Articles tagged with "Women"
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GPS platform shoes feature hidden safety compartments
August 23, 2007 These shoes are certainly not going to compete with the likes of Jimmy Choo or Manolo Blahnik in the fashion stakes, but could they be a safety boost for women? With an inbuilt GPS, an audible alarm system and storage for your valuables the Platform 001 sandals could definitely be beneficial in protecting against muggings or to locate ladies in the case of emergency. (read more...)
The Electrolux condenser tumble dryer uses steam to make ironing easier and saves on dry cleaning bills
May 17, 2007 One of the most universally despised chores, ironing is a killer-app opportunity. With this in mind, household appliance innovator Electrolux has introduced a new type of condenser tumble dryer that cleverly uses steam to make the job of ironing easier. Iron Aid is a unique technological innovation, with special steam cycles that will reduce, or even eliminate, the need to iron, saving the hassle and time associated with this chore. The design uses steam to reduce and remove wrinkles and creases, to deliver ready-to-wear clothes. Up to five wrinkle free shirts can be produced in just 20 minutes and the Iron Aid can refresh and de-odorise even “dry clean only” garments and will refresh a silk or wool suit in 20 minutes. The product was released in Europe earlier this year, achieving its projected annual sales figures for 2007 by the end of March. Like we said, ironing is a killer-app opportunity, and this product appears to be a contender. (read more...)
The 1955 Dodge La Femme
May 8, 2007 It’s the earliest example of automotive marketing to women we have seen (correspondence here please) – it’s the 1955 Dodge La Femme complete with a Sapphire White and Heather Rose color scheme. Half a century later, women buy half of all new cars, yet it was a very bold and ultimately unsuccessful (only 2500 were made) marketing initiative aimed at was thought to be a promising new niche market. The La Femme was basically a Dodge Custom Royal Lancer with a feminine paint palette and a special gold “La Femme” script on the fenders. The vehicle’s interior was graced with special tapestry upholstery bearing pink rosebuds on a pale pink background and pale pink vinyl trim. A rectangular purse matching the car’s interior was a standard La Femme feature, stowed in a special compartment built into the back of the passenger seat. Each purse came complete with matching compact lipstick and cigarette cases, a lighter and purse. Also standard was a raincoat, rain bonnet and umbrella in the rosebud pattern that was stored in a compartment behind the driver’s seat. Hey, this would sell in droves today!! (read more...)
Women, Not Men, Are Primary Electronics Consumers
March 6, 2007 From politics to technology, women have played a vital role in shaping today’s society. Some of these achievements and other various tidbits are being highlighted during International Women’s Day on March 8. In regards to the technology spectrum, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reports that women are the primary consumers when it comes to wireless gadgets and gizmos. According to CEA officials, women are outspending men in electronics purchases US$55 billion to US$41 billion. The trade organization also reports that women influence 90 percent of consumer electronics purchases which amounts to a lot of money when factory-to-dealer sales of consumer electronics are projected to exceed US$155 billion in 2007. (read more...)
The Little White Purse by Saab
February 20, 2007 Targeted promotional opportunities for premium brands often makes for some strange bedfellows, and resulted this week in premium aerospace and automotive brand Saab releasing ‘The Little White Purse.’ Created by Fashion designer Osman Yousefzada, the purse was designed as an innovative way to keep a woman’s keys stylishly at hand. It banishes those clumsy key-fumbling moments so you look fashionably efficient while stepping into your car, home or workplace. According to Saab, on average a woman wastes one day each year fumbling around for keys in the bottom of her handbag, which does seem a lamentable waste of time. The clever design means the purse can be worn as a necklace, attached inside a handbag, or around a wrist where it could no doubt double as a weapon should the need arise. (read more...)
Ohmibod - the first iPod acsexory
November 20, 2006 Sexuality is common to us all. Like music, it is a universal language that can overcome all barriers, so, maybe they can be combined? . Developed using a team of 500 beta testers, the Ohmibod is a music-powered vibrator that translates tunes from any MP3 player (actually any audio source so iRiver, Creative, Zune etc will all work too) into vibrations. Offered as an “acsexory” aimed squarely at the world’s largest selling personal entertainment device (the Apple iPod), the aim of the slick marketing exercise is to make vibrators socially acceptable. The timing couldn’t be better as personal entertainment devices are selling at more than 50 million units a year, roughly half of them to women, so the world’s first audio player acsexory might be a killer app in the making. There’s an online Club Vibe (which users can join anonymously), centred on enhancing the OhMiBod experience, and sharing OhMiBod Playlists and experiences. Now we haven’t tried it, but those that have are being very complimentary on the Ohmibod blog Ohmiblog, writing things like, “I’ll never listen to the Black Eyed Peas in the same way again”, and “the perfect travelling companion.” Considering the various forces at play in reaching the desired result, we’d suggest that rather than using music designed with other things in mind, there’s also the prospect of a whole new genre of music designed to create the sustained frequencies and rhythms for a successful outcome. Though OhMiBod is not endorsed by Apple, OhMiBod’s creator, Suki, previously worked in product marketing for the company and it shows. “The idea of approachability was carried through the entire development and design of OhMiBod - its name, packaging and website,” says Suki, whose goal is for women to feel as comfortable buying an OhMiBod as they do buying an iPod. (read more...)
Optoacoustic Technology for Early Cancer Detection
November 8, 2006 A new and very promising Laser-Ultrasound-Nanotechnology combination that detects malignant breast tumors one-fifth the size found with conventional technology has attracted U.S. Federal funding totalling US$3.8 million. The new federal funding will support Phase II research into breast and prostate cancer detection using laser optoacoustic imaging technology developed by Fairway Medical Technologies. (read more...)
First Bionic Arm fitted to a female patient
September 15, 2006 The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), demonstrated its remarkable engineering and rehabilitation science know-how earlier this week by introducing Claudia Mitchell, the first woman to be successfully fitted with RIC’s Bionic Arm technology. The most advanced prosthesis of its kind, the RIC neuro-controlled Bionic Arm allows an amputee to move his or her prosthetic arm as if it is a real limb simply by thinking. The arm also empowers patients with more natural movement, greater range of motion and restores lost function. Using key learnings from the first successful Bionic Arm recipient, former power lineman and double amputee from Tennessee, Jesse Sullivan, RIC’s Bionic Arm initiative leader Dr. Kuiken and his team also have made significant advancements in the area of sensory feedback so that the patient can actually feel if they are touching hot or cold objects. We have excellent pictures and copies of Dr. Kuiken’s presentation to the media available in the image gallery. That's Claudia at top right in the main pic, the bionic arm bottom right, the nerve ending connections at top left and Dr. Kuiken and the first Bionic Man, Jesse Sullivan at bottom left. (read more...)
First private female spaceflight participant set to launch to the International Space Station
August 30, 2006 Thirty-nine year old Iranian-born entrepreneur and Ansari X-Prize title sponsor, Anousheh Ansari, has been officially named to the Soyuz TMA-9 primary crew and will become the first private female spaceflight participant. Following in the footsteps of the three previous Space Adventures private cosmonauts, Ansari will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 14 en route to the International Space Station (ISS) along with the Expedition 14 crew members: NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin. Mrs. Ansari began her cosmonaut training earlier this year in preparation for a future orbital spaceflight with Space Adventures but with a Russian Medical Board deeming Japanese businessman Daisuke Dice-K Enemoto unfit for space flight, Ansari will become the first private female astronaut, two days after her fortieth birthday and achieve an ambition she has harboured since childhood. In her quest to fly in space, Ansari kickstarted the private spaceflight industry by creating the US$10m X-Prize competition, which was awarded in 2004 to Bert Rutan. “By reaching this dream I’ve had since childhood, I hope to tangibly demonstrate to young people all over the world that there is no limit to what they can accomplish,” said Anousheh Ansari, chairman and co-founder of Prodea Systems. Prodeo is Ansari’s latest venture, focussing on digital home technology. Go Girl !!!! Excellent image library. (read more...)
OSIM releases US$600 horseback riding exercise machine
August 15, 2006 Singapore’s Osim is in the business of making a range of high quality exercise and health related machinery and it certainly didn’t take the company long to come out with a rival for the Panasonic Joba which has been under development for several years and captivated Gizmag's female readers when we first wrote about it in early 2005 because it’s a perfect machine for maintaining a trim figure. The OSIM iGallop appears to work in exactly the same way as the Joba, working on the body’s core to shape and tone the tummy, hips, seat and thighs. It’s a zero impact exercise machine, and works the body by requiring multidirectional movements to maintain balance, with this constant balancing engaging certain muscle groups, and helping to improve balance, coordination and posture. The new iGallop starts shipping today at Brookstone, and the really good news is that it comes in at US$600, waaay less than Panasonic’s US$2000. (read more...)
The bikini that tells you when it’s time to turn over
July 29, 2006 The modern two-piece swimsuit or bikini was invented circa 1945 in Paris, and was subsequently named after Bikini Atoll in the Pacific where the French were testing nuclear weapons. It took another decade or more for the swimsuit to move into regular usage though, with most recognising sex siren Brigitte Bardot’s appearance in the movie “And God created Woman” as the catalyst which saw it accepted into modern culture. Apart from getting significantly smaller, the bikini hasn’t evolved much in its 60 year reign of popularity, selling more than 30 million units a year in the United States and presumably hundreds of millions across the planet. Now a new simple function offered by Solestrum is pointing the way for the future of useful wearable technology – despite some untrue claims elsewhere in the media, the US$140 bikini offers the wearer real time UV readings on a belt-mounted read-out. The belt is the entire unit, and is made from a smart fabric that detects UV and transmits to the display. Next month, Solestrom will release a new version of the suit, which emits a beep at the UV level programmed by the user. (read more...)
Instant Man in Your Glove Box
July 27, 2006 It’s a sad fact but despite thousands of years of civilization, it just takes a bit of frustration on the roads and otherwise law abiding citizens can get very ugly and threatening. A poll in the UK shows that nearly one in three female motorists admit to having been the victim of road rage or intimidation when travelling alone, which is why new UK car insurance company Sheilas' Wheels is offering a new device that aims to make women feel safer when driving alone after dark. 'Buddy on Demand' is a blow up man that inflates at the flick of a switch if and when a passenger is needed. It is designed to help women deter road-rage attacks, car jacking and intimidating behaviour by other motorists - especially at night - by giving the appearance of two silhouettes in the front of the car, instead of a single, female figure behind the wheel. The 'Buddy on Demand' was designed and created by Inflate, builders of the Office in a bucket and a range of other remarkable inflatable structures. (read more...)
Women dominate mobile phone gaming
June 30, 2006 As personal computer and mobile telephones have become ubiquitous, there have been few surprises in the way the cookies have crumbled, but one that seems to fly completely in the face of logic is the attraction that the female gender has for computer games. Women represent 59% of all U.S. consumers who play games on a mobile phone and these findings concur with the overall demographic makeup of Internet gamers, where women are the majority due to their penchant for online trivia and card games. Men, on the other hand, hold the majority among gamers who play intense action and role-playing games, and there is not a comparable group of male users in the mobile gaming space. A new research study entitled "Electronic Gaming in the Digital Home" concludes that women are the foundation of the gaming market, and the industry needs to cater to their preferences. John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates believes, "Women generally spend little on gaming even though they like to play games … the industry just needs to find a game they are will to pay for." (read more...)
Electric Cinderella Shoes with built-in stun gun
May 10, 2006 The Electric Cinderella shoes idea began as part of Simona Brusa Pasque's thesis at the Interaction Design Institute in 2002 and was inspired by a beautiful woman who Simona interviewed for her thesis who wanted to be able to “intimidate her intimidators.” She wanted to be empowered without losing her femininity, to have the freedom to be sexy without fear. The shoes certainly achieve that, offering 100,000 volts of high fashion stun gun power which can be activated by a control on the matching necklace. The weapon is hidden and when the wearer taps on the matching necklace an electric spark is displayed in the transparent tip, warning the would-be assailant to back off. The weapon is designed for a one time use, in case of emergency, by breaking the tip of the shoe. The shoes have now evolved through several prototypes with earlier versions exhibited at SIGGRAPH 2005 in Los Angeles, at Nemo Museum, Amsterdam, and at Pica Museum in Perth, Australia with the latest incarnation getting its debut outing at the recent CTIA Wireless Fashion Show in Las Vegas. “I believe this type of capability is a dream of many women and it is my intention to bring it to market,” Simona told Gizmag. Simona is seeking "the right business partners." Excellent images! (read more...)
The new Blancpain Women Collection
April 14, 2006 Ever since 1930, Blancpain has been firmly convinced that women are well able to appreciate the know-how and the magic of mechanical horology. The Blancpain tradition of feminine Haute Horlogerie timepieces is thus no recent development, but instead boasts a rich and diverse history. Over the past 75 years, Blancpain’s numerous achievements in this field have included the first ladies’ self-winding wristwatch, the smallest round movement and more recently the world’s thinnest perpetual calendar. From an initial role as a purely functional object, the wristwatch has become a piece of jewellery or an accessory accompanying a particular clothing style. This graceful transformation has proved fundamental to contemporary watchmaking. While the Blancpain ladies’ models created in the past can lay claim to many world firsts, Blancpain has never dedicated an entire collection to women. Accordingly, and for the very first time and coinciding with the arrival of spring, Blancpain is revealing how it has imagined and developed its approach to feminine mechanical timepieces. Far from being mere reductions or adaptations of existing men’s watches, the three first models making up this collection were specifically developed to meet the expectations and desires of contemporary women. The hours of the BLANCPAIN WOMEN collection are exclusively feminine. Remaining steadfastly faithful to its roots in the Vallee de Joux, Blancpain has endowed each of its women’s watches with a meticulously hand-finished and decorated mechanical self-winding movement. Nonetheless, the Manufacture is now exploring an entirely new path by creating a collection that is completely innovative in terms of its aesthetics. (read more...)
Bluetooth headsets for Women
April 5, 2006 It may be a ridiculous over generalization but women are different to men. They like things different and they like different things and they make up half of the consumer market give or take a percentage point or three. We thought it was silly that it had taken a quarter century for the world to deliver a left-handed mouse for the 16% of mollydookers in the world, but when we saw BluePearls had announced a small, elegant Bluetooth headset aimed at women, it suddenly seemed obvious that not everyone wanted to dress up like R2D2. The headsets have interchangeable colour panels and are claimed to be the smallest and lightest on the market at just 7.9 grams. (read more...)
iBuzz: Feel the Music in a Whole New Way!
March 29, 2006 Firstly, let us be clear - this is not a premature April Fools Day joke. As Apple Computer celebrates its 30th birthday, we are reminded yet again that technology continues to touch us in the most amazing ways. First the iPod revolutionized the way we hear music. Now the iBuzz is attempting to change the way we feel music. We’ve written about a number of MP3 players using bone conduction (here and here and here and here), we’ve seen an iPod docking keyboard, an iPod docking baby stroller, the iDog, the iPod compatible wallet, the iPod compatible bed, the iPod docking iChair speaker system (very cool actually), the iPod TuneBuckle for your belt, not to mention dozens of ipod compatible cars. But even the iLounge Toilet Paper Dispenser with iPod Dock could not prepare you for this – the weirdest iPod accessory we’ve ever seen – by a country mile! (read more...)
Sports bra monitors heart rate with built-in heart monitor
December 23, 2005 We’ve written a lot about heart monitoring and the advances in monitoring technologies over the last few years, reporting on Adidas’ Project Fusion, the BodyBugg, Garmin’s system for cyclists, Dual Sports combined heart rate monitor and MP3 player and Polar’s RS200sd Running Computer. With the exception of the first two, all of these monitors require the wearing of a chest strap and while this is sometimes difficult and uncomfortable enough for men, it creates much more of a problem for women. Now there’s an answer from heaven - a heart sensing sports bra. (read more...)
The Whiz - like the P-Mate, only reusable
September 22, 2005 We’ve written about the P-mate disposable device that enables women to urinate standing up several times and each time it has been deluged with traffic so this product, the Whiz, is likely to be be just as popular and interesting. It’s effectively the same thing as the P-mate except that instead of being a disposable paper-based device it’s reusable and made of an elastomer thermoplastic that is flexible and soft. This enables you to scrunch or roll it up to put it in a bag or purse, then it springs back to shape once you want to use it. The plastic used contains an anti-bacterial additive - similar to chopping boards - that means that it always stays clean and hygienic. This makes it great for women who travel, especially in the third world where squat toilets can be a problem and a pack of 6 disposable items doesn't last long. It's also great for women who love the outdoors and don't want to throw out a paper p-mate in the bush. (read more...)
The P-Mate enables women to urinate upright
The P-Mate is disposable paper device which enables women to urinate easily while standing up. It is in common usage in Europe since launching four years ago and is marketed as a convenient, hygienic, portable, leak proof, discreet, no-brain solution to the bad sanitary and problematic circumstances which continually confront women, particularly at mass gatherings. The P-Mate has become an entrepreneurial success story in Holland where Moon Zijp conceived the P-Mate while traveling in Indonesia, designed it at the Academy of Arts in Amsterdam and commercialised it to national and global acclaim as a clever solution to the long queues and dirty toilet seats with which women are so often confronted with in daily life. That’s Moon demonstrating her invention on Dutch National television, one of many performances which caused a lot of gaiety and attention during the P-Mate’s launch period. (read more...)
TAG Heuer’s “Diamond Fiction” watch bracelet
June 27, 2005 TAG Heuer’s latest creation, the Diamond Fiction watch bracelet was recently shown for the first time by the elite brand’s latest Ambassador, Hollywood star Uma Therman. With TAG Heuer’s 2005/2006 Year of Diamonds theme, a stunning ladies watches collection was shown but the Diamond Fiction stole the show. It looks like a bracelet of red satin positively dripping with Top Wesselton diamonds (879 to be exact) but when you press a button on the side, some of the diamonds change colour to red offering the time in a digital display. Only three single and exclusive timepieces will be created at the TAG Heuer workshop at the Chaux-de-Fonds with a value of EU100 000 euro each. (read more...)
Mobile Phone Thigh Holster
UPDATED - NEW IMAGES & INFO - June 15, 2005 Now this is a clever idea. The Tsaya is a thigh cell phone holster for women but the really clever idea is the menage-a- trois viral-marketing scheme. Firstly, don’t get excited – the menage-a- trois is just a sexy name for tell-a-friend scheme where they get a US$10 discount, making the Tsaya US$69.99 and you get a US$10 referral fee. The sales pitch? It’s in “delectable black patent leather” so it will be “smooth against your clothes”, fits any mobile phone, has a separate pocket for your credit card and cash so you can travel sleek without a handbag, and you can wear it concealed or show it off with a short dress. (read more...)
Baby Sling Affords Hands-Free Carrying for Baby
April 14, 2005 Fashion meets function for moms sporting the new Peanut Shell baby sling, a "back-to-nurture" product that carries baby in style while mom's hands remain free. The Peanut Shell is the first product from Goo-Ga, a Mountain View, California-based company founded by full-time mom Alicia Shaffer. The Peanut Shell sling is a pouch-style baby sling. It is designed to be worn over one shoulder with the opposite side resting on the hip. The Peanut Shell sling is also ideal for discreet nursing. Mrs. Shaffer's eight-month-old son provided the inspiration to form Goo- Ga. "My background is in medical sales where I was the top representative for the company. I loved my job but really wanted to be with my son full-time so I put my efforts into launching my own business," she stated. (read more...)
Anna Sui Mobile By Samsung: The Mobile Phone Fashion Accessory
February 23, 2005 When a leading designer, a mobile phone manufacturer and a fashion icon magazine get together to collaborate on the release of a mobile phone, it's worth taking notice - clearly the world of ubiquitous communications melding with fashin accessories is beginning to go mainstream. Such was the case yesterday when Samsung, cutting-edge designer Anna Sui and VOGUE magazine issued a joint announcement concerning a new upmarket mobile phone for women. (read more...)
Electronics and Fashion Merge as vendors begin to address the women's market
LAS VEGAS January 8, 2005 As computers become ubiquitous in society over the coming decade we will see many changes as new markets are addressed. The male-female digital divide has long since disappeared - two thirds of all home computer purchases in the United States are now made by women. The female market has different feature priorities when purchasing electronics, demanding aesthetics, durability and functionality and one of the most encouraging things we saw at CES was the product of a partnership between digital lifestyle product manufacturer X2, and mobile lifestyle carry case manufacturer Mobile Edge. The two have formed a strategic partnership to create an ensemble of computer electronics with coordinating, high-fashion carrying cases designed especially for women. The first products resulting from this collaboration will be a colour-coordinated pastel line of notebook PCs and digital devices with matching chic, tech-smart carrying cases. (read more...)
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