Launching this October is Altec Lansing’s new inMotion MAX – a portable, all-in-one music system for use with the iPhone, iPod and most other MP3 players. The inMotion MAX uses ESS technology, XdB bass-enhancement and twin precision-matched speakers to fill your room with audio, free of distortion.

Worried about missing a call? No need. The inMotion MAX automatically pauses music when a call is received on an iPhone and is immune to GSM and Wi-Fi signals (which means the speakers won’t be picking up noises from your iPhone or other mobile device). The inMotion MAX supports iPhone and iPod alarm and sleep timer features and has a built-in digital FM radio and its LCD displays songs and FM station data (RDS). A rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 3.5 hours of play. Read more

Today at Apple’s Let’s Rock event, Apple unveiled what many had expected: a newly designed iPod nano now available in a multitude of colors, and a cheaper, thinner second generation iPod touch ($229 for the 8GB, $299 for the 16GB, and $399 for the 32GB...that's $100 cheaper than the previous model!) loaded with Nike+ built-in and external volume controls. They also unveiled new in-ear headphones with dual drivers and iTunes 8 – which now carries TV downloads in HD and has Genius Playlists. To not forget the iPod Classic… you can now get the 120GB for $250. Apple has decided to discontinue the 160GB.

Apple Introduces New iPod nano

Apple Introduces New iPod touch

Apple Announces iTunes 8

NBC Universal Returns to the iTunes Store

The COWON D2 is the first ultra portable video player and first flash based touch screen player in its family. It has a similar appearance to the iRiver Clix, and the D2 has some significant difference under the hood: like the TV output, support lossless audio codecs like Flac and Ogg, and an SD/SDHC card slot for unlimited expansion. Recommendation- a protective case and a better set of headphones. The headphones I used along with testing the sound quality of the device are the Ultrasone HFI-2200 headphones.

Quick Overview

• Audio: MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, FLAC, APE, WAV, AAC (only on older firmware versions)
  
• Video: MPEG4-SP (DivX, XviD, ...), WMV9 - 320 x 240, 30fps
  
• Photo: JPEG (no size limit)
  
• Screen: 2.5", 24 bit (16 million) color, 320 x 240, TFT-LCD
  
• Dimensions: 78.0 x 55.4 x 16.6 mm (3.07 x 2.18 x 0.65 inches)
  
• Weight: 91 g (3.21 oz)
  
• Rated battery life: 52 hours for music, 10 hours for video
  
• Other features: Touch screen, SD/SDHC card slot, TV-out, FM radio, voice/line-in/FM recorder, BBE sound enhancements, user-configurable effect presets, text viewer, date/ time/alarm, bookmarks, on-the-go playlist, deleting files on the player, dictionary (only with Korean firmware)

JVC’s new Dual iPod Docking Station, the NX-PN7, holds two iPod players side-by side, charging them simultaneously and offering playback from each through the dock's speaker system. It also features an AM/FM tuner, clock and timer. An analog audio input is included for connecting other devices for playback, and a video output makes it easy to play downloaded video content back on your TV.

The NX-PN7 features a black cabinet and speaker grille, and has two lighted strips, (one under each docked iPod). These can display one of nine colors –white, blue, red and others. The included remote features iPod control keys similar to the iPod control wheel to easily shuffle, repeat, scroll and select songs from the menu. Read more

Although pressing heads together and splitting earphones is a resourceful way to share iPod songs with friends, there is a better way. Monster has released the Monster iSoniCast Wireless Audio Bridge. This device will change the way you listen to your iPod –you can now share your music with multiple people over your home stereo system without batteries. The iSoniCast simply connects to your home stereo wirelessly and can be controlled by the familiar functions on the iPod itself.

The iSoniCast Wireless Audio Bridge features powerful 2.4 Ghz wireless technology for extended control range and superior sound quality. Intelligent frequency hopping minimizes interference while high-bandwidth 4Mbps streaming eliminates compression artifacts. A two-meter mini-to-RCA cable is included for hassle-free integration into a home audio system. It’s a great way to fill your home with the music you love and share it with more friends than one. It comes at a price of $99.95. For more information visit www.monstercable.com.

As interesting as it may be listening to the conversation of the person next to you on the bus, playing your own music may pass the time a bit faster. If you ever find yourself with a spare moment, perhaps on the subway or waiting at the doctor’s office, SanDisk has a product for you. The new Sansa Fuze MP3 player is a simple and cost conscious product. It allows you to take your pictures, music, videos and audiobooks with you in one convenient vessel. Starting at $79.99, the Sansa Fuze MP3 is an economic alternative to the iPod and offers functions such as an FM radio, voice recorder and a microSD card slot for simple transfer and exchange of information.

The Sansa Fuze also offers a variety of color options and is available in gigabyte capacities of 2, 4 or 8. It is a great product to take to the gym or on road trips and won’t burn a hole through your wallet. The Sansa Fuze is compatible with Windows XP or Windows Vista and also works with Mac and Linux operating under MSC mode. The Sansa Fuze starts in price at $79.99 for the 2 GB. www.sandisk.com/sansafuze.

Does life get any easier? Well I can’t answer that question for you but I can say that there are things to make the craziness more enjoyable. With people always on the go, never knowing what errand or task is coming next, it is nice to have a portable product to coax you through the day. The E100 MP3 player from iriver is the product that fulfills those needs. This new MP3 player includes amenities like Stereo Speakers, FM radio, Micro-SD Slot, Line In, new D-Click System, a colorful 2.4” TFT LCD screen. And it supports all of your favorite music files such as MP3, WMA, ASF, FLAC and OGG Q10 with 17 hours of music play from an internal rechargeable battery.

The E100 MP3 also supports video files like MPEG, WMV9, XVID with five hours of video play for watching, or showing off, your favorite video clips. You can even view and save photos (JPEG, BMP, GIF and PNG image files) on the device. Other great features include an internal recording and external capabilities and a Micro SD slot for firmware upgrades. The E100 is priced at $109.99 for a 4G and $159.99 for an 8G. For more information on this product please visit www.iriver.com.

iHome just announced an exciting new product sure to catch the ear of any and all iPhone users. The iHome iP99 is a clock radio that features a charging dock for your iPhone connected to speakers that allow you to simultaneously listen to music on your iPhone. The iP99 also caters to functionality, allowing calls and messages to come in while your music is playing. Now you can wake up to your favorite iPhone tunes with the practical clock/radio of the iHome. Just set the alarm, allow the phone to charge and relax. The iHome iP99 is also compatible with any docking iPod models. Read more

When a friend of mine recently made the leap to purchase the popular iPhone, she knew it was out of her budget. Nevertheless, she had to have it. You can only imagine the terror in her eyes the day the phone slipped from her hand onto the concrete. Thankfully Griffin Technology has two new products designed for moments just like this one. The Reflect is a protective polycarbonate case that covers the rim of your iPhone. It is chrome with a black rubber back for security of grip and peace of mind. The Reflect has a suggested retail price of $24.99 and can be found at major retailers nationwide.

Griffin Technology's Courier has a new look and design just for the iPhone. With the practical clip you can secure your iPhone to your backpack, purse, or shoulder strap. It also features a hidden zipper, meant for keys, money, ID or credit cards. The Courier also works great with the iPod touch, iPod classic or iPod with video. The Courier is priced at $34.99 and can also be found at major retailers nationwide. Read more

By Jeff Zbar 
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

About three years ago, my brother changed my life. For my birthday, he bought me a 20-gig iPod, and I immediately set out to load it with all my CDs and thousands of other tunes from my youth.

While the 1,500 (and growing) tunes were just as I’d remembered, something was always missing. My PC speakers just couldn’t deliver the bass response and the crisp highs. And ear buds weren’t designed to yield the rich, full sound that this audiophile was begging for in his home office.

Well, salvation arrived today in a big black box. It’s called the mStation 2.1 Stereo Tower iPod dock. From the same people who brought us the Orb iPod docking station, this is like no other iPod or MP3 “docking station” you’ve ever seen – or lifted – before. Weighing in at nearly 40 pounds of extruded aluminum, it took less than five minutes of set-up time to have this baby blasting out the decibels. It took me more time to choose and slip in the right dock cradle for my iPod (don’t have an iPod? A handy USB port and mini-stereo plug make it adaptable for any non-dockable MP3 player). Read more