While we all wait patiently for Apple to concoct its own subscription-based, unlimited music streaming service (hello, Lala acquisition!), MOG is jumping on the opportunity right away. Er, almost right away. Down in Austin this week, the company announced that an iPhone and Android app would be out "in early Q2" in order to bring unlimited music streaming to both operating systems for $10 per month. We're told that a catalog of seven million songs will be available, but there's no way to know if 6.99 million are of the "no one cares" variety. At any rate, your monthly fee will also allow unlimited streaming from the desktop, but alas, you'll be left with nothing but hollow memories should you ever stop ponying up. In related news, Rhapsody has announced (video after the break) that offline playback support is coming to the iPhone, with the updated app expected to be passed along for Apple's confirmation "shortly." Granted, the Rhapsody to Go subscription is $5 per month more than MOG's option, but with all this competition popping up, we wouldn't be shocked to see that slide lower in due time.

Continue reading MOG bringing unlimited music streaming to iPhone and Android, Rhapsody taking iPhone music offline

MOG bringing unlimited music streaming to iPhone and Android, Rhapsody taking iPhone music offline originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Andrew Liszewski

Yesterday Sony announced a couple of new cordless headphones for privately enjoying your home theater setup, and the MDR-RF4000K, pictured above, is definitely the more interesting of the two. The headphones use a secure digital RF signal which provides a decent range of up to 30 meters or around 100 feet, and their foldable design allows them to sit inside a slim storage case which also doubles as a charging cradle.

Sony’s headphone design team has never had a problem with styling, so the MDR-RF4000Ks look great as usual, and the 40mm long-stroke diaphragm ensures they should sound great to the consumer-level audience they’re targeted towards. A built-in NiMH battery is good for about 7 hours of continuous use on a single charge, but if they die in the middle of a flick you can switch to using a single AAA battery which is good for another 10 hours of listening pleasure.

Not pictured is the MDR-RF810RK headphones which Sony also announced yesterday. They’ll probably end up being the more affordable of the 2 (official pricing wasn’t released) since they use an analog RF signal instead of digital, but that also means you get a range of 100 meters or around 330 feet instead. They also feature a NiMH battery which actually provides 13 hours of use per charge, or about 28 hours when using a single AAA battery. Both headphones are expected to be available starting in April of this year.

[ PR - Sony: No fuss, no wires... just great-sounding home entertainment ] VIA [ SlashGear ]

Whatever happened to that dreamy Line 6 / Apple tie-up? Who knows, right? While those two sort out their future behind the scenes, Paul Reed Smith Guitars is stepping up to take advantage of an obvious market opportunity. The newly announced Guitarbud is a simplistic accessory that allows axe slingers to jack their guitar into an iPhone or second-generation iPod touch, all while providing a headphone output in order to keep the noise making to yourself. We're told that the device works with pretty much any recording-supported app (even Apple's own Voice Memos), though PRS obviously recommends that you check out its JamApp guitar amp simulator / tuner / training tool. Best of all, it's available today for £29.95 (or $29.95 here in the States), putting you just a few yard mowings away from securing your own personal aural sanctuary. Too bad the reviews from early adopters aren't so promising...

PRS Guitarbud jacks your axe, ego into iPhone / iPod touch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I think most of us want headphones that are as unobtrusive as possible. This is why you see more folks using earbuds and earphones that headphones that go over the top of the head like we might wear at home or with our computers.

If you want headphones, that stand out and literally say something about you the Street Headphone from the Freedom of Creation store is for you. The headphones are made to order and can have whatever text you want. The headphones are made from laser sintered polyamide.

The top of the ear cups and the band that goes across the top of the head have laser etched raised letters that are white with black detail. If you like the idea of your favorite band’s name on your headphones you can get your own set in ten weeks for a whopping € 837.82 per set.

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By Andrew Liszewski

Worried that your incredibly cheap new apartment that sits above a subway line and underneath another subway line might be seriously damaging your hearing? Well it might be a worthwhile investment to spend some of that money you’re saving on Etymotic’s ER-200 Personal Noise Dosimeter. It’s basically an audio screening device that tells you just how much damage you’re doing to your ears by staying in a noisy environment for prolonged periods.

It’s got two modes, a normal one which will measure and display your noise dose continuously for up to 16 hours, and a ‘Quick Check’ mode which measures the surrounding noise for two minutes and then calculates what the estimated dose would be were you to remain there for an hour. $99 available directly from Etymotic Research, Inc..

[ Etymotic Personal Noise Dosimeter ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

Continue reading Pioneer VSX-1020-K AV receiver with iPhone app up for pre-order

Pioneer VSX-1020-K AV receiver with iPhone app up for pre-order originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Evan Ackerman

Most electronics are not judged on their capacity to become pillows. This is a mistake. Naps are the most important time you will ever spend doing anything anywhere, and every object should be designed with that in mind. The Mu Space music player (it’s just a concept, for the moment) opens up and unfolds into a cozy little pillow with an actual bed (or sheets, anyway) attached to it. The speakers can be rotated around to play music outwards or inwards, and it has a USB interface and takes memory cards. They don’t make them yet, and I don’t know how much they’re going to cost, but I want one. Now. Yawn.

[ Yanko Design ] VIA [ Gizmodo ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Being a PC gamer, I’m no stranger to headphones. Whenever a new pair comes out, there are generally wild claims that accompany the release. Phrases like “most comfortable,” “clearest sound” and many others get tossed around. Sure, some of them have an innovative feature or two, but it’s rare to find one that seems truly innovative. The Psyko 5.1 PC Gaming Headset falls into that very small group.

It’s not uncommon to find a headset that promises 5.1 surround sound capabilities. But with all of the speakers right there in your ear, it’s hard to really get a true 5.1 sound. Psyko takes a new approach to this by placing all five speakers on top of your head, leaving only a pair of subwoofers in your ears. Now what good does having speakers on top of your head do? Quite a lot, if the sound is actually piped down to the front and back of your ears.

The sound is carried from the speakers to the front and rear of your ears by “PsykoWave guides.” These look like little tubes, and carry audio waves rather well. Doing this allows you to hear the sounds from exactly where they originate inside the game. To take things a step further, you actually hear it at the right time as well. This means an explosion on your right side will reach your right ear slightly before it reaches your left.

I got my hands on a pair of these briefly at CES, and while playing a bit of CoD I could definitely tell a difference from some of the other headphones I’ve worn. It was easier to pinpoint enemy fire simply by where I heard it, rather than by looking for someone.

The Psyko 5.1 headset also has a few other notable features. You can actually choose whether or not you want to block out external sounds by opening or closing a set of ear vents (which also helps to keep your ears from getting sweaty). The headset also comes with an in-line amplifier, which will give you control over bass and audio volume. The headset will go on sale sometime early this year for $299.

[ Psyko ]

By Andrew Liszewski

A good podcast starts with a good microphone, and Thanko’s new XLR to USB mic cable (or ‘mike’ cable as their website puts it) allows you to easily connect even the most high-end of mics directly to your PC. It’s both Windows and Mac friendly, with some degree of plug-and-play compatibility I assume, and the 5 meter cable means you don’t have to sit right in front of your computer or laptop to use it. ~$55 (4,980 yen) available from Thanko.jp.

[ USB To XLR Mic Cable ] VIA [ DVICE ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Why wait till you’re back in the studio or post-production facility to create a 5.1 surround sound mix for your video when the Holophone lets you capture surround sound right on set! Now if you’re shooting in a studio environment such a contraption is kind of pointless given all the action and sound happens right in front of the camera, but at something like a concert this would be a pretty great way to capture the crowd’s reaction as well as what’s happening on stage.

The PortaMic 5.1 is powered by a single 9V battery which is good for about 3 hours use, and thanks to onboard hardware the audio is encoded on the fly to Dolby Pro Logic II, though it can be decoded back to 5.1 later in post-production for proper re-mixing. But with a price tag of around $600 it seems like an accessory for professional videographers or amateurs with deep pockets.

[ Holophone PortaMic 5.1 ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]