Hasta La Gadget!

We were wondering (seriously, it has been on our conscience at night) which carrier would be the first to go completely DRM-free in respect to its music catalog, and now Vodafone has stepped in to claim said throne. This week, the operator has inked deals with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI Music to bring tunes to handsets and PCs sans any nasty DRM, and for those who already downloaded DRM-laced files in the past, they’ll be able to upgrade to DRM-free without a charge so long as they do it soon. And to think — something like this would’ve been stopped cold at the drawing board by record label execs just a few years back. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

Vodafone’s music catalog goes DRM-free for mobiles and PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re not quite sure how much related celebrating went on this past weekend, but the iconic Compact Disc managed to hit the big three-oh. The IEEE was credited with presenting its prestigious IEEE Milestone Award to Royal Philips Electronics for its contribution to the development of the CD, and as the story goes, the award coincides with the 30th anniversary of the “historic demonstration of the first CD prototype codenamed ‘Pinkeltje’ on March 8th, 1979.” While many would argue that the CD is on its way out in favor of smaller, highly portable MP3 files, the disc has definitely left a lasting mark on the industry. To date, over 3.5 billion audio CD players have been sold alongside 240 billion discs. Oh, and not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but what are the chances that we won’t be throwing an “over the hill” party for this here format?

[Thanks, Sylva]

Filed under: Portable Audio

Compact Disc turns 30, MP3 doesn’t bother to send a gift originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Someday someone somewhere somehow will invent a pair of noise canceling headphones that do three things: 1. Deliver top quality audio. 2.) Cut out ambient noise perfectly. 3.) Cost under a hundred bucks. Senior editor Dylan Tweney just reviewed a set of cans that fall far short of this trifecta. From his review:

To their credit these bulbous cans do a good job of silencing the
traffic hum from the street below the WIRED offices, and they nicely
muffle the gnashing of teeth in the newsroom around me.

But sonically, they’re about as satisfying as a week-old rice cake.
The sound feels clipped and flat: High-end frequencies that hum
crystal-clear in better headphones are missing or muffled in the Plane
Quiets. Stereo separation is not as sharply defined as I’d like, and
the overall sound feels only like it’s half alive.

$100 • outsidetheboxgroup.com

Read the whole Plane Quiet Platinum Headphone review here.
 

 

Right, we know — it’s probably the hideous FCC photograph that’s turning us off on the design, but there’s still something here that just screams 1997. Nitpicking aside, the so-called Bluepeaker is a multifaceted device that provides GPS data to Bluetooth-equipped phones, PDAs and laptops, all while doubling as a BT speaker (audio streaming is obviously supported) or a BT speakerphone (handsfree is a lock). The unit itself can get juice via any powered USB port or AC wall charger, and we’re told it should last for around 200 hours in standby mode. Sadly, the FCC isn’t really much for handing out pricing details, but we’ll be sure to keep an ear to the ground.

[Via Slashgear]

Filed under: GPS, Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

Bluepeaker weds GPS, speakerphone and Bluetooth into one ugly puck originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Razer’s Carcharias headset is yet another audio-related diversion for the input peripheral company, and as with its mighty impressive Mako 2.1 sound system, this here headset was remarkably solid. Originally announced at CES this year, this gaming headset is a multi-functional tool that works first and foremost as a two-way communication device for gamers who love to yap while fragging. Secondly, it can double as a really, really decent set of cans. The flip-down microphone can easily fold up and out of the way, and considering just how light these are, they can be worn for hours on end (trust us, we tried) without any sort of ear pain and unusual pressure on your dome.

The lengthy braided cable was slick, the in-line remote was a thoughtful touch and the headband was amongst the most comfortable we’ve had the pleasure of coming into contact with at this price point. When speaking with Razer CEO Robert Krakoff, he confessed that these were specifically designed to be worn comfortably for upwards of 10 hours, and we believe it. He also noted that customers were clamoring for deeper bass response in its headphone products, and yet again, it delivered in bringing the low-end to these cans. Not once did we feel the bass was magnified out of proportion, and while it’s obviously designed to let gamers feel the “booms,” we thoroughly enjoyed how it handled good ole rock ‘n roll.

All in all, we’re comfortable recommending these to PC gamers who could also use a new pair of headphones for music alone. At $79.99, these are solid enough to last you for quite some time, and the superior comfort level here is really what sets it apart. Razer may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think audio, but these are definitely worth a listen.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

Razer Carcharias headset: unboxing and impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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