GeekSugar

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer: a $10 Desktop Speaker

GeekSugar — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:11:20 -0800

I know, stocking stuffers haven't even crossed your mind yet, but now that I'm starting to whip up my holiday gift guides, I can't help but think about gadgets and gizmos that would make perfect Christmas gifts.

I found this adorable little battery-operated desktop speaker from the Container Store that only costs $10 and works with any iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPods - hello! Great inexpensive gift! Not only is it a handy accessory for your desk, but it's also ideal for taking on trips, or for your nightstand at home. And with its grippy surface, you can keep your device in a vertical or horizontal position.

Vintage Mod: Mini Boom Box iPod Speakers

GeekSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:45:08 -0700

Urban Outfitters has been putting out some pretty cool retro-meets-modern gadgets lately, from a USB-powered turntable to calculator watches. The latest affordable addition: the Mini Boom Box Speaker. At only $16, the price is definitely right - and while these build-them-yourself speakers probably aren't sturdy enough for the long haul, they're a cute and compact option for portable speakers.

View 5 Photos ›

iPom Flower Pot iPod Speaker, Like Bringing Home a Bouquet

GeekSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:00:25 -0700

Speakal's best-known product is the freakishly cute iPig iPod Speakers, a stunning example of how you can make something that's become so common and boring - iPod speakers - back into a must-have product based on its looks.

The iPom, an upcoming product from Speakal, is, like the iPig, sweet enough to make me rethink my satisfaction with my current flock of iPod speakers and add to it.

I've heard good things about the sound quality from Speakal, and I've plugged my iPods into enough boring white or gray speakers to know that I'd delight at using "flowers" to play my favorite jams each time. Plus maybe I'll stop bugging my boyfriend to buy me flowers. Maybe.

Chalkboard Speaker Shelf: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:46:19 -0800

Talk about double duty! This Chalkboard Speaker Shelf from PBTeen is an awesome way to integrate tech at home, because it's got iPod speakers, and, of course, you can write on the chalkboard in front.

It seems like chalkboards are everywhere right now, so this feels like a smart, natural progression. But is it prohibitively expensive at $180? It seems like you could DIY this for cheaper if you were crafty, but still, I admire its looks and the idea of it.

What do you think?

Here's a Valentine's Day Gift I.Dear: New Portable iPod Speakers

GeekSugar — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:04:16 -0800

I'm starting to collect iPod speakers like they're accessories because they kind of are - you want different sizes and quality depending on whatever you're using them for.

Basically, you can never have too many, which is why I'm hoping a certain someone takes note of these I.Dear Portable Speakers ($36) in wood or faux marble from the MoMA Store.

They're teeny and adorable, and the wood one especially (hint, hint) would look great while playing my music. Hotel stays? Camping? Picnic in the park? Endless possibilities.

iPig iPod Speaker: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:00:00 -0800

It's unfortunate that I look at the iPig iPod Speaker ($160) and can only think of pig references in movies, like Carrie and Deliverance, because I see him and get a little creeped out (maybe it's the dead black eyes).

He is, though, for all intents and purposes, very cute, especially when that purpose is to blast music from your iPod.

But for something that's kind of a novelty item (pig-shaped things not being every grown-up's tchotchke dream), my mouth is agape at the $160 price tag. When iPod speakers are now a dime a dozen, I'd hope that this guy at least squeals like a bell.

What do you think?

The Vers 1.5R Is One Sexy Alarm Clock

GeekSugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:00:37 -0800

I'm not in the habit of calling my alarm clocks sexy (mostly because I've developed a hate-hate relationship with mine), but this is definitely the exception.

The Vers 1.5R ($200) is more than an alarm clock though; it's an iPod dock, an AM/FM tuner, it has a 3.5mm AUX-out port for other MP3 players, and it's all crammed neatly into a tiny package, complete with a 15-watt speaker.

Although I love what it does, I also love how it looks. It's modern, yet seems like I could have jacked it off the set of Mad Men with its lovely mid-century walnut finish. This is one alarm clock I wouldn't kick out of bed for eating crackers, no sir.

View 5 Photos ›

Bicycle iPod Speaker: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:09:55 -0800

I'm trying to envision a day not so rainy as today so that I can get excited about this Bicycle iPod Speaker ($50) from Urban Outfitters.

I know the moment the sun peeks around the clouds, I can envision myself riding my bike (um, the bike I don't yet have) and grooving to my iPod. But then . . . do I see myself annoying people?

I get enough cars driving by my apartment bumping music that I can only imagine how I felt about someone pedaling past my window rocking out to Lil' Wayne. Hmm.

What do you think of a bike iPod speaker?

Pottery Barn's All-in-One Is a Hole in One!

GeekSugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:00:33 -0700

Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, because it's my personal belief that I have found one of the most perfect home tech organizers ever. Yes, ever. I flipped for Griffin's Powerdock the other day for its integration of my gadgets, but Pottery Barn has one-upped everyone with their Smart All-in-One.

Not only does it combine a charging station with iPod speakers (and it includes the six-socket power strip inside), it's a compact, beautiful design that'll synergize with a fabulous interior.

The one drawback is that it's $169, but if I know Pottery Barn, I know this baby'll be on sale before I forget about it and move on to my next favorite home tech accessory. I happen to adore the mod lacquered pea green, but if that's not your thing, the All-in-One is also available in ivory, black, and red.

The Vers iPod Sound System: Both Gorgeous and Sustainable

GeekSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:00:31 -0700

As much as I have championed the ability of the iPhone to replace two devices and it has allowed me stop carrying my iPod every day, I will in no way stop being fascinated by iPod speakers. Having all your music archived on an iPod, combined with a home speaker, makes a compact and comprehensive stereo system, which brings me to my next point: Thank God for MP3 players and speakers, because the stereo systems of old were so very bachelor pad, quite unlike the Vers iPod Sound System from Design Public.

To get great audio and your entire music collection, you don't have to outfit your house in bookshelves stuffed full of CDs or records or boat-sized speakers. Your system can be a pretty little box like the Vers, which is more efficient, beautiful, and makes you feel responsible, as it's made from hand-crafted wood. They are "sustainably designed" - made with wood from plantation sources, energy-efficient electronics, 100 percent recycled packaging, and are RoHS compliant. For $150, that's a pretty reasonable lah-ti-da to give yourself.

View 3 Photos ›