When my friends are at the most happening parties in town, I am home doing my due diligence as a chic geek–experiencing technology at its finest by exploring the industry’s most surprising gadget. The sewing machine. Yes, you read right. The sewing machine. I sew, embroider, hem, pintuck, couch, ruffle and dabble in quilting and I am far from retirement. After attending a few sewing classes, I saw quickly that I am not a lone wolf for my generation.

My mother — an avid sewing IT professional, which also makes her far from the stereotypical sewer — bought me a Bernina on my 24^th birthday.  With no disrespect to the incredible embroidery my grandmother did or all of the Halloween costumes my mother made for me, it felt like a gift for the elderly. In response to my surprise, my mother told me something that could not have been more spot on –the technology in these machines is exciting and makes sewing so easy and addictive, that I would fall in love with sewing. She was right.

So what has the sewing industry done to make this old world hobby have new world appeal? Pack in serious technology. The same kind of technology we want in our PCs. Let’s take the new Bernina 830 for example, as it is the first thing I will buy if I win the lotto.

The high-res 7″ touch screen has brilliant colors and large icons for navigation. You can even drag and drop stitches to put them in sewing order. If the power goes out while you’re embroidering, the patented “Module with Brains” knows how and where to pick up so you don’t lose a stitch or ruin your design. The software is Microsoft Window’s based and comes with many embroidery designs to choose from, including word art. And if you don’t like the choices that come with the machine, have no fear. Just start up your Dell and create your own, through the Art Design software.

Talk about personalization! With these PC dream features, Bernina and others have brought sewing up to state-of-art technology and arguably a little beyond.  And now on to my obsession with fabric, as seen by my closet full of bolts. Has fabric caught up to technology, too? Stay tuned later this week for a post by Jennifer.

I still remember the conversation with my husband the day we drove home with our new Wii: “I am soooo going to kick your butt. Just try to beat me. You might as well surrender now.”  A ridiculously competitive couple we surely are, having both played NCAA D1 sports in college,

Wii Sports has become a good channel for our need to beat each other to a pulp. But the smack talking went to waste that night. We were Mii’ed! I created his. He created mine. We  then created them for family members. And given all of the Web sites out there to download Mii’s, we were clearly not alone.

So what’s behind the fascination of creating graphical representations of ourselves? Maybe it’s a way for our alter ego to shine through or a chance for us to show a more idealistic image of ourselves. Maybe it’s because it’s just plain fun. Whatever the reason, they’re becoming popular outside the traditional walls of gaming and creaping into the realm of the Chic Geek. Here’s a couple girly usages of avatars that are quite clever.

Pose Prints, a cool find by Popgadet, allows you to create avatars to place in invitations for weddings, graduations or whatever the occasion. I wouldn’t dare put an actual photo of myself on my own personal stationary, but an avatar of me? Now, we’re talking! For fun I even created one of my very own:

Not too bad and I do love the scarf!

Another photo-avatar I am jazzed about will be available in late November for the Chic Geeks of Japan and then hopefully the rest of the world. As reported by Trend Hunter, Nintendo will be releasing “Project Beauty,” a game developed by Sega in collaboration with cosmetics company Shiseido. Ladies will be able to scan in their photo and apply makeup to it or their avatar based on elements, like atmosphere (i.e. work, play, dating).

There are also instructions on how to apply the makeup, once you lock on that special look you are shooting for. For only 6,090 yen (about $55 USD), I will be jumping at the chance to buy this when it hits U.S. shelves. What a fun and engaging way to use an avatar and your photo to define your beauty. I’m not sure if I am more excited about applying the makeup to my photo or creating another avatar and seeing how the makeup looks on it. Regardless, I know this one is going to lead to some good times with my friends and may even reign over Wii Sports in my house. Well, maybe not that far. Attempting to beat my husband in any of the Wii Sports Games will always take precedence!

How have avatars crept into your world? Do you enjoy making them of yourself as much as I have? Looking forward to your thoughts and comments.

Is this the line for Space Mountain at Disney World or could it be holiday shoppers crazed for the Tickle Me Elmo?

Neither. It’s a line for airport security. Ugh! With the world taking security much more seriously, you’ve probably experienced the line, the frustration and maybe a missed flight or two. But what’s most frustrating is all of the bins you have to put your stuff into for scanning.

One bin for your coat. One bin for your shoes. One bin for your laptop, and yet another for your laptop bag. Everyone’s eyes seem focused on you while you take out your laptop, fumble to get it into the bin — all the while knowing that people are wishing you’d move just a little faster. I won’t even go into the limited places available to put the laptop back into the bag, after you make it through security. Same people, same eyes glaring upon you to move just a little faster.

Seeing this frustration and the need for a solution, two laptop bag retailers will be selling TSA-approved laptop bags. This means no more taking the laptop out of the bag at the airport! You will be able to put your whole bag, laptop inside, through the scanner. Woo hoo! What a win for travelers everywhere.

First announced was Skooba’s Checkthrough, shared by Engadget’s Nilay Patel.  Here’s a pre-production photo:

Shortly after, Darren Murph of Engadget shared that Mobile Edge announced its line of TSA-approved laptop bags, “ScanFast,” with three choices to fit your style and carrying preference:

Neither Skooba nor Mobile Edge has announced a price for their bags, but my guess is that they will both charge a premium and will sell out quick. The convenience will be worth a high price to the frequent traveler. Will be interesting to see just how widely these bags will be recognized. Frequent travelers have shared with me that recognition of the TSA-approved locks seems to be limited to airport screeners in the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe.

TSA-approved laptop bags make me happy and want to jump for joy. The good news is that this seems to be a quickly developing trend in laptop bag designs. I just hope they start to come out with some more stylish looks to choose from.

Looking forward to your thoughts and comments.

A good time was had by all.  As Jay Pinkert announced earlier, the Dell Summer Rocks tour kicked off Saturday with a highly successful towel drop in several locations throughout the U.S.  The bamboo towel giveaway highlighted Dell’s new Studio Laptop computer line which is currently available in a variety of vibrant color combinations.

Towel drop at CARLOS’N CHARLIE’S, Austin, Texas

Here in Austin, enthusiasm for the event was contagious as scores of families enjoying the lake for the day grabbed towels of their favorite color.  Children played and jumped from one color to another while enjoying the great Austin weather.  In Chicago, Miami, New York and Seattle, the drops were equally as successful.

At Hermosa Beach in Los Angeles, a time-lapse camera was set up to capture the drop and the crowd participation.  Check out the video below, which is set to the new Kira Willey track. It looks like a blast!

Each colorful towel included a hangtag announcing the Dell Summer Rocks Sweepstakes, in which *you* can win one of 10 trips for two, including round-trip airfare, two nights at a hotel and two 3-day passes to the 2008 Austin City Limits Music festival.  Take a minute to visit the site and enter for your chance to win!

I am loving the new Studio Dell line and the Designed for Dell accessories to match. The colors are so magnificent, they have inspired me to upgrade my personal computer. However, I am having serious color identity crisis. I like them all. The color I choose will be an expression of my personality and style, making it a big decision and one I must choose wisely.

So what does it mean about you when you have an affinity for a color?  Based on many studies I encountered in my cognitive neuroscience research days, here is my take on the meaning of colors in Western Culture. Note, these are not scientifically based. They’re merely my observations and conclusions: 

Spring Green: Green can mean life, nature and well being and is favored by well-balanced people. It is said that people who like green have a tremendous amount of self-respect. It can also imply healing, which is one of the reasons Egyptians wore green eye liner. 

Plum Purple: Associated with royalty, wealth, opulence, magic and mystery.  People who like purple are said to have good judgment. It can bring peace of mind when one is surrounded by it, which is why it is often times the color for spiritual fulfillment and a favorite among children.

Flamingo Pink: Pink provides feelings of caring, tenderness, self-worth and acceptance and most heavily symbolizes love and beauty. Pink can be so effective in neutralizing disorder and violence that some prisons use limited deep pink tones to diffuse aggressive behavior.

Jet Black: Black is one of the most misinterpreted colors. Some scientists do not consider black an actual color, rather black is a lack of all color. Black can mean stability, elegance, death and mystery. People who like black can be said to carry a sense of potential and possibility.

Midnight Blue: Symbolizes youth, truth and peace. Blue can bring about inspiration and sincerity. It can provide a calming effect, making it a great color to use in the home around babies. It is thought to open communication and broaden one’s perspective in learning new information.

Ruby Red: Red is associated with action, confidence and courage. It is most chosen by extroverts and can mean a high degree of passion and zest for life. On the flipside, red can also mean temper or anger and can be associated with danger.

Graphite Grey: Grey symbolizes security, maturity and dependability. People who favor grey are often times the lone wolves of the pack and are effective in neutralizing situations. It is a stabilizing and non-invasive color, especially when put next to other more vibrant colors.

Tangerine Orange: Symbolizing vitality and endurance, orange is a power and healing color.  Known to stimulate creativity and enthusiasm, people who like orange are usually thoughtful and sincere.

There is an abundance of fascinating research on the meaning, symbolism and sensory responses to color. From the colors we choose to the colors we see, there is not doubt that they play a big role in how we are perceived and our mood. Hopefully this guide will help you with your decision as it has helped me.

I’m think I’m going to go with Orange! How about you? What color best represents you?

Today we announced Dell’s smallest and greenest PC - the Studio Hybrid. This has been a fun product to watch develop. The Dell teams associated with it are wide and varied, and all PASSIONATE.

When Michael Dell previewed it on Earth Day,  the online response to the concept was  pretty upbeat and I am confident that once this PC finds its way to homes around the world, that first impression will be just as positive.

Design, style, fun are not words necessarily associated with “desktop” PCs … but in this case it’s absolutely the primary goal. This little beauty was designed to “put the desktop back on the desktop” versus “under the desk with the Cheetos and dust bunnies,” as Brian Leonard, the Studio Hybrid’s lead industrial designer in Dell’s Experience Design Group, eloquently puts it. This is a product designed for those of you who want to know what time it is, not how to build the watch - just pull it out of the box, plug it in and go.

Whether it’s used as a kitchen PC or living room command center (HDMI port makes it easy to connect your HDTV, and the wireless keyboard and mouse mean freedom to move from the recliner, to the couch, to the throw pillows on the floor), the Studio Hybrid will fit into just about any environment.

If you’re looking for more traditional desktop PC that you might modify or update down the road then I recommend you look at the new Inspiron 518 desktop. In contrast to it’s supermodel sibling, the Inspiron 518 is the nice looking, full-featured multimedia PC that will appeal to all family members.

In its own geeky way it has some nifty features and technologies that just make life easier. At top of the system is a “Gear tray” -  the place where you put your cell phone, your music player, your Bluetooth headset, etc. Two top-mounted USB ports make for easy access charging / syncing (currently about 2 feet of counter space in MY kitchen are dedicated to the multiple devices we all carry). From a performance perspective, the Inspiron 518 offers some pretty compelling price/performance ratios … optional performance boosters include Intel quad core processors, discrete graphics, and 500GB hard drive capacity.

I do most of my holiday shopping over the summer to avoid the crowds.  Things that are easy to get now include gifts for my girlfriends at work.  I am always on the lookout for something cute and girly, yet functional for work.  Here are a few fun items that will not break the bank.

I have always loved stationery!  I think it comes from the many hours of thank-you notes my mom made me write before I could play with any of my gifts as a child.  Current Catalog has cute personalized notepads that would add some fun to anyone’s desk.  The green and red polka dots are fun and seasonal and only $9 for a stack of four!

Anyone who uses a computer could use a USB memory key.  The 2 GB Lexar Flash Drive allows you to take data, photo, music and video files wherever you go.  Not only is it big on storage and small on price (from $12.99), but in comes in fun colors — pink, red, black and blue!

If your colleagues spend much time on the road, travel gear might be the way to go.  Travel Chic carries a great collection of fun luggage tags in bright colors that will make certain your friends can identify which black suitcase is theirs.

A travel umbrella would be good even for those who just travel through the parking lot from their car.  I like the Totes Micron umbrella because it is tiny and also comes in red!

My favorite pick just might be Cup Couture.  They have created cute cup coats in great colors and fun patterns.  For only $12, these can brighten anyone’s day while saving your hand from the heat. My favorite has to be the Kim, but there must be a pattern here for everyone’s taste.

Whether you are doing your shopping now, or waiting for Santa to be in the mall, these cute gifts are sure to be in season!

A sea of color will wash over select recreational hotspots across the U.S. tomorrow as Dell choreographs mass arrays of the quintessential summer accessory – a super-sized, eye-popping beach towel. The event launches Dell’s six-festival Summer Rocks Tour and Sweepstakes.

Large-scale checkerboard mosaics comprised of hundreds of colorful beach towels – 15,000 in all – are planned rain-or-shine for:

• Austin, Texas
• Chicago, Illinois
• Los Angeles, California
• Miami, Florida
• New York, New York
• Seattle, Washington

The premium bamboo towels evoke the new Dell Studio laptop PCs, which are available in more than 10 color combinations.

Hangtags on the towels announce the Dell Summer Rocks Sweepstakes, which offers passionate music fans the chance to win one of 10 pairs of tickets to the 2008 Austin City Limits Music Festival, Sept. 26-28 in Austin, Texas.

Dell’s Summer Rocks Tour will take the eclectic Dell Dome experience to six of the summer’s hottest music festival destinations:

• Lollapalooza – Chicago, Aug. 1-3
• Virgin Mobile Festival – Baltimore, Aug. 9-10
• Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival – San Francisco, Aug. 22-24
• Bumbershoot – Seattle, Aug. 30-Sept. 1
• Monolith Music Festival – Morrison, Colo., Sept. 13-14
• Austin City Limits Music Festival – Austin, Texas, Sept. 26-28

The exterior of the geodesic Dell Dome will serve as a massive canvas for the work of Brooklyn-based artist Mike Ming, whose designs are available on the Dell™ Inspiron™ 1525 laptop. Ming also will create a new work of art at each Dell Dome event and assist visitors with their own projects.

Inside the Dell Dome, visitors can take part in unique Dell experiences like:

• Stations for creating a 20-track “digital mix tape” from a menu of up to 100 songs.
• A pop culture hair salon, where stylists will recreate iconic rock star hairdos.
• Custom and Mike Ming original airbrush tattoos.
• Custom heat iron transfers for shirts, bags and scarves.

Who wouldn’t want to walk around Lollapalooza looking like Amy Winehouse?

For highlights from the Dell Summer Rocks tour, and special online features and downloads, visit the Dell Lounge.

How many times have you picked out the perfect outfit with the perfect shoes and the perfect accessories, only to find that there is no place for your phone? Without pockets big enough or a belt to clip a phone on, staying connected and still looking fabulous can be challenging.  New Launches may have found a great solution for this fashion dilemma.

How about a stylish bracelet that syncs up to your cell phone through Bluetooth and vibrates every time you have an incoming call? Pretty chic geek-tastic, right? I think so, too.

Available at Sourcing Map for $36.99 USD, this bracelet is made out of adjustable rubber, which conceals an aluminum casing for a small motor and the bluetooth electronics. It works with your phone being up to a mile meter away, which definitely makes communicating easier. it easy to go from meeting to meeting and not have to carry your phone everywhere.

This bracelet really appealed to me, not just for the great, simple look and flexibility of not having to carry your phone with you, but because phones seem to have a special migration strategy of making it to the bottom-most part of a gal’s handbag. I miss calls constantly, because I don’t hear them or feel my phone vibrate. This would keep me from missing those calls as well.

Looking forward to your thoughts and comments.

Hooray for style! Hooray for personalization! Hooray for fashionistas of the world!

Dell has made it even easier to maintain your style while remaining high tech. We’ve  launched a new line of accessories and bags for your PCs called Designed for Dell, available in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Everything from backpacks, messenger cases, computer sleeves, mice and more — all in beautiful, bright, vibrant colors to match your personal style and the colors in our new Studio laptop line. From Tangerine Orange and Spring Green to Plum Purple and Flamingo Pink, there is a color in this line that allows every chic geek to express themselves and make a bold statement.

Just to share a little bit with you, here is the accessory at the top of my wish list. I have been going through an orange kick in my own wardrobe and this NY Built Cargo Laptop Sleeve ($39.99 USD) will match perfectly:

Not to mention the Iomega Portable Harddrive in matching tangerine orange that will look fabulous next to my PC:

Ok, so maybe I have two items at the top of my wish list. Can you blame me? It’s so hard to narrow it down to just one! But what thrills me the most is the star-studded, high-quality brands that are a part of this new line: Belkin (backpacks and messenger cases), Built (computer sleeves, cargo bags and portfolios), Creative Labs (headphones and speakers), Iomega (portable hard drives),  Logitech (Mice),  Swiss Gear (backpacks),  and Targus (messenger cases and accessories bundles).

Given these hot brands, hot colors and hot styles, there is no doubt that these will be popping up all over coffee houses and at offices around the world. Looking forward to your comments and hearing about which ones best represent your style and are at the top of your wish lists!