Hasta La Gadget!

If you’re a fan of BBC programs like Doctor Who, Top Gear, and more and enjoy the iPlayer app, check this out. The app for iOS has got a lot more useful with the ability to download your favorite BBC TV shows directly to the smartphone or your tablet. That will let you watch your favorite programs even when a Wi-Fi network isn’t available.

The app has a couple caveats though. The app only allows you to keep shows you download and don’t start to watch for 30 days. Once you begin to watch the show, you have only seven days to finish. It’s unclear if you can download the same episodes again later if you want to watch second time. The other big caveat is that iPlayer still isn’t available in the US as of yet, though a global player may someday make its way stateside.

iPlayer now has a download icon on each program that you can tap to start the download and save the episode. If you’re not on a Wi-Fi network when you hit the download button, the next time you connect to a Wi-Fi network, the download will begin. This should be the perfect way to have shows with you when you’re traveling. Android users in the UK should also be getting the download capability soon.

Pioneer has a bunch of DJ controllers that it offers on the market today, and the one thing they tend to have in common is they are very expensive. If you ever thought it might be cool to learn how to be a professional DJ, but you didn’t want to spend thousands on your own DJ controller check out the new DDJ-WeGo. Pioneer says this is the least expensive DJ controller it’s ever offered.

The device will be available in September at an MSRP of $399 (USD). That price includes Virtual DJ Limited Edition software supporting Windows and Mac computers. The device doesn’t need an AC outlet to operate, getting its power from the USB port on your computer.

It comes in five different body colors including white, black, red, green, and violet. It has dual jog FX wheels, pulse control with lights for real-time feedback, and built-in audio ports. The device also has an integrated sound card for music storage and portability.

There are many desktop speakers out there, but most of them require that they be wired to your audio source. Audyssey’s latest desktop/bookshelf speakers are wireless. The speakers are supposed to provide better sound for this form factor, while still taking up minimal on your desk or shelf. The wireless capability you to place them optimally around your home office or bedroom without having to run cables to them.

Audyssey Wireless Speakers are Bluetooth-driven, and feature .75-inch tweeters, and four-inch passive radiators behind three-inch drivers. This strengthens low frequencies without the addition of a massive subwoofer. Peak SPL is a whopping 106 dB at 1 meter, meaning these should be plenty loud for most normal-sized rooms.

The speakers have a small button to pair them up with A2DP compatible Bluetooth devices. Once they are paired, they will reconnect with the device within a 30-foot streaming distance. From the looks of the back of them, they also support direct wiring as well. The design is minimal and neutrally-colored, so they’ll fit in almost any decor.

The Audyssey Wireless Speakers are available directly from Audyssey for $299.99 (USD) for a pair.

[via Cool Hunting]

There are tons of media players on the market, and a number of relatively inexpensive “pico-projectors” as well, but here’s a fun gadget that combines both into one cheap and compact little package that costs less than $100.

The USB Music Projector has a deceiving name, as it doesn’t project music at all – it projects still images and video, of course. Measuring just 2.67″ x 2.44″ x 0.78″, and weighing just 84g, this portable media player is small enough to be carried in your pocket or worn around your neck, but has a tiny projector built into it that can be used for impromptu video playback.

The gadget uses an LED light source rated for 20,000 hours of use, and can play video files in MP4 (H.264), MOV (H.264), AVI (H.264, MPEG 4, MJPEG). It’s also an audio player, with support for MP3, WMA and WAV files, and has a built-in speaker in addition to a headphone jack. It’s not clear how long you can run the projector on a single charge, but it does ship with an AC adapter for longer viewing sessions.

Storage is provided using a microSD(HC) memory card, and you can also connect to a PC using a USB cable to “synchronize projection ” whatever that means. I’m assuming they’re talking about some sort of display mirroring, perhaps through DisplayLink – or possibly just a PC remote control app for use with still images on the projector.

Specs aren’t provided for the projector itself, but I’d guess the resolution and brightness aren’t anything special, and you most certainly will need a darkened room to watch video. That said, the USB Music Projector sells for just $99(USD), which seems like a bargain in my book. You can grab one over at Brando if you’d like to check it out.

I’ve always thought that hardcore Apple fans were so serious about their dedication to the brand that it’s almost like a religion to them. So when I saw these shrines made for the iPad and iPod nano, I thought they were very appropriate.

The ornate TonSchrein for iPad and iPod nano were created by Georg Dinkel, and they clearly elevate these gadgets to a level of fanaticism not seen before.

The intricate details of the two shrines were made using polymer clay, and the iPad version houses a 2.1 sound system, while the iPod nano version is just a two-speaker mono setup.

While the iPad version would work well as a mantle clock, the iPod nano version seems even more ridiculous to me, adding substantial heft to Apple’s diminutive music player, as it hides behind the doors of the shrine.

You can check out more photos of the TonSchreins over on Dinkel’s website.