Crave

Some Cravers took umbrage with a recent item on a cell phone case that resembled a gun holster, saying it might not be the wisest thing to wear in an airport. Point taken.

A safer alternative for wearable cases is probably Urban Tool's "sportHolster." (Must all compound names begin with a lowercase letter just to copy the iPod?) Uber-Review says the latest product from the Austrian company, which is dedicated to technology apparel, is designed for jogging, bicycling and other athletic activities with pockets on the sides and a secret compartment inside.

And to all you Seinfeld … Read more

A digital music application that forces Apple, Sony and Microsoft to play nice? It's a Christmas miracle. Or something.

Recently released SimpleCenter 4.1 from Universal Electronics is a PC-only software application that organizes and plays any music, movie and photo format. It's an equal-opportunity program, able to sync media files with a diverse group of devices--an iPod, PSP, Xbox 360, Nokia N80, N93, USB sticks and other PlaysForSure players.

On the plus side, posessors of the Nokia N80 can wirelessly update their media content from their home PC using SimpleCenter, which is cool. However, though SimpleCenter allows … Read more

Most people don't go out driving to make friends, but that's the philosophy behind a new (and extremely optimistic) social networking SMS service called PL8Scan, which enables cell phone-wielding drivers to contact other drivers by text message via the latter's license plate numbers.

Having signed up to PL8Scan, drivers who wish to initiate contact with other road users send a text message to a central repository using a five-digit number. In the message, the driver includes the license plate number of the intended recipient (including details of the state in which it is registered), as well as … Read more

Maybe it's the holidays, but we've been reminiscing a lot lately here at Crave. And we would like to thank everyone for indulging us--but first, one last trip down memory lane (until the next one).

The latest item to trigger memories of our misspent youth is the "Plus Deck Cassette Converter" offered on Firebox.com, which calls it a "full logic, front-loading cassette deck that can convert, edit and play tapes on your PC" by converting them into MP3 files. But Gearlog said it best, explaining eloquently how this gadget can help you relive your glory days … Read more

LaCie, maker of storage devices, computer LCDs, and other computer peripherals, is one of the few companies to truly embrace original and clever aesthetic design. Why shove your gear into boring gray boxes (and then into a closet to hide the boring grayness) when you can encase it in colorful, whimsical designs that you want to show off?

LaCie's latest USB/FireWire hub is a perfect illustration of this marriage of tech and high design. The octopodal Huby (pronounced hub-ee) was designed by Ora-Ito, a French company. Each of the eight arms has a connector at the tip: four … Read more

When Helio struck an exclusive deal with MySpace earlier this year, it became the only carrier in the nation to support MySpace Mobile--in fact, MySpace Mobile was one of the defining features of owning a Helio handset. Starting today however, all Cingular Wireless subscribers will have access to MySpace Mobile as well. All they have to do is text MYSPACE to 386 (FUN) to get the MySpace Mobile application. It costs $2.99 a month in addition to standard data charges, so it's not cheap. As with the Web version of MySpace, you can upload photos, approve friend requests, … Read more

Being of a decidedly superficial ilk, we're always on the lookout for stuff that catches our visual fancy despite how it might perform. That's why we were both pleased and disappointed in Saitek's new iPod speakers.

The "gently smoothed pebble" appearance, as Slashgear describes it, is indeed fetching. But then we saw a photo of the Nano stand affixed to the speakers, which looks like something of an afterthought applied with a nervous screwdriver. It's not nearly as bad as some of the deformities we've documented in this space, but it's not … Read more

We're all in favor of solar energy, but it's products like this that gave rise to the phrase "too much of a good thing."

The Japan Organization for the Promotion of Renewable Energy has devised this "solar-powered fan hat," according to Tokyo-based Plastic Bamboo. It has a solar panel perched precariously on top, which powers a fan poking through a hole in the bill of the cap. (Not kidding.)

It's not that we have anything against the idea but, come on, look at this thing. Whoever is willing to wear one of these … Read more

With so many gadgets morphing into one another, we've often wondered why the natural combination of reading and music hasn't come up more often. Oh, right: No one reads books anymore.

Maybe some people will at least use the dictionary that comes with this combo e-book reader and MP3 player from Sharp. The RD-CX100 handheld has a relatively large 4.3-inch screen and a dictionary that can store up to "63 volumes," according to Akihabara News, though it doesn't explain exactly how much data a volume comprises. No other details are provided, though photos show … Read more