Customizable MIXA USB tape brings back the retro

Looking to scratch that retro itch? If so, you'll likely find oodles of satisfaction in the MIXA USB tape, which not only weds the modernness of a USB flash drive with the old school flavor of a cassette, but also bows down to your funky fresh customization skills. You heard right -- those interested can select a black or white 1GB tape, add on any design they choose and cough up £19.99 ($41) to have it shipped anywhere in the world. Finally, the perfect complement to your shoulder-mounted USB boombox.

[Thanks, Earl]

[Liger86 @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:02PM]

Is there really a need for this, or even a want? obviously someone thinks so...

[jamesFF @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:07PM]

Will this work in my tape deck, or is this one of those plain usb drives that looks like a cassette?

[artifex @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:08PM]

It would be a ton more useful if the cassette shell was actually the adapter used to play it in a car radio.

Oh, wait, isn't there an mp3 player that already does that?

[Kasona @ Nov 3rd 2007 9:26PM]

Yes there is, I have a MPIO Digisette. it is an MP3 player that looks like a metal cassette tape with 4 buttons on the front. It was super-useful when I bought it 8 years ago for playing my mp3's in the car. It worked as a standalone player too, with a cool fabric wrap-around case. It was my first mp3 player, and it served me well until I got my Rio Karma several years later.
Here's c-net's review of the one I had: http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/digisette-duo-32-ar/4505-6490_7-6897163.html

[Broken Haiku @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:12PM]

Oh yes, thought it looked familiar. Gizmodo covered two other brands of this gadget in August.

[The ZeroCorpse @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:16PM]

People still have cassette players?

Jeez. If that's true, then where's that USB 8-Track and USB Reel-to-Reel device?

This would have been MEGA AWESOME about 10 years ago.

[DarkAardvark @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:48PM]

people who want stock interiors in old cars have cassette and 8-track players

[Hollywood Ron @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:45AM]

Probably everyone who has a car made before 2000.

[erik @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:50PM]

am i missing something?

[Nex @ Nov 3rd 2007 12:02AM]

not to mention a great place to hide the mp3's from the riaa.. i mean they wouldnt look for mp3s in a pile of old tapes

[Jimmy Sobalvarro @ Nov 3rd 2007 12:15AM]

Wow,,, the coolest idea... I no longer need to replace the tape player in may car... excellent...

[mariocdl @ Nov 3rd 2007 7:24AM]

It looks like a cassette with a ub port. Whats special about that?

[dave @ Nov 3rd 2007 10:20AM]

if the USB port is retractable, it's cool. if the USB port retracts AND you can use it in a regular cassette deck, it's amazingly cool. but the price is about 4 times what i'd want to pay for a 1GB flash drive, call me back when the 4GB version is out within that $41 range.

[ExYLE @ Nov 3rd 2007 10:28AM]

but does it play doom?

[Logan1337 @ Nov 3rd 2007 11:17AM]

I agree this would be awesome if it played your mp3s over your car stereo via the tape deck, BUT I get the impression it's just a lame USB drive in the shape of a cassette.

[qwert @ Nov 3rd 2007 12:09PM]

home taping kills music?

nevertheless i want one, but i think i build one myself. cheaper and more geek cred.

[Ondskan @ Nov 3rd 2007 8:31PM]

True.
But with a 1.8" hdd, because for a 1GB pen I still prefer the 4x2 lego brick mod.

[chris joseph @ Nov 3rd 2007 1:32PM]

The sad thing here being the RIAA would be all over your ass for

1. ripping your cd's or lp's to mp3's
2. loading them onto a usb device
3. playing the files
4. sharing the 'mixtape'

whereas, back when we actually had cassette tapes, it was OK but they still didn't like it

[ryecob @ Nov 4th 2007 2:19PM]

it's a novel gift idea, but that's about it.

there's no doubt that you could build this yourself on the cheap (assuming you've got a box full of old cassettes lying around) but the custom labeling and box give it some extra retro flavor.

i'd concider a few if it they were $20 delivered. let's hope the dollar bounces back against the euro in time for Christmahanukahkwanzaa.