Gifts for the Technophile

Bringing us one step closer to the cool, isolationist dystopia of a Gibsonian future, today's personal gear is all about multi-tasking on the move.

Oakley's Thump Sunglasses ($229) integrate fashion, shade, and sound in one package—apart from the standard flip-up lenses and ergonomic design, the Thump stores up to 120 songs on 512 megs of memory, plays six hours of sound (from a single charge) on adjustable Mylar speakers, and comes with a USB cable for efficient file transfer (Windows and Mac compatible). So I suppose it's only a matter of time until they come up with a version that allows you to channel the mirror-eyed Molly and watch video on the inner surface of the lenses.

And keeping you lean, green, and mobile, the tri-petal Solio Solar Power Charger ($100) stores eight to ten hours of solar power and works with mobile phones, PDAs, MP3s, digital cameras, gaming devices, and GPS units. Very new technology may require adaptors, but these will probably be the same as those required for standard chargers.

And on the homefront, Bang and Olufsen's A9 Keyring ($80) doubles as a miniature remote control that extends the "smart house" integration of the Beo 4. Beautifully and ergonomically designed (like all other B&O products), the A9 allows the user to turn the radio, TV, and lights off/on with one button press as they leave or arrive at their home.