Report: New Nintendo DS to offer on-board camera, music playback

Japanese business news outlet Nikkei Net is reporting that Nintendo will release a successor to the DS Lite by the end of this calendar year. Highlights of the updated feature set include improved wireless functionality (probably for extra-curricular use--not necessary for gaming), an on-board camera, and music playback.

The report goes on to suggest that the internal camera could be used by certain titles, with pictures taken with it somehow incorporated into gameplay. While there are no specifics on pricing, Nikkei Net says the new handheld should go for less than 20,000 yen (approximately US$189).

Like with the DS Lite, the new DS will see a Japanese-only release to start, with a worldwide release soon after. We'll have more information on the new handheld as it develops. Via Kotaku

Wave Harmonics earphones that clip on oddly

Barely had we blogged about Thanko's odd earring-style earphones when this landed in our inbox. Sparcstone Sciences, an Asia Pacific-focused tech development and marketing company with an office in Singapore, has thrown down the gauntlet. It claims it is launching "a completely new earphone technology in Asia Pacific" which "no other brand has it".

Named the Zacoutics Exophone (EXO-100), this is said to be backed by five years of research on something called Wave Harmonics, and is manufactured in Korea (what, no China?). The audiophones apparently work compatibly with iPods, PSPs, Nintendo DSes, and other portable MP3 and media devices.

Perhaps more interesting is the way they're worn. A sort of topsy-turvy earring, with the stud at the back of the ear lobe, which might be delivering sound through bone conduction. Not much more information on this for now, including pricing or launch dates. We'll update when we get ahold of the company.

Listen to tunes without tuning out

If you've walked down the street in an urban area, you've likely witnessed at least one near-accident between a car and a cyclist or pedestrian wearing earbuds.

How welcome, then, are these groovy concept headphones by Seohyun Baek? The semicircle shape is designed to fit in your ear without blocking out background noise, so you can have your tunes but still be in tune with what's going on around you. The designer also claims the small shape will produce less fatigue during long stretches of music-listening.

The headphones themselves are connected via wire to a Bluetooth receiver, which communicates with a small transmitter plugged into the headphone jack on your music player. The wireless connection lets you stash your MP3 player in a bag, carry it in a secure pocket, or even mount it on your bike without limiting movement.

As with all design concepts, there's no telling whether this will ever see the light of day as an actual product. But we hope accessory manufacturers are paying attention, because neither cyclists nor pedestrians should be forced to forgo their music fix during the daily commute.

Via Crave CNET

Is microSD the music medium of the future?

SanDisk on Monday announced a partnership with all four major music labels in a deal that's set to bring future albums to MicroSD cards. The preloaded cards, dubbed "slotMusic" media, will be sold at brick-and-mortar retail locations as an alternative to the CD.

At this time, there's no information on which albums will be sold for how much and when, but the first outlets set to receive the new digital music medium are US branches of BestBuy and Wal-Mart, among others. More than likely, the slotMusic cards will go on sale in time for the upcoming holiday season.

No doubt in the interest of compatibility, music will come in a 320Kbps MP3 format. Each card will offer a 1GB capacity, which gives musicians the option of including various album extras such as liner notes, videos, and other creative content. It will also leave extra space for the user to transfer his or her own content to the card.

The idea of slotMusic cards is to bridge the gap between the physical and the digital, as users of certain cell phones and MP3 players will be able to purchase the cards and insert them directly into the device, eliminating the need to rip CDs or download from a service and then connect to the computer to transfer the songs.
Read more »

Thanko's earring-style earphones

If it ain't in the market yet, you can trust Thanko to dream one up. The online store has been responsible for a number of funky--if sometimes questionable—gadgets out of Japan, from USB butt coolers to ties with built-in fans. So if you're a fanboy of the company, the Sound Lives Magnetic Earphones (1,980 yen, US$18.65), which seem lost in translation, are probably the first we've come across where you clip the earpiece onto your, well, ears. Just like a pair of earrings. Aesthetics-wise, it's pure Thanko--a touch of the oddball with strange designs like a soccer ball, skull and cross bones and panda.
While the idea sounds like a droll one since it should feel more secure to clip than stuff the earphones into your canals, I've had on occasion donned a pair of clip-on blings. And believe me, it's uncomfortable enough to be constantly aware of the pinched sensation on your ear lobes. Since we don't have an actual pair from Thanko to test out, it's caveat emptor, buyer beware when you get this online from the site.

Via Dvice

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