New Technology Product Go Round-November 08

Product News by Brad Balfour

One of the great things about covering entertainment, and film in particular, is the tech toys that come across my desk--or I should say, my virtual desk, via the internet and e mail. By the time I understand one set of ways to evaluate equipment, some thing new comes along that changes my valuations. So I am going to throw in some choice pocket-sized devices this time around.

Now take these cool little ear bud holders I have to play with. These wacky looking BudFits insure that your iPod and iPhone earbuds won't fall out during even the most demanding physical activities ( and we won't say what those could be!). They maximize your comfort by eliminating the need to wedge the funky earbuds in your ear canals. Let the music rock through extreme sports or intense workouts. Retailing for $8.99, they come in three Colors - Frosted Clear, Stealth Black, and Vanilla White.

Lest I forget any support products for Apple and its family, I made sure that I wrote about a cool product for the iTunes ecosystem—including PC, Mac and iPod® applications: The iWOW™ adaptor for iPod that SRS Labs, a leader in surround sound, audio, and voice technologies, has released. This is an accessory that attaches seamlessly to iPods, bringing this latest iWOW solution to these highly popular portable music and video devices.

The adaptor attaches to the iPod and delivers a thrilling and immersive music and video listening experience. Utilizing SRS audio solutions, this device restores the audio cues that are buried in the original source material so music and video files sound the way they were originally meant to be heard on your iPod—with remarkable depth and clarity. With a simple push of the button, users hear the amazing difference in music, videos and podcasts.

The immersive 3D audio, ultra-clear definition, and deep, rich bass will make users say “WOW!” after just one listen. SRS iWOW for iPod works with all iPods featuring a 30 pin connector, starting with the iPod classic, iPod nano 3G, and more.

Then there's this fine little device known as The magicJack. It's a PC accessory that enables you to make unlimited local and long-distance calls to the US and Canada for FREE from anywhere in the world. All you need is a broadband connection.

The magicJack is only $40 for the device and first year of service and $20 each year after. It's small (about the size of a matchbox), so very portable. Once plugged into the USB slot of the computer, you're ready to begin making calls within moments. Actual communication can be conducted by plugging a traditional hand-held phone into the free side of the magicJack (the most recognizable and familiar scenario) or by using any audio setting on the PC, such as a speaker and microphone, headset, etc. Now that's cool!—and I love how it defeats the corporate phone beast.