iPod Messenger Bag with Speakers

There are some travel gear items that are utilitarian, then there are others that make you stop and go "Whoa---now that is cool!" The G-Tech messenger bag with built-in speakers is the latter. This is the kind of thing I want to carry around just to blow people's minds.

I just tried out the model called "The Professional" and it is one slick double-duty device. It actually has two tricks up its sleeve. The first is that you can plug in your iPod to the plugs inside the bag and then you plug your headphones into a female plug on the strap of the bag. So your iPod is hidden away, but through controls on the strap you can change tracks and adjust the volume. Very cool.

The real killer ap though is that you can then slink into a room, flip a switch, and have the tunes from your iPod come pumping out of built-in speakers! The sound is surprisingly good and is definitely good enough to fill a hotel room with just 3 AA batteries. (I used rechargeables and they were still pumping after three hours.) The thin speakers are light though, and built into the front pocket of the bag, so they don't weigh you down. Supposedly they are rugged enough to get soaking wet, but still work after the bag dries out. While the strap controls only work with an iPod, the speakers will work with any MP3 player or portable CD player.

How about the bag itself? It's made in China and isn't bullet-proof rugged, but it has all the right pockets and compartments, including one on the back that will hold a couple of magazines. The instructions (also from China) are technically correct but less than crystal-clear, so a spokesperson says a new web page will lay it all out with graphics and easier step-by-step hand holding. This is version 1.0, so expect more refinements and improvements going forward.

The G-Tech Professional messenger bag with speakers sells for $120 or so online, or see more information and retailers who stock it at G-Tech's site.