I feel the need to start off this post by disclosing the fact that I am an audiophile of sorts and I did not get a warm and fuzzy feeling about the idea behind this product right away. That being said, it turns out the people over at InAir Technologies are on to something here. How do I know, you ask? Just the other day I walked out of my downtown office building only to see an unsuspecting guy listening to his iPod while riding a bicycle, cruising up to an intersection where I could clearly see an SUV quickly approaching with the driver on a cellphone. I wanted to yell “look out” but what good would that have done?

The driver of the SUV slammed on the brakes but it was too late, the man on the bike went for a nice ride right up onto the hood but, only for a second, before sliding down onto the ground. I stood there in awe of the fact that they were both completely clueless and I remember thinking how easily this whole thing could have been avoided. It couldn’t have been more perfect timing as I knew the AirDrives were at home ready for the test.

Now that I have bored you with my ”you had to be there” story let me cut to the chase. Unlike traditional ear buds which fit snugly into your ear to block outside sounds, the AirDrives comfortably wrap around the back of your ear while hovering right outside of the ear canal. This means that you still get plenty of volume all while allowing you to stay aware of everything around you. If the guy on the bike would have only known!

The best way I could possibly explain the sensation is that it sounds as if someone is constantly following you around with a great quality boombox. Not only are these earphones perfect for busy urban areas but they also have a children’s version made with your kids health in mind. These earphones do not directly channel the music right into your child’s head (or adults for that matter) thus preserving their young developing sense of hearing.

The comfortable and seemingly durable design has a frequency range of 20-20,000 Hz and sensitivity of 98db at the source with 80db at the inner ear. The four foot cable also has a convenient volume control built right in, making volume adjustment on the fly a lot easier than reaching into your pocket or band to fumble with a digital wheel volume.

The child version retails at around $49 while the adult version is a cool $79. Check out AirDrives.com for more info.

Sure I’m the millionth person to blog about the much anticipated iPhone-like iPod but that is not going to stop me from being on the 1,000th page of google when you search for the new “iPod Touch.”

There has been quite a buzz about what would be next from Apple as of late and today Steve and the gang did not disappoint. As suspected the new addition to the popular line of iPods has been given the same touch screen capability of the now $299 iPhone.

In addition to the multi-touch interface on its new 3.5 inch color display the Touch also boasts Wi-Fi capability. With it’s built in Safari browser you can now surf the web wirelessly using the touchscreen keyboard all while zooming in and out with the multi-touch display.

Coming soon to a bike near (under?) you: the iHome iH85B speaker, built to safely take your iPod tunes wherever your wheels may carry you. Cyclists and motorists alike have voiced their concerns about people riding through cities with earbuds that distract the rider from paying attention to the sounds around them; this product offers a safer solution that lets you enjoy your music without blocking atmospheric cues. This water-resistant speaker case clamps directly to your bike frame and comes with a handlebar-mounted RF remote for easy controls while you’re on the go. The unit also doubles as a charger when connected to its AC adapter and promises a full, rich sound with a Reson8 passive speaker. Soon to be available for $99.

Sick of wires which constantly get tangled and are hard to manage? Arriva is prepping wireless iPod shuffle headphones which instead of using Bluetooth like many other companies, achieve wireless “transmission” by increasing the proximity of the player to the headphones.

The headphones attach to the iPod shuffle in a “wrap-around” like way, and you put them in your ears like any other set of headphones. The iPod shuffle is directly attached to the headphones (shown in the image above), eliminating the tangle and chaos of wire mess.

The device is currently still in production though the company has stated they will be made in different colors to match Apple’s range of iPod shuffle’s.

Via [Crave]

iRiver has released their second generation “Clix” MP3 player, which features many enhancements over the first generation Clix.

The most noticeable differences in the new model are visual, with a much improved slimmer design and a classy touch-screen display at prices much more affordable than its predecessor.

The Clix comes cram packed with some of the stock standard features seen in the older model, such as a voice recorder, FM tuner, alarm clock, text viewer, support for Macromedia Flash-based games, and video and photo playback - making this a perfect multimedia device for all needs.

The re-designed and enhanced iRiver Clix is available in 2, 4, and 8GB models, retailing at $149, $199, and $249 respectively.

Altec Lansing take the stage once again with another innovative iPod accessory. The latest Altec Lansing iMV712 was first shown off earlier this year at Macworld & CES - today it has finally hit the street for a cool $350.

The device itself features an 8.5 inch LCD display on the front of the unit, making it perfect to dock your iPod 5G up to and watch video clips. On the audio side the unit features 3-inch neodymium speakers and a built-in 4-inch subwoofer for maximum audio quality from the small unit.

It looks like a killer product which I expect to be popular over the next 6 months leading up to the holiday season - great job Altec Lansing, you’ve done it again with another innovative product.

Press Release [Altec Lansing]

Samsungs latest announcement should have left Apple fans around the globe in suspense due to what could be made from their latest 16GB NAND flash memory drives they are now starting to mass produce.

The drives support 30MB/s transfer rates and 4-bit error correcting code, and Samsung is the first company in the world to go after the higher capacity NAND flash memory division and produce drives of this size. I’m glad they are the company who are doing it as Samsung has been known to produce top quality products over the years.

Expect to see this memory in action in future iPod nano’s, and possibly newer model Apple iPhone’s further down the track.

Via [Gizmodo]

Today Apple announced that they have sold their 100 millionth iPod to the public. This statistic makes iPod the fastest selling music player in history. Can you wrap your head around that? 100 Million units in only five years, hats off to you Mr. Jobs.

If you know someone that still does not have an iPod, there is still no better gift to be had. Don’t want your kids to be ridiculed at school or your loved one to be chastised in the workplace? Then its time to step up your game and make sure your friends and family are no longer in the minority.

The name really says it all; these headphones are the best when it comes to outside noise reduction. With these headphones, you can enjoy peace and quiet while listening to your favorite tunes. The only downside is they are a bit pricey. At around $150, you will get exactly what you pay for and it’s no surprise that Sharper Image carries this piece of technology. The Quiet Place Noise-Cancellation Headphones feature SRS WOW Technology which really enhance the sound of audio including MP3’s and CD’s, you really will hear a huge difference in the quality of your sound.

These headphones only need two AAA batteries, so you really don’t have to go out of your way to power up these babies. Just imagine that you’re in a room with surround sound stereo speakers, which is what these headphones sound like when you are listening to your music. Distortion rates are at a market low as you really don’t hear any, even if the volume is tuned close to the max.

Since Shaper Image makes this technology, you can only purchase them at Shaper Image. You can add a 2 year replacement guarantee for an extra $19.95, which isn’t bad seeing that you are already paying about $150 for the headphones. These headphones are best used near loud areas including airplanes, populated areas, college dorms, or anywhere you need to tune out annoying nagging.

Can you believe how small this thing is? When I first saw it I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, then I saw the new shuffle up against the Nano and I was floored. I bought a Mini, then I got a Nano, and as sick as it sounds, I think I need the new Ipod Shuffle. I do a bit of skiing and I think this thing would be just perfect. The Nano was small enough, but I worried about having a piece of Apply goodness sticking into my ribs. This new Shuffle is so small that I see no such worries in the future.

The new Apple iPod Shuffle has 1GB of flash memory jammed into this half ounce case. That means 240 of your favorite songs playing for a solid 12 hours between recharges. For a measly $79 this is another great inexpensive gift for the holiday season. More photos after the jump…

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