Being a geek can be difficult. After all, once upon a time, the lowly nerd was an outcast with ill-fitting clothes, oily hair and a complexion that blushed at the mere sight of a girl (or boy; nerdy girls need love, too, I know). But thanks to Apple and its domination of all that is cool — geeks the world over have been outed.
Moving into the mainstream means we need to look good without diminishing our geek cachet.
And nothing quite catches the eye of a fellow geekling more than a little bling on the wrist that is also cutting edge tech. Scott Wilson, the designer at LunaTik.com, brings pure style, comfort and functionality to one of the funnest, fashionable and nerdiest watches on the market.
By sliding a new Apple Nano (8GB, $159; 16GB, $189) into the aerospace-grade aluminum conversion kit of the LunaTik ($79.95 US; lunatik.com), you have an instant conversation piece that is surprisingly as comfortable as it is durable.
Personally, I love the way it looks: aluminum, stainless steel and highgrade silicone rubber. The Nano has two watch faces — white or black — to choose from, and I wish Apple would show us a little geek love by allowing us to download more choices.
My Cupertino spies are reporting that Apple has a few surprises up its sleeve for the next model of the Nano, but if Steve Jobs is listening, I would love to see the addition of stereo Bluetooth. After all, one day this watch could be our new iPhone, too.
Another fashion accessory that I’ve come to love is my BookBook ($69.99 US; www.twelvesouth.com) for iPad that instantly turns a book nerd into a gadget geek with the slide of a zipper.
Made to look like a vintage flea-market find, BookBook is a handmade one-of-a-kind, hardback leather case that doubles as a fully adjustable stand. The hardback cover and spine provide impact protection, while the hard protective inner frame offers crush protection. Plus hand distressed covers mean no two are exactly alike. It’s available in classic black and vibrant red.
And for those who want to use their iPad as a media/music centre, the perfect stand is Altec Lansing’s new Octiv Stage ($149.95 US; www.alteclansing.com). With the ability to rotate 90-degrees, the Octiv Stage delivers big sound and a charging dock in one. Simply slide your iPad into the cradle and then control everything with the included remote control. It couldn’t be easier to rock out in the kitchen while surfing recipes. M