manifest, a handmade custom bicycle show. As it was my favorite bike at the show, I’m extremely pleased to see that it came to life from a mere show concept to market, something that rarely happens at these kinds of events.
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“There is no wealth like knowledge, no poverty like ignorance.” So says Ali bin Abu-Talib. Keep that in mind with this Mighty Wallet, which offers several useful conversions at a glance. Temperature, weight, linear measurement, volume, and more, all printed on the folded, moisture-resistant Tyvek® wallet.
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I write ‘what is it?’ as the title knowing full well that if you’re viewing this post on our RSS feed, you’ll see the revealing photo first. Sorry. If you don’t see the revealing photo, you can play along. So, what is it? Hint: it’s not an ironing board cover, nor is it a double layered apron. Also, (this might give it away) some of us wish we could use this everyday… if we lived in the right location and possessed some sort of body coordination, that is.

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What’s more dirty and germ-filled than your toilet seat? Your keyboard. In a test of eight everyday items for dirtyness, it ranked a dismal number four (thank you to the Mythbusters for their research). You can now extend your good hygiene habits to your keyboard with this washable keyboard from Logitech. Great for any office environment or a shared computer setting (like a family computer). USB plug and play for Windows PC, but also Mac-compatible.
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This is a bike pump. On a keychain. How can that be? This little key chain attachment is the missing link between you and air compressors found throughout your city. Simply remove it from your key chain, connect it to one end of an air compressor at an auto shop (or fire station), and then connect the other end to your bike tire. Use the compressor’s gauge to fill to the correct PSI. Of course, this is really limited to cities where auto shops and fire stations are everywhere, but, hey, if you live in one of those cities, you’re in luck.
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Say, do you ever desire a portable, water resistant, wireless boombox that you can attach to your bike or kid’s stroller? If that answer is yes, head on over to Kickstarter where you have the chance to back Outdoor Tech’s Turtle Shell. For $99 you’ll own a Turtle Shell speaker or spend a bit more ($125) and you’ll get the Turtle Claw Mount as well. Thanks to its camera threading, the Turtle Shell attaches to any standard camera accessory so the Claw Mount isn’t necessary, fyi.
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