Home Audio

Ripfactory's Ripserver could be the perfect first step in cutting down on CD clutter. Available in 500 gigabyte and 1 terrabyte (1000 gigabytes) configurations, the Ripserver automatically rips and converts CDs to either MP3 or FLAC. The RAID storage option means there are two identical hard drives built into the Ripserver for backup purposes, and extra USB connections allow you to add additional external drives to increase your storage space.

The Ripserver runs a version of Linux and can run stand-alone or interface with many popular systems: XBox 360, PS3, Mac OS X, Windows, and more. As long as you have the Ripserver connected to your home network, you'll be able to access your music from everything from iTunes to your home stereo.

We're disappointed by the pricey £599 starting price and lack of video support, but we like the Ripserver's sleek design, expandability and ability to connect with many of our other home devices.

From Engadget

Related Links:

• Movie Rentals Hit iTunes (Plus, a New Apple TV)
• In-Car CD Players May Face Extinction
• Are Your CDs and DVDs Rotting Away?

What's a Mako 2.1 THX Sound System?
We got a chance to demo, in our more natural settings (i.e. Josh's office at home), Razer's Mako 2.1 speaker system. For the uninitiated, this 2.1 (two satellite speakers and a subwoofer) sound system uses a unique "Ground Plane" technology developed by THX (the people behind breakthrough cinema sound systems) and Razer (the guys behind all the cool gaming mice and keyboards) that turns any flat surface into a giant reflecting speaker.

Initial Impressions
The results are impressive, and we're going to have a hard time going back to our old-school standard speakers when our date with the Mako's ends. Bass response is smooth and musical -- as opposed to boomy -- while the highs are clean. These speakers might actually be a bit too clean, as we began to hear inadequacies in our 196-bit (the rate at which they were sampled) MP3 and AAC files from our iTunes library.

As far as ergonomics and design, the Mako is super minimal in a matte-black finish. Since the speakers don't actually look like speakers, the effect is clean, if not a bit cold. The system's touch-sensitive remote allows one to pack away the subwoofer out of sight under a desk. However, its super-shiny surface is a quick finger print magnet, undermining its cool blue glow. We also wish the thing was wireless, but then again, we wish virtually everything was wireless.

So, Is it Worth It?
Overall, we love this sound system. The Mako produces deep, rich sound that's fair to your music in a surprisingly small package. If you're looking for a serious computer and gaming sound system, this one is hard to beat unless you're a real stickler for 5.1 surround sound. As for games, the system has a serious pop that felt great without coming off as aggressively loud.

As we mentioned in our preview, there are limitations with the Mako 2.1. The system only has three inputs -- two 1/8-inch (headphone-size) line ins, and a standard RCA phono plug input on the subwoofer unit. This means the Mako has no digital inputs for more modern sound cards with digital outs. In addition, the Mako uses proprietary speaker cables (see the gallery) that will limit how far you can spread the satellites. Finally, the system will run $399 when it hits retail. While the THX-certified sound is upscale and (to our ears) worth it, not everyone wants to spend that much on a 2.1 sound system.

If you're serious about sound, the Mako is THX sonic bliss.

Gallery: Razer Mako 2.1 Advanced Desktop Audio

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Related Links:

• Switched Previews Razer's Mako 2.1 THX Sound System
• Hands-On With Monster's New Dr. Dre Beats Headphones
• Bose iPod Dock Goes Portable

Rocky always refused to go down, even if his face got beaten into Hamburger Helper. Despite looking like Rocky sans the steadfastly loyal fan base, the folks behind HD-DVD are trying to get that cinematic comeback-when-the-chips-are-down win... or at least some sort of moral victory.

Wired reports that Toshiba, one of the companies that's backing HD-DVD, has paid $2.7 million for a 30-second commercial airtime spot during this Sunday's Super Bowl. This is very strange news indeed, considering most people -- including consumers in January -- have already decided that HD-DVD is dead.

Perhaps this is Toshiba's way of saying that it's going the distance, no matter the facts. Maybe the HD-DVD player manufacturers are determined to carve some sort of new niche as the cheaper, downmarket alternative to Blu-ray's pricey and flashy product. Time to cue the inspirational soundtrack...

From Wired

Related Links:

• HD DVD's Long Walk Back to the Locker Room of Shame
• It's Finally Time to Pick Blu-ray Over HD-DVD
• High-Def Adult Movies Coming to Blu-ray
• HD DVD vs. Blu-ray Format War Gets Violent

It appears that the high-definition disc format war between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD is nearing the mop-up stages, as Blu-Ray sales have accounted for 93% of the market share for set-top players since the second week of January. Coming on the heels of Warner's announcement to support Blu-ray rather than its rival, HD-DVD, these figured indicate that HD-DVD could be in its death throes. Interestingly, sales were almost evenly split during the first week of January, before the Warner announcement.

While the numbers suggest that the general public is taking the pragmatic approach in supporting the supposed victor, HD-DVD nevertheless continues to insist on business as usual. One aspect of the issue to consider is whether or not the mainstream media bears some responsibility for the skewed sales, as most media outlets reported the Warner story as the nail in HD-DVD's coffin. Did the media "make" news which the public followed? You decide, but it may be a moot point if Blu-Ray continues to enjoy its current market share for DVD players.

From The Digital Bits Via Engadget

Related Links:

• HD-DVD's Long Walk Back to the Locker Room of Shame
• High-Def Adult Movies Coming to Blu-ray
• It's Finally Time to Pick Blu-ray Over HD-DVD
• Blu-Ray Player Reviews

Forget home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB). For around a million dollars, Swiss-based ultra-high-end audio manufacturer Goldmund will build you a custom-designed media room, specifically tailored and built to withstand peak audio levels equivalent to a jet taking off.

When Goldmund invited us to their exclusive Los Angeles showroom during the Consumer Electronics Show, we were skeptical that 130dB of sound energy would melt our brain. In a way, it did, but not in the painful, drippy sort of way. After watching a movie in a Goldmund media room, no theater will ever compare. Take a look at our exclusive video to find out more.

Related Links:

• Alienware's Stunning, Wrap-around Display
• The World's Largest Plasma TV: 150"
  
• Our Best HDTV Pick: Pioneer Kuro Elite 50" Plasma

Robots are everywhere. Especially at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show last week. But here's the good news -- you'll be able to buy many of the robots you'll see talking, posing, and rolling around in the above exclusive Switched video. Check it out.

We've been reporting how Green Technology is making the headlines at this year's Consumer Electronics Showcare. Whether developing atmosphere and energy-friendly cars that run on hydrogen fuel cells or batteries made with no lead, cadmium or mercury, businesses are increasingly becoming eco-conscious as they make new products for the consumer. These sometimes wacky, sometimes futuristic items offer sources of clean, power-conserving energy while minimizing harm to the environment. Check out the gallery for a look at how green things have become.

Continue >>

Gallery: Green Technology Abounds at 2008 CES in Las Vegas

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Related Links:

• Green Tech to be a Major Theme at Next Week's Gadget Show
• Greenpeace Trying to Clean Up the Gaming Industry
• Energy-Saving Bulbs Causing Migraine Headaches

Wondering whether to go with Blu-ray or HD-DVD? The decision is pretty clear, if the lightning fast drama and events over the past few days at CES are any indication.

First, last Friday, Warner Bros. announced it was switching its exclusive deal for next-gen disc availability of its movies (everything from 'The Matrix' to 'Lord of the RIngs') from HD-DVD to Blu-ray. This was enough to get the pundits, speculators, and naysayers foaming at the mouth with pronouncements that Blu-ray could well have won the war of next-gen, HD-quality disc formats.

Then, on Sunday, the HD-DVD group cancelled its CES press conference and event. Rather than spinning the Warner Bros. news with a smiling, confident face, the HD-DVD camp basically surrendered the public relations war, which leads us to believe that either it was totally caught off guard and suddenly had no press announcement at the 11th hour. It certainly was a tough position to be in, but at least Toshiba's VP of DVD marketing, Jody Sally kept a strong front by saying "HD-DVD is not dead," at a press conference on Sunday. (Toshiba was one of the major investors behind the HD-DVD format.) Not a bad strategy considering that company just released some hot new Qosmio laptops with the world's first rewriteable HD-DVD drive, among other features.

Still, the rumors have kept on flying, from naysayings by 'Transformers' director Michael Bay to word that Target may soon start selling only Blu-ray discs.

Now the Financial Times is saying that Paramount may be bowing out of its commitments to HD-DVD, which makes it the last major studio to move over to the other side. Until this latest news broke, early pronouncements of HD-DVD's demise may have seemed a bit premature, but now all those early naysayers seem to have been right on the money.

Yesterday, we took images of the adjoining booths on the show floor. As you can see, the Blu-ray booth was flooded with visitors, while the HD-DVD booth was relatively sleepy (giving its workers time to work on their resumes, no doubt).

So, what does this mean for you? Well, if you recently bought (or received) one of those $199 HD-DVD players that were for sale everywhere, don't worry -- you have, in effect, a fine DVD player that will upscale regular DVDs to quasi-HDTV quality.

If you're in the market for one of these players to show off the HD capabilities of your new TV, then it's safe to say that Blu-ray is the way to go. Plenty of new Blu-ray players (and drives and PCs) are on display at the show, and it's even rumored that Apple will announce Blu-ray drives at next week's MacWorld Expo.

And for existing owners of Blu-ray players, there's even more good news: This year some of those much touted online elements, such as Blu-ray Live, which let you download information on a movie from the Web or even play games with others over the Internet, will finally make their way onto Blu-ray discs later this year (or so says the Blu-ray disc camp).

So it seems like the battle of next-gen discs has been won by Blu-ray, but the war between the different HD-content distribution camps is far from over. In fact, it didn't look like Bill Gates, whose Microsoft was also a big supporter of HD-DVD, was phased in the least bit the other night at his last CES keynote. In fact, Gates focused on digital distribution (over the Internet) of SD and HD content from even more content partners (Showtime, ABC). In other words, he's probably thanking his lucky stars that Microsoft hedged its bets and offered HD-DVD as a separate drive for the Xbox 360 rather than built-in.

Regardless, over the last few days, HD-DVD's star has fallen about as quickly as a certain Democrat's presidential campaign, making us want to call HD-DVD the Hillary Clinton of optical disc formats (or is Hillary Clinton the HD-DVD of presidential candidates?).

Let's just hope that nobody from the HD-DVD camp jumps out of a window, because what happened to that team over the past few days was extremely harsh and sudden, the stuff of a prime-time soap, if prime-time soaps actually bothered themselves with dorky topics like movie disc formats.

Pioneer is going the way of Jules Verne as it journeys to the center of the earth to develop speaker technology. While yesterdays press conference at CES already had us chomping at the bit over future plasma flat screen technology, we've got to give props to Pioneer's R & D people for using volcanic rock as the material for a key component of its speakers.

Constructing the new speakers utilizes basalt technology in a process that involves polarizing the rock (to identify the correct volcanic minerals to use) and melting it at 2500 degrees. The resulting fibers are drawn and woven into fabric for a cone, which is the circular piece that houses the speakers and transmits sound. "Whoa," Keanu Reeves would say if he knew about the procedure.

There are distinct advantages to using basalt rock, as it makes the volcanic speaker material both light and stiff (easy to carry, but not susceptible to bass-induced rattle). The demand for speakers that are not too heavy but stand up to the music booming is understandable and now attainable. Our only advice besides suggesting you look into these speakers is this: Just because Pioneer went and got all 'Joe Versus the Volcano' doesn't mean you should...



Related Links:

• Lady Bug Speakers Ready to Shred With iPods and Skateboarders
• This 17,000 Watt Car Stereo Turns Car Into Jell-O
• Epson's Home-Theater-In-a-Box Comes With 100-Inch Screen, Projector

Who would have thunk it, but those Canadians sure don't mess around when it comes to... well, the "wow" factor. WowWee, a Montreal-based robotics company that brought us the Robosapien and the animatronic Elvis Head, is already dazzling the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with some brand new products for 2008. Easily the coolest development from those guys that like to say "eh" is something we first mistook for a miniature Batmobile, a sweet little thing Wowwee call Rovio.

The device, a Wi-Fi-enabled robotic webcam, streams audio in addition to video and gives users remote control from any Web-connected gadget, such as a computer or even a cell phone. Owners can direct Rovio to move to a specific location with the touch of a button, and the robot will get itself to the destination. Using the impressive NorthStar navigation system, Rovio knows where it is, where other objects are and moves from way point to way point on its own. Whether you want to know what's shaking with the fam when you're away or simply solve the mystery of which dog has been peeing on the carpet, you need look no further than Rovio for help.

Wowwee has certainly wowed us with mass-market robotic inventions that dance, growl, fly, sing, and sometimes just act cute, but this is the first wireless one we've seen that has both a gee-whiz factor and a genuine practical use.

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until the Fall for this one to hit stores, and it'll be a semi-hefty $299 a pop, but it's certain to make you the coolest gadget hound on the block (at least judging by the attention the Rovio was getting on the CES show floor this evening).


From Wowwee





Related Links:

• Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 HD Webcam
• Robot Dog Listens to Your iPod, Dances and Seeks Attention
• AIBO Robotic-Dog Coming Back in 2008! Maybe.

These days one has no shortage of things in which to set his iPod. There's a keyboard dock, an old guitar, a faux-turntable, even a toilet paper roll (we wish we were kidding about that last one). At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, which opens next week, new entrant to the electronics market Cue Accoustics will debut yet another thing to set your iPods into -- a much more stylish and practical choice than the above options.

It's called the Cue Radio and is a simple yet sophisticated looking device. On top is the ubiquitous iPod universal dock for cradling your favorite gadget. Inside is an AM/FM tuner, so the thing will still pump out some tunes even when said dock is empty. With only three dials the thing is a cinch, and though it appears to only have one speaker, it's intended to be the "best table radio in its class."

That potentially puts it up against some stiff competition from the likes of B&W, Bose, and Cambridge Soundworks, but just which class it falls within depends on the price, something we'll have to wait until next week to find out.



Related Links:

• B&W Zeppelin -- the Best iPod Dock We've Tried
• Razer Pro|Type Keyboard iPod Dock Review
• Bose iPod Dock Goes Portable

HTIB's -- "home theaters in a box" -- are all-in-one systems that deliver everything you need to take that big new HDTV you just bought and give yourself the full home theater experience with a surround-sound system. However, these systems generally assume you've already purchased a TV, and most are targeted toward entry-level consumers who just want to be flanked by speakers (and speaker cable) but aren't too picky about sound quality.

Epson's Ensemble HD package is a different beast.

This is similar in purpose, including a 5.1 speaker system with an integrated A/V receiver and DVD player, along with all the wires and cabling you'll need to hook it all together. However, this bundle also includes a motorized screen and your choice of one of Epson's high-end LCD projectors. Couple the two together and, if you opt for the higher-end bundle, you can project a 100-inch 1080p image onto the screen, which will silently retract into its housing when you're done for the night.

So, it's a little more high-end than you're typical HTIB, and is priced accordingly. The top-of-the-line system with the 1080p projector will set you back $6,999 when it's released next month, though you can save yourself two grand and go for the $4,999 720p projector if you like. But, really, what's two grand when you're living the life?

Related Links:

• Onkyo HT-SP908 Home-Theater-in-a-Box (HTIB)
• Sophisti DD-3 Plays Nice With Your PC
• Netflix and LG to Bring Digital Movies to your TV

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to cut down on the number of wires cluttering your home, then the i2i Stream Digital Music Broadcaster may be for you. The purpose of this product, available in March, is to turn any of your traditional music players at home (such as CD players, DVD players, iPods, and even computers) into wireless music sources. Multiple listeners can enjoy the music on their own sets of earphones or you can have the music stream through regular speakers so everyone can listen together.

Hiding or eliminating wires in the home has been the goal of many companies, whether by streaming content through existing powerlines or broadcasting the music using Wi-Fi. Now i2i maker Aerielle Inc. has thrown its hat into the mix -- with CEO Art Cohen touting the "one-to-many" quality of his product.

"We've created a way for friends to listen to music content without the hassle of sharing ear buds or swapping MP3 devices," Cohen said in today's pre-CES press release announcing the device (hey, we tried to call him, but we never heard back). The device can stream to "hundreds of other i2i Stream users from a single channel."

The i2i comes in a two pack. One of the units works as a broadcast device while the other receives. The system works by plugging one i2i device into the audio source to create the "audio stream," which broadcasts up to 30 feet. You then plug your listening device -- a pair of earbuds, for example -- into the second i2i device. The internal battery charge lasts up to seven hours.

Besides using i2i at home you can also take it with you on the road. So, for example, two people can listen to music from one MP3 player. One of the listeners carries the player and one of the i2i devices. The other listener carries just the other i2i device and plugs his or her earphones in to the appropriate jack.

The initial price for the two-pack is $129.95 and additional transceivers will cost $69.95 -- perhaps a tad pricey considering the limited range. An extra charger will go for $14.95.

Related links:

• Apple Adds Wi-Fi and Ringtones to iTunes
• Wireless Electricity = WiTricity
• Just Tell Me What to Get: Home Network

Want to know where software piracy will get you a death sentence? Listen to our new audio podcast and plan your next vacation accordingly.

Plus: E-nups, Wi-Fi in the sky, gadget threesomes, and all the top stories on Switched.com as discussed by the staff -- it's the Switched Show audio podcast. Plus, you can take it with you. On your iPod. Or your Zune. On your Juke. On your laptop. On your ... whatever.

You can listen to the show here (mp3) or, even better, you can SUBSCRIBE to our podcasts in iTunes (or via the direct feed, here).

Related Links:

• How To Watch TV Online - For Free
• Switched Show, To Go