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Nyko unveils four new accessories at E3

Hot off the heels of the company's Wand accessory release for the Nintendo Wii, video game accessory manufacturer Nyko debuted three new products at this year's E3 convention.

The Zoom Case for Nintendo DSi is certainly the most interesting DSi accessory we've seen yet, boasting an 8X zoom lens attachment. The protective case is textured for a better grip on the system and the zoom lens itself can be detached and transported in a case of its own. Good thing for that or this accessory would have removed the "portable" feature of the DSi.

For those PSP owners not choosing to upgrade to the new PSP Go, the Charge Flex Grip will provide your handheld (the PSP-2000 or the 3000) with an improved grip as well as up to 1.5 times more play with an embedded rechargeable battery. More high-res photos await!… Read more

Zoom H4n gets tested, reviewed, adored

The best sounding songs you'll ever hear are the ones you record yourself. Just like amateur photography or amateur film making, amateur musicians take a lot of pride in their art and are always looking for new, affordable tools to take things to the next level.

Computer-based recording software, such as Pro Tools and Garage Band, have gone a long way to help today's musicians create digital recordings that rival the results from professional recording studios. But even the best laptop-based recording rig can be limited by battery life and a less-than-convenient jumble of components (external sound cards, … Read more

MP3 Insider 141: What's a Zune HD?

Jasmine and Donald try their best to analyze the leaked image of what may be Microsoft's new Zune MP3 player (aka the Zune HD). Then a rant on tiered music pricing gets Jasmine and Donald on a tangent about why they despise paying for cable, but justify paying for music subscription services. Plus, wooden earbuds, the Zoom H4n, and buying refurbs.

Listen now: Download today's podcast… Read more

Garlic Zoom prevents dreaded garlicky fingers

Dicing garlic is, obviously, not my forte. Otherwise I would have been a chef extraordinaire instead of dishing out literature on Crave Asia.

Not too long ago, I played a tiny role in preparing homemade steamed mussels with garlic and tomato broth. The shellfish dish was cheap, easy to prepare, and delicious, but there was a tiny problem. The garlic left a pungent smell on the fingers. Sure, the condiment's great for flavoring, but the lingering odor negates any after-dinner plans.

Which is why I think the Garlic Zoom is a brilliant kitchen accessory. Pop a peeled clove in … Read more

Numerous configurations

Magic Lens Max offers visually impaired users a virtual screen magnifier. We found it very easy to navigate, but the numerous configuration options might be confusing to some.

When activated, the main user interface appears on your desktop, and it's packed with a number of settings to show or hide the magnifier, change the lens shape, pick the color mode, adjust the zoom percentage, color levels, and the lens size and border, among other things. Also from the interface, you can create hot-key combinations for zooming, rotating, and more. We certainly appreciate all of the options, but would have … Read more

Casio forgets to make new camera interesting

If you know anyone who has asked for just a basic point-and-shoot camera to stick in their back pocket, point them to the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z29. Priced at $149.95, this 10-megapixel ultracompact camera is low on features outside of having 23 Best Shot scene modes and the ability to set the menu system color to one of six options: black, chocolate, cinnamon, rose, sky blue, and olive green.

Up front is a pedestrian 3X f2.8-5.2 38-113mm-equivalent lens, and in back is a 2.7-inch LCD for framing your shots. Here's hoping at least it's … Read more

Zoom H4n handheld audio recorder, hands on

Update (4/19/2009): CNET now has a full review of the Zoom H4n.

I practically squealed when I saw Zoom's new H4n professional handheld audio recorder on display at CES 2009. The $350 recorder was announced just a few days ago with hazy details on when it might hit store shelves, but lo and behold, here it was hanging out in the Samson booth, dressed up with full retail packaging.

To read my first impressions, take a look through our Zoom H4n slide show, fresh from the showfloor of CES 2009.

Zoom H4n mobile audio recorder

Update (4/19/2009): CNET now has a full review of the Zoom H4n.

I know it's a little out of my realm of expertise, but I have a bit of a fixation with high-end portable audio recorders. Maybe it's a leftover from my glory days playing in garage bands, but the elusive dream of having one pocket-size gadget for making awesome live recordings still gets my blood racing.

My current mobile recording faves, the Edirol R-09HR and Sony PCM-D50, do an outstanding job capturing pristine, high-resolution audio--but they're not cheap, and there are some things they … Read more