Hasta La Gadget!

Creative isn’t nearly the aural force it once was, but it’s still a respected name when it comes to headsets and — gasp! — sound cards. Here at IFA, the outfit has busted out a new range of Sound Blaster (yeah, seriously) gaming headsets for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and Mac platforms. The 360-friendly Sound Blaster Tactic360 Sigma is being revealed with a steel core headband design and 50mm audio drivers, not to mention separate voice and game audio controls. Moving right along, the Tactic360 ION slims down with a pair of 40mm drivers, while the Tactic3D Wrath Wireless caters to Mac / PC users who’d rather not sweat the whole “cable” thing. The Tactic3D Omega Wireless does likewise for console gamers, and for those infatuated with three-dee, the outfit’s new Recon3D audio platform / sound cards sound give you reason to celebrate. Full details are posted up after the break, for those who find themselves strangely intrigued.

Continue reading Creative doles out Sound Blaster gaming headsets, Recon3D audio platform / sound cards

Creative doles out Sound Blaster gaming headsets, Recon3D audio platform / sound cards originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s no question Klipsch’s S4 in-ear headphone line has some of the best to be had for under $100, yet aside from its iPhone-compatible S4i variant, mobile phone users wanting an in-line remote’s benefits were outta luck. Well, it looks like times are a-changin’ as an Android-oriented version of the noise-isolating buds, appropriately dubbed S4A, has popped up for pre-order on Klipsch’s site. The remote’s compatible down to Android 2.1 and appears to be slightly tweaked from the S4i with less buttons, but the specs say it’ll work for phone calls, music control and volume adjustment. To make this cake’s icing even richer, a Klipsch Control App will also allow for “customized functionality.” They’re priced at a cool Benjamin with no word on a ship date just yet, but you’ll find some robot-clad closeups in the gallery below.

[Thanks, Bjorn and Jason]

Klipsch intros Image S4A in-ears, lets Android users feel the in-line remote love originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh my is this interesting. Monster Cable’s VP of marketing Kevin Lee (a key figure involved with its Beats by Dre headphone line) has co-founded a new headphone company dubbed Soundtrack Of Life Republic, and we were able to get a very brief hands-on with some handmade prototypes. It’s no secret that we’re not fans of Monster around these parts, but being that SOL Republic isn’t directly tied to it — and because the headphones bring with them some interesting features without being crazy expensive — we’ve decided to give them a quick whirl. It’s all detailed just past the break.

Continue reading SOL Republic intros Amps and Tracks headphone lines, we go hands-on

SOL Republic intros Amps and Tracks headphone lines, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There may be more than a few fake Apple Stores in China, but for the moment, Cupertino’s anti-KIRF crusade seems focused squarely on New York City. According to Reuters, Apple has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against two stores in Queens, alleging that they sold unauthorized cases, headphones and other accessories for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In the complaint, the company claims that the products in question were all emblazoned with its familiar fruit logo, along with the phrase, “Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China.” The suit also demands that one of the stores, called Apple Story (seriously), change its name to avoid confusion with the real retail outlet and that both vendors disclose full lists of people who both supplied and purchased the goods.

It all began when company representatives visited the Chinatown-area stores on “multiple occasions over several weeks,” where they bought and examined the items, described in court records as “exact duplicates” of their authentic counterparts. On July 27th, Apple executed a few ex parte seizure warrants, which allowed authorities to seize any goods bearing its logo. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto has already granted an injunction to stop the stores from selling the alleged knockoffs, but hasn’t yet decided whether Apple Story will have to change its name. The complaint also seeks undisclosed monetary damages and asks that all existing counterfeit goods be destroyed, though court documents suggest that both sides are close to reaching a deal. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the accusations, but we’ll let you know as soon as we learn more.

In the meantime, check out this KIRF “iPhone 5” we found in Beijing — a Java-powered handset that’s slimmer than the Galaxy S II and a bit laggy, but boasts a multitouch capacitive screen. Asking price? ¥680, or about $106.

Apple cracks down on counterfeit products sold in NYC, files lawsuit against Queens vendors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When I’m drunk, I always think it’s a fantastic idea to fall asleep while listening to some kick-ass rock like the White Stripes’ Catch Hell Blues, only to wake up a few hours later tangled in my headphone cable. These Bedphones won’t save me from drunken nocturnal choking, but they’ll sure make it more comfortable to fall asleep in the first place.

Instead of sitting inside your ear, the Bedphones have flat speakers which sit on top of your ear-hole, held in place by a short length of “memory wire” that wraps around the ear itself. Because they are so thin, you can lie on your side without them being jammed into your head.

So is it a good idea to fall asleep with headphones? I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on a YouTube soap opera, so I have no idea, medically speaking. But it seems like a bad idea, what with all the cables and noise.

I can see that they’d be useful for watching movies quietly in bed, though. My other favorite drunken bedtime ritual is to put Back to the Future or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on my iPad and sip whisky until I nod off. The Bedphones won’t help with the spilled scotch, or the iPad that slips off my lap onto the hard tiled floor, but at least I can sleep the whole night soundly and deal with these problems in the morning.

Bedphones product page [Bedphones via Werd]