PIX is a backpack that dazzles people behind you with custom animated retro pixel artwork

You might like personalising a backpack with stickers and badges, but that’s very last century. PIX ($229) yanks such creativity into the present, by putting a vibrant grid of pixels on your back. The 16-by-20 matrix is controlled from your smartphone, and can show colour stills, animations, or play the most gimmicky version of Tetris since that tiny one they once shoved into a keyring. And the bag itself is no slouch either. At 42x31x16cm, it has a 27-litre capacity. There are three external pockets for gadgets, a ton of compartments for stashing everything else, and the backpack is water and shock resistant too. The only downside: those chunky visuals need a battery, meaning you’ll need to charge your bag before you leave the house, rather than just all the things in it.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.