Let’s not dwell on the irony that the man who died that year is still culturally important, while “the future” represented by the baubles launched at Winter CES 1981 have long since suffered their demise at the hands of iPhones, HD Flips and Honeycomb tablets.  Instead, let’s start more simply, as in: Bob Marley branded headphones? Seriously? What would Bob think of that?

About the Products & Brand

Before diving into the deep end of this philosophical pool, some details about the brand and its products may be helpful. For starters, the brand’s mission in their own words:

To create a better world and spread Bob Marley’s vision of one love, one world through eco-conscious products that embody the values of equality, unity, authenticity, charity and sustainability, all while giving back to the people and planet

Hopefully production quality, sound and overall design of the products meet the brand’s quality commitments, but Marley designers made sure to include a range of the best features you’d expect from great headphones, including inline/on-cord controls and comfy padding on headphones.

If first impressions count, Marley’s onto a winner. Every product in the line looks unique, well-built, designerly and sexy. The iPod docks are alternately sleek and rugged, the earbuds range from cute to slick to chic, and the over-the-ear headphones range from grungy to sophisticated. Despite the stylistic range though, the products hang together as a coherent product line with prices to match the different folks likely to buy them. Prices range from $30 to $100 for earbuds, $60 to $300 for headphones and $50 to $500 for the range of docks.  Bottom line: There’s something for everyone.

House of Marley is currently taking pre-orders for the products, though no specific shipping target has been given. When they do, Izzit will try to get hand-on with them for a full review.

So What Would Bob Think?

Guessing what a long-deceased iconoclast would think means striding onto dangerous ground. Add the passion with which many people revere Marley, the “controversy” of his political beliefs, the current state of our socio-political climate, the simple incongruity of “consumer electronics brand Marley” and the massive technological leaps made in the 30 years since Marley passed, and the predictor will almost certainly make an absurd and anger-inducing prediction. Right?

Then again, look at it this way: We live in a world where deceased anti-Babylonian (aka anti-western capitalism/imperialism) music star Bob Marley is competing with Sony to sell us headphones for our 4G mobile smart phones, on which we’ll store hundreds of apps, stream thousands of songs, and use Google to find all manner of things in “the cloud,” including HD movies that our Netflix prediction algorithm and social media “friends”’ forgot to suggest for us. So anything’s possible. In that spirit, here goes.

How Could He Not Despise the Idea?

House of Marley must be considered in the context of Marley’s core passions — namely human rights, personal freedom and anti-imperialism — and specifically through the lens of African and Caribbean cultures. While some argue that important progress has been made in these areas, it’s unlikely Marley would agree. He’d be sickened to know of how little progress has been made since his death.

Marley would most certainly define the failed states of Africa and the Caribbean, the West’s “War on Terror” and the anti-scientific rhetoric against climate change as troubling symptoms of relentless imperial interest. All of this would horrify him, though it most certainly wouldn’t surprise him.

As a child of the fifties and sixties, and as a musician, Marley clearly believed in the power of artistic messages to educated and force social change. He’d hate that we’ve not used the “democratizing power” of the Internet and other technologies to drive more improvements in the human condition.

Moreover, he’d likely recognize that the accelerated pace of technological change and rampant consumerism in the West have contributed to both the continued subjugation of the developing world and the selfish disinterest of the developed world citizenry. He’d see our gadgets and tech baubles as the enabling narcotics of a negligently complicit public. Given all of this, Bob would certainly despise the idea of using his name to hawk electronics.

Right? Maybe not.

Ask Yourself These Questions

Did Bob Marley understand that rock/popular music was the medium of his day, and best way to give reach to his voice and amplify his message was by partnering with the record industry and the “corporate system” it used to distribute both? Did he accept the inherent conflict of that union as necessary to spreading his message? Did he believe that he could maintain his idealistic footing within that imperfect arrangement by adhering to his core principles? Do you think he saw the idealistic concession as worthwhile?

Has there been a popular artist who better understood or employed the power of symbol to express his message? To this day, spliffs, dreads and the green-yellow-red of Haile Selassie’s lion king flag all evoke Marley first. Would Marley recognize his enduring resonance throughout the world as a function of the symbolism he cultivated?

Despite his likely trouble with consumer culture, would he see how the modern deluge of information has fragmented the mass audience and created a connected soup of social media, memes and “brand me” in its place?  Would he understand that in many senses the strongest cultural symbolism of our day is “branding?”

More importantly, would Marley agree that the packaging of product, process and message developed by House of Marley is closely equivalent to the combination of music, lifestyle and message he lived? Viewed this way, using brand Marley to produce great products the “right” way and in support of a bigger cause seems like an exceptional way to lead by example and extend Marley’s principles.

To be sure, we’ll never know if Bob Marley would like the House of Marley concept, though the best indication that he would may lie in the fact that members of his family are behind the product line, and the 1Love is involved in the development. And if Marley’s family believes he’d support the brand, then that’s might just be all the evidence the rest of us need.

Hopefully the brand lives up to its promise and the memory of its namesake, but as we all know, only time will tell . . .

Image credits: House of Marley and Island Records.

Viewsonic announced its newest green nettop-slash-mini-PC this week, the VOT125.  The VOT125 is packed with green cred galore, including form factor and powerplant that consume 90% less plastic and energy than traditional desktop PCs and is fully Energy Star and RoHS compliant.

The VOT125 is built around Intel’s newest ULV (Ultra Low Voltage) processors, and is geared toward the business market, where energy savings across a fleet of PCs can really add-up, and with a $499 MSRP the system’s energy savings turn the tiny beauty in an ROI-positive spend for companies sporting lots of older desktops.  The VOT125 also boasts a 250GB hard drive, 2GB of RAM, Windows 7 and 1080p video output.Home users worry not, Viewsonic will likely soon follow the VOT125 with consumer-focused models to improve the performance and eco-credentials of their existing VOT132 Mini Home PC and other home nettops.  Though existing models already offer a healthy list of green features including lower power, less plastic and RoHS compliance – though more in the 45% less range from traditional PCs than the super-green VOT125.  Get Engadget’s full review of the VOT132 -  http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/24/viewsonic-vot132-nettop-review/

Still don’t know what a nettop is?  Here’s the skinny:

PC manufacturers have begun to develop slim and light computers designed as either secondary home computers (think the kids’ rooms) or to boost the integrated capabilities of the convergent living room – meaning, you plug it into your TV, next to the BluRay and Wii for a fully webified living room experience.   The name of the game for all nettops is cheap and small but with enough horsepower to thrill with multimedia.  So they sport enough processor speed and memory to crush Hulu, YouTube and any other website you can think of.  Most also offer 1080p video output, so your iTunes movie rentals will look sweet, and you’ll be able to join the cool group of folks griping that NetFlix still doesn’t offer their streaming in HD.

When paired with newer generation LED display – like ViewSonic’s 22-Inch LED Monitor – nettops become a very cool upgrade to the wired home.

Via Engadget

Remember way back in 2007 when Greenpeace and other green orgs slammed Apple for their incredibly non-granny-smithish (meaning green) manufacturing habits?  As you may know, since then Mr. Jobs and company have reasserted their commitment to sustainable practices, launched a few i-baubles, ran a big ‘Apple is SO green’ advertising campaign – and then leaped headfirst into the tablet computing abyss with the iPad.

According to Apple, the iPad is indeed a leader in the green electronics space.  With no Mercury, Arsenic, BFR or PVC in the iPad, Apple has achieved its usual designerly objectives without befouling the earth.  At least that’s what Apple is saying – and we’ve got no reason to believe that Apple would risk their brand equity for a little green bathing.

And let’s hope so – otherwise, this guy is in serious trouble.  After all, those handsome glasses aren’t keeping any carcinogenic dust out of his gleaming choppers – never mind his lungs…

Via: Engadget and BlendTec

Still looking for that big, stocking-busting present for that movie lover, gamer or regular guy in your life?  Here’s a sure-fire winner: Samsung’s 46-Inch 7000-Series LED TV, aka the UN46B7000.

With this beauty, Samsung has spun a real winner.  The UN36B700 has all the high-end specs you’d want in a premium flat screen tele, including 1080p resolution, 120Hz motion refresh, and super-deep blacks to go along with naturally vibrant colors.  As evidence of this brilliance, Samsung has won a host of accolades for the UN36B700, including Wired Magazine’s TV of 2009 distinction, and the highest rating among LED TVs on CNET.  So it’s got the good part down for sure.

And did I mention that this 46 in screen is a mere 1.2 inches deep.  There was a time when a 3-inch deep television was a marvel – I believe that time was way back in 2008 – but with new LED TVs hitting the market, ultra-thinness is the name of the game.

So the UN36B700 has goodness to spare, and plenty of green cred too.  Unlike most LCD and Plasma TVS, most new LED TVs, including the UN36B700, are mercury free.  Samsung’s LED line also consumes about 40% less energy than comparably sized LCD TVS – keeping in mind that LCDs used a ton less that traditional tube TVs do.  So you’ll be way ahead in the green game too with this upgrade.

Check out more on the Samsung UN36B700 in the IzzitGreen Products Listings – and then go splurge on the UN36B700 as a gift.  Even if you’re the recipient – there’s nothing wrong with self-gifting the good and green…

It’s the must-have Papa’s Day gift of the future for the greenminded Dad in you life – The Husqvarna Panthera Leo.  The Panthera Leo is a ‘concept mower’ by Husqvarna that’s intended to demonstrate the company’s ‘commitment to sustainability’ as it echoes consumer preference for ‘self sustaining’ gardens – whatever all that means. Wouldn’t a ‘self sustaining’ garden mow itself?  Then again, maybe a ‘self sustaining’ garden is really just an all-white garage near Wimbledon where you admire the Panthera Leo while sweeping a small pile of leaves.  But I digress!

Back to business – a few preemptive answers to the questions you’re undoubtedly asking yourself about this little slice of eco-vative brilliance right now: 

A) Yes, there apparently is such a thing as a ‘concept mower’ and this is what one looks like – it’s kind of silly and I wish it had gullwing doors, but given all the bad news out of Detroit these days, we’ve got to hang our horsepower hat somewhere;

B) Yes, the name Panthera Leo is fantastically goofy and was probably coined by a guy who spends his weekend seeking another Leonard Nemoy autograph for his collection;

C) Yes, the mower is equal parts far-out cool and absurdly ridiculous, but aren’t all wonderful innovations – think Wii Fit – and;

D) No, I don’t think the good folks at Husqvarna stopped to consider the fact that ride-on mower requiring suburbia is, by definition, one of ‘the problems’ when it comes to unsustainability – so the old Pantera Leo is a bit like our old pal the Hybrid Yukon.

But is any of that really the point?  Absolutely not.  The real point here is that no matter what I say or do, and no matter how eco-pious I’d ever attempt to be, as a fella I freakin love this thing – and I want one very very badly.  It’s a lawnmower with an LCD display for heaven’s sake!  This thing would induce Steve Jobs to cut his own lawn.

In fact, I’m probably going to spend the remainder of the afternoon writing begging emails to Husqvarna to develop concept weed whackers, concept chainsaws, concept rototillers, and some kind of really cool concept helmet/headgear for me to wear while working in the yard.  After all, there’s nothing cooler than pretending you’re John Connor while cutting the lawn, right?  Right?  I wonder if they’ll make one with a light saber holster so I can mix geek genres while I mow.

One last thing – Engadget’s post on the Panthera Leo includes a video showcase of the lawn-mowing badboy, and the video reveals the real pronunciation for Husqvarna.  It’s HYOOskvarna, not HUSKvara like I’ve been saying all along.  My Swedish friends will now accept me.  We’re just getting cooler by the minute…

The skill and experience gained through Long’s many years of writing and photographing for vegetarian and vegan cooking magazines are on full display throughout this great cookbook.  Not only does she gain access to 25 of the world’s great chefs, but her photographs and the book’s layout are exquisite.

Each chef was asked to provide a complete four course vegan menu.  The results are as varied as they are tempting – from comfort foody Roasted Vegetable Pot Pie to the delicate Chilled Apple Consommé with Celery Root Remoulade.

For sure, these aren’t your basic ‘toss it in the wok’ vegan recipes, so you’ll need some basic skills to execute the recipes, but for overall inspiration you can’t do any better.  And if you’re not a budding Todd English, you can always plant Great Chefs Cook Vegan on your coffee table as an idea book for your friends and relatives, or just buy a copy as a gift – so maybe you’ll be the one getting invited to the sweet vegan dinner party.

Osprey Packs React Daypack

Made from 76% recycled materials and choc full of helpful everyday features like a padded laptop sleeve, lots of stow-away pockets and a wide-mouthed opening, you won’t go wrong with the Osprey React.  And of the React isn’t quite what you need, Osprey two additional daypacks in their ReSource Series of recycled materials packs – so check them out to find the one that’s just-right for you and your back.

Ultralight Daypack: Patagonia Scramble 35 – $125 Retail

The Scramble 35 is designed for quick ascents and endurance sports enthusiasts, and even though it’s light and nimble, the Scramble still packs the features into its top loading body.  The ripstop exterior is made from 47% recycled polyester and with that notorious Patagonia reliability you won’t need to recycle the Scramble 35 for many years to come.

Hydration Daypack: Mountainsmith Spot – $59 Retail

Plenty of daypacks work with a hydration bladder these days, but this recycled wonder does it in style.  At under 2 lbs and with plenty of features – like a breathable mesh back panel, electronics pockets, hydration sleve with exit port and comfy yoke-style shoulder straps, the Spot will see you through any adventure a single day can throw at it.

Multi-Use Pack: Patagonia’s MLC Dawn Patrol – $140 Retail

At 2150 cubic inches, the MLC Dawn Patrol probably isn’t big enough for a trip up Denali, but it comes close to handling most other challenges.  The Dawn Patrol is made from 100%

recycled polyester and is big enough for overnight camps, but not so big that you’ll look like a commuting freegan if you use it as your everyday hauler.  The MLC in the name stands for ‘Maximum Legal Carry-On’ so it’s flight ready, and with side pockets for water bottles and a padded internal sleeve for your laptop; this MLC Dawn Patrol is RTG.

Women’s Specific Pack: Mountainsmith Trillium – $189 Retail

The Trillium Recycled Backpack for women brings Mountainsmith’s industry leading recycled pack design approach to a women’s specific pack for multi-day hikes and serious excursions.  The Trilliums recycled fabrics, buckles and mesh will make you feel good about your hiking green cred, while the wealth of adjustments and women’s torso sized dimensions will make the rest of you feel good as you hit the trails for a long haul.

Big Alpine Pack: Mountainsmith Phoenix – $289 Retail

This is the big-daddy of the group, and you know you need one if you know you need one.  For serious mountaineers performance, comfort and balance rule the day, so Mountainsmith poured all of their design expertise into making this alpine pack a long-lasting, high-performance beast that also happens to be completely in-balance with the earth.  The entire pack is made from earth-friendly materials including recycled fabrics, mesh and webbing, and bio-plastic buckles and hardware.  The rig won Backpacker Gear Guide’s 2008 Editor’s Choice award for Green Design – and in an industry obsessed with Mama Earth, that’s no small feat.

There are few product categories with a richer assortment of greenified choices than the humble – and not so humble – pantheon of flip-flops.  The flip-flop making world seems to have decided that making flips that make the world flop aint at-one with the flop-makers ethos – hence all the choices.  Though be forewarned, gone are the days of the $15 flop.  Without further delay – some of our favorite guy-flop choices for the summer:

Keen Waimea H2: $50

Whether you’re just afraid of the ol’ stub, or you’re just recovering from this seasons blackened toe-bang debilitation from way too many big days at Alta or Jay, these comfy Keen’s will do you right.  As with all Keen shoes, you need to get used to their unique style.  Thankfully, the Waimea H2 also comes in a more subdued all-black version, and with uppers made from recycled bike tires, and a manufacturer that’s committed to Mama E, you can feel good about the buy.

Reef Greenwall:  $46

What they’ve got: Organic cotton upper, water-based/non-toxic adhesives, recycled content in the footbed, and the comfort that comes from a company that is al about flip-flops.  What they’re missing?  You guessed it – the bottle opener on the sole.  Don’t they realize that since we’re greener than the rest, we’ll be sure to pocket-then-recycle that cap rather than drop it on the beech?  I think we’ve earned the bottle opener.

All that being said, the Greenwall’s casual sophistication will shout ‘I can pull off linen pants after dark’ to the ladies, so you’ll probably be drinking wine by candlelight anyway.

Reef NWS: $36

A little younger, a little surfery-er, and a little less expensive than the rest of the crew, the Reef NWS brings the same use-less, use-better materials concepts to the flop market as the Greenwall.  With a water-base synthetic nubuck strap, recycled toe-webbing and footbed, and the same non-toxic adhesives, the NWS will have you looking and feeling all rad at the beach.  Yeah rad, that’s it.

Chaco Flip: $55

Never been able to fit your Fred Flintstone feet into a pair of Chaco’s?  Maybe this is your pair.  Gone are all the fancy straps and the ‘you can hike in these sandals’ technology.  Left is the famed Chaco footbed and a couple of flip-flop toe holders.  And since Chaco is notoriously earth-minded, with wind energy, recycled materials galore and an earnest commitment to seeing their products made-right, you’re Fred Flintstone feet will be proud of their minimalist Chaco Flips.

Splaff Lazy Boy: $46-50

You can afford to be a Lazy Boy when wearing recycled race car tires on your feet.  That’s right – race car tires.  Add-in some hemp for the footbeds and spent bike tires for the uppers and you’ll be rockin your Andretti-Marley-Armstrong (Mario, Bob and Lance) vibe all day and all night.  And just in case you’re not a ‘webbing between your toes’ kind of guy, the good Splaff-ers also make two slide varieties for your choosiness.

Enjoy – and happing flip-flopping all summer long!