mp3

For those of you intrigued by the Microsoft Zune, the official Zune Web site is now alive and kicking.

Basically a glossy digital brochure of people having fun and looking cool (think J.Crew meets Lollapalooza), Zune.net reveals stuff that we've already seen such as: Zune photos, accessories such as the VAF Octavio speaker system, advertisements, Zune Marketplace and ZunePass PR fodder, artist profiles, and Zune "on tour" dates. The Zune hits the streets on November 14.

Today, Microsoft gave CNET a demonstration of the Zune and the Zune software. Our initial impressions: It's a well-designed portable media device with good playback performance, a snappy processor, and an excellent interface. Wi-Fi sharing worked well, but prospective owners should know that format support, especially for videos, is limited. This goes along with Microsoft's mantra of starting simple and closed, then expanding features as the Zune community evolves.

Watch the demo video and read our first take of the Microsoft Zune.

(Photo: Microsoft)

I wouldn't call it a tech dynasty, but Oakley's Thump franchise has owned the MP3 player sunglass market (despite numerous copycats). Everyone from Manny Ramirez to trash-talking nerds has an opinion about the wearable music accessory that entertains both eyes and ears. Oakley's latest, the Thump Pros, have made it into the office. I have to say, while I'm not into the style, they are incredibly comfortable. Look for Jasmine France's review later today.

Available in up to 1GB, the lunettes de soleil electroniques are based on the athletic style of the open-edged Bottlecap. Details … Read more

Though Microsoft officially unveiled the Zune portable media player 48 days ago, the actual device has only seen a scattered few non-Microsoft hands, and usually within the confines of the Microsoft campus. Tomorrow, we finally get a hands-on demo of the Zune, which is slated for a November 14 release. Check back Wednesday evening for my first impressions of the Zune in the flesh, including how it looks and feels in person, Zune-to-Zune sharing, and an in-depth feature list. Look out for the First Look video, too.

(Photo: Microsoft)

Those of us who hammered out high school papers on this doodad called a typewriter used to listen to these shiny black things called records. Sometimes we'd even have to hike 10 miles in the snow just to hear a little Joni Mitchell! Times were tough.

Thankfully, our sister site CNET Asia has alerted us to a little gadget that makes it surprisingly easy to transfer those dusty LPs straight to a digital music collection. Just plug the 12-pound Ion USB Turntable into a USB port, fire up the Audacity software for Mac or PC, and start porting in … Read more

It should be a basic tenet of marketing: When in doubt, name a product after a "Matrix" character. Not that the Maxian D900 "Neo" has any reason to doubt itself. If Dapreview's Korean translation skills are up to snuff, this steroidal media player has a 4.3-inch LCD screen, touch-sensitive display, Wi-Fi connection, built-in mic and even its own kickstand, while running WinCE 5.0. What we don't know, unfortunately, is pricing and U.S. availability. Still, if those specs are correct, the Neo would surely get the attention of Agent Smith.

(Photo: Dapreview)… Read more

Just a couple of days ago, I was wondering if I was ever going to get my iPod Shuffle, which is supposed to ship sometime in October. Turns out Apple was ever so slightly delayed in getting the tiny LCD-less wearable out to the masses--most Shuffle jones-ers will get their fix the first week of November. I preordered mine and got a notice that my Shuffle would arrive by the end of the week. It seems others will get theirs even sooner, and some stores will have them in stock in the next few days. By the way, the San … Read more

You can call us Luddites (we've been called a lot worse), but we often find beauty in simplicity. Case in point: the MP3 player knob, as seen on Red Ferret.

As the iPod and other players are increasingly woven into the fabric of our lives, something like this could actually be useful. Attached to your iPod-enabled clothes or bags by Velcro or magnet, the knob could preclude unnecessary fumbling in cramped quarters. Of course, if you want more than volume control, you can always go the full remote route.

(Photo: Plusminus Design)

We try not to use the "Dick Tracy" cliche with watches, but stuff like this make it hard to resist. Gearlog says a company called Chinavasion (not a typo) has released an MP4 video watch with a 1.5-inch screen that can also play MP3 and WMA files, as well as display your personal photos. But the most surprising feature of all may be what it costs--between $59 and $101, depending on storage size. Gearlog says it's available only for wholesale at present but, at those prices, we wouldn't mind buying in bulk.

(Photo: Chinavasion)