MP3

Ever since Engadget posted some not-so-pretty FCC photos of Etymotic's funky-looking, new, Bluetooth stereo headphones, the ety8s have been getting a bad rap. Engadget called them "the wireless abomination whose name shall not be spoke."

Well, the folks from Etymotic dropped by to show us the real McCoy, which should be shipping in a couple of weeks. The fact is the ety8's offer one of the most distinct headphone designs ever created, and when you see them you realize there's a fine line between really cool and wireless abomination. They surely lend new meaning to … Read more

The Vibez looks more like a case for Prada sunglasses than it does an MP3 player. And considering how many of the devices are on the market, that's not a bad thing if you want to get noticed.

The slim stainless-steel player from Germany's Trekstor has a 1.5-inch color screen and a 20-hour battery, but video playback and FM tuner are separate. As Trekstor's first player with a hard drive, it comes in 8GB, 12GB or 15GB storage sizes and tops out at $280. Engadget, where we first saw the device, says Tekstor claims it will … Read more

As one of our fellow Cravers reminded us yesterday, bikers are often neglected in the gadget realm (as in mountain bikes, not Harley choppers). So we did a little digging and came across this gift for your cycling loved ones: a frame-mounted bicycle MP3 player from Hammacher Schlemmer. Waterproof and detachable, it comes with headpones, a built-in speaker, 1GB of memory and a USB port. Depending on your bike model, there may even be enough room left over for a GPS device and garage door opener.

(Photo: Hammacher Schlemmer)

Tons of products are coming out to help you enjoy your iPod while driving, but many of them seem a bit complicated for our Luddite sensibilities. For us, something like the modestly named iMe might be more appropriate.

The dash-mounted dock hardly qualifies as seamless integration, but at least it's versatile. The iME--which also is an acronym for its maker, Integrated Mobile Electronics--is designed to work with all the most popular MP3 players, including the iPod, Zune, and Creative Zen. Its dock, which also charges the player, connects directly to your car's entertainment system and supposedly allows you … Read more

This may sound heretical, but we don't think smaller is always better for gadgets. Especially if it means needing a magnifying glass to use them.

Take, for example, the Digital Cube Mini just released on the Korean market. It does what you want it to do: play videos, live TV, and music, as well as display photos and support e-books, according to Ubergizmo. And it's portable, that's for sure, measuring about 3 by 2 inches and a little more than a half-inch thick.

But is that a good thing? The cube's diminutive stature means that its … Read more

Some studious (and undoubtedly very bored) German iPod fans found mention of a "touch-screen" iPod in the "official Apple document" pictured above. The paragraph, which is part of an Apple developer PDF file, has since been changed by Apple to read "touch wheel" rather than "touch-screen." This is pretty plainly a case of an overlooked typo, but it begs the question: was it an innocent slipup, or did the writer have touch screens on the brain because of current goings-on in Cupertino? This in turn brings to mind another question: how many … Read more

For those of you intrigued by the Microsoft Zune, the official Zune Web site is now alive and kicking.

Basically a glossy digital brochure of people having fun and looking cool (think J.Crew meets Lollapalooza), Zune.net reveals stuff that we've already seen such as: Zune photos, accessories such as the VAF Octavio speaker system, advertisements, Zune Marketplace and ZunePass PR fodder, artist profiles, and Zune "on tour" dates. The Zune hits the streets on November 14.

Today, Microsoft gave CNET a demonstration of the Zune and the Zune software. Our initial impressions: It's a well-designed portable media device with good playback performance, a snappy processor, and an excellent interface. Wi-Fi sharing worked well, but prospective owners should know that format support, especially for videos, is limited. This goes along with Microsoft's mantra of starting simple and closed, then expanding features as the Zune community evolves.

Watch the demo video and read our first take of the Microsoft Zune.

(Photo: Microsoft)

I wouldn't call it a tech dynasty, but Oakley's Thump franchise has owned the MP3 player sunglass market (despite numerous copycats). Everyone from Manny Ramirez to trash-talking nerds has an opinion about the wearable music accessory that entertains both eyes and ears. Oakley's latest, the Thump Pros, have made it into the office. I have to say, while I'm not into the style, they are incredibly comfortable. Look for Jasmine France's review later today.

Available in up to 1GB, the lunettes de soleil electroniques are based on the athletic style of the open-edged Bottlecap. Details … Read more