Music

iPod Lounge has a short news item today about iHome Audio's upcoming ultraportable speaker system for the iPod Nano, and from its picture, the iMH1B looks a little like the plastic case the Nano ships in--maybe not exactly, but it doesn't appear to be that much bigger.

iHome Audio's Web site says that you can expect "Great stereo sound for yourself or to share with your friends." Though iHome has been putting out some solid iPod speaker systems for relatively affordable prices, "great" may be stretching it, though we'd settle for OK … 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)

Being of the 24-hour room-service ilk, we don't exactly find that building a solar iPod charger is our idea of a good time. Especially when you can already buy products like this. But hey, that's just us.

The rugged DIY individuals out there might be interested in taking a shot at this homemade charger posted on Yosemite Outside, which includes a solar panel that can be affixed to a backpack. We have no doubt that it works, but the duct tape probably won't win any design awards.

(Photo: Yosemite Outside)

We've always had a soft spot for JBL speakers, going back to the halcyon days of our youth when we had little to do but lust after a set for our stereos. So we fully admit that we were nostalgically biased upon viewing the stunning design of the company's new Spot and Spyro lines on Chip Chick, which were introduced earlier this year in Germany. They have interchangeable covers that can be personalized with different colors and designs, including flower-shaped satellite wrappers. But if you're looking for something with more of a Halloween theme, you might consider … Read more

There should be a rule: Just because you can make something, it doesn't mean you should. That's how we feel about these iDazzle mini-speakers made for the iPod, as seen on Chip Chick. Sure, they may very well work. But even if they had Bose-quality sound (which, at $10, we somehow doubt), these things are coyote ugly. And we don't mean in the good way.

(Photo: SPI)

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)

... or maybe a teether?

I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be handing over a 5.5G iPod to my child, but given the numerous Disney movie titles available in the iTunes Store, it might be a good way to occupy the little chipmunk while you're out and about. Good thing there's the Tadpole, a rugged, playful protective case with dual handles.

Available November 1 from iFrogz, the $20 Tadpole "engulfs the whole iPod while leaving open areas for the Click Wheel, iPod view screen, and various buttons and accessory points." Made of dust-, lint-, … Read more

For those of you who have been patiently awaiting the new iPod Shuffle's October coming-out party, you'll have to be a little more patient. In the middle of October, we noted with mild interest that the "world's smallest MP3 player" still hadn't appeared on store shelves. We had suggested that Apple was either waiting for October 31 to reignite its preholiday iPod fervor or that the device was delayed in some Chinese assembly line. Well, our daily call to the San Francisco Apple Store revealed this morning that the Shuffle will be missing its … Read more

Features and functions are crammed into media players and phones like commuters on a Tokyo subway, so we're a little surprised that there aren't more convergence products like this one on the market. The Rimax Mystic--an all-in-one MP3-video-radio gadget with up to 2GB of storage for photos and other data--can also be used as a VoIP handset when its USB cable is plugged into the computer. At this rate, maybe the next version will mop your floors too.

(Photo: RMXdirect)