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Podio speakered PMP for cyclists sure to cause accidents, impromptu dance parties
We've seen plenty of speaker / PMP combos around these part, but the Podio -- which looks kind of like a hairdryer to us -- is designed for the cyclist on-the-go who just can't bike without jamming to Green Day at a semi-loud volume. The Podio comes with a harness to attach it to the bike's handlebars, and boasts a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that gets somewhere between nine and twenty hours of use per charge. The whole thing weighs 139 grams, boasts 2GB of onboard storage, and has a 1.5 watt speaker to get the party started. There are no details on pricing or availability as of now, but we'll let you know when they come around -- err... are on the market. One more photo after the break.[Via Oh! Gizmo]
X-mini Max II looks like a trash can, pumps out the jams
If you've ever thought to yourself, "I could use a pair of tiny, tinny, and aesthetically-impaired portable speakers for my laptop or PMP," this is your lucky day. X-Mini, known for pushing sound through something that looks like a cross between alien hardware and a donut, is back on the scene with the Max II. A stunning departure from the usual fare, this thing ditches the wagon wheel in favor of something that one of Dark Helmet's minions might wear in Spaceballs. Apparently, the new design also features a bigger driver meaning, you guessed it, "twice the bass." We didn't have the heart to point out that two times bupkis is still bupkis. We're not sure when this 2.5W sonic wonder will be released in the US, but we'll be keepin' our eyes peeled.
X-mini Happy arrives for quasi-spherical MP3 playback
There's just something slightly alien to the X-mini, and this latest "Happy" model does little to assuage our unfounded fears of it. What's new this time around is MP3 playback, thanks to an SD card slot. Size and shape-wise it's almost identical to its X-mini II predecessor. Happy can handle about 6 hours of playback, or 11 hours of speaker work, on a charge, and the USB cable not only charges the ball but also allows the unit to work as a slightly-less-difficult-to-misplace SD card reader. You can also still daisy chain Happy speakers like with the X-mini II. Happy is currently in prototype stage, and should hit the market sometime around Q3.[Thanks, Yutaka]
Soundmatters foxL Bluetooth speaker gets reviewed
For audiophiles, it's a perpetual challenge to find a portable speaker that carries even half the tunes of your assuredly expensive towers at home. Soundmatters has attempted to halt your looking, however, with the recently-unveiled foxL. This portable speaker, which is also available in an entirely-more-delectable Bluetooth flavor, was recently put to the test by Sound & Vision, and the reviewer came away more than impressed. Put simply, no system this small -- at least in the critic's mind -- ever came close to "sounding this good." In testing, he found that the frequency response of the foxL "looked like that of a well-engineered, $2,000-per-pair bookshelf speaker," and honestly, when the biggest complaint is that it can get too loud for the average hotel room, you pretty much know you've got a winner on your hands.
Soundmatters reveals foxLmb portable Bluetooth speaker
Soundmatters already has the living room taken care of, so it makes sense to see it aiming for those times when you need sound everywhere else. All set to debut at CEDIA, said company has unveiled its foxL portable speaker, which measures in at 5.6- x 2.2- x 1.4-inches and promises "audiophile" grade sound quality. The foxL is also available with integrated Bluetooth (foxLmb), and both flavors include a pair of 1-inch "Twoofers" (yes, we're serious) and a Li-ion battery good for around five hours on a full charge. Expect these to surface in early September for $199 and $249, respectively.
Yamaha boasts world's most powerful USB speaker, the NX-U10
Question: what's the most common complaint about USB speakers? Answer: they suck. And why do they suck? They're woefully lacking in power because of the limitations of the USB port, which only outputs 5V/0.5A. Yamaha claims to have gotten around this hurdle by developing its flux capacitor "Charged Capacitor Amplifier" that, via the magic power of technology, throws out 10x the normal power to achieve 10W x 2. And to turn it up to 11, Yamaha added its SR-Bass technology to produce the "deepest bass ever" in proportion to its size. The speaker sports a stereo mini-jack and can also be battery-operated for those rare moments when you and your laptop need some "separate time." You'll be able to pick up the NX-U10 early this year for £149, or about $193 USD.
Sony VGP-USP1: a 1.1-inch thin USB travel speaker
So you've picked up a Sony speaker for your PSP and Bluetooth-enabled Walkman, but man, if only they had one for your super-swank VAIO. No worries, Sony's got you covered. The VGP-USP1 plugs into your laptop's USB port to deliver 2x2W of thimble shaking power. Still, at just 30-mm / 1.1-inches thin and 520-grams / 18.3-ounces, it makes for an easy packing, on-the-go solution for those lonely nights in front of the minibar.
Third Wave's new tiny MP3 player and integrated speaker
Japan often comes out with sweet stuff (we're looking at you, moon-colonizing robots), and this latest MP3 player with a built-in speaker carries that novelty torch. While we don't have much to go on besides Third Wave's site and a few scattered hits across the web, we are nevertheless intrigued. The nameless player (we don't read Japanese, remember -- these guys do, though) comes with a little 6W woofer and a pair of 3W tweeters (collectively called the "Speaker 8030"), all inside a little cylindrical case that measures 6.7 inches tall and is 4 inches across. It'll hold a half gig's worth of songs, and the company will even throw in a remote for about $45 (¥5,280) and is available starting September 8. Now instead of lugging around that boombox on your shoulder, you probably could loop this onto your sunglasses -- yeah, that'd be totally sweet.[Via AV Watch]
