At the front and center of Hyundai’s portable boombox is an oversized 12.1-inch LCD monitor. The spec sheet says the screen is 1280 x 800, but from the pictures I’ve seen, I’m not sure that’s really the case. It’s not like you’re going to be watching Hi-Def video on this thing anyhow. Unlike the classic ghetto blaster, these new compact stereos are all about the image, and not the sound. As a matter of fact, the speakers on this boombox have taken a serious backseat to the screen.

The Hyundai HY-1210 is all about watching movies and TV – not listening to your jamz. The portable has a built-in DVD player, and can play content in VCD, DVD, CD, CD-R, JPEG, MP3, MPEG-4, AVI formats. There’s even a Karaoke feature built-in so you can sing along. And if you don’t have any DVDs lying around, there are USB and SD/MMC/MS slots for watching media stored on digital memory devices. And there’s a VGA connector on the back for some reason too. I can officially say this is the first boombox EVER with a VGA port.

Unfortunately, the TV tuner is analog, so you won’t be able to tune in stations in many parts of the world. At least you can listen to the FM radio when you’re not watching those Harajuku girls on screen. And with a 10-watt per channel stereo amp under the hood, audio actually isn’t that bad. One other technological advancement – this boombox only needs 8 “C”-Cell batteries – so we have made progress in the last 25 years or so. Maybe by 2035, we’ll have OLED boomboxes that run on 8 “AAA” batteries.

The Hyundai HY-1210 boombox can be yours over at ChinaGrabber for $219.99 (USD).

Yep, that’s about it. ‘Nuff Said. The bulbous panda head speaker is available over at Gadget4All for $27 (USD).

They really do need to work on the name, though. Maybe something like Big Oval-Shaped Panda Head With Look of Constant Surprise Stereo Audio Output Device With USB Charging Cable. Or maybe just PanDasonic.

[via GeekAlerts]

This minivan mini speaker from Korea’s Newgood is perfect for those times when you don’t need a lot of sound, but want something more than a pair of ear buds. While they won’t blow your eardrums, I bet these little vehicles would get a million miles to the gallon if they could actually drive. And they’d probably have tiny little DVD players in the headrest of each of the front seats too.

Each minivan measures just 9cm (appx. 3.5 inches) long, and cranks out tunes from your favorite media player. The tiny little vehicle charges up a built-in battery using an included USB dongle, and even has teensy little LED headlights for nighttime driving.

I haven’t found anyone outside of Korea selling these yet, but they’re cute enough that I’m hoping someone will decide to import them so suburbanites around the globe can enjoy them. For now, you’ll have to admire them from afar over at 10×10, where they sell for 13,700 Korean Won (appx. $12 USD) – a whole lot cheaper than a real minivan.

Created by Q Acoustics, the Q-TV2 straps onto the back of your flat-panel television, providing true 2.1 stereo sound that should beat out anything that’s built into your TV. Just snap the QT-V onto the back of your set, plug it into your TV’s optical, RCA or headphone jack, and you’re all set. The whole thing measures in at just 38mm (appx 1.5-inches) deep.

If you’re sick of your  TV’s thin, tinny speakers, the Q-TV2 should blow you away. Left and right channel sound is provided by a four wide-dispersion balanced-mode radiator speakers, powered with a 25w per channel amp. For big bass boom, there’s a slim vibration-free subwoofer that hides behind your display, powered by a 50W amp (the sub uses 4 individual to fit into such a thin package). Both the left and right satellites offer swivel mounts so you can adjust the angle of the speakers too.

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While the base model of the Q-TV2 is designed for TVs that are sitting on a stand, they do offer optional wall mounts (both stationary and cantilevered) for an added charge. Since the Q-TV2 is made in the UK, you’ll probably need a power adapter if you want to use it in other countries, and at this point it’s only available for TVs between 30 and 42-inches diagonal. So if you have a bigger screen than that, you’re out of luck. The system is available now from Amazon UK for £299.99 (appx. $497 USD).

Acousticom’s Sound Egg is an acoustically-insulated pod, loaded up with a 5.1 surround sound system. In addition to the 5 precisely positioned satellite speakers, there’s also a hefty 10-inch subwoofer right under your seat. Talk about some serious rump-shaking. The guys at Acousticom claim the speaker system offers solid frequency response all the way from 20Hz up to 20KHz. As you can see from the photo below, you’ll still need to B.Y.O. home theater system and amp, but the chair has all of the speakers built-in.

Originally created for audio testing and home theater demonstrations, the Sound Egg is designed to provide a completely enveloping audio experience, that’ll have you never wanting to head out to the theater again. At least not when you’re by yourself, since there’s not really a good way to have multiple people share in the Sound Egg experience at the same time.

Ready to sit inside a giant egg and chill out to the latest blockbuster movies and video games? Don’t care for red and grey. No worries – the Sound Egg’s outer shell is available in 7 different colors, and you have 11 choices for the sound-deadening foam lining (a few colors cost $25 bucks extra). You can sit your butt in your very own Sound Egg for $1450 (USD) over at Acousticom’s online store.

Even though the product description over on Strapya World says “The things you can do with this machine have no limits!,” from what I can tell, Takara Tomy’s Sakasa Master Japan Reverse Voice Recorder does just one thing – it records your voice and plays it backwards on-demand. That’s it. End of story. Why? Why the heck not?

I wonder if you say “REDRUM” into this thing that it really will say “MURDER”?

[via TOKYOMANGO]

As you may have guessed from its looks, the Tape Express is also a portable cassette tape player. So if you just can’t let go of your tapes even after recording their contents, you can still use them with the Tape Express. Pop in a couple of AA batteries and take it with you wherever you go, just like old times.

You can get the Ion Tape Express at Firebox for £50 (approx. $80 USD). Nostalgia guaranteed.

[via popgadget]

Each DreamScreen features a bright, high-resolution LCD color screen, and has built in speakers so it’s a completely self-contained media playback device. And if you don’t want to bother streaming media from your PC, the DreamScreen has a built in 6-in-2 media card reader and a pair of USB ports too. Video formats supported include MPEG 1, 2, 4 and H.264, while you can listen to audio in MP3, AAC, WMA and WAV formats.

In addition to media playback, you can access Facebook and view updates without getting up from your chair. There’s also a slideshow integration with Snapfish, so you can upload photos to their site and view them on the DreamScreen. HP has also been kind enough to provide access to streaming digital music via Pandora, and HP’s own “SmartRadio” which aggregates Internet radio from around the globe. There’s also a built in calendar and alarm clock, so you might want one of these on your bedside table instead of a traditional alarm. There’s no word on future plans to roll out additional Internet services, but I’m hopeful HP will release more integrations in future.

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The only major downside I can see to the DreamScreen is that it’s crying out for a touchscreen surface. For now, you have to navigate using the buttons along the sides of the screen, or using the included wireless remote. Hopefully, HP will make a touch-enabled version in the future. I also wish there were an open standard for widgets like there is with the Chumby.

The DreamScreen 100 features a 13.3″ display, while the DreamScreen 130 has a 10.2″ screen. Both devices have 800×480 screen resolution, so the smaller display just has smaller pixels. The DreamScreen 100 lists for $249.99 (USD) and the DreamScreen 130 is $299.99, but you can find both models over at Amazon for a few dollars less.

Created by Amidio – the same folks who brought us the amazing noise.io iphone synth. According to the Amidio guys, Touch DJ is a serious live performance tool, and not just an audio toy like many other iPhone apps.

The app not only can mix two MP3 tracks, it lets you apply audio effects, pitch-bending, equalization and looping without ever leaving the intuitive visual interface. Each track is automatically color coded to correspond to its frequencies to make it even easier to match beats. Check out the video clips below to see (and hear) a sneak preview of Touch DJ in action.

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Once released, Touch DJ will ship with 25 dance tracks from DanceMusicHub that you can immediately create music with, and I assume that additional tracks will be available for download in the future. Amidio also plans on releasing a Touch DJ sync application that lets you send your own MP3s to your iPhone or iPod Touch.

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Keep in mind that the audio processing is very processor intensive so Amidio recommends using Touch DJ only on the iPhone 3GS or newer iPod Touch models with faster CPUs. There’s no word yet on when Touch DJ will hit the app store. All Amidio says on their site is “ESTIMATED AVAILABILITY DATE: ??? (ASK APPLE!)”. Hopefully, that means soon. For now, follow them over on Twitter to be notified when Touch DJ is released.

The innovative Table of Sound (ToS) coffee table was created by designers Wout Fierens and Miquell van Meelen of Wondering Boys for a recent competition over on designboom. The ToS provides a new way to enjoy your music right in the middle of your living room. Instead of pushing speakers out to the corners of your room, they’re mounted conveniently in the legs of the table.

Just plug your iPod into the table’s built-in dock, and crank up the tunes while you sip your coffee and read the morning paper.

The Table of Sound appears to be just a one-of-a-kind concept design, but I’d definitely buy one if I were in the market for a new coffee table… and a new stereo at the same time.

[via Hemfeber]

Inspired by the 19th-century designs of Valdemar Poulsen’s wire recorder, this kit from Gakken Japan looks like it could be fun to play with. Once you put it together, you set the recording head on top of any metal surface that will hold a magnetic charge, drag the control across the surface and speak into the microphone. You can use anything from a metal tabletop to a common kitchen knife to store your secret messages. Once recorded, flip the playback switch and you’ll hear your scratchy voice played back as you move the magnetic head. The video below shows how it works. Feel free to jump ahead to around 50 seconds in to get to the interesting bits.

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Keep in mind that the instructions for assembling this kit are entirely in Japanese. But they do seem to have enough visual detail that you should be able to build the wire recorder successfully. Want one? You can order the wire recorder kit over at the Maker Shed for $38.99 (USD). Just don’t try putting this anywhere near your old VHS tape collection.

Some of the songs that the sometimes bewildered citizens heard were from Bob Dylan, Death in Vegas and the Guillemots. And some Mastodon in the morning. I’m kidding. I don’t think any of the music was heavy or aggressive, what with the sheep and snow.

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Did you watch it? Which is more awesome – the concept of the ad or Seydisfjordur? I want to live there. Seems like a laidback, sleepy town.

[via swissmiss]

I feel like the only thing you should be playing through these awful looking clown speakers is some sort of disturbing, scratchy carnival music that might be playing in the background of one of those circus horror movies.While some of you may think these puffy-cheeked, red-nosed speakers are cute, I’ve officially filed these under “evil clown” in my database. Ok, maybe not quite as evil as this clown.

Still, it’s definitely one UGLY clown. If you just have to have one of these, head on over to UXSight, and plunk down your $8.69 (USD). Just don’t blame me when it arrives and you immediately regret your purchase.

The “Speaking Piano” has been programmed to recite The Proclamation of the European Environmental Criminal Court World Venice Forum 2009, for all to hear. Artist/composer Peter Ablinger transcoded the voice of an elementary student into data that could then be interpreted by a computer and mapped to servos that play the piano keys. Why? Something to do with an artistic and political statement.

And while the humans in the video clip below are speaking in German, the piano speaks its truth in plain English. Turn up your volume, watch, and enjoy…

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Weird, wild stuff indeed. Alles klar, herr kommissar?

[via adafruit industries, hack-a-day and matrixsynth]

Developed by Taiwan’s ITRI, fleXpeaker technology produces arrays of tiny speakers that can be joined together to make high-quality speakers of almost any size – meaning they could be the perfect companion for that unlimited-size OLED display you just covered your entire house with. While its frequency response doesn’t go below 500Hz, at least the fleXpeaker can reach highs up to 20 KHz.

The technology is designed to allow embedding of speaker elements into anything from everyday consumer electronics devices to massive posters and banner ads with built-in sound. fleXpeakers also consume very little power so could be perfect for other portable applications. Check out the video clip below to see (and hear) an early prototype of the fleXpeaker in action:

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Now if only they made some flat subwoofers to go with these…

Whoever designed Splitterbot has some wicked, Brando-style imagination.

Ouch. You can get your own Splitterbot for only $8 (USD) at ThinkGeek.com. But know this: our actions won’t go unpunished.

[via Notcot]

Designed as a collaboration between Ableton and Novation, the new Launchpad is a dedicated controller that offers a 64-button grid of backlit buttons which can be used to create and display music sequences using the same sort of interactive interface you might find in a Monome or a Tenori-On.

What I really love about the Launchpad is its easy-to-understand layout, along with bright, colorfully-lit LED control buttons to make it perfect for either a studio or live performance setting. It’s also nice and portable, measuring in at just 9.4″ x 9.4″ and less than an inch thick.

The portable controller lets you easily launch musical “scenes” which are basically groups of presets within Ableton. Each light on the interface of the Launchpad provides an indication of the status of that particular track. Orange means a sound is loaded, green means a sound is playing, and red means sounds being recorded. And the compact Launchpad can be switched between modes that either control audio clips, or act as a virtual mixing board too.

Check out the videos below to see the Launchpad in all it’s glory…

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As an added bonus, you can string up to six Launchpads together and use them with a single computer for over 400 assignable control buttons. Sweet! And if you don’t already have Ableton Live, that’s okay, the Launchpad ships with a special version of Ableton Live 8, tailored for Launchpad users. Sure it’s a bit stripped down from the full version, but still a great way for budding electronic musicians and DJs to get into the scene.

Expect the Launchpad to hit stores in early November, with a retail price of just $199 (USD) / $149 (EUR). For more information, head on over to Novation’s Launchpad page.

[via fubiz]

Each speaker measures 7.87 x 5.51 in. LaCie backs up Poulton’s design with French audio company Cabasse’s technology. Sound² speakers are equipped with a Class D digital amplifier, magnetic shielding and a peak output of 30 W (15 x 2), as well as Cabasse’s Wide Band ICF Driver with a frequency response of 80Hz – 20kHz. Not that I understand any of that. Here’s more technobabble! Maximum Acoustic Level : 95.5dB@1m! And did you know Signal Processing & Frequency was 16-bit / 48kHz?

The Sound² comes with a power adapter, but if for some reason you don’t want to bring the adapter with you, the speakers can also run off the power that it gets from your computer via the built-in USB cord. You can buy the Sound² at LaCie’s online shop for $100 (USD).

[via Everything USB]

The setting for Andreas Illiger’s Microsia is inside of a virtual “plant cell” of a leaf. As you move your cursor around, you touch “cellular particles” which will be used as triggers for the ambient sounds.

Microsia may look a bit like Flow, but it’s not about gameplay this time – it’s all about making music. Sounds are created by manipulating the position of  the particles, then turning them on to initiate sequences of sounds. Some of the particles set tone, while others modulate sounds or tempo. It’s really pretty cool once you actually read the instructions.

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If you’re intrigued by what you saw in the video clip, you can download the demo version of Microsia here. The full version normally retails for 19.95 (appx. $29 USD), but is currently on sale for 9.95 (appx. $15).

As you can see each headphone sock cover has an extra compartment, perfect for placing spare coins, or even an extra pair of earphones. Hell an iPod shuffle would fit in there. Stylish and functional. Sold yet? That’ll be € 475.00 please.

Yes, that’s no typo: almost $700 (USD) for a pair of leather coin purse/earmuff thingies. High quality leather coin purse/earmuff thingies, but still. Actually if you look at the product page, you’ll see… nothing. No relevant information aside from the designers’ names. Which means that there’s a good chance that the Sony headphones are included with the purchase, as absurd as that sounds. Or not. I’m not familiar with the value system of rich people. Is $700 to them like $100 is to me?

Lest you accuse me of ignoring the needs of a minority, moneyed peoples should tell their servants to hit up colette and snag the leather covers. Again it’s €475.00 ($693), VAT included. Thank goodness.

[via InventorSpot]