Blue Raven's mail-in iPod repair kit. Is your dying iPod worth it?
(Credit: Blue Raven)It's a rare sight to see a functioning first or second-generation iPod out in the wild these days. If your vintage iPod's battery hasn't lost its ability to hold a charge, then there's always the chance of a failed hard drive, a broken screen, or an intermittent headphone jack. Sure, the latest crop of iPods are thinner, cheaper, and longer lasting than your bulky heirloom iPod, but if you have a soft spot for the old guy, or just resent gadget obsolescence, there's a new repair option for you.
Blue Raven, a manufacturer of DIY iPod repair kits and iPod accessories, has announced a new mail-in repair service for all models of the Apple iPod and iPhone. The mail-in service kit is available at major retailers and offers free two-way shipping of your broken iPod, along with an impressive turnaround of three business days.
Blue Raven is offering the mail-in repair kit in three flavors: a $129 kit that will repair any dead iPod regardless of what the problem turns out to be (includes battery replacement); a $59 kit that replaces any iPod's failing battery; and a $129 cracked iPhone screen kit (available in January). Each of the kits includes the free two-way shipping and a 90-day guarantee on the repair.
The services seem fairly priced, especially when you consider the convenience of just dropping your iPod or iPhone in a mailbox. The real question is, how much is your old iPod worth to you? Is that iPod Mini an heirloom, or a brick that's holding you back from a better player?
The Maestro 1070 brings 18lbs of booty-shaking bass.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze / CNET Networks)Blue Raven Technologies just announced the release of a substantial 2.1-channel iPod speaker system called the Maestro 1070. With a composite video output, auxiliary input, and a remote control, this 70-watt, 18-pound speaker box looks like it could do some serious damag--and for only $200. Might this be a worthy, chromed-out adversary to the Apple Hi-Fi?
On Sale Now: $159.95 - $199.95
View the latest prices for Blue Raven Maestro 1070 (white)
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CNET Networks)
Today we have some pictures of a bad, bad MP3 player. So bad our editors gave it a 2.3 rating. Poor thing. It looks so sleek and spacey. We also have pics of a gigantic wide-screen PVP with built-in DVR capabilities, as well as a slide show of a good entry-level car stereo. And we have two slide shows on the Canon PowerShot S5 IS. One shows its features and design, and the other presents some image samples. Check them all out below.
It is a rare day indeed that we come across a piece of technology that so utterly fails at its intended purpose, but American electronics manufacturer Coby has managed to produce just such a device. Check out the slide show of the Coby MP-C7082.
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CNET Networks)
Photos: Blue Raven MediaMate 7000
The Blue Raven MediaMate 7000 is a monster portable video player with a 7-inch screen, built-in video recording, and TV output. The screen is huge.
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CNET Networks)
The Sony MEX-BT2500 is a value-for-the-money car stereo with decent audio features and sound quality, Bluetooth calling, and audio-streaming capabilities. If you can live with the muddy call quality that the system's built-in microphone delivers, then the stylish and intuitive MEX-BT2500 is a good entry-level option. See some pictures of the Sony MEX-BT2500.
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CNET Networks)
Photos: Canon PowerShot S5 IS We've got an evaluation of the design and features of the Canon PowerShot S5 IS. One feature is despite its 12x zoom lens, the S5 IS remains fairly compact when it's completely extended. Check out the Canon PowerShot S5 IS image samples too.
Click on the photo to see the MediaMate slide show.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze / CNET Networks)We've just wrapped up our review of the BlueRaven MediaMate 7000 PVP over on CNET Reviews. The thing is gigantic! If you're in the market for a wide-screen PVP with built-in DVR capabilities, but the Archos players are out of reach, the MediaMate might be an acceptable alternative. It's bulky, and could really use a higher screen resolution--but it'll get the job done. Here's our slide show.
15 more hours of playtime--but 5 more ounces of weight
(Credit: Blue Raven Technology)Need that next on-the-go gaming session to go all night? The new Extended PSP Battery from Blue Raven Technology may be your dream product. The snap-on, lithium-polymer, 4,500mAh battery pack aims to deliver as much as 15 hours of PSP playtime--a big step up from the 3 to 5 hours offered by the PSP's default battery. But the increased playtime comes at a cost: The Extended PSP Battery is about the same size and weight as the PSP itself (5 ounces for the battery vs. 6.2 for the PSP), and it costs a whopping $90. On the bright side, it uses the PSP's charger to juice up, so you won't have to lug another wall wart around.
We'll have a complete review in May, but the added weight--and weighty price tag--means this one is strictly for hardcore PSP devotees. That said, for anyone who's ever done one of those long-haul continent-hopping flights--New York to Dubai, San Francisco to Tokyo--having the option of tripling your in-flight time on Killzone: Liberation, SOCOM, or Metal Gear Solid certainly has its appeal.
Update: Blue Raven has followed up with a note that the MSRP for the Extended Battery is $100--although it can already be found online for under $75.
Related: Sony PSP review; top-rated PSP games
The patient before surgery.
iPod battery replacement kits are nothing new. Manufacturers like Sonnet Technologies have offered reasonably priced do-it-yourself battery replacement kits for the past few years. What distinguishes the latest line of Blue Raven iPod batteries from previous efforts is a boast of 30 to 50 percent better battery life over the factory original (depending on your iPod model). The Blue Raven batteries are also much more attractively packaged than other replacements I've seen, which seems silly to mention, but I think packaging can have a huge effect on how intimidating a DIY project appears. Kits are available for around $30 for iPod generations 1 through 5, plus the iPod Mini.
We've already shot an Insider Secrets video for a first-generation iPod battery replacement and a Weekend Project video on replacing the battery for an iPod mini. Still, I felt compelled to break open my friend's failing second-generation iPod and put the Blue Raven battery to the test. So I shot this time-lapse video using the camera on my Macbook just to see how quickly I could change the battery (five minutes!). Hopefully, this will make the project seem less intimidating for someone. All it took was a little elbow grease to get that case open.
Using the theme from Benny Hill might have landed me in trouble, so I whipped up some high-speed drum and bass in Ableton Live instead.
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