Just when we thought cassette tapes were gone for good, they keep coming back as retro accessories for the nostalgic. The Pocket Jams are mixtape vintage cassette coin pouchs that will give you a good occasion to tell your 10 year old nephew the prehistoric tale of taped music. And then, delicately pulling out your fully equiped iPhone from one of these, shows you have a good sense of humor. It can hold your change, membership & discount cards and sunscreen lip balm.
The Pocket Jams are snazzy, sturdy zipper pouches that come in 4 assorted styles (2 cassettes & 2 vinyl records). One side of tape says “Mix Tape” in marker style and the other says “Party Mix.”
How much under $29.99?
Some: $4.95 on Baron Bob.
Via Fashionably Geek
Can real rock be listened to through tiny portable speakers? Yes, although why would you want to listen to anything like that?
The best way to listen to a band is live on stage, smashing guitars and all… but if all you’ve got is a puny iPod, you can get a tiny bit of that atmosphere back with the MP3 Retro Speaker Amp.
It can output 5W of power and gets its juice for batteries or an USB port, but the best part is that the little Bass, Treble and Volume dials are adjustable.
However, as nice as it looks, I can’t help but thinking it’s a bit lame. Rock is supposed to be big and loud, after all…
How much under $29.99?
Some: $14.99 on ThinkGeek.com.
Music brings many gifts, among which the desire to share it with the world… through bad phone speakers in a crowded subway, especially if said music falls into the broad category of “shit”.
But there’s a way to improve that experience… yes, another mini-speaker! This one’s actually smaller then the rest, so it’s a Micro Speaker Keychain.
Small but powerful though: it’s got an internal amp so it’s pretty loud… loud enough to get you hateful glares, at least. It charges through USB and connects to any 3.5 headphone jack, so it’s extremely convenient to use.
(But only around people who asked for the music, we hope.)
How much under $29.99?
Some: ~$14 on Firebox.com.
Via Pocket Lint
Earmuff Headphones. I only have one question: what took you so long? If there ever was an obvious convergence gadget, this is it.
Seriously, how many of you have kept their large headphones instead of sticking to earbuds only because they were warmer? I sure did… But no matter how comfy the headphones are, no one designed them for heat retaining purposes, so your ears are bound to freeze at some point.
Threrefore, making a pair of earmuffs that can deliver music is just about brilliant. They’re fluffy, they look funky, they keep you and your iPod close… they’re the thing to buy this winter and I’m dying for a pair.
How much under $29.99?
A little: ~$21 on IWantOneOfThose.com.
Via ChipChick
I’ve destroyed at least 10 sets of headphones until I realized that, unless I wrap them around something, the wires will inevitably break.
The mp3 player itself can serve very well, but the Tetran Headphone Winder looks better and swallows the earbuds too. That’s a good thing, by the way.
Why? Because the spikes are perfect for wrapping the wires around, and once you stick the earbuds inside his mouth, they will stay in place and won’t slide off to get tangled.
Doubles as a stress reliever too.. take it with you to class and squeeze it after the teacher tells you to stop listening to music.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $14 on FredFlare.com.
Via Gizmos for Geeks
What do you picture when you hear iBoobs?
Done? Yes, it’s just that bad. It’s got the “i” because it’s trendy, and yes, it’s a real (well, almost real) pair of boobs that serve as a speaker.
The instructions are very simple: place head between the padded breasts and listen to the music. You’ll feel… just like you had your head between two huge pink plush mounds that look incredibly stupid.
Guaranteed to be a popular gift gag for all the birthday boys… Be afraid, be very afraid.
How much under $29.99?
A little: £14.95 on BoysStuff.co.uk
Via ChipChick
An award at CES 2009 sounds cool, but sometimes innovations are just not practical, so the label doesn’t prompt an immediate “OMG buy!” reaction.
…but a minute or two of reading might, because the Acoustibuds sound great (both on “paper” and in the ears, we hope). These silicone adapters fit over most earbuds (including those sold with popular mp3 players like the iPod and the Zune) and make music lovers’ lives a bit easier.
If you’ve got a problem with earbuds falling out of your ears (my bane), you’re going to want a pair: the flexible fins you see in the photo follow the shape of the ear canal and make the headphones stay put even when exercising. Of course, since they only come in 2 sizes there’s bound to be some people out there whose ears they don’t fit, so don’t expect miracles.
The same fins also help increase noise cancellation: you can’t expect the traffic noises to go away entirely, but the Acoustibuds promise to at least improve the experience.
Thanks to a technology called Twin Cone Core, the adapters also aim to make the original earbuds sound better… an audiophile would probably disagree, but then again audiophiles probably wouldn’t even touch a pair of headphones included with a music player.
As for the fashion part? They come in both black and white.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $12.99 on Amazon.com.
Via DVICE
We know convergence items aren’t the best, let’s say. Ok, some of them plainly suck.
But the idea of an old-fashioned tool like a notebook and a modern gadget like an iPod coming together is strangely appealing… The iPod Notepad is basically a simple item: a cover binding a 70-pages notebook and a padded iPod holder, but it’s so retro-cool it makes me want one.
The case comes in nine colors and is only compatible with the 3rd generation iPod Nano for now, but a version for Gen4 is in the works.
How much under $29.99?
A little: €18 on Scripta.dk.
Via BoingBoing
Headphones and beanies don’t mix, but get a pair of earbuds and you’re set, it’s that easy.
However, if you’re picky and looking for something designed especially for music lovers, go for the Noggin Net instead.
A regular skullcap at first glance, it’s actually a music system designed to house both the mp3 player and the earbuds. It comes with a pocket that can hold iPods and Zunes (and any other player of the same size) and internal earbud management channels for the cables.
Although it’s practical, this can pose a problem for regular-length earbud cables, so LimbGear also offer special earbuds with a shorter cord (for a total price of $29.95 per beanie). A bit expensive indeed, but you have to pay if you’re not happy with the old-fashioned system.
How much under $29.99?
A little: $21.99 on LimbGear.com.
Via ubergizmo
If you style yourself a follower of techo-fashion, you know that custom headphones are seriously cool. But there’s that little problem called “money”… a designer won’t paint them for free.
It might not be so brag-worthy, but a pair of Hype Custom Earbuds will set you apart without the need for any fancy designer’s input (and without a big budget hole).
The earbuds have 3 customizable areas: base (3 colors to choose from), rim (12 colors) and artwork (a lot of patterns). Mix and match, and there you go: you can now listen to music and know that the earbuds match your purse.
How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on iFrogz.com.
Via ChipChick
