If the shoe fits, might as well drive around in it all day, right?

This week, The Cut {via Selectism} posted a photo of a giant, 10-foot long authentic leather shoe made out of bull hide that is actually an electric car able to hold two people. Itâ€s just for Sunday cruising or short trips, though, since it can only go up to 30 miles per hour.

The car was created by the Kang Shoe Company and has been making its way around the streets of China as a promotional tactic. {Gizmodo} It can go for up to 250 miles on the power of its single battery and stands three feet high. {Weird Asia News}

Since Kang plans to build 40 of these promotional cars, we figured we should offer suggestions for what types of shoes would make good automobiles. Kang should probably stick with styles that never go out of fashion, so a classic black womenâ€s high-heeled leather boot would work great. Perhaps it could even come with removable shearling for colder weather. A Converse Chuck Taylor sneaker would be perfect to market to the young and hip crowd, and a strappy espadrille could be the equivalent of a convertible for warmer months.

The possibilities are endless, and we canâ€t to see what Kang comes up with or if the shoe car will ever go up for general sale. The image of the original shoe car has been circulating the Internet, so the company should at the very least find a way to take advantage of the success of its promotion. And step on it.

We're not jumping on these trends, but they're still interesting.

5. The Return of the Fanny Pack

Ah, the cyclical nature of fashion can be a fantastic thing when lovable trends are re-invented and made exciting to wear again, but some fads should be left in the past (and by the past, we mean the ‘80s). This year, Rihanna was spotted wearing a fanny pack and Tory Burch even began selling them. Most of the ones we found online carried a hefty price tag, and we never thought Tory Burch would ever be making one, so weâ€ll see if the hip bag catches back on for good. If it does, then boy does whoever markets that thing deserve a pat on the back.

4. iPhone STD Testing

Researchers in the U.K. announced they were in the process of coming up with a way for young adults to test themselves for STDs by essentially inserting their own urine into their iPhones or other mobile devices. The object is to get the STD rate down by allowing for increased testing privacy. We had to put at least one IEJ topic that gives you the willies on the list.

3. Japanese Anti-Aging Goggles

One of our favorite IEJ trends this year involved brands that were essentially attempting to charge consumers for a product that did basically nothing the average person couldnâ€t do themselves for free. We thought weâ€d seen it all in the ant-aging game when British beauty brand Rodial came out with snake bite anti-aging serum, but these goggles claimed to fight wrinkles and lines by holding the skin around your eyes taut. The makers declared that holding the skin in place for an extended amount of time would cause it to stay that way. (Helpful hint: if you believe them, you can hold your skin that way using your own fingers – or a pair of swim goggles that at least you can take to the pool once you realize they donâ€t work like Botox).

2. Teva Stilettos

The Teva stilettos are meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but they are a fantastic oddity nonetheless. This fall, news spread through the blogosphere of Tevaâ€s partnership with Grey Ant to sell hiking sandal meets New Yearâ€s Eve party shoes. That horrible combination was running for more $300. ‘Nuff said.

1. The Snazzy Napper

The informational video for this thing is definitely in the top 10 most entertaining things weâ€ve ever seen. The Snuggieâ€s weird younger sister popped up across the Web this summer, and it is basically a blanket with a hole in it that is supposed to help you sleep in public. A big IEJ trend this year was strange products with huge price tags. The Snazzy Napper (aka the “snazzy way to sleep while you travel”) takes number 1 partly for the fact that it is not insanely expensive. That and itâ€s sheer WTF genius.

Maybe some things shouldn't be replaced by technology

The Guardian reported this week that the U.K. Clinical Research Collaboration is in the process of developing a way for people to test themselves for sexually transmitted diseases using their mobile devices. If they are successful, users will be able to place their own urine or saliva on a small computer chip that plugs into the mobile device, which will then produce the test results.

According to the Guardian, the app is being produced with technology-savvy young people in mind – those that experts say may be too embarrassed to go to the doctor to be tested though their age group has the highest rate of STDs. The test is meant to be private and quick, much like a drug store pregnancy test, and to reduce the growing number of STDs, which have increased in frequency over the last decade in the U.K.

Appadvice points out that this news may mean one day doctorâ€s offices could be obsolete, or at least less frequently visited. If the average person can test themselves for an STD, whoâ€s to say people wonâ€t diagnose themselves and print out their prescriptions in the future?

We donâ€t see that happening until sometime very far into the future, and the app being developed does not seem to include a way for people to treat themselves in private as well. This could mean it will not actually reduce the rate of STDs. If someone is too embarrassed to see a doctor to be tested, they may be too embarrassed to be treated as well.

And now that weâ€ve discussed all the particulars can we take a minute to talk about how inserting your own urine or spit into your mobile phone is disgusting? Weâ€re sure the creators will have some way to keep the process totally sterile and clean, but weâ€re not planning on sticking anything up against our cheeks and ears that has once housed our own pee. Trying to stop the growing rate of infection any way possible is a great idea and should be commended, but how about educating young people about STD prevention and coming up with ways to make them feel more comfortable talking to their doctors instead?

We were set to pop open the champagne along with the folks at Elle, but, upon further inspection of the evidence presented, weâ€d like to declare only a partial victory – the halfway lap, if you will.

Marc Jacobs made a bang, but fashion still has a way to go before declaring social media victory.

Elle is correct to say that a decent number of designers and brands have made a push into the Facebook market. Marc Jacobs, in fact, recently ran a contest centered around Facebook to promote his new fragrance, Bang. However, if you really think about it, shouldnâ€t every designer, fashion label and retailer have some sort of Facebook presence by now? Businesses in other industries have long since figured out that a Facebook presence is necessary for success into the future.

The magazine also points to the pending launch of PassportStyle, a fashion social network through which designers can interact with their customers, which is set to go live later this week as evidence that fashion has finally risen in technology. The Web site has a great concept, but Elle is right to also point out that it may not necessarily be successful, since it seems no one has bothered to investigate whether shoppers really want to use this kind of site.

Finally, Elle says that the re-launch of Bizzy this Tuesday is an important advance because the site recommends boutiques based on ratings from users. They leave out one important factor: Bizzy recommends all sorts of local businesses from restaurants to parks and a wide variety of stores, not just clothing boutiques, so it doesnâ€t really count as a fashion-specific advance.

Overall, fashion brands and fashion startups have been making some smart social moves lately. We just wish theyâ€d hold the high praise, since most of these “innovations” should have been pushed for long ago – ya know, around the time the rest of the world started using technology for business purposes. Itâ€s certainly not too late for someone to take the lead in bringing fashion into the digital age, but many brands are still struggling with the basics. Letâ€s just get someone on it already.

We would suggest a moment of silence if we werenâ€t too busy wondering if we were the only ones who had assumed the Walkman was already out of production. Apparently Sony has still been making Walkmans, though they have become mostly obsolete with the advent of Mp3 players – namely, the Apple iPod, which was introduced around this time of year in 2001.

Dying, but not dead yet

Sony will continue producing Walkman devices in China and distributing them in the United States, Europe and some Asian countries, and the more updated (but still relatively old news) Discman is still made by Sony. Digital Walkmans that display lyrics and have improved digital noise-canceling technology are also available, though we wonder why Sony doesn’t just pull the proverbial plug. The LA Times spoke to an unnamed source at Sony who claims that someone out there is providing a “consistent but small demand.”

The Walkman, which saw its first model launched 31 years ago in 1979 at a retail price of $200, is largely regarded as the first big step in portable music – the ground work on which the Discman and iPod were created and thus an incredibly important gadget in the music biz. About 220 million have been sold worldwide to date. {The Washington Post}

Though the Walkman will likely be remembered most for making music widely portable, the fact that the device marked the beginning of customized music lists is equally as important. The Washington Post calls the Walkman the “father of the mix tape.” In this case, the Walkmanâ€s reach has far exceeded the boundaries of music and entertainment, as these days you can customize nearly anything – including chocolate bars.

Now letâ€s take that moment of silence for the Walkman.

Remember kids, smoking isn't glamorous - even if the cigarettes are fake

The actress appeared on Mondayâ€s “Late Show with David Letterman” touting an electronic cigarette called a “smoke stick.” {NYDailyNews}

Electronic cigarettes are apparently the latest trendy gadgets for smokers trying to quit. The official brand name for one is SmokeStik, and according to the Web site for the product, it works by recreating the entire smoking experience, including an exhaled “smoke-like vapor,” so would-be quitters do not feel as though they are missing out on their cigarette breaks. Apparently the SmokeStik (or eCig) contains no tobacco or tar and is free of over 400 other chemicals in traditional cigarettes that are known to cause cancer. It is also produces no ashes or stubs.

Here is where the SmokeStik loses us: Liquid nicotine, propylene glycol and food grade flavorings are heated up by the gadgetâ€s battery to create a mist for the user to inhale and exhale. We do not understand how it is completely harmless for the smoker as he or she is still inhaling nicotine. In fact, he or she is also still exhaling nicotine as well, making it harmful and annoying as second-hand smoke too. It certainly seems much safer than a traditional cigarette, but if the goal is to quit using nicotine entirely, the SmokeStik does not seem like the best option.

Perhaps the product is meant to work like a nicotine patch, which puffers trying to kick the habit wear to gradually wean their bodies off of the substance. In this case, the SmokeStik should come with some sort of instructions on how to slowly lessen usage to fully quit smoking. The brandâ€s Web site, however, touts it as a permanent replacement for traditional cigarettes.

The SmokeStik Web site also contains phrases such as “appears safe” and “more extensive experimental trials are needed.”

SmokeStik is not the only brand offering electronic cigarettes, and some versions of the product claim to be nicotine free.

If you are thinking about trying one out, however, you should know that the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated any eCigarettes for safety and effectiveness but found in limited studies that some electronic cigarettes claiming to contain no nicotine did in fact include the substance. {FDA}

The FDA also just announced this month that five American companies, including E-CigaretteDirect LLC, Ruyan America Inc., Gamucci America (Smokey Bayou Inc.), E-Cig Technology Inc. and Johnsonâ€s Creek Enterprises LLC, have received warning letters for violations including unsubstantiated claims and poor manufacturing.

The governmental organization also worries that young kids may think eCigarettes are a way to look cool without the harmful effects of smoking, but the nicotine in the products may still lead to addiction.

What is most bothersome about this situation is that Heigl and Letterman made light of the product, and many desperate-to-quit smokers may buy these gadgets without knowing the risks. Heiglâ€s late night puff with Letterman may have looked cool, and it sure was better than if she had lit up a traditional cigarette, but the actress would do better to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or go to smokefree.gov for sound advice on how to quit smoking.

Thatâ€s right folks! Perry had images of funnyman beau Russell Brandâ€s face painted on her finger nails for the occasion. {E! Online} She told Ellen DeGeneres in a post-show interview that she did it because he could not attend the VMAs with her since he was shooting an upcoming movie in New York.

What do you think? Awwwww! Or Whaaaaaaat?

We werenâ€t sure what to make of it, but Ms. Teenage Dream (and Rolling Stone’s September cover girl) did cause us to wonder what else you could have painted on your nails if you really wanted an original manicure.

Turns out the latest trends in nail art are a direct reflection of a younger generationâ€s obsessions – specifically, technology and junk food.

It seems the newest in nail art is having the icon for your favorite Internet browser painted on. Apparently blogger Mamipeko decided to request browser icons be painted on her nails, and the manicurist she went to delivered, using a nude polish as a base and detailing the icons for Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari and Opera. {Walyou}

Considering the information generationâ€s obsession with technology and the Web, we figure it’s not unlikely that this idea will catch on, especially since news has spread through the blogosphere. Many others have already followed suit, requesting the Apple icon, Super Mario Brothers images and the Twitter bird as part of their manicures. {Walyou}

This could take the "I'm a PC" thing in a completely new direction

And if you think that is crazy, get this: photos of a set of manicured nails painted with the logos for various snacks and sodas have been circulating the blogosphere of late as well. You can brand your hands with Doritos, Oreos, Goldfish, Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper if you so choose. {the gloss}

Since much has been made of the importance of appealing to generation Y for any business to remain relevant into the future, we canâ€t really say technology and junk food nail art is such a bad idea. And compared to Lindsay Lohan’s manicure meltdown, the latest nail expressions are pretty harmless. Besides being obsessed with snacks and the Internet, the current younger generation does seem to be particularly inclined toward wearing T-shirts, handbags, sweatpants and other apparel with brand logos plastered across them, which is another point in this type of manicureâ€s favor. We can, however, point out that if you are a grown, respectable woman this is one trend to highly consider skipping. Unless of course youâ€re Katy Perry.

“Bangs” that are received after midnight or from foreign countries will rack up more points for the user, and each day selected users will win prizes like Marc Jacobs clothing and bottles of the new fragrance. Just a few fortunate ones will eventually win the grand prize – an invite to one of Marc Jacobâ€s upcoming fashion shows. {Hint}

The name of the game is quite suggestive, though not nearly as racy as the Bang ads that cropped up on the Internet this May. Jacobs, who recently split from Brazilian PR Guru Lorenzo Martone, said the name of the new product has many meanings.

“When the word ‘bang†came to me, I liked that it was a sound and also that it felt like something was finished, done, end of story and, you know, kind of complete,” he told Elle.

The “bang” Facebook game is quite the clever marketing idea. With the success of social game makers like Playdom and the premium audience spending time on Facebook, the incorporation of social media, game mechanics and incentives sounds like a winning combination, and one that we hope to see extended beyond fragrance and beauty for more brands. Go Marc!

Condé Nast closed the doors on Gourmet last October, but President of Consumer Marketing for Condé Nast Robert Sauerberg said the brand was never completely shut down.

“By focusing on a new way to meet consumer needs, tap into our deep branding, and approach our content differently, we came up with a product that re-imagines Gourmet and revalues engagement,” CEO Chuck Townsend said. “We are extremely pleased with the magazine apps we have developed as part of our R&D efforts, however Gourmet Live is profoundly different. We approached this like a tech company, utilizing the rich assets of a media company, keeping Condé Nast at the forefront of content innovation.”

He said Gourmet Live aims to attract a younger, Web-savvy audience in addition to previous readers of Gourmet magazine.

Gourmet Live adds a twist to the future of magazines. Previously, it was commonly agreed upon that the future of magazines was on the Internet, but individual apps are a relatively new development.

What is most interesting is Townsendâ€s statement that a technological approach was taken. He also said Gourmet Live is “not a magazine and itâ€s not a digital version of a magazine.” What is it then? If other magazines choose to follow the same path, will the word magazine and/or our current idea of what that is become obsolete in the future? We also worry about the quality of the content for such apps if technology is considered foremost in development, though the bright side is the potential for struggling publications to find new footing in the digital realm.

Competition for eReading consumers†affection sizzled on Monday as Barnes and Noble dropped the price of its well received Nook e-book reader 23 percent to $199 and introduced the Nook WiFi at an even bigger bargain $149, though the latter device can only be used in a WiFi environment. Amazon, whose $259 price tag for their Kindle eReader (which comes with 3G technology by default) previously matched the Nookâ€s cost exactly, responded by dropping the price of the Kindle to $189, and they aren’t stopping their competitive advances there. Amazon.com plans to introduce a thinner Kindle with an upgraded screen this August. Sonyâ€s cheapest eReader is still $169. {Fortune}

Get yourself a price gun: the war for th eReader market is on

At this rate, eReaders will be cheaper than the actual books in their stores in no time.

In addition, Apple updated the iPhone and iPod Touch today to include available iBook software. The iPadâ€s price tag for the entry-level model remains near $500, though the additional tablet computer functionality give it an advantage over single purpose eReaders. It would be difficult to justify a $500 eReader purchase, but when that device doubles as a place to play games, browse the web and check on email, it’s a lot easier to rationalize.
“Their sales have obviously been impacted by the iPad,” Charlie Wolf, a senior analyst at Needham & Co. in New York, said. “These price cuts are almost an act of desperation.” {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Meanwhile, Kobo, the e-book retailer that offers eReading software for an array of devices, released free software on Monday that is available through the Android marketplace and allows eReaders to be used on Smartphones with the Android operating system. The e-book retailer already produces software for other Smartphones, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Palm WebOS and the newly released Kobo reading device.

Users who buy Kobo e-books with one device can read their purchase on any of the devices for which Kobo offers software.

“We’ve adapted the features our customers love and expect from Kobo to ensure that we provide the best reading experience for Android-enabled smartphones,” Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis said. {Publishers Weekly}

Borders is also holding steady with eReaders that began selling for $119.99-$149.99 in May. {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Need to catch your breath? We sure do! We canâ€t wait to see which devices prove most popular among consumers and how low the prices will need to go to woo customers who are interested in an e-reading device but not its expense.