Motorola/Burton Audex jackets are here

Just in time for Torino, Motorola and Burton are shipping their Bluetooth-enabled Audex jackets. The jackets sport a set of sleeve-mounted controls that can be used to control an audio player and respond to calls. There are also hood-mounted speakers and a mic, for full immersion. Pricing starts at $599, and colors include black, blue, red, and, for the ladies only, mocha plaid. Moto has also recruited a team of pro boarders to tour and promote the jackets; presumably they'll show off the best way to take a call while flipping the halfpipe (we assume that it involves letting voicemail take care of it).

[Ian @ Jan 20th 2006 11:53AM]

they've been shipping for a couple weeks now, not that it really matters. as far as the concept, i don't think i'd be a huge fan. i took my cell phone out with me a couple weeks ago while i was on the slopes, fully charged, and it was dead within three hours. and killington isn't even that cold.

[Steve Louissaint @ Jan 20th 2006 11:55AM]

I'll pass, but thanks for trying to sell me a $600 coat Moto...

[Ed @ Jan 20th 2006 12:07PM]

You might consider not taking those conference calls while you're on the slopes. Or maybe you just need a new battery?

A Samsung SGH-X495 with wired headset worked beautifully this past weekend in Jackson Hole and I only had to charge it every other day (total of 4 days on the slopes). Mind you, we're not only talking 16F at the *base* but also the phone was in the outer pocket of a Bonfire Spectral since it allows for the wire to run up inside. So it's not like it was in a warm and cozy fleece pocket.

There were also 16 of us there so plenty of calls were made.

[Steve @ Jan 20th 2006 12:21PM]

I've had mine for a couple of weeks and i think it's a great jacket. A lot of people stop me and ask me about the jacket. It's a little embarrassing when at the mall and everyone can here your phone conversation :) Besides that it's great!

[Mitch @ Jan 20th 2006 2:15PM]

Got mine when it came out! A great jacket. Warm and easy to use. A few things are missing (like the ability to shuffle the ipod) but i bet they could fix that with firmware.

Overall the jacket rocks! and its a good conversation piece

[kbs @ Jan 20th 2006 3:29PM]

#1 you gotta make sure you don't roam on analog on the slopes. or search between analog and digital alot... kills battery much faster than digital. the cold doesn't really do in lith-ion batterys like nicads. hope that helps.

[ridestowe @ Jan 21st 2006 1:23AM]

killington is nice, but stowe is my hometown place so i'll be tryin out this jacket there next weekend.