Fashion meets function in MP3 sunglasses

SAN FRANCISCO (Billboard) - MP3 player manufacturers almost always try to make their devices look cool in this fashion-conscious industry, but Global American Technologies takes style to a new level with the introduction of its Fio MP3 player sunglasses. The shades feature built-in, 3-D stereo sound earbuds in each arm, so users must wear the sunglasses to hear the music.

The Fio comes in 128MB, 256MB, 512MB and 1GB versions. It supports MP3 and WMA audio files and has a battery life of 8 1/2 hours. All player buttons, volume adjustments and other controls are located atop the arms. It is PC and Mac compatible and uses a USB 2.0 port for transferring music.

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Summer fashion, fitness faux pas

With the summer at mid-point, if you listen carefully you can hear the sound of voices crying out with displeasure, "I can't believe they're wearing that," about some fashion/fitness faux pas. Most of us have heard the ads on the radio with two women shopping and discussing how men should not wear Speedos, tank tops, short shorts and absolutely nothing mesh. I have to agree with those words of fashion wisdom, but in defence I will only say two words: Daisy Duke.

With that out of the way, let's talk about cellulite and some of the best exercises to get your derriere looking more like Jessica Simpson's and less like Bart Simpson's.

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Color-Coding

Choosing a product based on color is perfectly reasonable. The choice may be subjective, but it's also rational: the color you like best is the color you like best. So fans of, for example, a certain $25 shade of blush offered by a cosmetics company called Nars simply like that shade, and that's why it has attracted a strong rating and by far the most reviews among blush shoppers who post on MakeupAlley.com. The fact that the shade happens to be called Orgasm doesn't affect the consumer's reaction to the actual color, which would be the same no matter what it was called.

Actually, we all know that isn't quite true, and buyers of cosmetics probably know it better than most. Paula Begoun, who has written several consumer-oriented books about makeup and skin-care products, says that exotic or even baffling names have been part of the category at least since the 1950's. With a lot of makeup, there isn't really much to pay attention to besides color and texture, so a name that stands out means a product that stands out.

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