Q: I have yet to really build a music file online. I have dabbled with Napster and iTunes, but really don't have much of a collection. I would like to begin ripping music CDs to my computer. It is confusing, but from what I have read it appears I should rip my music up in MP3 format, which would make it very versatile for different uses. I have several music players (an iPod Touch, a Nano and a Creative Zen V Plus for the gym). I do like iTunes and probably would download less than 75 songs a year. Is there a way to purchase iTunes Plus songs in MP3 format? Do you have any other suggestions for me? -- Jim, via e-mail
A: It sounds like you're pretty happy with iTunes (and it's a pretty simple program to use), so I'm going to provide you with some basic instructions that center around that jukebox. First, since you're using a variety of players (one of which doesn't support AAC), it's going to be easiest if you rip CDs and purchase music in MP3 format. The default for iTunes is to rip CDs to AAC, so you will want to change the settings in the software first.
To do that, open iTunes and go to Edit > Preferences. Under the General tab, click the button for Import Settings. Using the drop-down menu, select the MP3 Encoder. Below that, you have the option to adjust the bit rate. The higher the bit rate, the bigger the resulting file and the better the audio quality. Only go with a lower bit rate if you are looking to conserve space on your hard drive or want to fit more songs on your MP3 player. Click OK twice and you're done there. Next time you pop in a CD, iTunes will prompt you to rip it.
Unfortunately, iTunes itself only sells files in AAC format, so that will not work if you are looking specifically for MP3s. For purchasing music online, I would suggest the Amazon MP3 Store. All music is in MP3 format, and you can set it up so that when you download from Amazon's store, the files are automatically added to your iTunes library.
MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)
8X zoom for your DSi.
(Credit: Nyko)Hot off the heels of the company's Wand accessory release for the Nintendo Wii, video game accessory manufacturer Nyko debuted three new products at this year's E3 convention.
The Zoom Case for Nintendo DSi is certainly the most interesting DSi accessory we've seen yet, boasting an 8X zoom lens attachment. The protective case is textured for a better grip on the system and the zoom lens itself can be detached and transported in a case of its own. Good thing for that or this accessory would have removed the "portable" feature of the DSi.
For those PSP owners not choosing to upgrade to the new PSP Go, the Charge Flex Grip will provide your handheld (the PSP-2000 or the 3000) with an improved grip as well as up to 1.5 times more play with an embedded rechargeable battery. More high-res photos await! ... Read more
Laptop tray beats the heat
(Credit: Veer)This Type Tray acts as a barrier between a hot laptop and your legs, which is great because up until now I've always used a pillow to protect myself from tech-related burns.
Veer and Scribble Product Design configured the tray to allow heat to dissipate through its 3/4-inch layer of 100 percent industrial wool felt. The Type Tray also features an intricate typographic design laser-etched into the surface, courtesy of P22 Kilkenny and Cavetto. The product also does its part to help Mother Nature by only using recycled (and recyclable) materials.
The Type Tray is available here for $100.
Who needs apostrophes? Well, you do, so let the iPhone auto-insert them for you.
As you probably know, the iPhone attempts to auto-correct as you type. If you key in "blogget," for example, it'll automatically replace it with "blogger" when you hit the space bar. But did you know the iPhone can compensate for missing punctuation as well?
Try it. Type "can't" without the apostrophe (and then hit Space). Presto: the iPhone fills it in for you. Same goes for words like "don't," "isn't," and "you're."
What this means is you can tap along without switching to the number/punctuation keyboard every time you need an apostrophe.
If you need another kind of punctuation, try this: tap and hold the number/punctuation button, slide your finger to the mark you want, and then release. The iPhone will insert the symbol and return you to the QWERTY keyboard.
Of course, there's another typing time-saver most people already know: a double-tap of the space bar adds a period (and space) at the end of a sentence. And you probably know this one as well: you can tap and hold some letters and punctuation marks to bring up a menu of alternate letters and/or symbols.
Finally, a keyboard that makes sense.
(Credit: Fast Finger Keyboard)Say goodbye to QWERTY because a new revolution of keyboards has begun. Call her crazy, but Faith Quintavell, the creator of the Fast Finger Keyboard, has released a keyboard whose keys are in the order of the ABC's.
After she noticed a store clerk use what she calls the 'hunt and peck" method of typing, she was inspired and created this intuitive keyboard. The Fast Finger Keyboard is especially helpful for beginner typists, as they can simply plug in the keyboard, and begin typing (assuming they know their ABC's) Like the Keyboard for Blondes, this keyboard has the quick IM keys with phrases like "LOL", "CYA", and "BTW". Additionally, if not everyone in the household wants to give up QWERTY, the keyboard can be switched by pressing a special button.
Perhaps with this keyboard, gramps can answer your emails a little quicker, and your kid sister can get on MySpace a little sooner. For $27.95, the keyboard can be purchased on her website, and will soon be available on Amazon.com
I remember learning how to type a long time ago with a fake keyboard sketched on a piece of paper. It was fun trying to imagine and remember all the keys' position, though I would never want to have to repeat that exercise. Good news is you don't have to, at least not the imagining part.
The color-blind need not apply, but KeyRight just recently introduced what is arguably the most colorful keyboard in the world. It's a part of the company's Look & Learn typing solution for those who want to quickly and accurately use a keyboard.
The KeyRight keyboard looks and works just like any other QWERTY USB keyboards with the exception that it comes with keys color-coded into different finger zones. These zones help you memorize which keys are used with the proper fingers, which will help to create muscle memory. For example, the left-hand pinkie finger uses all the red keys, and the right-hand pinkie uses pink keys.
The solutions also comes with a Typing Tutor, a software program that teaches you how to type step by step. KeyRight says that its solution can help a person become a typist within six hours.
Personally, I think the keyboard is pretty cool for kids and helpful for beginners. Ultimately, you don't want to look at the keyboard, but the screen, when typing.
If you feel you need to color up your fingertips, the KeyRight Look & Learn Typing Solution is available for $39.95, about the price of an expensive multimedia keyboard.
(Credit:
Sony)
Sony is rolling out its biggest laptop yet. Tuesday, the company shared details on the Vaio type A, an 18.4-inch laptop targeting graphics pros. The Vaio type A will trump the current 17-inch Vaio AR as the largest Vaio in the land. It's scheduled to be released in Japan at the end of the month; no word yet on if and when it'll come to the U.S.
Now, on to the specs. The Sony Vaio type A features a full HD (1920x1080), LED backlit display. It's powered by a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a GeForce 9600M GT graphics card. Dual 250GB hard drives, Blu-ray burner, and eSATA port take care of your storage options. It weighs 8.6 pounds, which is only a hair more than what the current Vaio AR weighs and less than the only other 18.4-inch laptop we've seen, the Acer Aspire 8920.
The Vaio type A also supplies an HDMI out, along with FireWire, three USB ports, and a high-speed UDMA-enabled CompactFlash slot.
Battery life reportedly clocks in at two hours, though an optional second unit will give you another three hours of shoulder-busting travel time.
Pricing estimates peg it at roughly $3,000, though it appears as though some of the price might go toward preloaded Adobe software that the intended audience already owns.
This morning, Six Apart unveiled its newest iPhone creation, a very svelte-looking port of Blog It, which the company introduced back in April. The simple tool lets you write and cross-blog a post or status update to several services at once. The company is hoping people will use it as a home base to manage all their updates. It's also a somewhat early look at some of the features users will be getting in the upcoming native blogging application announced on Monday.
The tool started out as a Facebook app and has since pulled in about 10,000 users. According to Six Apart's Open Platforms technical lead, David Recordon, the top user request was to get the service onto other platforms, and the iPhone is just the first. Another was to get a WYSIWYG editor built in so people won't have to deal with inserting all sorts of HTML gobbledy goop while typing out a quick post on the road. That was added just a month later.
The app uses the same open standards architecture as the Facebook app, meaning you can log in quickly with your OpenID or from any of the blogging platforms. The only legwork that must be done is setting up all your accounts one by one. If you don't feel like numbing your fingers on the iPhone version, you can add these same accounts in the Facebook version of Blog It--the two share the same login information.
Verizon Wireless G'zOne Type-S
(Credit: Verizon Wireless)Casio showed off its new G'zOne Type-S for Verizon Wireless in black and silver at the UTStarcom booth here at CTIA. It's almost exactly the same as the original rugged clamshell, but it now supports push-to-talk capabilities. The rest of the Type-S Casios will have this feature as well, it's just that the black and silver version is the first out the gate with it. It's saddled with only a VGA camera, but a rugged phone like this doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles. Verizon is offering it now for $99.99 after a discount and a two year contract.
(Credit:
Drinkstuff)
If you find yourself seriously considering one of these items, it's time to leave your desk and get out in the real world. Now.
This USB speedometer may look like a retro dashboard instrument, but instead of gauging miles per hour it's designed to measure "wpm"--words per minute. That's right, it's a device that tracks how fast you're typing. It does require some software but, other than that, it's just plug and play, or type. Technabob says it tops out at 260 wpm, which is 48 words faster than the world's record held by Barbara Blackburn of Salem, Oregon, who is said to have failed her high school typing class.
And in case your taskmaster boss procures these speedometers as part of a forced labor program, don't think you can get away with just running your fingers across the keyboard to rack up numbers. It tallies how many actual words you've typed, not just random letters.
