Hasta La Gadget!

The weather isn’t cooperating at the moment, but NASA is poised to launch its highly-anticipated Ares I-X rocket this morning. As Space.com reports, the rocket is designed both to replace the aging space shuttle and–perhaps one day–transport humans to Mars.

To commemorate the event, NASA built the booster stage from parts previously flown on 30 shuttle missions, including the one that launched the Hubble Space Telescope, according to the report.

Currently, winds are a little heavy at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But NASA has until noon today to launch the rocket before rescheduling. The rocket won’t actually enter space; instead, it will follow a 28-mile-high, five minute flight profile while over 700 sensors record its performance, according to the report. (Image credit: NASA)

Sony Ericsson and T-Mobile have introduced the Equinox, a 3G-capable flip phone with built-in GPS and a 3.2 megapixel camera. It includes flashing pulse effects that you can assign to five favorite contacts, in Amber, Sapphire, Beryl, Diamond, and Amethyst. It also comes with changing wallpaper schemes.

Sony Ericsson preloads a video recorder app that uploads straight to YouTube, as well as an FM radio, stereo Bluetooth, and gesture control for rejecting incoming calls or silencing an alarm–perfect for simulating a snooze button without actually smashing your cell phone on the nightstand.

There’s also a 2.2-inch, 240-by-320-pixel LCD screen. Look for the Equinox at T-Mobile stores and online at www.t-mobile.com beginning today.

The hand-built JH 13 Pro in-ear headphone.

(Credit:
Steve Guttenberg)

If you have ears, prepare to open them now.

I’ve just reviewed a bunch of contenders for the world’s best full-size, over-the-ear headphone: Audio Technica ATH-W5000, Denon AH-D7000, Grado PS-1000, Sennheiser HD 800, Stax SR-007Mk2, and Ultrasone Edition 8 headphones–and all boast higher MSRPs than the JH Audio JH 13 Pro in-ear headphone.

Sure, full-size headphones can be used with iPods and MP3 players with varying degrees of success, but they’re a lot more of a hassle to lug around than the JH 13 Pro. Honestly, I prefer the sound and comfort of over-the-ear models compared with in-ear headphones. Then again, the JH 13 Pro is a very different type of in-ear design, it uses six drivers–two woofers, two midranges, and two tweeters–to lower distortion compared with other in-ear designs. It’s a difference I can hear.

The JH 13 Pro’s resolution of fine detail is extraordinary, drums sound more realistic than I’ve heard from any other type of headphone. The JH 13 Pro is “fast,” cymbals’ shimmer and sparkle the way they do in real life, and when a drummer whacks his sticks against the drums’ metal rims, the sound is more realistic. Dynamic oomph and slam are the best I’ve heard from an in-ear headphone.

The JH 13 Pro’s bass goes deeper than any in-ear headphone to date, but it’s the way these headphones decode palpable bass textures that’s highly addictive. Electric, acoustic, and keyboard basses sound more different from each other with the JH 13 Pro. Switching over to Monster’s excellent new Turbine Pro Gold in-ear headphone ($299) is startling, the Turbines sound mushy and muddled by comparison. The Monster has more mid-bass fullness, which some listeners may prefer. I do not.

The JH 13 Pro’s midrange clarity is radically better than any in-ear ‘phones I’ve used to date. Its bass, midrange, and treble are better balanced and accurate than what I’m used to from in-ear designs.

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Originally posted at The Audiophiliac

It's not very glamorous, but this battery pack delivers iPhone power on the cheap.

(Credit:
Meritline)

The older your iPhone gets, the worse its battery performs. Don’t blame Apple: it’s just the nature of rechargeable batteries that they wear out over time.

Sadly, you can’t …

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

In the off-chance that wireless carriers weren’t already threatened enough by the nearly universally positive response being given to Google Voice, the company has just positioned the service as even more of a potential voice plan replacement by letting users keep their existing phone numbers.

New Voice users who opt to keep their existing numbers won’t get quite as many features as those who choose new Google numbers. SMS via e-mail, a unified number across phones, call recording, call blocking, and conference calls won’t be available, but those users will still get online voicemail, voice transcription, cheap international calling, and e-mail/SMS notifications.