Handy Gadgets

The new CC Witness media player from C.Crane features AM and FM radio along with the capability to make MP3 recordings of radio programs. 'The CC Witness has 2GB of onboard memory and up to 16GB of external memory on an optional SD card. That's enough memory to record your favorite radio programs, your thoughts, lectures and lots of music. You'll have plenty of room to store hundreds of hours of voice recordings, and still have room for more. If you've ever worried about missing your favorite radio show, than the CC Witness might just make your day — it has a timer! You can preset it to record up to 20 programs in advance. You can also make MP3 recordings of AM/FM radio programs (or anything else you can connect to the line-in) on the fly.'

Continue reading "CC Witness: MP3 Recorder-Player with Built-In AM/FM Radio" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 10:05 PM | Permalink

Press Release

SANTA ROSA, CA - Alternative energy pioneer ZAP (OTC BB:ZAAP.OB) unveiled its new Recharge-It-All mobile power storage unit, the R03 Micro Lithium Backup Charger, so you can have power anywhere you go for a cell phone, iPod, iPhone or other low-powered electronic device.

Continue reading "ZAP Debuts New Recharge-It-All for Powering iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm and Other Mobile Electronics" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 4:43 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Vita Audio R4 DAB/FM radio. 'Like most of these new all-in-one devices the R4 features an iPod dock, a CD player, (which, in addition to regular music CDs, plays MP3 and WMA discs), FM and DAB radio tuners, a 2.1 speaker setup, and of course an amp to power the whole lot. In fact, about the only thing that sets this apart from its competitors is the inclusion of a USB port on the front. This allows you to plug in a USB thumb drive and playback whatever mp3s you have thereon. It's quite a useful feature but we're not sure it's really necessary and we'd prefer to have the port on the back to reduce clutter on the front.'

Continue reading "Vita Audio R4 Review - Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 10:10 PM | Permalink

CNET have published a review of the Mophie Juice Pack for iPod Touch media player. 'Constructed from matte black plastic with a green interior, the Juice Pack's unique design fits onto your iPod Touch like a case. If the iPod Touch wasn't already so thin, we'd feel the need to complain about how the Juice Pack doubles the total thickness of the player. In truth, we thought the extra bulk added by the Juice Pack made our iPod Touch feel more substantial. The Mophie Juice Pack also adds an extra inch to the bottom of the Touch, obscuring the iPod's dock connection and relocating the headphone jack to the bottom left.'

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Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 1:57 PM | Permalink

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the Aerielle i2i Stream wireless digital audio device for iPod and MP3 Players. 'The i2i Stream is a small module that has both a receiver and a transmitter contained inside it, that operates on the 2.5GHz frequency. They are sold in packs of two for $119.95, or can be purchased separately at $69.95 each. I was sent one package of two for this review. The modules are approximately 2.5 x 1.25 x 075 inches in size. On the face of the i2i Stream are three buttons and two LEDs. The round center button is the channel button. It has an LED behind it, that can glow Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple or Light Blue. Each color signifies a different transmit channel and changes each time you press it. The button above the channel button is the Send button and the button below it is the Receive button. If you press the Send button, it will cause the center LED to blink, which shows that you're broadcasting audio on whichever colored channel is blinking. Pressing the Receive button will cause the module to receive any audio that is being broadcast on whichever colored channel that you're set to.'

Continue reading "Review: Aerielle i2i Stream Wireless Digital Audio Streaming Device - The Gadgeteer" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 11:41 PM | Permalink

CNET have publsihed a review of the Lasonic i931 "Old School Style High Performance Portable Music System with Ipod Slot". 'As a fashion statement, there are few iPod accessories that rival the Lasonic i931. Measuring 15 inches tall, 2 feet wide, and 7 inches deep, the Lasonic i931 is bigger than a toddler. The front of the Lasonic i931 is cluttered with graphics, creating the illusion of a product packed with exotic features. Once you get past the glitz and graphics, however, you realize the i931 system could be pared down to a device one half of the size.

Continue reading "Lasonic i931 Review - CNET" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 12:36 PM | Permalink

ZDNet have published a review of the Sony DVP-FX820/R portable DVD player. 'The DVP-FX820 has a smooth plastic housing that Sony sells in a variety of colors--the one we tested was accented in dark blue. The player is one of the heaviest we've seen, weighing a sturdy 2.7 pounds. We liked the placement of the unit's battery that runs along the entire bottom of the player. It may be large, but it doesn't protrude at all, unlike the Toshiba SD-P71S, which has a small bump on the rear.

Continue reading "Sony DVP-FX820 Review - ZDNet" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 10:11 PM | Permalink

A review of the Skull Candy Pipe Speaker Dock for iPod and iPhone has been posted over at I4U News. 'The Skullcandy Pipe has an output of 5.2 Watts and the speakers measure 1.97 cm long x 5cm wide x 4.6cm high. The Pipe overall dimensions are about the diameter and size of the cardboard tube inside a paper towel roll minus about 2 inches. The frequency response for the Skullcandy Pipe us 100Hz to 20kHz. Total distortion is 0.7% and input impedance is 4k.

Continue reading "Review: Skullcandy Pipe iPod & iPhone Speaker Dock - I4U News" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 10:34 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the TwinMOS Boom China MP3 player docking and speaker system. ‘First up is compatibility with the full iPod range. The BooM China works, not only with the entire range of iPods - right up to the latest, fifth generation players - but also the iPod Touch and iPhone. I tested it with a fifth generation iPod nano and it worked perfectly. You can even plug a shuffle in via the USB socket just behind the main iPod interface. On the rear of the head unit, as well as the output for the sub is a composite TV output for displaying iPod video on a TV. And owners of other MP3 players who like the idea of having a sub shaped like a vase need not feel left out either. Admittedly it gets in the way of the design ethos somewhat, but you can also hook up any other, non-Apple MP3 player via the Boom's 3.5mm stereo input.’

Continue reading "TwinMOS Boom China Review - Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 3:47 PM | Permalink

CNET have published a review of the Cambridge SoundWorks i765 Dual Alarm Clock Radio with iPhone/iPod compatible dock. 'The conservatively styled gray and black radio has a sturdy and solid feel and is 5 inches tall by 14 inches wide by 10 inches deep and weighs 13 pounds. Except for the Snooze/Mute button and iPod dock on the otherwise bare topside, all of the i765's controls are located on its front panel. CDs and DVDs load through a slot just above the large, 32-character LCD readout that sits above two clusters of eight buttons.

Continue reading "Cambridge SoundWorks i765 Review - CNET" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 9:13 PM | Permalink

Press Release

AS3532 includes audio processing engines, normally used only in high performance home audio and PC sound cards, to support high definition audio and to deliver unprecedented sub 5mW low power consumption for all popular compressed audio formats

austriamicrosystems (SWX:AMS), a leading global designer and manufacturer of high performance analog ICs for communications, industrial, medical and automotive applications, announces the first member of a new family of media player ICs based on innovative IP aimed at bridging the gap between the audio experience of music phones and Hi-Fi home audio devices.

Continue reading "austriamicrosystems introduces industry’s first high definition audio player with ultra low power consumption for new generation music phones" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 9:13 PM | Permalink

A review of the Nextar Snap3 GPS Navigation System with MP3 + Bluetooth has been posted over at CNET. 'The Nextar Snap3 has a simple design and compact frame at 3.9 inches wide by 3 inches tall by 0.6 inch deep, so you'll have no problem carting this petite portable navigation system between vehicles. The front features a 3.5-inch touch screen that's bright and readable in various lighting conditions. That said, the display doesn't quite have the sharpness or crispness of some of the other systems we've tested.

Continue reading " Nextar Snap3 GPS Navigation System Review - CNET" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 9:18 PM | Permalink

A review of the mStation Orb 2.1 Stereo- Blue iPod speaker dock has been posted over at ZDNet. 'The style of the mStation Stereo Orb is definitely a matter of preference--it truly is an orb. We happen to dig the soccer-ball-size speaker and the fact that it comes in seven colors (white, black, silver, blue, green, red, and pink) to match pretty much any iPod you can throw at it. The exception is the third-generation Nano, for which the shades don't quite match up because of the fact that the Orb came out around the time of the second-generation version. Still, when you have an accessory with such a fun design, it's nice the see that it comes in a good array of color options.

Continue reading "mStation 2.1 Stereo Orb-U Review - ZDNet" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 3:25 PM | Permalink

CNET have published a review of the iHome iH27BR iPod speaker system/alarm clock. 'Weighing 2.3 lbs., the iH27 is lighter and smaller that the iH9, iHome's more full-featured iPod clock radio. (And unlike that model, it's currently only available in black.) That said, it's still fairly substantial for a portable system. However, what makes it more suitcase-friendly is its ability to fold flat (an inexpensive padded carrying case is included). Once you get to your destination you can then unpack it and fold the system up so the speaker sits upright. It's a pretty nifty design, but we would have preferred if had been shrunk down somewhat. Also, the shiny black plastic tends to be a fingerprint magnet.

Continue reading "iHome iH27BR Review - CNET" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 4:11 PM | Permalink

Pocket-Lint have published a review of the Logic3 JiveBox iPod speaker. 'The JiveBox is as the name suggests a single box that guarantees to get you "jiving". To do this its core element is a series of large speakers, an even larger subwoofer and the option of a blue, green or red glowing light to get you into the mood. Simple in its design the cube speaker promises a ClassHD amplifier that provides an output of 90 watts RMS, a 5.25 inch (135mm) Hi-X subwoofer, and 2 x 3inch (75mm) midrange drivers and 2 x 1inch (25 mm) tweeters, all of which are slightly more than your average iPod speaker. Everything is managed by a Digital Signal Processor (DSP).'

Continue reading "Logic3 JiveBox iPod Speaker Review - Pocket-Lint" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 2:52 PM | Permalink

14U News have published a review of the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin iPod Dock. 'The B&W Zeppelin is a very simple looking design with no LCD screens and no ports visible from the front of the device. The only thing you see when you walk up to the B&W Zeppelin is the shiny polished stainless steel and black speaker along with the iPod dock on the front of the device. A red LED glows behind the black cloth speaker grills to show when the unit is in standby mode, dock your iPod and the red LED turns blue to let you know you are ready to listen.

Continue reading "Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin iPod Dock Review - 14U News" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 10:12 PM | Permalink

CNET have published a review of the Monster iSlimCharger for the iPod Shuffle portable media player. 'The iSlimCharger is pretty much a miniaturized version of the default Apple charger that's included with the Shuffle. The cable is dropped completely, leaving you with a small USB dongle that's no larger than the Shuffle itself--just 1.83 inches by 1 inch by 0.25 inch. Plug the iSlimCharger into the Shuffle's headphone jack (which doubles as its charging port), and then slip the combined unit into any standard USB jack, and you're done. The iSlimCharger even has a tiny wedge that slips behind the Shuffle's clip, providing a nice, stable fit. The iSlimCharger will charge the Shuffle from any standard-powered USB port--which means it should work with nearly any PC or Mac, as well as any Apple or third-party iPod charger. When connected to a computer, you can also use it to sync the Shuffle with your iTunes software.'

Continue reading "Monster iSlimCharger Review - CNET" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 9:11 PM | Permalink

Digital Trends have published a review of the new Microsoft Zune 8GB portable media player. 'The 8GB Zune seems to be based much more than coincidentally on the first and second generation iPod nano. It has the same vertical layout, very similar dimensions and identical location of dock connector, headphone jack and lock button. The Zune, however, has a vertically oriented LCD screen that allows for viewing cover art, movies and photos. The new Zunes, whether 4GB or 8GB, use flash memory instead of hard drives, making them much lighter, thinner, durable and battery-friendly. Of course, the dollar-to-gigabyte ratio is much higher with flash memory, but the benefits are well worth it to many buyers.

Continue reading "Microsoft Zune 8GB Review - Digital Trends" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 9:40 PM | Permalink

A review of the Freecom MusicPal wireless internet radio and MP3 player has been posted over at Trusted Reviews. 'Internet radios are typically quite complex to navigate because there are so many stations, but Freecom's MusicPal provides an elegant solution to the problem. You don't get a succession of numbered buttons as you do with so many other DAB and Internet radios; I find it impossible anyway to remember which station is associated with which button. Instead you simply press the Fav button on the front panel and up pops a list of radio stations you listen to frequently. Creating the list is simply a matter of 'tuning in' to the station you want, then clicking the Navigate wheel and choosing the Add to favourites option.'

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Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 9:11 PM | Permalink

A review of the palm-sized TravelSound ZEN Stone portable speakers has been posted over at Trusted Reviews. 'Retailing for around £30 they're small, as you might expect, and are powered by two AAA batteries. Weighing 160g without batteries and 200g with batteries and the player inserted, these little beasties pump out a mere 0.2 Watts per channel from the two small drivers. I'm happy to admit that I approached them with some suspicion, could they possibly be anything more than utterly pointless? However, on the design front at least, Creative hasn't made too many mistakes.'

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Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 11:42 AM | Permalink

A review of Terratec’s Noxon 2 Radio for iPod has been posted over at Computeractive. 'The Noxon’s styling is reminiscent of a Mac Mini and the device comprises two units ­ the radio and associated electronics sit in a detachable box atop a speaker cabinet, with volume and tone controls at the rear. Pop an iPod into the universal dock and its content can be accessed, showing up on the brightness-adjustable LCD screen, and played while the iPod charges. An FM antenna is supplied for terrestrial radio, while another antenna picks up Wifi. All available networks show up on screen, so it’s a case of entering the appropriate security key to log on and browse the thousands of internet radio stations available.'

Continue reading " Terratec Noxon 2 Radio for iPod Review - Computeractive" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 8:36 PM | Permalink

Press Release

New entry to the Energi To Go lineup offers iPod users extended play

ST. LOUIS, Aug 14, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), a global leader in the dynamic business of providing portable power, announced today the introduction of the Energizer (R) Energi To Go(TM) Portable Power for iPod. This battery-powered device will be available at retail nationwide this fall.

The Energizer Energi To Go Portable Power for iPod is powered by two Energizer(R) e2(R) Lithium(R) AA batteries. The device features a patented intelligent control chip that maximizes power transfer to the iPod. Its unique flip design allows it to function as a stand while charging and to be folded for easy storage. Sleek enough to complement the iconic styling of the iPod, the compact charger travels easily and is exceptionally lightweight.

Continue reading "Energizer Introduces Energi To Go(TM) Portable Power for iPod" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 3:22 PM | Permalink

Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Altec Lansing inMotion iMV712 iPod speaker system which features high-quality sound delivered by two 3-inch neodymium speakers and a built-in, 4-inch, side-firing subwoofer plus a large, 8.5-inch high resolution widescreen display. 'A glossy black finish and curvy shell give the iMV712 a very hip look, despite its size (8.2 x 7.7 x 18.5 inches and about 8.5 pounds). Behind black cloth speaker grilles is a pair of three-inch full-range drivers and a four-inch side-firing subwoofer for a combined 40 watts (RMS) of power; the 16:9 screen is front and center, while the iPod dock is on top. The back sports RCA audio and video inputs, as well as an S-Video port, power jack, master power switch, and 1/8th-inch line input.'

Continue reading "Altec Lansing inMotion iMV712 Review at Laptop Mag" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 3:03 AM | Permalink

CNET have published a review of the DLO HomeDock Music Remote. 'The DLO HomeDock Music Remote basically consists of two halves: a small iPod docking station and a handheld remote control. The dock is about twice as deep as the default Apple model because it's got two recharging bays: an iPod sits up front, and--when it's not in use--the HomeDock remote sits in the rear. The dock can be connected to any stereo or set of powered speakers via the 3.5mm line-out minijack (a patch cable with red and white stereo RCA jacks is included). A small wall wart AC adapter powers the dock, and--if it's near your computer--you can also plug in a standard mini-USB cable, and use it to sync to iTunes. An adjustable backstop is included to support varying sized iPods, and cradle accepts any of the standard sized tray inserts as well. Officially, it's compatible with all Nanos, Minis, and 4G and 5G iPods, but it seemed to work fine (albeit slowly) with an old 3G black-and-white model we had on hand as well.'

Continue reading "DLO HomeDock Music Remote Review at CNET" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 5:20 PM | Permalink

14 U News have published a review of the SanDisk Sansa Connect MP3 player which features a 4 GB memory, expansion via microSD memory cards, bright 2.2-inch LCD screen for viewing your music library and photos, an internal speaker, and 802.11g Wi-Fi connectivity.

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Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 9:10 PM | Permalink

Personal Computer World have published their review of the Mio Digiwalker H610 GPS navigation device which can also be used as a portable multimedia player. 'Mio’s Digiwalker range is part of a new wave of GPS solutions that combine traditional in-car navigation, multimedia playback and a collection of utilities for frequent travellers. Based around the MioMap v3 software navigation is pretty straightforward once you get used to the menu structure, but like the Mio C210 it suffers as an in-car solution due to the small screen and often fiddly controls. You do, however, get free speed camera alerts and a full range of POIs (points of interest) across Europe, and can buy a TMC (traffic message channel) module separately to provide traffic updates so it’s well in line with modern advances in navigation.'

Continue reading "Mio Digiwalker H610 - Personal Computer World" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 5:23 PM | Permalink

A review of the Samsung YP-K3 (2GB, red) MP3 player has been posted over at CNET. 'Out of the box--which is nearly identical to that of the full-size iPod, interestingly--the K3 is simply stunning. Its glossy front is trimmed with chrome, giving it a sleek and stylish look. When you turn the player on using the side-mounted power/hold switch, the touch-sensitive controls light up, reminiscent of Philips' GoGear line of players. The controls consist of four directional arrows, as well as Select, Menu, and Back keys. Like the K5, the YP-K3 takes some design cues from the LG Chocolate phone, right down to the availability of black, red, and green versions--sorry, no white. The red version in particular is truly gorgeous, and the backlit controls give it a very jukebox-like appearance.

Continue reading "Samsung YP-K3 - CNET" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 5:02 PM | Permalink

PC Magazine have reviewed the the feature-rich Archos 704 WiFi portable multimedia player. 'Measuring 7.1 by 5 by 7.8 inches when it's propped up on its kickstand, the 704 boasts a lovely 7-inch TFT touch screen and weighs a substantial 1 pound 6 ounces. Aside from its size it resembles past Archos models, such as the 604, with sturdy, metallic rectangular housing and minimal buttons. Sadly, the included headphones are pretty crappy—but if you can afford this thing, I bet you can spring for replacements.

Continue reading "Review: Archos 704 WiFi Multimedia Player - PC Mag" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 3:17 PM | Permalink

The Oakley Thump PRO digital music eyewear are some neat fashion pieces which combine a "digital audio engine" with Oakley’s renowned "high definition optics". The glasses, which come in 1GB, 512MB and 256MB versions, has the digital player built into the frame so there is nothing to dangle around your face to serve as a distraction whether you’re running, biking or simply sweating it out in your aerobics session. The speakers are fully adjustable so you can position them for a perfect fit and control the balance of music and environment. The Oakley Thump PRO is compatibility with iTunes, Windows Media Player and WinAMP. You can store up to 240 songs on the 1 GB version, 120 songs on the 512 MB version, or 60 songs on the 256 MB version.

Continue reading "Oakley Thump PRO: MP3/Player Sunglasses" »

Posted by Phone Reviews Admin at 4:04 PM | Permalink