guitar

Not only are the gifts covered in today's episode perfect to meet the mediocre expectations of a white elephant party, but this episode itself is in essence our very own white elephant gift to you! Interpret that as you will, and have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

Gifts to bring to a white elephant Christmas

Snuggie for your neck (Thanks, Greg and Sam)

Snuggie for your dog (Thanks, Eric!)

Doormat Scale

Electric rock guitar shirt… Read more

Some enterprising hackers have rooted the Barnes & Noble Nook, giving them unrestricted access to the underlying Android operating system. Black and white tablet FTW! We also get the exclusive from Jason Howell about the new Google phone known as the Nexus One. And those crazy Scandinavians get to try out LTE first. Good on ya, Nordic peeps!

Google phone looks ’supersharp’ http://www.cnet.com/8301-19736_1-10414406-251.html https://twitter.com/raygun01/status/6592751553

Google Phone/Nexus One pictures http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/13/google-phone-makes-first-twitter-appearance/ … Read more

For gamers, Christmas can, indeed, come early.

Because here is every gamer's dream wrapped up in a Christmas paper so beautiful that you might never play Guitar Hero in a living room ever again.

Please hail Ric Turner, who realized the holiday season was upon him and it was time not to keep up with the Joneses, but with the Brian Jones Massacre's. So, according to Make, he created this astonishing Guitar Hero Christmas lights extravaganza, which he calls Christmas Light Hero.

If you are not utterly entranced by the skill and wonderment of this technological exercise, then … Read more

Musicians are a paradox when it comes to technology. They have voracious appetites for the latest, greatest gear, but unlike the average tech consumer, they also have a near-religious reverence for all things vintage.

Looking back on what I consider the year's coolest gear for musicians, the thread that ties it all together (well, most of it) is this balance of new and antique. From a guitar pedal that sounds like a tube amplifier from 1959, to USB interfaces that return the look and feel of a pre-Pro Tools era--music tech has a unique way of pushing forward while … Read more

It's a great day to be a PlayStation 3 owner: Buy.com has the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle for just $18.67, plus $3.99 for shipping.

The package includes a Les Paul wireless guitar controller, meaning you don't have to worry about tripping over a cord while, um, getting your Slash on.

The game itself features 70-plus tracks from the likes of Aerosmith, Heart, Guns N' Roses, and the Rolling Stones.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, GameSpot's review of Legends of Rock praises it for having "the best tracklist of any Guitar Hero game to … Read more

With the popularity of music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero continuing to climb, there's no surprise that companies outside of video game development are trying to make a few extra bucks on those titles.

Thus it its that on Tuesday, Altec Lansing announced the Stage-Gig amplified speaker. The accessory is designed to work with Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and DJ Hero. According to the company, the amp puts out 40 watts of power. It works with any current gaming console.

Altec Lansing believes gamers who play popular music games want better sound. The company said that with … Read more

Rock Band. For iPhone and iPod Touch. Right now in the App Store for $9.99.

Just thought I'd cut right to the crucial information, as hard-core fans of the console mega-hit probably don't need to hear anything more. "Rock Band? iPhone? Ten bucks? Sweet!"

Everyone else should listen up before plunking down that sawbuck. EA's official, real-deal port brings the jamfest to the iPhone in style, with gorgeous visuals, great songs, and some solid multiplayer action.

Unfortunately, compromises abound. The songs are great, but you get only 20 of them (and 5 are locked). … Read more

If you have been trying to tweet Michael Jackson over the last few weeks without even a squeak of success, might I sing you a song of hope?

A remarkably forward-thinking psychic has decided to hold a seance on Twitter. A "Tweance," if you will.

According to the Sun newspaper, Jayne Wallace, who claims to have been a psychic since she was (at least) 7 years old, will be available to every member of the world's tweeting population on October 30, between 10 a.m. and noon British Miserable Autumn Time (that's 3 a.m. to … Read more

A clever press pitch crossed our desk recently that takes interest in music and rhythm video games and uses them to push the age-old business of selling sheet music.

Sheet Music Plus sells sheet music and songbooks for guitar, piano, and other instruments, and in a recent press release, ties that into the popularity of The Beatles: Rock Band and similar games, saying, "As music-driven video games continue to explode in popularity," the company aims to "help gamers channel their passion into becoming active musicians."

Being musically minded, that sounds like a laudable goal, but surprisingly, … Read more