For one, technology hasn't yet advanced to the point where it's ready to meet high fashion. For another, even those in the industry acknowledge that most consumers are not ready to wear such gear. The catwalking also offers a provocative look at where technology could be heading. In Charmed's vision, someday we'll all be wearing devices like the Eyesite, a low-profile monocle that will function as a computer screen visible only to the wearer for discreet Web surfing wherever they go. Another runway model showed off the AlphaConductor, an eerily green set of cables fixed onto one hand that will replace a computer mouse and desktop by letting the user click away into midair.
Most Charmed products are just prototypes and some seemed a little outlandish.
Charmed is only just starting to sell some small items, like a badge containing a tiny microprocessor that allows people at meetings to trade personal data electronically rather than collect business cards. I don't think all the information we need can come from a cell phone or from a computer. One of the things that has been holding the computer industry back . . . is that people don't have enough fashion, color, style and design. Charmed isn't the only company thinking along these lines. Nike is working on computerized clothing for athletes.