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Mighty Vibe review: A much improved iPod Shuffle for Spotify
I'll admit it. When Mighty was first announced in 2016, the prospect of a standalone, offline Spotify player was an exciting and attractive concept -- especially for this subscriber. I got my hopes up. Plus, the tiny device was about the size and shape of an iPod Shuffle, so there was some nostalgia at work too. It looked good on paper, but the original model had some major issues. With the second-generation, $86 Mighty Vibe, though, the company has remedied many of those hiccups and created a compelling gadget for Spotify users.
Mighty returns with a redesigned offline Spotify player
When Mighty debuted last year, it delivered iPod Shuffle-like offline playback for Spotify users. In other words, it brought a tiny music player to the streaming generation. The original model mostly delivered on its promises, carrying more than 1000 songs so users could leave their phones behind on a run or during a workout. Mighty wasn't without its flaws though, and the company says it addressed many of the major hiccups with version 2.0, which is called the Mighty Vibe.
Motorola chief Rick Osterloh weighs in on life under Lenovo
Motorola's split from Google and absorption by Lenovo left many people wondering if one of the world's most interesting phone makers would get mismanaged into oblivion. Motorola President Rick Osterloh sought to clear the air with a candid chat session at Mobile World Congress, where the answer was a pretty emphatic "no." "We've done an enormous amount of great stuff as part of a broader company," he said.
Lenovo reveals the Vibe Z2, its very first 64-bit smartphone
Lenovo might not be known for its smartphones around these parts (Motorola's new wares should change that soon), but it's definitely no slouch where the rest of the world is concerned. To no one's surprise, the Chinese juggernaut's family of phones just got a little bigger today at IFA: The company just pulled back the curtain on a pair of devices called the Vibe Z2 (pictured above) and Vibe X2.
Lenovo's next flagship phone is all about metal, a quad HD screen and a big battery
Lenovo's current flagship phone, the Vibe Z (K910), opted for plastic instead of metal like its predecessor, so it's nice to see metal making a comeback on the next model, dubbed the Vibe Z2 Pro. This is according to several photos that have been making the rounds on Sina Weibo, and our sources have since confirmed that these were taken at an internal event, so someone's been a bit naughty. The specs are top notch: 6-inch quad HD display, 16-megapixel OIS camera (with dual LED flash), massive 4,000mAh battery and 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 chip. These are all wrapped inside a 7.7mm-thick metallic body that also supports NFC.
ASUS shows off its Open Cloud Computing with a dash of sci-fi, teen angst (video)
ASUS has been touting Open Cloud Computing as the glue that unites its new devices at Computex, but it hasn't been very specific as to what that meant. Rather than just give us the dry details, though, ASUS has chosen to sum it all up in a slightly surreal video illustrating how its cloud solves the travails of friends and family. Web storage comes up often for sharing files across the Internet -- apparently, by reaching through clouds -- and is joined by Open Help for sorting out frustrated parents, Open Link for helping woe-is-me teenagers finish high school projects on their Padfones, Vibe for sharing media and Waveface for coordinating a thank you event with everyone. Apart from being a bit trippy, the promo has more than a small dose of science fiction: although we've seen some future product concepts from ASUS before, we're pretty sure there's no holographic watches and virtual assistants on the short-term roadmap. If you can reconcile that with practical reality, you'll be ready for the video after the story jump.
Tunebug Shake and Vibe ears-on at CES 2010
One of the more interesting pieces of tech on display at Digital Experience was the Tunebug Shake. It's a small device that can be attached to a helmet (of mostly any kind) that turns it into a speaker. Coming with both a 3.5-mm jack and stereo Bluetooth support, the connection options should allow it to work with almost any audio-outputting device. Unfortunately, you can only control the volume from the Shake itself -- changing songs are a no go, or as the kind PR rep put it "it's always on shuffle." Tunebug also had the Vibe on display, which is similar, but instead turns regular surfaces into impromptu speakers. We'll be honest, the sound quality from both was a bit lackluster, but we were also testing it out in a huge ballroom full of people. We'll have to see how it really fares once these units start shipping to real live customers. Feel free to take a peek at the puck-like devices in our hands-on gallery. %Gallery-81899%
TuneBug announces Shake, Vibe SurfaceSound speakers
Speakers that use SurfaceSound technology to pump music through the surface they're sitting on aren't exactly anything new, but TuneBug has managed to put a slightly different spin on the idea with its new Shake speaker -- which, as TuneBug so eloquently puts it, will finally give you some "Music 4 UR Melon." While that may or may not also work directly on your skull, it will definitely work with a range of helmets, including bike helmets with the included TuneStrap, or skate helmets with the included Gecko Mount. Look for it to be available by the end of the month for $119.95, along with the more conventional Vibe SurfaceSound speaker, which will set you back $69.99.
Philips GoGear Aria, Opus, ViBE and Mix hands-on, launch info
Philips announced its GoGear Aria and Opus players for Europe back in February, but they've finally got around to showing off the units Stateside, along with offering prices, a timeframe, and a bit of company. The 2-inch screened Aria lands this month in 8GB and 16GB versions for $80 and $100, respectively; the 2.8-inch QVGA Opus does 8GB at $100, with a 16GB model in the wings; the teensy new ViBE has a 1.5-inch screen and comes in 4GB and 8GB flavors for $50 and $60; and there's a new little thumb DAP called the Mix, which is short on details. All the DAPs have FM radio and mics, and all but the Mix can do video. They also include trial subscriptions to and support for Rhapsody and Audible, along with a little browser widget to download YouTube videos and load them to the player -- a nice touch. Still, the line is pretty lackluster; we played with the players briefly, and while the design is getting better, there's still a lot of wasted space, mundane controls and ancient-seeming software -- we suppose you get what you pay for. We did appreciate Opus' inclusion of FLAC and OGG support, and its build quality really puts the rest of the line to shame.
Colorado vNet ships Vibe Video System for media management
If you've been turned off on home automation due to prohibitive startup costs, you aren't alone. And we'll be the first to admit that Colorado vNet's newest shipping solution isn't dirt cheap, though the functionality is sure nice for those that can swing it. The Vibe Video System works to store a homeowner's movies, music and photo collections on a server for instant access from any connected TV in the home. The system itself will only be offered through company-approved dealers, though it is noted that support for Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio and Blu-ray is included. Prospective buyers have a few choices when it comes to servers, players and network servers, with each ranging from $2,199 to $7,999. Check the read link below if you aren't immediately turned off by such figures.[Via CEPro]
Thomson's ViBE encoders enable 50% faster HD channel changing
Look, 1.9 seconds to change the channel is way, way too long people -- we all know that. Thankfully, the bright engineers at Thomson realize it too, and that's why they've cranked out some seriously awesome advances to their ViBE encoders. The new "fast zapping solutions" enable 50% faster high-definition channel changing, and the secret is in the fancy simultaneous compression that most users won't even notice. In essence, it allows the STB to "quickly decode and display a low resolution version of the channel and transition to displaying the full HD resolution version without disrupting viewing," and if all goes well, we could see this become the de facto way of channel surfing by 2009. Gnarly, dudes.
V-Moda's Vibe II, platform shoes not included
There must be a fashion-forward young man or woman out there brave enough to sport V-Moda's new Vibe II with Microphone. These stainless steel alloy headphones follow in the footsteps of the popular (and much better looking) Vibe Duo and feature the noise-isolation, in-line handsfree microphone, call and music controls that we expect from the line. In addition, the 'phones possess "solid and tactual sensation comparable to the finest jewelry and watches." Right. If you'd like to see for yourself, these beauts are available for $128, exclusively at the Apple Store.
Vibe's Space Gate 38,800-watt bass tunnel
Staring into the negative space of the Vibe Space Gate, your sad, pathetic little human life flashes before your eyes. What will happen when you walk into the arch of 36 Space II subs on 16 amps? Will it suck all of the oxygen out of the room? Will your heart realign beats to match the thump of the track? Will your skin melt off? Most importantly, will this finally be enough bass to make our 2 Live Crew remasters sound the way they were truly intended? We just don't know, but something tells us stepping through it will take you StarGate-like into a new universe of hearing loss -- ready?
Ntech intros ear-rattling NVE 100B Bluetooth earbuds
After a long, hard day spent fixing that ever-present paper jam in the office printer, it's nice to kick back in iJoy's ZipConnect while letting the iGoGo personal massager sooth away your aches and pains to the tune of your favorite Breakfast Club jam. But Ntech wants to add one more aspect to your already jubilating experience by tossing an extra vibe directly on your ear. The NVE 100B is an "earring-style" Bluetooth earphone designed to simply clip onto your ear, with the front half pumping out music while the backside thumps to the beat. Strangely enough, the company actually expects the non-intrusive earbud to "prevent possible auditory disease," but we're assuming you take a major hit in sound quality to accomplish such a precaution. Nevertheless, these oddly sensational (albeit probably dysfunctional) earclips should be available on the Korean market just before the year's end for a currently undisclosed price.
V-MODA VIBE Hi-definition Luxury Earphones
V-MODA recently unveiled VIBE, "a revolutionary noise-isolating modaphone that allows discerning music enthusiasts to experience state-of-the-art audio on the go." The earphones, which are, of course, iPod-friendly, are all-metal, look great, and are very lightweight. They call them "hearwear."Priced at $101 USD (a nod to the landmark Highway 101 that runs past V-MODA's Hollywood Hills headquarters), these 'phones aren't cheap. Then again they don't look cheap and based on the description I'm guessing they don't sound cheap either, so true audiophiles who also want to be stylish might want to give them a try. For more info, check out the specs on v-moda.com. They come in your choice of Gunmetal Black or FlashBlack Chrome and include a "Modawrap" cable manager and a gold colored leather storage pouch. You can pick up a pair at the Apple Store (online and Retail), Bloomingdales, Virgin Megastore and at V-MODA's own online store.
A Wii $150?
In this week's edition of Way Too Good To Be True, we bring you ... the $150 Wii! Vibe magazine (a bastion of gaming information) listed the Wii's price in their latest issue and it's got the fanboys all abuzz. Who knows? It may not be too far off. There is a long and glorious tradition of magazines "slipping" and letting information loose before they were supposed to do so. You'd think that by now, publishers might have mastered that whole street date and timing issue. $150 does seem a little low, but it's long been the bottom of the theoretical price range. Nintendo is working overtime to snag as big a market share as possible this year, so we're not ruling anything out , not even a possibility as delicious as this one. Expect more rumors, the crazier the better, over the next few days. After all, after September 14, there shouldn't be many more, right? Because we'll know. If we don't, we fully expect riots in the streets.
The cost of Immersion: DualShake a possibility
What is it about innovation that seems to bring out the worst in companies? When Sony began showing off its newest controller, cries from fans elsewhere claimed that they had copied Nintendo's motion-sensing technology. Back in the day, the PS2 had a similar situation that prompted litigation which Sony is still grappling with today. The idea was the rumbling technology, and Immersion said it was theirs.Enter the Sony-Immersion headache. The latter took it to court in an effort to settle their rights on certain patents which claimed the controller tech. Long story short: Sony's been paying out a royalty every quarter in a deal which circumvents a $90 million settlement they would otherwise have to pay to Immersion. With a pending appeal against the settlement, many are saying Sony has dropped the rumbling technology from their latest PS3 controller due to the bad vibe between the companies.But what should they do if along came a solution to the motion-sensing rumble conundrum? This is where TouchSense comes in. According to Immersion, they have the ability to make the PlayStation 3 controller shake, rattle and roll with force feedback, all the while retaining its sensing feature. However, there's still that icky $90 million thorn in their side. If Sony would cough up the cash, gamers could have their cake and eat it too. But they're saying it's too late and there's just not enough time to implement TouchSense. This, of course, contradicts Immersion's claim that it would only take a matter of weeks. Is force feedback worth the price? Would gamers even notice? These are questions that we're betting Sony is still trying to tackle.
