http://www.ecoustics.com/latest/links Latest links, updated every five minutes http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17717 At this week's IFA show in Berlin Philips took the wraps off the CinemaOne, which the company says packs all the necessities of a home theater system—plus a CD/DVD player and an iPod dock—into a small, round container…complete with subwoofer.The CinemaOne packs a five-channel amplifier, a 4-inch subwoofer, and digital signal processing that can handle Dolby Digital, MPEG2 multichannel audio that the company saus can create a "realistic and immersive cinema sound effect" from the tiny box: it measures just 10.75 inches across and back and 6.75 inchesRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:30:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/ah/reviews/digital-media-servers/logitech-squeezebox-boom This week, Logitech unveiled its new Squeezebox Boom all-in-one network music player. The system, which is not portable so much as it is self-contained, features an integrated 30-watt Class-D amplifier and speakers - a first for the Squeezebox family. Logitech is betting that the network music player will be the CD player of the 21st century. Now that Squeezebox has successfully added its SqueezeNetwork service, users can actually listen to Internet radio and other web-based music services without an active PC networked in their home. Adding a PC with the free SlimServer software also means that you can listen to all of your music (including those on iTunes) anywhere in your home. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:01:06 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17704 Logitech has taken the wraps of the SqueezeBox Boom a diminutive network music player for its recently-acquired Squeezebox network music system that includes an integrated 30-watt amp and two 3-inch speakers so people can take their tunes anywhere their Squeezebox system can reach."The network music player will be the CD player of the 21st century, and Squeezebox Boom is the first player in its class to deliver high-quality audio in a compact, all-in-one design," said VP and general manager of Logitech's streaming media business unit Robin Selden, in a statement. "From the streamlined setup to the breakthrough acoustics, the SqueRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17673 As long as we're talking about 3.5G HSDPA smartphones that aren't likely to make it to North America (ahem), we might as well mention the HTC S740, a follow-up to the HTC Touch Diamond that packs 7.2 Mbps HSDPA/WCDMA 900/2100 MHz access for use in Europe, along with quad-band GSM/EDGE and a standalone GPS receiver. The S740 runs Windows MObile 6.1—and so offers access to Outlook, mobile versions of Office applications, Mobile IE, Exchange capability, Windows Media Player, etc., etc.&mdash Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17658 It's back-to-school time, and Verizon Wireless is hoping to appeal to the touth and "tween" market with its new Blitz messaging phone with an integrated camera and media player capabilities. The Blitz phone features a slide-out QWERTY keypad to keep those teenagers running up the text-messaging and email charges, while offering Web and email capabilities that'll make acing classroom tests a breeze. Why guess when you can Google?The Blitz features a 2.2-inch 220 by 176-pixel LCD screen, and integrated 1.3 megapixel camera (with self-timer, self Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:40:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17648 If you've ever considered getting into the DJ business with a pair if iPods, Sony would love for you to consider the newest entry in its Muteki series of speaker systems> the XROSS Fade LBT-DJ2i music system. The XROSS fade can mix and crossfade music from dual docked iPods as well as external sound sources like CD players, and push it out into a party with 450 watts of amplification.The XROSS Fade comes with a cross-fader with monitor cue and an integrated two-channel mixer, so aspiring DJs can check an upcoming track through headphones and due it up good and proper before setting it loose on a crowd. DJs can mix two songs together or blend seamlessly between two tracks. The con Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/ah/reviews/processors/parasound-halo-p7 Parasound has introduced a new $2000 A/V preamp processor designed for sound purists seeking superior low-noise performance from classic stereo sources as well as multichannel music and movies from Blu-ray, DVD-Audio, and SACD players. But where's the beef? Considering its lack of HDMI support, one wonders if this is more or less a re-issued legacy product with minor upgrades or if it's a completely new design which just happens to lack several features commonly found on receivers starting at $249. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:22:44 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/23569/ You arrive home, giggling and overjoyed, only to find that the disc... won't... play.  You try everything to get it to work... but nothing works, because there's a bunch of scratches and Cheeto-prints on the back of the disk from the inconsiderate loser who rented it before you. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00:07 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-13645_3-9991658-47.html?part=ecoustics-cnet A Stereophile magazine reader poll finds more audiophiles listening to music servers than CD players. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:53:00 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/4660-10165_7-6887638.html?part=ecoustics-cnet&part=ecoustics-cnet&subj=video Ripping your CDs to iTunes' AAC audio format doesn't mean you're relegated to the iPod as your only portable music player. On this Insider Secret, Donald Bell shows you five iPod alternatives that will play nice with your collection of AAC music files. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17137 Sony has announced three new AV receivers in its Elevated Standard (ES) line, aiming to please the home theater crowd with 1080p video support, the latest high-end audio codecs, and Faroudja DCDi Cinema technology for video upscaling. The new models also sport a PlayStation-inspired xross media bar onscreen interface to esy navigation and configuration. The ynits also sport Sony's Digital Cinema Auto Calibration for setting up surround sound, and Bravia Sync for coordinating compatible Sony home theater components. The units also sport a Digital Media Port that adds connectivity options for Sony Walkmans, satellite radio, and devices like Apple's iPod media players."The rapid evolution of Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:20:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17071 In its second foray into the land of excessive 27-inch monitors, Dell quietly slipped out the UltraSharp 2709W display on Thursday, an LCD monitor with an arm-long list of features to match its match its behemoth screen size.The 2709W not only accepts your standard DVI-D and VGA connections, it also does component video, composite video, the relatively rare DisplayPort, and HDMI (with support for HDCP, in case you plan on hooking it up to a Blu-ray player or PS3.) Specs on the 1920 x 1200 panel include a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, 450c Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:40:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/17049 Sometimes it seems silly to pay $69 for a display-free music player that has to be completely configured using desktop software—especially when a few dollars more will get you a media player that can display photos and video plus pull in your favorite FM stations. The Nextar T30 is just such a beat, offering 4 GB of onboard memory (and an SD slot for another 2 GB of storage), an integrated FM tuner, a voice reorder, and a 3.5-inch 320 by 240-pixel LCD display."Users will find our new T30 portable media player [..] the perfect solution for enjoying their favorite movies, music, and mem Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:15:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/ah/reviews/transports/cd-players/boulder-1021-cd-player Apparently someone forgot to tell the high-end crowd that the CD isn't the pinnacle of all that is good and wonderful in audio. Instead of capitalizing on advanced features like hard-disc media storage and cataloging your entire CD collection in high resolution lossless format, Boulder Amplifiers has gone with an uber-expensive single-disc CD player. The new 1021 Disc Player from Boulder Amplifiers is going to make a lot of people exclaim "you paid HOW MUCH for that?!?" Fri, 30 May 2008 10:01:23 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/16794 Westinghouse may not be the most-recognized name in the flat-panel television game, but they're doggedly trying to appeal to consumers who want straightforward, multi-functional entertainment. The new VK-40F580D tries to appeal to folks who want things simple, combining a 40-inch 1080p LCD flat-panel television with an integrated slot-loading DVD player and two HDMI inputs that can automatically detect when an external video source is activated.The VK-40F580D offers a 1,920 by 1,080-pixel resolution, an integrated NTSC/ATSC/ClearQAM tuner, and can function as a PC display at a variety of resolutions. The di Fri, 23 May 2008 15:15:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/tl/21993/ Windows Media Player is a media player for all your digital media (audio, photos and video) for computers running Windows XP and Vista. It is available as a downloadable application for Windows XP directly from Microsoft or via Windows Update and ships with Windows Vista as its default player. It is also available on Pocket PC and Windows mobile based devices. In the following sections, I will show you the basic interface, library management, ripping/burning audio cds to the library and how to sync your media to a portable MP3 player. This article focuses on Windows Media Player 11. The Interface Windows Media Player 11 (WMP11) is the latest version on Microsoft's Media Player. It has undergone a complete overhaul from previous versions and sports a slicker user interface. It is pretty simple to navigate and access your media by just a few clicks of the mouse. You can use it to share media with other pcs, media streaming devices (XBox360, PS3, Netgear EVA8000, etc.), to rip and burn cd's to and from your library and sync your media to/from portable media players (both audio and video). There are 5 main buttons on the interface, they consist of the "Now... Fri, 16 May 2008 11:15:06 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/16668 Apple has agreed to settle (PDF) a pair of class action lawsuits brought against it in Canada by Inez Lenzi and Bradley Waddell that accused the company of misleading consumers about the battery life of its famous iPod portable media players. Under terms of the settlement, customers who bought particular iPods in Canada on or before June 24, 2004, will be eligible for $45 CDN credit in the Apple Canada online store.The suits alleged Apple misled consumers by claiming the iPods were capable of 8 to 10 hours of continuous music playback; however, as users recharged their iPods, the battery life declined over time, i Mon, 12 May 2008 12:00:00 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/Sony_CDX_GT620IP_radio_CD_MP3_player/4505-6729_7-32851817.html?part=ecoustics-cnet The Sony CDX-GT620IP is a value-for-money iPod-compatible car stereo with good usability and decent sound quality. Thu, 01 May 2008 08:22:00 -0400 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/478236.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:40:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/secrets/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=320&Itemid=73 For a player as expensive as it is, the Classé CDP-502 could stand for some improvement in its core video... Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:00:00 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/Sony_MEX_BT5100_radio_CD_MP3_player/4505-6729_7-32787452.html?part=ecoustics-cnet The MEX-BT5100 is a good all-in-one option for those thinking of investing in a in a decent stereo and a hands-free speakerphone. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:28:00 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-13772_3-9907879-52.html?part=ecoustics-cnet It may be an April Fool's joke, but if not, a group of Canadian players of an alternate-reality game sponsored by McDonald's and the International Olympic Committee gathered in the snow to train for the human labyrinth. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:56:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/16198 Computer maker Dell has rolled out the Inspiron 1525, a colorful series of 15.4-inch notebooks that now offer Blu-ray playback capabilities as an option…for starting prices under $1,000. Dell is offering both Blu-ray players (backward compatible with standard DVDs and CDs, of course) as well as a Blu-ray burner for backing up important data.The Inspiron 1525s sport a 1,280 by 800-pixel 15.4-inch LCD display, which is enough resolution to handle 720p high-definition video playback. The systems are available with a selection of processors (ranging fro Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:15:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/15822 Market research firm NPD has released its analysis of consumer technology spending during 2007, and while 2007 was a growth year for the industry overall, a slowdown during the second half of the year and a lackluster holiday season may not bode well for growth during 2008—but that may not actually hurt company's bottom lines.NPD found that some 47 percent of consumer tech spending fell into just five categories: notebook computers, LCD TVs, desktop computers, digital point-and-shoot cameras, and MP3 players. In 2006, those categories accounted for 42 percent of U.S. consumer tech buys, and in 2005 they were just 36 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:10:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/look/187 With the availability of pocket-sized iPods that can literally hold thousands of CDs, and a booming market for docks that can turn the tiny dynamos into home stereo systems, it’s no wonder that not many companies bother putting out home theater components for storing MP3s anymore - a portable can do most of the same things, and better. But there’s still one nagging problem that no portable has yet to solve: the reliance on a computer system to load up and maintain a player’s library. For the audio buff who don’t want to be bothered with downloading programs to rip CDs and playing around with encoder settings, there still aren’t many alternatives out there.Enter the Brennan JB7, a do-it-all music sys... Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:00:00 -0500