"Hip Office" really isn't

If this concept ever becomes a reality, it should come with a public-service warning along the lines of those gambling-addiction 800 numbers posted at casino ATMs. Because anyone who considers getting one must have a severe workaholism problem, not to mention a dire need for fashion intervention.

German designer Henning Kunow touts the "Hip Office" (get it?) as an ergonomic way to do work on a laptop, attaching it to a fiberglass belt around your waist. Judging by the photos on OhGizmo, it can even allow you to blissfully tap away while sitting, standing, or even walking.

Still, we have a hard time viewing it as a device that promotes a healthy workplace. In addition to its dubious weight distribution, there are much more immediate concerns--such as knocking stuff over while turning around, or perhaps walking into the occasional wall.

Via Crave CNET

Earphones rattle the bones, even out of water

When we first saw a photo of someone wearing these Vibe Body Sound earphones by Outi, we thought they'd been put on backward. So we didn't stare or say anything for fear of humiliating the poor sap, just as mom always taught us.

Then it turns out that it was the right way to wear them after all, because they use that body-conduction technology we keep hearing about. This pair clips to the skin and cartilage of the outer ear just above the lobe and sends the sound vibrating through the skull, according to Coolest-Gadgets.

We've seen other headgear based on the same principle, but usually the in-ear variety is reserved for underwater use. Either way, it's enough to give us a massive headache just thinking about it.

Via Crave CNET

Make your feet useful in Guitar Hero

You can never get too serious with Guitar Hero, unless your boss is a stodgy old fellow who doesn't believe a happy worker is one who works well, which makes this foot pedal the perfect complement for your PlayStation 2 title. The wireless pedal requires four AA-size batteries to work and it relieves the demanding task of raising your guitar to activate Star Power or control the Whammy bar by transferring the actions to your otherwise useless feet. It works with any PS2 guitar, but according to a reviewer who has tried it, if the pedal is not connected properly, the Whammy function wouldn't work, not even on your guitar. Still, he gave a four out of five rating, which pretty much confirmed our suspicions that any obsessive GH player should get one of these.

Via Joystiq | Get it from Best Buy

A desktop keyboard for mouse-haters

No, this isn't a picture of a laptop busted in two, though we've certainly had occasion to take such photos in the past due to either clumsiness or blue-screen rage. This is actually a wireless keyboard from Japan's Sanwa that has a touchpad like the one on your laptop, seen on Akihabara News.

Why? We have no idea, other than to cater to those folks who just hate using a mouse for some reason. (Samsung has apparently identified that niche as well.) Sanwa also makes a corded version, if you're really particular about keyboards. Personally, we'd rather see that space used for a touchscreen or something else more useful. Besides, if we did away with the mouse, how would we get a massage?

Via Crave CNET

HDMI-enabled GE camera to get built-in GPS

Surprise, surprise. Competition is revving up from an unexpected corner. General Electric, not a name immediately known for digital cameras in Asia, is about to give the big boys in the compact camera marketplace a run for their money. Yes, the GE E1050 comes with an onboard HDMI port for direct connection to the TV, and not through an external adapter or cradle. And yes, it will also come with onboard GPS, which will allow the camera to geotag images directly without attaching a GPS logger module.

In addition, the 10-megapixel snapper also packs 720p HD movie capture, a generous 3-inch touchscreen display, as well as a 28mm wide-angle lens with 5x optical zoom. Not to mention the various onboard technologies at work, such as an image stabilizer and face/smile/blink detection.

The E1050 is expected to be on sale in the US from May at around US$250. According to the GE staff at the PMA 2008 booth whom I spoke to, the GPS-enabled unit will be available only from September. Unfortunately, being a US- and Europe-centric booth, there wasn't much information to glean on an Asian availability.

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