Filed under: Portable Audio

After a month or so of heated debate, including France's Trade Minister telling Apple: "I don't want the crap," France's DRM-killa legislation has lost most of its teeth in committee, after being passed by the National Assembly. The new draft of the legislation switches out phrases like "copy in an open standard" for "protected copy," puts restrictions on getting access to information needed for interoperability, and says that DRM publishers don't have to publish source code if they can prove it harms that DRM's security. It sounds basically like a whole bunch of wins for team Apple, a lot of lost ground for Mr. "I don't want the crap," and a possible overall loss for consumer rights in France. Turns out the bill has been hijacked by Universal/Vivendi and they're having their way with it, but nothing has been passed into law yet, so we'll just have to wait and see how this sorts out.

[Via Ars Technica]

Filed under: Multimedia, Windows Mobile

Hallelujah! After what has seemed like an endless wait, coupled with a crushing letdown by Microsoft, Windows Mobile 5.0 users who've upgraded to the AKU2 firmware can finally listen to stereo audio in glorious, wireless freedom. Users of numerous WM5 devices over at the xda-developers are reporting success with a series of files and registry hacks, posted by sas90850 and assembled into a handy CAB by Khuanchai, which enable the A2DP Bluetooth profile that was so conspicuously absent on the current round of AKU2 updates. Khuanchai's file can be found by following the "Read" link, and before you freak out, you need to register as a forum member before you're able to even see the download. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to hit the local electronics store and pick up a pair of BT 'phones, pronto.

[Via Smartphone Thoughts and the::unwired]

Filed under: Cellphones

Along with the N93 and N73, Nokia just launched their new N72 multimedia tri-band GSM/EDGE cellphone. This Symbian S60 handset features a 2.1-inch, 176 x 208, 262k color display, Bluetooth 2.0, and 20MB internal memory expandable via SD memory cards. Media support includes a digital music player with dedicated music keys supporting MP3 and AAC playback, an FM Radio with Visual Radio support, and throws in a swivel-activated 2 megapixel shooter with integrated flash capable of CIF video capture at 15fps. Nokia is positioning this pup as a "multimedia computer" which is a bit of a stretch, but we'll play a long, for now. Expected in Pearl Pink or Gloss Black sometime in June 2006. More pics on the flip.

[Via PhoneScoop]

Filed under: Gaming

So Sony launched their v2.70 firmware in Japan, and like we heard back in March, this version brings Flash capabilities to the browser in addition to a new RSS Channel function allowing you to save audio content to the MemoryStick. As a bit of surprise, Sony also threw in support for the AAC audio format playback -- hey, they did co-create it. We'll just have to hold tight for a US-bound release which should drop within the next few days, or weeks, or you know, whenever Sony feels like it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: US release is up, here we go! Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Filed under: Ringtones, Motorola

We're not sure if this signals the end or further resurrection of her career but the Glitter girl herself, Ms. Mariah Carey has inked a deal to write and record original ringtones in a Pepsi/Motorola exclusive offering. No doubt, it’s nice to see artists and corporations alike embracing new technologies as a means of getting their ware out. Still, we just hope she can avoid the temptation of warbling about in her trademark whistle register pitch -- a ringtone sure to make Crazy Frog sound like a soft baby coo dipped in whispers.

Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

Each week Tom Whitwell of Music Thing highlights the best of the new music gear that's coming out, as well as noteworthy vintage equipment:

"The wonderful thing about this device is that is doesn't do anything really," say the developers of the Monome, a minimalist-but-clever button-covered box. "It wasn't intended for any specific application. We'll make several applications, and others will make more. We hope to share as many of these as possible. Drum machines, loopers, 1-bit video transformers, physics models, virtual sliders, math games, etc."

Like all the best new interfaces, it’s pretty much impossible to describe, but once you watch the demo video, it seems to be surprisingly flexible and fast to use. I can’t help thinking that something this (or the similar, but different, Tenori On box developed for Yamaha) has huge commercial potential as a cheap and funky sound toy. At the moment, though, it’s a tool for high-end supergeeks, like the wonderful Jazz Mutant Lemur (which is now in production and sells for $2,495).

Filed under: Features, Misc. Gadgets

src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/04/monome2.jpg" />

A year ago, the Monome was the href="http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2005/04/bitbox-more-flashing-leds-than-ever.html">Bitbox, a crude wooden box
covered in illuminated momentary push-button switches. It had some early software developed in MAX/MSP which triggered
a different sample on each row. Now, there are a range of interesting applications using OSC and MIDI, and the box is
going into small-time production.

In February, the Philly-based development team bought 13,000 diodes from
Digikey, and they’re currently building the first batch of 200 units, 8 x 8 grids which will sell for $500 with a
USB interface and a bundle of open-source software.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

If you've been waiting for Sonos to break the $1000 barrier before you "unwire" your home music setup, today would be the day. Sonos is launching a new bundle for $999 which includes two of their new ZonePlayer 80 units, along with the standard Sonos controller. We saw the ZP80 at CES, and it's the same box as then: an amp-free version of the ZP100, which also includes optical and coaxial digital outs, along with two fewer Ethernet jacks. Just like its big brother, the ZP80 still doesn't have PlaysForSure or FairPlay support, though you can still use your Rhapsody or Audible.com files. The ZP80 is shipping now and goes for $350 by itself, compared to the $500 ZP100.

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, 1xRTT, Kyocera, CDMA

src="http://www.engadgetmobile.com/media/2006/04/k822.jpg" />

With the flurry of phone and mobile
industry announcements this past week (Engadget Mobile even outposted the original once or twice), you’ll have to
forgive us if we didn’t catch some of the more, um, run-of-the-mill handsets revealed at href="http://engadgetmobile.com/search/?q=ctia">CTIA, but hey, that’s what the weekends are for. Truthfully, the
Kyocera K822 isn’t really all that ho-hum, as it sports both a 1.3 megapixel camera and 30MB of memory complemented by
a microSD slot for pics and tunes (MP3/AAC/WMDRM), packed into a clamshell design with dual color displays. Other
niceties on this tri-mode CDMA model include Bluetooth 1.2 with href="http://engadgetmobile.com/search/?q=a2dp">A2DP, FM radio, and external media controls, as well as a pretty
attractive $140-after-subsidies price tag.

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Filed under: Ringtones, Cingular

All those MySpace groups who don't end up winning Verizon's "Calling All Bands" contest will still have a wireless carrier-sponsored shot at stardom thanks to a new service called Cingular Mobile Music Studio that will turn their songs into ringtones available for purchase from the band's MySpace page. Any MySpace-accredited artist or band whose songs consist of original material may submit one track to project manager InfoSpace for consideration, and if deemed appropriate, it will be transformed into a 30-second downloadable ringtone. Artists will get 25% of the $2.50 that each 'tone will cost, and receive their cut as a check in the mail every quarter as long as revenues for that period exceed $100. This is the second major partnership between Cingular and MySpace, with the carrier's subscribers already able to receive text alerts when someone leaves a comment on their page, and one of several pushes the social networking site has made into the mobile space.

[Via Seattle Times]

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

That Sony Ericsson Walkman line-up just keeps growing and growing. Today, SE announces their 8th Walkman phone, the W700. Said to appeal to "lovers of classic and discreet design," the W700i throws-down tri-band GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900, Bluetooth 2.0, FM radio, a 2 megapixel cam, and ships with 256MB of Memory Stick Pro Duo'in storage. Expect these to ship in Q2 nought-six in both "titanium gold" and "smooth white." Hey, wait a second, other than being gold and shipping with a 256MB (not 512) MS Pro Duo card, there's nothing to distinguish this Walkman from the W800i released last year. Hell, it even sports the exact dimensions. A bit trivial for a full model number change especially when the addition of EDGE, an extra GSM band, and new controls only warranted a 10-point bump.

[Via GadgetCandy]

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Sony Ericsson, GSM, GPRS

That Sony Ericsson Walkman line-up just keeps growing and growing. Today, SE announces their 8th Walkman phone, the W700. Said to appeal to "lovers of classic and discreet design," the W700i throws-down tri-band GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900, Bluetooth 2.0, FM radio, a 2 megapixel cam, and ships with 256MB of Memory Stick Pro Duo'in storage. Expect these to ship in Q2 nought-six in both "titanium gold" and "smooth white." Hey, wait a second, other than being gold and shipping with a 256MB (not 512) MS Pro Duo card, there's nothing to distinguish this Walkman from the W800i released last year. Hell, it even sports the exact dimensions. A bit trivial for a full model number change especially when the addition of EDGE, an extra GSM band, and new controls only warranted a 10-point bump.

[Via GadgetCandy]

I now have a new found appreciation for lunchmeat. 24 year-old computer engineering graduate and musician Shaduz from Bologna developed a MIDI glove for manipulating music and sounds with. The 3DID MIDI glove just isn't any glove though, it's wireless and was built for about 150 euros or $180. The glove features 3 gyroscopes, 3 accelerometers and 18 hours of battery life. It also has 5 "bend" sensors in the fingers for bending and manipulating musical instruments. Perfect for softsynths. To really get a feel for the glove, you'll need to watch this video of Shaduz DJing minimalistic techno with it and manipulating the sounds perfectly. One of the most original and coolest musical creations in years.

Guy playing live with €150 wireless MIDI glove [Music Thing]

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Samsung, Sprint-Nextel, T-Mobile, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, CDMA

Quick: what’s the diff between the two flips on the left? Very good, one’s branded T-Mobile and the other wears a Sprint badge. The SPH-M500 for Sprint (pictured left) and SGH-T619 for T-Mob (center) are virtual dead ringers for one another, the only obvious difference being that the T619 sports GSM with EDGE data, while the M500 is a CDMA piece with EV-DO. Other notable specs include dual color displays, 1.3-megapixel shooter (“notable” might be a stretch there), and a microSD slot. Moving to moderately more interesting Sprint equipment, we told ya about the A720 a while back — and thanks to our pals at the FCC, we no longer need to go cross-eyed looking at shoddy cameraphone pics of this thing. The squarish clamshell is clearly music-oriented thanks to external controls (touch-sensitive, no less) and A2DP — a viable alternative for folks turned off by the name of LG’s Fusic.

Read – SGH-T619 for T-Mobile and SPH-M500 for Sprint
Read – SPH-A720 for Sprint

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Filed under: Handsets, Others, Vodafone

Vodafone’s tapped Toshiba to bring its latest music-oriented flip to market, answering the call with the TS808 shown off at IFA this week. The phone can’t exactly be billed as high-end, sporting only a 1.3-megapixel cam and a meager 10MB of internal memory, but a miniSD slot helps restore some semblance of meaning to the external music controls and generously sized external display. Integrated stereo speakers, and of course, Bluetooth are also along for the ride on the phone, which is expected to launch on Voda-owned Swisscom Mobile this month.

[Via MobileWhack]

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Filed under: Handsets, Sanyo, Sprint-Nextel, 1xRTT, EV-DO, CDMA

While Sanyo’s phones are known for their tendency to leave customers delighted here in the US, one thing they’re typically not known for is keen industrial design — with the possible exception of the Katana released earlier this year. The Katana’s proven to be a decent low- to midrange piece, but now it looks like the Japanese manufacturer is gearing up to take on the SCH-A990s and Blades of the world with the rather attractive (as best as we can make out from the smallish picture) M1 clamshell. As music phones go, the rumored specs leave almost nothing to be desired, with a QVGA display, 2-megapixel cam, external controls, Bluetooth with A2DP, microSD expansion, and an impressive 1GB of storage on board. We don’t quite know what to make of the circle on the phone’s front, which we’re guessing plays into the external music controls somehow — but if its a scroll wheel, get out of our way, people; we’ve got a Sprint store to get to.

[Via phoneArena]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

Perhaps trying to drown out the repeated cries of “give us our K790,” Cingular’s launched one for the Sony Ericsson fans: the entry-level W300i Walkman clamshell. To be fair, with a Memory Stick Micro slot, relatively generous 101 x 80 external display, Bluetooth, external music controls, and FM radio with RDS support, “entry-level” may not be doing the phone justice. Be that as it may, the handset’s only going to set you back $20 after all the discounts are said and done (provided you’re ready and willing to sign on the dotted line, of course).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Sony Ericsson, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

We know this one’s been in the oven for a while, but according to the good folks at HowardForums, Cingular’s finally seen fit to release the Sony Ericsson W810i — and just in time, if we do say so ourselves — though availability seems to be initially limited to brick-and-mortar stores. As a refresher, the brightly-colored candybar does the Walkman thing in style, packing a 2-megapixel camera, that Memory Stick Duo slot we all love to hate, and the obligatory quad-band GSM radio with EDGE; better yet, its predecessors’ joystick is mercifully replaced with a more usable d-pad. Just add A2DP and you’ve got yourselves a winner, guys.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia

Stereo speakers aren’t terribly uncommon among modern featurephones, but this isn’t exactly, uh, what most manufacturers have in mind. The V888 slider from Smart rocks (and we literally mean, “rocks”) two bigass speakers on either side of the display with support for some sort of spatial audio enhancement. The buttonless front looks clean, sacrificing some usability in the process by moving those pesky send / end buttons off to the side of the bezel. Besides the speakers, the phone offers a microSD slot upon which to load the music you’ll surely be enjoying and a 1.3 megapixel shooter, but not much else — such is the price we must pay for crappy, unnecessarily loud audio emanating from our handset these days.

[Via Slashphone]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.