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?

But back to the Droid, with the next generations expected to have twice the memory and twice the speed (thanks to a faster processor), there are lots of small changes that could make a big difference in performance. Physically, there won’t be much of a difference in the Droid and Droid 2 – the touch pad from the first version is replaced with arrow keys {Android and Me}, so is it worth the upgrade?

Well, the Droid X will lose the QWERTY keyboard, though for some users that may be a disadvantage. If you just can’t get the hang of a touchscreen and just want the power boost, there’s still a case to be made for waiting.

For one thing, until midnight tonight, you can get the original Droid completely free at Wirefly if you’re a new or existing customer. Click here and use the code WIREFLYMEMCARD18 to also get a free 2GB memory card. It may not be the latest model, but free still isn’t a bad price for a smartphone.

The second thing to consider is what will be rolling out around holiday time this year. For one, there’s the AT&T/TMobile Samsung Captivate, not to mention the clandestine Windows Phone 7 phones. While the Droid 2 or Droid X may be an improvement on the current Droid – many bloggers consider the Droid 2 to be the fastest Android phone so far, it doesn’t seem like it will take long for other smartphones to catch up or surpass the improvements. The Droid X, for example, will get an upgrade to the camera and include 720p HD video recording and Android 2.2, but those are things that other smartphones already have, or will have soon.

While that may sound like a good deal – the 8GB phone is $99 on Apple’s website, it might only be appealing to those who’ve been on the fence about the iPhone for a while. If you purchase the $97 iPhone, you’ll still be locked into a 2-year contract with AT&T. Many people suspect that an iPhone for Verizon will appear before year’s end. For those who have heard the many complaints of customers on AT&T; like dropped calls, spotty reception and sporadic call quality, even in areas with multiple bars, a new network might be more important than a $100 discount.

For the phone geeks, $100 might also not be enough to make up for the fact that the phone won’t come with the latest features due to come on the latest iPhones. Judging by the fervor over the lost iPhone Gizmodo posted about, it’s safe to say there are enough people who are more concerned with having an extra camera and larger battery (to support a higher quality screen display, among other things) than getting the lowest price.

If you’re okay with AT&T, can make do with a single camera and think the current screen resolution of the 3GS is just fine, Apple rarely sells anything at 50% off so the WalMart discount is definitely worth considering.

Today, Microsoft’s KIN phones will be released on Verizon Wireless to masses of “generation upload” users dying to get their hands on the social network-centric devices.  The phones themselves actually aren’t bad, the KIN ONE, despite the odd form is actually a cute-looking phone.

The problem many would have with the phones is that both come with $30 a month data plans, the same plans that come with all other Verizon smartphones.  That means that the phones will cost at least $70 a month to use.  For phones directed at mainly teenagers, adding a mandatory data plan that costs as much as say a Droid Incredible or Motorola Droid doesn’t make much sense.

Microsoft has responded to those claims by saying that the KIN phones will eventually have apps.  The apps would be the same as the apps on the upcoming Windows Phone 7 as the two platforms merge {Electronista}.  For now, however the phones remain app-less.  The plan for KIN is actually a bit reminiscent of the original iPhone, with no apps outside of the built-in Apple apps.  That doesn’t mean the KIN phones will reach the popularity of the iPhone, but the promise of something more than the current basic options is intriguing.

It wouldn’t be surprising, though, if the KIN phones, as they merged with the Windows Phone 7 encounter the same issues that Android phones are encountering with fragmentation.  The KIN ONE, with it’s smaller screen might have trouble running apps built for larger screens, which could lead to confused or frustrated users.  It happens now with the wide range of Android versions being used right now, and hopefully Microsoft has a way around the problem that doesn’t leave out those who buy the KIN phones on the promise of apps in the future.

Image {HighTech Review}

The Palm Pre Plus, the upgraded version of the supposed iPhone killer is finally making it’s way to the network of the iPhone.  The release coming on May 16 comes off as just a bit too late, however.  {Engadget} It comes just a month before the official launch of the new iPhone (the one that launched a nasty police raid), which is expected to borrow a few of the Pre Plus’  features.

The new version will feature multitasking, one of the biggest advantages the Pre Plus formerly had over the iPhone .  While the current iPhone has a rather boring user interface, the next version will allow for wallpapers on the homescreen, another big plus the original Pre offered.

That leaves the Pre Plus with a free Touchstone wireless charger that will be included with the phone when purchased in a corporate-owned store.  If, like Ellen, the physical keyboard on the Blackberry has kept you from giving a touchscreen phone a chance, the Palm Pre Plus has one. But we aren’t sure if that’s enough to get Apple or Blackberry loyalists (maybe Palm’s mistake was going with a tree name instead of a fruit), to make the change.

Coming in at $149.99 compared to the recently reduced Verizon price of $29.99 on a two-year contract, the AT&T Palm Pre Plus just seems like a bad idea for now.  The free charger doesn’t make up for the fact that AT&T’s network is notoriously spotty with coverage compared to Verizon.  The initial price is also a lot more than on Verizon, and the monthly plans are about the same.

The only real upside is the fact that AT&T’s network allows you to talk and browse the web simultaneously.  Provided you’re in a location where you can talk in the first place, but that’s a different discussion. All in all, we wouldn’t count on AT&T to save sales of recently rescued Palm. And though its features are solid, the Pre doesn’t seem like it will provide enough incentive for someone to switch to AT&T, or even stay on AT&T. Good thing they still have iPhone exclusivity.

Peter DaSilva for the New York Times

But even we didn’t think the iPhone would be replacing your cello any time soon.

The newest fad in iPhone adventures? iPhone orchestras. From the University of Michigans’ Mobile Phone Ensemble to the Stanford Mobile Phone Orchestra, these crazy kids are using their iPhones as their instruments to make some pretty out-there music.

Want to see/hear more? Check out the links below for videos of these mobile phone masters in action:

Read More {Switched}

Read More {The New York Times}