music

If you've got teenagers in your house, you've got loud music. Lots of it. But be aware, it could be worse: They could have a bed that plays music too.

The "Tune-In Bed" from PBteen essentially turns an entire headboard into a sound system with two 4-inch stereo speakers and a control panel for connections to an iPod or MP3 player. (Maybe there's a way for parents to hack the volume levels.)

This "biggest iPod dock in the world," as Red Ferret calls it, doesn't come cheap--it's $700. But that's … Read more

Bridging the gap between podcasting and music discovery is SpotDJ, a Web service and iTunes plug-in (download SpotDJ for Windows or Mac) that lets listeners record audio clips, or "spots," about their favorite songs or musical artists.

The site has the grassroots appeal of letting amateur DJs like Greg expound upon the libertarianism of Oingo Boingo while also providing inside information from artists themselves, from The Donnas to Taylor Hicks. I recently was lucky enough to be given a tour of the service by CEO and co-founder Kevin Barenblat.

Essentially, SpotDJ analyzes your iTunes or iPod playlists and … Read more

Sony unveiled new Muteki do-it-yourself DJ systems that will be available from SonyStyle.com and Sony retail stores.

Sony said in its press release that the Muteki is "perfect for getting any party started," but then particularly adds that it has created the Muteki with the "Latin culture" in mind. The Muteki systems also include a "festive companion for Hispanic fiestas like quinceaneras and Cinco de Mayo."

Why does Sony particularly point out that the Muteki is good for the "Latin culture?" What about all the sweet sixteen parties, block parties, barn … Read more

There's more proof that the Samsung Ultra Music will soon be landing at your area Sprint store. We first predicted the development last month at CES 2007, and now Engadget has blurry photos of an Ultra Music wearing a Sprint logo. This latest development comes just over a month after Phonescoop found the Ultra Music's FCC approval documentation, which indicated that the official Sprint model number will be SPH-M620. There's not much more to say right now but all signs are pointing toward an April 1 launch date. And just so you know, that's just after … Read more

It's a common problem: your point-and-shoot camera's microphone picked up nothing but wind while you were at the park shooting a video of people flying kites. The solution? Wipe over the track with music. But putting licensed music over the videos not only requires video editing software, but also the digital rights to publish. YouTube has rolled out a new service called AudioSwap which hopes to quell both of those problems.

To use AudioSwap, just pick a video you've uploaded and browse the provided audio list. You'll get a preview right away, and with the click … Read more

Just because a cable lights up, that doesn't necessarily mean it's smart. To wit, Evergreen Japan has developed one that "dances to the rhythm of the music you are listening to," Gearfuse says, but doesn't do much of anything else except maybe keep you from getting run over by a car at night. They also require a clunky battery box to provide power, diluting whatever cool factor they manage to muster--which probably isn't a huge loss.

The idea of a "smart cable" has always seemed weird to us. (Where do they keep their brains?) But that's essentially what SoundTech is promising with its "LightSnake" line, which lights up in glowing green when in use.

The company is touting these USB cables as simple tools for garage guitarists and other amateur musicians who don't want to mess around with complicated recording equipment. (Even its name sounds like a rock band.) Dubbed a "sound card in a cable," the LightSnake requires no drivers and will work with a variety of … Read more

We're not terribly fond of retro designs, as we've mentioned before, but the "Retro Console Music System" does get high marks for effort. Unlike other items that just slap an old analog face on some digital innards, this system at least tries to integrate its new players into a unique hybrid design that still looks distinctly like something from yesteryear.

Unfortunately, it doesn't update its music technology far enough. Although Chip Chick notes that it includes a CD changer, turntable, radio, cassette decks and two-way speakers (what, no 8-track?), the $300 system doesn't appear … Read more

The Barenaked Ladies, the Canadian pop group that's churned out radio hits like "One Week" and "Old Apartment" over the past decade-plus, might have a user base that's slightly older than the average MySpace user. But that hasn't stopped them from gaining a particularly tech-savvy reputation: recently, they've become somewhat of anti-DRM figureheads. Their latest video, "Sound Of Your Voice," will undoubtedly add to that buzz. It doesn't feature the band at all, but rather a whole bunch of popular YouTube personalities lip-synching to the song. Among those featured … Read more