But no matter how much I try to justify it to myself, I just don’t have that much of a reason to personally have a car. I ride my bike around town eight months out of the year and curse the MBTA’s existence the other four. Cambridge, the place I call home, is replete with bike lines on practically every major thoroughfare, and Boston is certainly attempting to get there too. And when all else fails, I’m always up for a lovely stroll through town. It’s Boston, after all!

But there are times when it’s clear that I need a car. Like for my frequent trips to Ikea. Or like every eight or so weeks when I go on a massive grocery shopping binge because I hate walking back and forth between the grocery store, even though its only ten minutes away form my house. Or like every eight weeks when I do the laundry because I hate doing laundry with every fiber of my being.

Luckily for those times, there’s Zipcar. If you’ve been living underneath a rock, I’ll — pardon the pun — zip Zipcar up for you. The Cambridge based and founded company allows licensed drivers aged 21 and over to rent a wide variety of cars parked all over the city by the hour or by the day.

If you’re feeling eco-conscious, grab Prius Pete — every Zipcar has an adorable, alliterative name — from the Genzyme Garage in Kendall Square for $7 per hour. If you’re feeling flashier, grab Baker the BMW 328 for $13 per hour from the Boston Common garage.

To become a Zipcar member, users pay a $50 annual fee to join. For those who only grab a car every now and then, they pay the hourly or day-rate for whichever vehicle they want. For those who drive more often, users can make a minimum monthly commitment, and cash in on discounted rates. Every reservation includes 180 miles of driving, a gas card to fill the car up — and make sure to use it any time the vehicle falls beneath a quarter tank! — insurance to cover your indiscretions, and a parking pass if the Zipcar lives in a non-free lot.

Users make a reservation, tap their RFID-tagged Zipcard on the windshield to unlock the vehicle, which already has the key inside the ignition. They then zip around town, and then lock it up when finished by tapping their Zipcard on the windshield again.

Car sharing is as simple as the name sounds. The cars are meant to be parked near where users will need them. Because everyone pays a membership fee, they all in a way jointly own and share the vehicles. Everyone is expected to fill the gas when it gets low, keep the car relatively clean, and keep it from being damaged. Zipcar will even reimburse users that pay for a carwash. Another big part of car sharing is making sure the vehicle is where it’s supposed to be. When Zipcar says your reservation is over at 6:00 PM, they mean 6:00 PM, sharp. If you haven’t locked your car up by then, you’ll get a late fee. Get enough late fees, and Zipcar will suspend you from driving.

Obviously, I don’t want to turn you off from Zipcar. You have to really piss someone off to actually get your account suspended, and because it’s a car sharing program after all, users are usually rather fanatic and therefore largely respectful of the rules. Overall, Zipcar is simple, effective, and much better than having a car and insurance payment every month — plus, for me at least, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to driving a Beamer before I can ever afford one of my own.

While Zipcar got its start in Cambridge back in 2000, it has since spread to 49 cities across the world. Zipcar was founded by residents Robin Chase and Antje Danielson who based the company on car-sharing programs similar to those in Europe. By the end of 2002, the company had 6,000 users in Boston, D.C., and New York.

Zipcar got its start by stocking different neighborhoods with different cars, giving each area it’s own identity. In Cambridge, home to the recycling, biking, hippie granola crunchy type, the company filled the neighborhood with gas-sipping Priuses. In the Back Bay, Zipsters were more likely to want a showier convertible Mini-Cooper for weekend trips to the Cape.

Now in 2009, Zipcar has merged with former rival Flexcar, and now commands a fleet of 6,000 vehicles for 675,000 users in places as far as Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuscaloosa, Alab., and even across the pond in London. In fact, in one of the tougher economic times we’ve seen, Zipcar is preparing itself to go public, and is launching an IPO in 2010. The company is constantly adding cars to its fleet and expanding its user base. With the influx of cash from an IPO, Zipcar really will be going places.

What makes Zipcar so special is its amazing blend of cute personality, sharp business prowess, and of course, cutting edge technology. The technology starts when you try to start the car. Sitting in the upper right corner of every Zipcar is a little black box. When you tap your Zipcard on the windshield above it, the system sends out a signal to Zipcar HQ over EVDO — yes, that ancient data technology your old cell phone used to run — that matches your card to a reservation to a specific Zipcar. When everything aligns correctly, the black box unlocks the car door, the black box releases the kill switch on the engine, and you get in and drive off.

The black box is also hooked into the on-board diagnostics system, or OBD. When my Zipcar wouldn’t start on a particularly cold January night, I called Zipcar, and the helpful man on the phone could already tell me that I had killed the car battery by leaving my headlights during my quick trip into Trader Joe’s. If you somehow lock your Zipcard inside the vehicle, a quick phone call to Zipcar customer service can unlock it. Likewise, the black box has a simple GPS system so that the vehicles can be located should they wander off and get lost. The same kill switch that keeps the car from being stolen can also kill the car should it somehow manage to drive off.

However, the newest technology debuted at the tail-end of September is, of course, Zipcar’s new iPhone app. Up to now, users have had to make reservations though the Zipcar website, the mobile website, or over the phone. Both of the websites are robust, AJAXy, and a breeze to use. The phone however, well, lets just say it’s not Zipcar’s fault if you’re using a technology from the 19th century.

But now with the magic of the Zipcar iPhone app, users can locate themselves on a map of all of Zipcar’s offerings, make a reservation, and even unlock the car from inside the application. When I did just that with my iPhone app, I almost cried from the sheer amazingness of what I’d just done. It also made me feel amazingly futuristic, despite the fact that we’re all supposed to have personal jetpacks in the future. And OK, fine, people have been able to remotely unlock cars since OnStar in the 90s, but that still required calling someone who was sitting at a computer somewhere in Arizona. Now, I can do it from my touch screen god-phone.

Using the rest of the app was just as easy as you would expect Zipcar to make it. Making my reservation was a breeze. The app grayed out all Zipcar lots that didn’t have a car that matched my time reservation. If you needed the exact location of a Zipcar lot, the app would send the exact coordinates to your Maps application which would then direct you to the lot. While my reservation as open, I could extend the time I needed the car from inside the app as well.

Zipcar polled its users and found that 25% of them had an iPhone, hence releasing their first app on Apple’s platform. Everyone else without an iPhone can still use the mobile website to make reservations. Also, once you’ve given Zipcar your cell phone number, they’ll send you text message reminders about your reservations. You can then extend your reservation just by texting Zipcar back. “Ext30m” will get you an extra half-hour to get back while “End today 4pm” will do just what it says.

Zipcar has always been a company to embrace technology, and now every car in their fleet now comes equipped with an auxillary cord to plug into your iPod or mp3 player of choice, so you can jam out to Taylor Swift, or any other embarrassing musical offering you might enjoy. Every car has a toll-tag that auto-magically bills your Zipcar account for the tolls.

Another thing that’s hard to ignore about Zipcar is that the company is rather green—and we’re talking about more than its logo. Like I said before, I only drive a Zipcar when I really need one. But if I had a car of my own, I’d probably take a lot more places. That means I’m driving more, burning more gas, and doing my part to warm the earth with more carbon dioxide. When you factor in people who just use Zipcar instead of owning a car, that’s a lot fewer miles being driven out there.

Zipcar recognizes this, and discounts the Priuses in its fleet more than the other vehicles. Zipcar even ran a “low-car diet challenge” which in return for media coverage, encourage drivers to hang up their keys for a month and ride public transit or use a Zipcar when absolutely necessary. While the miles saved from these twelve users is merely a minuscule blip in the amount of carbon spewed into the atmosphere by the millions of drivers in the U.S. every day, the ideas are still a good one. It’s also a counter intuitive notion, considering that Zipcar essentially makes its money when people drive, but it’s just the good-nature of the company. When was the last time you saw gas companies encouraging eco-consciousness?

Zipcar is here for good it seems, and that’s something that I, and thousands of other users certainly embrace. While Zipcar advertises through print frequently, a lot of Zipcar’s brand strength comes through word of mouth. Zipcar user Matthew Lasek shared just such a story. “About two weeks ago I rented a Volvo and zipped to the hardware store to fill up on more paint, brushes and cleaner to remove all the paint I would inevitably spill. While locking the car a 65 year-old woman asked ‘So how does Zipcar work?’” Lasek then explained the entire membership and rental rental process to the questioning woman, Brookline resident Lauren Smith, who lamented how expensive it is to rent a cart through a traditional car service and how she hated asking her daughter to drive her on her errands.

When asked to sum up the Zipcar experience, Lasek put it like this: “I think this is what Zip Car is: freedom. This strong and able senior wanted to have the freedom to do something as simple as go to Johnny’s Fresh Market; while my exploits in Zipcars to the beach or Six Flags are a little more adventurous, the fact remains that Zipcar lets us do things that our own two legs can’t, or what our wallets would prohibit.”

Images courtesy Zipcar, the author, and Flickr users Andrew Currie, rakka, reinvented, and scoobyfoo.

iPod Nano.

Apple is adding a video camera to its iPod Nanos, allowing users to take still pictures or film clips for easy uploading to YouTube later, all at the same price pont as a 4 GB Kickflip.  Apple is also — and finally, in our opinion — adding an FM radio. While we haven’t listened to a radio since 2003, its always seemed a cheap component that everyone else has always offered. But in typical Apple fashion, they’ve bettered it: users will be able to live-pause the music, and tag songs to later find them in iTunes. Pricing for the Nano is $149 for 8GB, and $179 for 16GB, all of which come in Apple’s standard candy colored offerings.

iPod Touch.

Apple’s iPod Touch line also saw battery and memory upgrades and price drops. The 8GB iPod touch is now only $199. However, users can also purchase the 32 and 64 GB models for $299 and $399 respectively which include new Open GL firmware for better video and game performance, a necessary upgrade to maintain Apple’s relevance in the mobile gaming marketplace.

iPod Shuffle

Apple’s iPod shuffle is also getting five new colors and price drops. The 2 GB model is only $59 dollars, while the 4 GB model is $79. There still aren’t any controls on the player itself, meaning you’re still limited to headphones with the built-in controls. Apple did announce that many manufacturers are adding support for the controls on board, or through adapters.

All of these are solid upgrades, and while there’s still no tablet, this should definitely take Apple successfully into the upcoming holiday season.

The event will open at 10 a.m. at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, Calif., at the Moscone Center, the same site of Macworld Expo and Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).

Since 2005, Apple has used these events, usually near September, to introduce massive changes to its music business. Last year Apple introduced new iPods and iTunes 8 at a similar event.

“It’s only rock and roll, but we like it,” Apple says in an email inviting people to the event, Macworld reported. Apple gave no details about the event or what could be announced.

Maybe its a tablet device?

But what about those times when you want to listen to a certain song — like right now? Sure you can try to prod Pandora into playing the song for you, but it’s hit or miss. Slacker lets you choose some favorites, but these choices are limited, and again, there are no guarantees. And since the RIAA is actually still suing people, despite their assurances otherwise, we’re going for legal methods.

Enter Spotify.

Spotify is essentially a digital version of the iTunes catalog, where every song is available for free streaming. No kidding, you can pick and choose any song you want to listen to, and it will begin playing on demand. (OK, OK, The Beatles are still nowhere to be found, but that’s surprising to no one.) The familiar interface works much like iTunes. Artist names and albums are hyperlinked to the respective pages where you can listen to the artists other songs and albums.

I was very impressed with the selection. While all of the most obvious artists and songs are available, there’s an impressive back catalogue. I found many b-sides and live albums I didn’t know existed for many of my favorite bands as well as many, shall we say, “band nerd” songs from my yesterdays in the high school band.

The software allows you to build playlists drag and drop style but many websites also offer a robust selection of playlists that you can add. The software also comes with the ability to share songs via links.

All in all, this possibly strikes you as too good to be true; and alas, for anyone living state side, it is. Spofity is currently only available in a handful of European countries. Of course, enterprising users have managed to find a way around the IP address checks used to make sure that users are from these allowed countries; a simple Google search will probably reveal the methods.

Though currently in invite only-beta, the site actually allows new users (again, from the appropriate countries) to sign up and download the software, all for free. The company’s revenue model is based on inserting ads in the software and in the audio stream. Users can also sign up for premium service to eliminate these ads.

For the future, the company also has iPhone and Symbian apps in development, an obvious addition considering the limited space on most devices. All in all, free is hard to argue with, and should Spotify manage to strike the right licensing deals, they might just have a winning formula.

That’s where an entire audio sub-industry has sprung up, catering entirely to iPod owners who want to “dock” their music box somewhere and jam to a room-filling sound that’s not mashed into their ears.

Blast and The Boston Globe recently tested five of these docks: the Altec Lansing inMotion Max at $199, the Logitech Pure-Fi Express Plus for $78, the compact iHome iH4B for $39.99, the Cambridge SoundWorks i765 for $299, and Wayland-based Sprout Creation’s all-wood Vers 2X at $199.

As a bonus, Blast also tested the Boston Acoustics Duo-I at $199 and the iHome iH51BR at $149.

For professional advice, we turned to Dariusz Dobrolinski, is co-owner of the tiny yet historic Q Audio store on Vassar Street in Cambridge, which claims to be the worlds smallest hi-fi store and one of the original distributors of CD players in the US in the early 80s. Dobrolinski said the Altec Lansing inMotion Max was the best item on the list, and we agreed.

“It sounded the richest,” Dobrolinski said. He warned us not to jump at the deepest bass or the highest treble, which some inexpensive systems tend to crank up to make up for their lower quality components.

“If you want to buy a docking system, don’t look for something that has bass and sizzles, it may impress you, but later on you will notice you don’t get the midrange and that’s where all the instruments and all the voices are,” Dobrolinski said. “Bass is not critical unless you want to fill a huge room, but none of those systems are designed for huge rooms.”

The Altec Lansing and Cambridge SoundWorks models were all very similar, though. They sounded great, look great, and come from brand names that are known for generally building their products to high quality specifications.

The iHome name has gained a lot of ground in the last three years. You often see these functional alarm clock iPod docks in both luxury hotels and college dorms. They generally sound good and have useful wakeup features like dual alarm clock times and, of course, the ability to wake up to your favorite songs blasting from your nightstand. The iH4b’s compact size and low price makes it a great value for dorm rooms and bedrooms. It has a good sound on a small footprint.

The Vers 2X is a great choice people who want something different. It doesn’t have a radio or really any other features except an iPod dock, but it’s an attractive, well-built speaker system.

Dobrolinski said that you should also focus on how the product looks. Style is important. He also said that you’ll want your dock to have a remote control so you’re not getting up all the time to tune it.

Individual products on Page 2

It is portable and can run off batteries or AC power, but that doesn’t mean you should drag it to the beach. The cloth grille and rotating knob don’t feel like they’d stack up too well against millions of miniature sand particles infiltrating their pores. (check this out for something different)

But for indoor or clean-outdoor use, you do get a compact sound machine with clear audio, decent if not great highs and the same thumping bass we’ve come to expect from every small form factor audio product on the market from a decent manufacturer.

The fact is, Logitech is turning into a strong player in the personal audio realm, putting out a variety of solutions. The Express Plus is remarkably similar in size, shape and sound as the Squeezebox Boom, which I just loved and has caused me to bookmark BBC Radio 1.

Older (by now, ancient) iPod models don’t fit as well in Pure-Fi Express Plus. At first, the remote control had no effect on my third generation iPod — it didn’t change the songs or play or pause, but I learned that was because the iPod wasn’t fully plugged in. Once I pushed down a bit, the remote worked, but that’s still a problem. The device doesn’t hold larger iPods in place very well. The Nano had no such problem, though.

The remote is a neat feature, though it doesn’t add a ton of value to the product. I tend to lose the mini-motes anyway.

I’m seeing these products for about $50 now. It’s worth it. You need something to dock your iPod, unless you just you to play your songs off iTunes. God help you.

This is one of a series of iPod-docking devices Blast is reviewing in April

I hate iTunes.

I’m sick and tired of Apple getting a pass on quality control just because they gave us the Holy Roman iPod Empire and, by a roll of the dice, beat out 10 comparable music download services, both of which are jam packed into our worlds and force-fed to us through iTunes, a software title that just about creeps by on 4 GB of RAM.

It started out innocently enough with iTunes for managing and syncing your iPod and downloading new songs. But where did this incompetent “Genius” come from as it utterly paralyzes my computer from doing the one thing I’m actually trying to do — play a single song from my library?

What’s a decent sized audio library for anyone in their mid-20s? I have 2,000 songs that fit into a space under 8 gigs and play perfectly find on both my new Nano and my original third-generation iPod. Why is it that these same songs can bring a multi-core computer to its knees under the banner of iTunes?

And who gave Apple permission to try and install Safari and several other programs on my computer under the false auspices of “upgrading my iTunes to the latest version.” AIM tried to do that around the same time the term “adware” was coined.

Seriously, is Apple still so desperate for exposure that they will literally try and sneak their software into someone’s computer? No I don’t want Mobile Me. Thanks though.

When dragging a song from my library to a playlist is a 45 second, six click ordeal, there’s a problem here.

Strip it down! Turn off automatic art downloading. Save the Geniuses for the chess club.

In a way this is all our fault. We adopted the whole package and forked over our credit card numbers without asking questions. We can’t switch, right?

Now excuse me, there’s a new MGMT song I have to buy off the iTunes Store.

Topping all the charts was Apple’s latest update to its iLife suite, touting major retrofits of iMovie, iPhoto and GarageBand. The changes range from a better system for organizing photos in iPhoto to more powerful video editing functions in iMovie to a series of learning tutorials for various instruments in GarageBand.

“iLife continues to be one of the biggest reasons our customers choose to get a Mac,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, in a statement. “With iLife ‘09, we’ve made working with photos, making movies and learning to play music a lot more fun, and iMovie users are especially going to love the advanced but easy-to-use new features.”

Right after the big iLife news hit, Sling Media introduced a real stunner: HD streaming for Macs and iPhones via Sling.com. Sling Media expects to have an iPhone app out soon. Expected release date for SlingPlayer, a downloadable application that will interface with Sling.com to deliver HD content, is sometime in the first fiscal quarter of this year.

“SlingPlayer Mobile is ideally suited for the iPhone’s large touch screen display and I know iPhone users are eagerly anticipating the application’s availability,” said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media.

Following up, a new 17-inch MacBook Pro with unibody construction and a non-removable 8-hour life battery and an optional anti-glare coating on the screen was announced. The computer comes packed with a 2.66ghz Intel Core Duo chip, a 320 GB Hard Drive, and 4 GB of RAM, to name a few updates.

“We’ve developed new battery technology that is better for the user and better for the environment,” said Jobs. “Apple’s advanced chemistry and innovative technology deliver up to eight hours of use on a full charge cycle and up to 1,000 recharges.”

The final move of the day set social networking sites buzzing. Apple announced a new DRM free iTunes with a three tier pricing structure — $0.69, $0.99, and $1.29.

Both moves on the iTunes front were widely regarded as a necessity in order for iTunes to remain competitive with other online music stores, with the DRM removals hailed as long overdue.

The music coming out of your iPod doesn’t sound as good as it would coming from a CD. Period.

That doesn’t mean you have to spend $1,000 to squeeze the best possible audio out of your songs, does it?

Hence, we learn the plight of the audiophile. How good can music sound? How high can the quality get? How much should you spend?

The Marantz SA8003 was a treat. It puts out clear, rich bass notes, great midrange sound, and surprisingly clean treble with just a hint of imperfection at the highest tones. But we asked the company why anyone should pay $1,000 or more (the SA8003 is one of their midprice models) for a CD player.

After all, it’s a laser hitting a disc. What makes their lasers any better than Sony’s or even Coby for the matter.

Here’s the complete, unedited response from Kevin Zarow, vice president of marketing for Marantz — you decide:

“There is a noticeable difference between a $200 CD player and an “audiophile quality” $1,000 Super Audio CD (SACD) player like the Marantz SA8003 – and it’s something that even casual listeners will be able to hear immediately. The much higher fidelity SACD player actually enables you to hear subtle things in your favorite music that you’ve probably never heard before, like more realistic vocals, deeper, richer bass notes, as well as a wider, more three dimensional sound stage. Beyond that, the build quality between players is significant. A player such as the Marantz will weigh a lot more, due to a more robust chassis, designed to reduce vibration which by the way, improves sound. The power supplies, DACs and CD drive mechanism will all be much higher grade and great attention will be paid to the signal path to insure that you hear the music in its purest form and not the electronics.”

The SA8003 also has a USB port if you really get lonely for MP3s and music files. The optical output also

Pros: The SA8003 is an audiophile-quality CD player with crisp, clear sound, and rich bass. It also has a USB port for playing MP3s.

Cons: You really have to want it to spend $1,000 on a CD player, since your DVD player, video game console, and computer can all play CDs.

The final word: Speaking strictly from a quality perspective, the SA8003 is great. Remember though, this is just a CD player and it’s only going to sound as good as the speakers and amplifier you already have.

Don’t miss John Guilfoil’s “Five ways to listen to music without an iPod” story, in The Boston Globe.

They add weight, width and bulk to your devices, but they are one of the best solutions out there for active gadget geeks. The few and the proud.

Blast took a gander at three OtterBoxes: two “Armor” class boxes that waterproof iPod touch and Nano, and a “Defender” series case for the iPhone.

OtterBox Armor Case for 3G iPod nano (Clear)

OtterBox Armor Case for 3G iPod nano
$30 4 out of 5 stars

• Waterproof to 3 feet
• Dust, dirt, drop and scratch protection
• Click wheel still works
• Adds a ton of girth to the product

OtterBox Armor Series for iPod touch

OtterBox Armor Case for iPod touch
$40 4 out of 5 stars

• Completely changes look and feel of iPod
• Waterproof to 3 feet
• Dust, dirt, drop and scratch protection
• Interface still works thanks to thin protective membrane
• Makes the iPod look tough

OtterBox iPhone Defender

OtterBox Apple iPhone Defender Case
$65 3.5 out of 5 stars

• Bump, scratch and drop protection
• Not waterproof
• Less obtrusive than other boxes
• Very expensive for a cell phone case.
• Has a holster

It’s a taller, narrower iHome clock/radio/iPod dock. Only this time, it has Bluetooth on board. This allows you you to make wireless speakerphone calls from your iPhone, cell phone, PDA, etc., right from your alarm clock. It also lets you beam your music from any Bluetooth-compatible product (like your laptop) and play it up to 30 feet away on the iP47.

We finally got the chance to play with the iP47, and we’re impressed. The Bluetooth works as advertised, and phone and music playback sound great.

The calls were surprisingly clear over the unit, and you can even make calls using the remote control, leaving your iPhone or whatever plugged in and charging. A tray also pulls out of the unit with a full alphanumeric keypad. You can also plug in anything that’s not wireless via the line-in jack.

At $150, it’s an investment, but weigh the features and decide for yourself.

“Three years ago we introduced the world’s first waterproof housing and speakers developed for scuba diving, the DV-i700. Even though the number of supported mp3 players was small, the response and interest we received was overwhelming,” said Kristian Rauhala, CEO of H2O Audio, the company behind the iDive. “Divers have asked us to develop this product since the iPod revolution started. iDive’s “Made for iPod” integrated microprocessor detects a wide variety of iPods making it compatible with Apple’s most popular devices.”

Three hundred feet is a long way underwater, but if you’re down there with nothing better to do, why not crank your tunes? I guess. If you’re that comfortable under 300 feet of water, more power to you.

Features:

• Waterproof to a submersed depth of 300ft/90m
• Supports most models
• Integrated microprocessor allows for push button control of click wheel and touch screen iPod devices
• Built-in amplifier provides high quality stereo sound (uses 3 included AA batteries)
• Over ear speakers can be attached to mask strap or tucked under a dive hood
• Locking cam knob ensures secure seal
• Lanyard loop for easy attachment
• Polycarbonate construction
• 1 year warranty

The H2O Audio iDive goes for $349.99, available exclusively online.

The Powerline Stereo Audio System will be displayed by IOGEAR at CEDIA 2008 in booth #468.

And now, something technical:

“The Powerline Stereo Audio System uses existing electrical lines within the home to stream music to any room, creating a full-house multimedia network without the need for expensive audio cable installation,” the companies said in a statement. “Arkados’ HomePlug powerline technology and its Direct-to-Speaker software provide reliable connectivity and the highest quality digital sound from the audio source to the speakers for the system.”

Of course, everyone’s happy:

“We are pleased to have joined forces with IOGEAR, a leading connectivity manufacturer, to provide an affordable, high-quality solution to home audio networking,” said Oleg Logvinov, president and Chief Executive Officer of Arkados. “The Arkados HomePlug solution within IOGEAR’s Powerline Stereo Audio System allows consumers to install their own state-of-the-art home audio network at a significantly lower price point. We are looking forward to showcasing the system at CEDIA.”

Yay.

The Horizon Fuel Cell Bio Energy Discovery Kit is a simple enough product. It allows you to put water and alcohol in solution — like, say, diluted vodka — to create an electrochemical reaction.

“Unlike methanol, or past attempts to use alkaline ethanol solutions, Horizon’s device can use plain water and alcohol which is easily accessible to consumers,” the company said in a statement Wednesday. “Tiny amounts of alcohol can thus be placed in contact with Horizon’s fuel cell and slowly converted to electricity that can power small devices.”

The promise is that this is a step toward fuel cell-powered devices.

The kit is available now for $99.

Oh. Ohhhh… Interesting.

It’s heavy and shiny and costs as much as a high-end home audio center channel, but the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin will do things to your iPod audio that you weren’t sure she was capable of.

Sure, at $600, it’s more expensive than any iPod, but if you want a $20 speaker system, there’s plenty of those out there that sound like amplified earbuds.

The Zeppelin sounds phenomenal. It weighs in at almost 17 pounds and packs five drivers.

It’s built around a central 5″ bass driver, two 3.5″ midranges and two 1″ metal dome tweeters for those high notes and puts out 100 total watts of power, which is as powerful as any standard home theater setup.

Why the constant comparison to home theater components? Because the Zeppelin acts more like a piece of equipment than a device. It feels more like an antique wood coffee table than a plastic folding card table. The majority of audio components sound “good.” A bunch of them sound “bad.” And then there’s a breed that sounds like what your “always-has-to-have-the-best” neighbor has. The audio quality on the Zeppelin is amazing, and it’s even more amazing that this device was specifically built for iPods.

And if there is to be any complaint about the Zeppelin, it’s that it is 99 percent iPod-centric. Obviously there’s no CD player. There’s no radio. You can plug a Zune or any other audio device in, but then you’re left with this arm in the middle where the iPod is supposed to go.

Maybe that’s not a complaint, because this seems to work just fine. We’re a music consuming world that’s now 99 percent iPod (or iPhone now) centric, so why not plop your pod into something like the Zeppelin?

The remote control doesn’t work that well. There, I issued a complaint. It’s good up till about 10 feet and then it’s hit or miss.

With a product like this, all we’re missing out on here is the fact that we’re still largely using compressed MP3 files that don’t sound as good as pure, unadulterated audio. Do yourself a favor sometime, plug a CD player into a device like this. I did.

Digression over.

The Zeppelin works with iPod Touch, Classic, 4th and 5th generation, Nano and Mini. There’s also an auxiliary input port so that you can plug in just about any device. You can also use composite or S-Video to output video to a television or display.

This is a peach of a product that you should definitely check out.

So, I’ve toed the company line. That’s what the iH12 and every other iHome product does. It’s what they do, and they’re very good at it.

The iH12 is a compact cube with a backlit display, dual alarms and gradually progressing volume for waking and sleeping. It has a remote, AM/FM radio with 12 presets and an auxilary input to plug in your non-iPod devices.

The device has iHome’s usual Reson8 speaker with passive subwoofer for bass. It’s not going to shake a room, but the iH12 projects a clear sound that’s as good as any of the docks on the market.

It is not compatible with 3rd generation or earlier iPods, so make sure you have something fairly new to throw at it.

At $80, it’s priced right in the meaty curve of the iPod-audio-docking-alarm-clocking products. Give it a shot.

4 out of 5 stars

This new line of iPod lamps promises to hold all dockable iPods including 30-60GB, nano and mini. Each lamp is a bright halogen, and depending on which one you get, they feature backlit buttons and telescoping lampposts.

I can’t believe no one’s really thought of this yet. As long as they manage to sound decent, these look awesome.

The iHome lamps are now available for $49.99 and up at Lowe’s, Amazon.com, Costco and other retailers, Checkolite said Thursday.

Essentially Tinbot cases are custom pre-designed solid tin cases, with cut-outs for the iPod’s ports. Tinbot offers 11 great designs, starting at $19.99 for a plain white design and $29.99 for other design cases. Orders must be placed online at http://thetinbot.com and the company is working on expanding their product line to allow custom designs.

In person, it’s amazing how the design just “pops” out. The colors are vibrant and the contrast excellent; however, I was not so impressed at the overall case itself. The form factor of my Tinbot wasn’t good at all, and the case didn’t feel right in my hands.

The overall shape is very “boxy,” and it was a real pain prying the lid off the case when changing songs. The case feels extremely cheap and after a week of use the hinge is ready to fall off any day now. These issues cheapen features like the nice padding inside and excellent design.

Dare I say, the product is kind of tinny.

Tinbot leaves much more to be desired and I would not recommend purchasing, mainly because as of now, the unit is so cheap that I wouldn’t even trust my iPod in it. Overall, it’s low quality for a high price.

Overall: 2 out of 5 stars

One is small and loud, and the other’s got Bluetooth.

They’re still in the concept stage. Here’s what we’ve gathered so far — mind you nothing is set in stone.

The iH69 iPod Computer Speaker System with Computer Sync, in addition to being a mouthful, is a compact, versatile solution for all your dorm/desktop/bedroom audio needs. It docks, charges, plays and syncs your iPod and computer audio (or any other audio source for that matter) and if it follows company trends, will sound as good as some of the larger computer speaker options out there.

It’s being marketed as a clutter-reducing sound solution. The iH69 also has a remote control and is built on 20-watt, 2.5″ Reson8 speakers.

iHome showed the iH69 concept at CES in January. Look for it later this year in the $200 range.

For a more robust choice, the iP47 looks like it will be a sick desktop solution with built-in Bluetooth to wirelessly stream your audio from a cell phone, PDA or computer. It also works with your iPhone and has a speakerphone/microphone combo that lets you take/make calls right on the device.

Like we’ve seen with other iHome clock/radio options, the iP47 also features dual alarms, AM/FM radio, snooze, etc.

iHome may have a few more tricks up its sleeve later this spring. Stay tuned.

It supplies emergency power to nearly any small, portable device, but not in that disposable, one use, drug store special kind of way. The rechargeable lithium polymer battery will fill up your cell phone’s gas tank three times before the GearJuice runs dry.

GearJuice will charge your Blackberry, iPod, iPhone, PDA, Bluetooth headset, cell phone and nearly any low-power device that takes a USB or mini-USB source. The device detects how much juice you gear needs and outputs the correct voltage.

The product can charge itself from any USB device — so you can just plug it into your laptop or desktop computer. It comes with six attachments, including iPod touch and iPhone and mini-USB connectors. Some models come with American and European wall plug adapters, but my model didn’t come with an AC adapter — which I didn’t mind because it’s actually much easier to charge the GearJuice right off my computer.

One small complaint: the GearJuice should have come with two full-size USB dongles. If you’re charging the device off USB, you aren’t left with a spare cable to go right ahead and charge up your cell phone or iPod at the same time. To this effect, GearJuice won’t turn your laptop into a power inverter.

The device itself charges up in a few hours from a dead, empty battery and IOGEAR says it will hold a charge for six months.

There are a variety of specialty adapters you can buy for GearJuice including the full-sized AC adapters and Samsung, LG and Motorola phone packs if — somehow — your phone doesn’t fit any of the included connectors. (When are all cell phones just going to charge and sync via mini-USB?)

Do yourself a favor, don’t throw out or lose the spare connectors. Put them somewhere where they won’t get lost or tossed. You’re probably going to break, lose or replace your cell phone within a year, and you’ll be crawling around trying to find the other connectors.

GearJuice is compact, comes in a soft, velvet carrying bag and priced right at under $30 on most websites. I approve.

Quick hits:

Developer: IOGEAR
Genre: Power
Launch Date: August 10, 2007

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Download facts and specs

NLU Products, the developer of scratch-proof, transparent skins for mobile devices, announced tuesday that BodyGuardz clear film covers are now available for the MacBook Air.

The BodyGuardz clear film offers protection from scratches and outside elements.

We first encountered these types of products in our first issue and we’ve been pretty impressed with the results — as long as they are installed correctly.

“Once again, BodyGuardz provides the best way to protect the great design and functionality of Apple’s MacBook Air,” said Whitney Feller, marketing manager of NLU Products.

BodyGuardz protectors are made from the same material that is used to protect the front of automobiles from stones and other abrasive elements, NLU said in a statement Tuesday. The products are designed to be optically clear but can be a bitch to install if you don’t do it right.

NLU also makes protectors for over 1,000 different brands of computers, phones, PDAs, media players, gaming devices, and cameras. Their best-selling items right now include protection for for Blackberry Curve (8300), Apple iPod Touch, Blackberry Pearl (8120/8230), Apple iPod Nano 3G, and Apple MacBook 13″.

The BodyGuardz MacBook air kit goes for $49.95 and can be ordered online.

This is a big development for “the world’s most wearable music player” which weighs just half an ounce.

“At just $49, the iPod shuffle is the most affordable iPod ever,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. “The new 2GB model lets music lovers bring even more songs everywhere they go in the impossibly small iPod shuffle.”

The new 1GB iPod shuffle is now available through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 2GB iPod shuffle will be available later this month.

The iPod touch now comes in a 32GB model for $499, joining the 16GB model for $399 and the 8GB model for $299.

“For some users, there’s never enough memory,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of worldwide iPod and iPhone Product Marketing. “Now people can enjoy even more of their music, photos and videos on the most revolutionary mobile phone and best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world.”

Both models feature Apple’s Multi-Touch user interface and the ability to play music, videos, photos and more with just a touch of their finger, Apple said Tuesday.

All iPhone and iPod touch models include the latest software enhancements announced last month including the ability to automatically find your location using the new Maps application; create Web Clips for your favorite websites; customize your home screen and watch movies from the new iTunes Movie Rentals. Both iPhone and iPod touch feature the world’s most advanced mobile web browser in the world with Safari and great mobile applications including Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes.

The new 16GB iPhone is available now through the online Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and AT&T retail and online stores.

The 32GB iPod touch is available nationwide.

The availability of the “Maps” positioning feature will vary depending on location.

With cassette tapes, we had boomboxes. They came in all shapes and sizes, and depending on the age, they were very, very analog. And the boombox hasn’t gone away entirely. Some will say the large-form boxes are enjoying a comeback of sorts.

Of course, now we have iPods, satellite radio, HD Radio, Zunes (well one or two) and every song we could possibly want at the tip of our fingers for 99 cents.

There’s just something about a July day on the beach with a cooler and a boombox, though. And that’s why I like Altec Lansing’s inMotion iM9 iPod system and all the lower-case i’s that go with it. It just screams retro, and I think that’s why consumers are really taking to this one.

First of all, it runs on either AC power or four C batteries. Some people might not like constantly changing the batteries, but it’s still a far cry better than the current technology of rechargeable batteries that never reach 100 percent again. Fresh batteries = peak sound. You get 24 hours of battery life from the C’s.

The second retro piece comes in how you plug an iPod into the iM9. You press the button at the top and, just like a cassette deck, a door opens letting you drop your pod in.

Third on the retro block, the iM9 comes with a BACKPACK. I’d never use it. It’s tacky. But damn, it’s a backpack!

Finally, this mother is LOUD. And it’s not just loud; it’s clear, crisp and deep. The iM9 may not be the size of a boombox, but it sure sounds like one. The system is built on 2.75″ drivers, but the bass rivals many larger systems. The highs are also crystal clear. The iM9 does have a slight hiss, even when music isn’t playing. It gets annoying, especially if you want to leave the device in your bedroom or something.

The iM9 has a rugged case, and I think it’s a versatile option for outdoor listening. It’s not weather/water proof, but you can put it next to the grill, poolside or bring it to the beach.

There are several indoor applications, including audio and video outputs to hook your iPod up to your television.

The product works with iPod, iPod video, Nano, and Mini. The iM9 does work with new generation Nanos. There have been several complaints that it doesn’t work with the 2/3G iPod Nano, but it does. The device just didn’t come with the proper adapter. It was a huge F-up, but Altec Lansing offers the adapter for free for new Nano users.

Overall, the iM9 is impressive, compact and loud. It debuted with a $200 price tag, but you can scoop one up online for about $70. I say you should do just that.

Quick hits:

Developer: Altec Lansing
Genre: iPod audio system
Launch Date: May 12, 2006

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars Editor’s choice

Download the manual.

The purpose of the product is to let you plug your iPod into both a stereo/home theater system and a computer in one fell swoop.

Now, it adds a decent amount of wires to your system, and I felt it would have been much more useful as a wireless product — letting you plug your iPod into the dock near your computer and beam music to the receiver end plugged into your stereo.

There are three situations where the iPort FS-2 is extremely useful. First, if you don’t have front A/V inputs on your home theater receiver, you can plug the iPort in the back and know it’s always there when you need it. Second, if you have a home theater PC used to sync songs on your iPod. Finally, it’s also useful if your household has more than one iPod — you can swap them back and forth and listen to your tunes on your home system.

I had preconceived reservations at first, but the iPort is one of the best A/V iPod docking solutions out there. It basically lets you plug all the audio and video wires into your receiver one time and forget it. Now all you have to do is drop any iPod in and you’re ready to go.

iPort created the product to allow users to plug into computers and receivers at the same time, but unless you have a computer a few feet from your stereo/receiver (or a laptop) I don’t see how that’s possible.

If you do have a computer or home theater PC nearby (and aren’t just playing music off that…) then it’s great.

The system supports A/V wires of up to 25 feet though, so you can definitely navigate across the room. The iPort company offers a bunch of in-wall solutions that go longer (up to 500 feet of audio in some cases), but this is their desktop variant, and it’s definitely a handy gadget.

Music and video are both crisp and clear. Give this one a shot.

Quick hits:

Developer: iPort
Platform: iPod
Launch Date: June 6, 2006

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

The product will come in two flavors — “cubo elements” and “cubo fusion.” The elements model comes with Internet radio that allows users to choose from 10,000 radio stations. There is also an AM/FM version of the product. “fusion” comes equipped with an iPod docking station and key-lock system to secure the unit in place.

“Cubo fits comfortably on nightstands, kitchen counters and tabletops, adding flair to any room,” the company said recently. “User-friendly buttons let individuals effortlessly control their music and program alarms to a desired song or radio station.”

The system is built on a full-range driver with a bass-reflex tube. It comes in three wood and seven lacquer-color finishes. It looks like a good one, and at $350, they just might catch the eyes of their style-conscious target market.

Essentially 4D’s Web 2.0 Pack v11 is an online Internet application, which allows business users access to use a simple drag and drop interface, essential to perform a variety of tasks like: the ability to create graphs, perform basic calculations and much more, all without the need to ever write JavaSript.

4D’s Web 2.0 Pack v11 is mainly designed for mobile platforms such as Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch, however it will also run on you standard browsers seamlessly. This new update offers support for the 4D V11 SQL as well while providing a few advancements, such as improved performance and bug fixes; all in effort to provide a better user experience.

“The iPhone’s tremendous popularity has increased the need for powerful, mobile business tools,” said Brendan Coveney, President and CEO of 4D Inc. “We developed the Business Intelligence Dashboards for 4D Web 2.0 Pack v11 to give developers the cutting-edge tools they need to meet those business needs.”

The new AJAX powered software is priced at $599 and includes a six-month subscription to any further updates. The company will also provide an additional 12-month maintenance plan, which can be purchased for $249.

Overall it’s nice to see more productive tools for the iPhone and iPod touch mobile platforms. This new advancement will give business access more functionality, all on a simple, familiar drag and drop interface, without all the code.

Click here for more information and a complete list of features.

By the way:
Due to reporting errors, the name of the 4D V11 SQL was reported 3D V11 SQL. The price of the 4D Web 2.0 Pack V11 is $599, not $600, and the 12-month maintenance plan is $249 not $250.

The Xdock HD can also play video on an HDTV in DTS surround sound. It will work with the iPod Touch, Classic, new Nano and previous generation iPod’s asa well.

“We designed the Xdock HD so that all the movies, music and photos that you carry with you on your iPod can be experienced in HD in your home,” said Steve Erickson, vice president of audio for Creative. “The Xdock HD transforms your iPod from a portable device into a high-quality HD entertainment system.”

The Xdock HD connects to a home theater receiver by HDMI, component or composite inputs and supports analog and optical audio.

The Xdock HD outputs a menu to a TV screen, and it lets users scroll through with an included remote to select among your videos, music, photos and podcasts and change video settings including skin tone correction, luminescence sharpening and color saturation, Creative said Monday.

The dock will be available in the spring for $399.99.

They come in a wide variety of packages and configurations.

In a nutshell, there are three main Bluetooth devices, the TX, the RX and the F1.

The TX sends audio, the RX receives audio, or you can go with the F1 — stereo Bluetooth headphones.

The Cerulean F1 wireless stereo headphones reach 33 feet, and they allow you to to plug-in to any auxiliary audio source or iPod-compatible audio system and listen to it.

They are designed to with with traditional iPod docking platforms, and the TX and RX don’t require any batteries because they’re charged by the iPod and Dock-compatible audio device. You can use them with non iPod products, but you’ll need an external power source and audio wires.

These are great but expensive toys. A set of TX + RX or F1 + TX will run you upwards of $150. They sound great, however and are sleek and stylish on top it it all.

Overall, if you’re willing to put up the extra dollars, iSkin’s Cerulean line is one of the best, most compact Bluetooth devices I’ve used. It removes the wires, but it’s versatile enough to be used away from the traditional iPod application.

Take a look on the iSkin website.

Quick hits:

Distributor: iSkin
Developer: iSkin
Genre: Bluetooth audio
Launch Date: August 8, 2007

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

iPod Peggle will take advantage of the the iPod’s clickwheel and high-resolution display. You can also listen to your own playlists while Peggling.

That’s right, Peggling: Verb, to Peggle. One who is playing Peggle.

The iPod version includes all 55 levels, 10 magical powers and 75 Grand Master challenges, as well as the two-player Duel Mode.

“The clickwheel input of the iPod is a natural fit for controlling Peggle, so we knew this adaptation of the game would be amazing,” said Jason Kapalka, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of PopCap. “And with the Duel Mode included, two players can pass the iPod back and forth while battling their way to Extreme Fever!”

Peggle is one of the most successful and best pure casual games ever and has been downloaded more than 10 million times since its introduction in March.

From Popcap: In Peggle, players fire a metallic silver ball from the top of the screen, relying on gravity to propel the ball downwards while it ricochets off orange and blue “pegs”. The goal is to clear all the orange pegs from the screen before running out of balls. A moving “bucket” at the bottom of the screen offers free balls, while green power-up pegs give the player one of ten different abilities courtesy of the ten “Peggle Masters” who guide players through the game. These power-ups include explosive area-clearing blasts, lobster claws which serve as pinball-type flippers, and “fireballs” that cut through all pegs in their path. “But nobody can really be told what Peggle is like,” said Kapalka, “you just have to play it for yourself.” Available on retail store shelves, on the Web and now on iPod, Peggle is the must-have game of 2007.

Gamers can download Peggle from iTunes for $4.99, and the game is available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish, Popcap said Tuesday.

Though there are some considerations to make — this isn’t a good idea for an iPod or another portable MP3 device. The way the Audio Transport works is that it lets you plug a set of earbuds/headphones into a Bluetooth receiver. So there are still wires to worry about, and there isn’t really a point to using this for an already portable device, unless you plan on leaving your iPod on a desk or table or somewhere stationary while you walk around the room. Just not sure why you’d do that…

Anyway, the Audio Transport does give you the ability to listen to any audio source from up to 33′ (feet) away, and the sound quality is pretty good, with SRS “Wow” surround sound technology.

If you’re looking for a Bluetooth device, $50 is the average for cell phone solutions. The IOGEAR Audio transport, at the same price, gives you that and the expanded capabilities.

Features:

• Enjoy music wirelessly from Bluetooth-enabled computers, PDA, MP3/CD players, and more
• Maximum wireless range up to 33 ft.(10 meters)
• SRS WOW surround sound technology delivers optimal music listening experience
• Supports MP3-quality stereo sound (frequency response 20Hz – 20 KHz)
• Works with Bluetooth cell phones and allows you to pick up incoming calls even during music playback
• Integrated 5-way headphone control buttons give you quick access to play/pause, track selection*, and volume control
• Comfortable to wear behind-the-neck style
• Convenient built-in rechargeable battery for up to 6 hours play time
• Connect the Bluetooth Audio Transport to your stereo system to wirelessly listen to music stored in your Bluetooth audio devices
• Avoids interference with other wireless devices and does not requires direct line-of-sight
• Class 2 device compliant with Bluetooth 1.2 specifications Headphones Audio

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

With all the bad press plastic bottles are getting lately, the iH85B, designed with a bike mounting bracket is a great replacement.

It takes four AA batteries or an AC adapter for home listening. It’s also water and impact-resistant with a speaker cap to protect itself. It docks with all docking iPods.

The iH85B also charges your iPod when plugged in by AC power.

The product also uses Reson8 audio technology, giving the iH85B some rich sounding vibes–and it does sound really good for a device its size.

If you’re into cycling, and into iPods, check this one out.

Features:

• Listen to your iPod at home or while biking anywhere
• Charges your iPod when connected to AC adaptor(included)
• Works with docking iPod models
• Reson8™ technology with passive speaker for full, rich sound
• Mounted wireless RF remote control for safer control while biking
• Comes with mounting bracket and all hardware
• Bike mounted remote control for safe riding
• Tough water and impact-resistant polycarbonate case
• NOT compatible with iPod Shuffle.

Then I heard Apple would release an iPhone without the phone. The 16gb iPod Touch is now in my hands.

The Touch’s design is astonishing, with its gorgeous three 3.5” widescreen display, multi touch user interface and its supermodel thinness at only .31 inches. It’s for any commuter looking to carry around their music, video collections, photos and the internet.

The unit comes in two versions, 8gb and 16gb, respectively priced at $300-$400.

I would strongly advise getting the larger capacity model because it’s still not a ton of space – considering older iPod’s gave you 20gb for just music — if you own a lot of music, videos or pictures, the device will fill up quickly. The operating system alone takes up over a gigabyte.

After using the iPod touch for a few months, my thoughts haven’t changed. The product packs a lot of functionality, which I adapted to very quickly.

One of the key features is the Safari browser. I find it extremely useful to be able to log in to social networking sites and surf the web. I can also read current events, stream media, and do regular tasks I would perform if I were on my computer.

It’s very rare that you find an ultra portable device like the iPod Touch that can stream both audio and video podcasts directly to the unit. It’s $400 spent wisely just in that feature alone.

The revolutionary touch screen interface built on Mac OS X is a head turner. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been complimented on the easy to use interface, which offers the user an optimal experience in every task.

It’s so nice flipping music with a swipe of a finger being able to quickly select a song. If you rotate the iPod Touch into landscape position, the built in accelerometer detects the position and displays you music in Cover Flow mode, similar to an iPhone feature.

Cover Flow is a technology which lets you see all the album art in you music collection. Gently tap on the cover art, and it spins around and lets you select a song within the album.

Sound quality is also impressive, with no skips because of reliable internal flash memory. The touch also offers the built-in iTunes WiFI Music store. I’ve bought a few tracks off WiFi store and was surprised on how seamlessly the store integrates with my music library.

You can browse the top one hundred songs of each genre or the top 100 songs on the iTunes store or search by name, artist, etc. for the song you want. The song will immediately download and appear in the users’ music library.

You can’t download movies, podcasts, games or music videos, but it’s a great start.

The rest of the features like video playback, the photo viewer, clock, calendar, calculator and YouTube application all work the same way as they do on the iPhone.

One suggestion that I have is if you plan to download podcasts, download the file with the Large QuickTime encoding. If you download the small QuickTime version, the video will be fuzzier and pixelated.

When watching videos, I was amazed at the quality of the picture. I sometimes forgot I was watching on a three and one half inch screen because the picture quality is so detailed.

The iPod Touch has minor drawbacks like its battery life, which in normal life only gets three hours when connected to WiFi and less than 20 hours of straight music playback if you enjoy flipping through cover flow and using some of its power hungry features.

Some other drawbacks are that Apple has blocked third party developers from creating native applications. You also can’t add calendar events on the go or download audio files other than the iTunes WiFi store.

There’s also no mail support and no flash support for viewing flash enabled sites, although hackers recently found ways to break through Apple’s encryption to add thirty party applications and features.

Overall, Apple really did a great job creating a device that provides so many useful features. I’m glad to see that Apple has taken the features from its popular iPhone and has added them into a device without the ongoing financial commitments.

Compatible with all versions of the iPod, except for the new versions of the iPod Shuffle, the iH7R makes waking up and falling asleep smoother than ever.

The volume of the alarm and sleep settings increase and decrease smoothly with gradual wake and sleep features to avoid startling the user. These features allow the user to be slowly awakened or lulled to sleep with either tunes from their iPod or the AM/FM radio.

A buzzer alarm option is also available for those who need a quick wake up call in the morning. There is also a dual alarm feature for those who like to sleep through their alarms or in cases where two people need to wake up at different times.

The iH7R sounds impressive with its Reson8 speaker chambers, known for the their clarity, depth and power. A bedside satellite speaker allows for a surround sound effect, but it doesn’t reach much past the width of your bed, though-this is due mostly to its short length. The speakers live up to their reputation by producing high-quality sound from such a compact unit.

The radio and iPod can be controlled from any part of your room using an included remote, as long as it’s a straight shot to the iHome base, despite claims otherwise by the manufacturer.

The only major downside here is that the menus of the iPod can not be accessed through the remote. This makes it tough to get picky from the other side of your bedroom.

A patch cord is included to play your CD’s and other audio devices as well.

Overall, the iH7R packs an impressive sound and user friendly features.

For $149.99, it’s a great investment for those who always want to have their iPod around.

The iH4 displays the time and can be used as a speaker system when connected to any iPod. It differs from the previous model because it is much smaller, taking up less than a quarter of the desk space its predecessor did. It is much more convenient to store on a nightstand, but the size difference trade off some features like an AM/FM radio.

The iHome iH4 is an extremely simple device to use. The buttons are all clearly labeled, and an instruction manual seems almost pointless. The on and off buttons are both located at the top of the system while the four settings buttons are located along th”oo high volume, it muffles any vocals in the music.

The iHome iH4, though not reasonable for the sole purpose of playing music, is convenient, affordable and reliable for the function of an alarm clock. It has an appealing, retro to look to it, unlike most alarm clocks.

So, if you want to charge your iPod while you sleep and wake up hours later to the sound of one of your favorite songs, perhaps the iHome iH4 is appropriate for you.

$49.99, now available.

Unfortunately, in a normally lit room, the ambient light distracts you from focusing on the video. It is also a drain on the eyes, since the user’s eyes are constantly looking at other things, since what you see is only this little screen floating in front of you.

MyVu works much better in the dark. There aren’t as many distractions, and objects above and below the screen don’t stand out as much. The nice thing about the way the screen is situated is that once you get used to it, you can walk around with it on your head, even playing a video. Since you can see around the image the image is like walking with a flier or a book in your hands.

The way it connects to the iPod is pretty convenient. It has an external battery pack, but it will also run off the regular iPod’s battery. I got through at least an hour and a half before the batteries died. The included battery pack give it about four hours. One downside though, MyVu will draw battery power if it’s plugged in, even if the iPod isn’t playing anything. Leaving the MyVu plugged in at night results in a dead iPod in the morning.

Using the iPod’s battery is convenient since it doesn’t require you to carry around a separate battery just for the screen, though if your using the MyVu for long periods of time, you will want to use an additional battery.

The audio is fairly standard from the built-in ear bud headphones. They seem loud enough, and a mini remote that comes with the system controls the volume independent from the iPod. The pause and play button takes a noticeable period of time to pause or play the video, unlike pressing it on the screen. The volume controls also have no visual reference to tell you how load or soft they are currently set at.

The MyVu Ships with demo software to convert your videos to a format that can play on the iPod. The Demo requires an Internet connection and a valid e-mail, because it requires a license to test it out, which has to be sent to your e-mail.

Overall it’s an interesting gadget, but the size of the screen it produces isn’t much better than just using the original iPod screen. If you travel a lot or have long commutes to and from work, it may be worth it, though to save holding the iPod itself while walking, and if you don’t normally hold your iPod up right in front of your face, it will seem like a bigger screen.

The application/installation is a time consuming process. Expect to set aside a couple hours for the hands on part. Then, give it 24 hours for the iPod to dry after your done.

There are two problems I had with getting the Invisible Shield onto my iPod. One of them was the sides on the Nano. The instructions Shield Zone gives you says to soak the Invisible Shield in soap water before you start. This makes the plastic less sticky so you can align it. Unfortunately this also makes it harder to stick around the corners correctly. The plastic tries to stay straight, and you end out having to find the point where it’s sticky enough to attach but not sticky enough that it attaches at the first spot it touches, which may not be aligned correctly. This may take a few tries to get right, reapplying soapy water to the edge each time it gets too dry.

The other issue I had with application was the air bubbles. They take a lot of time to get out, and I found some appear after it finishes drying. The instructions say to use a credit card to rub out the air bubbles. This mostly works, though similar to the sides issue, the timing is key. If you do it immediately after applying the Shield, it will be to loose and you end out stretching, and moving the shield around without moving the bubbles anywhere. If you wait too long, you won’t be able to get the bubbles out with out ripping the whole piece off and starting over.

The Invisible Shield will not remove, or hide scratches that already exist. It actually seems to make them show up more. If you have already beat up your iPod, you will probably want to get a scratch removal kit before you start. If you do not, you’ll end up with an iPod that has marks you’ll still see and not be able to do anything about.

Overall the Invisible Shield is worth the money, and will protect your investment. This is especially true with the first generation Nano’s which many people scratched up so much they can’t see the screen. Also, unlike a lot of the cases I’ve seen for the iPods, the Invisible Shield attaches to the system itself, and nothing can get under it. This prevents dust from causing the shield itself to scratch the iPod.

So if you want to protect your new iPod from getting beat up, give Invisible Shield a try.