Apple prepping two wireless devices with Verizon?

Over the last few months rumors have continued to swirl around a possible Verizon-Apple deal to bring the iPhone to Verizon once Apple's exclusive pact with AT&T expires in 2010. But Tuesday BusinessWeek added a new twist to the rumor, reporting that Verizon and Apple are in talks to develop two new wireless devices that may hit the market this year.

Allegedly, one device would be a thinner, lighter, and lower-priced version of the iPhone--an iPhone Lite, if you will. While the other device would be something akin to the jumbo iPod touch that we wrote about previously. BusinessWeek's anonymous source describes it as a "media pad that would let users listen to music, view photos, and watch high-definition videos."
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Fishing gets real on the Xbox 360

It's not all that often that gaming publications get excited over a fishing game, but at least one is saying that The Strike is "shaping up to be the best fishing video game ever created". In fact, after playing a preview of the game, which is due out this fall, Patrick Shaw of GamePro thought it was so good it gave him "tingles" after playing it for less than an hour.

The game is being developed by Griffin International and features "realistic lake bottom topography, advanced graphics, life-like fish behaviors, fully customizable characters and an abundance of boats, lures, rods and reels." Griffin also has The Hunt, a realistic hunting game in the works.

Both games are sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and offer accessory options like the sweet looking Xbox 360 fishing pole controller you see below (the bundled cost of the XBox 360 controller and game will be US$69.99). The Hunt and The Strike will be available for the Xbox 360, Wii, and PC later this year.

G4's video preview appears after the jump.
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Knock your blocks off with Lego's new CD boombox

PlayStation 3s, iPods, and Wiis are the toys of today's tots, but I still hold a soft spot in my jaded heart for Legos. Brick by brick, they taught me the value of patience and creativity, and you know what? They didn't cost US$200. That's why I'll always support these toys, even when they release a boombox with a CD player and analog radio.

The boombox is 10 times the size of the classic eight-knob rectangle and features two 1-watt speakers on the front faceplate. The big knobs on top control the volume and tuning of the analog AM/FM radio and the CD player, and there's also an auxiliary-in jack to pipe in music from an external source. I'm about 75 percent sure right now that audio quality is going to be a few notches less than superb, but what do you expect out of a stereo that look like a giant Lego brick? Just don't try to eat it.

The Lego boom box hits stores some time in June to August for US$39.99.

Via Crave CNET | via Digital Blue

X-mini Max II gets a design makeover

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? Well, the guys behind the red dot-winning X-mini capsule speakers are taking a design leap of faith with the X-mini Max II. Instead of the grenade appearance of the Max, the next-gen stereo speakers have taken on a Star Wars drone look with cone heads. While we're told the material and colors may be different come the May global launch, the Max II's exposed and angled tops are intended to "open out" the speakers for more focused sounds.

The pumped-up girth also ensures more space for a bigger driver. If we thought the Max was already bombastic enough to wake up a few banshees, CEO Ryan Lee says the Max II will "nearly double" the sonic prowess of the original. That doesn't yet factor in the buddy-jack system where the user can daisy-chain as many X-mini units as he likes to crank up the decibels.
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Sony Walkman styles up Japan

Sony is updating its E-Series Walkman line in Japan, starting May 16, 2009. There's no sign that the updated series will make it to the states (or Asia Pacific, for that matter), but Sony's announcement details three models: The US$132 NW-E044 (8GB), the US$102 NW-E043 (4GB), and the US$81 NW-E042 (2GB).

The player's features are sparse, offering only an FM radio and an audio player (MP3, ATRAC, WMA, AAC, and WAV). The navigation, integrated USB stick, and three-line OLED display all seem to take their cue from the current Sony B-Series Walkman models. A full battery charge should get you 28 hours of playback.

What's unique here is that each E-Series Walkman comes bundled with interchangeable skins (Sony calls them "Style Up Panels") in different colors. If the bundled skins don't style things up enough for you, additional designer skins can be purchased individually. The video below is in Japanese, but does a nice job showing off the range of colors and designs available for the E-Series Walkman.

Another cool thing Sony did here was to throw in a pair of its premium EX style headphones with 13.5mm speakers drivers. Along with the Clear Bass and Clear Stereo sound enhancements Sony built into the player, the whole package should sound pretty awesome.
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