IpodAccessory
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Screen Grabs: DJ Roomba mixes business with pleasure on Parks and Recreation
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. An automated vacuum cleaner that pumps out rap while tidying your mess? Call us crazy, but this very well may be the most intelligent thing the United States government has ever done.
Audiovox goes wild at CES: digiframes, camcorders, remotes, iPod sound systems
Are you ready for this? No, we mean are you ready for this? We sure hope so, 'cause Audiovox is about to drop eight new products on you here in the desert. Kicking things off is the Acoustic Research brand with two new iPod / iPhone-friendly sound systems: the ARS1i (36-watts) and ARS2i (50-watts). Both of these guys arrive with twin 2.5-inch carbon fiber woofers, two dome tweeters, AM / FM radio functionality, a bundled remote, backlit LCD, soft touch front keys and an auxiliary input jack. The latter also touts a built-in rechargeable battery and portable handle, and while it will list for $199.99 this Spring, the lesser-specced sibling will sell for $50 less. Moving on, there's the RC60i and RC66i iPod clock radios from RCA, with the latter running on standard alkaline batteries and designed for the on-the-go crowd. That one will sell for a penny under $100, while the AC-powered RC60i will be offered at $79.99 when they hit this Spring. Staying on the RCA beat, there's the new line of Small Wonder pocket camcorders. The EZ4000 is a rugged, waterproof version that can capture 1080p clips onto a microSD card for $169.99 (available this Spring), while the palm-sized EZ5000 ($169.99) and EZ5100 ($199.99) look entirely more like a conventional camcorder and offer up 720p / 1080p video recording, 8 megapixel still shots, a 2.4-inch flip-out LCD and a rechargeable battery. The smaller EZ1000, EZ2000 and EZ3000 models round things out on the low end, with full specifications of these in the press release after the break. The outfit is also introducing the DPF8100 ($129.99) and DPF8300 ($129.99) digiframes, both of which are a part of the newly created Décor series; if those are just too classy for you, there's also a 7-inch DPF7407 ($129.99), which fits squarely in the cutely named Celebration series. Closing things out are the $39.99 RCA Voice Control Remote (which gladly listens to commands that you bark at it), a gaggle of new AR outdoor wireless speakers, a few new Jensen in-car head units and Zentral Home Command smartphone remotes. Feel free to dig in for more information on those just past the break. %Gallery-81170%
iLive storms back with 33 new iPod / iPhone-friendly audio products
Man, we'd usually say it's been a hot minute since we heard from iLive, but when you're pushing a full year, that's just a woeful understatement. Nevertheless, the peripheral outfit is hitting back in a big way here at CES, tossing out no fewer than 33 new iPod and iPhone-compatible audio products. We won't bother detailing the lower-end gear, but a few of the highlights include the iTDP610B bar speakers with built-in DVD player -- which touts a motorized door that opens to reveal the iPhone dock and to load and unload a DVD-- and the iHP310B micro audio system. The former can be had in two sizes (32- or 37-inch) for $199.99, while the latter is pegged at $99.99. Peep that source link if you're hungry for more, and give the gallery a look for some visual eye candy to accompany it. %Gallery-81533%
Ford becomes first automaker to offer HD Radio with iTunes tagging
If you thought the automakers would be leaving CES to the TV and PMP makers, Ford would like to have a word with you. A few words, actually. Aside from announcing that in-car WiFi will be available next year, the iconic blue oval is today calling itself the first car manufacturer to offer factory-installed HD Radio with iTunes tagging capabilities. Slated to become available on select 2011 Ford models sometime next year, the implementation will enable listeners of HD Radio to "tag" songs they like via a single button press; from there, the song information will be logged within the radio's memory, and up to 100 tags on Sync can be stored until an iPod is connected to suck them down. Once that data hits the iPod, users can then preview or purchase them conveniently through iTunes. There's no word yet on pricing (we're being forced to wait until CES), but we're guessing it'll demand quite the premium.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini impressions
Bowers & Wilkins isn't a name that's generally associated with "mere mortals." Sure, you'll find B&W gear within palatial mansions and the drool-worthy motorcars, but by and large, these guys stick to the high-end and never bother coming down to the level of the layperson. Thanks to Apple, it seems that even this company couldn't resist the temptation of pumping out its own iPod sound system, with the Zeppelin Mini being the second that it has sold. At $399.99 (MSRP), this one is positioned alongside more pricey options like Bose's SoundDock, JBL's On Stage 400P, Altec Lansing's Mix iMT800, iHome's iP1 and Boston Acoustics' i-DS3. As is typical with B&W gear, the Zeppelin Mini is nothing short of beautiful, but do the acoustics really match the design? Read on for a few of our impressions. %Gallery-80388%
Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver adds BT functionality to your 70s era home stereo
Just now dusting off those vinyl-wrapped cabinets from the glory days of disco? Good, 'cause Belkin's about to breathe new life into 'em. The outfit's newly unveiled Bluetooth Music Receiver presents itself as the device to stream your iPhone and iPod touch jams to your home stereo, but in realty, this thing will work with any BT 2.0-enabled music streaming device. Phones, PMPs, genetically modified children -- you name it. Simply plug the base station (shown after the break) into your home stereo, pair up to six Bluetooth devices with it, and watch as your favorite tunes are transmitted from device to driver sans cabling. It's almost magical, but we're not quite sure if it's $49.99 magical.
H2O Audio case turns your iPod nano 5G into underwater camcorder
Bank account not mighty enough to handle an underwater EOS 5D Mark II? Fret not, 'cause H2O Audio just made underwater Terminator captures a reality for a comparative pittance. Said outfit has been cranking out waterproof shells for Apple's cash cows for awhile now, but the latest one is of particular interest due to the iPod nano 5G's integrated video recorder. The $79.99 case enables you to capture video clips while under the sea, and considering the multitude of wild and wacky scene modes, we'd say next summer just got a lot more interesting. Just ask that dude up there if you don't believe us.
DIY sewable iPod remote takes just ten minutes, will absolutely warm your heart
Okay, so we fully anticipate that creating the downright adorable object you see above will take far longer than ten minutes if you a) don't have a stash of circuits and fabrics laying around and / or b) you've never done anything like this before, but for seasoned DIYers, this is about as easy as it gets. The "10-minute sewable iPod remote" can actually be any character or design you feel like making, as the crux of this project relies on the circuit chip that is actually fitted inside the dock connector. From there, you just connect a few strands of conductive fabric, attach your kitty cat (or dragon, as the case may be) and begin to enjoy your homegrown iPod remote. Hit the read link for the full how-to, but only if you're immune to cuteoverloaditus.
iLuv ships weather-watching iMM183 dual dock iPod / iPhone alarm clock
It belts out severe weather alerts as storms are barreling towards your domicile. It acts as a decent bedroom stereo. And it wakes you and the SO up to your own favorite jams -- all while charging your iPod or iPhone throughout the night. If those amenities sound like must-haves in your own life, you might be interested in knowing that iLuv's iMM183 dual dock alarm clock is now shipping, nearly a full year after being originally announced at CES. The pain? $149.99 -- but hey, that's a small price to pay to keep your dear media player / handset out of a tornado's eye, right? %Gallery-76918%
Monoprice iPhone/iPod Battery Backup: Such a deal
In a previous post about offshore iPhone chargers, a few astute TUAW readers mentioned Monoprice.com as a good source for chargers, connectors, and computer, TV and audio cables. In searching their site, I found a real deal. The Monoprice Backup battery pack is the simplest of devices. When your iPhone or iPod is running low on juice, just plug this battery pack into the 30 pin connector. You can then either keep running with a fairly large dongle hanging off the bottom of your device, or wait and the battery pack will charge your device in 3.5 hours according to Monoprice (or about 2.5 hours according to my tests). Yes, there are a lot of battery backups that do this, but how many are sold at US$14.50? You read that right, only US$14.50, and for that you get pack with a capacity of 2200 mAh. For comparison, the capacity of the iPhone battery is 1150 mAh, so this battery should be able to charge your device twice. Due to my ignorance of the vagaries of electricity, mine winds up charging the iPhone about 1.75 times, which isn't bad at all.
Yamaha's PDX-60 wireless iPod / iPhone dock adds yAired to the lexicon
Sony's got its S-AIR, Yamaha has its yAired -- so, what of it? The outfit famous for making just about everything from ATVs to wicked soundbars has today introduced a classy addition to the oversaturated iPod / iPhone sound system market: the PDX-60. Apple loyalists simply dock their media player in the wireless base and watch as the tunes are streamed effortlessly into the magical box on the other side. There's also remote control capability for keeping tabs on that playlist whilst planted on the sofa, and the dock can even power on and off automatically with "yAired-enabled iPhones / iPods." The music maker itself boasts a pair of 3.25-inch speakers and a digital amplifier of undisclosed wattage, and it's available in black, gray, blue or pink for $299.95. So, any takers, or are you stickin' with Bose?
Apple updates $19 Remote, predictably coats it in aluminum
Apple's Remote -- which it stopped throwing in with its MacBook Pro machines awhile back -- has also seen a refresh today, ditching the iconic glossy white vibe now associated with the company's lower-end consumer machines and instead donning an all-aluminum coat to match the Mac Pro, MacBook and MacBook Pro range. As always, it's designed to control your iPod, iPhone or Mac from afar, with play / pause, menu, volume and track skip buttons at the ready. If you're looking to use it with your iPod or iPhone, you'll need an iPod Universal Dock ($49) and a device with a dock connector; if you're using it with your Mac, you'll need a compatible machine introduced in 2005 or later with an integrated IR receiver. It'll ship in two to four weeks for $19.
B&W's $400 Zeppelin Mini iPod sound system up for pre-order, ships next month
Bowers & Wilkins has never been one to play the bargain game, and the $399.95 price tag on its new Zeppelin Mini is evidence of that very fact. The somewhat miniaturized iPod sound system is up for pre-order as we speak on Amazon, and we've heard directly from the company that it'll be shipping out to US-based consumers in "early November." So, is a flashy design, a pair of 3-inch drivers, 3.5 millimeter auxiliary input jack, USB 2.0 port and a promise of a better tomorrow enough to pry those four Benjamins out of your hand?
LG's 5.1 HB954SP Blu-ray HTIB system makes room for your iPod or iPhone
If you've somehow managed to hold out from joining into the HTIB revolution, the time for caving is upon you. LG has just tapped Sir Mark Levinson to engineer the acoustics behind its latest bundle, the HB954SP. Packing a 5.1-channel sound system that includes 1,000 total watts of power, a quintet of oval drivers and a ported subwoofer, the system gets direction from a BD-Live-enabled Blu-ray player that's actually a fair bit more stylish than the tried-and-true black rectangle. You'll also find a pair of HDMI inputs, an iDock function for charging and controlling your iPod / iPhone right from the BD deck, 1080p upscaling of traditional DVDs, touch sensitive controls, a USB port for loading up external media and an optical audio input. There's nary a mention of price, but it should splash down this November for a hefty premium.
iHome's iP88 dual iPhone / iPod alarm clock gets all rectangular on us
Hey guys, guess what? iHome just popped out yet another iPod alarm clock. Hold the applause, please. The iP88 doesn't differ too much from the units that have come before, but we do appreciate the dual docking capability for those who have two iPhones or iPods and must wake at different times of the day. It'll also play back tunes through your 'Pod, blast out FM talk show hosts and charge your devices all the while. It's shipping now for a penny under $150, though we're still struggling to decide whether we adore or loathe the decidedly boxy design scheme...[Via Slashgear]
Bowers & Wilkins downsizes with Zeppelin Mini iPod speaker
It's been well over two years since high-end audio outfit Bowers & Wilkins introduced the iPod-lovin' Zeppelin, and evidently it's time for a downsizing. Today, the good folks over at B&W slung out the Zeppelin Mini, which promises the same dirigible-inspired sound but in a form factor that fits in a wider assortment of areas. To be honest, this version seems toned down quite a bit on the design side, with the key differentiating features being an updated docking arm and the addition of USB connectivity. Said socket enables direct PC / Mac streaming if your iPod gets lost, and it also enables your 'Pod to sync with your computer whilst playing back tunes. As for specs, you'll find a pair of 3-inch full-range drivers, 36 total watts of power, a 3.5 millimeter auxiliary jack and a bundled remote. It's expected to hit next month for £299 ($495), but you can get acquainted right now by jumping past the break and mashing play.[Via Macworld]%Gallery-72744%
Harman Kardon resets its AV receiver line with AVR 1600, 2600 and 3600 models
The namesake brand at Harman International has introduced its new 2009 AVR lineup, making 3 out of the 4 AVRs on the company website shiny and new -- the AVR 1600, AVR 2600 and AVR 3600 (pictured, but trust us, they look almost identical). All three models are armed with lossless Blu-ray audio codec support which are now -- thankfully -- de rigeur, but the real emphasis is on connectivity and features. The living room is the new battleground, and even receivers have to fight for a place amongst the videogame consoles and set-top boxes. Taking top billing, the AVR 3600 includes second zone support and a pcked-in The Bridge III iPod/iPhone dock -- with a capital "T" and Roman numerals -- that can pull HD video right off the ubiquitous devices and put them up on the big screen. H/K put out the first receiver with Dolby Volume, and the company is standing by the feature by putting it into the 2600 and 3600 models, which also get a graphical UI in keeping with the convenience theme. Sorry, 1600 owners will have to make like everything's a foreign film and read the text. Full details and pricing after the break.
Retro Cassette Stereo Mini Speaker gives a (tinny) voice to iPods
Those poor, poor speakerless iPod Nanos, Minis and the like -- how long have they had to suffer without a set of ultra-awesome speakers to give life to their music? Sure, there've been plenty of pretenders for the crown, but nothing quite as elaborately detailed as this Retro Cassette Stereo Mini Speaker. You read that right folks, stereo -- that means two, count 'em, two sweetly ornate sources of utterly unimpressive sound. Has the iPhone 3GS got an app for that? 'Course not. Read link details the full features, such as blister packaging (always good to know), and provides you with the means to acquire one in exchange for $32. Most righteous, no? [Via Gear Diary]
Sony debuts iPod / iPhone-friendly ALTUS multi-room audio line
We haven't seen a new S-AIR product since Sony outed a few wireless HTIBs back in March, but it looks as if the outfit is hopping back on that horse with a new line at Best Buy. The ALTUS audio product range gets going with the "premium" ALT-SA31iR multi-room iPod package, which is comprised of an iPod / iPhone docking station and a pair of wireless speakers; it also touts an AM / FM tuner as well as an LCD-equipped S-AIR remote commander. The AIR-SW10Ti iPod docking station adds in a wireless subwoofer, while the ALT-SA32PC multi-room audio package consists of an S-AIR transmitter that connects to one's PC via USB and a pair of wireless speakers. Finally, the ALT-A33PC package has an identical USB S-AIR transmitter, but includes a universal receiver with analog audio inputs. As for prices? Try $700, $400, $500 and $200 in order of mention, with each up for pre-order today through Sony and on sale in Best Buy locations starting next month.
Clickfree Transformer for iPod / iPhone makes auto backups, music retrieval painless
Clickfree, the outfit responsible for breathing new life into the notion of automatic backups, has just introduced what may very well be its most interesting and useful product yet. The Transformer for iPod / iPhone is a dual-purpose device, giving users the ability to backup multimedia from their PCs onto any remaining space on their iPod or iPhone as well as providing an easy way to retrieve content from those devices should your PC's hard drive ever decide to call it a day life. Per usual, no software installation is required, and the adapter plays nice with Vista, XP and OS X 10.5 or later. In related news, the company is also introducing its Transformer SE next month, which will ship in a piano black finish and function with any external USB hard drive to deliver a fully automated backup. If you're willing to pay the price for peace of mind, you can get your order in today at $49.99 and $89.99, respectively.
