GeekSugar

5 Ugly CD Stands That Will Make You Go Digital

GeekSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:15:40 -0700

Still hanging on to CDs? Well, it can't be the storage solutions provided for them that's making you hang on so tightly. For some reason, no other form of physical media has ever inspired as unapologetically ugly accessories to store them than CDs have. Take a look at these few and see if you don't decided to finally just rip everything and have a totally digital music collection.

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Spring Clean Your CD and LP Collections: Organize!

GeekSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:00:18 -0700

Remember when I told you that vinyl was coming back in a big way? I meant it. So whether you are a budding record collector or already have a massive collection of your own, get organized by filing your LPs by genre or alphabetizing them this Spring with these CD and LP Dividers ($15-$45) from Suck UK.

When you're playing DJ to your pals, there's nothing worse than hearing the bare crackle of your record player while you're searching for the next great track to play. Get it together, man. Hey, and I'm not saying CDs are totally out. If you're still hanging onto all those discs and jewel cases, you can get yourself some dividers for those, too. I know, it's hard to let go of the past, but, thankfully, you aren't alone.

How to Re-Use Your Old CD Shelving: Kitchen Storage!

GeekSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:07:28 -0700

Hasn't everyone had those ubiquitous black CD shelves at some point to house their music collection? Now that people are digitizing whole music collections, there's no need for the discs themselves, let alone the shelving to store them.

Rather than put the units out on the street, give them a second life! Apartment Therapy spotted this solution from Living Etc., which utilizes the old black CD shelving with cubby holes as storage/display for mugs. Though the pictured shelf has the frame already attached, you could finish off any old CD shelf with an inexpensive frame from a flea market or thrift store, which makes you forget all about the shelf's origins.

You could build on this idea and use the cubbies to hold glasses or other small items, like jewelry and sunglasses. Have you ever been able to re-use superfluous tech storage?

Vinyl-izing CD Kit: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:45:36 -0800

Some of us still keep vinyl around, and then some of us just romanticize vinyl. If that's you, then forget your dream of buying a turntable and just hook up a Vintage Vinyl CD Packaging Kit ($17)!

These are great for making mixes and giving CDs or DVDs as gifts for the holidays and then "wrapping" them as records, or for your own personal stash of compact discs. On the other hand, you may have already digitized all your music, and find these superfluous, and if you're that kind of person, the magic of vinyl probably doesn't really get you, does it? Weigh in below!

Do You Still Own CDs, or Have You Digitized?

GeekSugar — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:13:42 -0700

Times, they are a changin'. I used to shop for the most stylish CD shelves, now the only storage I look for for music is on a hard drive.

I don't miss having to find a creative way to keep all my plastic boxes, but I do miss shopping in a record store for new music.

But since I'm all about de-cluttering these days, I've sold back all my CDs (except for a couple discs, for sentimental value) and am almost totally digital.

What about you?

When Was the Last Time You Bought a CD Single?

GeekSugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:00:27 -0700

With so many ways that you can buy and download songs online, it seems like forever ago that I bought music in an actual store! So when Woolworths – a popular UK chain of stores – announced that they will soon halt the sale of CD singles, it got me thinking back to the last time I bought one.

I fondly remember rushing to my local Wherehouse music store, snatching up my copy of NKOTB's "Dirty Dawg" and wore it out like it was the last single on earth. They were so ahead of their time with that one, no? And yes, in case you were wondering - I'm totally holding my breath for reunion tour tickets to go on sale. Anyway, moving on. . .

When was the last time you bought a real life CD single? You know, the kind that comes on a disc? And more importantly, do you remember what it was?

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Geek Tip: Turn Old CDs Into Your Own Disco Ball

GeekSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:00:31 -0700

These days, there's really no reason to have CDs lying around since we get our music fix on Napster and Pandora, and download our music over at iTunes. And now even with Amazon's music service.

Thankfully for Mother Earth, this reduces our need for less than eco friendly packaging and waste to pile up in landfills. So what do we do with all the old CDs whose music we now have stored in our digital libraries but are still taking up precious storage space? If you don't want to lug them down to Rasputin to trade in, make them into a killer disco ball! Although you could officially recycle them, this DIY project I caught on wikiHow is pretty simple and totally cool if you have a party pad and want to add that little extra oomph to your next soiree. All you need is a glue gun, a Styrofoam ball, (size depending on how many CDs you have), some craft scissors, a bamboo stick or skewer, some string and a little patience. To see how to construct your CD Disco Ball, just read more

Gather up all your old or unwanted CDs. Using a pair of craft or kitchen shears, cut up the CDs into little squares. Careful! This can get a little tricky and you may end up with some cuts. Wear some protective gloves just to be safe. Make sure all the squares are about the same size. This will ensure your disco ball is evenly covered. There will be some odd shaped pieces left, but it's cool, we can use some of those too, so don't toss anything yet!
Once all the CDs are cut up, grab your Styrofoam ball and run your bamboo stick or skewer through the center of the ball to accommodate a string (or fishing wire) to hang the ball from. Knot up one end of the string to anchor, or you can tie the string onto a small paperclip to keep the string anchored at one end. Since we'll be gluing the CDs on next, the paperclip will end up being covered anyway.
Start gluing the squares onto the Styrofoam ball working from the center out. This is to make sure all your squares fit nice and snug. Plus, the top and bottom will be a good place to use the irregular pieces from the edges of the CDs. Make sure you are gluing the shiny side out!
Obviously, you gotta let it dry! Take this time to wipe off any excess glue before it dries.
Once dry, hang your new disco ball in a corner, or above your entertainment center. You can even pick up an inexpensive accent light from Ikea to angle at the ball when you're ready to party!

Not only can you infuse some fun into your apartment, but help save the planet from some trash, too!

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Geek Tip: Don't Write on CDs With Sharpies!

GeekSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:01:39 -0700

If you're burning CDs and DVDs, you probably label them right afterward, and do what I (used to) do, which is reach for a Sharpie. But I caution you, as your friend and gagdet guru: Put down the Sharpie.

The chemicals in Sharpies (and most conventional markers) can eventually damage the data on your discs. I've written on CDs and DVDs plenty of times and while I'm not sure I've tasted the downside of it yet, why take chances? You can either label with the kind of markers that are made for writing on CDs, or do what I do and write on a white file sticker, or for something prettier, the stickers in this CD Packaging Kit should do the trick.

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Geek Tip: Fix Scratched CDs With Toothpaste

GeekSugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:11:42 -0800

I've heard rumblings about this tip for a while now, but I was too scared to try it myself. But I've seen and heard recommendations for it all over the place, so here goes. Though most scratched up CDs make me want to just throw them out, it turns out they just might be salvageable . . . with toothpaste!

Simply rub toothpaste on the scratched surface with a cotton swab until the scratches have disappeared. The paste fills in the scratches so the disc can be read. It may not work for heavily scratched surfaces, but it's worth a shot.

I'd try this with the really plain white toothpaste and nothing with those newfangled beads or bits in it. Clean-spinning and minty fresh!

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Concept Player Makes Use Of Your MP3s And CDs

GeekSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:00:40 -0700

Just when I thought CDs had gone the way of the Dodo, I learn that designer Yong-Seong Kim has come up with the DMP, a portable music player that supports CD and MP3 files.

You can use the MP3 player normally, or unclip the sides and insert your favorite CD. I like the idea because it might encourage me to whip out my classic early 90s CD collection and the fact that the CD is exposed while playing gives it a bit of a retro, record player appeal.

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Source: Yanko Design