Audio Gadget Inspector

Thanko Cranking MP3 Player

2009-12-05T00:35:00.000-08:00

The Thanko eco-friendly Cranking MP3 Player is equipped with a wind up charger that will let you wind it up when you run dry.

The Cranking MP3 player can be charged just by simply holding the lever with one hand and pressing it continuously until the device has received full charge from its battery and power system.
The device can also be charged using a USB port or with the AC adapter.

Its size is 75 × 45 × 34.5 mm, it weighs 88.8 grams and features 1 GB of storage capacity.

Television Sound Regulator

2008-02-14T04:51:00.000-08:00

This very useful gadget that is composed of a sound regulator and a simple set of standard RCA audio connectors, eliminates the irritating surges in volume during commercials or the differences in volume between channels' stations.
It ill also even out loud or quiet scenes during programs and movies to the right volume.
Fool-proof easy to set up, its only requirement is that your TV, satellite receiver, DVD player or VCR. has RCA audio inputs to plug into.

The device is able to instantly and automatically match the volume of a television show and the commercials to the volume level at which you've set your TV. The Sound Regulator maintains the dynamic range in volume and sound intended in a program, so a whisper remains a whisper, a shout sounds like a shout and no sounds are muted or cut off.

Developed by International Control Systems, the Sound Regulator eliminates fluctuating volume inherent in television broadcasting by separating the left and right audio signals and correcting them independently. This synchronization process eliminates any possibility of misalignment of the audio video signals.

Features:

Eliminates annoying surges in volume during commercials and unintended increases or decreases in volume that occur changing channels, or the loud or quiet scenes during programs and movies
Eliminates unintended, unwanted TV volume fluctuations while maintaining synchronized Audio Video transmission and true Stereo Sound
Synchronization process eliminates any possibility of misalignment of the audio video signals
Separates the Left and Right Audio Signals and corrects each independently for true Stereo Sound
Maintains the dynamic range in volume and sound intended in a program: a whisper remains a whisper, a shout sounds like a shout so nothing is muted or cut off
Connects between any line level source and amplifier, such as TV and Satellite Receiver or Cable Box using RCA
Works with VCR, DVD Player, Surround Sound System, TV Receiver and most A/V Devices
Compact and Lightweight
Hearing impaired aid, raises volume level on hard to hear programs

Available from:
firstSTREET

ZEN Nano Plus

2008-02-04T11:03:00.000-08:00

The ZEN Nano Plus is actually a reincarnation of the MuVo Micro packed with features which represents a viable alternative to Apple's iPod Shuffle.

At the same time Creative has also released the Zen Nano, which costs $20 less but doesn't include FM and recording features.

Features:

FM tuner
FM recording
Line-in recording
Built-in microphone
Different music playback modes
Data storage

Technical Specifications

Size WxHxD: 1.32" x 2.58" x 0.51"
Weight: 2.2oz with battery
Storage Capacity: 1GB (500 songs2), 512MB (256 songs2)
Voice Recording: 1GB (64 hours), 512MB (32 hours), 256MB (16 hours), 128MB (8 hours)
Voice Recording Format: (IMA ADPCM, Mono)
Battery Type: AAA Battery
Battery Life: Up to 18 hours of continuous playback
Interface: USB 2.0. Compatible with USB 1.1
Playback Formats: MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) and Windows Media Audio (WMA) with DRM and Audible
Signal to Noise Ratio: up to 90dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz
Harmonic Response Output: <0.1%
Headphone Output: 1/8" stereo minijack

You can connect the line-in on your ZEN Nano Plus to your hi-fi's line-out or even the headphone jack and record your beats.

And you can easily archive your old vinyl records without using a PC. The automatic track detection will even separate each song.

Use the display to find your favorite FM radio station while lifting weights.
Keep your ZEN securely on your arm with the included sports armband and case.

ZEN Nano Plus is available in ten different colors ranging from pink to blue or black

It randomly shuffles through up to 500 songs and the LCD display reveals several ways to listen to music with endless possibilities.

The ZEN Nano Plus is capable of connecting wirelessly to your car stereo using a Belkin FM Transmitter.

And you could also connect the Nano Plus with the Creative TravelDock 900 or as an option, acquire a pair of Aurvana headphones or earphones.
Available from:
Creative

Audio Gadget Inspector's AdSense Player

2008-02-01T01:10:00.000-08:00

YouTube has launched a new service called AdSense Players.

With AdSense Players you create customized video players for publishing to Websites or Blogs, using keywords or pre-selected premium content, like you see below:

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

This Post is just a test to see what AdSense Player picks up from the content of the Audio Gadget Inspector's Blog.
Comments are welcome.

Pacemaker

2008-01-14T11:38:00.000-08:00

Dubbed as "The world’s first pocket-size DJ system", the Pacemaker is a high quality portable music player that allows for the playing of two tracks simultaneously and comes equipped with an extensive range of professional audio manipulation mixing software that can be used between two independent channels.

Furthermore, any mixes created on Pacemaker Device and/or Editor can be uploaded via the Editor for publishing onto the community and be listened to by any and all with an Internet connection.

As the Peacemaker team says at their website (www.pacemaker.net):

"By sharing our music taste with each other, we hope to bring us all closer to the music we love – and closer to the music we don’t yet know we can’t live without."

Peace brother, Peace ...

Specifications

SIZE AND WEIGHT
• L/W/H: 164/69.6/22.8 mm.
• Weight: 200 g (approx.)
CAPACITY
• 120 GB hard drive
INPUT AND OUTPUT
• Mini USB
• 2x3.5 mm stereo plug
POWER AND BATTERY
• Exchangeable rechargeable battery; full-charge time: 1,5 h, fast-charge time: about 1 h
• Music playback time: 18 h
• DJ operating time: 5 h
DISPLAY
• Dimensions: ø 45 mm
• Resolution: 166 dpi screen resolution (0.153 mm dot pitch)
• TFT display with 262 K colours
AUDIO
• Frequency response: 20–20.000 Hz (SNR: 103 dB)
• Audio formats supported: MP3 AAC, WMA (128–320 Kbps), WMA Lossless, OGG Vorbis, FLAC, WAV
DJ FUNCTIONALITY
• Two output channels: headphones and lineout
• Two crossfaders: headphones and lineout
• Pitch control: ± 100%
• Equalizer: for adjusting treble, mid and bass amplitudes.
• Mix saving: continuous caption to hard drive.
• User Input latency: approx. 5 ms

The Pacemaker has been presented at CES 2008 and has gained highly positive reviews, specially from many dedicated New Age music enthusiasts.

First units are expected to be shipped by February 2008.

Available from:

http://www.pacemaker.net

The World’s Smallest Wireless Earphone

2007-10-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Fujikon Industrial Holdings Ltd, Hong Kong manufacturer of headsets, microphones and other audio components has formed a strategic alliance with wireless audio technology provider Kleer.
Combining Fujikon’s expertise in designing and manufacturing cutting-edge audio products and Kleer’s technological expertise, the world’s smallest wireless earphone, is ready for launch.

Announced in January 2007, Kleer’s 2.4GHz wireless digital audio technology combines high digital audio performance with ultra-low power consumption. The technology can be applied to portable audio and media players, audio or theater systems and automotive systems, and is used by Fujikon in the first of its kind un-tethered earphones.

Kleer’s iPod Nano Wireless Adapter was highly acclaimed for being capable of delivering full CD quality audio without any loss in sound quality. It received a good deal of positive reviews, putting the brand in the ears of many professionals of the audio gadgetry arena.

Kleer’s Audio LP modules offer the following advantages over Bluetooth:

Lossless transmission of 16-bit, 44.1KHz-sampled stereo audio to deliver full CD-quality audio. Lossless transmission also enables the ‘beaming’ of music or other data files from one player to another.
10 times the battery life of a comparable Bluetooth solution. This enables OEMs to integrate wireless technology into portable audio players without suffering a large penalty in battery life. And OEMs can introduce new small form factor products such as wireless earphones knowing that small batteries will still give them acceptable battery life.
Best-in-class ISM band co-existence by dynamically selecting one out of 16 narrowband channels, each of which can fit in the gaps between wireless LAN channels, and ensuring that only unoccupied channels are selected.
Kleer’s Listen In™ technology that enables users to share the listening experience by having multiple wireless earphones, headphones or speakers listening simultaneously to the same audio source.

Fujikon’s ground-breaking earphone model is empowered with complete wireless stereo application between the left and right audio channels, is compatible with various portable media devices, and can be used with up to four devices at the same time.

The wireless earphones are already available as part of the S2501 mp3 Player.

S2501 mp3 Player – Jet Stream Series Specs

Wireless Earphones Compatibility – Designed to be compatible with wireless earphones usinng Kleer® technology
1GB Flash Memory – Stores up to 340 songs* – Flash memory
Audio Playback (mp3 / WMA® / WMDRM-10 / Audible®) – Plays open mp3 and WMA® audio files and is compatible with many secure music download and subscription services
Digital FM Tuner with 20 Presets – Listen to your favorite radio stations
FM Record – Record while listening to an FM station to mp3 format. Later you can listen to the recorded radio or download to your computer for personal use
Display – Easy-to-read and ultra bright full-color OLED display
Splash Proof – Built for workouts, this device is water and sweat-resistant so you can take it with you on a jog or bring it to the gym
Stop Watch – Track your lap time or run time with this easy-to-use integrated stop watch Integrated Pedometer, Calorie Counter, and Body Mass Index Calculator –
USB 2.0 PC Interface – Hi-speed transfer
Battery Life – The built-in lithium rechargeable battery lets you enjoy up to 14 hours
of music playback
Accessory Kit Includes – Armband, wristband, CD-ROM with Yahoo! Music® Engine, 2 sets of earphones (1 wired and 1 wireless)

Bionic Ear System

2007-10-07T04:42:00.000-07:00

Advanced Bionics has developed the Harmony™ Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Sound Processor designed to maximize hearing potential beyond words so you can experience as much of the full range of sound as possible.

Thanks to its CD-quality sound processing and wide sound window, the Harmony BTE processes sound with unmatched fidelity and clarity.

It will help many patients with hearing disorders to perform common tasks such as:

Use the telephone
Hear in noisy environments
Listen in classrooms
Appreciate music
Hear all day on a single battery charge
Hear loud and soft sounds without flipping a switch

Harmony BTE features:

Built-in Telecoil for wireless access to hearing-aid–compatible telephones and inductive loop communication systems

Built-in LED for easy monitoring of system status

The Harmony BTE Processor is designed to withstand rain, sweat, and moisture, and carries a warranty for exposure to water.

Full listening day on a single charge

Water tolerant and impact resistant

Monitor system status with Built-in LED

Wireless access with Built-in Telecoil

Easy-to-use controls

Snap-on earhook options

Discreet, low-profile headpiece

Programmable options:

CD-quality, 16-bit processing, programmable wide input dynamic range and powerful dual-loop automatic gain control.
The Power Economy Mode delivers 50% greater battery life than the previous generation BTE, so recipients can enjoy a full listening day on a single charge.

HiResolution^® Sound:

Processing in HiResolution: 5,200 Hz signal processing resolution intended to accurately reproduce complex acoustic waveforms, preserving the details of sound.
Up to 83,000 signals to the hearing nerve every second.
Fully programmable sound window up to 80 dB.
Sophisticated automatic gain control (AGC) for optimizing the sound environment.
Programmable sound processing programs.
Capturing the real world environment from soft sounds to loud sounds, as they naturally occur around you.

Easy-to-use Controls:

3-position program switch with tactile and visual feedback
Volume wheel with tactile and visual feedback
Built-in Telecoil for wireless access to hearing-aid–compatible telephones and inductive loop systems
Built-in LED status light for easy monitoring of system information

Discreet Low-profile Headpiece:

Easy to conceal, smaller, and more discreet
Ultra-light for comfort, convenience and retention

Built-in LED Status Indicator Light:

Especially important for children, the status light gives parents, teachers and caretakers a visual indication when to respond -
- the LED illuminates RED when the system is not communicating with the implant
- the LED illuminates ORANGE when the battery is running low or the battery needs to be replaced soon
- the LED illuminates GREEN in response to nearby sounds when the processor is successfully transmitting sound information to the implant.
Tells you the approximate remaining charge of a PowerCel™ Battery when attached to the processor so you can plan ahead.

Slide-on Power Options:

Easy-to-change power options slide off and on quickly so you are only off the air for seconds
Power supply comes in two different sizes; PowerCel Slim and PowerCel Plus

Snap-on Earhook Options:

Interchangeable audio earhook options for naturally using the phone, connecting peripheral audio inputs, monitoring status of children's devices and more.
Input that allows the earhook to transform into a valuable audio or diagnostic accessory
Audio earhook options snap on and off easily saving you time and fuss
Available in small and standard sizes to fit both children and adult ears.

Intellilink™ Safety:

BTE communicates only with your designated implant
Protects against stimulation if processors are accidentally swapped between ears or recipients.
Designed for bilateral recipients, because with Intellilink your left BTE only connects with your left implant.

Technical Specifications

Processor:

Processor Colors: Beige Metallic, Silver, and Dark Sienna
Program Switch: Three program positions
Volume Dial: +/- 100% electrical dynamic range
T-Coil: Electronically integrated
Status LED: Three colors—green, orange, red
Total of eight status indications
Battery status, Microphone status, and Error status categories
Auxiliary Input:
Auria T-Mic^® Microphone, Direct Connect, and iConnect Earhooks
Operating Temperature Range: 0° to 45°C/32° to 113°F (non-condensing)
Storage Temperature Range: -20° to 55°C/-4° to 131°F

Sound Processing:

BTE Microphone: BTE Microphone:Frequency Range 150 Hz–8000 Hz
Audio Sound Capture: 16 bit, 96 dB
Input Dynamic Range: 20 dB–80 dB programmable (60 dB default)
Effective Audio Sampling Rate: 17.4 kHz
Automatic Gain Control: Cambridge dual loop AGC
Sensitivity: +/-10 dB
Stimulation Rate: 136 pps–83,000 pps
Spectral bands: 1–120 bands
Supported Strategies: HiRes-S with Fidelity 120™, HiRes-P with Fidelity 120,
HiRes-S, HiRes-P, CIS, MPS
Telemetry: Continuous bidirectional

Power:

PowerCel Operating Time (hours):
PowerCel Slim: Average 14, range 8–19 (Power economy mode)
PowerCel Plus: Average 24, range 14–41 (Power economy mode)

Implant Compatibility:

ICS: HiRes 90K^®, CII Bionic Ear^®

Available from:
Advanced Bionics

HeadRoom AirBag Charcoal

2007-09-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

HeadRoom 's AirBag Charcoal is the perfect solution for carrying your tunes.
It pulls together all the bits and pieces (CD player, amp, CDs, extra batteries, cables) for a boundless little portable system. Whatever your on-the-go activities may be (biking, walking, traveling, or enjoying the great outdoors) the AirBag makes listening to tunes amazingly easy.

The AirBag has two main compartments.
The front compartment (the "lid") holds the Total Airhead or Total BitHead amp snug as a bug in neoprene casing. The lid also holds up to 4 spare batteries.
The main ("bottom") compartment holds the CD player with a large strip of Velcroe, and includes 4 sets of adhesive Velcroe loop velcoins to secure the player in place. The bottom compartment also includes an additional pocket with 5 prosleeve CD holders which can hold a total of 10 CDs.

In order to connect your AirHead to your CD player, convenient openings at the base of the lid allow you to run the mini cable into the main compartment.
The AirBag includes a detachable shoulder strap. A Security Strap is also available for the AirHead that hooks to the bottom of the bag to run around your waist. The Security Strap not only keeps the bag from moving around on your waist but also eliminates the risk of theft while you are roaming around those sketchy airports. For all those adrenaline junkies out there who love their extreme activities, Extreme Suspension System secures your AirBag to your chest or back.

The AirBag is 6.25" (17cm) long, 6" (15cm) wide, and 1.25" (3.5cm) high, allowing it to fit pretty much any portable CD player (except for a few older models that weren't so svelt). The front pocket is 6"(15cm) wide and 6"(15cm) long, and stretches to a height of over an inch. The AirBag weighs only 7 ounces when empty, while all loaded up with your CD player, AirHead, batteries, and cables, it weighs about 1.5 lbs.

Available from HeadRoom

MP3 Player Comparisons

2007-09-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Confused about what MP3 Player is best for you?
I was too.
Watch this video and become even more confused :)

Paying a visit to cnet.com might help you decide.

"Every month, manufacturers unleash even more MP3 players to an increasingly confused public. Not only do these devices have wildly divergent features, but ongoing format wars mean the MP3 player you choose dictates where you can buy your digital music. These devices are anything but one-size-fits-all."

There you can read a Buyer's Guide for the different types of MP3 players, divided into the following categories:

Hard-drive-based
Micro hard-drive-based
Flash-based
MP3 CD

http://reviews.cnet.com

But as Barry Schwartz (Sociology Professor at Swarthmore College and author of "The Paradox of Choice"), explains in the video below, the problem is "how and why the abundance of choice in modern society is actually making us miserable."

The Intimate Audio Gadget

2007-07-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

WFMU's Beware of the Blog

Really portable music is a wonderful thing. It's both empowering and comforting to have a shiny music machine in your pocket that plays a variety of your favorite tunes at the whim of your finger on a little wheel. It's futuristic technology that has made listening an intimate experience... for over FIFTY years.

Back in the early 50's a company called Texas Instruments was making good money churning out piles of newfangled little transistors for military applications, but they envisioned a wider public marketplace for the little buggers. And in 1954 the TI engineers created a prototype transistor radio. It was small, it worked, and it seemed like a great idea. However, Texas Instruments wasn't in the business of manufacturing consumer products back then, so they shopped their concept around to several big radio makers of the day. Surprisingly, RCA, Sylvania, and Philco all said "no thanks" before a small outfit in Indiana (the Regency Division of Industrial Development Engineering Associates) took the bait.

Within a matter of months the first commercial transistor radio was a reality. Besides being cute and colorful, the TR-1 was the very first mass-marketed transistorized gadget. It was made here in the U.S.A., and in that spirit the it was prominently on display in stores across America just in time for Christmas 1954. The price? A whopping $49.95. Adjust the cost for inflation and you're lookin at almost $350 in today's dollars, not far from the $399 price tag on that first iPod.

Before the TR-1, any portable radio you might buy had a "luggage" quality, with big top handles and a bit of heft. They just weren't all that portable thanks to the warm glowing vacuum tubes they contained. These days, audiophiles and technical stick-in-the-muds properly laud the aural beauty of the "tube" sound, but the glass casings and inner workings of vacuum tubes are rather fragile and they need a protective case, as well as some large batteries to power up. And of course, the tubes themselves aren't all that tiny either.

Because it was the very first device of it's kind, the Regency TR-1 has become a legendary and very collectable artifact. A fellah named Steve Reyer has an impressive website chronically the history of (and his passion for) the TR-1. Lots of images and links there, as well his own tale of bringing one back to life (including audio clips of radio reception from his resuscitated TR-1). What makes these radios even more valuable is the fact that they were manufactured for only one year, and they were made in a variety of shades of plastic, some of the colors are VERY rare. To give you an idea, recently a nice average TR-1 in good shape sold for almost seven-hundred bucks on ebay. The more obscure models can be worth much more.

While it's very collectable, the TR-1 wasn't the most beautiful or the best performing transistor of its day. However, if you can just transport yourself back to late '54 or 1955 for a minute and imagine you were blasting some Chuck Berry from the palm of your hand with one of these things, you wouldn't just be rockin', you'd be one stylin' technologically advanced human being.

The ultimate hipster showman of that era, Mike Todd, filmed his monster extravaganza "Around The World In 80 Days" during the year the TR-1 was on the market. Todd financed a lot of the movie by dipping into his own personal fortune, and kept his budget down by working out barter arrangements with over forty celebrity friends who made cameo appearances in the film. As part of the booty he offered his big shot buddies for their walk-on roles was a TR-1 encased in a personalized mock leather "book." Not surprisingly, these are highly prized artifacts today. Have a look at this one, Shirley MacLaine's "Mike Todd" edition TR-1 Radio.

IBM CEO of the time, Thomas J. Watson Jr, made the decision that same year to "transistorize" all his IBM products by June of 1958. This change generated a lot of internal resistance, and whenever one of his engineers whined about dumping the dependable old vacuum tube, Watson would hand them a shiny new TR-1 radio as a technological wake up call.

Not long after the debut of the Regency TR-1, a bunch of transistor radios hit the market. Jumping into the fray: Raytheon, Zenith, and a small Japanese tape recorder company who had just changed their long complicated name from "Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo" to something easier to remember-- "Sony."

Like the TR-1, many of the early transistor radios were expensive. Paralleling the "wow" factor of automotive design of the era, most of these late 50's and early 60's models scream STYLE. Take a look at this Hitachi TH-669, or the Zenith Royal 500, which listed for 79 bucks in 1955. And here's a few attractive vintage Sonys-- the TR-6, the TR-725, and the extremely popular TR-610.

And let's be honest, in comparison the designs of MP3 players are NOT nearly as charismatic or attractive. Sure, the much heralded iPod may have a "clean" modern design, and they are very easy to operate, but as artifacts there's not a lot of glamour there. I'm sorry, but that tidy white iPod is really more reminiscent of an American Standard Urinal or a white Ford Taurus. And the "iPod Shuffle"? A white stick. Really really boring. I've yet to see any MP3 player that gets my gadget lust up like a classic hot transistor radio.

However, into the 1960's the transistor radio became a common appliance, and much of the quality and glamour was lost. The big U.S. and Japanese manufactures were undercut by Hong Kong factories churning out millions of cheap little radios for the world market. But that's when transistor radios began to really influence our music and culture, when almost anyone could afford one- - ESPECIALLY kids and teenagers.

Lots of folks have already linked the synchronous mid-50's rise of rock & roll and the creation of the transistor radio. But more significantly, when small inexpensive radios became a ubiquitous element of childhood, the record companies and radio programmers took full advantage of a burgeoning new youth audience. Teens were carrying their radios off to locales far from parent's sensitive and prying ears-- the bedroom, the playground, and the backyard. Loud guitars and rebellion dominated the top 40, and ads for sugary sodas and pimple products congested the airwaves.

The next big change in transistorized music happens in the late 1970's. Gradually the stereo hi-fi marvel of FM radio made it the broadcast band of choice for music, AND the cassette cartridge tape system and become a stable and vital method of high fidelity audio storage. (Remember how "home taping" killed music?) Unlike AM radio (beginning its decline) the FM band & cassettes called for STEREO portables, and the innovations went in two directions-- small and REALLY personal (the Walkman) and big and often VERY public (the boombox).

With the advent of the walkman, the human head became a self-contained stereo listening chamber. People could listen to ANY music they could put to tape, and listen to it discretely almost anywhere, at almost any volume. But like the fanny pack, the cassette walkman (and the "discman" cd players that soon followed) have generally had very functional and dull designs best covered by an untucked shirt.

However, like the original transistor radios the boombox was meant to be loud and proud-- a toy to show off. Instead of coming at the dawn of rock & roll, the boombox broke into the mainstream at the emergence of rap and hip-hop fashion. And it was a golden age of hifi as well, and early boomboxes had a lot of high-tech style knobs, switches, and extra features often beyond the needs of the average listener. But they looked cool, and you felt powerful with one of these monsters atop your shoulder. With clean angular lines, VU meters and lots of shiny metal, many of the early boomboxes were loud and luxurious and often boasted a fat price tag.

Sure "ghetto blasters" are still popular and practical in their own right, but over the years the designs have grown increasingly tedious and utilitarian, and a lot less large. Through the 90's the boombox designs gradually morphed into that swollen plastic "steroid" look reminiscent of contemporary SUV's and tennis shoes, with boring bulges and cheap sci-fi trimmings. Yuk.

If you're a little bit like me, and all this talk of vintage electronics has worked up some lingering gadget lust (or just a little electronics nostalgia), there's plenty of titillating websites out there where you can exercise your clicking finger into a voyeuristic frenzy. For starters, you could get lost in shiny dials and speaker grilles at this site: "The M31 Galaxy of Transistor Radios." I had no idea how many different types of these radios were made before I looked at this site. Incredible.

Another site I'd recommend, is "Sarah's Transistor Radios," which features a huge collection of photos of her prodigious collection of transistor radios (with a few walkie-talkies and radio-type gadgets thrown in for fun.) And, there are plenty of other places to satiate your need for vintage-tech porn like here, here, right here, and here.

And for part two of the transistor radio era, the rise of the boombox and walkman, you can get an eyeful at this site dedicated to "the generation of electronics with a soul." It's the official website of "The Pocket Calculator Show" on shortwave giant WBCQ. Their show is dedicated to tech toys of the late 20th century, and they have extensive online galleries of grand boomboxes and the more practical walkman. And if you're really into this kind of thing, I recommend you check out their message board: stereo2go. You have to register to search and navigate the messages, but it's free and easy. Sure, it's geeky, but the enthusiasm the people who post there have for their audio toys is fascinating and infectious.

But the REAL gallery, the one where you can ogle at lots of old transistor radios that you can ACTUALLY get your hands on, would be ebay. It's really the best place to find an assortment of classic electronics in the world. Sure, there are plenty of bargains at yard sales and junk stores, IF you have a lot of time and patience, but the only place where there's always a wide variety of stuff to look at and purchase is ebay.

Old radios are one of the hottest items on ebay, and the classic transistors popular during those baby boomers "wonder" years are especially desirable. But what keeps the market for these old radios interesting is that they made so many of them. And there's so many manufacturers and variations. In general, they're really cheap to ship, and to start a start a small collection you're probably not going to have to rent a storage area. However, if you've got a jones for the vintage boomboxes you might want to clear out an extra bedroom, just in case...

Go ahead and type "transistor radio" (or mixing and matching search terms like "vintage," "receiver,' "boombox,") into the ebay search window. Plenty of toys to look at. From my experience, there are always some truly rare and beautiful old transistor audio devices up for auction. But you're not apt to get a bargain on the collector's items, and you may have to be patient if you want to find a particular radio rarity.

So, if you want to replace a favorite radio of your childhood, or if you've gone through some of the online radio galleries and found a couple of transistorized beauties you'd like to own, try searching ebay. If you come up dry, you can save your query as a "favorite search" (you have to have an ebay membership to do this) and ebay will send you an email with a direct link when your vintage
gadget of choice comes up for auction. If you're serious, you also might want to search" completed auctions", to see if the radio you desire has recently been on ebay and discover the final price (or the failed minimum bid the seller demanded). Oh, and if you want to find out more about a particular old boombox or walkman you've come across on ebay, I recommend you try a search (using the make and model number) at the stereo2go message board. I've found plenty of boombox enlightenment at that site.

And if you've got an MP3 player you might want to look into purchasing one of those old boomboxes. Many have a line-in feature which makes them a perfect companion for your digital device-- a loud portable set of speakers with a lot more class than those antiseptic white and silver iPod-type speaker sets that are going for a lot of dough these days. And you get a radio in the deal!

I'd put in a favorite search on ebay for the little blue transistor radio I received for my birthday in 1968. Four months later I got an email, the identical radio was up for bid and I ended up "winning" the auction. It was a "Jade," a late 60's Hong Kong cheapie, but it still made me happy to see it again. Total cost, including shipping-- ten bucks. And it works great!

Even if you're beyond collecting (or fawning over) the snazzy transistor radios of yesteryear, you probably remember some time in your adolescence when the a handy little receiver was an integral part of your social and cultural life. It was the appliance that brought music to your playground, your treehouse, your tent, or perhaps under your pillow in the dark. It's how your heard your favorite song.

Of course, what's changed over the years is radio itself. It's not only difficult to find music you like on an AM radio these days, it's almost impossible to find much music at all. The band has long been dominated by talk, news and sports. However, in many cities (not New York) you can still find an "old man" station playing big band, standards and pop pap like the Carpenters on the AM band, as well as an occasional oldies station. And when you get out into the hinterlands you can still find some great stations frozen in time, playing great old country, r&b, rock and roll, and church stompin' gospel music.

If you live within the broadcast radius of WFMU, there's at least two places I know of where you can take your classic transistor radio out for a jaunt and let that little speaker vibrate like it was made to do. If you have FM on your old radio, take a drive out to the end of Long Island and experience WLNG. It's truly the station that time forgot. They just NEVER STOPPED sounding like an early 60's top 40 station. Believe it or not, they still have some air personalities who been there for two, three and four decades. It's an oldies station now, and besides the occasional 70's & 80's pop fodder they toss into the rotation now and then, you're going to hear wall to wall reverb, jingles, chimes and hooky rock and roll that'll keep your old transistor looking and feeling young. And there's more. They brag they have a playlist of over TEN THOUSAND songs! When you consider the typically oldies station seems to play the same top ten hits over and over again, and most have eliminated almost every hit from the 1950's from their format, WLNG bucks all these trends.

Of course, it used to be an AM station (then AM & FM), but they can now only be heard at 92.1 FM out on the far end of Long Island (and in Connecticut). If you just want to hear WLNG's anachronistic glory from the speakers in your computer, stream 'em from this page. It's worth checking out.

Speaking of your computer, I should mention The Reel Top 40 Radio Repository. It's a helluva of a site where you can hear (via streaming) oodles of top 40 airchecks. Unfortunately, it's all in crappy realaudio. But in the last few years they've upped the encode rate for new additions, and more and more of the airchecks they offer are unscoped (meaning they're complete without the music edited out). If you weren't around during the 50's and 60's it's a great way to get a taste of what used to blast out of those old transistor radios. Also, you might wanna check out WPON, a station in suburban Detroit that specializes in rare old hits too. And they stream in the mp3 format.

There's another radio station in New York (state) that broadcasts some old fashioned classics that will sound awful nice coming out of an old transistor radio. A couple hours drive up the Hudson Valley from the city you'll find a small AM station that comes in crystal clear in the Hyde Park-Poughkeepsie area. It's WHVW at 950 kHz on your AM dial. They have live weekday drive time DJ's, and some great weekend shows, but much of the schedule is automated. BUT don't let that discourage you. WHVW is a tasty amalgamation of old American roots music-- old r&b, western swing, blues, rockabilly, and country, accompanied by perky little jingles. Whenever I'm in that part of the world, I tune it in. Unfortunately, they don't stream, but here's some MP3 samples you can download here, here, and right here. (And come to think of it, some of the music on WHVW is really from the tube radio era, but what the hell. Have a listen anyway.)

Sure, the iPod is a lotta fun, but it's really just another logical step from the revolution that began a half a century ago with the transistor radio. And isn't that how we really consider ourselves futuristic, by all the mass marketed electronic toys and appliances we use everyday-- cell phones, computers, mp3 players, digital cameras, and those dopey little gaming gadgets. All of these wonders have been made possible by tiny transistors and their more complex and super-small progeny, the IC chip. Where would we be without all that stuff? The way we live our lives has been forever changed by all this gadgetry created by human ingenuity...

... or at least by SOME KIND of ingenuity.

You see, some people don't think that the transistor or the integrated chip came about by purely HUMAN invention. Perhaps you heard about that alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico back in July of 1947. The invention of the transistor happened just five months later. Coincidence?

Okay, it probably is. But a few people have connected the dots-- like the late U.S. Army Colonel & Intelligence Officer Philip Corso. In his book, "The Day After Roswell," Corso says Bell Labs had some UFO wreckage from the crash site to play with, and after reverse engineering some of the guts inside and come up with the transistor pretty quickly. He claims that a fake research history covering years was created to hide the stolen alien technology. Others with lesser credentials have claimed the same thing. And if you think about it, you'd hope that a craft built to cross light years or dimensions of reality to get to another galaxy would have some kind of fancy in-dash sound system.

But whether transistorized audio came from outer space or Bell Telephone Laboratories, it definitely injected some variety and attitude into popular music. The ability to easily commune with your favorite songs, or conversely to blast them in public as a personal statement, provided an opportunity for artists to gain commercial success with music that communicated directly to the individual instead of the masses. Nonconformists and kids gained power in the media marketplace. Listening to my little blue transistor radio as a youngster I heard eccentric songs like "I Am The Walrus," "Time Has Come Today," and "MacArthur Park." It's hard to imagine that they could have become mainstays of my childhood if the only radio in the house was a big monolith planted in the living room and shared by the whole family.

While home stereos (and now home computers), are swell machines for filling our domiciles with song, there's an incomparable comfort in bringing your music with you as a companion, or as just as something you wear. MP3 players are popular because they enrich and rejuvenate this same desire to have an intimate relationship with music. And it all started with the transistor radio.

Over the years, artists and their songs have become our escorts and confidants. They speak for us and with us. Our portable audio devices give us soundtrack and company. The next time you're out and about listening to some esoteric radio or audio, or just a song that speaks to you on a personal level, that moment (and probably the very song you're hearing), might have never happened without the miracle of miniaturized electronics. And whether we have some far flung aliens to thank, or just a bunch of pocket-protector types in plastic-framed glasses, either way some funny lookin' dudes unwittingly gave us the freedom to rock on, and to do it without some agitated grown-up screaming "TURN THAT DAMN THING DOWN!"

Go ahead and turn it up! You rebel.

Posted by The Professor at:
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/10/still_portable_.html

MobiBLU

2007-05-29T01:33:00.000-07:00

The MobiBLU DAH-1500i is, as of today, the world's smallest MP3 player.
The Cube is just 24 x 24 x 24 millimeters and weighs 18 grams.

Features:

FM Radio
FM Radio/Voice Recorder
MP3/WMA/WMA-DRM Playback
Bright OLED Display Screen
Customizable EQ
10 Hours of Battery Life
Clock
SRS WOW Sound (Simulated 3D Sound)
SigmaTel 3520 chip
Firmware Upgradeable

Accessories

Neck Strap Earphone (standard)
USB/Charger Cable (standard)
Protective "Crate" Case (standard, cube-shaped)
AC Charger
Mini Jack (smaller, simpler USB/Charger jack)
Portable Charger
Finger Strap
Armband
Car Charger
Speaker (cube-shaped)
FM transmitter (cube-shaped)

Various cube-shaped Skins have not been listed nor announced at the American website or shop. Currently there is no working US website for the product, so replacement parts are unavailable.

Available from:
http://www.mobiblu.com

More Info:

iTech Virtual Laser Keyboard

2006-12-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

In the size of a Zipo lighter and in an outer spaced "enterprise" style, the iTech Virtual Laser Keyboard uses a laser beam to generate a full-size OPERATING laser keyboard that smoothly connects to MAC's, Smart Phones, the new Blackberry (8100,8300,8800), Any kind of PC and Most of the handheld devices (PDA's, tablet PC's).

The I-Tech laser keyboard acts exactly like any other "ordinary" keyboard: A direction technology based on an optical recognition mechanism enables the user to tap on the projected key images, while producing real tapping sounds.

In this video Brian West shows Sean McHose the bluetooth iTech Virtual Laser Keyboard.

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SignalGen

2005-11-16T15:54:00.000-08:00

SignalGen is a free app that outputs relatively low frequency signals with the use of a PC sound card. It is an entirely suitable replacement for a hardware signal generator (electronic instrument that generates repeating electronic signals) for signals of a frequency higher than about 50 KHz.

SignalGen creates any frequency between a fraction of a Hz and an upper limit determined by your sound card's capabilities, typically about 50 KHz. It works like a hardware audio generator, creating sine, triangle, square and sawtooth waves, that can be monitored in real time.

SignalGen is CareWare.
The auhor only asks you to stop whining about how hard your life is, at least for a while.

Linux only.

Motorola HS850 Bluetooth Headset

2005-11-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

Bluetooth technology that allows wireless hands-free connection of Bluetooth headsets.

The Motorola HS850 Bluetooth Headset features:

Good audio quality in both directions.
Good filtering of external noise.
Powerful battery (+7 hours talk time).
Slim weight: 7oz (19.9g).

The folding microphone boom acts as ON and OFF switch.

The Motorola Wireless Headset HS850 also stores information and wirelessly connects to different Bluetooth compliant devices, including handsets, PDAs and computers.

Amazon.com: Motorola HS850 Bluetooth Headset: Cell Phones

(Description copyright Amazon.com) - Bluetooth wireless technology means that the sheer convenience of hands-free communication is enhanced with total freedom of movement.. Unfold the boom microphone, place the headset over the ear and a link will be established automatically.. This universal accessory encourages users to update, change and evolve because it is compatible with all other 1.1 compliant Bluetooth wireless technology phones by Motorola and other manufacturers.. Smaller Size, Bigger Power. This tiny powerhouse is less than 5 cm in diameter when folded and weighs just 20 grams.. Increased talk time of up to 8 hours and standby time of up to 200 hours.

Technorati : Bluetooth, Headset, Motorola, wireless

Apple 30 GB iPod

2005-11-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

Apple 30 GB iPod with Video Playback Black

Sony D-NE005 CD Walkman with MP3 Playback

2005-11-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

The Sony D-NE005 is a portable CD Player that lets you play commercially recorded CD discs as well as CDR and CDRW discs recorded with MP3 and ATRAC-3 files.
Features:

CD-R/RW1 Playback
MP3 Playback Support
Skip-Free2 G-ProtectionTM Technology
Up to 16 Hours of Continuous Playback with (2) "AA" Batteries
Clip Style Headphones
8 Playback Modes
Bookmark Playback Function
Digital Mega Bass® Sound System
Digital Volume Control
2 Position Automatic Volume Limiter System (AVLS)

Available from:
www.sony.com