Headset and telecommunications gear-maker Plantronics has teamed up with the Quiksilver and Roxy brands to offer outdoor apparel tricked out with Bluetooth headsets. The idea is to let outdoor sports enthusiasts—or just very tech-trendy people who happen to need warm clothing—high-performance music and mobile phone capabilities integrated into their clothing, rather than clumsily lugged around with them. Plantronics also plans to offer a range of Bluetooth sports accessories.
"This new premium line of Bluetooth equipped apparel and accessories creates a pure and seamless experience for sports enthusiasts—they can go from one environment to the next while staying continuously connected to their music and friends," said Renee Niemi, general manager and vice president of Mobile and Entertainment for Plantronics, in a release. "This new line also reflects Quiksilver and Plantronics’ commitment to combining style, comfort and technology with great ease of use."
"We’re thrilled to be working with Plantronics, a brand that has long been recognized as an industry leader in communications and entertainment," said Quiksilver CEO, Bob McKnight. "Our company has always sought new and innovative ways to enhance the outdoor lifestyle, and integrating Plantronics technology into our products is a great way to do that."
The new collection of outdoor apparel is designed to let wearers listen to high-quality stereo music and handle mobile calls at the touch of a button, without the hassles of dealing with cords. The gear should be compatible with a wide range of Bluetooth devices, including music-capable mobile phones, and jackets will feature integrated iPod capability.
Products planned for the 2007/2008 season include:
- Quiksilver Double Daffy Snow Jacket, part of Quiksilver’s Limited Edition Outerwear Collection. The Double Daffy will be both iPod and Bluetooth-capable, and will retail for $370.
- Quiksilver Pulse Helmet, a lightweight winter sport helmet with adjustable side vents and integrated Bluetooth. Expect it for $249.95.
- Roxy Teen Angel Snow Jacket, featuring integrated stereo sound and voice technology; it’ll be iPod and Bluetooth ready for $340.
- Roxy Shiver Helmet, a women’s ski/snow safety helmet with integrated Bluetooth sound and voice technology, retailing for $249.95.
Quiksilver will be showing the co-developed products at the SIA conference in Las Vegas from January 22 to 25.
