Back in Demember, we mentioned the kids at MyRoomBud.com who design costumes for the iRobot Roomba. Well, they're back with a new ensemble: RoomBette La French Maid.

From the MyRoomBud.com site: RoomBette sports a black cover with a white apron trimmed with shirred white lace. As with all French Maids, Roombette shows a bit of Roomba skin.

Not only are the Roomba costumes sold through eBay and Amazon, but folks living in Switzerland can purchase them through the Roomba Shop.

Buy the RoomBette La French Maid costume for $24.95 or check out the other unique costumes here. *Garter not included.

Spring is coming to the Northeast, which means it's time for me to start pretending that I'm a serious cyclist. Serious is relative of course, but I try to get out about four times a week for twenty to forty mile rides. In the past, when I've gotten to the end of my rides, I went into Microsoft MapPoint and plotted my route, jotting down speed and distance info from my bike's computer.

This is why I was so excited at DEMO last month to see Bones in Motion's BiM Active service. BiM Active is a free service that lets you map your route, capturing factors like speed (including splits), distance and calories. You can enter the data manually or upload it from a GPS data file. Or, if you have certain GPS-enabled cell phones, you'll be able to see and post your data in real-time. The real-time aspect carries with it a $9.99 monthly fee. Yes, it's yet another monthly fee, but it's pretty reasonable.

Next month, a company called Motion Lingo is going to introduce the Adeo Fitness Companion, that takes a different approach to tracking workouts. The GPS-equipped Adeo looks like a small portable audio player. Plug-in headphones and Adeo will speak to you with real-time reports on your progress. You can also hook the device into your iPod or MP3 player and it will intersperse the reports with your music.

When you get back to your PC, you'll be able to download your workout data off of the Adeo, add comments, and track things like weather conditions and even shoe mileage. Adeo will cost $149.99 and, unlike BiM Active, it appears that there won't be any monthly fee. I would like to see community features with Adeo like BiM Active's ability to share routes with other runners and riders.

Despite the fact that I saw Lance Armstrong on an Outdoor Life Network special last year using his iPod while training on California roads, it's not a very good idea to cycle in traffic while wearing headphones. (Lance had coaches keeping an ear out for motor vehicles.) You're better off using something like a Garmin Forerunner GPS. But if you're a runner or workout off-road, the Adeo Fitness Companion looks like it could be a great addition to your routine. Hopefully we'll get a unit in soon to test out.

Move over Oakley Thump MP3 sunglasses. There's a new wearable MP3 system to stomp the competition.  

Dada Footwear is launching a wireless footwear system dubbed, "Code M." The Code M System delivers both audio and data—through your sneakers! Say goodbye to wires and carrying an MP3 player.

The Code M System is integrated into the basketball sneaker's heel and tongue. It can hold up to 100 songs, running on a 6-hour battery life. To transfer songs onto the system, just use the USB port on the side of the shoe. To listen to your music, use the included wireless headset, which picks up the music playing from your sneakers up to 30 feet away.

Here comes the real kicker: the sneakers will also feature house speakers for listening to music out loud. (I can just imagine Michael Jordan being the spokesperson.) 

If the Code M Sneakers prove successful, the company plans on expanding their line to a Get-Fit program in which you can receive workout-related data from a personal trainer's voice. It doesn't end there. The shoes may also be designed as a way to forward your phone calls to it.

I think this is a really cool idea, although I hope they're sweat-proof out on the court. I don't know how well the sound quality will be, but Dada certainly knows how to think out of the box. Hopefully they'll come out with other colors. 

The Code M Sneakers will sell for $199.99 beginning in April 2006.

[via TechEBlog]

Microsoft officially unveiled its new slimmed down Tablet PC platform, called the "UltraMobile PC" at the CeBit show in Germany. Sitting between notebook-sized tablet PCs and portable media centers, it's a small XP device that Microsoft unabashedly hopes will be bigger than cellphones.

The unit will include extensions to the Tablet PC OS called "Touch Pack", designed to make touch-screen navigation easier.  And in a nod to popular taste, it'll include Microsoft's first Soduku game too.

But the shocker in Microsoft's big Origami unveiling in Germany today wasn't the device itself – which had been rumored about for weeks.  It was the launch partner instead.  Samsung is finally entering the US market with its own branded Windows computer (Dell has been selling Samsung-built notebooks here for some time).  It'll cost between $600 and $1,000, and will be available in April.  For more details on both Samsung and the Origami project, including pictures, check out my UltraMobile PC launch story at PC Magazine.

New to the Lowepro line of carrying solutions is the CompuDayPack. It's specifically designed for geeks and their gadgets, protecting up to a 17-inch laptop, a digital SLR camera and lens, MP3 player, CDs, and more. You'll also find a quick-access pocket with a headphone port to thread your headphone cables through.

The CompuDaypack measures 13.8- by 8.5- by 17.5-inches and is also water resistant. It comes in Slate Gray, Burnt Orange, and Leaf Green and sells for $79.95 each.

Unfortunately, the CompuDaypack is a popular item: it's sold out online everywhere. But you can sign up to be notified when it's available again at FocusCamera.com, DigitalFotoClub.com, and Ace Photo & Digital. Or find a local Lowepro dealer near you.