$99 ZVUE Personal Media Player Now Supports DRM

Do you fancy watching downloaded content on a personal media player, but don’t want to shell out $300+ for a 5G ipod with video, or some other more expensive PMP? If so, you might want to check out ZVUE, the infamous affordable personal media player that costs just $99. The ZVUE is not a new product, but the fact that it now supports DRM files is exciting. That means that it will play music purchased from subscription services such as Yahoo! Music and Rhapsody. The ZVUE is now the only DRM-enabled personal media player in the world that costs less then a $100. In case you’ve never heard of the ZVUE until now, here is a quick run down - it features a 2.5 inch LCD display, plays Windows Media Video and audio files, MPEG-4/AVI videos, MP3 and OGG audio files, displays JPEG pictures, reads SD & MMC cards, and plays up to 8 hours of video on 4 AA alkaline batteries.

Reptile Egg Speakers & Microwave Television by Marcel Wanders

Who knew that reptile eggs would make such a beautiful design for speakers? Dutch designer Marcel Wanders has designed these for the company HE. While you’re at the site, check out the other multimedia products he has designed such as the microwave with a built-in DVD player and a TFT television on its door. A microwave with a TV screen seems like a neat idea, most people would love to watch the news or a movie while waiting for their tv dinner to heat up. General Electric, or some other home electronics company has got to pick this concept up.

Game Wave DVD Game Console System

Frustrated by the fact that you still can’t get a hold of an Xbox 360? Forget about the Xbox 360 and feast your eyes on the Game Wave. Game Wave is an entertainment system that plays DVD games created for the whole family to interact with.  Up to 6 players can play at a time, and each player gets their own remote control to participate with. Really, who needs Call of Duty 2 when you can play a Bible Trivia game that costs just $19.99? Other games include "Zap 21" - a card game, as well as some other interactive trivia games. The Game Wave also plays regular DVD movies and retails for $99.95.

Hello Kitty Face Protectors for the Ipod Nano

These face protectors for the Ipod Nano are another Asian treat for Hello Kitty fans - at least for those who weren’t stupid enough to purchase a Hello Kitty Mp3 player. (Source: Akihabara News)

LED Illuminated USB Heart, Flower & Star Shaped Frames

The LED Illuminated USB heart, flower (or pentagon, leave it up to your own interpretation) & star (quincunx) shaped frames all offer a unique way to decorate your desk with photos. They each sport 7 color LEDS and power either via USB or three 1.5v batteries.

Golla Cell Phone Sleeping Bag

The Golla Cell Phone Bag is for the phone who wouldn’t be caught dead in leather or fur. It’s kind of a cross between a sleeping bag and a down sports coat. The bag comes in orange, silver, and black and retails for $12.99 at Target.

Groovin’ with the USB Santa Music Box

This USB gadget comes a few days late, but is it ever really too late to get down with Santa? The USB Santa Music Box plays "Jingle Bells" as Santa grooves to the music by moving his arms and head. The little guy measures 26 centimeters high and can be powered via USB or from AA batteries.

Geox Respira, the Hi-Tech Sneaker that Breathes

A sneaker that breathes?  Geox Respira is a line of sneakers that has a special NET system which increases the breathability of the shoes. "Perspiration and humidity are gradually expelled by the membrane through the net, but at the same time, water, mud and all external elements are unable to penetrate inside the shoe, thus keeping the foot healthy, under hygienically perfect conditions." Basically it sounds like these would be perfect for athletic types. But best part of all is that these sneakers come in several colors including pink!

SLEEPTRACKER Wrist Watch Keeps You Refreshed

The SleepTracker is a wristwatch alarm that claims to improve your quality of life by monitoring your best waking moments so that you always wake up refreshed. When I first read about the SleepTracker in Time Magazine, I was very skeptical, I was also surprised to see that Time Magazine awarded it with the honor of being one of the most amazing inventions of 2005. Gear Live reviewed the SleepTracker and gave it a 10. It seems that the SleepTracker isn’t a gimmick at all, but an unusual device that actually works. The SleepTracker also tells time, however, with its rather drab design, chances are you won’t want
to wear it outside. The SleepTracker retails for $149.95, and after reading Gear Live’s review, I am very tempted to try this out.

Women Buy More Ringtones then Men, it’s a Fact

According to a research company named Telephia, women outbuy men two to one when it comes to downloading a new ringtone for their cell phone. During the third quarter of 2005 69% of all ringtone purchases were made by women. The most popular ringtones were from tracks from Gwen Stefani, Pussycat Dolls, Mariah Carey and 50 Cent. Ofcourse this survey probably doesn’t take into account people who make their own ringtones at home using software on their computers, I myself haven’t purchased a ringtone in about two years. (Source: Laptop Magazine, January 2006)

Cordless Mirror Phone from Oregon Scientific

The LS328 is a 2.4ghz cordless phone with a cubed design and a Mirror finish. The mirror isn’t just for vanity purposes, it displays call and clock information. There are even 14 different color patterns that go along with the incoming calls and alarm functions. The phone also features a speakerphone, 7 hours of talk time and 4 days of standby. The LS328 is available for $99.95 at Sharper Image.

Black Diamond Shoe Cell Phone Holder

Girls love shoes, it’s a fact. And if you’re reading this blog, then you probaly love cell phones as well, so why not give your cell phone some shoe-lovin with these Shoe Cell Phone holders from Target. There are two styles available including a black Diamond version with rhinestone accents, and a Dorothy Ruby Red version with a round toe and red glitter accents. They each retail for $17.95.

Create-A-Memory Talking Dreidel

It seems that Dreidels aren’t just made out of clay anymore, the Create-A-Memory Talking Dreidel is a 21st century dreidel that has room for a photo and it also allows you to record an eight second message to accompany the photo. The Create-A-Memory Dreidel comes with a stand so that it will stay put on your desk. It retails for $12.95 and is available in gold or blue.

Elvis & Marilyn Monroe Swarovski Crystal Cell Phones

Blame Paris Hilton all you want, but Having Swarovski crystals plastered onto your cell phone is becoming increasingly popular.  Krystali of London has some beautiful and very unusual Swarovski embellished cell phones, including an Elvis and a Marilyn Monroe themed cell phone. Krystali can also work sparkly magic with faceplates, ipods, and ipods accessories. You can also have them customize your own phone to your own personal specifications. Unfortunately the cost for having your phone glammed up is expensive. But don’t fret, there are always cheap do it yourself kits from companies like My Bling Ring in case you fancy jazzing up your phone but can’t afford buying from Krystali. (Source: Born Rich)

Laptop Bag Review Roundup

Nethrone All in One Ergonomic Computer Workstation

When you spend hours at a computer everyday, being comfortable is a requirement, that is why I’ve spent a nice amount of green on several ergonomic accessories such as an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, a wrist pad, and a chair with back support. There is a whole industry of ergonomic computer products, but none are like the Nethrone. The Nethrone is kinda like a super computer work & gaming station. It has an oval shaped structure, electronic adjustment control and a seat massage that allows users to enjoy several comfortable seating positions. The display, head rest, keyboard, and seat’s position are all adjustable so that you can customize the workstation to your own comfort level. The seat itself comes in blue, red, green, purple, and yellow. Yes, the Nethrone might not be something that you’d use to furnish your living room with, but if it eases the strain from sitting at a computer desk all day long, I’ll take it.

Update: The Nethrone will retail for $2500 and will be available to purchase in several countries world-wide beginning January 30th.

Put Some Life into Snail Mail with Customizeable Photo Stamps

Photos stamps are exactly what they sound like - they’re stamps with a photo on it. However, you can customize a photo stamp with anything …the possibilities are endless, and err, terrifying. These stamps can put a creative spin on boring old snail mail such as wedding invites or letters to the grandparents. All you have to do is upload the photo[s] from your computer or digital camera to the site. These work like regular ole’ stamps except that these are somewhat pricey. 1 Sheet with 20 stamps costs $17.99. However, discounts kick in when you buy more than one sheet.

ECTACO’s Travel SpeechGuard TL-2 Speech to Speech Translator

Electronic translators are relatively affordable so they definately are must-haves if you are traveling abroad. Unfortunately, punching in a phrase on a little electronic device often proves to be time consuming and unpractical when struggling to ask a native which way the bathroom is. Thank goodness then that ECTACO’s Travel SpeechGuard TL-2 is not your ordinary electronic translator, it doesn’t require manually punching in a word or phrase, instead the TL-2 is a speech to speech -translator. Speak English into the device, and a voice will respond with the translated phrase or word in the language of your choice. The TL-2 also allows you create new entries for any new words that might not be included in the device, even though the chance of that happening is pretty unlikely since the TL-2 has over 1,000,000 words and over 8,000 phrases stored inside of it. The product page claims that the device also functions as a calculator and MP3 player, but it has no further details about its MP3 playing capabilities. Unfortunately, the TL-2 weighs a hefty 11 oz and it doesn’t have the prettiest or sleekest design, so chances are you won’t be throwing out your Ipod or PDA. The TL-2 supports 14 languages including Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Greek, Bulgarian, Slovak, Swedish and Turkish and it retails for $439.95.

Pink Mp3 Watch from Technotunes

There have been a couple of Mp3 watches produced over the past few years, but until now none have came in the color pink. The TT0003PKPK from Technotunes has 256mb of storage, a rechargeable battery with 10 hours of playing time, and it supports only USB 1.1 for transfers. It not only comes in pink but it’s also available in blue, purple, and black. The  TT0003PKPK retails for $199 with free shipping. Yeh, this watch is way to pricey for just 256mb, but if you’re a pink lover you just might be tempted to buy it anyway.

Futuristic Bathroom LCD Television Mirror from Seura

Two devices that every girl loves are LCD Televisions and mirrors. Seura, Inc, has combined the two for the ultimate gadget - a television mirror. They have customizable sizes for the LCD ranging from 13" to 20", and mirrors ranging from "20 x "30 and larger. You also get to customize the frame for the mirror so that it will fit the decor of any room in the house, from the bathroom to the bedroom. Of course, this luxury doesn’t come cheap, expect prices beginning in the thousands.

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