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August 28, 2007 6:13 PM PDT

Retro stylin': A cassette tape MP3 player

by Nicole Lee
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A cassette MP3 player.

A cassette MP3 player.

(Credit: ChinaVision)

The retro craze is still going strong, especially with gadgets like a flash drive disguised as a mix tape, and devices that will let you transfer tunes from old cassettes to MP3s. But here's something that kicks it up a notch--an MP3 player inside an actual cassette tape. You have all the benefits of an MP3 player--an SD card slot, music and volume controls, an on/off switch, and a USB charger--but in a decidedly retro cassette tape. And this is the crazy-cool part: This cassette MP3 player can be used like a normal cassette in a regular cassette player! Now, we do have to offer a caveat emptor and all that, especially as we're not too sure about the music quality. Still, this is one fun-looking gadget that combines retro style with modern technology. It's also surprisingly affordable, at $21.96. [Source: GeekSugar]

Nicole Lee is an associate editor for CNET, covering cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, and all things mobile. She's also a fan of comic books, video games, and of course, shiny gadgets. E-mail Nicole.
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Sound Quality? Or more FUD from Crave?
by qprize August 28, 2007 8:18 PM PDT
You're not sure about the sound quality of this all-in-one? What's the <br />difference between this and a standard cassette adapter, except that it skips the <br />crappy wire. If the quality of those adapters is acceptable - and usually <br />reviewed as superior to even the best of the FM transmitters, then these should <br />be as good or better.<br /><br />Print this out and look at it every time you go to post, so you get the order right:<br />Engage brain, then write.
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Different SQ issues
by make_or_break August 28, 2007 10:36 PM PDT
It's not just the signal transfer to a cassette deck's tape head assembly that's at issue here; it's also the D/A conversion itself. For all anyone knows, this thing could sound like a DOG just using it as a straight MP3 player. At $22, it certainly doesn't REEK of quality, but more like straight-on novelty and gimmickry.
Welcome to 3 years ago (at least!)
by evildonald August 29, 2007 3:05 AM PDT
These things have been around for years and years (admittedly, this one has usb charging.. but that's hardly anything to write home (or to the entire world) about.
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Back after years
by johnrobie August 30, 2007 5:56 AM PDT
I don't know about 3 years ago, I saw something like this around 5 years ago, but then it seemed to disappear and I'd never seen one since. Good to see they're back, it always struck me as a clever idea. <br /><br />Plus there are a wide variety of cases already available...
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by karenhuangliwen October 28, 2009 8:51 PM PDT
There are more and more gadgets in our China market sell.And the gadgets style also very mulreple and the function also makes us suprise.<br />-----------------------------<br />http://www.gigxon.com
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