Gizmodo: Leather

Poufman Luxury Leather Seats Are Like Pac-Man Biting Your Bum

Kit Eaton — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:20:00 EDT

Pac-Man-like padded seats, kitted out in leather and with accompanying power-pill-like stools...sounds like a fabulously retro way to pay furniture-y homage to the '80s arcade game. The Poufman seating sets come in a bunch of colors, but retro gamers keen to dot them about their homes had better have made lots of dollars in the time since the '80s: the price of these things is unknown, and not listed on the maker's website. And we all know what that means. [Product via Technabob]

Diamond Embossed Leather iPhone Case Will Waste Your $15,000

Elaine Chow — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:30:00 EDT

I don't think I'll ever understand the type of conspicuous consumption that produces junk like this: A leather iPhone case that's embedded with 272 diamonds (6.8 karats worth) fashioned into luxury goods purveyor Noreve's St. Tropez logo. The asking price is $14,990. You heard me right: $14,990 to keep your iPhone from scratching. The company's VP of sales, Sam Brust, says the case is “yet another step we are taking to help the Noreve brand become one of the most unique and recognized case manufacturers in the world,” which I feel like actually means “We are trying to make sure that anytime someone sees you with a Noreve product, the first thing that springs to their mind will be that super rich asshole.” [Born Rich]

iMac Thinks It's a Laptop Inside Reinda Leather Transport Bag

John Mahoney — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:30:00 EDT

When the Feds are at the door and it's time to rip and run, what better way for the style- and safety-conscious hacker to make a protected getaway than with this all-leather handmade iMac Transport Bag (or apfeltaschen, as Reinda says) Then again, if you're that hardcore, why are you using an iMac? Guess this is for the regular folks who need to move their all-in-one, all the time. It's €90 ($140) for the 20" and €96 ($150) for the 24." [Product Page via Cool Hunting]

Mercedes Benz Makes an iPhone Pouch...Wait What?

Jason Chen — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EDT

It's Mercedes' Swarovski Elements iPhone pouch from their GLK collection, which holds your iPhone the way that only a gaudy piece of leather can. Only 40 are going to be made (as of now), and will be raffled off in the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin to people who are rich enough to attend. More gaudiness after the jump. [eMercedes Benz]

Orbino Aria MackBook Air Case: Was Rumorware, Now Real, Luxurious

Kit Eaton — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:36:00 EDT

Remember the MacBook Air case that was announced even before we knew for sure that the Air was real? Well, the Aria from Orbino is now a real product (meaning the 50% of you who voted it to be rumorware were wrong!) and it's pretty darn luxurious. Aircraft-grade aluminum, hand-folded calfskin leather... and that's just the start.

It's got a spring-loaded latching mechanism, removable leather shoulder strap, and a padded "alcantara" exterior. It keeps its Air-matching shape by having all your accessories (read: power brick) in a removable external pocket, which is a little clunky but not too bad. It's made entirely by hand, machined from a single block of aluminum, and it's in premium hand-stretched leather (with exotic skins available on special order.)

I, for one, think it's not a bad-looking way to carry your Air around, and was worth the wait to see it make it to reality. But, of course, there's just one tiny sticking point: its price. Starting at $529, it costs nearly 30% of the entry-level Air. Ouch. [Orbino]

Vaja Ivolution is Leather Protection, Not Gimp Suit for MacBook Air

Kit Eaton — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:37:00 EDT

A close-fitting leather suit, complete with cutouts for your precious Air... that's roughly what the Vaja Ivolution Leather Suit case is. Sure it adds to the bulk of the skinny Air, but it snuggles it in protective leather when open or closed and gives you access to power socket and connector drawer. I vaguely worry about air circulation inside it, since even sitting naked on the table my Air is cranking out a blaze of heat... but I guess that's why there's that mesh fabric segment where the vents are. It's a hand-crafted affair so there's over 1,000 color combos to choose, and that means the price starts at $280. [Vaja via LikeCool]

Leather Keyboard from Japanese Artist, Only For Expert Touch-Typers

Kit Eaton — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:44:00 EDT

Remember the beautiful gold and flowers keyboards from a few months back? This new keyboard from Japanese artist Kazuharu Sakura should probably go in the same "typing nightmare" category. Because it's handmade, and leather is a pretty unusual thing to have your keys made from... but they're missing something important. Legends. So, if you're into conversation-piece leather-gimp peripherals, and you know your way around a keyboard better than you know how to aim safely for the toilet in the dark, then this might be the one for you. There's no info, though, on how much this piece of luxury may cost—I imagine quite a lot. [Akihabaranews]

Iomega Introduces Leather 250GB Hip Flask, Er, eGo Drive

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:45:00 EDT

The people who brought you the camouflage eGo portable USB hard drive have traded the hunting rifle for the meerschaum pipe: the leather-clad 250GB eGo, which goes on sale today for just over $140, will look good in any study, but best in ones where there's a roaring fire and many leather-bound books. Iomega takes pains to note that this is the only leather portable drive on the market. Our guess is that, as stylish as it is, it may remain so for a while. (Second photo after the jump.) [Iomega]

Mouse Jacket Grown, Euthanized In Museum Lab

Mark Wilson — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:30:00 EDT

In one of the odder stories we've spotted in some time, an installation called "Victimless Leather" was on display at NY's MoMA. The piece was actually a living jacket crafted from mouse embryonic stem cells, fed nutrients through tubes. But after five weeks, it grew too large for its containment flask and had to be killed.

The exhibit's curator cut the coat off from nutrition and it died thereafter. But the decision haunted her.

I've always been pro-choice and all of a sudden I'm here not sleeping at night about killing a coat...That thing was never alive before it was grown.

Personally, it's the image of a pulsating living rat coat that's going to keep me from sleeping. Did anyone see the exhibit? [The Art Newspaper via boingboing]

Hannspree Leather Purse TV Renders Us Confused, Somewhat Angry

Jason Chen — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:24:51 EDT

Hannspree, a company that's no stranger to putting LCD screens in absurd places, has just pioneered a leather purse LCD TV. You read that right. Leather. Purse. LCD. TV. Purse. TV. LCD. Leather. TV. Purse. LCD. Purse. TV. Italian Leather. 9.6-inches. $259. You don't want one. [Hannspree via Shiny Shiny]

ASUS U2E Is A Light, Leather Bound Notebook That Is Heavy On Features

Benny Goldman — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:00:00 EST

The U2E notebook from ASUS brings a 32GB SSD, an LED backlit panel and a small-lens webcam to an 11-inch, 2-pound, leather notebook. The coolest feature announced so far is definitely the Smart Logon Face Recognition. This software keeps the computer secure by using the webcam to scan the face in front of it and only grant access after a positive facial scan. The U2E will be available in brown or black, but pricing and availability have not yet been announced. See the gallery for more hot pics. [ASUS]

Vertu Goes "Budget" With the $6,600 Ascent Ti

blongo3 — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:41:40 EDT

We told you about Vertu's Ascent Ti a few months ago when it was found in an FCC filing. Well, it's been a couple of months and the Ascent Ti is finally being released along with official details. So what does $6,628 get you? For starters, a quad-band GSM phone with 3G and a 3MP camera.

What, that's not enough to warrant a couple grand? Okay, it's also made with titanium, leather and sapphire crystals. Along with that is Vertu's 24-hour concierge service, automatic backups of your contacts and calendar to a network that is housed in an ex-military bunker, and three ringtones created by David Arnold (the composer from Casino Royale). Just a note—if you complained about the iPhone being too expensive, stay away from Vertu as it only gets worse from here (Cobra Signature) [Crave]

Worst iPhone Case Ever

Jason Chen — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:00:02 EDT

If you're going to get a case for your iPhone, please don't get this case. It's pink, it's tacky, and worst of all it has a "Lady Mirror" when you flip it open. We're not women (obviously, but it would be awesome if we were), but we're even offended by the fact that the manufacturer thinks ladies need a mirror in their iPhone case. What's even more offensive is the price: $34.99. We vomit in disgust. [USBFever via i4u]

Leather Mouse is All Class

Travis Hudson — Tue, 22 May 2007 19:00:11 EDT

Sick of the other billionaires at the Yacht Club snickering at your silly plastic mouse? Yeah, me too. Earth-Treck has answered our needs and created a mouse wrapped in the luxurious brown or black leather. If you still haven't impressed your peers, this mouse comes with a matching USB hub. That should woo over the billionaires in no time. I think the Akihabara News translators said it best: "How sweet is that ?" No word on pricing or availability. –Travis Hudson

Leather mouse and USB hub ? Why not ? [Akihabara]

First Photos of the Delicious i-Volution Leather Vaja Macbook Case: $580...OMGWTF

Brian Lam — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 18:32:50 EDT

I'm the last guy in the world to write a post about a mere laptop case. But I think you need to know about this semi rigid, form fitting case from Vaja, better known for their ipod cozies. Because it's gorgeous, hand crafted from fine Argintine full grain leather, and customizable in up to a 1000 color combos, it costs $580 bucks. That's as much as a cheap Dell laptop, like this Inspiron 1501. And it's almost twice as much as the aircraft aluminum Zero Halliburton laptop case. Of course, neither of those are hand stitched from the creamy buttocks of baby cows.

Mmmm, buttocks...and veal. Bring it.– Brian Lam

DLO's Zune Cases Hands-On: Luxury Edition

Jason Chen — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 14:11:47 EST

Continuing the Zune Accessories parade, today we have both the DLO Leather Zune case and the DLO Action Jacket, which is an armband case for the Zune. We still question the need for Zune cases, seeing as they're made out of a pretty scratch-proof rubberized plastic, but some people really like their gadgets pristine.

Both of these cases will protect your Zune, but one feels great and the other feels awkward.

The winner? The Leather case. The finish is supple and soft, which makes for a great feel when you're fiddling around with your player. There's a magnetic clasp to secure the flip-open flap, and the buttons aren't too hard to push—unlike with the Jam Jacket.

The only problem comes from the lack of a cutout on top for the hold switch when the player's closed. Not a big deal, when you think about it. And it's most likely the way they designed it. Pretty decent buy for $34.

The loser? The Action Jacket. It's no fault of DLO's that the Zune is so large. In fact it's so large, that mounting it on your arm while jogging will ensure that you're going to bulk up one arm more than the other.

The case itself isn't bad—it's made of rubber and felt—but the player doesn't quite line up with the cutouts and the buttons. Not a huge deal when you're jogging, but if you just want this case to carry around, we'd recommend you go up $5 from this $29 and go with the leather one instead. – Jason Chen

Leather Case Product Page [DLO]

Action Jacket Product Page [DLO]

Gallery [Gizmodo]

Prestigio Leather Wrapped Hard Drives: Bad Idea?

Travis Hudson — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 11:27:02 EST

Pardon my logic, but when I'm cold, I generally like to wear my leather coat because it warms me up. So wouldn't a leather coat around a hard drive be a bad idea? Prestigio has released their leather clad Data Safe II USB HDD available up to 120GB in size. It is a pretty average external hard drive: bus powered, encryption, passwording, etc. It is available in black and brown leather and would likely make your hard drive burn to a crisp, but at least it will look good doing so. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via EverythingUSB]

Russian Mouse Made of Space Technology

Louis Ramirez — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:20:43 EST

I probably wouldn't use one of these for my day-to-day mousing, but I gotta say, for a homemade mouse, these mice ain't that bad looking. They're wireless, they come with their own USB receiver, and you can even get them dressed up in leather. What I don't get is what kind of space materials Russian designer Slava Tyukalov is using to make them as he proudly boasts the fact that his mice are made "from scratch from materials used by NASA and other space agencies." Hit the jump for a look at Tyukalov's full mice line.

Pricing isn't disclosed on any of the models and apparently it takes a long time to make each one, but if you're so inclined, you can hit Tyukalov up via his website and order one. Pics below.

– Louis Ramirez
Slava Tyukalov

Best Ultra Portable Laptop: Asus S6F

Louis Ramirez — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 18:15:10 EDT

The folks over at Laptop mag have just taken the Asus S6F for a test spin. For those of you with short term memory (meaning us), the S6F is the same notebook we talked about at the start of the year (it's only now available State-side). Laptop reviewed the non-leather S6F ($2,199) and praised it for its looks, performance, and battery life (the ultraportable raced on for just shy of 5 hours). The notebook scored a 3 outta 5 star rating, but got dinged for its cramped keyboard, stiff touchpad buttons, and tiny 11-inch display.

We spent a few weeks with the S6F ourselves and though we admit it's pricey and the keyboard is cramped, we'd give it a full 5-star rating. This laptop is the best Windows ultraportable we've used to date. Sure, it's not packing a Core 2 Duo, but if you can live with that, this little machine will definitely impress. –Louis Ramirez

Asus S6F [Laptop Mag]

Lamborghini Mouse Pad

Jason Chen — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 21:47:20 EDT

No, this isn't just some $5 mouse pad with a Lamborghini on it. This is an actual Italian leather Lamborghini mousepad, made by the same people who bring you those fancy horseless wagons with all the horses under the hood.

The pad is in the shape of the Lamborghini crest, but doesn't have the actual crest design. We're not sure how much it costs, but it's sure to be less than the $500 F1 Mouse Pad. – Jason Chen

Update: It's 50 Euros ($63). Thanks Steve!

Lamborghini [via Sybarites]

Tunewear iPod Hi-Fi

Jason Chen — Tue, 16 May 2006 19:33:41 EDT

After plopping down $349 for an iPod Hi-Fi, what's the next thought that pops into your head? Is it "now I need a leather carrying case"? Probably not, but If you can spare another $295, you can conveniently schlep your high class speakers around town. The package includes:

a removable, padded shoulder strap, felt lining, and a small case for the Apple remote.

If we see you on the street with this thing, we're going to rob you. That's not a joke.

Available in June.

Concerto Bianco [Tunewear via iLounge]

CeBIT '06: Asus Leather Laptops

johnb — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 04:04:20 EST

While waiting around to get our hands on the Asus R2H we spotted these beauties. These were part of a leather-clad designer series of laptops and mice, which we've talked about before.

The mice aren't as practical as the laptops. Leather coated in palm sweat is going to smell worse than a Kansas feed yard after a rain-storm. At least the laptops looked nice. Very slick and very "luxury." Are we entering a new era in design where the guts of a laptop matter much less than the look and feel? Talk amongst yourselves.

Asus Leather Laptop

johnb — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 14:55:11 EST

Inclosia has been cladding all kinds of things in all kinds of things lately, from Disney phones clad in sexy Mickey cloth to this Asus laptop wrapped in leather. I've seen these in real life and they're very cool and very fashionable, and you know how important fashion is in terms of hardware performance.

It'll cost about $2400 and I can just see some fancy real-estate agent whipping this out, putting down her Gucci sunglasses, and bringing up grainy pictures of a $2,500 studio apartment in the East Village infested with roaches and a new breed of super-rat. Eat the rich, we say.

Asus Leather Laptops in Pink! [ShinyShiny]