dateless

New Nano hat for the fashion-challenged

If there's one thing we've learned in this world, it's that dorkdom knows no bounds. To wit: Barely weeks after posting an item on the "iXoundWear" iPod hat, a new version is already out.

The latest fashion accessory (cough) is made especially to fit the third-generation iPod, according to iLounge, along with an attractive pair of bendable plastic spools to keep your headphone wires from strangling you during the a particularly raucous DDR session. There is, however, one silver lining in this aesthetically challenged cloud: At least the new Nano is smaller so maybe not … Read more

How to wear an iPod on your head

There's apparently a booming business in marketing headgear that makes people look like idiots. How else can one explain the popularity of such products as the solar fan hat and the "Head Spa Massager"?

Witness the latest entry into the lucrative field of nerd apparel--the "iWalk" headphones, as seen on Coolest-Gadgets. This ingenius invention is kind of the MP3 equivalent of the beer hat, with a slot on one side that holds an iPod instead of a 12-ounce Bud Light. It gets better: The same player can be shared by two sets of headphones for … Read more

Star Wars fighters morph into speakers

It's not enough for Star Wars memorabilia to launch a ground attack. Now they're coming at us by air too.

The assault of data-repelling gadgets from the monster franchise continues unabated, with the latest being a set of Tie Fighter speakers spotted by Engadget. The pair is made by Nikko, whose R2-D2 Webcam was a big hit at CES earlier this year. We wouldn't have recognized the speakers as Ties, were it not for the Star Wars logo on the subwoofer. But that, come to think of it, is actually a good thing.

Sony's USB speaker is, well, ugly

Sony has a secret: When it designs impossibly small products, it often leaves some features on the drafting-room floor. Then it offers "extras" sold separately.

OK, it's not just Sony. But we needed a hook to write about an otherwise boring-looking product. Anyway, at 10 inches across and 18 ounces, Sony's new USB Vaio speaker is almost as big and heavy as its latest laptop. Most disappointing of all is the design. With so many museum-quality speakers on the market, one would think that Sony, of all companies, could have done better.

(Photo: Akhihabara News)