New York.– The MP3 player, the cellphone, the PDA and all the rest now seem as ubiquitous as, well, jackets and pants. But walking around festooned with dangling wires, belt clips and bulging pockets isn't going to cut it anymore. 

As personal, portable technology becomes more pervasive – and cellphones and iPods get sleeker and slimmer – many clothing companies are looking for ways to better integrate these things onto your person, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review published. 

Walk into any outdoor clothing store, and it seems that half the jackets now come standard with at least one special internal pocket for an iPod. The REI Thermo-Jacket ($129), a sturdy, snug-fitting fleece jacket for skiing, hiking or waiting for the bus, is fairly representative of the new breed.  

"It's nice because the pocket on the inside is weather-protected," says Ty Chapman, of REI on the South Side. "It's got the pocket on the inside, and has a little cut-out for the wires to go up and through. You get some high school or college guys in here who want that jacket for walking around campus, to and from class."

According to Chapman, it's also great if you're doing any backpacking or hiking on your own, if you want to listen to some tunes while you're doing it. 

"It won't get caught on something and get yanked out of your head. You just pull your little earpiece out (through the jacket), bring it up to your ear, and you're in good shape." 

Snowboarders and their sympathizers, in particular, seem to be a big market for tech-friendly clothing. Jackets such as the 686 Smarty Optical Snowboard Jacket ($279) might have other priorities – like a thermometer/compass keychain and "zippered pit vents" – but MP3-player pockets and portals come standard. 

Adding tunes to a downhill run is second-nature for snowboarders, says Shawn Watson, 32, of the South Side. 

"It kinda gets you psyched up," Watson says. "It's kind a hard to explain – but for lack of a better term, it gets you pumped up." 

It's not enough for a jacket simply to be tech-friendly, of course – you've still got to keep warm and look cool. But it also might help seal the deal. 

And keeping an iPod and its wires concealed isn't just handy on the slopes or trails. It's a good way to keep you from getting iRobbed, too. 

If it's security you're worried about, Scottevest's high-tech jackets were sound enough for the Secret Service. 

Scottevest focuses on keeping your gadgets concealed and convenient. All the styles, from the Napa lambskin Milan to the TEC Sport Jacket, a traditional navy blue blazer, give away few hints about what's contained underneath. 

"Whatever people are carrying, we find a way for them to carry it," says Scottevest chief executive officer Scott Jordan. "And also, we manage their wires. We have the loops and the passageways that enable them to carry and use their devices on the go." 

"We sell online (at www.scottevest.com), but we also sell to the federal government – special forces, and other undercover law enforcement branches," Jordan says. "They get to carry all their stuff, including listening devices, and not call attention to themselves." 

This small Ketchum, Idaho, company has even gone so far as to patent its concept of "Technology Enabled Clothing." That includes a tightly organized network of passageways for wires, and as many as 40 or even 50 pockets – some clasped with magnets – so that stuff won't fall out when you're on the move. 

"I may be a latecomer to the iPod generation," Jordan says, "but I'm frequently on a ski lift, conducting business via e-mail, listening to tunes, having conference calls." 

But that's only a start – Scottevest's Tactical 4.0 Solar jacket can recharge most devices via solar power panels, on a sunny day. 

Because shades are often sort of high-tech to begin with, they're an obvious place to incorporate wearable technology.

Dominicantoday.com