chair

A bean-bag chair for the digital age

The more things change, the more they stay the same--either that, or they just morph into each other. Take, for example, the retro '60s trend that won't go away: Just as it's kept alive the lava lamp, it continues to pump oxygen into another staple from the era--the bean-bag chair.

The "Slouchpod InteractiveXT" (sounds dangerously close to an oxymoron) updates the classic bean bag for modern times with two 5-watt speakers, a 10-watt subwoofer and connections for game consoles, media players, PCs, TVs and pretty much anything else you can plug into a socket, according to … Read more

I'm furnishing my dream office with a 'Wave Chaise'

OK, so, this is the "Wave Chaise," designed by Roberta Ramme and recently showcased on Born Rich. It's a gorgeous oversize comfy-chair with a flat-screen TV, storage space for CDs and DVDs, and a computer desk built into the back. The designer is touting it as a piece of furniture for tech-savvy, well-moneyed teenagers. I only fall into category #1 (and even still, I only like to think I'm tech-savvy), but I still totally want this thing. Why? This will be the centerpiece of my dream office.

The only problem is that because it's (ostensibly) … Read more

'Wireless' game seat still has umbilical cords

If your looming IRS bill prevents you from getting a $300,000 racing simulator, something like this may tide you over until tax season ends.

The "Pyramat Wireless Sound Rocker" is an upgraded version with a 2.4GHz transmitter that plugs into the TV and sends audio signals wirelessly to your built-in sound system. Coolest-Gadgets notes, however, that the $200 Sharper Image chair isn't completely wireless because it still needs cords to power those speakers and its blue LEDs.

If you really want to save some dough, you can make a rumble seat out of a regular … Read more

Music lounging for the arch villain

Most of the so-called multimedia furniture pieces we've seen are unsightly contraptions that seem to treat their media components as an afterthought. Not so with the "Sonic Chair Boom Box."

This piece of digital furniture also has brains to match the beauty of its Austin Powers-era design. Uber-Review says its insulation reserves the soundwaves for the person sitting in it, without disturbing others nearby: "The speakers are encased in a carefully crafted body that creates sufficient volume for powerful bass tones, while two body-focused sound generators, in the seat and the backrest, further augment the lower … Read more

iPod meets Mr. Potato Head

If anything deserves a break once in awhile, it's your hard-working iPod. So the least we can do is make it comfortable on the job.

Chip Chick apparently agrees and has given us the "SpeakerMan" to do just that, with bendable arms and hands that can keep your exhausted media player from falling off the chair if it nods off. They also bear a remarkable resemblance to Mr. Potato Head's upper limbs, right down to the four-fingered, white-gloved hands. (Why do cartoon characters wear gloves?) The feet are different, but that's OK because they have … Read more

Sanyo's lie-detecting massage chair

We have a theory (yes, another one). We've often wondered why shopping malls continue to thrive, despite the convenience of online commerce, but then it dawned on us: massage chairs. So we suspect that there's a secret cartel among all retailers to develop them in new forms all the time.

The latest conspirator to surface is Sanyo, with its "Zero Gravity" model. Language from its press release sounds like it came straight from NASA's R&D labs: Using its "Stiffness Detection Sensor" technology, the chair "diagnoses stress areas by measuring changes … Read more

Viewing the spectacles in comfort

If you're not wandering the floors of Macworld, CES, the Detroit Auto Show or, for that matter, the neighborhood grocery store, you'll likely need some equipment of your own to virtually experience the spectacles in comfort. That's where Empower Technologies comes to the rescue with its iMedia Chair showcased this week on various displays this week.

Not only does this Barcalounger on steroids have a built-in 15-inch LCD, but it also boasts a THX-certified surround-sound system piped directly from your iPod controlled by a separate 3.5-inch touch screen, as BornRich points out. We also appreciate the … Read more

ButtKicker Gamer: Rock your seat

The name might be crude, but the product is pretty clever. Guitammer's ButtKicker Gamer is a vibrating bass module that puts some thump into your gameplay. The surprisingly heavy ButtKicker device clamps onto your chair, and the included amplifier runs between the ButtKicker and your audio input. When you start playing, the ButtKicker starts jumping, making your seat rock and rumble with every shot and explosion.

Rumble seats are hardly new for gaming; bass-rocking gaming chairs from companies such as Pyramat and D-Box can be had by anyone willing to shell out the cash. They're usually bulky chairs … Read more

'Rally Chair' a license to daydream

All right, so $300,000 may be a tad steep for a simulated racing system. How does $19,000 sound? $4,000?

OK, you can at least pretend to have a racing system--and probably be a lot more comfortable--while continuing to do your work in a "Rally Office Chair" that sports a "genuine 'Cobra' seat" mounted on a swivel base for around $300 or $400. Depending on your price range, you can choose either geniune leather or "'leather look' vinyl." That's one classy ride.