
Each week, Ariel Waldman serves a tasting of the latest in sex and tech.
shePhone Shells Out Condoms, Receives Criticism
Wanting to cash in on some of the blog buzz around the iPhone, Marie Claire magazine called on fellow geek girl Mia Kim of Popgadget to help in the design of a female-focused "smart"phone. The end result was a condom/pill dispensing, wine opening, private pleasuring, jealousy-promoting phone. In addition to the fear of accidentally corkscrewing yourself when you're trying to, well, screw yourself, the shePhone definitely flaunts its flaws. Gadgets that promote safe sex should be applauded, but with other features that include "portable tanning laser" (not health conscious), "cell-phone signal jammer" (illegal), and "voice analyzer - is your BF where he says he is?" (promoting jealousy/drama/lack of communication), we can see why women are getting offended. Mia speaks up in Wired's comments, explaining that she had little to do with the final product:
It's funny, because I started Popgadget to combat the whole image of women only using gadgets so we could stick them in our cleavage, but the sexist marketing imagery is so pervasive that people still think "women+tech = sex toy".
Armani Phone Defines Style With Safety
Recently, Armani launched a phone that received quite a few reviews. Amongst the stylish features, one stood out for female safety (although, it could easily apply to any gender). The functionality of the phone includes a rape alarm, that can instantly alert five close contacts after a few presses of a button. The text alert tells contacts to try calling you, the police, and triggers the built-in GPS to locate you. Armani plans a European release in November.
Spy Ear Eavesdrops For Nosy Nerds
Possibly created for jealous geek girls and guys, a gadget helps significant others be technologically sneaky. The Spy Ear is a device that allows you to eavesdrop on nearby conversations. By simply inserting your SIM card and calling from a different phone, you can turn from an interweb into an IRL troll! The gizmo operates off of GSM to provide coverage for office creeps and covert crazies.
Comments
naulite
Kingman, AZ
June 2005
OCT 02, 2007 07:37 AM
ardour
Ottawa, ON
March 2006
OCT 02, 2007 09:00 AM
RileyStClair
Los Angeles, CA
September 2006
OCT 02, 2007 09:16 AM
Veloxmortis
USA
February 2006
OCT 02, 2007 09:55 AM
Iseult
United Kingdom
September 2005
OCT 03, 2007 05:51 AM