GeekSugar

Vintage Geek: The Return of the Turntable

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:30:32 -0700

As if it ever left? I love the sound of old records, and I love the look of an old turntable. I remember messing around with my grandparents' record player during the Summer - the music of Patsy Cline will forever remind me of my grandmother – and if I had room in my apartment, I would totally rock a deck of my own. Inspired by a recent trip to a record store, I have again fallen in love with the old players, and have coincidentally seen TONS of goods paying homage to them! Check out some of my favorites – from watches to shirts – that I've come across blazed with an old school record player!

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Turntable Watch: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:45:10 -0700

I've admitted my very strong desire for a phone watch like Penny had because all I want is geeky, geeky watches.

I am usually on the lookout for watches that do something cool like teach me Japanese, but I have also fallen so hard for this Turntable Watch ($175). Its main draw for me is giving me the dorky desire to make a scratching sound every time I check the time, so it might be good for me, annoying for my friends.

What do you think of it?

Set Your Old Vinyl Free With A USB Turntable

GeekSugar — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:33:28 -0800

Well add the USB turntable to the list of USB items I probably don't need, but sound really cool. The handy gadget allows you to liberate all your antiquated vinyl by connecting it directly to your computer.

Simply plug the turntable into the USB port on your PC (Windows or Mac) and use the included Audacity software to rip your vinyl directly to MP3 (or WAV format) for playback on all your newfangled devices like the iPod. You can even use the Audacity software to give your vinyl a digital facelift by removing unsightly clicks and pops. It costs $169.99. For more about the turntable, just read more

Professional quality turntable connects to your PC via USB
Rip your vinyl directly to MP3 or WAV format
Ships with Audacity software (compatible with PC and Mac) for removing clicks, pops, and other undesirable characteristics of vinyl
Audacity supports high-speed recording, then returns music to original playback speed
Audacity software includes ability to export to WAV and MP3
Anti-skating control for increased stereo balance
Support for both 33.33 and 45 RPM playback speeds
Plug and Play USB compatibility with both PC and Mac
Packaged with all necessary cables to interconnect with both a computer and stereo playback system

Turntable Phonograph: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:00:38 -0700

Pink gadget alert! This Turntable Phonograph from Brando is bubblegum pink, retro, and totally charming. So charming that I'm forgiving it for not being an iPod dock or MP3 player as well. This baby only plays AM/FM radio, but she also has a clock, alarm, a thermometer, and um, a hygrometer (I won't front - I had to look that up). Just 17 bucks, and it's also available in white, but this is the rare occasion when I'd actually pick the pink version (weird, right?). What do you think?

Check Your Head Pillow Cases: Totally Geeky or Geek Chic?

GeekSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:44:15 -0700

Hooray for more retro-themed goodies! I'm digging the Check Your Head Pillow Cases ($25), featuring a cute screen print of a vintage turntable on one side and a set of headphones on the other.

They're similar to the mixed tape pillowcase I found earlier this year, so now I'm excited to have another geeky set in rotation. Plus, as I mentioned before, it's easy to hide your geeky side and appear a grown-up (if you must) just by making the bed. What do you think?

A Peek Inside the New Twitter Office

GeekSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:05:07 -0800

The coolest kid on the Internet has some new digs! The Twitter crew moved into their new offices in San Francisco's SOMA district yesterday, and a friend gave me a sneak peek at their new office. My favorite part: the "@" symbol light I spotted a couple months ago decorating their lounge area.

The new offices are packed with more geeky details, too. The entire office is wifi-enabled, and each of the concrete conference tables is wired for meetings. There's an arcade game in the corner, and a DJ booth (yes, DJ booth) featuring turntables, an iMac, and several Sonos music systems. And as a cute, low-tech touch, adorable "Home Tweet Home" pillows welcoming employees to the new office. Check out the evidence below.

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Source: Flickr User the ryan king

Retro Cool Meets High Tech: USB Portable Turntable

GeekSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:45:36 -0700

Vinyl is making a comeback! Many artists are now releasing albums on vinyl as well as digitally.

There's something about the sound of a vinyl record that makes any song - even a new release - sound totally old-school. I've mentioned my love for retro-style record players before, but this Ion USB Portable Turntable ($140) from Urban Outfitters is the perfect mix of retro and tech. It hooks up to your computer via USB, which means you can turn your favorite vinyl tracks into MP3s. Also, it's totally portable, and runs on batteries or connected to a wall outlet.

I want to use this to import my parents' record collection into my computer - the turntable supports both regular-sized records and 45s. Plus, since it's portable, it's perfect for parties.

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Up Your Coolness Factor With Hipster Gadgets

GeekSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:30:18 -0700

Whether you define yourself as a hipster or not, one thing is for sure: those cool cats know their beer, indie bands, pop culture, and tech. In fact, I don't know a hipster who isn't slinging a solid level of geek knowledge and understanding of the hipness of certain oddball whatchamacallits.

New devices hit electronic shelves and the Internet daily - some are instantly welcomed with long lines while others are largely ignored. A select few naturally gain geek cred for their coolness. These are the Polaroid keepsakes, Japanese goodies, and mini turntables we eventually see celebrated at the MoMA store, Urban Outfitters, and the Apple store. (Have you ever been to the Apple store on Friday at 6 p.m.? Hipster central.) Take a gander at some of the current classics, and stock up to up your coolness meter.

Twilight: Vampires! Mortals! Gadgets!

GeekSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:02:16 -0800

In this weekend's chart-topping, blood-sucking hit Twilight, Edward and Bella share an affinity for each other - as well as technology, to my delight.

First we'll start with Bella, who is outfitted with a white Nokia 7360 (from the appropriately named L'amour collection). Bella, who we'd already seen as an iPod fan in the movie and in real life, also uses a (now) previous generation black MacBook (and weren't those Google searches about vampires in different cultures astoundingly robust? Hmmm . . . ).

To hear about Edward's tech preferences, just read more.

And then there's Edward. I was disappointed that his mind-reading abilities exempt him from being attached to a cell phone, but vindicated when I saw his room: Antique jukebox, speaker sound system and turntable, flat screen TV, and big, over-ear headphones. All the marks of a legitimate, brooding audiophile. I didn't spot a computer in his room, but he's far from a Luddite - I had another reason to swoon over him when he explained to Bella that he'd had an adrenaline rush: "You can Google it."

What did you think about the tech in Twilight (including the creepiest use of a video camera ever)?

Source

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!