SQUIDband

Wikipedia article about the real world SQUID 

Link to primary inspiration, 1995's Strange Days 

Another take on the SQUIDband, SyFy's Caprica series 

Appearance

A SQUIDband is a head appliance that has between three and eleven SQUID sensors. The first bands were little more than masses of wires and battery packs, and nodes that were connected to the shaved scalp with electroconductive gel. By the Cosmic Era, a SQUIDband can the a fashion accessory, and be easily worn without being recognized as anything other than a decorative headband or hair accessory. Higher end SQUIDbands tend to be more stylish, while cheaper models are larger and more bulky.

The first generation of SQUIDbands had hardwire connections that connected them to storage media, and could only playback information from a hard data source. Once quantum data transcendence was perfected, SQUIDbands became capable of streaming data to and from sources. It is common for SQUIDband wearers to have their bands running continuously in record mode, broadcasting back to their home data terminals. SQUIDbands can also utilize streaming data to replay recordings, effectively letting the wearer of the band experience an echo memory of the event that was recorded. 

There is a very large market for both legal, and illegal data streams

Benefits

SQUIDbands are excellent data recorders and can flash store inspirational ideas that havent been put into words and the ability to share a thought or visual inspiration can be more powerful that words, speaking, or text. SQUIDbands are also able to record data for law enforcement and criminal evidence. A popular form of self protection is wearing a SQUIDband prominently so that any attacker is visually identified and their image can be cross referenced in databases. Many victims of crime have benefited from identifying their assailants via band data. Some of the victims were not alive to see their killers brought to justice. 

SQUIDband data streaming services make a tidy profit selling commercially produced data streams, with emotional actors as well as physical actors. SQUIDstreaming was a precursor to the S3 data system used in the immersive CogNet, and was seen as a safe non-medical alternative to being fitting with a Wachowski cranial dataport.

Drawbacks

There are several drawbacks to the SQUIDband. The most common and well documented issue is SQUID addiction. SQUID addicts will withdraw from friends and family to immerse themselves in the fantasy lives of other people, or live vicariously through other people's shared data streams. This is especially prominent in sexual and pornographic data streams and contrary to previous versions of pornagraphic addiction, SQUID sex addicts are just as likely to be women as men.

There is a black market for black material, SQUID recordings of illegal activities, the most popular, degrading and expensive are 'snuff' streams where the wearer gets to experience the emotional roller coaster of committing a murder. In perverse circles, there are rape streams, abuse and molestation streams, drug abuse streams (become addicted to heroin without ever touching a needle) and the most perverse aspect, there are streams that are done from the opposite side, the side of the victim being raped, or the person being killed. 

Finally, the SQUIDband typically has limits in it's biofeedback system. This level is adjustable, so that the wearer can experience as much or as little of the recording as they want to. Normal bands and data streams have regulated safe streams of biofeedback. Unregulated, black market streams and bands can go much farther. Regular use of hotcycled oroverclocked bands can cause damage to the sections of the brain that produce dopamine, reducing the users ability to feel satisfaction and happiness in normal life. Only the artificial stimulation of the band can cause these hormone centers to work and only for a limited time. SQUIDburners, or addicts who have damaged these parts of the brain tend to be gaunt, unhealthy looking, and do not form strong social or family bonds. None of these activities bring them the slightest bit of pleasure, only the band can do that. The streams that feed these criminal bands are commonly known as BTL feeds, named after the most popular of the black streamers, Better Than Life Network.

Unexpected Items

SQUIDbands can be used regularly as a form of training, especially for physical activities such as exercise, cardio vascular workouts, dancing, martial arts, and the like. Swapping data streams is useful in diplomacy and negotiations,  so that both sides can know the full extent of the other side's position. SQUID therapy is common in now preventing divorce, as well as rehabilitating criminals, chronic mental ailments, and memorization techniques.

Link back to Johnn Four's How to Create Magic items in 3 Minutes submission.