Nevertheless, society has embraced these technologies to such extent that most individuals wouldn’t even be able to imagine their lives without a phone that plays music, provides the opportunity to watch videos or read books, as well as is capable of doing a plethora of other previously unheard things. So instead of scoffing at the mere thought of an umbrella that has any other options and responsibilities other than shielding you from the sun and the rain, we would advise you to keep an open mind or maybe, just maybe, even consider purchasing one of these undeniably cool umbrellas in the near future.
Does this one really come as a shocker to anybody? One of the most beloved and renowned franchises in movie history, the people behind Star Wars marketing division have been able to push and produce the most ridiculous merchandise ideas over the past few decades. And, honestly, who can blame them? What fan of the galaxy far, far away wouldn’t want a T-shirt with some hilariously misplaced quote from Master Yoda all over it? What kind of a young Padawan would be able to say no to a BB-8 replica? And, let’s be honest here for a moment, who wouldn’t feel at least intrigued with the idea of an umbrella that lights up like a real lightsaber every time you want? Well, since Star Wars is commemorating its 30th-anniversary, you can get that umbrella for less than a hundred bucks. Aside from the aforementioned ability, the nylon umbrella features just about 40-inches across and comes equipped with a telescoping action, not entirely dissimilar to the lightsabers from our beloved franchise. Just make sure to obtain the high ground advantage next time you meet somebody with a similar umbrella that looks like he means business.
Now, as if the science fiction enthusiasts didn’t have enough cool gadgets, pieces of merchandise, and other different memorabilia items that one way or the other refer or relate to one of their favorite franchises, some bright folks decided to devise an LED umbrella that looks almost identical to the semi-digital accessory that was displayed in the classic 80s science fiction flick Blade Runner. Now, you may not have the opportunity to spend your days in a quasi-futuristic Los Angeles and you probably aren’t a Blade Runner, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have one of the raddest umbrellas in the world. Plus, aside from looking incredibly cool, who couldn’t use some extra light when it is dark and gloomy outside? As you would imagine, the most defining characteristic of this high tech umbrella is the shaft that is lit by LEDs. And in case you were unable to acquire the previous parasol, this one can easily double as a lightsaber if you happen to be a fan of both franchises.
Hey, we did mention earlier the possibility of a parasol with a Wi-Fi connection, and, to be entirely honest with you, that wasn’t just a wild guess nor were we trying to come up with the most ridiculous idea possible. Now, before you brush this concept away, just hear us out. Imagine one of those rainy spring days that look just breathtakingly beautiful but you simply cannot afford to take your smartphone out to snap a picture or shoot a video. What do you do? Well, what about doing just that with your umbrella instead? Doesn’t sound particularly believable now, does it? Nevertheless, that is exactly what a group of Japanese engineers has been working on for the past couple of years. Known as the Pileus system, the umbrella in question is described as a "mobile tangible browser to make rainy days fun." This peculiar accessory comes with a built-In camera and is Wi-Fi enabled. According to the people behind this project, any user will be able to take a picture or shoot a video using nothing but this umbrella, then upload it to a website like YouTube. After that, all you’ll have to do is twist the handlebar that will allow you to scroll through the contents of the said website, with the image being projected onto the underside of the canopy. Other than that, the team is also planning to implement GPS sensors into this umbrella, so you’ll never be able to get lost during those pesky rainy days.
Now, this one is as simple as a smart umbrella can get, at least as far as the concept behind it is concerned. As the name suggests, the umbrella in question features a Wi-Fi receiver that will allow the model to gain access to weather forecast from the Internet. The greater the chance of rain, the more the handle will glow. Of course, in order to provide the glow, the manufacturers behind the product had to equip it with an LED, electrical leads, and something that they describe as a pulse with modulation microprocessor.
To be entirely honest, we would be hard-pressed to describe this model as a truly high tech umbrella compared to other offers on this peculiar market. On the other hand, it may very well be one of the more functional ones. All you need to do is hook up your iPod to this parasol and it will allow you to play the said device by simply opening and closing the umbrella. If you’d like to randomize the song playback, just shake the umbrella. And if you’re not satisfied with the level of volume, you can change it by jabbing the umbrella in the air.
And that’s about all there is to it. Of course, there are still plenty of parasols out there that greatly differ from your tried and tested rain umbrellas, but these are the one that we thought deserved some attention. Other than that, just make sure to keep an open mind, since there’s a good chance one of these “ridiculous” umbrellas will become all the rage in just a couple of years.