Last night I was lying in bed for what seemed like forever, desperately wanting to sleep but feeling completely awake. I could blame Daylight Savings Time, but it’s something that happens quite frequently (although to be fair, I think the time change only exacerbated the situation). Sometimes when this happens, I turn on the television and try to find something I can watch until I feel sleepy or at least zone out for background noise, but the flickering light always seems to keep me up.
I’ve found that the easiest way to lull myself into a deep sleep is through music. Unfortunately, I despise all those sleep sound machines with their ridiculous bird calls and crashing waves. I’d listen to my iPod, but those earbuds are pretty annoying after awhile and an iPod dock would disturb the person sleeping next to me. The Wiki iMusic Wireless Pillow (Gizoo, £29.95) lets you pick the music you like and wirelessly pumps it directly into a comfy pillow. Basically, as long as your device of choice has a standard headphone jack, you can wirelessly transmit the audio into this personal sound pillow. The best part is that it’s loud enough for you to enjoy, but not so loud as to keep you awake or disturb your partner.
Perfect for long car rides! Well, as long as you’re not the driver…
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Listen to music to help you sleep
-Wireless transmission of music
-Compatible with any device that has a 3.5mm jack
-More comfortable than headphones
-Stereo quality sound
I know it’s hard, with the all the snow hurdling down from the sky, but try to think of the blissful spring/summer that will be here in a few months. Have you thought about what activities you’re going to engage in? Perhaps you’re already planning a relaxing beach trip – if you’re not, you’d better get on that because vacation destinations book up wicked quick! Planning an out-of-season trip is the easiest way to beat the winter blahs because you’re actually being responsible by taking care of everything in advance. Plus, it’ll keep you from going batshit crazy as a result of being snowed in for the umpteenth time.
Picture this: you’re lying on the beach, listening to some tunes, when the tide washes in and totally ruins your iPod. That is not the way you want your vacation to go. The Eye Play (Latest Buy, $39.95) helps you balance your need for tuneage with the mischief of the sea. So much more than just a water-resistant sunglasses case, this handy gadget also features a built-in speaker. Instead of listening to your headphones and tuning out the rest of your vacation buddies, why wouldn’t you want to hook up your iPod, mp3 player, etc to a portable speaker system that everyone can enjoy? What’s even more amazing is that you can store your media player inside the case so it’s protected from the elements while you sit back and listen to music!
Before you even ask, no, this does not come with neither a pair of sunglasses nor an awesome iPod. I know, such a drag that you have to go out and buy those things yourself.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3″ x 7″ x 4″
-Sunglasses case with built in speaker
-Compartment to store money or credit cards
-Connect to 1/8″ earphone socket of any device
-Water resistant
-Uses 2 AAA batteries (not included)
-Sunglasses and iPod not included
Why is it that no matter how warm the rest of your body is, your ears and nose will always be cold in the winter? Now, a nose you can’t really do anything about because it’s smack dab in the middle of your face and it’s not like you can cover it. Tough break on that one. However, your ears are a different story. When your ears get cold, they get super cold. And then when you finally get in a warm place, it’s even worse because your ears start to burn as if they were taunting you for complaining about not being warm enough. The easiest way to avoid all of this is pretty obvious: cover your damn ears before going out in cold weather!
Most of us know we should cover up in the winter, but we don’t because we’d rather be, for lack of a better word, cool. I mean, how are you supposed to listen to your tunes when you’ve got to maneuver your beanie over your earbuds or good ole fashioned headphones? It’s practically impossible to get comfortable that way! The Midland SubZero Headphones (Firebox UK, £34.99) allow you to listen to music and keep your ears from getting frostbitten at the same time. These high tech earmuffs have it all, with earphones built flush inside the lining and a remote on the cable that allows you to pause/play, skip tracks, and take calls. That’s right, not only can you listen to music but you can also hook this baby up to your smartphone so you don’t lost touch with the outside world, even if you’re trekking through the tundra. Cotton fur lined and fully adjustable, these headphones will keep you as fashionable as they do warm.
Gift givability factor: High. Who likes being cold? No one. Who’s cold in the wintertime? Everyone. I would file this one under “Duh.”
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 10cm x 10cm x 1.5cm
-Cable measures 1.2m long
-Headphones and earmuffs all in one
-Flush earphone built inside lining
-Microphone on cable to take calls
-Remote on cable to pause/play and skip tracks
-Voice command functions
-Fully adjustable
-Gold plated 3.5mm standard headphone jack fits most music players
-Available in black, camouflage, white, and black leather
-Cotton fur lined
-Made of faux fur
-Not washable
I was trying to listen to music the other day when I was doing some work around the house, but I couldn’t find my headphones (which is a good argument for the Ear Pod). It was a real bummer because all I had on me was my iPhone and even if I crank the volume way up, it’s still not loud enough to listen to while moving about. I have one of those iPhone/iPod music docks, but it was downstairs and I was upstairs. And seriously, who wants to move a bunch of crap just so they can listen to some tuneage while they work? I finally had to give up on cleaning the house and just sit on the couch all day. Total bummer, right?
It might look a little wonky, but the iPhone Horn Stand (Vat19, $24.95) will amplify the sound from your iPhone’s built-in speakers. How loud will it get? This kooky gadget will more than double the sound level emitting from your iPhone – up to 13 decibels louder. Compatible with both the iPhone 4 (made specifically for this model) and the iPhone 3G/3GS, you can still access all the major components of your phone while using the sound amplifier. There’s even a slit in the bottom so you can rest your iPhone on the dock connector to charge it! If you want to watch videos, it’s not a problem because the amplifier can be used both vertically and horizontally. And because the product is made of silicone, it’s lightweight, flexible, and even washable. Best of all, the amplifier doesn’t use any external power, making it ultra portable and easy to use.
Before you even ask, you will have to take off your iPhone cases to make this work (except for the little Apple bumper for the iPhone 4, that’s cool). The only downside here is that even though the device is completely compatible with the past two generations of iPhones, you have to put it in the amplifier backwards for it to work. It doesn’t affect the sound output in the slightest, but it might make it a little less convenient to navigate through your listening options.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4.25″ x 1.75″ x 2″
-Amplifies sound by 2.5 times (13 dB)
-No external power required
-Works horizontally or vertically
-Compatible with iPhone 3G/3GS and iPhone 4
-Available in black or green
-Made of silicone
Have you seen my earbuds? I’m going on a trip next weekend and I really need my earbuds so I can listen to my iPod on the plane. If I can’t find them, I’m gonna have to bring my enormous headphones that, while noise canceling, are so bring they could house their own solar system. Not exactly travel friendly, if you know what I mean.
Never lose your earbuds again by stashing them in the EarPod (Vat19, $8.50). Pocket-friendly and compact, this device stores your earbuds safely and effortlessly so you don’t have to spend ages trying to find them in the bottom of your travel bag. Seriously, how many times have you dropped your earbuds into the never-ending abyss of a large bag, unable to find them again? It’s a total pain in the ass. Another great thing about this case is that it winds your earbuds around its center, which not only prevents them from tangling but also allows you to shorten or extend the cable length with ease. And you can even clip this case onto your belt, if you’re so inclined (the clip is removable, in case you’re not into the whole dork look).
My iPod only has one song on it (MSG’s “Straight out of Canton”) – how about you?
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 2.5″ diameter; 0.75″ thick
-Stores your earbuds safely
-Easy to use rotating door
-Felt lining protects earbuds
-Can shorten earbud cable length
-Removable belt clip
-8 wire notches
