Here's rather an interesting new product for cyclists. The makers of the HIOD One claim that it is the world's first sports communicator. It uses a Bluetooth-based system called PalTalk to provide an instant link with up to five other cyclists who can be up to 400 metres apart. It also works with mobile phone to enable the user to make and receive calls and stream music.

The device is compatible with voice activated phones, so you can simply bark your instructions to make and receive calls etc.

The HIOD One is designed to be attached to a bike's handlebar and sports a OLED display. There's also a control unit and earphones and microphone.

There's no details on price - if you are interested you need to email the manufacturers who are based in Sweden.

Although we may be experiencing an 'Indian summer' at the moment, the cold, dreary and dull days of winter aren't too far away.

If you can't afford bright and shiny new gadgets to lift your mood, try a set of colourful and affordable earbuds instead.

Here are five pairs that are guaranteed to add a pop of colour to that cold and rainy commute.

As some clever northern bard once said. 'There's more to life than watching cat videos on YouTube... but not much more.'

And if you agree with him you are about to set eyes on your ultimate Christmas present.

For UK based gadgeteers Thumbs Up have unveiled - wait for it - the Dancing Cat Speaker.

There are very few specs to give you. All you need know is that you plug your musical device into the speaker via the 3.5mm jack and watch your new feline friend boogie. See below.

You can buy one for £39.99 from Play.com very soon.

We've seen our fair share of iPhone and iPad cases here at Shiny Shiny, from the multifunctional to the crafty, the eco-friendly to the stylish, but there comes a time when we get a little sick of what something looks like and what fancy material it's made from. Instead we want a case that will REALLY protect our expensive gadgets, so no amount of throwing, stamping or water-related accidents will matter.

In recent months a number of brands have been launching cases that are real tough cookies, so in the event of a nuclear war there'll only be cockroaches and a whole army of safe, shiny Apple products left to re-populate the earth.

In order to stand out in an overcrowded sea of mobile accessories it's important to create something that protects phones, looks good AND can do more than one job.

Recently a number of accessories have caught our eye which aren't wallets and aren't cases, they're clever little hybrids that could well see us leaving those oversized handbags at home, waving goodbye to shoulder ache and streamlining our essentials - but we're not making any promises just yet.

Here's our pick of 5 wallet/case hybrids that could well deem our everyday bags redundant.

If you think you've seen all that the world of iPod docks has to offer? Think again; Jarre's AeroDream One takes Hi-Fi docks to a whole new level, with the emphasis on the "Hi" part. The docking port sits on top of an 11ft column, which necessitates the need for a fixed ladder on the side of the speaker to reach it.

It's also got enough punch to match its gigantic size, pushing out an ear-popping 10,000 W through its 5 channel amplifier.

The AeroDream One is very much a luxury item, and priced at € 399,000 (£349,873) is definitely a statement piece as much as it is a speaker system. As such, Jarre sees it just as at home in concert halls as the homes of the wealthy elite.

We have a chat with Jean-Michel in the video interview above, discussing his range of Apple product docks (which includes more affordable miniature versions of the AeroDream One among other designs), the state of the music industry and the inspiration behind his latest mad venture.

Vuzix is back with the latest version of its high-tech headgear.The new Wrap 1200 Video Eyewear connects to portable devices like phones to deliver a virtual 75" 16:9 widescreen display for 2D and 3D content which the maker claims is the largest ever for a device like this.

It works with video as well as gaming content and is compatible with the iPod Touch, iPod Nano, and all mobile phones with video out (iPhone, Android, Nokia, etc.)

Users can also adjust the headset to find the optimum comfort and viewing angle as well as position the displays to match the wearer's IPD (Interpupillary Distance or eye separation) allowing for optimum placement in front of each eye.

Other features include on-screen display controls (brightness, contrast, hue and colour saturation), independent left and right eye focal adjustment and both component and composite video connections for higher level video quality and compatibility with devices including, game consoles, media players, phones, DVD players and tablets.

The Wrap 1200 is also wearable over most prescription glasses, features an adjustable hypoallergenic nosepiece and detachable premium quality noise-isolating stereo earphones and is powered by two AA batteries these provide up to three hours of video playback. Alternatively users can purchase a rechargeable Wrap PowerPak+ for added battery life.

The headset is on sale now for £399.99/ €449.99

One of the saddest things in our society at the moment, and it has some pretty serious competition, is the way that large movie franchises are oblivious to the fact we are in the midst of austere times and continue to fleece parents. Buy anything for a small child that has appeared in a film and you can be sure you'll be coughing up quite a premium for the privilege.

Somehow though I thought that Harry Potter, with its environmentally-conscious actors and socially progressive writer, might be different. How wrong was I? In fact when it comes to massively overpricing toys from the film Harry is just wizard.

Exhibit A is this reasonably new Hermione Granger wand. It is the type of thing that the film's younger fans simply must have and I know this from painful personal experience. So a wand that's a bit of nicely moulded plastic with a light at the end in a presentation box that can't be too expensive right? £10-15 would be ok. £20, well those bulbs can be a tad pricey, but any more would be a bit of a ripoff. Well I can imagine that Dumbeldore is probably turning in his grave because the Hermione Granger wand currently retails in Hamleys for - get this - £36! It is cheaper online too, but not by much.

I honestly can't believe that the wand itself cost more than £1 to manufacture and, sure the box is quite attractive, but £36! Is that all going on profit for the manufacturers Noble (company strapline: Uncompromising Value)? Or is it because the film company Warner Brothers charges Noble ridiculous amounts to licence the product? We really need to know.

Ultimately I think this reflects very badly on JK Rowling. She seems like a lovely person and her Who Do You Think You Are? programme on TV the other night portrayed a sensitive intelligent and wonderfully warm woman. How she (and Emma Watson for that matter) can sanction this kind of rip-off (I'd like to think that have no idea this is going on) is beyond me.

Here in the UK we are still waiting for the arrival of 4G. That's mobile broadband so quick that it can outpace your home Internet connection. They have it in Russia, they have it in the US, but we are unlikely to get 4G or LTE as it is called until 2015.

Never mind though for mobile broadband networks are getting much faster in the UK without 4G. In fact the Three network is using a new technology called HSPA + which T-Mobile marks in the US as 4G. It isn't, but it does deliver very quick downloads.

Back to Three. Its has been quietly rolling out its HSPA + network for a while now and aims to have 80% of the UK on to the format by the end of the year. It is promising speeds of around 21Mbps - which is much faster than its rivals in the UK (who typically offer around 7Mbps) though still not as fast as 40+Mbps offered in the US by T-Mobile, that may come though.

It is now starting to offer the hardware to go with it too. It already has a HSPA +_ dongle and to that it has today announced a new Mi-Fi portbale wireless device the Huawei E586 MiFi.

The device offer secure Wi-Fi for iPads, laptops or handheld games consoles, an OLED screen displaying key information like the amount of data used, speed of the current connection and length of browsing time, and a new look dashboard for viewing SMS and changing settings.

David Kerrigan, head of mobile broadband at Three commented: "As the UK's biggest 3G mobile broadband network, we're delighted to introduce our high speed mobile Wi-Fi product. This joins our award winning HSPA+ dongles making us the only operator offering an entirely next generation HSPA+ enabled range of mobile broadband products. Aside from this step up in speed, the new cradle charger, which looks great, will help people get the best performance in the home."

It will be available in September, no details on price yet.

If you fancy giving your iPhone 4 more of a stitched DIY feel then why not get a case which lets you STITCH ON YOUR IPHONE.

Not into the glass of course... but into a soft silicon iPhone 4 case with stitchy holes in it. It's the cunning idea behind the X Stitch case from Korean brand Taylor on sale now on Mobile-Gear.

It's quite funky to have a case you can adapt according to your mood and cross-stitching ability. See the different patterns you can do with X Stitch. It comes with a needle and 4 colours of embroidery thread.

Mobile-Gear explain: "The body of the case is pretty standard, providing full back and side protection as well as button coverage and a fold out Dock Connector cover. Along the back is a 22 x 43 perforated surface used to guide you in creating a cross-stitched pattern; a thin layer of silicone is easy enough to puncture with the included needle, yet provides protection to the unstitched areas."

If you're dexterity-challenged like me - there's the altogether simpler iShoe case which lets you thread laces into the back of your iPhone case. I can do that easily, and the result is cute. It looks very Roller-Derby, and I understand that's in fashion with the kids.

£13.98 for the Taylor X Stitch case on Mobile-Gear
£11.98 for the iShoe case on Mobile Gear
Available in various colours - free UK and Europe postage

I don't know about you, but I am dying for a "cooling ball", so when an email landed in my inbox advertising just such a ball, I clicked through with joy.

Sadly, it's for laptops not for humans, so unless you too benefit from being raised slightly off the ground, it's not going to be much use.

However, I bet your laptop could use one, given that the UK is suffering one of the hottest weeks of the year. Mine sounds wheezier than Rupert Murdoch right now and the base is hotter than the office radiator has ever got in its tepid lifetime.

Many of us cool our laptops by putting them on books or discarded takeaway trays to raise them off the desk slightly. The cooling ball does the same thing, just a bit more securely. There's a smaller ball inside the first ball and they both split in half to make little stands.

Simples. Cooling.

The Cooling Ball from Brando is $8

With the iPad becoming more of a staple item in people's lives these days - I sure would like the third generation iPad that is rumoured to be announced in not too long - one dilemma us women will face is where and how to bring it with you. It's not big enough to warrant its own over-the-shoulder full-on laptop case, it's too small to keep in the pocket of your blazer, and while that designer bag fits it perfectly you have to be careful of keys scratching the screen.

Luckily, there are quite a few iPad covers available to keep your favourite gadget scratch and smudge free while still looking fashionable. So whatever you are after, I'm sure you'll find the iPad case that is just right...

We're always fond of slightly useless clocks here, so naturally we love this one, which replaces the conventional old two hands on a clockface with a small red ball.

There isa hand on the clock, but it's behind the face - nice hey. It has a magnet in it, which holds the magnetised ball in place as it swings round the face of the clock and traces the hour of the day. Sure you're not going to know exactly what time it is. Your guess will be give or take 10 minutes, but that's what your mobile phone is for eh?

This minimalist beauty can go on the kitchen wall.

For other great, ridiculous clocks and watches - see:
RoundTrip watch by TokyoFlash has us going crazy for its circles of colourful cells

The Contemporary Ball Clock is £24.95 from GenieGadgets.com

Putting your iPhone in one of your actual socks could be a kind of social suicide, but putting it in a catwalk-inspired tote sock looks like fun to me.

Trendz make socks for gadgets. Mostly iPhones but also laptops, iPods and MP3-players. They've just released some new ones for iPhone 4.

These cases are also upgrade-proof - unless Steve Jobs whips out a 15 inch screen on the iPhone 5, we imagine that the new iPhone will fit into these socks.

Apparently the designs reference catwalk trends, but it doesn't specify which ones. So we guess that those trends are (from left-right)
- hipster knits, a staple for the past five years
- royalty, you know, like Kate Middleton
- errr, we don't know what that heart sock is about. Maybe there's a catwalk trend for hearts. We are technology journalists, sometimes this fashion stuff passes us by..

TRENDZ socks are available in TopShop

Half watch, half breathalyzer. This concept from Japanese watchmakers TokyoFlash is one for the party-goers among us.

It's a standard LCD watch (well, standard for TokyoFlash anyway) with a port that reads your breath to test the blood alcohol level. Then it whizzes up the results into a display that shows the characteristics of your particular level of drunkness..

After drinking, touch the button to activate the Alcohol Test Function, blow into the port and await the result. Your blood alcohol content reading gives an indication of your level of sobriety. Handy for breathalyzing on the go and generally keeping a track of your alcohol intake..

If you'd like TokyoFlash to make this watch, vote for it at the bottom of this page.

We've seen watches that don't tell the time before (reference Tokyoflash) but not watches that actually stop time. However that seems to be the latest trend in a line of super luxe wrist-watches from Hublot Geneve.

Their Key of Time watch will "indicate your time, the way you want it". And that means letting you "stop time" for a precious few minutes. Making time stop is a fully-blown function on this watch - press a button and the hands freeze - allowing you to play singstar for 10 minutes longer, or engage in a clandestine love- making session or just space out a bit away from the pressures of chronology.

When you click a button, the hands whir back to the correct place. Hublot also throw in - some precision engineering, a trippy 3 dial face and expensive
All in all it will set you back $261,000 - a little out of the ShinyShiny budget.

We love their press release. It's pretty deep:

"With the advent of digital civilisation, the abundance of information has in a sense taken over from material abundance. In today's world with all these sources, not always legitimately ordered, we are faced with a constant barrage of information. We go from fascination to concern, from joy to disappointment or to sadness within a fraction of a second... In this limitless abundance, what is the ultimate intangible object, the one becoming ever scarcer? It is Time itself. Often defined as the true luxury of our age, time remains no less an abstraction: sometimes passing too quickly.... sometimes
never-ending....

"What if a watch, by means of its mechanics, gave you the ability to manage the passing of time as you wished? To really manage your own time?"

Lovely. Glad to hear there's a gadget for that.

We imagine this can be done a lot more cheaply and we look forward to someone stepping into the lower end of the time-stopping market.

[on Hublot, via Gizmodo]

It's here and it's so EXCITING! Ok so few of us have managed to actually get our hands on an iPad 2 yet, but that will change ... eventually.

The future of the iPad case and sleeve market was put into question when Apple included that nifty magnetic shield with the new tablet, but many will still want a little protective padding to avoid scratching the new beauty.

Here's ten sleeves that fit the bill not just to protect the hardware, but these sleeves are also pretty neat in the sense they don't look like they have been made by sports gear manufacturers. We have genuine wool, leather and pretty colours - nothing's too fancy for the best toy of the year.

Emma Kenny from Hull was the lucky winner of our competition for a TokyoFlash Kisai Console watch - a entrancingly weird emerald and matte black steel creation in the fine tradition of TokyoFlash. Based on the design of a old-style games console it doesn't tell the time in a obvious way, but will let you work it out if you sit down and look at it long enough.

Emma correctly answered the question: Which TokyoFlash watch is named after the Japanese word for two? Answer: The Ni

Thanks Emma, The Kisai Console watch should be winging its way towards you soon. Make sure you don't lose the instruction manual though, these things are hard to tell the time on.

Everyone else: TokyoFlash emailled us yesterday to say that the proceeds from any watches bought before tomorrow will go to Japanese earthquake relief - see more here. If you want to help and get a great timepiece in the bargain, now's the time to buy one.

Look out for more competitions in future - we're likely to be working with TokyoFlash again.

[visit Tokyoflash]

Donate to the Japanese relief fund and get yourself a kooky watch at the same time - TokyoFlash the Japanese watch-makers are donating the proceeds from all watches sold in the next two days to the Japanese Red Cross.

Until 5pm 24th March (Japanese time) any money you spend on the site tokyoflash.com will go directly to Japanese charities. Including the shipping costs.

Time to get one of those beautiful weird TokyoFlash timepieces and make a difference to the people affected by the disaster in north Japan.

Bag Of Tricks (The Trip) from Travelteq on Vimeo.

Bored with the simple idea of suitcases which only help you carry stuff around, TravelTeq have reinvented the whole thing by creating a suitcase that plays music and can turn into a chair.

Since we have a history of covering weird suitcases on here, we thought it was only appropriate to explain further...

TravelTeq do nice but pricey luggage and their Trip range is their sci-fi line - in black nylon and aluminium. They sound like they've built in some serious sound-ware in there- it can play your iPod or MP3 player for 8 hours... and has some serious bass, apparently.

The sound system was also designed to function as a docking station, to charge small electronic devices such as your phone or mp3 player. It can even give your laptop a short power boost!

The chair bit is a little simpler - it's has a kickback stand and you lean back on handle and hey presto - you're sitting on your suitcase. So you might have been doing that anyway, but its supposed to happen to this suitcase.

It is very expensive though - 750 euros, which in this economic climate is a staggering 651 GBP. Yes, pretty much the cost of the holiday itself. It all depends how much you want your suitcase to play tunes from your iPod.

TravelTeq Trip Sound suitcase is 750 euros from TravelTeq.com