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Whether you have your own band or want to start a mini-music production company, Ripfactory has unveiled its NAS with integrated CD ripping engine. Plug the Ripserver into a network connection via USB and it will hold up to 1TB of music files. Insert a CD into the loading drive slot and it will be converted in a matter of minutes, adds it to your library with its UPnP media server, and spits it back out. No keyboard or monitor is needed. Ripserver runs on Linux and needs minimal setup. Select from 500 or 1TB capacity, black or white, for £599 (~$1,200.00) or £699 (~$1,400.00.)
Read More 
| Ripfactory
Gallery: Ripserver Makes CDs
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Pitchfork TV to Feature All Music Online
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Movies, Music,
Pitchfork Media is launching an online music TV channel April 7. Think of it as “YouTunes.” The site will feature mini-documentaries, music sessions, concerts, interviews, and music videos. They will also offer films, concerts, and music DVDs at no charge. With full creative control, the original site already has events, reviews, and news tidbits, and is simply moving up the technological ladder with Pitchfork.tv.
Pitchfork promises a hi-res display and will be adding personal playlists so you can save your faves. Let’s hope that the company sticks to its standards and offers music other than a monotonous Billboard Top Ten.
Read More | Pitchfork Media
Gallery: Pitchfork TV to Feature All Music Online
WolframTones Make Mathematical Music
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Music, Science,
Want to see what algorithms look like when translated into music? That is exactly what WolframTones is all about. It takes programs from Stephen Wolfram’s computations and turns them into tunes. No matter how many times you select a type of music, you will get a new permutation and mini-light show. Create rock/pop, jazz, classical, piano and other compositions and adjust pitch, time, and instrumentation. If you would like to play or find out how the phenomenon was created, check out his site.
Read More | WolframTones
Gallery: WolframTones Make Mathematical Music
Add a little pizzazz to your earbuds with Budclicks
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, Design, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Tired of your bland iPod earbuds? Check out Budclicks, decorative “add-ons” that snap onto those buds, lending them a little more personality. Designs include “radioactive,” “biohazard,” and for the ladies “pink daisy” and “red retro starburst.” According to the website, the Budclicks also fit on PSP and Intec earbuds. Budclicks are 1” in diameter and cost only $10-$15 USD per set.
Read More | Fractal Spin
Gallery: Add a little pizzazz to your earbuds with Budclicks
Sprint Offers More Than Just Talk for Less
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, GPS, Hot Deals, Movies, Music,
Sprint has joined some of the other major mobile companies in offering a $99.99 unlimited calling plan. Referred to as “Simply Everything,” it not only includes talk, but gives you Web browsing, Sprint TV and Music, GPS navigation, text, video, and picture messaging, and push-to-talk. Existing customers can switch without a fee charge and newbies can sign up for the rate with a two year contract. While we are in no hurry to run to the company to get in on the hot deal, we hope their competitors will find this a fine time to vie for our dollars.
Read More | Sprint
Gallery: Sprint Offers More Than Just Talk for Less
Speaker Monkey Friendly to Music
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Movies, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
In our quest for the most nauseatingly cute musical accessories, this one comes pretty close. The Speaker Monkey is a 7-inch full range stereo speaker that runs on USB or batteries. It is compatible with PCs, Macs, iPods, CD and DVD players or any other gadget that has a standard audio jack. If the Monkey isn’t your style, we suspect that you can choose a Penguin or Turtle to appease your inner animal needs. Each one comes at a price of $6.88.
Read More | Spilsbury
Gallery: Speaker Monkey Friendly to Music
Guitar Rockstar Makes Music Simplified
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Music, Toys,
We have had a lot of musical gadgets on Gear Live recently, but leave it to Tomy to come up with something that almost looks like what it is supposed to be. The Guitar Rockstar, at a size of 250 x 210 x 70mm, has numerous buttons to make music. There are all the basic chords, as well as those sharp, flat, major, and 7th. With both strum and free-play, would that a real guitar could be this easy for those of us that just don’t have the fingers for it. The musical toy will be available in randomly chosen black, blue, and red in June and needs 3 AAA batteries (not included) at a price of £14.99 (~$30.00.)
Read More | Drinkstuff
Gallery: Guitar Rockstar Makes Music Simplified
Apple must be positively giddy at hearing the news that the iTunes Store is now the #2 retailer of music, second only to Wally World. The company claims that it sold 20 million tunes on Christmas Day alone. Based on an NPD Group survey, the top four also included Best Buy and Target. The study also concluded that about 29 million consumers, ages 36 to 50, acquired music legally. They were those that had recently purchased (or received) MP3 players. That was an increase of 5 mill over the year before. That’s a lot of assuaged guilt.
Read More | NPD Group
Gallery: Apple is Second in Music Sales
MP3 Player Looks Like a Toy, Sounds Like Music
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Homeloo has a slew of Lego-esque products. Their Homade MP3 Player has a rechargeable Li-ion battery and supports a 2GB microSD card. It features raised buttons for control and file managing. You can connect it to your USB port with the included cable. At a size of 24 x 3cm and a weight of about 400g, the player also comes with headphone and strap for $46.00. Homade also offers a Mini-iStereo Dock Speaker for $16.99 and an iStereo Speaker for $39.99.
Read More | Homeloo
Gallery: MP3 Player Looks Like a Toy, Sounds Like Music
Samsung Unveils Guru Cell Phone
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Music,
Samsung Telecommunications India has launched the Guru 100, an entry level cell phone. The cellie has mobile tracking, MP3 ringtone capability (with 2 Bollywood tunes included,) and a 9 hour talk time battery life. It also features phone number storage with up to 500 entries, speakerphone, alarm, calculator, a Java game, and simplified SMS that recognizes both English and Hindi words. The Guru carries a price of ~$49.00. We think it is an excellent idea that could be used as a prototype for bi-lingual products in other countries as well.
Read More | India e-News
