(Credit:
Novothink)
The greening of homes and gadgets is a growing consumer trend, and many exhibitors will debut their eco-friendly products at CES 2010. Last week, we highlighted the Electronic Houskeeper and the PICOwatt, two devices that monitor in-home energy use. Today allows us to highlight the Surge, an iPhone and iPod Touch case with solar panels.
Solar chargers like Solio are chunky and need to be carried around. But the Surge solar case is sleek, ergonomic, and certified by Apple. Two hours of sun exposure power 30-60 minutes of talk time. The Surge features an LED battery-level indicator.
The charger is manufactured by Novothink, a company that vies to pair solar technology and portable devices. The California-based company is focused on creating solar chargers for devices in high demand, as the mission is to allow consumers to live off the grid easily.
The Surge may seem like a gimmick on the face of it, but it might be a perfect solution for Apple iPhone and iPod owners on the go. Emergency chargers are available, but those are often cumbersome, especially for men, who generally don't have the luxury of a purse for portable storage.
Alternatively, the option to replace a dead battery with a backup is impossible for Apple device owners, as the battery isn't (easily) removable.Those looking to harness the sun's energy will have to fork over $70, but it could be the right investment for consumers on the move. Novothink has already released the Surge for the iPod Touch and will make it available to iPhone users on December 15.
Update 2: Apple's U.S. Black Friday sale is up, and while not spectacular, there are some rare discounts to be found. To go back to the same examples we used for the U.K. and Australian Apple stores, the base model 13-inch MacBook Pro is $1,098, down from $1,199.
In fact, it looks like all MacBook Pro models are exactly $101 off, while the $999 white MacBook is not discounted at all. The 32GB iPod Touch is $268, down from $299.
This sale is good online and in Apple's retail stores and runs until 3 a.m. EST on November 28.
Update: Even though it's not quite Black Friday in the U.S. yet, it's past midnight in some other parts of the globe. Notably, Australia and the U.K. have both seen their respective Apple Web sites updated to reveal Apple's one-day sale. While we can't say yet that the deals in the U.S. will be exactly the same, there's no reason think they won't be.
On apple.com/uk, we saw a 13-inch MacBook Pro, originally £1,149, marked down to £1,078. On apple.com/au, the same unit was A$1,868, marked down from A$1,999.
Similarly, a 32GB iPod Touch is £208, marked down from £229 on the U.K. site, while while in Australia, it's A$358, down from A$399.
We've also examined some Black Friday deals from other retailers.
Our original post continues below:
According to purportedly leaked documents on the tech rumor site Boy Genius Report, Apple is gearing up to offer a series of post-Thanksgiving bargains on products from iPods to MacBooks.
The deal, allegedly good only on November 27, lists "up to" discounts of 30 percent on iPods (excluding the Shuffle and iPhone), 25 percent on Mac laptops and desktops, and 15 percent on accessories, software, and other hardware.
The Boy Genius Report Web site says: "One of our connects just hit us up with some intriguing Apple information. According to them, what you see detailed above is a shot of Apple's yearly Black Friday deals. It's reported to be something Apple will email out shortly."
Of course, with the vague use of "up to" and no specific products listed, we can't be sure if these will be good deals or not. But if you're interested in being the first in line to check them out, the leaked doc also says that select Apple stores will be opening at 6 a.m. on November 27.
(Credit:
Boy Genius Report)
(Credit:
The Container Store)
Chances are at least one of your friends or family members owns an iPod. Or maybe you're planning on giving one as a gift this holiday season. Perhaps you have one yourself and think even inanimate objects deserve presents.
Whatever the reason, it's the perfect time to pick up some accessories for this ubiquitous MP3 player. Rest assured, there is no shortage of add-ons for the iPod; in fact, wading through the sea of cases, speakers, chargers, and car mounts for this device can be a bit of a daunting task.
This is precisely why we've packaged a slew of neat little extras right here in this handy one-stop-shopping post. Heck, there's even some iPhone-worthy stuff scattered about, so make sure you give 'em all a look.
Q: I need your help on this one. I am trying to decide what accessory to get for my iPhone so that I can hook it up to my car and charge it, but at the same time hold it up as a dock. Here are the four choices that I have so far:
- Griffin TuneFlex Charger
- Kensington LiquidAUX Deluxe Auxiliary Car Kit
- Kensington LiquidAUX Auxiliary Car Kit
- Kensington Power Port Car Mount
Now I understand the last one is just a holder and that you have to buy the charger, but I want one that will hold my phone so that I can see it, but I can charge it directly as well. I don't want something that I have to stick to my windshield. Do you have any suggestions? Can you help me on this one? Have you guys done a review on things like this before?--Rob, via e-mail
A: I'm presuming that the inclusion of an FM transmitter is optional, since some of those options don't include that feature. That would make a difference in the suggestion. But if you have aux-in on your head unit, that's a better way to connect anyway.
We haven't reviewed a lot of these solutions in recent times, but in the past DLO has been the most impressive. The TransDock Classic is a good option if you need the FM transmission; if not, then check out the AuxDock, which is available for just $25 on Amazon. You could also try the TuneBase Direct from Belkin.
Microsoft's second-gen Zune isn't quite as sexy as the new Zune HD, but it's still a versatile, feature-packed media player and a worthy iPod alternative.
And now it's a cheap one, too: Buy.com has the refurbished Zune 80 player for $129.99 shipped. It sold for $249 when it debuted a couple years ago, and is still running around $200 new.
Obviously a big draw here is the whopping 80GB hard drive, which should be enough to hold even the largest music libraries, with room left over for photos, videos, podcasts, and the like.
You get to view all that stuff on a 3.2-inch glass LCD--way bigger than the screen on the only comparable iPod, the Classic.
Other perks include an FM radio, wireless syncing/sharing, support for Microsoft's Zune Pass subscription service (one of the few such services left), and a terrific interface.
What's more, a free firmware update endows the Zune 80 with many of the features added to the third-gen Zune, so be sure to read CNET's review of that model.
If you have a lot of media you want to keep in your pocket, the Zune transports it in style. My only complaint is with the 90-day warranty--a far cry from Apple's 1-year coverage for refurbished hardware.
On Sale Now: $399.99
View the latest prices for Microsoft Zune (second generation, 80GB, black)
The winner will get one of these 8GB Nanos.
For the holidays we've got something special in store for Crave giveaways: we're going daily instead of weekly. That's right, from now until Christmas, excluding weekends and holidays, we're giving away something every day and it's all really good stuff, including TVs, Netbooks, and cell phones.
To kick things off, we thought we'd go with something from Apple, and thanks to Target.com, we have an 8GB iPod Nano, which Target's online store has on sale for a few bucks less than Apple's list price--and it ships for free.
Normally, the 8GB iPod Nano fifth generation would cost you about $145, but you have the chance to get it gratis.
So, how do you try to win this 8GB iPod Nano? 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, there's 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) Apple iPod Nano 8GB. Approximate retail value is $145.
- 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 Tuesday, November 24, at 9 AM 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 9 AM ET on November 24, 2009. See official rules for details.
Good luck.
Come back tomorrow for our next holiday giveaway. Tomorrow's prize will be a Sony Bravia 32-inch LCD TV.
Amidio makes some heavy-duty musical apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch; I was particularly impressed with StarGuitar, which gives you a virtual guitar with a bunch of preset rhythms, letting songwriters create quick sketches of ideas when they're nowhere near a guitar.
I created a nice vocal loop from the new Beach House single, then dropped it into Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine." It took me about five minutes.
On Tuesday, Apple approved a new Amidio app, called TouchDJ, for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and it's both very impressive from a technical standpoint and a heck of a lot of fun. The iPhone can only play one audio track at a time, but TouchDJ essentially fools it into placing two MP3s side by side for simultaneous, real-time manipulation and playback. It's like a two-track digital DJ setup right on your iPhone.
You get a crossfader to control the balance between the two tracks, plus individual controls for each track's volume, pitch/speed (which aren't independent from one another, unfortunately), equalization (three bands), and effects (the built-in real-time effect sounds like a kind of flanger, and there are several lame samples of a low-pitched robot voice, but you can upload your own). Each track is represented by simple waveform images that use a different color for the bass, which helps you match beats more effectively. A tempobend effect, which lets you quickly bend the speed up or down on either track, also helps you get in sync.
The looping functions were most impressive--you can create a cue and loop mark at any point in either track, then return to the cue with the rewind button, move to the loop mark with the fast forward button, or create an endless loop between the two points. All of this is in real time. If you've got an audio splitter, you can even create a separate cue track for your headphones--for example, to set up a loop in your second track while the first one is playing, without exposing your experimentation to your audience--although this requires some serious processing power, and is recommended only for an iPhone 3GS.
There are a couple caveats.... Read more
Back in 2007, Bowers & Wilkins brought out the uniquely styled Zeppelin iPod speaker, which we described in our review as being every bit as sophisticated as Apple's iconic player, with detailed sound that largely lived up to B&W's high-end reputation. That Zeppelin remains on the market, but now it's got a smaller, less expensive--and more subdued-looking--sibling called the Zeppelin Mini.
While the $400 Mini is less determined to stick out, it's still a sleekly styled speaker with a swiveling, pedestal-like stand and a mirrored chrome top that's pitched at an angle and is slightly concave (yes, you'll end up having to wipe dust and fingerprints off it to keep it looking its shiny best). True to its Mini name, this is a compact iPod audio system, measuring 6.8 inches high by 12.5 inches wide by 4 inches deep. And while it's small, it does feel substantial when you pick it up, weighing 4.75 pounds.
How does it sound?
On Sale Now: $399.95
View the latest prices for B&W Zeppelin Mini Speakers for iPod
The iStetho Adapter converts an old stethoscope into an electronic one using an iPhone or iPod Touch and the iStethoscope Pro app.
(Credit: The Undercover Scientist)If you're the kind of person who likes to take scissors to old gadgets, this one's for you. Start-up RidRx is now selling an adapter to connect old stethoscopes to an iPhone or iPod Touch, along with a phone dock/holder and an app that translates the audio your stethoscope captures into such delightful digital accoutrements as sound spectrograms.
And yes, the firm's easy-to-follow instructions include taking trauma shears to your old 'scope to fit it to the patent-pending iStetho Adapter. So the whole process, from tinkering with hardware to taking current heart-rate readings with the iStethoscope Pro app, promises to be a heart-healthy thrill.
Medgadget, which reported on the release of the adapter on Tuesday morning, is also publishing the following disclaimer:
U.S. FDA and other regulatory agencies are far behind the times that we live in, so they have no current policies to deal with the proliferation of mobile computing devices and their potential uses in medicine. Hence, none of the iPhone applications and attachments are classified as medical devices, so they are sold for nonmedical uses only.
In other words, the adapter can really only be marketed for recreational use. Still, I can see a wide range of medical applications for such a mobile stethoscope, including measuring the effect on my own cardiovascular health of the Microsoft vs. Mac comments that could very well somehow manage to work their way into this thread... (Ahem.)
For an informative, quiet, and ultimately entertaining tutorial on how to use the app, watch The Undercover Scientist's presentation below:
For a "limited time," the adapter is $29.99. And if you don't have an old stethoscope lying around, you can pick up their recommended Trimline stethoscope for $79.99. The app itself, which has been available for a few months, will set you back 99 cents.
The Rihanna kitchen scale from ADE Germany includes an iPod dock and integrated speaker.
(Credit: ADE Germany)Do you love listening to music as much as you love to precisely measure cooking ingredients? Of course you don't. But that's not going to stop ADE Germany from slapping an iPod dock onto a kitchen scale early next year, with an expected asking price of $103.
The scale, which is curiously dubbed "Rihanna," includes an LCD that measures 1.7 inches by less than an inch and an integrated iPod speaker that plays beneath the glass measuring area.
The scale itself handles loads of up to 11 pounds, graduated in .04-ounce steps. It cannot, however, distinguish between kush or schwagg.
(Via Gizmag)
