Hold off on that holster

When I
run around trade shows, I always find myself stuffing my pockets with
devices I don’t normally carry around the office. Apparently the folks
at Personal Electronics Concealment
had the same problem. They came up with a device they call the
e-Holster. It comes in three models at different prices. The
top-of-the-line e-Holster Leather Professional the company sent me to
try is a $100 accessory that slips around your shoulder. Hanging from
the front at chest level are pockets into which you can strap your
mobile phone and palmtop computer.

Having trouble picturing this? PEC does a good job showing the product off on its Website. Take a look before you continue reading.

Back with me? Now, ask yourself who might like this product:

• Retired military police
• Survivalists
• Quake III enthusiasts

Then think about who won’t like this product:

• Women
• Men with wives
• Men with girlfriends
• Men who ever hope to have a wife or girlfriend

The problem
with the e-Holster is that it doesn’t look cool — it looks geeky.
While pocket protectors have gained a sort of geek chic in some
circles, the universal first reaction I’ve gotten to the e-Holster has
been, “What is that?”

It’s a shame, because the product is well made and comfortable to wear. If you have a suit jacket on, you can’t even see it.

But that’s
the catch-22. You probably don’t want to be seen wearing this holster,
so you’d only wear it only you could cover it with a jacket. But if you
have a jacket on, as I usually do when conducting business out of the
office, you have extra pockets, and you don’t need the holster.

I applaud PEC for its inventiveness, but I have to recommend giving e-Holster a pass.