Music

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

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