All posts filed under: Things for Listening

Boombotix & Globe Introduce World’s First Bluetooth-Enabled Speaker Skateboard

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Two new Bluetooth-enabled speaker skateboards from the San Francisco-based audio technology maker Boombotix and the Australian board brand Globe were designed to help eliminate the isolation of skating with headphones and let users more easily share their music with others. The GSB Blazer, a mini cruiser board and GSB Pinner, a long board, are outfitted with a custom wireless speaker module that plays continuously for two hours with a full charge and at full volume. At 70% volume, the music lasts for up to six hours or more. The dust, water, and standard-impact resistant boards were engineered to retain their rigidity, while allowing for the audio components. The boards feature a vibration easing system and a high-impact ABS construction. They charge with a 6′ USB cable and work with any Bluetooth-enabled device. A custom 5W amp with an integrated passive radiator lets users feel the bass as they ride. Can speaker-friendly snowboards or surfboards be far behind? $249.95, Blazer; $299.95, Pinner   Images courtesy of Globe.

My Favorite New Products Now Available at the MoMA Store

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Last week I got to get a sneak peek at the new products available at the MoMA store in New York City and through its online shop. Here, in no particular order, are my five favorite new gifts, gadgets, and gear now available through the store. 1. Amish Scooter This scooter-bicycle hybrid has been crafted by the Stoltzfus family, an Amish family in Pennsylvania, since 1978. This substantial scooter lets adults move on two wheels without worrying about balance and knee strains. It comes with a kickstand, basket, and rear brake and handbrake with black or orange powder-coated steel frame and fenders. I’m partial to the orange myself. Black, $360, Orange, $320. 2. Porthole Infuser Designed by the Chicago-based design firm Crucial Detail, the shape of this table-ready infusion vessel was inspired by submarine portholes. It can be used to create and hold 13 ounces of cocktails, infused oils, dressings, or whatever you want to conjure. Made of tempered glass, ABS, stainless steel, and silicone, the Porthole Infuser is dishwasher safe and comes with four recipes to get you started.  2” wide x 7″ …

Zipbuds Earbuds

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There is an episode of the indie hit show Portlandia, where a couple is buying a housewarming present for a friend and ends up in a trendy “knot store” that literally sells different kinds of knots. The salesperson (played to quirky perfection by Jeffrey Goldblum) convinces them to buy some tangled earbuds in a glass vitrine as a piece of  home decor. Explains Goldblum, “an artist we work with makes these by jamming them into his pocket.” He then purrs inexplicably. The makers of Zipbuds have a new solution to avoid the inevitable pocket-stress on your earbud wires. Zipbuds are tangle-free earphones with a patented zipper technology that allow you to literally zip-up the wires together so that they can’t get tangled. This “vertebrae design” is lightweight and uses high-performance military grade cabling to reduce fraying or distorted cables. The earbuds are made to minimize ear pressure and fit comfortably, and include three custom-fitted ear tips. They are compatible with Apple, Android, Windows Phone, and other media devices that accept traditional 3.5mm headphone input and come in black, …

Audio Giant Bose Celebrates 50

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Today I attended a press event celebrating 50 years in business for acoustic and speaker giant Bose Corporation. Held on the west side of Manhattan, the event centered around a timeline showcasing actual Bose products from their first loudspeaker (1966) to their just-introduced QuietComfort 25 headphones. An interesting fact: When Bose founder Dr. Amar Bose died last year, he left the majority of company stock to MIT. Here are some shots from the event.

Gramovox Bluetooth Gramophone

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While this isn’t the first time a gramaphone has been adapted to amplify digital music, this is the first bluetooth-enabled version that I’ve spotted on the market. The Gramovox is not only a piece of home decor and an obvious conversation starter, but a new technology that offers the bold design and vintage sound of a 1920s gramophone to accompany any kind of music on your bluetooth-enabled device.  When sound waves spread up from the wood base and through the S-curve horn (a 3:4 reproduction of the 1920s R3 Magnovox horn) users experience an organic, mid-range, vintage sound. Master metal fabricators have crafted the horns using some of the same manufacturing methods used in the 1920s (the horn is made in China and assembled in Itasca, Illinois). The cone component is spun on a lathe and the neck is stamped out of sheets of steel. Afterward, these parts are hand-welded together, polished, and powder-coated black. The inner cavity of the walnut wood base (which I wish was a bit more elegant than a brick-shape) is CNC-milled to accommodate the horn hole, speaker, and …

Zephyr Wireless Speakers

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Although our portable devices are extremely handy for listening to music, unless you wear headphones the sound quality needs to be enhanced by an outside source. Also, the darn things run out of power at the most inconvenient times (the middle of an eight-hour flight, with someone else’s toddler sitting next to you, for example). The Zephyr line of Bluetooth, high-definition speakers from SPAR, double as mobile phone chargers, making them the first portable, speaker/speakerphone/charger combination according to the manufacturer. A competitor to the JAMBOX, the line comes in three models: The Zephyr  300 can fit into a pocket and offers 12 hours of playtime; the 500 model fits into a bag or purse and runs for 18 hours; and the 550, encased in aircraft-grade anodized aluminum, is the largest of the three and offers 28 hours of battery life. You can throw one in the backpack for a picnic or beach trip or get one for a teen in place of an expensive sound system. With 28 hours of battery life, it would have …