Music

Please silence your messenger bags

Yes, we know. We're tired of iPod accessories too. But this one cries out for attention--literally.

A new G-Tech messenger bag has a built-in speaker for external sound, as well as the requisite sewn-in controls sported by so many other iPod couture items, according to Gizmag. Depending on where you stand on the ubiquitous music device, this is either good or bad. We're agnostic toward the iPod itself, but we're certainly not wild about the bag's noise potential. (It also comes in a generic MP3 version, which we assume would be just as irritating.) Sound Guy, … Read more

Archos 504: 160 raw gigs in your pocket

On Wednesday, Archos makes official the availability of its 504 series of PVPs, which actually have been available for days.

The 504, which sports the same gorgeous 4.3-inch wide-screen display as the sleek 604, blends excellent video playback performance with gigantic drive capacities--including the monster 160GB version (enough for, say, about 50 Amazon Unbox movies and room for a few thousand songs).

The 504's 2.5-inch laptop drive explains the unit's thickness (the similarly designed 604 is waifish in comparison but maxes out at 30GB); like the 604 it has a removable battery but lacks a built-in … Read more

Make your co-workers sound like Charlie Brown's teacher

You know that person at work who always starts droning on right when you've finally buckled down on that day's project? He wanders by your desk and starts chatting your ear off, while you pretend not to see/hear/notice him.

Or there's the Loud Talker--the one whose voice is somehow several decibels stronger than everyone else's. (Really, how do they not notice that?)

The Sound Guy might be able to help. Its ChatterBlocker software uses an auditory masking algorithm to render background conversations unintelligible. Translation: "Nature sounds" + music + background chatter = "soothing" … Read more

Bose sticks it in your ear

We can't help but laugh sometimes when a company's product literature tries to hide the fact that it's late to the market. That's exactly what Bose seems to do, for example, with the description of its new TriPort in-ear headphones: "the only in-ear headphones with the rich audio and comfortable design you've come to expect from Bose." Yeah, that's a first, if you want to call it that.

Anyway, snarkiness aside, these headphones are supposedly noteworthy for the listening comfort of their silicone tips, as well as Bose quality. And we guess … Read more

12GB pocket drive looks good too

This is one of those tech developments that just plain makes us feel old. We remember--not that long ago--when a 1GB hard drive on a desktop computer was enormous. Now, according to Electronista, US Modular is preparing to release a 12GB version of its Monstor USB pocket drive. That's storage for enough media to choke a horse, as far as we're concerned. Besides, we like the shiny case.

(Photo: US Modular)

An iPod Nano for the tech illiterate

So you really want to get that iPod Nano for a special someone, but you know he or she will be absolutely hopeless when presented with the task of transferring music to the thing? Or maybe you're just really lazy and can't be bothered with ripping your favorite CDs. Either way, Riptopia could have the solution for you: the $259 ShugaNano, a blue, pink, or green 4GB iPod Nano preloaded with the recipient's 50 favorite CDs and accompanied by a pair of Swarovski crystal-encrusted earbuds. (Hmm, why do I get the feeling these things are aimed at … Read more

Help save your kids from technology

If you don't have kids, this might seem like a waste of money. But many of us at Crave are the bearers of rug rats who, like most others of their ilk, would like nothing better than to watch TV or play video games until their eyeballs melt.

So we'll be giving serious consideration to purchasing the Bob, a time management device designed to help keep your offspring from contributing to the swelling ranks of childhood obesity. Many TV sets already have a sleep timer that will shut it off at a designated hour, but it's usually … Read more

A head mount for your video iPod too

Earlier today we learned of head-mounted iPods, so we should have assumed that this was next: A head mount for the video iPod. By year's end an Australian company called 22Moo is expected to be selling the HMD800, a device that "couples 2.1-track Dolby surround sound stereo earphones with a virtual 30-inch screen that 22Moo hopes will make you think you're in a theater," according to Gearlog. It also has a lithium battery that can run for 8 hours straight, which should go a long way toward helping you catch up on those "Lost" reruns … Read more

Wear an iPod on your head

If wearing an iPod on your arm is too cumbersome, why not wear it on your head?

iSoundCap, maker of caps, visors and bandanas that fit iPod Nanos or Shuffles, announced that its latest line of running hats for the second-generation iPod Nano is now available.

The caps are fashioned from a lightweight mesh fabric, which wraps the iPod in neoprene to protect from all the sweat dripping off your head. The earbud wires are tucked up into the back of the hat and out of the way.

If a coordinated workout look is your thing, then you have reason … Read more

iPod shunners of the world, unite!

OK, so perhaps that's a tad melodramatic. It's almost like a call to war, and I certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for any bloodshed...especially not my own. But on this, the birthday of the iPod, I've been reminiscing about a previous blog I wrote on why I chose not to use an iPod. More than a year later, I'm still called out for my iPod status--most recently in last week's MP3 Insider podcast--so I've decided it's high time I readdress the issue. No, I still don't use an … Read more