If you're tired of the overly complicated, ultra high-end portable musical devices of today, the new Sony Walkman NWD-B100 may just be the thing for you. Ease of use and functionality gave been the primary considerations here and it's showing in this model.

Even if you aren't much of a techie, the drag and drop file transfer makes it easy even for the most novice of users. It can also be set to automatically copy media files from your PC, making it very effortless to load up on all your favorite tunes.

Another nice feature is that it has a colored 3-line display which gives you a user-friendly interface that enables you to browse through all your files with ease. Voice recording is available if you think your voice sounds cool and an FM tuner built into the device can also be channeled to the recorder to allow you to listen to all the radio programs you love again and again.

And don't worry about the sound quality. Sony assures you that its mini hi-fi technology is there and delivering the goods for the best cacophonous experience possible on a portable device.

The $380 price tag on Wharfdale Hi-Fi stereo system just proves that including computers in home theater setups is still in its infant stage. But not to totally disappoint, it may actually be a good start and is sure to open up a lot of innovations in the future.

The very core of the stereo is a 40GB hard drive that allows enough space to store approximately 8,000 songs. Expanding your collection is easy as it is USB-compatible. A CD-R/RW allows ripping off of audio tracks and converting them into MP3 format right there and then. You can listen to its AM/FM radio while thinking what song you want next to rip and add.

Power rating for the two speakers is 30 watts and an LCD display for track information Wharfdale queried in its databases much similar to other audio systems. This is just the beginning and we expect to see more hybrids of this kind in the future.

Tired of listening to your favorite MP3 tracks through your headphones? Wanna share to everybody your favorite song of the moment? You could do that and so much more with the Oono Transmita. Just what in the world is it? Well, setting aside the quite hilarious name, the Oono Transmita is being packaged as a very useful little product for those who like music.

Basically, it gives you the freedom to listen to the music you love in the way you want. One end plugs into what you want to play, the other end plugs into where you want to play it. With this little baby at hand, you could play your MP3 player through your hi-fi, music from your computer through your DAB Digital Radio, your cassette player through your garden speakers.

There's just one limitation to all these though -- the 'speakers' should have a Line In port and the player should have a headphone socket so that you can use it at any combination that suits you.

According to the company who manufactured this one, the best part of this system is the fact that the transmitters can be up to 50m apart and still work. This means the 'speakers' and the player do not even need to be in the same room, giving you the freedom to roam wherever the music takes you. Personally, the best thing about this baby is its price tag: for $65 you can be the proud owner of this useful contraption, that is if you're the type who just loves to hear music in every corner of the house.

Sanyo, who has been fighting to gain respect in the world of electronics business, has recently released a contraption that converges old technology and the technology of today. The Japanese company has came up with a compact Hi-Fi set tagged as
the MAJ-U4CT1. It has a CD Player, a Tape player (don't go burning your cassette tapes just yet), a FM Tuner and a SD card reader recorder. Nice digs!

And aside from the fact that it can play your old tapes, it also has some pretty nice features with regards to mp3 files. Thanks to its SD player/reader, you will be able to rip files from a CD to a SD and play them on a SD-based Mp3 player, without any PC intervention. Another nifty feature on this model is its USB HOST port which will let you play any Audio files (MP3/WMA) stored on a USB Key for example. So far, there is no word on its price tag and availability, but we will keep you posted.

"Fill your home with sound, not stereo components. Keep your music collection at your fingertips, not in countless CD cases. Change the way you experience digital music." Goes the iPod Hi-Fi hype line. Sure we want what they're selling but at $349, the iPod Hi-Fi's "crystal-clear, high-quality sound in a clean, compact design" is about as affordable as a solid gold iPod to us.

Arawakartsolutions, who must be dealing with the same financial disease infecting our wallet, has come up with the perfect pseudo iPod Hi-Fi using discarded Classic Macs. The Mini Mod's recycled case is lightweight, splash-proof, and has a single handle for easy carrying. What else could you ask for?
 
Arawakartsolution's glorified amplifier-disguised-as-a-Mac Mini is powered by the Sonic Impact Technologies Class T Amp which is the rave of the month of the underground high performance audio world. The unit required paint touch ups and a lot of creativity to give it pizzazz. Sounds like hard work? Maybe. But it will blare your digital music selection without losing the audio quality that makes the iPod Hi-Fi so damn expensive. In the end this DIY project will give you what you always wanted without paying the price.

How-To: [DIY iPod Mini Mod]

The MiniDisc (MD) was targeted as a replacement for analogue cassette tapes as a recording system for Hi-Fi equipment. Unfortunately, the format wasn't as successful as Sony had hoped. But it's still the format of choice of some audiophiles, so until now MD enjoys a loyal niche following. It's probably for this reason that TDK unveiled, without much fanfare, the new MD Media series for 2006. Although MD isn't very visible these days, it's still great to see a new line of recordable MDs, in striking colors to boot.

The "WA" series MD will be available in both 74- and 80-min variants, and in packs of 5 and 10. No word yet on pricing.

   

 

Watching good TV and lounging around all day indeed that is one of the joys of summer. This piece of furniture dubbed as the HotSeat Gaming Futon, is something I won't mind having at my house. It's the first ever surround sound video and gaming futon. It is equipped with 6 hi-fi speakers, powered subwoofer, 3 audio inputs, and a wireless remote control to boot. Then when you feel like you need some shut-eye, this one folds into a bed.

This piece of comfort was voted as the best way to watch SuperBowl. Now that is some feat! It could also be seen in the Tony Danza Show getting some much needed publicity. For now, there ain't no word on its price and its availability, but it will come in different colors and designs. Nice and comfy, I like it!

If the Memorex's iMove is a boombox designed for your iPod.

Much like in the Hi-Fi, just slide your iPod into the dock and let her rip. It supports iPod Video (5th generation with click wheel), iPod Photo/U2 (with click wheel), iPod/U2 (4th generation with click wheel), iPod Nano and iPod Mini.
   
It also functions as an AM/FM radio with station presets. So not only does it play your favorite tunes it also helps you find new ones. The 15.7" x 6.0" x 7.9" boombox, comes with a user manual & warranty card, universal iPod adapters, AC adapter and wireless remote control.

Although, I personally feel that it defeats the whole purpose of the iPod being a compact device, iMove breathed new life to the 80s boombox retro design by streamlining the product, thus, eliminating corners making it easier to put on your shoulders like in the old days. 

iMove is for the mobile audiophile (who doesn't mind the extra weight), who would want to share to their music in a different way. Loud and clear that is.