MP3 player

I recently came across one of these Mugo players ($50, includes headphones) recently in Los Angeles Magazine, and loved the players' simple character shape (no cords required: the flash players use a USB connection that is visible when you take off their "feet," and all controls are on their faces). It's in the eclectic designs where things get complicated, but in a good way. The company's "Artist Series 1" line includes designs by international artists; each has a unique personality, including this one, named Raindrop Girl. But if none of these quite fit your style, try one of the blank black or white versions so you can add your own art. Check out more of these cute and simple 2GB MP3 players in the gallery below!

Are you into the vintage record trend but don't want to give up modern conveniences of an MP3 player? Get into the spirit with the Playbutton, an MP3 player with a throwback twist. You can wear it like an iPod Nano or Shuffle, but unlike other players, where the contents depend on your daily whims, this one is permanent: choose the songs and artwork you'd like to include on a Playbutton for a customizable and treasured piece of your favorite tunes. It's like a mixed tape for the modern day romantic.

The Playbutton, which will cost around $20-$25, can hold up to 2GB of MP3 or WAV files and has play, pause, skip, and volume buttons on the back and runs on a rechargeable lithium battery. Production starts next month, and it could make a great gift for any band member or audiophile on your holiday shopping list!

Last week, Sony announced it would be ceasing production of its cassette Walkman after 30 years. The original Walkman, which debuted in 1979, sold over 200 million units in its history.

Since then, the Walkman has given its name to many Sony personal, portable players like this waterproof model perfect for working out and the latest colorful release, currently only available in Japan.

Obviously, the demand for cassette players is gone, much less the demand for a portable cassette player weighing ten times as much as a typical portable digital music player. It's certainly become an icon in gadget history, even inspiring at least one modern MP3 player's design, not to mention its effects on headphone design. Still, it's always a sad day when a beloved gadget goes the way of the 8-track. Perhaps the Walkman will some day make a comeback similar to the record player.

Source: Flickr User edvvc

Yet again, Japan gets the goods before the rest of us. Case in point: Sony introduced its new Walkman line yesterday, which clocks in with 12 models. The E and S series Walkman will launch in Japan on Oct. 9, while the higher-end A series will hit on Nov. 13. Although there has been no word on whether these stylish MP3 players will come to the good ole US of A (or anywhere else for that matter), my gut intuition says we might just see them in the near future. Learn about all three models below, and just try to tell me you don't want one.

E Series
This entry-level Walkman (pictured here) comes in two flavors — the E050 with 2 or 4GB of storage space, or the E050K, which includes a speaker with its 2 or 4GB option. Prices range from $95-$140.

Find out the deets on the other two models when you read more.

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Though they've put out a ton of stylish products since their cassette-player days, I can't help associating Walkman with the clunky yellow gadget I carried with me everywhere I went. But as a geek girl who's into fitness, I'm pretty excited for the latest addition to their product lineup: the Walkman NWZ-W250 series MP3 player. The devices are made for working out; they're sweat- and waterproof, and weigh just over an ounce.

They're available in two sizes — 2GB and 4GB — and four colors. Starting at $60, you'll be able to snatch one of these up later this month. They carry up to 11 hours of battery life, but the best feature is the quick charge function; three minutes of charging powers the device for up to 90 minutes. Perfect for people who (like me) forget to charge their gadgets before going for a run.

I was impressed with the tiny size of Apple's third-generation iPod Shuffle, but this MP3 player is even smaller. Straight from Japan, the Micro Sport MP3 Player holds 4GB of music in a tiny case. One earbud is attached directly to the player, and the other is connected with a cord.

It also features a rechargeable battery, and connects to your computer via USB cable.The device's instructions are only printed in Japanese, so if you plan on ordering one of these tiny MP3 players, pay close attention to the translated instructions here!

I admit, I shop at Costco for bulk items, but really, I love to browse the electronics section! Not only does Costco have an A+ return policy, but it has a great selection of Blu-ray and DVDs as well. And while hitting up some sweet post-holiday deals there over the weekend, I found this gem: a Bud Light Speaker Box. This box not only holds 24 cans of light beer to satisfy your waistline-pinching thirst, but you can plug in your MP3 player and blast your tunes as well. At $17, this may cost a few more bucks than your standard box of boozies, but hey, at least you can cut a rug to your favorite jam during your next outdoor party.

I didn't see an adapter (I assume it's on the inside?), so I'm not quite sure how this works, but I'm digging Bud's attempt at wooing us geeks with their tech addons. I'll be honest — I almost gave in. But with today being Cyber Monday and all, maybe Costco will knock a few bucks off so I don't feel so bad stuffing my fridge with all that beer.