January 8, 2009 – Three years ago, Alpine Electronics of America, Inc., unveiled the industry’s first aftermarket head unit designed to deliver a fully integrated iPod experience in the vehicle. Building on its leadership experience and expertise in the category, the industry-leading manufacturer of automotive mobile media solutions today breaks new ground with the introduction of the iXA-W404, its first 2-DIN touch-screen Digital Media Station.

The iXA-W404 features a brand-new touch-screen graphical user interface (GUI) that works similar to the iPhone and iPod Touch, so that consumers can have a familiar user experience when controlling their car audio system. The iXA-W404 meets the specifications for the “Made for iPod” and “Works with iPhone” compatibility. As a dedicated iPod receiver, it does not have a CD/DVD disc drive; instead, it has an AM/FM tuner and a high-speed USB input for optimal iPod/iPhone connection and pure digital sound from the iPod. Users also can connect USB memory devices and MTP-based MP3 players via the USB input. Any iPod with a 30-PIN dock connector is compatible with the iXA-W404. Read more

January 7, 2009 - SanDisk today unveiled the new Sansa slotRadio player and companion line of slotRadio music cards designed especially for the casual music consumer. The Sansa slotRadio player is a small, stylish, portable music device that comes bundled with a slotRadio card preloaded with 1,000 songs handpicked from the Billboard charts, and professionally arranged into a variety of genre-themed playlists.

"slotRadio's unprecedented simplicity will have even the most time-pressed music fans enjoying a huge range of music in no time," said Daniel Schreiber, senior vice president and general manager, SanDisk. "1,000 handpicked songs in your pocket with zero downloads makes enjoying digital music easier than ever. Never before has music been this accessible." Read more

iLuv just unveiled their new i1166 9-inch Portable Multimedia Player for iPod and DVDs. This year’s “CES Best of Innovation 2009” award winner in the Portable Multimedia Accessories product category, the i1166 brings widescreen personal multimedia entertainment to travelers starting March 2009. It will be available at www.i-luv.com. The price has not yet been announced.

Features include:

• Compatible with all iPod with video capability
• DivX certified to play DivX videos
• Enhanced user interface with detailed controls
• Video output for TV connectivity
• Built-in USB / SD / MMC slot - can support the new slotMusic
• 3-way power source - AC, DC car adapter or Built-in Li-Polymer Rechargeable Battery
• Charges your iPod when docked and features iPod full remote control
• Convenient On-Screen Display, multiple subtitle, angle, and audio functions
• Fast motion playback and zoom operation
• Digital Photo Frame to view photos from built-in memory, memory card, USB, DVD±R/RW, or CD-R/RW
• Includes remote control

January 6, 2009--Etymotic Research, the inventor and world leader of in-ear high-fidelity earphones, is showing all of its iPod earphones and iPhone headsets at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, January 6-9, 2009, in booth #2418 South Hall.

“Etymotic Research has a longer design cycle than most companies,” said Mead Killion, Ph.D., founder and president of Etymotic Research, “but when we introduce a new product, it usually receives widespread acclaim – which happened again this year with our hf2 iPhone headset. In fact, the ER-4 (developed in 1991) received another Editors’ Choice Award this year.”

Here are some Etymotic Research highlights for 2008: Read more

January 5, 2009 --So you can listen to music the way it’s meant to be heard, today Logitech announced additions to its MetroFi line of Ultimate Ears by Logitech earphones. The new MetroFi 170 and MetroFi 220 noise-isolating earphones deliver customized comfort that’s perfect for listening to music on an iPod.

“If you’re looking to upgrade your generic MP3-player listening experience, the MetroFi 170 and 220 earphones are ideal,” said Philippe Depallens, Logitech vice president and general manager of the Ultimate Ears product unit. “Unlike the ear buds that come with your MP3 player, once you put the MetroFi 170 and 220 earphones in your ear, they’ll stay there and feel good. So whether you’re exercising, running errands, or just on the run – with the MetroFi earphones you’ll always be in the zone.” Read more

As Apple continues to update its products it's no wonder that the iPod and the iPhone continue to headline around the tech world. With the release of the iPhone and the iPod Touch options where communication and portable media were concerned changed forever. With the recent updates to both the iPod line and the 3G iPhone, understanding both the features and fallbacks of each device becomes more important when it comes down to purchasing. The iPod Touch and the iPhone make look the same, but they're not.

Differences in Price

To start with the basics, there is always price. The iPhone comes in two models (with two color choices) 8GB and 16GB in either white or black. The 8GB sells for about $199 and the 16GB for $399. The real pricing trick comes with the obviously required AT&T service plan (that can usually go from $60 or above). As of right now there is no way around a two-year contract with AT&T. Read more

December 22, 2008––Yamaha Electronics Corporation today introduced two new micro component systems featuring superior audio and video performance and high-end styling. The MCR-730 ($499.95 MSRP) includes an integrated DVD player and full HD 1080p support for a complete audio/video solution, while the MCR-230 ($349.95 MSRP) is a sophisticated audio system with a built-in iPod dock, USB input, high-quality CD player, advanced design speakers and much more. Each system includes a pair of high-quality two-way speakers.

With 1080p-compatible HDMI output, the MCR-730 enables the reproduction of DVD movies and digital TV broadcasts with unsurpassed HD quality. The MCR-730 is a DivX Ultra Certified device, delivering unrestricted access to the wider range of video sources. It can play all DivX content, including DivX 6, and supports the format’s media features such as interactive menus, subtitles and alternate audio tracks. The unit is also fully compatible with discs containing Mp3 and WMA audio files, WMV and DivX video files, and JPEG image files. Read more