We’re scouring the design world for the season’s coolest gifts. Our first installment: gadgets by Sony, Paul Cocksedge, Jawbone and more for both the early adopters and the retro-tech lovers on your list.
1 Bloggie Touch by Sony
Despite its cringe-inducing name, the Bloggie Touch is the perfect pocket camcorder for the amateur director who’s graduated from making movies on her iPhone. Encased in super sleek brushed aluminum, it boasts a a 12.8 mega-pixel camera and a three-inch touch screen with a user-friendly interface. Cool feature: while filming in high-def, you can still snap pictures. $200
2 TikTok and LunaTik by Scott Wilson
These wristbands that transform iPod Nanos into touchscreen watches actually began life as prototypes on the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter. Designed by Scott Wilson, former global creative director at Nike, they raised almost one million dollars in just 30 days, and are now available for purchase. The TikTok, made of silicone rubber with an anti-dust coating, features an easy snap-in design for transitioning from iPod to watch mode. Meanwhile the LunaTik offers a more permanent conversion for those who want to use their Nano as a wristwatch first and foremost. TikTok $40, LunaTik $80
3 Change the Record by Paul Cocksedge Studio
Vinyl fetishists will like this one, too. London designer Paul Cocksedge has taken 12” records, heated them and moulded them into speakers for iPhones and iPods. Via its conical shape, the speaker amplifies sounds – no wires or electricity required. To order, email [email protected]
4 Diana F+ Gold Edition by Lomography
Just in time for the holidays, Lomography has fancied up its classic plastic film cameras. Now, the Diana F+, Diana mini or the Fisheye style versions come in a pseudo-luxe finish, complete with golden chains. From $99 – $130
5 UP by Jawbone
This wristband tracks your eating habits, sleeping patterns and daily activity. Once you start wearing it, it begins measuring how many calories you burn, your active versus inactive time throughout the day, and how long and how well you sleep. The water-resistant band connects to an iPhone, where the UP app displays all this data in a simple but detailed timeline. It comes in three sizes and seven colours. $105
For more gift ideas, keep following Azure over the next four weeks, and check out the November/December 2011 issue, now on newsstands!
