Crave

Chino's AVi has a 7-inch LCD and DTV tuner for $199.99.

(Credit: Chinon)

We've reviewed a portable DVD player with a built-in DTV tuner and Sony's LBT-LCD7Di Muteki Shelf System with a built-in DVD player and LCD. But Chinon's $200 AVi iPod dock is the first portable iPod speaker system we've seen that has both an integrated 7-inch LCD for showing iPod videos and a DTV tuner.

Chinon says the AVi is "designed for use at home or on the road" and it also is equipped with an FM radio and alarm clock, though no GSM-shielding for iPhones.

Unfortunately, to really be able to pull in DTV signals, you're going to have to attach the included external TV antenna. It's also worth noting that while the AVi is portable, if you want to cut the AC cord and go totally mobile, you'll need to pick up eight "C" batteries and they only power the unit for about 3 hours, according to Chinon. That's not too appealing.

Comments? Are these types of iPod-hybrid-AV systems the wave of the future or just plain silly?

(Credit: Withings)

For this week's installment of the weekly Crave giveaway, we're offering a high-tech health accessory, Withings' Wi-Fi Body Scale.

This thing not only automatically tracks and charts your weight (and the weights of up to seven other people in your household), but it records your lean and fat mass, and calculates body mass index (BMI). Plus, you can access your data (it's secure, of course) from any Web browser or Withings' iPhone app, WiScale. Better yet, you can even have the scale Tweet your weight loss (or gain) to all your Twitter followers. How awesome is that?

Normally, Withings' Wi-Fi scale would cost you about $160, but you have the chance to get it gratis.

So, how do you try to win this Wi-Fi scale? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.

• Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, no need to register again.
• Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
• Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
• The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive (1) Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale. Approximate retail value is $160.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Monday, November 16, at noon EST.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 12 PM ET on November 16, 2009. See official rules for details.

Good luck.

Space-age design: The mPower Emergency Illuminator is set to hit stores in March, 2010.

(Credit: mPower)

Flashlights are becoming more and more sophisticated, as well as rather expensive. Case in point: the upcoming mPower Emergency Illuminator, which made its press debut this week at an event in New York. Designed by the Porsche Design Studio to be "a stylish product with emergency utility, it will cost somewhere between $250 and $300 when it comes out in March of 2010.

Aside from the fetching design, the mPower Emergency Illuminator boasts some innovative battery technology. One battery "tube" stores two CR123 batteries, while the other has what's called an OnCommand Reserve Battery that the company says has a minimum 20-year shelf life and will deliver "power on command when and where you need it."

mPower Emergency Illuminator flashlight photos

While the special reserve battery isn't rechargeable and will wear down if you use the flashlight a lot, it will never degrade just sitting around in its tube. In other words, you could never turn this torch on for years, and it would still work the moment you need it--according to mPower. Replacing the backup battery will cost you around $25, though that price may go up with inflation over the years.

It's also worth noting that the flashlight has a built-in USB port for charging cell phones and other gadgets. If there's juice available from the CR123 batteries, your device will draw power from them; if not, it will charge up via the backup battery.

Comments? Would you rather have this model or the battery-free LED quick charging flashlight from 5.11 Tactical?

(Credit: Tyme Machines)

May the drive be with you.

Tyme Machines, maker of licensed USB drives, has released its Series 1 3D sculpted Star Wars USB thumb drives. The set, which includes replicas of Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Storm Trooper, and Yoda, comes in 4GB to 16GB capacities that range in price from $29.99 to $59.99.

At 3 inches tall and not exactly svelte, they won't be so easy to plug into a USB port, especially if you're using a laptop. But that's where a USB extension cable comes in handy.

So, are these the right characters to launch with? And what characters would you like to see Tyme Machines include in its next series?

Contrasting contrasts: The Kindle on the right is the new global-wireless model.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

When the Kindle 2 was first released, we reported on the small controversy over how dark the text and images appeared on the screen compared to the original Kindle. Held side by side, the original appeared to have better contrast and the text appeared slightly darker--and slightly easier to read.

Well, when we reviewed the new AT&T-powered version of the Kindle 2, which Amazon calls "Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)," we noticed that the text appeared darker on this model than on the older Sprint-powered Kindle 2. It's not a huge difference but it's definitely noticeable (see photo above).

While that's a good thing, we're not sure when Amazon made the transition to the slightly improved screen. It very well could have showed up on later revs of the Sprint-powered Kindle or it may have appeared with the introduction of the international AT&T-powered version. Alas, repeated e-mails to an Amazon PR spokesperson have gone unanswered, so we haven't been able to get official word from the company on what it did--or didn't do--to the screen.

When the initial controversy flared up, some Kindle owners wondered whether a firmware upgrade would remedy the contrast issue. We still don't know the answer to that, but we're hoping Amazon will clarify the contrast question for us (if it does, we'll update this post), especially with Barnes & Noble's Nook shipping within the month.

In the meantime, you can read our full review of the AT&T-powered Kindle and if you happen to have compared this model with the Sprint-powered Kindle and noticed a difference between the black levels, please post a comment.

(Credit: Altec Lansing)

For this week's installment of the weekly Crave giveaway, we're offering another iPod/iPhone speaker system--and it's one of our favorites: The Altec Lansing Mix iMT800.

I happen to have reviewed this guy myself and here's the bottom line on it: "While the retrolicious design of Altec Lansing's Mix iMT800 may not appeal to everyone, its winning combination of good performance, lots of oomph, and portability makes it one of the best iPod speaker options out there." (Read the full review).

Normally, Altec Lansing's Mix iMT800 would cost about $300, but you have the chance to get it gratis.

So, how do you try to win this iPod boom box? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.

• Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, no need to register again.
• Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
• Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
• The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive (1) Altec Lansing Mix iMT800 iPod audio system. Approximate retail value is $300.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Monday, November 9, at noon EST.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 12 PM ET on November 9, 2009. See official rules for details.

Good luck.

(Credit: iSkin)

iSkin's colorful, form-fitting Solo line of iPhone cases has some of the slicker designs out there. Now the company has come out with the "special-edition" Solo FX SE, which sports a "luxurious outer surface treatment" that combines an "understated" matte finish with a "subtle," embossed, designer pattern.

Available in Onyx (black), Cosmo (pink), and Ice (white) for $34.99 (list), the Solo FX SE is the only Solo infused with Microban antimicrobial product protection that iSkin says prevents the growth of odor-and-stain-causing bacteria on the product.

This Solo is also the first to come with two different protective-screen films: one that's clear and one that's mirrored "and comes alive when the iPhone goes to sleep."

Comments? Anybody like iSkin's iPhone cases?

NBA 2K10 is still on top--but only by a hair.

With the NBA season in full swing, we thought we'd take a moment to check out this year's offering of digital hoops games, which really boils down to 2K Sports' NBA 2K10 vs. EA Sports' NBA Live 10.

Last year, the contest wasn't even close, with 2K9 trouncing Live in a blowout that made it easy to choose which game to buy. However, this year EA Sports' Canada-based development team delivered a much more compelling game. At the same time, while 2K10's developer Visual Concepts has definitely made some improvements, including a new My Player mode and the usual upgrades to player models and animations, this year's installment hasn't introduced anything truly eye-opening. The net-net is you have two solid games that are hard to choose between.

Here's the skinny:

Perhaps you remember Case-mate's 99-cent cardboard iPhone "recession" case, which we wrote about back in September and deemed one of the better product publicity stunts in recent memory. Well, Case-mate is now hosting a decorate-your-recession-case contest with users submitting photos of their creations. The pic with the most votes wins a Suzuki moped from the '80s.

We gotta say, the entries are pretty amusing, and while cardboard is never going to look upscale, the decorated cases are pretty hot in a sort of avant garde way.

Check out the slideshow below and feel free to let us know your favorite. We'll add more photos as entries come in (thanks to Case-mate for allowing us to post them here).

Case-mate iPhone recession case photos

Note: The contest ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on November 30, 2009. To enter, visit recessioncase.case-mate.com.