Hasta La Gadget!

This planet we call home needs another iDock about as bad as we need another Charlie Sheen running around aimlessly, but no matter — we’re getting one, and it’s being delivered from JBL. The company has just outed its first-ever iPad speaker dock, the OnBeat. Truth be told, it’s capable of handling iPod touches, iPhones and iPads (no word on the iPad 2), but it’s clearly engineered to hold the largest of the bunch best. Aside from providing joints and jams to those situated in your living room (or basement, if that’s how you roll), it can also pipe Netflix and YouTube content directly to one’s television via a composite video output, and if you’re running around sans an iDevice, the 3.5mm auxiliary jack ensures that any other source will still function just fine. You’ll also be able to charge and sync any docked devices, but you’ll be asked to dole out $149.95 in order to bring one home when it ships next month.

Continue reading JBL intros OnBeat iPad / iPhone / iPod speaker dock, prices it at $150

JBL intros OnBeat iPad / iPhone / iPod speaker dock, prices it at $150 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Westone isn’t exactly a household name, even in the earphone universe. But what the company lacks in recognition, it more than makes up for in quality. If you’ll recall, we had a listen to its ES5 custom in-ear monitors earlier in the year, and while they cost a staggering $950, they also managed to melt our brain and thoroughly spoil us in the process. Thankfully, there’s a budget alternative: the Westone 4. Granted, even 50 percent off still lands you right around $449, but many audiophiles would argue that said price is a small one to pay when looking at a quad-driver setup, a three-way crossover network and an insanely robust set of earbud tips. There’s no question that these guys are aimed at the professionals in the crowd, and if you’re interested in seriously stepping up your mobile listening game, you owe it to yourself to peek our full review. It’s after the break, per usual.

Continue reading Westone 4 earphones review

Westone 4 earphones review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re in the market for a quality audio recording device to capture demos somebody other than your mother would listen to, here’s your chance to get those songs past her and out into the real world. Tascam, maker of professional music studio equipment, has just announced their newest addition to the recording family, the DR-07. Depending on what you’ll be recording, the device allows the user to capture sound in XY or AB configuration using the adjustable dual microphones — the XY adjustment for a tight stereo recording and AB for ambient, larger noise. The Mark II comes bundled with a 2GB microSD slot, features 17.5 hours of battery life and grabs MP3 audio at up to 320 kbps or WAV audio at up to 96 kHz. If you’re interested in picking one of these up, hit up the more coverage link and drop the $150.

Tascam outs new DR-07 Mark II audio recorder, touts adjustable mics originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This DIY laser pistol can send out a kW-pulse of infrared coherent light.

DIY Pulse Laser Pistol Can Decimate Styrofoam and Plastic
Built by Patrick Priebe, this Pulse Laser Gun sends out a kW-pulse of infrared coherent light. When the beam is focused, it can blaze through plastic, Styrofoam, and even a razor blade—so don’t aim it at any parts you’d like to not see melted. It weighs in at two pounds, is 320mm long, and has a 3m range.

Geek Creates DIY Pulse Laser Pistol [Slashgear]

Logitech’s Z906 Surround Sound Speakers Make Their Debut
The successor to Logitech’s Z-5500 speaker set will be available later this month for $350. Boasting 5.1 channel surround sound and 500 watts (RMS) of power, the Z906 includes digital and analog inputs, a wireless remote, and compatibility with computers, televisions, Blu-ray, DVD, game consoles, and other audio sources through digital coaxial, digital optical, a 3.5mm jack, or RCA audio.

Logitech Intros 350 Surround Sound Speakers [Engadget]

The Book-Like Dodocase Now Has Models for the iPad 2
For $60, you can grab the standard Dodocase, which shares the same looks and traditional bookbinding construction as the original iPad version. But if you want something a little more special, they also have a $90 Limited Edition Dodocase with a solid core of bamboo and a cover of black and white Moroccan fabric.

Dodocase [Dodocase via Crunchgear]

H2O Shower Powered Radio, A Green Way to Jam While You Clean
The H2O Shower Powered Radio, debuting in Europe, gets its power from the flow of water through your shower hose. Water runs inside the case and goes into a micro turbine, which gets a generator spinning; this creates power that’s used to charge up the radio’s batteries. It gathers energy that otherwise would “literally go straight down the drain.” The maker, who previously commercialized another green product, the Wind-Up Radio, claims it’s compatible with 99% of showers.

H2O Shower Powered Radio [Tech Digest via Geeky Gadgets]

RC Bald Eagle Is Basically a Really Expensive Motorized Kite
It’s a gorgeous day outside, you don’t quite feel like the flying the kite, and the neighbors just built some fancy RC helicopter. One up them with this 9.5-foot remote controlled bald eagle. The wings are made of a nylon/Polyester blend and the frame and struts are constructed from carbon fiber. A rechargeable lithium battery allows up to 8 minutes of flight time after 20 minutes of charging. All this for the bargain price of $500.

The 9 1/2 Foot Remote Controlled Bald Eagle [Hammacher Schlemmer via Geeky Gadgets]

Tilt Sensing Quilt: Not Your Grandmother’s Kind of Quilt
This quilt not only keeps you warm when it’s chilly out, it includes 41 textile tilt sensors that can interact to provide a rough height-map so you could figure out what it’s currently draped over or covering (OK, so it’s not super useful, unless you want to discover if your roommate is borrowing your quilt while you’re out). It took a year to complete the quilt, which incorporates 6 tilt sensor petals and 41 tilt sensing beads. Data can be sent to a computer via Bluetooth or a USB.

Tilt Sensing Quilt [Instructables]

The Nokia X1-00 has a large back speaker for sharing audio with friends and family

Gadget Lab Notes is an eclectic roundup of gadget news briefs and intriguing products that catch our eye.

Nokia’s Bright Orange X1-00 Is Designed For Developing Markets
Retailing for a mere $48, the Nokia X1-00 is built for music fans and communities in entry level growth markets. It’s got a large, powerful speaker on the back that can play audio over the noisy sounds of traffic and other loud ambient noise, and a 3.5mm jack allows it to be plugged in to headphones or speakers. It features five phone books, so the phone could be shared among folks with differing contacts, and also has a built-in flashlight and an impressive 61-day battery life.

Nokia X1-00 Is Here [Nokia Conversations via Slashgear]

Private Conversation in a Public Place? Use the Yamaha VSP-1
For the James Bonds and Jason Bournes of the world, privacy is key when engaging in phone conversations (or just about any conversation). Yamaha has developed the VSP-1, a speaker-like Sound Wall device that can make your dialogue up to 89% less audible to passersby. The VSP-1 works by playing different sounds to cover your voice, such as beach, forest or river.

Yamaha Releases VSP-1 System [Akihabara News]

Pioneer Adds A/V Receivers to VSX Line, Including an AirPlay Compatible Model
Pioneer added four new A/V receivers to their VSX line today. With an optional Bluetooth adapter, they become smartphone compatible and can stream audio. The highest end model, the VSX-1021, also features AirPlay compatibility. The receivers range in price from $249 to $549 and include internet radio and DLNA. For controlling the system and your music playlists, custom Pioneer iOS apps such as Air Jam can be downloaded.

Pioneer Announces New Receivers [Crunchgear]

Wheel Around On The Barebones EX Trike
If you’re looking for a little more adventure than your traditional two or three-wheeled vehicle provides, perhaps The EX is right for you. The EX is nothing but a metal frame, modified bike parts, 3 wheels, and some custom CNC milled joints. Oh, and dual 18-volt screwdrivers as an engine (bringing along some spare batteries on your ride would probably be prudent). Speeds top out at about 18mph.

The EX [Nils Ferber via Oh Gizmo]

Easy, Endless Poking With the SNAK Social Keyboard’s Facebook Hotkeys
If you need this keyboard, you really, really have a Facebook problem. It’s got 19 Facebook-specific hotkeys that let you quickly jump to your photos, events, inbox, and more. What if someone else uses your computer and keyboard? No worries: When you sign out, they keys become disabled. The Windows-compatible Social Network Access Keyboard (SNAK) can be yours for $30.
SNAK [Social Keyboards via Engadget]