I’ve always kept a vague little list in my head of indicators that would tell me when “the future” had arrived. I checked off some of those the first time I placed a 1 gb micro sd card on my fingertip (I remember being completely astounded in my younger days when my friend’s dad purchased a 10 MEGABYTE hard drive. How in God’s name could any single person fill all that space?), I checked off a couple more the first time I saw an iphone in action. And I realized I had to check off another one the other day when I saw my first Wi-Fi detecting T-shirt.

Here’s a selection of high-tech T-shirts that herald our entry into a new era of fashion, or something:

    Wi-Fi Detector Shirt

    Wi-Fi Detector Shirt

  • 1. The Wi-Fi Detector ShirtCurrently on sale for $20 at thinkgeek, it’s like some magic item from a D & D game. This shirt effectively casts “Detect Wi-Fi” on you, as your chest lights up with glowing blue bars indicating signal strength wherever you happen to be standing.
    (Another version is available from Nerdseven.com)

  • 2.The Personal Soundtrack ShirtCurrently selling for $39.99, this shirt features a working speaker on the front, a wired controller, and is pre-loaded with sound effects and mood music suitable for most of life’s dramatic occasions. But if you’ve just got to have “Desperado” or some Vader breathing, or the endlessly applicable “Doh!” on hand, you can pop in an SD card, or just plug your ipod into the input jack.

    • T-Qualizer Classic

    T-Qualizer Classic


  • 3. The T-Qualizer - This sound sensitive shirt features an equalizer readout, giving realtime feedback on your accoustic environment. Nerdseven carries several versions of this shirt, at $35 ea. (about $5 cheaper than the one at thinkgeek).

  • 4. The Electronic Drum Kit ShirtNow you can play friggin’ drums on your friggin’ shirt, and they really make drum sounds! Talk about useful! Your world literature teacher will be thrilled.

  • 5.FlashWear Anim8 Pong!
    FlashWear Anim8 Pong!

    FlashWear Anim8 Pong!

    - At some point in our lives, haven’t we all asked ourselves, “How long do I have to wait before someone makes a T-shirt that plays pong with itself?” The wait is over. You can’t actually play pong on it, but if you’re with a group of friends and you’re really desperate for entertainment, you can stand before them, hands on hips, smirk on lips, nodding confidently as they all wait with baited breath to see which side wins.
    (Note: Doodadica.com recommends growing a killer mustache before attempting this pose, unless you’re female, in which case Doodadica.com recommends gum chewing instead.)
    (Note: Gambling is often illegal and ill-advised. Doodadica.com recommends that you do not gamble on the outcome of the pong shirt.)

  • Links:
    NerdSeven.com
    ThinkGeek Apparel