mp3

An AirPort Express will let you listen to iTunes over your home stereo speakers. Airfoil is an application that takes that simple functionality and turns it up to 11. The iTunes-AirPort Express combo is perfect for listening to iTunes on your nice stereo, but what if you want to hear music from a browser-based app like Pandora? Or Sirius Radio through an app like StarPlayr? Or work with audio from your Elgato EyeTV? Airfoil lets you send audio from any application (even your system audio) to your AirPort Express, so you can use your stereo for anything from RealPlayer and … Read more

Any audiophile would appreciate a portable Bluetooth speaker this holiday, but electrician-turned-artist Devin Ward has a more sustainable solution: he guts vintage clock radios and recycles them into desktop speakers for your laptop, smartphone, and tablet computer.

You probably have a similar tube radio lying around the house, but Devon does the work for you and rewires the internal circuitry, replaces faulty electronics, and even adds a 1/8-inch audio jack that lets you play music out of any device with a standard headphone minijack.

You're left with a speaker that probably won't sound as clear as the Bose SoundLink, but definitely looks better on a shelf and has the added benefit of an AM/FM radio.

According to Core77, Devon admits that the receiver may pick up some fuzzy static from electromagnetic interference, but if you're willing to deal with that and a $200-plus price tag, you may have just found the perfect holiday gift.

Check out Devin's Etsy store to buy, or click through the jump for more photos.… Read more

You almost can't go wrong giving the gift of music, so take a look at our top audio picks in this year's Holiday Gift Guide.

My opinion is that one can never have too many headphones since each model offers a different sound profile, but check out these alternatives for the audiophile on your gift list.

A good place to start is obviously a portable music player like the versatile Apple iPod Touch, but I also love the Logitech Wireless Boombox for iPad.

It lets you stream music from any device with a Bluetooth connection (most current smartphones, … Read more

When 2011 is wrapped up, the consumer electronics industry, despite all the marketing and highly-touted gadgets, will have had a disappointing year.

That's according to market research firm IHS iSuppli, which estimates that revenue this year will total $357.3 billion, up only 1.5 percent from a year ago, and well off of the 6.4 percent growth the firm had previously expected.

It seems that despite the bluster and hype, the consumer electronics industry was just as susceptible to the downturn in consumer spending as every other industry. While the holiday season often makes up a bulk … Read more

Music always livens up a day at the beach, barbecues, picnics, and other events, and nowadays it's easy to do with Bluetooth speakers and your mobile device. However, the good tunes only last as long as your phone's battery life.

A company called Spar is looking to extend the party with a trio of Bluetooth portable speakers that can also charge your smartphone, MP3 player, or tablet via USB. The smallest one of the group, the Zephyr 300, is compact enough to fit into a pocket and promises 12 hours of music playback. The mid-range Zephyr 500 offers 18 hours of music playback and comes in black or white. Meanwhile, the Zephyr 550 boasts 28 hours of battery life and is encased in aircraft-grade anodized aluminum.

You can connect your mobile device to the speakers using Bluetooth, and you can even conduct speakerphone calls through it. If you find your gadget to be running low on battery life, you can then tap into the speaker's battery power using the USB port in the back. All three Zephyr models ship with a soft carrying case, cables, and an AC adapter. … Read more

OK, I'm ready for the backlash. I'm wearing an iPod Nano on my wrist as a watch. I already own an iPhone. And an iPad. What's wrong with me?

Would you believe me if I said that I'd have done the same thing if there was any watch that could do what this one does? Would you believe me if I said I didn't do this for the iPod?

Let me explain.

I've always been a fan of digital watches and funky watch design, especially tech watches (I even defended them on TV). I'm a watch geek. I wore a retro Casio watch. I just got a cool Diesel one. A long time ago, I tried the Fossil Palm-powered watch, the Fossil Wrist PDA. I still have it in my desk drawer. Microsoft Spot watch? Check.

The iPod Nano-as-watch is a proud successor of that line, a gadget that I believe will stand the test of time for its novelty. Apple may not make a true iWatch, and the iPod's long-term destiny may not inevitably be on my wrist, but for now it's the most innovative use of iPod technology since, well, the first iPod. … Read more

In real life a folk singer isn't as loud as a rock band, but once her recording is compressed she might be as loud as Metallica. Of course, with most types of music the sound isn't turned up to 11 all of the time.

There are quiet passages, and only the loudest parts, like the hardest drum hits, are really loud. We have the technology to accurately record music, but few record companies choose to make lifelike recordings.

The Loudness Wars refers to mixing and mastering techniques that squash music's natural soft-to-loud dynamics. Obviously, you can control … Read more

Google Music appears to be well on its way to adding a download service.

Just yesterday, Android phone users who tried to access Google Music from their device's browser were shown a splash page that noted the service's users could not only upload their "personal music collection," but would also be able to "shop millions of songs in Android Market." A description of the offering under that tagline said that users can "get songs from your favorite artists in Android Market, including hundreds of free tracks."

Talk of a Google Music MP3 … Read more

Google is planning to closely link an upcoming music download store with its Google+ social network, according to a published report.

CNET broke the news last week that Google plans a new social "twist" to the concept of the traditional MP3 download store. Now the Wall Street Journal reports that the plan involves Google+.

As envisioned, Google Music users could buy a song and then gift the track to contacts, who would be allowed to listen once for free, said music industry insiders who have knowledge of the plan. The WSJ reports that the store could debut within … Read more