RDP-NWV500
Latest
Sony's boom beverage speaker now available as American cup holder surrogate
Were you jealous of Japanese commuters getting to ignore their car's multichannel audio system in favor of a bright, 16-watt thermos of beats in their cup holder? Then today's your lucky day, because Audiocubes.com has brought Sony Japan's SRS-V500IP -- which is the iPod friendly version of the RDP-NWV500 sound mug -- state-side. Like the NWV500, it's also available in colors of black, orange, and happiness-inspiring pink, and packs the same Circle Sound Stage speaker system for a full 360 degrees of tuneage. If you don't own an iPod, a 3.5mm audio jack is thrown in to connect other devices like Sony's S740 Walkmen -- double the imported Japanese audio gear, double the Cool Person Points, right? Currently priced at $240, its U.S. availability still doesn't really clarify its practicality. Especially when you consider that your new shiny iPod Nano's color scheme won't even match!
Sony Walkman RDP-NWV500 Soundmug fits your car's cupholder, looks good with a rifle
Sony's ¥20,000 (about $214) RDP-NWV500 speaker, like the Rolly before it, is one of those rare devices that can be seen as either brilliant or foolish at first glance. Built to fit in your car's cupholder, the 16W tumbler tethers to your music player to pump out 360-degree sound from its 2-way speakers (56-mm woofer, 20-mm tweeter) that can be managed via top-mounted controls or the included wee remote control -- power is supplied from the car's accessory socket, not an internal battery as you might have hoped. At home the Soundmug fits into it's bundled charging dock that simultaneously charges your Walkman. Crazy, like a fox? Check the video demo after the break.
