pda | ipod | mobile phone | GPS Info

The increasing popularity of iPhones, iPods, and their reliance on flash memory could paradoxically cause problems for the memory-making industry, according to industry representatives and analysts. By building in as much as 8GB of NAND flash storage in the iPhone and potentially switching to flash for future high-end video iPods, Apple is threatening to dry up the overflow of memory that currently exists in the market, curbing discounts and possibly forcing price hikes to discourage buying an excess of flash chips.

In particular, Apple’s emphasis on relatively large quantities of flash for its first phone could be especially troublesome, says memory producer Kingston Technology’s flash marketing head Mark Leatham. The average of 6GB of memory per iPhone is 100 times larger than the typical cellphone, which the executive believes to hold only 60MB. An order for 5 million iPhones would by itself be equal to producing enough flash for half a billion ordinary cellphones, Leatham says. Estimates from iSuppli and Goldman Sachs suggest this may be realistic, putting added strain on supply chains even if the line were to remain static.
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For that truly eternal experience where you feel one with your music seems possible with the Sonic Chair. Designed by Frank Hussong, Michael Kientzler and Daniela Reuter, this Red Dot 2007 award-winning chair encompasses you and transports you to utopia. The chair’s speakers are placed in the “bowl” and the “powerful bass and focused acoustics” capture every nuance of the sound. The audio player hooks onto the chair via the line-level inputs. A swiveling drinks tray is integrated into the design plus you can customize it by adding a touchscreen controller or an iPod dock in its place.

Designed by Frank Hussong, Michael Kientzler, and Daniela Reuter, the Sonic Chair won a Red Dot 2007 award and it promises to “transport you to utopia.” Naturally, it’s compatible with just about any music player, including the Apple iPod.

To get in on this world of sound, however, your VISA bill is going to have to take a pretty major hit: $8000, iPod not included. [via]

Corega as Japanese company is near launching the CG-IPSPDC02, a new portable iPod speaker. The ultra portable speaker system CG-IPSPDC02 for 2nd generation iPod shuffle from Corega Japan is available in same 5 colors as iPod shuffle is available. The speaker system with two 20×25mm anti magnetic speakers has 0.5W×2c output. With playback frequency of 200Hz~16 kHz. Signal to notice ratio of 70dB, the tiny Corega speaker system delivers soft, clear sound.

A USB port allows synching and charging with a computer; the satellites produce 0.5W per channel. Corega will begin shipping the 02 later in July for 3,675 yen ($30). [via]

It seems as if everywhere you turn these days someone is talking about getting rid of the middle man. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that someone has cooked up a gadget to ditching the middle man when it comes to moving music from CDs to the iPod.

The “middle man” in this case is iTunes and a PC. The gadget is called the iLoad (US$299) from Wingspan Investment Partners, of Wilmington, Del.

Compared to the svelte iPod, the iLoad is on the bulky side. It measures about 2.8-by-7.4-by-6.7 inches, which is slightly bigger than a Mac Mini.

It has a slot-loading CD drive on the front of it and on top of it, some membrane controls and a small monochrome LCD.
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Price: $79.99

Product Description

Be it a space for personal grooming and thinking, the bathroom is one of the most important (and used) rooms of your home. So much so, that people add radios to a bathroom shelf or at their bath. Why just settle for a radio? iCarta now lets you bring and enjoy your iPod into your private sanctuary. (more…)

Taking a stab at the speaker system market occupied by Sonos and others, IntelliTouch has debuted its Eos wireless satellite speaker system for use with the iPod. Using non-WiFi (but “WiFi-friendly) wireless transmission technology, the speaker system links up to four remote speakers, purportedly delivering interference-free CD sound quality (48Khz). The wireless transfer method uses error correction and a unique frequency hopping scheme for a real-world indoor range of up to 150 feet (50 meters) through walls, floors and ceilings. In open outdoor environments, Eos can broadcast in excess of 300 feet (100 meters).
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