October 16th, 2009

Gadget Gal's daily deals: Acer Aspire One netbook, Sony CyberShot digital camera, KEF PicoForte 1 iPod speaker

Posted by Jennifer Bergen @ 7:30 am

Categories: Acer, Cameras, Camcorders and Software, Computers, Digital Cameras, Gadget Gal's Daily Deals, Home Theater, Laptops, MP3 & portable media players, Netbooks, Sony, Toybox Highlights, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone original, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod touch

Tags: Sony Corp., Apple iPod, Speaker, Digital Camera, Acer Inc., Sony Cyber-Shot, Camera, Netbook, KEF PicoForte 1, Netbooks, Nettops & MIDs

A KEF PicoForte 1 iPod speaker system, an Acer Aspire One netbook, and a Sony CyberShot 12.1-megapixel digital camera. Here are your daily deals for Friday, October 16, straight form the Gadget Gal:

1. Get the KEF PicoForte 1 Speaker System for iPod for $99.88 at OneCall.  The KEF PicoForte 1 has a list price of $399.99. It features two 35-watt KEF 1001 speakers and an amplifier base with integrated iPod Dock connector. It doesn’t support the iPod shuffle, but you can plug the shuffle another players in through the auxiliary input. There’s a $15 fee for shipping, but you’re still saving a major chunk off of the original price. The deal expires at the end of the day.

[read the review] [find the deal]

2. Get a refurbished Acer Aspire One D150 10.1-inch netbook at Woot.com today for $229.99. The netbook has a list price of $499.99. It has an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor, 1GB DDR2, a 160GB hard drive, a six-cell battery for up to 6.5 hours of life, and comes with XP Home. It comes in black, blue, red, or white.

[read the review] [find the deal]

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September 30th, 2009

Bravo Gustavo iPhone app puts conductor's baton in your hand

Posted by Jennifer Bergen @ 1:11 pm

Categories: Gaming, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone original, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPhone, App, Music, Bravo Gustavo iPhone App, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Jennifer Bergen

Maestro, if you please. For those of you who think games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band are full of the devil’s music, with all that crazy rock and roll, then this new iPhone app will be music to your ears. The Los Angeles Philharmonic has released Bravo Gustavo!, an iPhone app that lets you conduct a full orchestra.

Now, don’t get all Sorcerer’s Apprentice on us. The free app puts you in the shoes of Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil’s new music director, and transforms your iPod touch or iPhone into a conductor’s baton. You can then wave your phone around and pretend your conducting a symphony orchestra (or just look crazy). Also, you can set the tempo by tapping the screen.

If you don’t have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can play an online version, which is more like Guitar Hero. There’s only one song there too, but it’s a pretty fun way to pass a few minutes.

Hopefully both the online game and the app will add more songs soon! Check out both here.

September 25th, 2009

Gadget Gal's daily deals: Philips universal iPod remote, HP Mini netbook, HP LaserJet printer

Posted by Jennifer Bergen @ 8:04 am

Categories: Apple, Computers, Gadget Gal's Daily Deals, HP, Home Theater, Laptops, Netbooks, Printers, Toybox Highlights, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone original, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPod, Hewlett-Packard Co., HP LaserJet, Netbook, Philips Electronics N.V., Netbooks, Nettops & MIDs, Printers, Digital Music, Digital Media, Hardware

A Philips 6-device universal remote for iPod, an HP Mini netbook, and an HP LaserJet printer. Here are your daily deals for Friday, September 25, straight from the Gadget Gal:

1. Get the Philips 6-Device Universal Remote for iPod for only $34.99 today only at Sellout.Woot. The remote comes with a docking station, which allows two-way communication between the docked iPod and the remote control. The remote has a backlit LCD screen, and it works through walls, doors, floors, ceilings, and windows. In addition to having access to your iPod, the six-device design allows you to have remote access to your TV, VCR, DVD player, cable and satellite systems.

[read the review] [find the deal]

2. Get the HP Mini 1030NR FW376UA Refurbished Netbook PC at Comp USA for $269.97. The netbook has a list price of $519.99, but you can save $250 instantly. It weighs only 2.38 pounds, has an Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB Solid State drive, and a 10.1-inch LED-backlit SD display. The deal is only available for a limited time, or while supplies last, so hurry.

[compare to other netbooks] [find the deal]

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September 22nd, 2009

McSweeney's introduces iPhone app, literary nerds rejoice

Posted by Jennifer Bergen @ 11:53 am

Categories: Applications, Software, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone original, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPhone, McSweeney, App, Small Chair, McSweeneys.net, Internet, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Jennifer Bergen

Today’s news will make both tech nerds and literary nerds very happy. McSweeney’s, a publishing house founded by writer/editor Dave Eggers, has released an iPhone app. If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out why the name McSweeney’s sounds familiar, or you just don’t know what the big deal is, then you should know that McSweeney’s has published the works of well-known authors such as Nick Hornby, Michael Chabon, Stephen King, David Byrne, and Joyce Carol Oates.

The app will bring you daily humor from McSweeny’s Internet Tendency site, along with news, updates, and announcements. But the main advantage of having the McSweeney’s app is the debut of the Small Chair, which is a weekly sampler from different parts of the McSweeney’s family. Besides publishing books, and the daily-updated literature and humor site McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, McSweeney’s also puts out three regular publications: the quarterly literary journal entitled “Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern,” the monthly magazine “The Believer,” and a quarterly DVD magazine called “Wholphin.” The app will feature different surprises each week, such as a story from the upcoming Quarterly, an interview from the Believer, or even a short film from the next issue of the Wholphin.

Great minds such as Spike Jonze, Wells Tower, and Chris Ware are already lined up to release material for the app. The app costs $5.99 at the Apple App Store, and expires after six months. The material on the app will not be available anywhere else on the Web.

Read what McSweeney’s has to say about the app after the jump.

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September 21st, 2009

Barnes & Noble iPhone apps surpass 1 million downloads

Posted by Jennifer Bergen @ 11:59 am

Categories: Apple, E-book Readers, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone original, iPod touch

Tags: App, Barnes & Noble Inc., eReader App, E-books, Smart Phones, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Jennifer Bergen

If you’re an iPhone owner, chances are you’re one of the many people who have downloaded the B&N Bookstore app, or the B&N eReader app for the iPhone and iPod touch, which recently hit the one million mark.

According to a press release from Barnes & Noble, Inc., the free B&N eReader app is one of the most popular apps in the iTunes Books category, and held the No. 1 spot throughout the summer. Barnes & Noble also added the addition of free Wi-Fi this summer, which has proved to be a popular choice with almost two million AT&T Wi-Fi sessions since the service became available in all Barnes & Noble stores six weeks ago.

If you’re curious about the iPhone/iPod touch app, but haven’t ventured to download it yet, then you’re missing out on being able to browse bestsellers, B&N Recommends, and new releases lists, as well as watching video interviews with the authors. The app also allows you to check events at your local store, and find your closest Barnes & Noble with maps and directions.

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September 18th, 2009

GoGoStand: An inexpensive, wallet-sized way to prop up your iPhone

Posted by Jennifer Bergen @ 11:50 am

Categories: Accessories, Apple, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone original, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, Smart Phones, Digital Music, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Jennifer Bergen

If the DIY iPod/iPhone dock wasn’t cutting it for you, but you’re still looking for an inexpensive way to prop up your beloved gadget, then check out the GoGoStand. This small, credit card-sized piece of plastic fits in your wallet and easily unfolds into a travel-friendly gadget holder.

The stand is only $4.99 plus shipping and handling. The adjustable plastic tabs allow you to view your iPod Touch or iPhone in three different angles. Of course, you can also use it to prop up non-Apple-related products.

Visit the GoGoStand.com for more information, and check out the video after the jump to see it in “action.”

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September 10th, 2009

Apple approves Rhapsody music streaming app; 8 million songs

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 7:27 am

Categories: Apple, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch

Tags: RealNetworks Rhapsody, Apple Inc., Music, Wireless LANs, Wireless And Mobility, Andrew Nusca

RealNetworks’ Rhapsody music streaming service now has an app in Apple’s App Store.

The free app, which requires a $15 per month Rhapsody subscription (you can try it free for one week), streams 64kbps music over Wi-Fi or cellular data. (IPod touch users in particular, streaming is not available offline.)

Rhapsody offers a catalog of roughly 8 million audio tracks.

If you’re a Comcast customer, you may already have access to the service, so it’s worth checking out.

The app will compete with popular music streaming apps by Pandora, Last.fm (which is owned by ZDNet’s parent company, CBS), Slacker Radio, Sirius XM and others.

September 9th, 2009

Five reasons Apple botched its new iPod lineup

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 12:43 pm

Categories: Apple, Steve Jobs, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPod, Shuffle, Apple Inc., Wash, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Andrew Nusca

So Apple announced a new iPod lineup on Wednesday.

I think they botched it, and in doing so, they showed very un-Apple-like cracks in the product lineup. Here’s why:

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September 9th, 2009

Apple announces new iPod touch, nano, shuffle, classic; iTunes 9

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 11:10 am

Categories: Apple, Steve Jobs, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPod, Apple Inc., Apple iPod Touch, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Andrew Nusca

Apple today announced (techmeme) its new holiday lineup of iPod touch, nano, shuffle and classic portable music players, as well as updated iTunes software.

Here’s the rundown of what’s new:

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September 9th, 2009

Apple slashes iPod prices in anticipation of new models

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 8:15 am

Categories: Apple, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod touch

Tags: Apple iPod, Microsoft Zune, Apple Inc., Apple iPod Touch, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Andrew Nusca

In anticipation of its “rock n’ roll” event, Apple on Wednesday slashed the prices of its iPod portable media players.

• The 32GB iPod touch has dropped from $399 to $279.
• The 16GB iPod touch has dropped from $299 to $249.
• The 8GB iPod touch has dropped from $229 to $189.
• The 16GB iPod nano has dropped from $199 to $149.
• The 8GB iPod nano has dropped from $149 to $129.
• The 120GB iPod classic has dropped $20.

All of the models are expected to be revamped with new features (cameras, HD video playback, etc.) and increased capacities, except for the classic, which is expected to be put out to pasture.

A 64GB iPod touch is expected to be priced at $399.

The move is also a reaction to Microsoft’s competitive pricing of its Zune HD portable media player. A 32GB Zune HD will be $289 and a 16GB Zune HD will be $219 when they are released next week.