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If you can’t get enough of the Olympics and you think the Bird’s Nest stadium is fascinating, you can have a replica right there on your desk in the form of a speaker.

The Bird’s Nest USB Speaker has all the features you’d expect from a product like it: it can be powered/recharged via USB, can be plugged into a PC or any music player with a 3.5mm jack and it’s light enough to make it very easy to carry around.

Of course, you won’t be getting more than that: the design is not spectacular and the sound probably isn’t crystal clear, but then what were you expecting for $12? The Olympics are going to be over anyway and you’ll get bored with it, so might as well spend as little as possible.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $12 on USBGeek.com.

Thanks to Joe who sent this tip via the contact form!

Although Engrish usually puts me off anything, I have to say that, bad product description aside, the Teddy Bear 1GB Mp3 Player is… kind of cute. If you’re very young, at least.

It looks like just the thing for introducing the world of digital music to a kid. A. It’s an adorable teddy (unlike most animal-looking gadgets, this actually looks like a toy). B. It’s not expensive. A child doesn’t need a wide variety of music (hell, one tape kept me entertained and my parents annoyed for months) and a teddy is much (young) user-friendly than most mp3 players. The controls are on the paws and the buttons are larger than usual, therefore easier to operate.

You’re going to need to buy it batteries before Junior can use it, but I imagine that’s a small sacrifice. Just make sure you’re ready to stand the result: kiddie music coming out from the ursine speakers all the time.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $27.49 on Uxcell.com.

Via ChipChick

People like to listen to music everywhere. I understand. But when people want to inflict their music on everyone’s ears, that’s where my understanding stops.

The basic idea of the Stroll-a-Tune is admirable: if you’re out with your baby, you want to be aware of the environment and avoid potential danger. But the solution is… a pair of speakers mounted on the stroller handle?! Why doesn’t turning your headphones lower work? If the singer is not screaming in your ears, you can hear everything around you and, get this, no one can hear your music. I’m happy for you that you have a fun day out with your child and I’m sure he likes the music, but please, save it for when you’re at home. Think about the others for a little and don’t assume they will love your tunes.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on Amazon.com.

Via RedFerret

Can your bookcase play music? Wait, what?

The Sonic Impact Stick-On Speaker SoundPads can turn any surface with high density and thin walls into a speaker. They only need to be attached to a door panel, ceiling tile, bookcase or anything that fits the description and connected to an audio device.

However, there’s one important thing to keep in mind: once attached, they stay there. So the location should be taken into consideration carefully, otherwise you might end up with an unwanted type of decoration.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on Amazon.com.

As far as music goes, house, techno and their family never did anything for me. Why a repeated beat or a poor vinyl being scratched qualifies as pleasant sound… no idea. Give me guitars and keyboards anyday.

However, DJs do have throngs of fans (who are probably swearing at me if they’re reading this). When you’re done being disgusted by my lack of taste, read on about the Plastinkus Pocket-Size DJ Scratch Pad from Art Lebedev. The concept: you can’t carry a vinyl with you, but if it was the size of a credit card…

The Plastinkus can supposedly produce the same sound as a real disc, but if you watch the video on the product page you’ll see it’s more annoying. I listened to a minute and a half of scratches and already I wanted to punch the people making the noise. And it looks like nothing more than a piece of ridged plastic with an image underneath. How’s that for innovation, eh?

I really hope these never catch on. At least they’re cheap and you can buy another one after I shove it up your throat. They might sound decent with some real music in the background, but never ever use them alone.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: ~$4.27 on ArtLebedev.com.

Via Engadget

I was about to deplore the way people can just put a famous movie/TV show/actress on a product and hordes of braindead fans rush to get it… until I realized the amount of Monty Python products I drool over and I decided to shut up.

The again, the Monty merchandise I like has someting special. But the movie connection is the only thing that’s interesting about the Sex and the City GraytLittleSpeaker Portable iPod Speaker. It’s pink, branded by HBO and features “SATC graphics” - i.e. high heels and a martini glass. Other than that it’s just a plain speaker, no exciting design, no super audio features.

For fans only. All Carrie wannabes should have one (as long as you can’t afford her lifestyle, a speaker will have to do).

How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on HBO.com.

Via ChipChick

Gregory is an iPhone eating frog. Fortunately, he won’t swallow your prized cell phone: he will just keep it safe, along with the headphones.

The Gregory iPhone cozy is as cute as it gets and is handmade from wool felt with a plushy microfiber lining. It also fits iPods, so don’t fret if you like it but haven’t given in to the iPhone craze yet.

I don’t like covering my phones or mp3 players up, so it would take something special to make me get a case… Gregory just might be it.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $25 on FredFlare.com.

Via Pocket Lint

I can’t concieve of going out without some sort of music in my ears. Maybe I am a bit obsessed, all right, but I’m not the only one. 99% of the time I just get my mp3 player and a pair of headphones, but sometimes not being able to hear what goes on around you can be dangerous.

If you bike, it’s a good idea to pay attention to incoming cars or other vehicles, so I can understand the need for a gadget like the i-RIDE Bicycle Stereo Speaker System. On the other hand, I hope no biker ever uses it in a populated area. Really, I don’t want to hear your music; use headphones turned down low or just give up music for an hour.

However, if you’re riding though a remote area and you don’t exaggerate, this could come in useful to keep you entertained. Especially if you have a dislike of headphones.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 on Amazon.com.

Via ChipChick

There’s headphones that will cost you an arm and a leg, but deliver exquisite sound. There’s headphones that cost less than a beer, but… well, they deliver sound according to the price. And then there’s pigs.

Yes, pigs. The Buta Earphones are pig-shaped earbuds straight from Japan. At $12, you know better than to expect crystal clear sound; the only reason these are worth it is the farm animal. They come in black, white and (of course) pink, and the “wtf” factor just might be worth it…

(Also, my current headphones were $15 and they’re pretty good, so who knows, the pigs might sing well too.)

How much under $29.99?
Some: $12 on Green-House.co.jp.

Via BoingBoing

I used to think I just had weird ears that earbuds fall out of, but if there’s a whole new product dedicated to this problem then I might not be a mutant after all…

The BudFits are aimed at iPod users, but I suppose they work for generic earbuds too. BudFits snap onto the earbuds and keep them securely in place, no matter if you’re just walking on the street or doing your daily workout or jog.

The only thing I don’t get here is why people are so attached to their iPod earbuds. Just get another type of headphones and be done with it! But, since I understand that you can prefer the sound
of certain types of earbuds and don’t want to replace them, the BudFits get my vote.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $8.99 on Amazon.com.

Via TheGadgetBlog