Sensacell Modular Sensor Surface is the Future of Store Displays

Sensacell is a unique company that designs and produces different interactive objects that respond by using built in sensors. They’ve designed all sorts of cool projects, including an interactive coffee table and some specialized interactive objects designed especially for clubs. Today we spotted one of their products while strolling around in South Beach. One of the local realty storefronts is using one of Sensacell’s products to showcase real estate listings. What first caught our attention was the fact that this device looked a lot like a giant MP3 player. We then discovered that we could use the controls of the device just by hovering our hands over the forward and backward buttons. Cool stuff. It’s funny because the design that Sensacell is using for this device is more or less been around for years in small gadgets, but we’d never seen it used for a way to advertise something - and it really works. After all, it got our attention.

Living Solutions Colossal MP3 Player Has Gotten Even Bigger - Now 1GB

Spotted while doing some errands at a local Walgreens - the Colossal MP3 exclusively at Walgreens. Living Solutions, which seems to only supply unusual and on the cheap electronics to the store has since upgraded the previous version of their huge MP3 player to now a 1GB version. It comes in several different colors like green and blue, has a teeny tiny monochrome display, huge controls in a shape of a crosshair, and includes built in speakers. Another upgrade to the unit is that the controls are clearer now. The whole thing reminds me of a blown up Toshiba Gigabeat. So run to your local Walgreens and pick one up for $19.99 but don’t expect it to fit in your pocket. If you want to check out more pics of the older model of the player, then they can be found here.

Slacker G2 Review

For those familiar with Pandora, Slacker is very similar. Slacker is basically a form of customized internet radio. Slacker lets you select the custom stations you want to listen too, and when a track plays that you either like or don’t like you can rate it accordingly to your taste. Sick of hearing Chris Daughtry - click on the ‘Ban’ button and you’ll never hear one of his songs again! As wonderful, as Slacker is, we can’t carry our computers around with us all the time. So Slacker came out with a portable radio player. Unfortunately the first gen Slacker portable player had an assortment of bugs. But Slacker listened to user feedback and didn’t waste much time to come out with the Slacker G2. With the release of the Slacker G2, Slacker is looking to give its portable internet radio player a second chance.

Design:
The design of the Slacker G2 has certainly improved since its previous generation. Previously the 1st gen of Slacker’s portable radio player was a clunky looking box with frustrating touchscreen controls. Basically Slacker was jumping on the touchscreen bandwagon instead of concentrating on a decent player that does what it should do best - play music with simple controls in a body that is easy to take with you anywhere. That is exactly what the new G2 is all about. The design this time around is much more comfortable to hold instead of a brick in your hand. The controls are not touch, which is a welcome relief in this case. The G2 weighs just a bit over 2 and a half ounces and is made of a black high gloss case with a stainless steel backplate with the Slacker logo slapped on the back of it. Included in the box are earphones, a clip on carrying case, a USB cable, and a power adapter.

Features:
The Slacker G2’s uniqueness comes from the ability to retrieve online stations via Wi-Fi. Basically you can pick what stations you would like to hear via Slacker’s website and the next time you connect to Wi-Fi, the G2 will retrieve those stations for you to hear. That doesn’t mean you have to be connected to Wi-Fi to actually listen to these songs, but only to retrieve the stations which will save the tracks to your player for later playback. The only real competition to this device is of course the Pandora app for the iPhone and iPod Touch or other similar apps like AOL Radio. The main difference however is that with those apps you need to be connected to Wi-Fi in order to listen their music, which is not always convenient - and that is what makes the G2 so special.

Also, perhaps the best part of the G2 is that each station has hundreds of tracks for you to listen too. The G2’s hardware functions a lot like the actual Slacker web site. Don’t like a song? Hit the ‘Ban’ button on the top of you player. Love a song? Hit the heart shaped ‘Favorite’ button. Or if you are just not in the mood to listen to a particular song at all, then just press the skip button. The controls are very easy to use and really don’t require a manual to operate the device. The very top of the player has the volume controls. On the face of the player is the Ban and Favorite buttons. Lower on the face of the G2 are the skip back/forward buttons and Play/Pause Button. On the right side is a scroll wheel very reminiscent of the old Blackberry that gives you instant access to all the features of the G2. You can scroll and click your way through the menu system. The Home button takes you to the menu screen were you can access your stations and other settings. The Lock(hold) button will keep it from going on or off by itself while in your pocket.

On the left side is where you would charge the device. This is one area where I found a design flaw. Basically the USB port is covered with a piece of rubber that is so tiny that it can easily get lost since it isn’t attached to the G2. So if you misplace this cover you will have an exposed port forever. The same goes for the bottom of the G2 that has an accessory connector. It is also protected with a flimsy piece of rubber than can be easily misplaced.

The G2 comes in 2 different sizes - 4GB and 8GB. The 4GB version will give the ability to download 25 stations and it will allocate 1GB of personal storage for you to store your own MP3s. The 8GB version will allow 3GB of personal space and 40 stations can be downloaded to the player.

Interface:

The Menu features Stations, Library, Playlists, Settings, and Connect. The Menu system is pretty simple and explanatory. The Stations option features all your downloaded stations from Slacker. Library stores saved songs or MP3. Playlists is just that, a selection of songs you saved for playlists. Settings is where you would go to personalize your player. This is where you can go to optimize the sound quality with the equalizer. Connect is were you go to download new stations or refresh the ones you already have.

The display on the G2 is crisp and vibrant with a resolution of 320×240. The screen displays the album art along with the song that is playing. You also have the ability to view an album review or a biography of the artist. These are certainly not things you view on your ordinary MP3 player.

Sound Quality:
The music quality on the Slacker website is very impressive with the right headphones and the same can be said with the G2. Unfortunately the earphones that are included with the G2 are subpar. They hurt and are just not comfortable after you have them in your ears for awhile and they really don’t do the music justice. The Slacker G2 does come with some extra rubbery eartips, but it still makes no difference. Once you switch them out you will really begin to enjoy the G2. The quality of the music is excellent and impressive for internet radio. You can adjust the equalizer to your liking on the G2 but no matter what you do, you won’t be able to intensify the bass or treble within the songs. It will add a little punch here and there but nothing that will drastically change the quality of the song.

Conclusion:
Are you lazy and forget to update your iPod with new music? Or are you just sick of listening to the same songs over and over? Than the Slacker G2 is for you. Personally I haven’t been devoted to any player and I only purchased the previous generation Nano because it was so darn cute, but I have yet to update it with any new music for the past 3 months. So the Slacker G2 is perfect for me. The music stations that are available are great and offer lots of different genres from 80’s 90’s and Now to Jazz or Soundtracks. I can ban songs I don’t want to hear or favorite ones I love and hear similar ones to it. The sound quality is decent with the right pair of headphones/earphones. The best part is that you can get brand new music without having to pay for it. If you can deal with limited skipping and the occasional commercial than the service is free and all you have to do is pay for the player.  The 4GB Slacker G2 is $199.99 and the 8GB is $249.99. If you want to pay for the Premium Radio option which will let you request songs, save songs, unlimited skipping, and no commercials for 12 months, it will cost you $7.50 a month. There are also 6 month and 3 month plans.

The Good: Better design than the previous generation. Good sound quality. You only need to connect to Wi-Fi once to refresh stations and get new music. Lots of great station selections with a wide variety of artists.

The Bad: Rubber covers on the USB port and accessory port can easily be misplaced. Subpar earphones degrade the quality of the music and are uncomfortable. Equalizer settings don’t really do much to enhance or add to the quality of the music. No options for memory expansion via memory cards.

Passant Maple and Mahogany iPod and iPhone Stand

You’re not going to sit your iPhone up in a plastic stand are you? Your iPhone wants to be environmentally conscious just like you, so you’ll have to spend a little more and get it a Passant Maple and Mahogany Stand. The stand is made from salvaged maple from the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont and recycled mahogany, and it’s also been finished with coats of danish oil and three coats of hand rubbed paste wax. The Passant Maple and Mahogany iPod and iPhone Stand retails for $24.99 and is suitable for most ipods, besides just the iphone. You can also C=check out the site for other woodsy accessories like wooden ipod cases.

Monster Unleashes Turbine Headphones AKA In-Ear Speakers

Monster unveiled a new pair of headphones tonight, this time they’re in the form of In-Ear headphones. The new Turbine In-Ear Speakers have been engineered to satisfy true audiophiles. That is why they are calling them In-Ear Speakers because these headphones are able to create an experience that is rich and powerful enough to feel like actual speakers, despite its small size. The Turbine headphones were personally designed by the Head Monster Noel Lee and involved three years of rigorous research, development, and refinement. Monster Turbine In-Ear Speakers are powered by 8mm drivers “precision-engineered for superb sonic detail that delivers the big sound, deep bass, and clarity”. We got a chance to try them out for ourselves and they are indeed very powerful and with an amazing amount of clarity for in-ear headphones. Turbine In-Ear Speakers come with a selection of sound isolating eartips in multiple sizes so that you can get the best fit possible for your ear in order to block out external sounds. Monster Turbine In-Ear Speakers will retail for $149.95, and from the time we’ve spent so far with them - they’re worth every penny. Check back for a full review soon.

Get Dance Floor Crazy with the iBoogie Dance Machine

Do you get lonely and just want to dance with somebody and there is no one around? Well then you might enjoy the iBoogie. Listen to your favorite music and get down with your own digital dance partner. “iBoogie’s dual stereo speakers broadcast your favorite music while its energy-efficient LED lights “dance” to it with over 50 choreographed dance moves.” All you need is your MP3 player and get down and dirty with your little electronic dance partner. The iBoogie Speaker and Dance Machine retails for $19.95.

Mustang MP3 Player with Mag Wheel Speaker Will Never Cost you Gas

iRock & Rollers MP3 Player & Amplified Speaker Wheel. It’s an MP3 player in a Mustang! Plus it includes a high-quality amplified speaker in the shape of a mag wheel. The controls are on the top of the hood of the car. and lights flash as your music plays! Has 512MB internal storage. It also Includes ear buds and a USB cable. We can’t guarantee how well this thing plays music but for one brief moment, you’ll make the iPod Nano look a bit pas·sé. The iRock & Rollers MP3 Player retails for $39.99 at Sears.

Memorex Clip & Play MP3 Player Could be an iPod Shuffle Killer

Memorex has just released a 1GB and 2GB Clip & Play MP3 players. These could easily be a iPod Shuffle competitor since there has been no refresh in quite sometime. It’s small and cute with controls on the face and will give you about 12hrs of playback time after one charge. What makes the Clip & Play stand out is it’s 2 Line OLED display. You can see the volume, battery meter, and playback mode, which is a nice change. The 2GB version comes in silver and white with pink trim and retails for $49.99. The 1GB version comes in white and black and retails for $39.99.

Limited Edition Beatles iPod Set Engraved with Paul, John, Ringo & George

Etchstar, the folks whom brought us the X-files and 90210 ipods has a new specially engraved 120GB black iPod Classic to add to their list - and this time it features the Beatles.  The Beatles iPod is apart of the “Limited Edition Ultimate Collector’s Box: Beatles iPod Set” currently being sold at Bloomingdales. The set also includes 3 original Beatles CDs, two masters, the Love CD and an engraved guitar pick in a box designed by Psycho Bunny. The Collector’s Box retails for $795 and there are only 2500 of them available. Each included iPod can also be custom engraved with a complimentary text customization.

3P i-Mep All in Boombox is the Perfect Companion on the Beach

Who said the boombox was dead?! It just had to be revamped a little with the ability to play any sort of media you through at it. That’s exactly what the 3P i-Mep is all about, this all in one boombox will play any iPod (except the newer 80 GB and 160 GB versions) with music and videos, DVDs, CDs, SD Cards, items inserted into the USB drive, TV Tuner, AM/FM Radio and AUX Jacks. Videos will play on the 7″ video screen or it will display documents or photos too. The unit comes with Two 10W 3” speakers and a light absorbing technology that will absorb light and reduce glare for easier viewing when you are out by the beach. It can be powered by either the included AC Adapter or 8 “D’ batteries. The 3P i-Mep retails for $229.00 currently at Frontgate.

 

SanDisk Intros slotMusic Cards & Players Personalized by Artists

SanDisk new SlotMusic Cards and slotMusic Players seem like an obvious progression in the world of digital music, yet SanDisk is the first to come out with these new concepts. SlotMusic Cards are microSD cards that come preloaded with DRM-free MP3s from music artists. The cards cost just $14.99 - comparable to a CD album, but unlike a CD, these cards have a 1GB capacity. Besides MP3 tracks, a slotMusic card also can include hold liner notes, album art, videos and other creative content that an artist may choose. Since the slotMusic card is essentially a microSD card, that means you can pop it in to a compatible cell phone, MP3 player, a PC or any other microSD device to use and take advantage of. A slotMusic card also comes with a tiny USB adapter so that connecting it to a computer is a cinch. Besides the slotMusic cards, SanDisk has also introduced the el-cheapo slotMusic Player which are artist branded players that come bundled with a slotMusic card for just $34.99. Here is a list of some of the artists who have already signed up: [Read more]

Freestyle Audio Soundwave May Not be Pretty But it will Survive a Hurricane

It may not look as trendy or sophisticated as an iPod but the 2GB Freestyle Audio Soundwave is durable and hearty. Its blue hard plastic shell with black rubbery buttons and grip is perfect for any outdoorsy adventurer. It’s shockresistant, waterproof, has an FM Radio, supports MP3, WMA, and it sports an OLED screen. After each charge you will get 18 hours of music playback. The best part is that it will float if you drop it in the water and the included 3 different size earplugs will keep the music in and the water out if you plan on doing Micheal Phelps type swimming. The Freestyle Audio Soundwave comes in either blue for $89.95 or for $10 more in Camouflage.

Mux Converts Videos Online, No Software Required

Not all of us have the time or patience to use software to convert video from one format to another. Yes, we’re that lazy sometimes. Luckily there is Mux, the “happy hungry videobot” that will convert videos for you between formats, which you can then download straight to your computer. Cruz will accept most popular formats that you upload - including wmv, mov and avi files. It will also let you enter the url of a flash movie from lets say youtube. It will then convert it for you. You can choose from from formats for the iphone/ipod, Winodws Media. Divx, MP4, Quicktime, Flash, PSP, Windows Media, Ogg, 3GGP and some more to convert to for downloading. You can also use Mux to send video to your video enabled phone, including the iphone.

Solange Pre-Loaded Zvue MP3 Player Would Make Beyonce Proud

Some of you may know who Solange is….some may not. For those who need a refresher she is Beyonce’s kid sister. Yes the Knowles machine is still pumping out the hits and the torch has been passed now to Solange.

For those who didn’t even know she released an album, you may want to pick up the Solange Pre-loaded Zvue which has it all pre-loaded on it for you. The Solange edition Zvue is packed with her newest album, videos, and bonus tracks. It also sports her image on the back of it with her signature. Because you know this is going to be worth tons years from now. If you fancy the 2GB player that expands to 6GB with Micro SD cards, and you still haven’t gotten anything remotely iPod, then you might like this. In the end after her music has been formatted off the device you can always slap a skin on to cover Solange’s face and it will just be a pretty player. Available at Walmart for $44.88.  [Read more]

i-Wrapz Skin for your iPod or Cell Phone Are Extra Thick

There is a new skin in town, but it’s not exactly a skin. There are dozens of companies out there that make skins for your ipod, iphone, cell phone and other gadgets, and so does i-Wrapz. However, i-Wrapz skins are significantly thicker than ordinary skins so that they add an extra level of protection. The extra thickness also makes them easier to apply and peel off than other skins. Their selection of available designs is also pretty impressive. They have everything from Hello Kitty for your 3G iphone to Marilyn Monroe for your Blackberry Curve. Most of their skins retail for $19.99 and they are available for the Samsung Alias, all current gen ipods, the 1st and 2nd gen iPhone, the Blackberry Curve & Pearl, the Samsung Instinct, the Motorola Razr, and the Sidekick LX & Slide. [Read more]

MP3 Music-ed T-Shirts Let You Wear Your iPod

We’ve seen everything from iPod Gloves to iPod underwear. And now we bring you iPod ready T-shirts. These hip Music-ed t-shirts all come with special short earphones and an integrated connection cable, as well as a pocket to store your MP3 player. Each of the t-shirts are also individually hand-printed and customized so that no two t-shirts are identical. They are also made up of environmentally friendly organic cottons and bamboo jersey, because it’s also hip to be green. Pricing starts at 31.50EUR and the Music-ed t-shirts are available for both men and women.

How to Sell Your Music Online to iTunes and the Big Wigs

So you want to get your music out there and distribute it to the world? Well that MySpace page where folks can listen to some of your tracks ain’t gonna cut it. If you want to start playing with the big guns, you have to be on iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, etc. But where do you start? TuneCore is a one stop solution for budding artists. For a cheap flat free, TuneCore gets you on all of the popular online music destinations: iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, Music.com, GroupieTunes, Lala, emusic, etc. You get to collect all the royalties and every penny involved. That sounds so much better than having an agent or record company - right? Pricing begins at $0.99 per track, per store, per album, or you can pay a single flat fee of $9.99 per year with all stores included. TuneCore also has programs for distributing films, but we don’t have information on pricing for that service.

Hello Kitty MP3 Player Review (And It’s Affordable too!)

Products under the Hello Kitty moniker have continuously established themselves in popularity and mass appeal among adolescents and teens as one of the world-wide leaders in the production of cool and colorful gadgets. The Hello Kitty Digital MP3 Player with 3 Changing Face Plates ($39.95, ages 7 to 14) by Sakar continues in that trend!

Weighing less than an ounce, this 1GB, battery operated (1 AAA battery) flash mp3 player includes 3 Change Face Plates, earphones, an instruction manual, USB cable and Music Express Software. The minimum software requirements are Windows 2000, XP or Vista (sorry Mac users) and the hardware stats are Pentium II 300MHZ, 128 RAM Recommended, a sound card and 250MB Free Hard Disk Space.

Constructed of light weight durable and sturdy plastic, even with the battery installed the mp3 player was still wispy and light as a feather in my hands! Setting up the player is a two step process which entails installing the included Music Express Software and connecting the USB cable (included) from the mp3 player to an available USB slot on a computer. Windows automatically discovers and installs the drivers.

Changing the face plates initially became a tug of war; carefully pulling and separating the face plate from the mp3 player was becoming a war of attrition. However, in all fairness, that could have been attributed to first time use. After that, changing the face plates was relatively a no brainer (and yes, the face plates fit very snug and secure on the unit)!

The controls are simplistic and easy to operate; a hold switch is on the left side of the unit, and an earphone plug, the built-in microphone and the slot for the included USB cable is located on the right side. The battery compartment is located on the back of the mp3 player and can be accessed by simply sliding down the detachable cover door.

Turning on the unit is done by pressing down on the play/pause key. Thus, one is presented with a Menu screen. The Menu is made of four choices: Music, REC (record), RPL (Replay of voice recordings done via the embedded microphone) and SYS (System). The actual navigation while not very intuitive is sort of like learning a combination and once I got that down, I didn’t have any problems. Pressing on the forward key is used to rifle through the four Main Menus and selecting a Menu is done by pressing on the Menu button, and within the sub menus, the navigation is done by using the fast forward button. Lastly, exiting a sub Menu is down by pressing on the Menu button which takes one back to the Main Menu screen (got that?).

Getting music on the Hello Kitty MP3 player is actually a straight forward and very easy process. The included Music Express software allows one to scan for all music on a computer, or strip music from a CD and convert it into WMA, WAV or MP3 (it does not play or convert the AAC format which is Apple Computer’s format used to play music on an iPod). There’s also a drag and drop feature that enables music to be copied over to the mp3 player within seconds! Another cool feature of this software is having the ability to set-up, create and manage playlists too!

The included pink head phones may be cute and girly, but the hard non-conforming plastic around the ear piece may indeed present some problems by being very uncomfortable! Listening to music through these earphones was an unpleasant experience and the sound was very “tiny” and low. However, when I used a pair of personal ear buds, the sound was very impressive. I would compare the sound quality to that of an Apple Shuffle! Additionally, the plays back of voice recordings are sub-par at best (but then again, how many 7 to 14 year olds will probably be using this feature on this device?). However, the over-all idea in using this device is to have fun!!

Admittedly, I was impressed with the over-all quality of the Hello Kitty Digital MP3 Player, but was kind of curious why the manufacturer chose to use an actual AAA battery as oppose to an embedded rechargeable battery like most mp3 players have these days. I mean would it be easier for someone to carry around an extra battery when the player becomes low on juice or to simply plug it into a computer to recharge it? Also, would it hurt to include a better pair of headphones, perhaps, an assortment of girlie colored ear buds? Ear buds provide a longer listening experience and they’re very comfortable to wear! Lastly, I became somewhat concerned by the battery compartment easy access, and the manufacturer has addressed this concern by indicating a warning which is on the box that all loose parts on this device including the battery are a Choking Hazard. Hence subsequent care should be exercised not to leave this device around were younger children are present.

Conclusion:
In spite of these minor mishaps, the pros outweigh the cons for the Hello Kitty Digital MP3 player. This mp3 player will make the girlish of girls and tom boys sing and dance and rejoice with sheer delight! I like the fact, that this device does not attempt to be an iPod and that it’s simplistic and easy to operate!
The Sakar Hello Kitty MP3 Player can be purchased at Target, Toys”R”Us and Wal*Mart for $39.00

The Good:
Sturdy quality, straight forward navigation and operation controls, full fledged hard copy manual, 1 year warranty for parts and labor, good price point for 1GIG flash player, cool face plates, excellent sound quality for music, extremely light weight, intuitive media management music software, unit can also be used to manage files such as homework, and will make an excellent stocking stuffer or birthday gift.

The Bad:
Poorly made head phones (ear buds, anyone?), requires an AAA battery for operation (embed battery please and if a battery must be used, please include) and make ear buds in an assortment of fun colors besides pink.

Portable Fan Keeps You Cool and Plays MP3 Tunes Too

We’ve seen Mp3 speakers show up in strange places, but this time it kinds of make sense. The o2Cool 8″ Mp3 Speaker Fan is essentially 2 compact 3″ stereo speakers built in to a totally usable fan. This is the kind of speaker that would be very suitable for dorm rooms, camping and the patio. The Mp3 Speaker Fan can be powered by batterries or an AC adapter and it retails for $29.99.

Lubix Bluetooth Stereo Headset Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the 5 winners of the Lubix Bluetooth Stereo Headset. Each of them won a Lubix Bluetooth Stereo Headset with a custom Chip Chick Skinit skin. If you didn’t win, but you still would like to get a Lubix Bluetooth Stereo Headset for yourself, don’t fret. We have a special $15 off coupon for you. Just enter coupon code: chipchick at checkout.
[Read more]

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