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Every time I hear the word "summertime," the infectious song--Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince gets stuck in my head (lyrics above). I still don't know what "now I see what have of this" means, but I agree with the overall sentiment, which is that summertime makes people act a little different. The weather is hot and girls are dressing less (there I go again with the song), so it's high time you check out the latest outdoor-friendly MP3 gear. Whether you want a personal soundtrack for cruising the beach, dipping in the pool, or jumping out of an airplane, we've tracked down all sorts of gear that'll enhance the experience.
What's more fun than swimming? Answer: swimming with music. Create your own personal Life Aquatic soundtrack with any of these fine waterproof devices.
Boombox, ghetto blaster, party starter, neighbor irritator--call them what you will--sometimes it's your obligation to share music with your fellow citizens (the ones in close proximity). For the modern-day Radio Raheem, choosing the right boom box is of the utmost importance.
Quite often, outlandish products end up being the more unpractical ones in real-life situations. There are a few exceptions though. The following are just as much fun to talk about as they are to use. Show up to your next picnic with these for instant conversation starters.
Just because it's sunny out doesn't mean you have to be outside. And with the amazing technology that's out today, some may even ask "why go outside ever?" Check out the latest indoor products that are available.
"Are we there yet?" says the kid. "No, not yet. Keep playing your PSP and stop bugging your sister," says the dad. "I'm trying to concentrate on this audiobook that I downloaded from Audible." This has been a reenactment of a road trip scene of your average, modern-day family. But even if you're driving alone, the stuff in this section comes in quite handy on the road.
Like burgers and fries, some things are just meant to go together. In the MP3 player world, the "fries" are called "accessories." Check out these combo ideas to brighten up your musical summer.
One more thing before you head outside. This article inspired me to write my own version of "Summertime" geared toward the MP3 tech crowd. So here it is, and please, sing along.
What's more fun than swimming? Answer: swimming with music. Create your own personal Life Aquatic soundtrack with any of these fine waterproof devices.
Oregon who? I've never heard of this company, but it has a unique MP3 player on its hands here with the MP120. We've seen a few attempts at waterproof players, but the Oregon Scientific is special because of its amphibious versatility. In other words, you'll want to use it out of the water too. Its 256MB and 512MB models each come with a built-in battery, FM radio, and waterproof headphones. Now you can listen to Digital Underground's Underwater Rhymes in the proper location. Finally.
This is one of those "why didn't someone think of this before?" products. The Otterbox is a waterproof protective case for your iPod that protects it up to 10 feet underwater, guaranteed. There are many rough and tough cases for the iPod on the market right now, but this is the first fully waterproof one. I tested it in the bathtub, and it really worked! (singing) Otterbox iPod you're the one, you make bath time so much fun (end singing). Now all you need is some waterproof headphones (Otterbox recommends the ones at SwimMan.net.)
What's great about these (and the Oakley Thump below) is that all of the components are attached to your head. You don't need a pocket, belt, or armband because the flash player is built right into the headphones. Just wrap 'em around your noggin, adjust the size, and you're off--no wires to get tangled on paddles, handlebars, snorkels, or whatever other summertime equipment you're using. Sure, the Finis SwiMP3 only comes in 128MB, which is a limited amount of memory these days, but where else are you going to find MP3 player swimming goggles?
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RCA isn't the hippest name in MP3 technology, but its Lyra line consistently delivers top-selling flash players, such as the RD2010. The new 2212 claims to be "splashproof," so it's perfect for those who jog through sprinklers (I wouldn't recommend scuba diving with it though). As always, RCA offers nice extras like FM radio and extra long battery life (50 hours with one AA battery). Active music fans will surely be pleased with RCA's 2212.
Actually this one isn't safe in the water, but it's rugged enough for hiking, biking, falling down the stairs, and whatever other stuff you get up to on land for the next few months. It put up a good fight against the iPod Shuffle in our last MP3 player bout, which ended in a rare draw. Its small, circular design makes it ideal for active environments. I'm still a fan of having a screen for browsing artists and albums, which is opposite of the Shuffle concept.
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Boombox, ghetto blaster, party starter, neighbor irritator--call them what you will--sometimes it's your obligation to share music with your fellow citizens (the ones in close proximity). For the modern-day Radio Raheem, choosing the right boom box is of the utmost importance.
For anyone who plans on hanging out outside with other music-loving peeps, choosing the right boom box is of the utmost importance. Altec Lansing's inMotion is right on time with its branded "made for iPod" boom box, which is the best-sounding portable speaker system for the iPod we've heard to date. It makes the boom box category because of its rubberized handle slot and ability to run off of eight D-cell batteries. This thing is quality…so quality that you might not want to bring it to the sandy beach. It's also on the heavy side, which is to be expected considering its impressive sonic specs. The inMotion iM7 is best for moving around the house or using at locations you can drive right up to. Be on the lookout for this one at Apple stores and at www.alteclansing.com.
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OK, we've already shown you this here and here, but we had to include it again because it has "summertime gear" written all over it (we used ours for get-togethers in the office). It's a perfect companion for picnics, although our test unit evidently happened to be one of those from "an isolated production run of iBooms that may present problems with the AC power while the batteries are in place," judging from DLO CEO Jeff Grady's quote on iPodlounge. My colleague Eliot Van Buskirk told me an unfortunate story about our iBoom melting batteries in the Hawaiian sun. Ew. The new units apparently don't have this problem, so try to buy it directly from DLO's Web site to avoid ending up with an old one (if you do, and the melting batteries damage the unit, Grady says DLO will replace the unit). Other than that isolated problem, which you most likely won't ever encounter, the unit performed admirably considering its size and weight.
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Quite often, outlandish products end up being the more unpractical ones in real-life situations. There are a few exceptions though. The following are just as much fun to talk about as they are to use. Show up to your next picnic with these for instant conversation starters.
I must admit, my first reaction to Oakley's MP3-playing shades was, "those things are ridiculous!" But after spending some quality time with the Thump, I must say, they're pretty sweet. From afar, they look like regular Oakley sunglasses, but as you get closer you'll notice there's some extra stuff on the sides: a small flash player built in with volume control on one ear, and play and skip buttons on the other ear. I took them for a test-drive (er, ride) on my bike the other day, and I must say, having a soundtrack with you while flying down winding roads is an enlightening experience. I advise you do this only in locations with little or no traffic, like deserted country roads. By the way, that's me lookin' sweet on the right over there.
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Here's a fresh new product for all you eco-techies out there. It's a small solar-powered accessory that recharges your iPod by using direct sunlight. Wow! It also doubles as an AC adapter for inside, so whether you're indoors, outside, or in your Prius, all you need is Solio to charge your little musical friend. (With the right adapter, the Solio also charges cell phones and video game players.)
The concept of in-ear headphones is not new; however, Shure takes this concept to another level with its top-of-the-line earbuds. Their sound-isolating technology keeps the sound in tight, which allows for more bass and dramatically improves the sound quality (compared to the standard generic in-ear models out there, like the ones that come with the iPod). They approach the quality of full, over-the-ear headphones at a fraction of the size and weight, which is important, because summer is not about being weighed down. If highly portable headphones are important to you and you don't mind spending the extra cash, be Shure to check out these (man, I bet the people at Shure are sick of that pun).
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Just because it's sunny out doesn't mean you have to be outside. And with the amazing technology that's out today, some may even ask "why go outside…ever?" Check out the latest indoor products available.
DJ software is a boon to the recreational or working DJ because it enables them to hold a vanload of records on a laptop, making it considerably easier to work parties, shows, and weddings. Even better, DJ software has evolved to the point that it's now on par with physical setups (aside from obvious omissions, such as the ability to scratch vinyl with your hand). There's just one problem: it's hard to mix and beatmatch using a mouse and keyboard. The Hercules DJ Console external USB audio interface aims to solve that problem. Read more
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Since summertime invokes riding in your car with the windows down, you might want this. We're not convinced that satellite radio is viable as a portable listening solution just yet; however, I really do enjoy it in the car. When I'm at work or at home there's time to cue up albums and playlists, but while I'm on the road I like to let my mind drift and let someone else do the programming. It's satisfying to find niche genre stations like underground hip-hop, chill electronica, and even bluegrass…not to mention they're all commercial-free (see Howard Stern versus Adam Curry for a further opinion).
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Steve Jobs must be proud when he sees what his little product has inspired: high-quality accessories such as the Klipsch iFi. This could be the coolest-looking iPod accessory I've seen yet. What separates it from the other desktop-designed speaker systems is its specially designed iPod dock and RF (radio frequency) remote. It sends signals through walls and floors, making it accessible virtually anywhere in your house or office. As for the specs, it has 3.5-inch midrange speakers and an 8-inch subwoofer, which amplifies 200 watts of sound. In other words, it kicks ass (as the specs clearly show).
"Are we there yet?" says the kid. "No, not yet. Keep playing your PSP and stop bugging your sister," says the dad. "I'm trying to concentrate on this audiobook that I downloaded from Audible." This has been a reenactment of a road trip scene of your average, modern-day family. But even if you're driving alone, the stuff in this section comes in quite handy on the road.
That's not a misprint...yes, that's a 100 gigabyte hard drive in there. Two zeros. Pretty awesome, huh? Well, before you get all excited, let's first point out that this large portable multimedia player will set you back nearly four digits, $800 to be exact. If you'd rather hang onto some of that money for gas, Archos offers the 40GB version for $400. And while we're tossing around large numbers, let's add that it's 8.2-by-4.2-by-0.8 inches and 20.1 ounces, which makes it the largest PVP (Portable Video Player) on the market. If you're serious about audio and video on the road, Archos is your man. Er, woman…whatever you want to call it.
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OK, you already know about this thing. I know you've been using one of these since the '80s when you got your first car-ready CD player. Well it's still the best way to bring portable players to your car, even now that the player in question is an MP3 player rather than a Discman. There must be thousands of companies making their own version, but some of them sound terrible. Stick with this Sony model to be safe.
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This came close to being classified in the Geek Out and Stay Indoors section, but the fact that it's both portable and social (you can play against other humans using Wi-Fi) makes it less geeky. We've been paying a lot of attention to the PSP over here at MP3.com these days. While it's clearly better suited for our colleagues over at Gamespot.com, it also offers a pretty decent experience as a music and video player. The downside is that the most memory for music and video you can pack onto it is a 1GB MemoryStick Duo, so we don't recommend replacing your iPod with a PSP just yet.
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Long summer drives are the perfect time to catch up on some reading, especially if you've got some serious time to kill. Reading would obviously impair your driving even more than talking on a cell phone, so that means you'll have to route the words through the ears instead. Audible.com lets you download tons of audio text (best-sellers, fiction, lectures, radio shows, daily newspapers, and so on) for playback on your computer as well as a variety of portable devices. Forget books on tape, and sign up for this digital library pronto. Oh and yes, its Audible Audio format is compatible with the iPod.
Like burgers and fries, some things are just meant to go together. In the MP3 player world, the "fries" are called "accessories." Check out these combo ideas to brighten up your musical summer.
Like a high-maintenance city girl, the iPod isn't accustomed to the great outdoors; but with the right outfit, she'll do just fine. I suggest you deck your iPod out with a Spec Tough Skin before partaking in any adventure. And you'll want the iPod Photo rather than its less-expensive siblings, so you can dump photos down from your camera onto its hard drive right there on the beach--no computer required. You'll have room for even more shots, and you'll be able to pass around the ones you've already taken on an iPod.
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Cowon put its thinking caps on for this one. Not only is the new X5 a breakthrough multimedia player itself, but the company busted out an excellent accessory to go with it: the FM transmitter & charger, which is exactly what it sounds like--a combination FM transmitter and power charger for use in the car. Nice work, Cowon. The X5 now qualifies as a top player for long road trips…especially when you find yourself in a rental car without a tape deck for your cassette adapter!
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We've gone back and forth on which is the better microdrive player: the iRiver H10 or Creative's Zen Micro. We've been similarly divided on which "To Go" subscription is best between Napster To Go, Rhapsody To Go, and Yahoo Music Unlimited. The overarching theme that's emerging here is that all of the subscription services warrant your consideration, and the players that are currently compatible with them are of a fine caliber. Right now, though, the cheapest option is the combo pairing of an iRiver H10 with a Music Yahoo Unlimited subscription. For less than $200, you'll be hooked up with unlimited tunes for the entire summer.
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One more thing before you head outside. This article inspired me to write my own version of "Summertime," geared toward the MP3 tech crowd. So here it is, and please, sing along.
Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Remix verse by Peter Gavin
School is out and it's a sort of abuzz
Ah--back then I didn't really know what it was
"But now I see what have of this"
The way that people respond to MP3 gear madness
The weather is hot and girls are dressing less
And checking out the fellas to see what MP3 player is the best
Riding around in your Jeep or your Benzos
Playing games on the PSP, not Nintendo
Back in San Francisco we be out in the park
A place called Golden Gate is where everybody goes
Guys out hunting and girls doing likewise
Honking at the honey with the iPod in the cute size
She turn around to see what you beeping at
It's like the summer's a natural aphrodisiac
And in Word document I compose this rhyme
To hit you and get you equipped for the summer gear time
The real version of Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Related article: Hot iPod Accesories
Summer Jams
Kick out the jams with this collection of summer songs that's sure to make your next barbecue sizzle...or at least give you ideas for some summer mixes of your own.
Summer Albums
Alerting all citizens: It is now summertime, so you are hereby required to enjoy yourselves. To this end, we recommend using these albums as accompaniment.
