These pumpkin speakers could be a great idea for next year’s Halloween

Yes we know, Halloween has unfortunately passed but if you’re already thinking of how you can make 2013’s Halloween even more awesome, then these pumpkin speakers are definitely something worth checking out. While you won’t actually be able to buy them for yourself, it might give you an idea for a project next time and we guess you could sub out the pumpkins for other types of fruit, like a large watermelon perhaps. These pumpkin speakers were put together by Steve Meade and they are actually a set of 500-watt speakers. As you can see, they are connected to a car stereo and while the concept itself might seem somewhat simple, the carving out of the pumpkin along with the wiring was probably quite a complicated and lengthy process so we have to give Meade his due. Great idea, but rather unfortunate as these are probably one of the few speakers we’ve seen that will actually rot within a couple of days.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Beats Pill portable wireless speaker, This 6-foot subwoofer can output some serious bass,

iPad mini has stereo speakers, confirms Apple executive

Now that’s a turn up for the books! Speculations about the iPad mini’s built-in speaker setup are all over the Internet. Amazon even tried to criticize the 7.9-inch tablet by launching a ballsy advert comparing the Kindle Fire HD and its dual-stereo speakers to the iPad mini’s presumed mono speakers. But an Apple fan who goes by the name Alex got tired of the comparisons and decided to email Apple VP for Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, instead.

“I understand the tech specs about iPad Mini online should cover everything, but the tech specs online neither confirm or deny the rumors of iPad Mini’s speakers being stereo. Is it possible to get confirmation from the man himself as to whether these are mono or stereo?” he asked. Surprisingly, the Apple executive responded with an absolute yes. “It is stereo,” Schiller replied. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPad mini reportedly arriving early to some customers, Natural Sapphire Company releases $700,000 iPad mini case,

Apple’s Phil Schiller confirms the iPad mini has stereo speakers

Rumors have floated around for quite a while that the iPad mini features dual-speakers. Apple didn’t mention this during the product’s announcement, however, leaving many to wonder if it is true. Now we have confirmation that the rumors are true via a simple email from Apple’s Philip Schiller, which simply reads, “It is stereo.”

On Apple’s website, the iPad mini is listed as having a built-in speaker, which is a tad ambiguous. When the device was unveiled, no word was given either way on whether it contained single or stereo speakers. Further muddling up the speculation pool was Amazon’s advertisement comparing its Kindle Fire HD with the iPad mini, which it listed as having a “mono speaker.”

Trying to solve this once and for all, a reader over at 9to5Mac named Alex sent Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Marketing an email stating, “I understand the tech specs about iPad Mini online should cover everything, but the tech specs online neither confirm or deny the rumors of iPad Mini’s speakers being stereo. Is it possible to get confirmation from the man himself as to whether these are mono or stereo?” Schiller replied in the affirmative, forever settling the great iPad mini speaker mystery.

Shortly after this email was published, Amazon pulled the Kindle Fire HD vs. iPad mini comparison chart from its homepage. However, at the moment, when you search for “iPad mini” on Google, Amazon’s comparison page still shows up listing the Apple device as having a “single speaker.” The copy above the comparison chart still touts the Kindle Fire HD as having superior audio partly due to its stereo speakers.

[via 9to5Mac]


Apple’s Phil Schiller confirms the iPad mini has stereo speakers is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Bumpin’ Pumpkin Sound System is Perfect for Halloween Parties

What party would be complete this time of the year without the a sound system made from pumpkins? Don’t let its looks deceive you, because these speakers pack a powerful punch.

Pumpkin Sound SystemThey’re essentially hollowed-out pumpkins that have been outfitted with a car stereo by Steve Meade. It might look like a simple process, but a lot of work actually went into assembling these things. Aside from hollowing out the pumpkins and carving them with the shapes of the car stereo parts, there’s also the matter of installing the actual parts and wiring everything up.

The result, of course, is nothing short of amazing. Too bad this sound system will rot within a couple of days after it was put together.

Here’s a video of these 500-watt speakers in action:

Have a thumpin’ Halloween!

[via Obvious Winner]


Urbanears Plattan Tweed Headphones: The Retro Executive Headphones

You have to give it to Urbanears, their headphones are really distinctive, so much that I almost bought a pair without finding out how they sounded. This Plattan Tweed Edition is part of the Urbanears Editions range, and once again, these look pretty spiffy.

urbanears plattan headphones harris tweed front

The Urbanears Plattan Tweed Edition headphones are enveloped in hand-woven Harris Tweed, which is made out of 100% virgin wool. They have brown ear caps, and a brown textile cord with a Kevlar core, so it won’t end up all twisted. These headphones are pretty interesting, and will nicely match any Harris Tweed clothes you might have.

urbanears plattan headphones harris tweed

There is a plug to share music with a friend, who will need to use his or her own headphones. These headphones sell for $80 (USD), but unfortunately, they are currently sold out. For now, be sure to check out the additional styles of Plattan headphones over on the Urbanears website.

urbanears plattan headphones harris tweed positions

[via Ubergizmo]


Google Brings Its Free Siri Competitor to the iPhone

Google voice search is really handy: don’t just take my word for it, go to Google.com on your computer and try it out. Sure, on the computer, it feels silly, but on a mobile device it will fit right in. Google just updated its Google Search app for iOS to include smart voice searching and bring that functionality to the iPhone (it had already been available on Android for a while.) The voice search uses Google’s Knowledge Graph technology to parse commands given in natural speech accurately and efficiently. For instance, a question like “what does the Brooklyn Bridge look like” will point to an image search, kind of like the same query fed to Siri. In the past, Apple has removed apps from the App Store because they “duplicate existing functionality,” but I don’t think they can pull that one on Google.

It’s available for free from the Apple App Store.


By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Siri dishes out prostitute advice in China no longer, Apple reportedly hires Amazon’s search exec William Stasior to work on Siri,

Google Nexus Q not for sale at the moment

No company is capable of churning out home run after home run, even if your name is of a certain fruit, or if you are the world’s first and foremost authority where searching on the Internet is concerned. Google has long branched out to hardware, where their Google Nexus Q was announced some months back, but it seems that the Nexus Q might be slated for obsolescence. This comes as no surprise ever since it was introduced in June earlier this year, carrying a tiny set of features without really carving out a sustainable market for itself. It does seem as though the Nexus Q’s landing page is now no more, as only the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 appear there.

As for the Nexus Q’s placement in the Play Store, it is still there, albeit accompanied by a message that reads, “This device is not for sale at this time”. Google has declined to issue an official statement on where the Nexus Q stands, so one can only make an educated guess at this point in time.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Nexus Q delayed, but pre-orders get it for free, Nexus Q listed as being out of stock again,

Microsoft unveils Data Sense for Windows Phone 8, to debut on Verizon devices

Microsoft unveils Data Sense for Windows Phone 8, to debut on Verizon devices

Microsoft has just outed Data Sense, a new app for Windows Phone 8 that helps ensure you don’t burn through your data plan. On top of tracking your usage app-by-app, it compresses every single web page you browse to keep data consumed to a minimum, and also sniffs out WiFi hotspots when they become available. The app features a Live Tile to give an ongoing saga of the megabytes you’ve consumed and will warn you near a preset limit. Redmond claims the hotspot sniffing and compression will let you consume 45 percent less data “when compared to the competition” — likely a reference to iOS and Android, which already have a similar feature. Data Sense will arrive first on Verizon this fall, but there’s no word yet on when other carriers will have it. To check the PR, go past the fold.

For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog!

Continue reading Microsoft unveils Data Sense for Windows Phone 8, to debut on Verizon devices

Microsoft unveils Data Sense for Windows Phone 8, to debut on Verizon devices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone 8 gets Pandora Radio, Cut the Rope, Urbanspoon and more (update: full list)

Windows Phone 8 gets Pandora Radio, Cut the Rope, Urbanspoon and more

Microsoft knows that Windows Phone 8 is only as successful as its apps. To that end, it’s blowing the doors open in terms of major app support. It’s not only promising a Windows Phone version of Pandora Radio for early 2013, it’s offering ad-free listening for the first year. How’s that for strong out-of-the-box content? On top of this, Microsoft is vowing a slew of new apps and games that had previously only been available in the Android or iOS camps, including Asphalt 7, Cut the Rope, Temple Run, Urbanspoon and Where’s My Water. By the time the expansion is done, Microsoft hopes to have 46 out of the 50 most popular apps onboard, making any platform switch that much gentler. Instagram is a notable omission — still, it’s a big leap in terms of equality.

Update: If you need even more detail, Microsoft has posted a wider list of new apps as part of its official Windows Phone 8 launch post. If that’s not enough, you can catch a video overview of the platform after the break.

For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog!

Continue reading Windows Phone 8 gets Pandora Radio, Cut the Rope, Urbanspoon and more (update: full list)

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Windows Phone 8 gets Pandora Radio, Cut the Rope, Urbanspoon and more (update: full list) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Concrete Media Console Is Real Heavy, Man

Brainchild of German designer Rafael Cichy, this ultra-modern media console made of molded concrete isn’t quite born to rock, but it’s not far off. More »