Don't junk that cassette tape yet

In almost every way, this looks like a media player docking station with a speaker built in. However, the MV-CM001U from Japanese company Novac is designed to convert cassettes (if you still have any left) into MP3, WMA or WAV files.

This USB gadget can store MP3 and WMA files at 32kbps to 320kbps bitrates, features a 1.5W speaker and has an attractive wooden box. The device is compatible with only Japanese versions of Windows XP or Vista.

The MV-CM001U will go on sale in Japan on April 24 for 7,980 yen ( US$80.20 ).

Via Gizmodo

Kelvin Low is CNET Asia's very own go-to intern for Music & Play. When he's not fiddling with gadgets or setting up new PC rigs, he can be found hitting the dirt tracks on his mountain bike. Kelvin is currently studying mass communications at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore. Email Kelvin.

JBL and Roxy to collaborate on audio products aimed at style-conscious women

Pink is great and all, but you can't expect to plaster a Pepto paint job on a product and have the ladies come running. The majority of tech-savvy females place more weight on quality and functionality than color and style anyway. Still, that's not to say we don't care at all about how a gadget looks, which is exactly what JBL and Roxy are counting on.

The two companies, one an audio device manufacturer (JBL) and the other a clothing and accessory line for women (Roxy), have just announced a partnership that will have them working together to create a headphone line aimed specifically at fashion-conscious women. Although there are no product particulars or images available at this time, you can expect the earphones to live up to JBL's standard of audio quality while incorporating Roxy's sporty-yet-fashionable ideals. In short: the headphones will be compact, lightweight, and stylish while not sacrificing on audio quality. Or at least that's what the two companies assert.
Read more »

iHome's LED color changing iPod stereo system

As far as iPod music systems go, the iHome iH15 is about as simple as they come, except for a small but brilliant design twist: It changes colors.

With the lights on, we can say the iH15 (US$59.99) is kinda cute, but not terribly exciting to look at. A 5.25-inch cube with some curves and a milky opaque plastic finish, it's got a bit of that '70s throwback thing going for it. Three small speakers adorn three of its four sides (one is a "passive subwoofer"). And just four buttons--one for power, two for volume, and one for toggling the color--run across the top of the unit right in front of the iPod dock. You get a 3.5mm line-in jack for other MP3 players or audio devices, but that's it--no radio, no alarm, no remote control.

Clearly the value added here is the iH15's chameleon-like quality in the dark. Touch that "color" button and you give this iHome a new aura; you can choose between seven colors or have it cycle through all the colors in a "rainbow" mode with a short pause between changes.

Via CNET Crave

Sony launches the new Walkman W Series

Sony officially announced the latest product in its Walkman range today with a mobile demonstration of the brand new W-series, the NWZ-W202 Walkman.

And when we say mobile, we mean mobile. We were given a rundown of the new product on a moving bus, which also turned into a mobile dance floor for street dancers to prove how the unique-looking MP3 player stays in the ears, even when you're upside down (an extreme and very unlikely scenario).

The NWZ-W202 will be available throughout the Asia-Pacific region end-April with a retail price of S$129 (US$91.84).

Kelvin Low is CNET Asia's very own go-to intern for Music & Play. When he's not fiddling with gadgets or setting up new PC rigs, he can be found hitting the dirt tracks on his mountain bike. Kelvin is currently studying mass communications at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore. Email Kelvin.

iriver teams up with Speedo for the LZR Racer Aquabeat

The Speedo LZR Racer suit literally made a splash at the Beijing Olympics last year with 23 world records broken by athletes who had donned the full body swimsuit. While we probably won't see Michael Phelps wearing the Aquabeat at competitions soon, the American swimming sensation may be pleased to know that this underwater MP3 player has a successor--the LZR Racer Aquabeat--to accompany him on his leisure swims.

There aren't many changes on the design front, though the color scheme of the waterproof player now matches the LZR Racer suit, has twice the storage (2GB) and supports MP3 and WMA formats. It will also hit depths of up to 3m, and when detached floats right up to the surface so you won't lose it underwater. There's no LCD display, although the controls are in striking red for visibility underwater. Continuous music playback goes up to 8 hours and the LZR Aquabeat now retails online at 12,800 yen (US$129) with taxes included.

Via New Launches

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