CD Player

I actually no longer have a dedicated CD player anymore; if a CD does, in fact, need to be played, it can be thrown into the DVD player or the optical drive of one of our many home computers. However, now I'm kind of lamenting the fact that I don't need a CD player, because I can in no way justify this Muji Wall-Mounted CD Player ($178).

Muji, for the uninitiated, creates spare, clean products, as is evident with this CD player, which is finally available in the US. Mounted on a wall, it's light years prettier than my big old bulky boom box I had years ago. I also love the ingenious power cord; you merely tug it to turn the player on and off.

Sadly, it shan't be mine, because I can't make a good enough excuse to own it — and it even goes with that all-white gadget color scheme I have suddenly become obsessed with.

First of all, keep in mind that this CD player is only a concept design project and secondly, try to disregard the "Playboy Bunny" logo on the CD (not apart of the player). Antoine Lebrun and Volkan Akbiyi have created the Pandora Alcantara, a wall-mounted CD player that includes tilt-sensing technologies. The name Alcantara comes from the luxurious suede material that covers the media player.
Discussed on Yanko Design, the best part about this sleek-looking player is the remote, which includes a tilt-sensing bar and a touchscreen. I still have the odd CD lying around, so maybe if this design comes to fruition, I'll need to further explore!

When I first saw that this iSymphony Boombox was iPod compatible, I assumed that you could dock your iPod directly on it. Unlike standard docks, the top lid of this boombox opens so you can lay your iPod and a CD in the top of it— kinda like the music version of a DVD/VCR combo. Featured on 7Gadgets, the player is said to hold almost any MP3 device and comes with an AM/FM stereo. It definitely is one of the more stylin' portable 'ghetto blasters' I've feasted my eyes on. Choose from sleek black or chic white. Priced at $58 each.

With gold being one of this year's trendy colors, I can't help but be attracted to gold gadgets and gold laptop cases. So when I saw this CD Combo Player on 7 Gadgets, I needed to learn more— even though I'm somewhat over the whole boombox thing. This media player boasts the same white and gold accents of the stylish Dwayne Wade Sidekick and can play CD-R/RW cd's, has twenty preset stations and features an AM/FM radio. Priced at $40.

In the last forty-eight hours, I've had the pleasure (if that's what you want to call it) of coming across two gadgets that have been been inspired by the gas-guzzling, oversized Hummer truck. First I spotted the Hummer-shaped clock radio with CD player on 7 Gadgets. This player comes with a CD tray in the roof, an AM/FM tuner and matching yellow remote control. It's headlights even light up when you turn it on. I guess if your macho man can't afford the real deal, you can snag him one of these for $100 bucks from Amazon.
Then there is the Hummer HT1 cell phones posted on Boy Genius that are big, boxy and boast the traditional Hummer colors - khaki, green, camouflage, and yellow. Created by French design company ModeLabs, these phones come with all the standard bells and whistles of other cells like a 2 megapixel camera, FM radio, and microSD slot. The good news is they're only in Europe and come with a hefty price tag of $409. I'm hoping this will be the end of the "Hummer product line," but can't help but wonder if high gas prices have sparked a new counter-culture Hummer love trend.

White high tops with built in speakers and a CD-ROM, could it be true? These old school sexy sporty sneakers featured on Ubergizmo are concept shoes which feature an integrated CD-ROM, speakers, volume control knob and yes, velcro tops! They remind me of something Will Smith would wear on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Can you imagine how excited he would have been to have a portable boombox right at his toes? Quite the creative idea but totally not geek chic in the year 2007. What do you think? Leave your comments below!