Ultra Cool Gadgets

Like its smaller cousins, the Roku M1000 and M500 network music players, Roku’s SoundBridge Radio is designed liberate your digital music from your computer and let you crank up Internet radio stations and your unprotected digital music files in the room of your choice. But unlike those products, the SoundBridge Radio doesn’t require a hi-fi system because the SoundBridge Radio is the hi-fi system. And not a bad one at that.
Featuring two linear magnetic drive full-range speakers and a linear magnetic drive subwoofer — each powered by built-in amplifiers — the SoundBridge puts most table-top radios to shame. If you have a lot of space to fill with your music, you’ll want to think twice before replacing your stereo system with it. But for a unit this size, the SoundBridge offers excellent sound performance, and its many ground-breaking Wi-Fi features make it worth the price.

Technical Details
- WiFi music system with advanced digital music streaming functionality, pair of stereo speakers, and subwoofer
- Native support for Apple iTunes and Rendezvous, Windows Media Player, Windows Media Player 10, and Rhapsody
- Accesses free Internet radio stations via broadband connection; bright 280 x 32 vacuum fluorescent display
- Patented Linear Magnetic Drive stereo speakers and subwoofer with acoustic enclosures and built-in digital amps
- Ultra-fast 400 MHz Blackfin DSP; measures 11 x 6 x 6.5 inches (W x H x D)

Customer feedback:

1. This is a great appliance, easy to install, and does everything they say it does. BUT…there are no outputs so it can not be connected to external speakers or to a music system. If it had just two RCA jacks, it would be a fiver for sure. There are less expensive devices on the market that will do the same thing however, the R1000 acoustics is excellent.

2. I bought this (from Fry’s $249) after I read a New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/09/business/09pogue.html). Arrived in 2 days. Opened the box. Popped the batteries into the remote. Plugged the radio to the AC outlet.The display in the front panel asked a few questions so that the radio can get connected to your wifi network. Fairly easy even if you are using WEP security and you know how to hook up a wireless device. But if you are using WPA security, you may have to start up with WEP, upgrade the firmware, then move to WPA. The unit I got had version 2.5 and the current version is 3.0. WPA is supported starting from version 2.7.
Once you have the radio hooked up to wifi, there’s really nothing else much to do but start selecting your stations. I suggest that you go directly to Radioroku.com. This site helps you find internet radio stations and listen to them on your PC or on your Soundbridge with a click of a button. Believe me radioroku will make things a lot easier for you.

The product is used in a vehicle to hook up an Ipod to a vehicles audio system. Once installed it has a five button navigation controller which controls the Ipod. The screen is like what Ipod userssee on their Ipod. There is a backlit LCD screen which mounts on the dash so the driver never takes there eyes off the raod to control the Ipod. The product can be hooked using an audio aux in, an FM wireless transmitter, or an optional FM transmitter.

Technical Details
- Backlit 128 x 64-pixel LCD screen.
- It puts a familiar Ipod display menu on a backlit display.
- You control your Ipod without taking yur eyes off the road.
- It is easy to install with either FM or aux-in.
- It provides most of the scanning functions you already have with your Ipod.

Customer feedback:

1. The short of it is that this unit is sweet! It works well, looks well and almost behaves as good as an iPod. Before this I had adapted an iPod docking station and a NaviPod remote such that I could see my iPod display and control it with the remote. But this is better and I’ve since done away with that setup. Some would contend that it’s better to buy an interface cable and leave it at that. But that doesn’t look professional. I like to keep the iPod hidden away where it can’t be seen and instead have this elegant interface to control it with. The only reason it gets 4 stars is because the interface doesn’t quite work exactly like the iPod. That’s a bit of a bummer for us iPod junkies. But overall it still does a great job. Well worth the $200. I had tried the Alpine unit (I have an Alpine head unit) and returned it because of the pathetic interface. But this unit is nice. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

2. Don’t know what the person below is talking about — this unit is meant to be wired directly into your factory or aftermarket head unit via RCA plugs — NOT FM modulation! That being said, the unit can also be wired via the CD changer port located on the back of most head units, or via FM modulation (wired or wireless). However, the best sound quality comes from either the RCA or CD changer interfaces. FM modulation (wired) will give reasonable sound quality if you live in suburbia or rural areas — if you’re an urban dweller, however, you may be subject to a little or lots of static. So, if you’re willing to shell out the money for this unit, then be willing to fork over a bit more to ensure you have the BEST connection interface.
Aside from all that, installation of this is a breeze. Even if you’ve never installed anything in your car before — or have no xp with car stereos, you WILL be able to handle this yourself. Of course, be prepared to spend a day investigating the nether regions of your car’s dash/console if you want all the cords/wires to be hidden.

The Sirocco Wireless Home Audio Bridge uses your computer’s existing wireless network to receive any and all audio formats streamed from your PC. It is an ideal wireless speaker solution to deliver your music to your speakers or home theater system. With both digital optical and analog outputs for 6 channels, Sirocco can easily connect to most audio systems and supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound output.Anything that your PC can play, Sirocco can receive through the airwaves. Playlists from any music player or from any store, in any format. PCM, WAV, WDM, AAC and all protection schemes are legally and securely streamed from your PC to your home audio system.Setup of the Sirocco is straight forward. Connect the unit to a PC using the included RJ-45 cable. Do not connect to the unit through a router. Run the included software on the CD, have the program detect your wireless router and save the settings. Now you can disconnect the RJ-45 cable and connect the Sirocco to your home audio or computer speakers. The Sirocco will receive audio signals from your computer through your wireless network. The Sirocco supports both optical digital and analog connections to connect to a home stereo. There is also the ability to connect speakers directly to the Sirocco. Standard front, center and surround speakers can be connected. PC based surround speaker packages work well.

Technical Details
- Uses your computer’s existing wireless network to receive any and all audio formats streamed from your PC
- An ideal wireless speaker solution to deliver your music to your speakers or home theater system
- Easily connects to most audio systems and supports 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound output
- Can receive through the airwaves anything that your PC can play

Customer feedback:

1. I received this today after returning a couple of wireless media products my wife had bought me. All I wanted to be able to do was play music from WMP on my laptop through my home stereo system without running wires everywhere or a physical connection everywhere I wanted to use it. This product does exactly what i was hoping it would do. It uses my home wireless network to transmit a signal to my stereo regardless of where I am in my house (or my back yard, deck, basement, etc.). Now I can control volume on WMP or Sirocco’s panel, eliminating the need to run back inside when my outdoor speakers are too loud, and I can control the music from anywhere. I definitely recommend this product.

2. I originally got an Apple Airfoil on the recommendation of the retail store sales guy. BIG mistake. It only plays iTUNES source, and I had problems setting it up, and in the locations I have the WLAN AP and the Airfoil, I could not find a way to prevent frequent drop-outs.
I returned the Airfoil, and took the risk to online order a Sirocco based on the spec sheet. Well, I am absolutely thrilled! It is exactly what I wanted — a wireless sound card. Took less than 5 minutes to install, no dropouts, supports WEP and WPA, and plays any audio stream your computer sound card plays. And the software suite is suprisingly stable and feature-rich for such a new product.
As an unexpected bonus, the sound quality is also exceptional. This is a well-engineered product. Don’t think twice if you want a wireless sound card.

Zalman ZM-RS6F 5.1 Real Surround Sound Headphones produce a real surround field comparable to a complete multi-channel speaker system and thus enhances directional, spatial, and realistic effects. With enhanced spatial and realistic effects by separating front, rear, and center speakers, setup of real surround-sound is easy by connecting the front, rear, center jacks to the 5-channel (or more) sound card in your PC equipped with a DVD-ROM for games or DVD movies. Excellent fidelity, enhanced localization of on-screen sound, clear dialogue and discrete sound audibility.

Great for:
- PCs equipped with 5 channel (or more) sound cards
- Multi-channel home audio and video systems (Including home theater systems, HDTVs, portable DVD players, DVD car audio systems, etc.)
- DVD-based Home Game Consoles (Including X-BOX, PlayStation 2, Game Cube etc.)

Technical Details
- Real surround field comparable to a complete multi-channel speaker system and thus enhances directional, spatial, and realistic effects
- Enhanced spatial and realistic effects by separating front, rear, and center speakers
- Easy setup with sound card in your PC equipped with a DVD-ROM for games or DVD movies
- Excellent fidelity, enhanced localization of on-screen sound, clear dialogue and discrete sound audibility
- Ample 9.8-foot cord

Customer feedback:

1. am really impressed how well these work for computer games. Sounds are tack sharp and there is a good spatial sense between fore and aft. No real booming bass. Good fit and pretty comfortable in the long haul. Bulky and somewhat heavy. The ends are somewhat noticeable in the corner of my eyes. Works well for shooters, RTS, KOTR, WOW, hmm just about everything. Doom3, scary as hell… Completely encloses the ear. The really nice thing is that I can play games and HEAR what is going on. Also muffles outside noise. For movies on my PC (you need front, rear, and center/sub 1/8″ stereo phone jacks) they again makes everything sharp.

2. This my second pair. I use them for playing BF2 mainly. Sound is great for 5.1 suround. You will always know where the action is. The only down fall with these is the wires are very fine and tend to break near where they enter the earphones. I had probably near 2000 hours of gaming before I broke down and bought a new pair.