Alpine iDA-X001 DMR Made for Apple iPod

These days, it seems as if the electronics market is slowly becoming overcrowded with iPod accessories. This trend is due to the pervasiveness of iPod ownership…many companies are happily making millions off iPod accessory development. Yet, leaders still emerge.
Alpine iDA-X001 Digital Media Receiver designed for iPod
So it only makes sense that, to their mutual benefit, companies like Alpine would join forces and work cooperatively with Apple to develop integrative iPod technologies. Ultimately, with one common goal in mind…quenching that mobile music thirst. Now, the new kids on the block known as digital media car revivers (DMR for short) are redefining the way we look at are car audio systems. On the Alpine iDA-X001 there‘s no disc player and definitely no cassette player. Instead they’re a multitude of possible add ons, optional: CD changers, Blutooth technologies, satellite radio, and HD radio are available, but who needs ‘em. This jewel gives you jog wheel music library navigation and album artwork (with 5th generation iPods) displayed on it crisply render LCD display. The connection is all digital through high speed USB 2.0. Generic USB flash memory drives, with MP3s present, can also be play over the system. Most users rate this unit high and the only drawback is the jog wheel is a bit cumbersome. A touch wheel would be nice. Maybe next time guys try a touch wheel.
Read more!

Denon AH-D5000 Delivers Devastating Sound

Deal of the Day: Denon AH-D5000 Headphones
Your discerning musical taste deserves the very best in audio output. An important component of any headphone system is blocking out the extraneous noise. This allows you to easily get lost in the music. Denon realizes these facts. Their acoustical engineers have spared no expense developing the Denon AH-D5000, the ‘Cadillac’ of over the ear headphones. They have those same ‘Cadillacesque’ wood accents around the outside of the phones. The big difference being these bits of refined timber serve as sound resonators so they actually do something, besides exude refinement. The cord itself lets you know the Denon AH-D5000 isn’t for the light hearted music listener. This cord is cloth covered, a bit of old school technology to provide that extra level of refinement, and very high grade. DJ’s, studio engineers, and serious audiophiles, you will thank yourself for this investment. Not to mention the impression they’ll leave on your eardrums. Denon delivers superb sound reproduction, as usual.
Read more!

Car Stereo Bluetooth From Sony

Have you been getting those annoying tickets for not using a hands free device with your mobile phone while driving? (I've gotten a couple.) Wired headsets get tangled and break and those Bluetooth headsets kinda turn everyone who wears them onto a Cyborg. If you have one and rock it more power to you. Bluetooth through the car stereo system seems promising yet has the possibility of being overpriced, but so does having a car. The safety of you and yours is the good reason for spending money on this technology. Plus, you may not have updated your car head unit in years so this is a perfect excuse to do so.

The Sony MEX-Bt5000 has just arrived. It's slick looking and inexpensive (if you buy smart)...it's definitely worth the bucks. Especially if you factor in those traffic ticket fines. This receivers' most stunning feature the Bluetooth 2.0 capabilities this allows you to connect your phone as the audio source. You can then play audio streams straight from your phone. This would be an upgrade for most high end car audio owners. iPods plug in along with CD changes. This unit is iPod friendly. Which brings me to this question. When the iPods going to get Bluetooth?
Read more!

Etronic's Catchy Phrase Contest

We know we’re a clever bunch over here at Etronics.com, but even great minds have brain farts every once in a while. So we’ve decided to shift the pleasure (or burden) of constructing a market appropriate catch phrase to you, our untapped resource…I mean valued customer. What will you win if your savvy word-smiting is chosen as the catchiest phrase? (in addition to the adoration of your friends and family) You’ll receive a sweet piece of engineering, an official 1988, made in Japan, Sony 20 inch Trinitron television. We were all pretty excited to find this gem in the warehouse. (Sort of a buried treasure) Maybe you’re thinking this is a relic, a dinosaur even. You couldn’t be more wrong. This television was manufactured at a time when quality control was high, defects were low, and Sony’s were really expensive. This vintage technology uses surround sound stereo speakers, has video component connections, and is cable ready. You can enjoy Pong or Playstation 3 on this Sony. It is completely unused, still in the box, has a manual, and comes with one of those huge remotes that could only be from the eighties. What other reasons do you need? It’s a Sony.
Read more!

Samsung's uses tiny technology to make high capacity flash memory

Samsung has implemented their tiny (.03µm/30nm) chip processing technology to make huge strides in flash memory storage capacity, up to 128 gigs. With this amount of flash memory you can store 40 individual DNA profiles, 80 DVD movies, or 32,000 MP3s just to give you an idea of its potential. These are going into production in the second half of 2009. This is going to have ramifications throughout the digital world. It will affect media players, cameras, USB flash drives, mobile phones, DRAM anything that uses NAND flash chip technology. The capacities of these devices will grow without the products themselves growing. Sweet work, Samsung, keep putting the worlds manufactures to shame with your developments and I’ll keep buying more of your stock.
Read more!

'TV' on the Flash Drive

Sandisk today has introduced Sansa TakeTV. Do you remember how to operate a DVD player? I'm talking about the bit that requires you actually to get up and insert a disc. Most likely this knowledge has not escaped you, right. Well, many bloggers have forgotten this ability and complain about the TakeTV's lack of wireless connection to the television. Cry me a river guys. Really though, have your rear ends grown into your computer chairs or what? The TakeTV has a remote, so once the trek from your desk to your entertainment center is made you can catch your breath. TakeTV is really just a glorified flash drive that comes with a docking station. The dock provides a connection from the USB flash drive to the TV's analog s-video or RCA inputs. This allows you to watch any DVIX, XVID, and MPEG-4, that you've uploaded to the flash drive, at 720x576 resolution on you TV screen. The price is set from Sandisk to be 99.95 and 149.95 for the 4 Gig(5hrs of video) and 8 gig(10 hrs) models respectively.

Read more!

Express Your Sophistication with Cuisinart Espresso Maker EM-200

Cuisinart EM-200 is a time saver. Picture yourself standing a in long line at that chain coffee place. You know the one. Impatiently waiting on that spacey seventeen year old behind the counter to look up from their text messages long enough to take the order of the person standing right in front them. Now you’re late and you still haven’t had you're morning latte. Now imagine being in the comfort of you own place relaxing with your freshly made home brew, possibly in your bath robe, and feeling more revitalized with every passing minute. Sure making your own espresso, latte or cappuccino can take a bit of time. Some would rather have someone else to do the dirty work for them, but not you. You enjoy the satisfaction of doing things the right way, your way. Cuisinart has brought the coffee house to your house with their espresso maker. Fully deck out with classic stainless steel that is a Cuisinart, a warming tray on top, a one or two cup option, programmed cup size, use either pods or grounds, and the 15 bars of pressure guarantee perfect professional results with each cup. Really the Cuisnart EM-200 could most likely pay for itself in like 40 or 50 cups(from those chain places), and no more dealing with long lines, slacker youths, or overpriced overly fancy espressos.
Read more!

Real Brick Oven for your Countertop

Cuisinart's new countertop brick oven is the perfect solution to not living in NYC…at least the part of living here that has to do with the availably of great tasting pizza 24/7. This oven really makes me wish Cuisinart had a representative that came to vendors and demonstrated their product's great capabilities first hand. How nice would that be? If the smell of baking pizza filled my cubical, and I didn’t have to lift a finger except to munch freshly baked goodness. Alas, this is not going to happen but one can’t help bit dream (especially so close to lunchtime). Cuisinart has scaled down the brick pizza oven to fit on your countertop. When I first glanced at the BRK-200 I thought great another toaster oven I have to some how make seem exciting. To my surprise, I learned that this was no ordinary toaster oven. This particular oven has the unique distinction of have actual bricks built into the side of the oven. Additionally, there’s a removable baking stone to help intensify brick oven cooking. Cusiniart BRK-200 has brush stainless steel industrial styling, 2 racks, 3 cooking settings (bake, broil, and toast), .90 cubic ft. and non stick coatings to make oven clean up a snap. You could even bring it to your office and make all your co-works drool with envy.

Read more!

Holiday Showdown: Touch Screen Phones Come Out Swinging

[Image courtesy of Sprint Nextel Corp.]

Yet another touch screen phone has been unveiled today. HTC, a Taiwanese company, is the proud recipient of a deal with Sprint Nextel to provide the new phone. If you're not a Sprint fan there is an unlocked HTC Touch. The phone is based on a modified version of Windows Mobile 6 software which usually requires a stylus for the touch screen interface. HTC’s software modifications allow for finger touch operation. Its origins are evident, the phone still comes with a stylus. Also, there's no physical keyboard on the HTC Touch(Out of the three major carries that have touch screen phones Verizon’s LG Voyager is the only one with the actual keyboard.) Sprint Nextel’s data network was the first to introduce wireless web and it is the fastest data network here in the states. The speed of the AT&T’s data network connection has been criticized by users. The iPhone WiFi connection supplements for the data network’s shortcomings to an existent. The HTC is a smaller and lighter unit mainly due to the 3.5 inch screen size. If you’ve read this much, you are most likely asking yourself why you never heard of HTC. HTC has been producing PDAs and Smart Phones under other manufactures names for a while. Now, HTC is trying to build there brand here in the states. Piggy backing on the Sprint Nextel brand. This seems like it's a pretty good means to that end. Kudos guys, you’ll have ‘caviar dreams and Champaign kisses’ in no time.

Read more!

5.1 Surround Sound from Headphones?

[Image courtesy Matsushita Electric industrial Co.and Ltd.]

Panasonic is a pioneer. (Is the word pioneer trademarked by the Pioneer Corporation?) In the pioneering spirit they’ve been busily perfecting that most elusive of beasts…getting five speakers and sub-woofer in a pair of headphones. Not just headphones, but wireless headphones to be exact. The Panasonic RP-WF5500 headphones really begin to impress once you discover their ability to work thorough walls and receive transmissions up to 30 meters from the base. The Panasonic RP-WF5500 phones are lightweights too, weighting in at measly 9oz with the battery attached. When you factor in their ability to reproduce a 5.1 channel system with a similar sense of directional sound, they really begin to out shine the competition. These marvels of modern technology are set to hit selves on November 20th. But don’t expect these to be listed on any holiday sale circulars stateside. They‘re only available in the consumer electronics ‘Mecca’ that only the U.S. could have spawned, Japan.

Read more!