Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It’s free!
Latest Gear Live Videos
PhonoFonic Blasts from the Past
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
This is definitely something retro that makes sense. Science and Sons’ Phonofonic II PMP Dock boosts your music player and earbuds into both a functional and aesthetic gadget. Plug into it and it gives your PMP 55 db of sound, which is about equal to the maximum volume of laptop speakers, without the requirement of any external power source. The Phonfonic II isn’t any ordinary dock though, for this Limited Edition carries an MSRP of $875.00.
Read More 
| New Launches
Gallery: PhonoFonic Blasts from the Past
Advertisement
Behringer’s USB Guitar Lets you Jam with your Computer
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, USB, Music,
If you’re a regular Gear Live reader, you know we love to write about wacky USB gadgets, such as the Lighted Mirror, and Aquarium. Well now we’ve decided to bring you something fun and useful! It’s Behringer’s Centari iAXE624 USB Guitar, a full-size real guitar that—you guessed it—plugs into your computer’s USB port. Why? So you can record your masterpieces directly into your computer, play along with your Led Zep MP3s (you know you want to), and perform tricks such as “time-stretching”. The guitar even has a headphone jack so you won’t
disturb the neighbors. The guitar also comes with software to edit and record your tunes. We just wish the Centari included guitar lessons. Available for $180 USD.
Read More | Behringer
Gallery: Behringer’s USB Guitar Lets you Jam with your Computer
iriver and Real Reveal clix Rhapsody
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Music, Portable Audio / Video, Software,
Earlier today, iriver and Real unveiled their new partnership strategy, focused on the new iriver clix Rhapsody digital media player. In reality, the clix Rhapsody is just a clix2 that inetgrates seamlessly with Real’s Rhapsody music service. The end result is something that is akin to the iPod + iTunes integration that many enjoy from the Apple side of things. The player will sync up with your Rhapsody library, and will also download personalized Rhapsody Channels which, in theory, should be chock full of tracks you will enjoy. If this sounds familiar, it’s because SanDisk has done something similar with their Sansa player. All in all, the iriver clix Rhapsody runs for $189.99 USD (watch out for the $12.99 monthly all-you-can-eat Rhapsody fee), which includes 4GB of storage, and is available now. Even better still, anyone who has previously purchased a clix2 can just upgrade the firmware on their device, which pretty much turns it into a clix Rhapsody as well.
Gallery: iriver and Real Reveal clix Rhapsody
It’s a frightening thought, but we’re wondering if there’s going to be a day when CDs will just fade away, like it’s predecessors the cassette, album, 45, 78 and 8-track. Judging by the latest Nielsen SoundScan figures this seems to be the case, as sales of digital music are up—almost 50% higher—than this time last year. Not surprisingly, CDs are decreasing in sales, down 15% over the same period (Jan 1- July 1). The main reason seems to be that the people are buying only the hit songs they like online, as opposed to the whole album, which makes complete sense to us. Unfortunately, this also means fans will miss out on some truly terrific music, because if you only buy Amy Winehouse’s hit “Rehab”, you may never experience just how amazing the rest of her “Back to Black” truly is.
Read More | New York Times
Gallery: Digital Music Sales Continue to Outpace Albums
I-Dear Unveils Universal PMP Speakers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Not to forget those who are still iPodless, South Korea has released the I-Dear speakers that are less than 1-cubic inch. Each one has a built-in rechargeable battery when hooked up to your USB and can run for about 5 hours when they are not. They feature a mere 1.5 W per channel, but we figure that the natural hardwood exteriors give you a little more class than the multitude of plastics now on the market. A pair will set you back KRW 41,200 (~ $44.82) at Earlyadopter.
Read More | technabob
Gallery: I-Dear Unveils Universal PMP Speakers
Corega Unveils iPod Shuffle Dock
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Apple, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Yet another dock is available for the 2nd generation iPod shuffle from Japan’s Corega. Available in the same 5 colors as the PMP, the CG-IPSPDC02 measures 100 x 22 x 40 mm and a weighs only 50g. Featuring two 20 x 25mm anti-magnetic speakers with a 0.5W x 2c output, it has a signal to noise ratio of 70dB and a playback frequency of 200Hz to 16 kH. Its USB connection allows for recharging of your iPod while listening to tunes, or add 2 AAA batteries. Cortega’s system will become available later this month for 3,675 Yen (~$30.00.)
Read More | Far East Gizmos
Gallery: Corega Unveils iPod Shuffle Dock
Finally Some Comfort With The Sonic Chair
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
We finally found a chair that looks like it came out of a sci-fi movie, yet may in fact be comfortable. The Sonic Chair doesn’t envelop you in its clutches, it simply surrounds you with suede microfibers and a mesh backrest with body-focused sound generators. The chair was designed by Frank Hussong, Michael Kientzler and Daniela Reuter. Included is a drink tray and you can request such options as an iPod dock or a touchscreen controller. Available in four colors, it carries a MSRP of ~$8,000.00.
Read More | Sonic Chair via Sci Fi Tech
Gallery: Finally Some Comfort With The Sonic Chair
iRiver’s New MP3 Player More Than a Mickey Mouse Operation
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Some titles just write themselves, don’t they? Disney fans—in Korea, anyway—can rejoice, as iRiver and the Mouse House collaborated to build a Mickey Mouse MP3 player. Mickey’s ears control volume and song selection, and the device supports MP3, WMA and ASF music formats, with 1GB memory. However, the player does not have a display, much like the iPod Shuffle. Currently, the player is available in Korea only, selling for about $60. It is not know whether the player will reach US shores.
Read More | I4U
Gallery: iRiver’s New MP3 Player More Than a Mickey Mouse Operation
Who says computers can’t inspire the arts? This awesome music was was composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson, the son of IBM chief maintenance engineer Jóhann Gunnarsson in Iceland who, with his colleagues in the 60’s, began to create music from electromagnetic leakage from an IBM 1401 Data Processing System. When “IBM:1401 A User’s Manual” was born 40 years later, it was originally scored for a 60 piece orchestra. Adapted for piano and Hammond organ, it subsequently went on tour to Wales, Tokyo, Belgium, and Copenhagen last summer. The choreography and interpretive dance is courtesy of Erna Omarsdotti, whose father also worked for IBM.
(Thanks, Stace)
Read More | Wired
Gallery: IBM Defect Makes Beautiful Music
Although swaptree has been in beta since 2004, it will finally launch next week on July 4. This service uses calculations that match you up with others based on that now widely known but little understood concept of algorithms. Before you run to the dictionary, it simply means that the service will narrow down items that are equal to those that you have and based on such results as location, objectively match them up. swaptree is free to the public, so you only need pay postage with Media Mail and a monthly fee of $1.00 to cover credit card transactions. Now might be the time to get into the back shelf of your closet and get rid all of those ugly ties that Uncle Peter keeps sending you for Christmas.
Read More | Mashable
