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Cold beer is a very important part of a picnic or barbecue (as long as you’re not the driver), but actually carrying it and keeping it cool might prove to be a problem.

The Chill Stick aims to solve this. This tube-shaped bag can hold six 12 oz cans and the neoprene material should keep them cool enough, while the shoulder strap is supposed to make it easier to carry.

Personally, I’m not sure this actually works. It looks pretty uncomfortable and I’m not sure the insulation is thick enough to keep the cans cold. Interesting idea, but I think a good old cooler bag is more dependable and, unless you get a real shitty model, just as easy to carry.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $11.98 on ThingsYouNeverKnew.com.

Via DVICE

I’m not one of those people who think their laptops are made from fragile crystal and need to be kept in over-padded bags at all times… but really, they’re not that sturdy so some protection is necessary.

The LapStrap offers none. It’s basically a shoulder strap which supports your laptop, making it easy to carry around. It’s extremely easy to use: you just place it across the laptop and close the lid.

I think it’s obvious what’s wrong with it: where’s the protection? One, I don’t trust my laptop hinge that much. What if it falls open? Two, I tend to bump into things, and I don’t think hitting a door laptop-first would benefit it much. I suppose it’s ok for carrying around the office or at a time when you really need two free hands, but paying $25 for this? Not for me.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on TheLapStrap.com.

Via Gizmodo

Why oh why do people make a cool product and then ruin it with a “trendy” design?

A special bag for your techy devices can be pretty useful when traveling; keeping them close to you might be safer than just chucking them into the suitcase. The Chloe Dao Mobile Technology Handbag can carry your phone, MP3 player, console and all the cables and accessories you need for the perfect tech experience. Awesome! No more shoving them in the pockets of my laptop bag!

But… they couldn’t have stopped here. They made the bag pink. With a pair of red lips. Come on! Why don’t designers understand that “girl” does not equal “squee! pink!”. Chloe Dao is a former winner of Project Runway… I was expecting she’d have a better idea of what women like (then again, given what I see in fashion magazines… women like me - i.e. casual - are not the designers’ target, so I’ll just keep buying normal looking accesories from the men’s department).

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on PacificDesign.com.

Via Chip Chick

I can’t say I am really eco-conscious (and I don’t even like the word, “eco” and “green” have begun sounding snobbish to me), but I try not to be wasteful. But, no matter how much I try, I can never remember to take a bag with me to the supermarket. Yes, I usually carry a backpack, but one loaf of bread and one bottle of Pepsi fill it up. I have reusable bags, but I can never remember to take them out of the closet.

The Flip & Tumble 24-7 Bag addresses the problem I mentioned and uses it: why not forget the reusable bag in your backpack? When stretched out, it’s a large sturdy bag; when “flipped & tumbled” (which is basically the same thing as folding a pair of socks), it can fit in your hand. For a demonstration of the process, check out this video.

Best of all, from a girl’s point of view, is the fact that it looks good. It comes in 5 color schemes, it has an attractive hippie-like design and doesn’t look like the bags my grandma used to carry her groceries. Yes guys, I am sure this sounds stupid to you, but I care about my appearance even when going to the supermarket.

The folded bag looks like this:

How much under $29.99?
Some: $12 on FlipandTumble.com.

Via BoingBoing

Things to do when bored, #1532: wear the Shoplifter Tote Bag around as many security guards as possible.

You will keep yourself entertained (count how many times they snicker and how many times they start watching you like hawkes; count how many of them actually notice it). You will keep them entertained (they’ll appreciate the joke or they’ll get something to do - i.e. follow you). You can even meet new people! (if you get questioned about your dubious sense of humor.)

Perfect for a lazy afternoon. Bonus fun: watch how people on the street react when they see it.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $17.99 on CafePress.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

Eco-aware or just making sure you can carry the odd groceries home, you want to carry a bag around with you. Me… I always leave it at home. Bad memory at such a young age, yeah.

Fortunately, there seems to be an easy way to carry a bag around with you at all times, with no inconvenience. MyBag is very smart: the shopping bag comes folded in a small case which can be used as a key ring. When unfolded, the case becomes a handle.

My problem with folding things: I never manage to fold them back up once I use them. There doesn’t seem to be any easy folding system for this bag either, so… keep that in mind if you’re planning to get one.

How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$11.50 on eShopMegaStore.com.

Via bookofjoe

What do you do when you want all these gadgets, but you have that little problem of no money? Why of course, rob a bank.

Fashionable girls, however, cannot just rob a bank, they have to do it in style. Just hand the teller your bag saying Put the money in the bag and nobody gets hurt and… well, watch him crack up. You won’t scare anyone with it, but it looks nice.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: ~$9.80 KitschULike.com.

Via FashionablyGeek

If you’re going to get a gift for someone, you’re going to need a gift bag. Ok, you won’t need it, but it is a very nice touch, you have to admit.

I came across this very large selection of (very cheap) gift bags (pictured here is one of dozens). They’re definitely not a novelty item, but they are just so… cute (totally girly, I know). You can select from Baby gift bags, Kids gift bags and Everyday gift bags, which is not such as large selection, but you can be sure you’ll find the right bag for an anniversary. Well, unless the birthday boy or girl is a goth, in which case you’ll have to look elsewhere. Or paint one of the bags black.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $1 on PennylanePapers.com.

Via TheBargainist

As I’ve said before, the internet is a great place for finding the ugliest things ever imagined. Or not. I could’ve never imagined something like this.

It’s Toto from the Wizard of Oz. With a zipper on his back. In a basket. And it’s supposedly a (duh) Toto in a Basket Handbag. From my experience, a bag is something people use to carry stuff around with them. Given that definition, I don’t think this can be considered a bag. Who in their right mind would carry this in public?

Fortunately, it’s being marketed as a costume accessory. It’s still ugly, but it would look normal (sort of) in a carnival.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.99 on WizardofOzCostumes.com.

Via FashionablyGeek