When I was a kid I used to dream of fighter planes, heads up displays in cock pits and of being congratulated by the hundreds of miscellaneous carrier ship workers as I land my plane after that successful mission. Of course, I was just a kid playing on my bed with computer joystick in hand, my Dad’s Ray Bans on and the underside of a rubber Dino the Dinosaur puppet mounted to my face like an oxygen mask. Flying through the air I would see my locking and warning signs through my goggles and would maneuver my aircraft at just the right moment to evade the ever present missiles heading my way from this Bad Guy or that.

Many years have passed and whilst those old pretend toys have since faded into the background and no doubt earned their place at the bottom of some far away landfill, the memories will (hopefully) always be there to inspire the imaginations of Me and my children.

Whilst shopping for iPod accessories the other day I actually stumbled across a fantastic new product that had all the memories flooding back. Known as the Myvu Crystal, this device offers wide screen optical viewing with the portability of a pair of sunglasses. I myself have never had the discipline to watch a full length movie on the small screen of my Apple iPod Video - I would always get tired of holding the device close enough to my face to provide a real cinematic experience. That, and of course my weakling arms would always tend to give out before the end of the first scene. ;p

Enter the Myvu Crystal. Currently the flagship model in their portfolio of viewing devices, the Myvu Crystal offers 640px x 480px viewing capability combined in a durable and well designed video eyewear package complete with Ultimate Ears® in-ear headphones and up to 4 hours battery life. Volume, brightness and contrast can all be adjusted with the functional remote control that sits on the line between the eyewear unit itself and your iPod. As opposed to the video eyewear offered by makers in the past, the Myvu Crystal’s slimline design allows the user to see their environment around them, giving certain peace of mind when thinking about using the device in public. You wont be taking these glasses off to find all of your belongings gone unbeknown to you.

Depending on which version of the Myvu Crystal you purchase you will invariably be able to use them for any AV output device, like video game consoles. Reserved for solo gaming only, the Myvu Crystal can be used effectively for hours of electronic gaming fun!

Regardless of which side of the line you fall on when it comes to video eyewear, you will no doubt admire the ingenuity of the Manufacturer in it’s strive towards bettering entertainment on the go - and if you’re anything like me, you’ll instantly fall in love because of the obvious Top Gun factor. Either way, it’s certain worth a look.

Here is the Company’s website as well as some other reviews that might give you a clearer picture:

Myvu Crystal Website

iLounge Review

Boston Globe Review

Cnet Review

Macworld Review