gramophone
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These £999 stereo speaker horns will go nicely with your gold HTC One
We've come across all kinds of electronics-free acoustic amplifiers in the iPhone accessories market, but stereo horns for a non-Apple device? That's a double-first for us. For the debut act of HTC's "Here's To Creativity" campaign to support young artists in the UK, the phone maker commissioned designer Justin Wolter to come up with an HTC One edition of his mono Gramohorn, which was originally made for -- you guessed it -- the iPhone. The result is the Gramohorn II, a large 3D-printed stereo speaker dock that loudens the One's BoomSound front speakers by 50 percent, as well as adding some bass to the music. Oh, and it can be hand-painted in any color you desire. The damage? A hefty £999 (about $1,610) which is also, by the way, just £580 shy of the price of a 24-carat gold HTC One. But if you're feeling generous and aren't fond of the plaster resin build, there's also a milled stainless steel limited edition going for £4999 or about $8,030. Here's to crazy! Update: We've just been told that the cradle is interchangeable, so you can also fit a One Mini or a One Max.
Gramovox is a Bluetooth gramophone that takes retro to absurd auditory heights
When in search of retro cool, there's little out there that can compete with iconic gramophone. The Gramovox keeps the 19th century design with a large horn to amplify your tunes. But under the hood, audiophiles Pavan Bapu and Jeff Parrish have replaced the need for physical media with a Bluetooth radio. Inspired by similar docks that funneled audio from a phone's speaker though phonograph-style horn, they've set about creating a version that doesn't require you to tether your smartphone to a large, non-portable object. Unfortunately, we don't know much else about the device. It's still in development and the creators are currently aiming for a Q3 release. If you're interested you can sign up for updates at the source link. And you'll find a quick teaser video after the break.
Kid Koala bundles working cardboard gramophone with album, spurs on budding turntablists (video)
If you've been enough of a Kid Koala fan to have heard his original Scratchcratchratchatch mixtape, you'll remember a sample that mentioned building a "finger-powered record player." Kid Koala, also known as Eric San, certainly remembers -- buy the Limited Edition of his recently launched 12 Bit Blues album and you'll get your own functional, build-it-yourself cardboard gramophone along with a playable disc. The only further requirements are a sewing pin and some hand power. It's cheaper than tracking down the real thing, and a nod both to San's turntablist style as well as the back-to-basics nature of the music. We call it clever and potentially inspiring; just remember that you'll want some proper equipment before you DJ any house parties.
iVictrola amplifies your iPhone or iPod touch's awesomeness (video)
Just to throw in a bit of old school flavor to this week's gorge of high-tech news, here's an entirely acoustic, zero-electronics amplifier for the iPhone and iPod touch. Designed by Matt Richmond, this retro device channels sound through the walnut stand, via the vintage Magnavox horn, and into your appreciative ears. Not much else to it -- no wires, hookups, or batteries to worry about, and you can see how well it works in the video after the break. Now if you want one, just scrape together $400 and head on over to the source link.
Video: Arduino-based 'insecure, egotistical' robot band
One part gadget, one part art project, and 100% awesome, the Cybraphon is a MacBook powered, Arduino-based mechanical band housed in an antique wardrobe. Including an organ, cymbals, a motor-driven Indian Shruti box (played with 13 robotic servos, no less), and a gramophone, it relies on infrared motion detectors to sense when it has an audience. A number of factors, including the amount of attention it gets on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, help the device determine its "mood," which in turn determines when the "band" plays, and what material it selects. According to one of the artist / inventors, the Cybraphon is a "tongue-in-cheek comment on people's obsession with online celebrity. We modeled it on an insecure, egotistical band." That's our favorite kind! And you know, the thing doesn't sound half bad. Check it out for yourself after the break.
iriver's gramophone speaker, UNIT2-S, and R1 concepts do impress
iriver came to IFA with the usual collection of concept gear we crave. Unlike other manufacturers, iriver usually brings its prototypes to market, eventually, so you'll want to pay attention. First up is a concept horn speaker (pictured top) attached to an iriver SPINN. The device plugs into the existing headphone jack bringing a sense of gramophone nostalgia to this most-modern device. Next up is iriver's latest take on the Unit2, the UNIT2-S, a simpler multimedia communications device for the home. Remember, it's just a concept, but as envisioned, the working prototype functions as a video phone, digital photo frame, web browser, FM radio, flash gaming rig, SMS/MMS receiver, and audio / video player with DMB television tuner. The specs list a 4.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, 30GB hard drive and 2GB of flash (presumably in the base unit and handset, respectively), mic, stereo speaker, and Li-Polymer battery all packed into a 185.4 x 117 x 19.8-mm tower.Last up is the R1 DAB radio concept (pictured bottom). Again, the prototype is fully functional and capable of playing back internet, DAB, and FM radio or audio streaming from PC or local storage through a pair of 2W stereo speakers. They also included an alarm clock to remind you that these concepts are just part of an iriver dream -- for now.%Gallery-30735%
The iPod Gramophone
I like my iPod as much as the next guy (as long as I'm not standing next to Chris Breen, that is. He REALLY likes his iPod, a little too much if you ask me) but I've often found the device not to be 'Olde Timey' enough for me. Thank goodness the thoughtful people at Hammacher Schlemmer are selling The iPod Gramophone for a little less than $500.The iPod Gramophone isn't a fancy set of speakers (we have no need for your woofers nor your tweeters here), but rather a horn to the bottom of which you attach your iPod headphones. Through the power of 'authentic horn acoustics' whatever your iPod is playing can be amplified to up to 55 decibels louder, not to mention the exponential increase in your steampunk street cred.I don't know about you, but I would like to see more accessories making use of authentic horn acoustics.[via bookofjoe]
The Mindstorms NXT gramophone, or, If Edison played with LEGOs
Lying somewhere between the roboflusher and LEGO car-producing LEGO factory on the practicality scale, José Pino's Mindstorms NXT gramophone brings together all the fun and tinny sound of this antiquated music system with today's modern DIY sensibilities. Using little more than an off-the-shelf NXT kit running at 25% power, and, um, a fast food beverage cup, Pino was able rig together a very basic platform for spinning his vinyl, although scratching is probably not recommended on this rather delicate setup. Keep reading for a quick video walkthrough accompanied by those old-timey tunes so popular among today's seniors.[Via Hacked Gadgets]
The Digital Gramophone: original design or DIY shortcut?
Mmm, the digital gramophone. New and old in a union of laser and nostalgia sure to make T.A. Edison's prodigy swoon. Designed by Yong Jieyu & Ama Xue Hong Bin, the Phonograph CD Player consists of a disassembled CD player with the laser positioned like a classic needle tracing a wax groove. While we like the idea of the exposed disc assembly, we imagine the sound to be fairly consistent with those early 19th century recordings. While the designers claim that their aim was to "analyze a product in its history and function and redesign it," we can't help but wonder if this isn't just a masked DIY gramophone kit available on Amazon.co.jp for years. Just sayin' is all. [Via Akihabara News]
