Details are scarce on these new speakers from Kenwood, but if you find yourself frequently faced with a lamp-or-noise dilemma, we might've just stumbled upon the solution. The prototype flat speakers, developed by Junji Kido of Yamagata University in Japan, are inexplicably surfaced with white Lumiblade-style OLED lights -- we're not sure what that does for the sound, but we probably won't be trading in our studio monitors in anticipation of this brightly lit conjectured future.

[Via OLED-Info]

In the 22 city-strong foot race to get a live MPH-based mobile TV network up, running, and available to anyone who wants it, it looks like Washington DC's poised to come out on top. Raleigh has already deployed a handful of transmitters for the benefit of bus-goers, but the Open Mobile Video Coalition has announced that Washington DC's local CBS, PBS, NBC, and Ion affiliates plus a Fox-owned independent will all be ready to roll with MPH transmissions by late summer; of course, what remains to be seen is what sort of hardware will be ready to take advantage of the tech by then. We can likely count AT&T and Verizon out for offering MPH-enabled handsets seeing how they're still trying to figure out how to profit from their MediaFLO-based networks, so T-Mobile and Sprint's decisions to take a wait-and-see approach to the mobile TV phenomenon may really end up working in their favor here. Moving beyond the phones, it's said that Dell will be showing some sort of netbook this week with an integrated MPH tuner at the NAB show in Vegas this week, while Kenwood has in-car solutions in the works. As long as the broadcasts stay free -- which by all accounts they will -- the standard has a fighting chance at relevancy, assuming hardware comes to the table.

[Via Impress]

We suspect the whole "iPhone-friendly" bit is more marketing hoopla than anything else, as Kenwood's I-K50 head unit definitely lacks a straight-up dock connector, but that doesn't mean it won't play nice with Apple's latest handset. Boasting a USB port right on the front, the single-DIN deck gets down with iPods, iPhones and practically any DAP or PMP with a USB connector. Of course, it also supports those antiquated discs we Earthlings call "CDs," and the front-mounted auxiliary input makes it really easy to connect any source with a headphone output. It's set to drop in around a month in Japan for ¥23,100 ($259).

[Via iPodNN]

No, it's not a Doomsday clock, ticking away the precious seconds of your brief mortality. It's just another iPod dock, the CR-iP500 from Kenwood. The 371 x 175 x 187-mm globule of thump brings a pair of amplified 5W speakers, a built-in FM tuner, slot-in CD player, and a USB 2.0 jack to playback unprotected WMA and MP3 audio files off USB sticks. Yeah, iPods too, just as long as you don't stretch the definition to include the iPhone which this dock doesn't appear to support. Expected to hit Japan for ¥27,000 (about $280) in early December.

Update: Oh Kenwood, turns out your dock is just a rebadge of the LG PC12 already on sale in the US and elsewhere for $250 MSRP.

[Via Impress and Akihabara News, thanks PABLO]

Every bean-counter knows that falling prices and shrinking margins add up to one thing - cost-cutting pressure. Now we get word that JVC and Kenwood are merging underneath a single holding company, aptly named JVC Kenwood Holdings. Hopes are high for the new company, with plans to quadruple profit in three short years by focusing on car and home audio. Expect to see more of this kind of merger/acquisition activity, especially among small- to medium-sized companies as more competition -- especially from South Korea and China -- ramps up. Every JVC share will be exchanged for two shares in the new company, while Kenwood stock will get a 1-for-1 rate. JVC definitely got the better end of the deal, with JVC's president continuing on in that role with the new company. It will be interesting to watch how this might affect Kenwood/Bain Capital bidding for D&M Holdings.

EDIT: the new company will be called JVC Kenwood Holdings, not JVC Holdings. - Thanks, dcny!

Although Kenwood's been shipping nav-enabled car stereos powered by Garmin since 2006, they've mostly gone under the radar -- but now it looks like the two companies are so pleased with the arrangement that they're going to launch a combined marketing blitz and some new jointly-developed models. We've already seen a couple nifty Kenwood stereos with built-in nav (and some sweet concepts), but it looks like 2008 will bring even more units like the Garmin-powered Excelon DNX-8120 (pictured above) that launched at CES. All the new units are to have touchscreens with flash-based Garmin nav internals, as well as the usual high-end Kenwood features like Bluetooth, satellite radio, HD Radio, and iPod hookups. No new model numbers or prices have been announced yet, but the marketing partnership is apparently already underway -- get ready for the car stereo section of your local big box to be taken over.

[Via Blast]

At least that's the only way we can explain the stealth bomber look on this AS-IP300 iPod dock from Kenwood. You can buy a black version to complete the effect, but don't expect to get much out of these 1.9W stereo speakers. The best news is that you're looking at a 95 Euro ($140-ish) pricetag for the unit, which has us rather ambivalent as to if or when this'll be getting a Stateside release.

It's an argument we've all probably had: you prefer the nav, pops prefers the bedraggled Atlas. Thankfully, Kenwood is stepping in to mediate by creating the Smart Interface, which enables those less comfortable with modern day GPS systems to simply point a pen at a map and let the technology handle the rest. The location seen by the pen is wirelessly transmitted to the coordinating navigator, enabling map-lovers to more easily input destinations and coexist with their tech-savvy offspring. Unfortunately, there's no word as to when this setup will be available to purchase, but feel free to click on through for a couple more in-action snapshots.

Zoinks, Kenwood just loosed yet another Media Keg design into Japan. Two in fact, each sharing the same guts: the sophisticatedly-smarmy GD55 and whimsically-chintzy GD50. Both feature up to 2GB of flash, a 4-line OLED display, a USB mass storage mode and support for MP3 or DRM'd WMA audio with up to 21 hours of MP3 playback before needing a recharge. Yours in Japan starting next month for ¥15,000 or about $130 for the full 2GB treatment.

[Via Impress]

Gold plating is often used as a means to lower the electrical resistance (and substantially increase the price) of so-called, high-end audio cables and plugs. Fine, we're used to that. This is the first time, however, that we've seen it used on a internal DAP frame as a basis to tout superior sound achieved through superior fit. We kid you not, that's Kenwood's pitch for their new 60GB, HD60GD9EC audio player. The Media Keg series was already acclaimed for its superior sound quality and the introduction of AAC support is a welcome addition to Kenwood lossless and WMA/MP3 compressed formats. Still, a gold plated internal chassis demanding a ¥57,800 (about $503) premium? Puhlease. Oh, and since you don't seem to be paying attention Kenwood, slim 160GB 1.8-inch drives are now available. Yeah, really.

Kenwood's aiming its new MNA-350 squarely at the Japanese market for tiny cars, or "kei-cars," but we know plenty of people with double-DIN slots in their SUVs here in the States who would kill for this CD player / GPS nav combo. The 50W unit features a 3.5-inch touchscreen that supports address and phone number lookups, as well as MP3, AAC, and WMA support and optional iPod integration. Those of you rocking to the beat of different DAP can jack in through the front-mounted 1/8-inch aux input, or just play your files through the integrated SD reader. No word on price, but the four of you flying out to snag one of these Japan-only units for your Escalades probably don't care about that, do you?

[Via Akihabara News]

Dizamn, chalk this up to buyouts we didn't see coming; reports are starting to hit the wires that Matushita (aka Panasonic), which owns the controlling share (52.4%) of Victor Company of Japan (aka JVC) is apparently considering selling the unit to Kenwood. Although talks have supposedly been ongoing since earlier this month, Matsushita is apparently refusing to comment. Naw, probably won't affect you and your general buying habits -- it's not like JVC would be going to D&M to be dismantled for its IP -- we just thought you might like to know.

Read - Matsushita reportedly in talks with Kenwood
Read - "No comment."