Dec 07

Bracketron’s New Mobile Mount Attaches to Car Air Vents

Posted in: mobile, phone, Today's Chili

Bracketon - MobileDock Vent Mount

It’s not easy to find a place in a car to mount a mobile phone, especially if you want somewhere that’s close enough to use the GPS or start or end a call while you’re driving but not in the way of anything else you might need to use, like your car’s radio. 
Bracketron’s new MobileDock Vent Mount fixes the problem by attaching to one of your vehicle’s air vents, either in the center panel or off on the side of the steering wheel. 
The dock uses the company’s non-stick adhesive to keep your phone in place while it’s on the dock, and keeps the sides and most of the bottom clear so you can connect charging or audio cables. The MobileDock Vent Mount is available now, and price varies depending on the model you select and the mobile device that you have.
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Dec 02

Phonofone III: A No-Power iPhone Amplifier

Posted in: iPhone, ipod, Miscellaneous Tech, speaker, Today's Chili

phonophone-3.jpgBose, Altec Lansing, Logitech, and all the other high-quality iPhone speaker manufacturers better watch out; there’s competition in town, and this one doesn’t even need power to impress. The Phonofone III ($195 CAD) looks like a gramophone from the future. Just like the smaller, less elegant-looking Bone Horn Stand ($25), the Phonofone amplifies the volume emitted from your iPhone’s internal speaker without any electronics. 

Though the Bone Horn only magnifies the sound to 13 decibels, the Phonofone III amplifies the speaker roughly 4x, or about 60 decibels. And, unlike the Bone Horn’s silicone body, the Phonofone is handmade from ceramic. If you think it looks heavy, you’re wrong; the Phonofone weighs only 1.75 lbs. 

This is the third model in the Phonofone series from Canadian designers Science and Sons. According to TreeHugger.com, the first Phonophone was released three years ago. It had a larger body and an even heftier price of $875. You can see the Phonofone I and Phonofone II at Scienceandsons.com.

This is the first batch to be released, and there are only 50 pieces to be sold at the moment. If you’d like a Phonofone by Christmas, make sure to get your order in before December 5.

Some may think it’s too much to spend on a 230 (with shipping) iPhone speaker that has no other features besides making your music louder. For example, for about the same price you can get the Altec Lansing Mix iMT800 iPod dock for $199 down from its $299.95 list price at Amazon. This is a PCMag Editors’ Choice due to its tremendous power, built-in subwoofer, user-adjustable EQ, two aux inputs and cable for additional MP3 players, and its FM tuner. 

Just think, you can get all that for the price of a really, really cool-looking iPhone “speaker.” So, the question is, do you choose beauty, over bells and whistles? Let us know what you would pick in the comments below.

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Nov 29

Moshi Moshi MM03i Adds Style and Retro Flare to the iPhone

Posted in: bluetooth, iPhone, phone, Retro, Today's Chili

Moshi Moshi MM03i

There are a number of retro-themed Bluetooth handsets that look like the receiver of an old telephone but in reality pair with your iPhone or other Bluetooth enabled mobile phone to let you take and place calls, and none of them tend to sell very well, but the Moshi Moshi MM03i comes straight from Japan and has some stylish looks and sleek lines about it. 
Simply dock your iPhone at the top of the base station, pair your iPhone with the handset, and when not in use, the MM03i’s dock charges both your phone and the modern-looking black Bluetooth handset that rests next to your iPhone. When you get a call, just pickup the handset and answer it. The handset is cordless and supports MultiPoint Bluetooth, meaning you can pair it with your iPhone as well as your laptop, and if you get a Skype call, for example, you can pick it up and use it with your laptop without having to re-pair it with your iPhone. 
The style and elegance that the Moshi Moshi MM03i offers won’t come cheap though: it’ll set you back $129.99 list price, and it’s available now.
 
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Nov 26

La Boite Concept LD120 is the hi-fi desk your laptop’s been crying out for (video)

Posted in: audio, laptop, Music, sound, speaker, speakers, Today's Chili, usb, video

Why more people aren’t doing this kind of thing, we don’t know. La Boite Concept, a French design studio with a focus on electronic acoustics, has put together the above piece of laptop-loving music furniture, dubbed the LD120. It features a total of seven drivers, including a down-firing subwoofer and a stereo pair at the rear, the latter of which is intended to bounce sound off a wall and neatly into your ear canal. You’ll still only be getting 2.1 audio output at the end of it, but when it emanates from a leather-trimmed desk equipped with its own USB sound card and a cable-tidying channel in one of its legs, we’re kind of willing to overlook that little detail. We only wish we could be as blasé about the price, which at €980 ($1,300) places the LD120 strictly on our “hope someone buys us one” list.

[Thanks, Samiksha]

Gallery: La Boite Concept LD120 laptop speaker desk

Continue reading La Boite Concept LD120 is the hi-fi desk your laptop’s been crying out for (video)

La Boite Concept LD120 is the hi-fi desk your laptop’s been crying out for (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 04:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Born Rich  |  sourceLa Boite Concept  | Email this | Comments

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Nov 23

This iPhone Dock Has No Wires

Posted in: audio, iPhone, Miscellaneous Tech, MP3 Digital Audio, Today's Chili
If you’re the type who has wood paneling in their car, a bamboo iPhone case, and a solid-wood desk, the Koostik iPhone Dock will fit perfectly with your motif: it’s an iPhone dock that’s made entirely of wood, with no wires or speakers at all. The dock is designed to amplify the sound from the iPhone’s built-in speaker using the natural acoustics carved into the wood, and the folks behind it say it can make your iPhone’s speakerphone up to four times louder than it already is. 
The Koostik will set you back $90 retail (with free shipping,) mostly because each one is hand-carved by the master woodworker who invented it. You can order them in a variety of colors and wood varieties, including combinations of Maple, Walnut, and Cherry faces and bodies. 
It’s not built to be a replacement for an electronic dock or amplifier, and it won’t charge your iPhone because it doesn’t require electricity. Still, if you like a touch of elegance on your desk or just love all things wood, the Koostik is for you. 
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Nov 22

Bolle BP-10 printer dock for iPhone does one thing, and one thing only

Posted in: Apple, ios, iPhone, ipod, printer, Today's Chili

Just in time for AirPrint functionality to arrive with iOS 4.2, Bolle decided to go a different route with its BP-10 printer dock. Really, why get a printer that gives you a wide array of options when you can get one that will only print 4 x 6-inch color prints from a docked device? All that and it will charge your handheld — for £120 (about $190). Available now in the UK.

Bolle BP-10 printer dock for iPhone does one thing, and one thing only originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Chip Chick  |  sourceMobileFun.co.uk  | Email this | Comments

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Nov 17

iXtreamer bridges the extreme gap between your iPad and TV

Posted in: Apple, ios, ipad, iPhone, ipod, media streamer, MediaStreamer, streamer, Today's Chili, video
Looking for more than just a regular standalone iPad dock? Then you might want to consider Xtreamer’s new iXtreamer system, which is an iPad dock that also doubles as a media streamer. Of course, it will also work with iPhones and iPods, and the “dock” is quite capable all by itself as well — it’ll accommodate a 3.5-inch hard drive and up to two USB hard drives, and it’ll support just about any audio or video content you can throw at it, including content stored on your computer or networked hard drive. Interestingly, Xtreamer also notes that it would like to let you use iOS apps on your TV as well, but it says that’s up to Apple to allow — in other words, don’t bet on it. Head on past the break for a video overview, and look for the device to set you back €175, or roughly $235.

Continue reading iXtreamer bridges the extreme gap between your iPad and TV

iXtreamer bridges the extreme gap between your iPad and TV originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Spanish  |  sourceXtreamer  | Email this | Comments

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Nov 16

Altec Lansing Unveils Octiv Stage iPad Dock

Posted in: ipad, Miscellaneous Tech, speaker, Today's Chili

Altec Lansing Octiv Stage

There are more iPad docks and speaker systems on the market than anyone could possibly count, but Altec Lansing, makers of PC speaker systems and peripherals, has decided to get into the market with the newly announced Octiv Stage iPad Dock, available now at Apple retail stores and online for $149.95 retail price.
The Octiv Stage is more than just an iPad dock with a speaker in the base – it lifts the iPad off of the surface to reveal two 50mm speakers in a speaker bar on the bottom and features a rotating tilt-swivel arm that can hold your iPad in either portrait or landscape mode while you use it. The dock also has a 3.5mm auxiliary input jack for connecting another device and a remote control to control music or video on your iPad from afar.
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Nov 15

Warpia Upgrades Easy Dock with Pro Version

Posted in: monitor, Today's Chili

WarpiaEasyDockPro.jpg

If you love wireless connections, you’ll love the versatile Easy Dock Pro, an improvement to Warpia’s original Easy Dock. With it, you can wirelessly connect a laptop to your desktop monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. You can also link your notebook to your big-screen HDTV.

Unlike the first version, the Easy Dock Pro is capable of displaying any online content in HD quality. It works with Windows or Macintosh PCs and supports monitors and other displays up to 25-inches, with resolutions of 1920×1080. While the Easy Dock Pro can mirror your laptop screen, it also offers an extend mode, which allows you to operate two displays side-by-side, as if they formed one large desktop. If it sounds hard to operate, it’s all plug-and-play. You can get one from Warpia’s site for $149.99.

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Nov 10

Tivoli Unveils iPod Dock

Posted in: audio, Today's Chili

TivoliConnector.jpg

Something for audiophiles and style mavens: Tivoli, maker of the some of the world’s best consumer audio equipment, has unveiled The Connector, an Apple-certified iPod dock. The Connector charges and plays iPods and iPhones, and offers Tivoli’s usual combination of high-tech and high-style. It features a back support for your player and come with nine choices of adapters to ensure a snug fit.

Using the Connector, you can play music from your iPod or iPhone through your stereo, and even play movies from your iPod to your TV using the S-video output. One unique feature lets iPhone owners answer calls and play music at the same time. An included remote lets you control volume, change the track, and select a playlist.

The Connector is available in a variety of wood finishes and lists for $124.99.

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