Hasta La Gadget!

If you long for the days of leisure suits and Magnum PI mustaches, or are just in the market for audio gear to match your arcade and TV, then Yamaha’s new R-S line of receivers might be just the ticket. The R-S700, R-S500, and R-S300 draw inspiration from the audio equipment of the 70s and 80’s and all feature minimal aluminum front panels with André the Giant hand-sized knobs for adjustments. Their throwback looks hide modern day goodies like YBA-10 Bluetooth audio streaming, iPod dock connectivity and a dedicated subwoofer output. Power-wise, the R-S300 provides 50 watts per channel of clean power, while the R-S500 and R–S700 scale the wattage up to 75 and 100 watts per channel, respectively. If you like to keep your power and tuner separate, then the similarly styled A-S500 integrated amp and matching T-S500 tuner can also oblige. Slated to time warp to shelves later this October, pricing starts at $330 for the R-S300 and works its way up to $550 for the top tiered dual-zoned and dual remote-toting R-S700. With all the retro love going around though, just make sure your short shorts stay in the attic — that history ain’t quite ready to be repeated. For full details on the line, have a peek at the press release after the break.

Continue reading New batch of Yamaha stereo receivers flaunt retrotastic looks

New batch of Yamaha stereo receivers flaunt retrotastic looks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 23:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New laws requiring drivers to use hands-free devices when they drive and prohibiting them from using cell phones without them have gone into effect in a number of states recently, including Massachusetts and Maryland. In response, Zipcar and Jabra have teamed up to install Jabra Cruiser in-car Bluetooth speakerphones in a number of lucky Zipcar member vehicles in the Boston area through the month of October. The promotion is designed to make sure all drivers are aware of the new laws and make sure their vehicles are outfitted appropriately, regardless of whether they’re Zipcar members.

The Jabra Cruiser retails for $99 and is available from AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Best Buy stores as well as online, and features a lightweight speaker that can be clipped to the driver’s flip-down sun-shade and paired with a mobile phone using the buttons on the bottom of the device. The Cruiser also features noise canceling microphones to minimize feedback and noise while on a call. If you’re not in Boston but your state has a new law requiring you only use hands-free devices while on the phone, the Jabra Cruiser may be a good option for you.

There’s no shortage of fancy ways to geotag with your old beater of a shooter, but Foolography’s new solutions for Nikon DSLRs might be one of the most understated. Two new “Unleashed” modules have just arrived, one for the Dx000 series (D3100, D5000, and D7000), and the other for the ultra-popular D90. The little Bluetooth modules embed GPS data from an external GPS receiver (yeah, it’s BYOEGPSR) directly onto photos as you take them. They’re retailing for €125 outside of the EU (about $170 US) and a bit more to consumers on the continent — nobody ever said classy comes cheap.

Foolography Unleashed Bluetooth geotagging modules land for Nikon D90 and Dx000 DSLRs originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Oct 2010 05:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nah, it’s not the second coming of the Jupiter Jack. In fact, it’s not a lackluster FM transmitter at all. Instead of pumping yet another one of those, Scosche has decided to take the high road here with the MotorMouth II, a Bluetooth streaming device that’s designed for use in any vehicle with a 3.5mm auxiliary input. The idea here is to pair your Bluetooth handset with the adapter, then plug the adapter into your head unit; once you start a handsfree conversation on your mobile, the caller’s voice can be heard loud and clear over your car’s stereo. Of course, you may want to avoid this critter if you’re planning on taking to your part-time lover while your full-time partner in life is riding shotgun, but for the faithful ones out there, it’s available now for $79.99.

Continue reading Scosche MotorMouth II brings handsfree calling to any aux input-equipped vehicle

Scosche MotorMouth II brings handsfree calling to any aux input-equipped vehicle originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jabra certainly loves to trumpet the noise cancellation abilities of its Bluetooth headsets, and while our own experiences haven’t quite lived up to the hype, we always look forward to the company’s latest name for its noise cancellation tech. Disappointing, then, that the new Jabra Go 660 “headset solution” (with its Extreme ear jewelry) is said to be the company’s “first Bluetooth headset with Noise Blackout Extreme.” That’s despite the Stone shipping with tech that went by the same name this time last year. Hopefully that system has been improved since then and will now actually live up to its name, putting background noise in a headlock and rendering it completely unconscious. In addition to the headset you get a USB Bluetooth adapter for a computer so that you can quickly go from VOIP to voicemail. The Go 660 is available now for $110, including the adapter — which of course you won’t need if your system is already down with the Bluetooth.

Continue reading Jabra Go 660 Bluetooth headset ‘solution’ pairs an Extreme with a USB adapter

Jabra Go 660 Bluetooth headset ‘solution’ pairs an Extreme with a USB adapter originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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