Passion
Chuckling at the Jabra Solemate
Yeah, I’m a lover of kicks aka sneakers but even with this penchant, I have to question and chuckle at the design of the Jabra Solemate portable speaker. According to reviews, this small unit is tough and can deliver the tunes. But with its ridged base, well, this speaker looks like a shoe or a boot – interesting but not necessarily advancing the fashion trend. The ridged sole is functional, hiding an audio cable.
Although the Solemate looks funky (even to this shoehead), it’s gotten good reviews for its price point. So if you’re not swimming in the million$, be sure to give the Solemate a listen (and a chuckle).
The North Face at Zappos
In Hawaii, there’s no need for a winter jacket because it never gets that cold. But there are trips to the mainland where the point is to experience the cold of winter. Because of this, you probably don’t want to pay top dollar for the latest and greatest winter clothing trends. Enter Zappos.
Now that winter is making way for spring, Zappos is clearing out its winter wardrobe. You can find greatly discounted winter gear from Patagonia, The North Face, Columbia, and more. There are great bargins to be had and with free shipping (both ways if you don’t like your purchase), your satisfaction is guaranteed.
After looking through the huge selection from different brands, I picked up The North Face Men’s Flathead Triclimate Jacket in asphalt grey.

I like the 2-in-1 jackets with a waterproof outer shell and a removable, warm inner lining. With this flexibility, you can wear what’s needed depending on the weather. Good for snow and skiing, windy conditions, or to wear just when it’s chilly. What caught my eye was the texture of the Flathead’s textiles. The materials for both the outer and inner jackets have some tactile qualities, and I like the neutral grey with a pop of yellow. The inner jacket can easily be worn by itself, and the yellow zipper pulls add just enough accent.
A small word of caution regarding the color accuracy for this Flathead Triclimate Jacket. The yellow accent of the asphalt grey color is more mustardy than yellow. Even in the pictures I took, the yellow appears brightish, almost neon in some cases especially on the zipper pulls, but really it’s more like a Colman Mustard yellow. Even the asphalt grey color varies with the lighting, but in general, the outer jacket is a lighter shade of grey with the inner jacket a darker grey.

And because it’s from Zappos, the order shipped to Hawaii in a matter of days for free. The price? 30% off (if you catch the specials). Gotta love The North Face from Zappos.
More pictures
Mac and LEGO Fans Rejoice!
If you’re both a Mac and LEGO fan then this custom LEGO kit is for you.
Keep an eye out for instructions to build this set, expected within two weeks. Awesome!
Martian Kicks
Martian kicks. That’s what keeps coming to mind when I take a look at these upcoming Reebok ATV 19+ kicks.
The 19 irregular shaped “lugs” underfoot are meant to give you all-terrain grip and traction wherever you are (seemingly on extraterrestrial surfaces as well). Each lug is beveled at 28-degrees for optimal body stability.
These are seriously meant for the manliest of men. Who else could pull off wearing these funky kicks out and about. If you’re a man’s man, you can pick up a pair of the ATV 19 on February 1, 2013 for $140.
Thanks for the tip, NEENZ!
Go APE Today Only!
For today only (that’s Saturday, January 26, 2013), you can buy Guy Kawasaki’s latest APE (Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book) at a steep discount. Normally $24.99 for the print version and $9.99 for the Kindle eBook, today’s special price is only $1.99 for the Kindle eBook – $1.99! As in two bucks.
On top of the cheap price, this version has recent additions telling you the simple truth of how you can write and sell your own book. I’ve started reading my copy and hey, even I can understand this foreign topic of creating a book. But don’t worry, I doubt you’ll see a Pulpconnection: The Book coming any time soon. What Guy’s laid out in the Author section has good advice to determine if you got what it takes to be an author.
There’s still time for this amazing deal, and I’m pretty sure you got two bucks to spare. Go now and buy APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book.
Ah heck, I’m feeling generous right now. Comment on this post, and I’ll gift you this book (as long as it’s still Saturday)!
Update: Congratulations to Tom for being the first (and second) commenter. You have to like the proposed title of his forthcoming literary work, How I beat the system and won stuff from Hawaii’s hippest blogger. That sounds like a definite must-read… for $1.99. ๐
LEGO City Mini Shops – Want!
Building stuff out of LEGO is fun, but building familiar stuff out of LEGO, well, that’s just pure awesomeness. That’s why these LEGO City Mini Shops have to become a reality. Yep, create your own Apple Store, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, or McDonald’s all from LEGO bricks.
If you want to see this project become an actual LEGO set, you need to support this project.
Nike’s Intergalactic Creativity
I gotta hand it to Nike for their upcoming NBA All Star 2013 kicks collection. They really took the Houston location and pushed the “Mission Control Center” theme to the extreme. Look at the creative creations for Kobe, LeBron, and Kevin Garnett.
I especially like the description for the KD V All Stars:
Identified as Dark Matter, the biological and molecular breakdown of this figure remains a puzzle for scientists. Early readings of its origin, NSP-KD35, have sent back conflicting reports of a planet that is simultaneously solid, liquid, and gas รขโฌโ properties that make his game adaptable to any situation.
But it doesn’t end there. Nike Sportswear has their top secret Area 72 collection of intergalactic shoes that blends old school with new tech. This is how you reinterpret the Nike Blazer Mid, Nike Vandal, Nike Lunar Force 1, Nike Barkley Posite Max, and Nike Air Force Max 2013.
I very well might have to try to get a pair of the Barkley Posite Max. It’s so out there with the reflective textures, glow in the dark soles, galaxy print, and the mashup of foamposite with the Chuckster’s shoe line. It’s crazy good.
Available on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013.
What Does “Lin Never Stops” Mean?
Nonetheless, the timing of finding this Linsanity remnant is great with the screening of the Linsanity documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. Did you know that Brian Yang who plays Fong on Hawaii Five-0 produced this film? Yep, Fong isn’t just the behind-the-scenes tech wizard for 5-0. In his spare time, he and a film crew followed Jeremy Lin everywhere on his path to the NBA.
Until the Linsanity documentary gets picked up by a distributor, you won’t be watching JLin’s story unfold, so you might as well find yourself a Lin never stops shirt. If there are none at your local TJ Maxx, check out eBay.
Free Twilight Font
Like the look of the Twilight typeface used in the movie posters? The New Moon font is available for free at Fontspace. Here’s a sample.
LEGO Year of the Snake Exclusive
The Year of the Snake is fast approaching and to commemorate, LEGO is selling an exclusive set in the Asian markets. If you’re lucky or have contacts, you can find the authentic LEGO Year of the Snake, Set #10250.
Fortunately, now that the instructions have been published, you can also build your own snake if you have the right parts or own the LEGO Creator Prehistoric Hunters, Set #6914. Seems like the Year of the Snake is a variation of the Prehistoric Hunters sans the special snake-themed gateway doors. So if you go without these special pieces, you still can build yourself a pretty cool snake.