Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Mother's Day Gift Guide: Engraved iPod Nano]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/05/09/top-12-gadget-gifts-for-mom-7/http://www.switched.com/2008/05/09/top-12-gadget-gifts-for-mom-7/http://www.switched.com/2008/05/09/top-12-gadget-gifts-for-mom-7/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Maybe Mom wants something tiny and shiny? Though it may sound like a cliche gift, the neat and petite (GB) iPod Nano is still the ultra-portable music, video, and image player that we love best. It's simply the easiest way for your Mom to stay on top of her favorite TV or radio shows (thanks to availability on iTunes and radio podcasts of most major radio broadcasts) while on the go. And though there are seven colors to choose from, we suggest the newest addition in a bright, happy pink. The 4-gigabyte (GB) unit retails for $149 and the 8-gigabyte (GB) unit retails for $199. The price includes free engraving on the back for any thoughts you may have for Mom on this special day.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 09 May 2008 10:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple Updates iPod Shuffle]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/02/19/apple-updates-ipod-shuffle/http://www.switched.com/2008/02/19/apple-updates-ipod-shuffle/http://www.switched.com/2008/02/19/apple-updates-ipod-shuffle/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We were excited when the online Apple Store went down this morning because MacBook Pro and Cinema Display updates seem imminent and rumors have been flying about new iPhone developments. The store came back up announcing updates to the...

iPod Shuffle line.

Apple dropped the price of the 1-gigabyte model to $49, and debuted a brand new 2-gigabyte Shuffle for $69. The 1-gigabyte is available now, and the new 2-gigabyte model will be available later this month. Apple doubled the storage space of the Shuffle, and now offers the choice of pastel colors--silver, blue, green, purple and (PRODUCT) RED.

Will this barrage of sudden new Apple announcements ever cease? We hope not.

From The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Related Posts:
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleipodshuffleTue, 19 Feb 2008 12:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-On With Monster's New Dr. Dre Beats Headphones]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/24/hands-on-with-monsters-new-dr-dre-beats-headphones/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/24/hands-on-with-monsters-new-dr-dre-beats-headphones/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/24/hands-on-with-monsters-new-dr-dre-beats-headphones/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Dr. Dre Beats
When we first reported about the upcoming launch of Dr. Dre's Beats high-end headphones, we expected a mix of both parties' aptitude for doing things big and right. We got a chance to take the new skullpods for a test run last night, and our expectations were spot-on.

Sound Quality
Without getting too technical, we can confidently say that the Beats handled all the frequencies thrown at them without flapping on the bass or screeching on the treble. They have a definitive "warmth" to them that may make hardcore audiophiles scream such things as "accuracy" and "flat response," but, frankly, these headphones are designed to sound good on subways and streets. We convinced the Monsters to let us try out some of our own old '70s and '80s music just to see how the Beats handled that -- we weren't disappointed, although they behaved a lot more evenly with modern hip-hop and R&B. All in all, DJs and club-goers will absolutely love the sound quality.

Design & Comfort
These things scream class. With a shiny exterior and high-end ear cups, the Beats are seriously comfortable. While we only had them on for about 10 minutes, we experienced none of the ear fatigue or "hot ears" that other, less well-designed head cans exhibit. They come in a nice, sturdy case and fold up with an assuring "click." The Beats aren't small, though, so don't expect to just throw them in a pocket like you can in-ear headphones. What's more, big headphones like these are questionable as gym accessories.

iPhone Compatibility
Instead of including a call/send/end button and microphone right on the Beasts' cables, Monster has you using a cable adapter that makes things a little annoying, with several wires hanging from your ears and multiple connections to maintain. Performance on calls was also questionable, as we experienced radio interference from the phone's antenna. Hopefully Monster will take the time to add some shielding if they really want to call the Beats iPhone-compatible.

So Are They Worth It?
At $399, these aren't the headphones for just anyone. They are, however, perfect for street-smart, style-conscious, serious hip hop and club music listeners with a little extra cash and a penchant for high-end, high-impact sound. They sound every bit as good and loud as Dr. Dre promised they would, and they look great.

As mentioned, hardcore audiophiles may be disappointed in their hip-hop-friendly bass warmth. Overall, these are a solid entry into the crowded, but long-in-the-tooth high-end headphone set. It's nice to finally see some innovation in a genre of headphones that hasn't seen anything new and exciting in quite some time.

Related Links:
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dr. dreDr.Dreheadphoneshype checkHypeCheckmonsterreviewssummerreviewsThu, 24 Jan 2008 17:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Earphones That You Can Use All Day Without Damaging Your Ears]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/07/earphones-that-you-can-use-all-day-without-damaging-your-ears/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/07/earphones-that-you-can-use-all-day-without-damaging-your-ears/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/07/earphones-that-you-can-use-all-day-without-damaging-your-ears/#commentsFiled under: , ,





As with everything in life, there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that we've found some headphones that will keep you, your hearing and your social life safe when using them. We stumbled across The Air Drives Interactive Earphones in the sea of gadgetry and tricky tech publicists at this year's CES in Las Vegas. To be honest, at first we were just humoring the friendly Air Drives fella peddling his product, but when we slipped them on and pressed play we were instantly sold.

The unique earphones went on Bluetooth style, with the speakers basically hovering outside the ears. When the jolly man played the music, the strangest thing happened: We felt like the music was being piped in from a PA system rather than being blasted inside our head, as with most earphones. Then, the Air Drives rep started talking, and we could hear both him and the music easily and clearly! It turns out that wearing these earphones doesn't mean you have to miss the phone ringing or risk getting flattened by cars you couldn't hear while out jogging to some music. Even more importantly, never again will you have to do that extra loud and obnoxious "Huh?!" thing when people talk to you.

Also, taking advantage of the Air Drive innovation's InAir Technology (We'd explain, but it's not bedtime yet.) allows you to listen to music any way you wish without offering your ears as sacrifice to the gods. In fact, the headphones are so safe, they exceed the House Ear Institute and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) standards for all day listening and have earned a hearty endorsement from the International Association for the Hearing Challenged (IAHC).

Now for the bad news... The days of living in your own music world while the soundtrack to your life haughtily mutes the people around you just may be over. Sorry, but no more convenient excuses about not being able to hear the annoying request by your spouse, mother or father. But hey, it just might be worth it. You decide, but make sure you check out the gallery below for shots of the Air Drives in action first.

Gallery: Air Drive Earphones That Don't Harm Your Ears



Related Links:
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air-drivesexpire-images2009-1-6headhphonehearinghearing-losssummernewsMon, 07 Jan 2008 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Dr. Dre and Monster Announce New "Beats" High-End Headphones]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/07/dr-dre-and-monster-announce-new-beats-high-end-headphones/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/07/dr-dre-and-monster-announce-new-beats-high-end-headphones/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/07/dr-dre-and-monster-announce-new-beats-high-end-headphones/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Dr. Dre's Monster BeatsThe Monster Cable press session at the Consumer Electronics Showcase started out bizarre enough: head monster Noel Lee cruised up on his Segway scooter, talked to the audience about HDMI and cables and all things monster.

But then he asked Dr. Dre and Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine to come up, as they had a little surprise. They presented us with a set of new headphones called "Beats". These powered isolation (meaning they drown out outside noise) skull cans were designed according to Dre's notoriously stringent quality standards, and Monster is claiming unprecedented sound performance (we'll let you know more about that soon as we have an appointment for a hands-on with the Beats).

The headphones also look pretty nice, so we fully expect them to become street bling in no time. They are even iPhone compatible, a feature we assume will become a default feature for headphones and earphones this year.

Gallery: Dr. Dre's Beats Headphones



Related Links:
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Lava Lamp for the 21st Century Plays Sound, Dazzles Your Senses (Video)]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/06/the-lava-lamp-for-the-21st-century-plays-sound-dazzles-your-eye/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/06/the-lava-lamp-for-the-21st-century-plays-sound-dazzles-your-eye/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/06/the-lava-lamp-for-the-21st-century-plays-sound-dazzles-your-eye/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Remember those groovy lava lamps from the 70s? No? Remember those cool plasma spheres from the 80s? Are we that old?

Either way, this new tube of psychedelia is brought to us by a little company called Aquallusion. The iTube (granted, not the most creative of names) was inspired by bamboo rain sticks (first one to tell us what those are gets a bonus), and it plugs into your iPod, Zune, CD player -- anything with a sound-out, and it not only plays back the music in glorious surround sound, but it also dazzles your visual senses with, well... watch the video above.
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sun, 06 Jan 2008 14:50:00 EST<![CDATA[New High-End iPod Dock/Radio from Cue]]>http://www.switched.com/2008/01/04/new-high-end-ipod-dock-radio-from-cue/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/04/new-high-end-ipod-dock-radio-from-cue/http://www.switched.com/2008/01/04/new-high-end-ipod-dock-radio-from-cue/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

New High-End iPod Dock/Radio from Cue

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.

Gallery: Cue Radio



Related Links:
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cue RadioCueRadioiPod DockIpodDockFri, 04 Jan 2008 19:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Digital Piracy = Death Penalty (and More in the New Switched Podcast)]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/12/10/penalty-for-digital-piracy-death-and-more-in-our-podcast/http://www.switched.com/2007/12/10/penalty-for-digital-piracy-death-and-more-in-our-podcast/http://www.switched.com/2007/12/10/penalty-for-digital-piracy-death-and-more-in-our-podcast/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Switched Show Podcast

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:
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking+newstopMon, 10 Dec 2007 10:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Hot New N96 Phone From Nokia?]]>http://www.switched.com/2007/11/27/leaked-photos-of-the-next-nokia-nseries-surface/http://www.switched.com/2007/11/27/leaked-photos-of-the-next-nokia-nseries-surface/http://www.switched.com/2007/11/27/leaked-photos-of-the-next-nokia-nseries-surface/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,




Apparently, a Netherlands-based GSM phone Web site got its hands on some photos or renderings of what looks to be the next Nokia N-series phone, the N96. With dual-sliders that reveal a QWERTY keyboard split in half by the screen, this prototype seems to promise a very user-friendly multimedia device. It also looks as if the N96 will sport a lens that projects out from the camera when in use. (Chances are this means a higher-than-five-megapixel (MP) camera, something like 3x optical zoom, and, judging by Nokia's previous N-series phones, the clarity of a Carl Zeiss lens.)

Nokia is continuing to offer state-of-the-art alternatives to the iPhone, which has been a runaway success for Apple. Nokia's phones are amazing, but they're not as easy to use as an iPhone, and the plethora of features on N-Series Nokia models have proven to be more overwhelming than alluring for most U.S. consumers. That said, Nokia is a leader in the international space and these latest phones seem like a move to keep that lead, particularly since Apple has started launching its iPhone across Europe.

Where Nokia has really set itself apart from the iPhone, as well as some other competitors, has been its focus upon excellent cameras which are not merely added as an extra but are rather a major component of the device. Hopefully we'll see the N96 in the wild soon.

From MobileMentalism

Related Links:

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Future TechFutureTechiPhone KillersIphoneKillersNokiaNokia N SeriesNokiaNSeriesTue, 27 Nov 2007 12:47:00 EST