stereo

Plantronics has jumped on the stereo Bluetooth bandwagon with the Pulsar 260 Stereo Bluetooth Headset, a pendant-style headset that the company debuted today in Orlando. Stereo Bluetooth is now widely adopted in most music phones, a fact that Plantronics clearly recognizes. Mimicking the look of a tiny MP3 player, the Pulsar 260's "pendant" lets you easily switch from a phone conversation to your tunes and vice versa. Features include a high-fidelity stereo sound and support for the Audio Visual Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) that lets you control functions such as mute and pause, plus multipoint connectivity that … Read more

You can't walk two steps around here without tripping over some company's latest Apple iPod-docking mini stereo. The majority of these gadgets are just landfill fodder, but the new Altec Lansing InMotion iM600 looks like it might stand out from the herd. First, it folds flat--down to 1.7 inches. With a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated at 7 hours, that flatness might come in handy if you want to take it on a romantic iPod picnic or even to a room in your house with an inconveniently located outlet. There's a built-in FM tuner with … Read more

Break out those leisure suits--this sound system may be new, but it looks right out of 1974.

The "Gene Sound TAS-100" ("Gene Sound"?) combines digital and analog music in a system that can play and record old LPs and CDs as well as MP3 files, according to Newlaunches. The all-in-one system, made by Seagrand Japan, goes for an affordable $170.

There are a lot of systems that convert old and new recording media, but few have the distinctively retro look of this one, at least from this particular era. Regardless of how it sounds, you'… Read more

Fans of Sony products are often disappointed at the January Consumer Electronics Show to discover that the company doesn't have very much to say. Sure, there's a big Sony booth and a handful of token product announcements and press releases, but it's always small potatoes compared to the dozens of new items on display from competitors such as Samsung, Philips, and Panasonic. But that's entirely by design: rather than get lost in the CES maelstrom, Sony opts to launch its new line of products at its own Sony-only line show. We've got complete coverage of … Read more

Sony used its annual Open House product showcase in Las Vegas today to unveil its MEX-BT2500 Bluetooth in-car stereo. The MEX-BT2500 is the second of Sony's Bluetooth-enabled head units and will slot in below the MEX-BT5000 in its Xplod car stereo lineup.

Like the MEX-BT5000, the new entry-level unit doubles as a CD/MP3/WMA player as well as a Bluetooth receiver for hands-free calls and for wireless Bluetooth audio streaming via the advanced A2DP profile. The MEX-BT2500 features a built-in microphone and can be paired with as many as five cell phones simultaneously.

Portable devices that support Bluetooth … Read more

Maybe it's our midlife crisis taking over again, but we have a serious crush on Amadana, the Japanese company that created the bamboo-clad DVD player and other gorgeous products that reflect its zen-like design philosophy. If Amadana had a retail outlet, we imagine it would look like a cross between an Apple store and a Buddhist monastery. (We just wish the company would change its logo, which looks way to much like Amana's.)

Amadana's all-in-one audio system is a perfect example of the company's devotion to clean lines. Krunker.com says its 7-inch-sided cube has touch-sensitive … Read more

If you like to rock out in your car, but don't want to turn your ride into a mobile guitar amp, then this might be the answer: an in-car audio system jointly designed by Panasonic and Fender. The iconic guitar maker has teamed up with Panasonic to "create customized products for the global automotive industry."

The collaboration is an attempt to cash in on Fender's brand name and expertise in the musical instruments industry, and it's another effort by Panasonic to name-drop its way into the in-car audio market. Panasonic already supplies the likes of … Read more

Harman Kardon unleashed its nifty Drive+Play 2 for gadget-loving drivers everywhere. With an impressively simple setup (you can hook it up in a couple minutes sans tools), you can have a single interface for everything from your iPod or Zune to your phone or satellite radio. The 3.5-inch color display is easily mountable on your dash with screws or adhesive, and a 2.4GHz wireless control knob lets you navigate the very iPod-like skinnable menu system for "distraction-free browsing."

The system is powered by a cigarette-lighter module that doubles as an FM transmitter, line output, and … Read more

Here's another take on Windows Mobile. The Azentek Atlas is a double-DIN system that fits into your car's dashboard and gives you all of the functionality of a Windows PC from the driver's seat. While the model on display here at CES 2007 is running XP, we're told that Atlas will ship in March with Windows Vista. The Atlas, which makes use of iMobile software, packs an Intel Core Duo processor and comes with 512MB of RAM memory and a Seagate automotive-grade 40GB hard drive. It also comes with built-in GPS with turn-by-turn navigation and maps … Read more