Singtrix
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The best tech for students who like to party
That's all students, right? Right? While not everyone will be headed to toga parties on frat row (we applaud your decision there), all of you are going to need some gear to keep you amused when class isn't in session. In addition to some of the more predictable stuff, like speakers and a Chromecast, we have some more off-kilter recommendations, including an electronic dartboard, a USB turntable, a "music festival survival kit" and even a vaporizer, if that's your idea of a good time. Check out the gallery below for all our party gear picks, and make sure to peruse our full back-to-school guide right here.
IRL: Singtrix karaoke machine
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. When the Singtrix karaoke machine made its debut at Engadget's Expand NY event, its creators boldly claimed the diminutive device could make "bad singers sound great." So what can it do for absolutely terrible singers like yours truly? I spent a few days with the volume set high and the shades drawn low to find out.
Guitar Hero dudes team up for Singtrix, hope to make your singing less terrible
If there's one theme running through the work of Kai and Charles Huang, it's the notion that an utter lack of musical ability shouldn't be enough to keep you from realizing your rock and roll fantasies. The team behind Guitar Hero have joined forces once again with the guys behind Drumscape, a sit-down arcade simulator that was formerly incorporated into the wildly success music game series. This time out, things are decidedly less competitive. No one's keeping track of the score, instead, Singtrix is more of a party box - an all-in-one karaoke machine that can, among other things, make you a less terrible singer. The system features a mic and a (relatively) compact 40-watt, 2.1 speaker with a built-in woofer. The box has some 300 different vocal effects styled after different genres and musical era, and standard stage effects like reverb and delay. There are also three levels of pitch correction, which are likely the biggest selling point for those who might otherwise be mortified to stand up front of a crowd, mic-in-hand. And this is 2013, so the company's got a tie-in app for iOS, Android and the Kindle Fire, naturally, which features more than 13,000 songs and lyrics for the full karaoke experience. There's also 3.5mm jack on the box, so you you can plug your device right into the speaker.
