accessories

There are plenty of Bluetooth hands-free speakerphones for the car out there, but the Gold Lantern VisorTalk distinguishes itself with a caller ID display--all the better to screen calls while you're on the road. Otherwise, the VisorTalk--so named because it clips to the sun visor--has all the standard features covered: It sports Bluetooth 2.0 (for pairing with any compatible cell phone) and a full duplex speakerphone, and the rechargeable battery is rated at 8 hours talk time and 200 hours standby (a car charger is included). And that "H" button centered below the display is a &… Read more

It's software-mania this week, and I'm all for it. First up, we have a question about veering off the iPod path and onto something new, but anxieties about non-iTunes software abound. Then, find out about managing music for the Zune, and get a chance to check out some great podcast managing software for the Creative Zen.

Q: I enjoy MP3 Monday Mailbox and thought I'd send along a question. I've got a 3-year-old iPod that has bit the bullet and is heading off into retirement. I have been looking at players comparable with the 8GB Nano, … Read more

It was inevitable. Just as we predicted with those "Budclicks" clip-on adornments for earphones, the "Jibbitz" craze of Crocs fame is becoming a cottage industry in accessories of all kinds, gadgets and otherwise.

How so? It doesn't take a brain surgeon to glean the similarities with a company called "Gribbits," which makes charms for venues as diverse as pencils and stethoscopes, as well as earbuds.

Chip Chick can't decide if these are adorable or ridiculous, which pretty much sums up how we feel about the whole trend. But no matter what, they … Read more

Welcome to MP3 Mailbox Monday, a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Each week, my in-box is flooded with questions from around the world, and while a handful of them are very particular to the individual asking, most apply more generally to a certain use or scenario to which many people can relate. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, … Read more

Anyone who has tried to wade through the multitude of iPod speakers on the market knows that the options are seemingly infinite, and that many of them are very difficult to distinguish from one another. So it's pretty refreshing when a company like mStation comes along and tries to offer something a bit different, first with the colorfully bulbous Stereo Orb and now with the lanky 2.1 Stereo Tower. Unfortunately, this tall speaker comes with a high-end price tag ($299), but without the excellent build quality. Still, for those looking for more oomph than the Bose SoundDock can … Read more

Welcome to MP3 Mailbox Monday, a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Each week, my in-box is flooded with questions from around the world, and while a handful of them are very particular to the individual asking, most apply more generally to a certain use or scenario to which many people can relate. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, … Read more

Welcome to MP3 Mailbox Monday, a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Each week, my in-box is flooded with questions from around the world, and while a handful of them are very particular to the individual asking, most apply more generally to a certain use or scenario to which many people can relate. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, … Read more

Welcome to MP3 Mailbox Monday, a reoccurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Each week, my in-box is flooded with questions from around the world, and while a handful of them are very particular to the individual asking, most apply more generally to a certain use or scenario to which many people can relate. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, … Read more

There comes a point where every early adopter realizes they are no longer really adopting anything unique any more. This happens when a product becomes saturated, more available and more universal. For me, as I've seen over the past few days, that point has come to pass - at least in San Francisco.

Walking around, eating out, and driving around San Francisco, all I see are iPhones. But it's not only the young yupppie/guppie types any more. Rather, there are kids, young professionals, middle-aged folks (not so many older folks though), men, women, white, Black, Latino, Asian, … Read more