It is made from old truck tires. [wannekes]

It works great, apparently. The backpack itself is mounted on rails, so it moves up and down when its wearer moves. The movement generates enough electricity to power your gadgets, and the design actually relieves stress from the user. [Lightning Packs via Defense Tech]

The stupid-simple contraption fastens to your Mac's stem with a couple of non-scratch clips, and is kept in place by nothing more than gravity and friction. You can connect more than one, turning your computer into a brushed aluminum shelving unit, just like you never knew you always wanted, but trust me, you did.

The shelves are primarily intended for accessories like external hard drives, USB hubs, and docked iPhones, though they could just as easily be used to store non-digital items, like dead tree office supplies, or an emergency sandwich. The possibilities, they are endless. Apparently Apple sees the cleverness in the concept too, since they're planning to carry the BackPack in their stores, for $30 a shelf, or $150 for a pack of six. [BackPack]

The Portable Tap Dispenser also has a cupholder so you can more fully cement your reputation as the Beer God of the Party. We're not sure exactly what the bag's capacity is, but it looks plenty big enough to get you a cheer when you walk into a get-together, provided you can serve the beer before it gets flat. It's available now for about $35. [Fun Ideas via Crunchgear]

During warm weather, the coat can be folded and strapped around the wearer as a backpack for easy transport. When it's time to set up camp, the interior lining can be stretched out and pegged—creating a private, protective cocoon. Again, it's only a concept at this point—but I've watched enough Suvivorman and Man vs. Wild to know that something like this could be useful in the real world. [Coroflot via Core77]

The Price: $160

The Verdict: The wireless Audex system which controls your iPod works like any other iPod RF remote. There's an RF receiver dock adapter and a wireless remote for controls. The system is advertise to work with 3rd Gen iPods or newer and from our testing we found the iPod touch and iPhone can not properly be controlled.

The iPod is meant to be housed in a padded pouch inside the backpack which features a headphone extension cable that is rerouted through the backpack and down the right shoulder strap where a female headphone jack is provided. For the remote Burton has made a rubber housing located on the left should strap which makes the buttons accessible at all times. The wireless controller is removable and works as it should, providing the basic play/pause, skip forward/back, and volume up/down.

This backpack has some pretty impressive storage for its size and with only two large sections which incorporate many unique storage compartments allow for nice organization of your laptop, gadgets and small gear. When packed to the brim the bag can be a little bulky and stiff but the heavily padded back and shoulder straps allow for a somewhat comfortable fit. This backpack is not intended to be worn while snowboarding and frankly because of the shape and lack of an extra cross strap we wouldn't recommend it. It seems more fitting that the backpack be used around town or on short trips when you want to easily control your iPod's music and need to carry your laptop and other gear.
[Burton]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

For example, you could snap on your snowboarding equipment then quickly transform it into a regular backpack as the situation warrants. I can't say that I'm big into sports that require a ton of gear, but I can see how the QuickShell could prove to be a big-time saver. it might even be smart enough to graduate into an actual product. [Yanko Design]

Targus Transforms The Way You Listen To Music On-The-Go

Targus' New SonicPak™ Speaker Backpack Lets You Take Music to New Levels and Places

LAS VEGAS, NV Targus® Inc., maker of the world's top-selling laptop computer cases and accessories, today announced the latest addition to its line of backpacks and laptop carrying cases. The new SonicPak speaker backpack provides a creative new way to listen to music while on-the-go. With removable front panel speakers, which are protected from the Earth's elements by a shock resistant EVA panel and water resistant zippers, consumers can listen to their favorite music anywhere - at the beach, while camping or hanging out in their own backyard.

"We are always looking for innovative ways to make consumers' mobile lives easier and more enjoyable," stated Bui Cuong, director of product management-soft goods at Targus. "The SonicPak is a unique alternative to the traditional backpack. You can not only carry your laptop and personal belongings, you can take your music with you anywhere, without having to worry about damaging the contents."

SonicPak (TSB116US)
The SonicPak comes in stylish silver tones and features a padded compartment for protection of laptop PCs and MacBooks of up to 15.4". Bring your favorite music along by sliding your iPod, MP3 Player or any other digital device with headset capability into the secure, custom-made back pocket. The front panel is a lightweight amplifier, which includes NXT "exciters", giving users quality sound at an impressive volume. The backpack also includes side mesh water bottle holders, adjustable, padded shoulder straps, molded carrying handle, oversized zipper pulls for easy gripping, and a fully equipped interior workstation that includes plenty of pockets for your accessories. The SonicPak has a battery compartment with an on/off switch and a power-indicator LED light. The SonicPak measures 13.98" x 7.48" x 18.11" and only weighs 3.95 lbs.

Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, Targus' new SonicPak speaker backpack will be available in March 2008 for a suggested retail price of $99.99 at Targus.com.

Chewbacca seems like a nice (guy?) and all, but the real prospect of living in close quarters with a flee-covered, boisterous and surely odoriferous animal for extended periods of time is about as close to our personal hell as an iconic sci-fi movie has come. And seriously, he has hair everywhere. Not only would a strand end up in a least one bite of every meal, but the possibility that the strand would be fouled with excrement is enough for us to program HAL to just go ahead and lock the pod bay doors during our next space walk. [thinkgeek via scifitech]

The problem the company dealt with was this: how do you build a PC capable of withstanding extremes of temperature, moisture, impact and dust, but then let some dude in the field plug in his iPod or digital camera, and screw it all up? Says Einck: "How do you hang on to a tablet if it has all this junk hanging off it? We embed all that stuff in BackPacks."

BackPacks are modules that can attach to (yes) the back of a SwitchBack PC for added functionality that can have equally ruggedized certification. Some BackPacks will be standard. The first includes "all the ports you would get on a PC," says Einck: PC card, USB 2.0, serial port, VGA, audio in and out. But Einck says the real point is to customize BackPacks for specialized needs: "You could have a BackPack with a 3-megapixel camera, iPod dock, and temperature probe to check the weather," he says.

Although the target for SwitchBack today is military and on-site heavy-duty commercial work, Einck sees the BackPacks as a way to integrate work and (rough) play, with BackPack style docking at home, at work, and in your car:

"Pop it in your desk, it handles all your work stuff, then take it home, put it in your dock at home. When you go hiking, you use the built-in GPS to get yourself out of whatever quagmire you got into, then pop it back in your jeep and go."

ROPER MOBILE TECHNOLOGY ACQUIRES BLACK DIAMOND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY; ANNOUNCES SHIPPING OF SWITCHBACK RUGGED ULTRA MOBILE PC

Shipments of SwitchBack PC Commence for Customers in
Military and Industrial Markets

October 29, 2007—Tempe, AZ—Roper Mobile Technology today announced the acquisition of technology development firm Black Diamond Advanced Technology. Roper Mobile Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roper Industries (NYSE: ROP), is a leading provider of fully rugged, highly customizable mobile computing solutions for challenging environments. With this acquisition, Roper Mobile Technology announces the commercial availability of its flagship product, the SwitchBack PC. Debuted last fall as the world's first rugged UMPC (Ultra Mobile Personal Computer), the SwitchBack is a powerful Windows XP-based PC in a lightweight, rugged form factor.

"Over the last year, we have experienced an overwhelmingly positive market response to the SwitchBack PC and its unique modular design. With the completion of this acquisition, the SwitchBack is exploding onto the market and our first customers have been pleased with the technology and service we are providing," said Justin Dyster, former President of Black Diamond Advanced Technology and current Vice President of Engineering at Roper Mobile Technology. "Our BackPack initiative is already a success, with many customers placing orders for the Standard BackPack and with several more in military markets ordering Custom BackPacks or working with us to develop their own."

"The UMPC is emerging as a highly viable form factor for use in vertical applications currently supported by rugged mobile computers," said David Krebs, Practice Director, Venture Development Corporation. "The SwitchBack is uniquely positioned to support many of these applications and its design emphasizes the need for more platform-based modular computing solutions."

"The strength of Black Diamond's highly talented Research and Development team combined with Roper Mobile's established global resources in sales and service will greatly accelerate SwitchBack's market success," said Gene Yazbak, President of Roper Mobile Technology. "Roper Mobile is pleased to expand our capabilities in order to retain our fierce focus on innovating disruptive technologies, like the SwitchBack, that go the extra step to anticipate customer needs in harsh environments."

The latest version of the SwitchBack PC is the most powerful version yet. Operating on a Windows XP or Windows Vista platform, it utilizes a 1.0 GHz Intel® Celeron® M processor, 2GB of 400 MHz DDR2 and up to 120GB of optional storage. It has passed rigorous environmental testing and meets military specification MIL-STD-810F and IEC 60529 standard IP-67 for operating in conditions of extreme shock, vibration, temperature and immersion.

The standard SwitchBack PC is equipped with a condensed QWERTY keyboard, removable hard drive, hot swappable battery and a 5.6-inch WSVGA sunlight viewable touch screen with stylus. Wireless capabilities like Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi b/g and GPS can be integrated. The newest SwitchBack also has a patent-pending Status & Control feature that enables remote diagnostics for automatic troubleshooting in the field. This first of its kind diagnostic tool intelligently manages and controls vital functions of the PC including:

Primary & secondary battery levels
Temperature fluctuation
Accelerometer to measure drops
Power consumption
Input and output shortages

The BackPack Program
The SwitchBack's patent-pending BackPack Technology allows the user to incorporate multiple devices into a single BackPack such as a digital camera, biometric security, an RFID reader or any combination of I/O options.
The BackPack (standard or custom) attaches onto the back of the SwitchBack and interfaces to the computer through a special ultra-wide, high-speed connection to the Switchback. This design is so flexible almost any electronic peripheral can be designed to interface with the SwitchBack.

Today, customers can order the Standard BackPack which includes:

Type II PCMCIA
USB 2.0 Port
Serial Port
VGA output
Audio Line In
Audio Line out

Roper Mobile also works closely with its customers to design customized BackPacks that are right for them. In addition, customers can choose to utilize Roper Mobile's BackPack Development Kit which allows them to build their own BackPacks.

Pricing & Availability
The SwitchBack PC and the Standard BackPack are available immediately through Roper Mobile Technology. For pricing and information on custom BackPack Modules or a BackPack Development Kit, contact Roper Mobile at 480-705-4200 x 230 or at sales@ropermobile.com

Instead of cutting into your shoulders, these nylon-like straps convert that mechanical strain into electrical energy, and researchers have figured out that if you carry a 100-pound pack and walk at 2-3 mph you can generate 45.6 mW of power. That's enough to the power an iPod, or maybe a head-mounted flashlight. But a 100-pound pack? They're saying that's a typical weight for soldiers to carry. That'll make you think twice about signing up to go to Iraq. [Physorg, via Medlaunches]

Designed by Ivan Huber, the bag itself comes in three sizes: urban day pack; weekender; and God, she's in a right old mood today five-day trekker. Snap it into the universal frame, made of molded plastic. Air channels provide breathability, and the core is flexible, so you can wriggle around easily with it on you.

It looks so space-agey that you could probably wear the frame without the bag attachment to play Astronauts & Nurses, or whatever it is you like to play at on a weekend. [Yanko]