Last year, Panasonic hosted the Next Generation Talent to give UK design students a crack at creating an advertisement and win a bunch of gear. They let me sit on the judges panel and blab on and on about some amazing student work. The contest was a success and the winning video was great. This year they've narrowed down the entries to four and asked the judges back to choose a winner. I think I've picked my favorite, Paul Bryan, but help me make up my mind. Have a quick view at the four remaining finalist and tell me your favorite and why in the comments below. Just to spur you along we're going to give away the noise canceling headphones they were going to give to me as a gift to a commenter at random below.

Have a look at all four videos after the jump.

READ MORE…

In the wake of Michael Jackson’s death, we’ve started to focus on the drama that still surrounds the singer – his will, the question of what to do with his non-biological children, why he suffered cardiac arrest, and so on. However, it is important not to forget that the reason we all loved the King of Pop is because of his talent as a singer, a dancer, and an all-around performer. The first time he first entered your home whether it was via MTV or through your stereo speakers, was not easy to forget…

At least it wasn’t for me. My first memory of the singer was when I watched the video for Thriller…at age three. All I remember was seeing those yellow eyes and fangs and running terrified behind the couch. It wasn’t a good first impression, though later, I fell in love with the short film. Not longer after, I was jamming out and dancing around the living room to “Beat It,” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” So, when I discovered the Thriller Headphones designed by Johnny Lighthands and built by ATOM Creative Solutions, I couldn’t help but smile.

The headphones, which won the Nokia headset design competition in 2008, feature that gravestones, zombies, and that creepy, yellow-eyed wolf bursting through the door. Though only one pair was made by Nokia into a working model, we hope that Jackson’s passing inspires Nokia to produce at least a limited-edition run of the freaky-awesome headphones.

READ MORE…

With the global user base of mobile phones approaching 3 billion people, more than a few music listeners and callers find themselves in a daily tangle of headphones/bags/jackets that might be avoided if Snik creator Rob Honeycutt has his way. His product line of zipper puller and cord grooves featured on snaps and buckles relieves pressure on the earbuds (athletes rejoice). “I believe there is a widespread need for this ‘interface’ between a person’s clothing and their mobile technology,” said Honeycutt, who would like the feature to become ubiquitous on clothing and bags over the next decade. For now, the small devices are available by the 6 and 12 pack–dangling cords be darned.

The iPod has come a long way since 2001. So why hasn’t someone come up with an answer to getting the wires all un-tangled for ear bud headphones? I’ve gone through so many pairs because of wire tangles wrecking them alone. Ji Woong has come up with a solution, but it’s still in concept phases. His YI earphones work like a zipper, making the wires into a thick strand when they are ‘zipped’ up. Even better the zipper itself has a volume control on it. Pass this on to your friends at electronics companies, because this needs to exist. Good work Ji Woong, we’re glad to see someone is looking after our wires. Hit the jump for a few more conceptual pictures.

via Yanko Design

READ MORE…

iSkin Brazil: Read JS Review | Buy It ($8)
Instead of choosing from the same old selection of iPhone cases, check out these mini pieces of artwork. Chances are it’ll be the most international thing in that stocking.

Coosh Headphones: Read JS Review | Buy It ($20)
These will be good for anyone who’s still rocking the headphones that came with their MP3 player. Best of both worlds: Ear-cup sound quality, ear-bug comfort.

Victoria EVO: Read JS Review | Buy It (Around $5400)
These speakers are hand-crafted, don’t require a sub, and (most importantly) pack killer sound quality. Just the way they look will make any audiophile faint upon unwrapping.

Samsung YP-P2JCB P2 8 GB Touchscreen Bluetooth Portable Media Player: Buy It ($180)
I’m sure you know someone like me who refuses to use an iPod. Whether it’s for technical reasons or just plain wanting to be different, Samsung MP3 gear is the best alternative out there, and this new one lacks nothing.

KRK RP5 G2 Monitors: Buy It ($150)
After extensive research and testing I bought a pair of the previous model of these monitors. They are the best piece of music gear I have ever owned. Then these new and improved ones came out. If your gift recipient works with sound, these are sure to please. (Note: These are the smallest of several sizes in this series)

Rane Serato Scratch Live: Buy It ($570)
I’m a vinyl loving DJ and I still lug my crates around. I’m waiting for someone to gift me this and change my life. Get it for someone who still uses records, even if they say they would never abandon their collection.

Korg Mini Kaoss Pad: Buy It ($150)
The price is just right on this fun little effects box for anyone who screws around with sound, whether they are serious or just want to record a trippy voicemail greeting.

Roku Netflix Player: Read JS Review | Buy It ($100)
If waiting two days for the next film in your queue to arrive by snail mail is unacceptable, now you can take a deep breath and stream Waiting To Exhale without ever opening an envelope.

Secret Book Camera: Read JS Review | Buy It ($55)
For that ex-spy in your life who misses explosive chewing gum. It’s a book! No, it’s a camera. It’s a camera, indeed.

Blackbird, Fly TLR Camera: Read JS Review | Buy It (About $126)
Anyone who doesn’t need to resort to secrecy to snap photos and enjoys the medium of film should take to this wonder of lomography.

Peanut Butter Machine: Read JS Review | Buy It ($50)
Really you haven’t lived until you’ve made your own peanut butter … cashew butter … and walnut butter. Anything we’re leaving out?

Magneat: Read JS Review | Buy It ($10)
Even if you’re not overly clumsy, chances are your flailing arms send your iPod headphones flying out of your ears every once in awhile. Well, not on Magneat’s watch.

LED Rainbow Keyboard: Read JS Review | Buy It ($35 – $200)
There are so many colors in the rainbow and oh so many keys on your keyboard.  Why shouldn’t there be some sort of decorative correlation?  For good measure you can film yourself making a finger version of Michael Jackson’s famous “Billie Jean” video.

Vizio Java HDTV: Read JS Review | Buy It ($730)
While Green, Red, and Blue are most certainly the most festive holiday colors the Java-hue of this sleek piece of equipment is certainly the sexiest.

The Sanctuary: Read JS Review | Buy It ($130)
There’s no need to fumble around making sure you’ve got all the right power cords on hand anymore.  This electronics organizer contains a variety of chargers that are compatible with over 1500 devices.

Ardica PDA Warmers: Read JS Review | Buy It ($145)
Ardica PDA Warmers make sure trekkers don’t get left out in the cold when they’re out for days in frosty conditions. While it’s a plus that it keeps bodies warm, it’s really the ability to hold 11 cell phone charges and 20 iPod charges, as well as keep a precious GPS or PDA working, that puts this as a must-have on our holiday list.

Nappak Sleeping Cube: Read JS Review | Buy It
If you like taking naps anywhere you please but don’t think air mattresses afford you enough privacy, the Nappak allows you to avoid at least one side of the room. For total privacy, wedge it against the wall!

Everyone needs a good set of headphones. While Apple may talk up the standard iPod headphones, don’t believe them — they’re crap. If you live in any kind of urban area, you know how loud you have to turn up your iPod just to hear the song. Doing that for a couple years and we are talking hearing loss. I noticed this myself. Then the nice people at Atomic Floyd came along and released the AirJax headphones. I’ve used a few high-end head phones for the sake of avoiding hearing loss, noise canceling, etc. It was an improvement. But on the first listen with the Atomic Floyd I understood why they come with a £120 price tag. The AirJax headphones are made from special temperature treated AcousticSteel and Titanium2. Without going into the molecular structure of the headphones, let me just say they sound good. Damn good. Easily the best headphones I’ve ever used. One thing though: I use an iPhone and these are headphones only, i.e. no built in mic or play/pause button. I admit I do miss these features for my iPhone, but my ears feel so much better listening to music at half volume or less walking down the street. The Atomic AirJax headphones drop a full set of headphones in the U.K. in early December, just in time for Christmas. Check out their website for full sound specs and some nice beeps and bops.

Sure, you could waste your time making sure your belt matches your shoes. But it's 2008, and now it's time to make sure your headphones match your cell.

Following up on their hit limited edition Nokia WeSC 3250 phone in 2006, Swedish style gurus WeSC have again teamed up with Nokia for the launch of the new XpressMusic 5220 and 5320 phones. In a new “sound and color-coordinated collaboration”, WeSC has created headphones available in three colorways: metallic green, red, and blue. Their website goes beyond the traditional technical specs pitch into the science of color and sound, explaining that “broken down to its smallest component, the hue of a specific color is the result of its unique electromagnetic radiation – a frequency, or basically a rhythm. Sound is equally dependent on wave formations. The equivalent alphabet is the pitch of a sound, which in turn is its specific frequency.”

Long story short, music will sound way better if your headphones are the same color as your phone. Who knew? And here we thought you'd just look hot rocking metallic blue headphones.

This exclusive series is only being sold in select mobile stores and at WeSC concept stores in Scandinavia. Adding to the exclusivity factor, the headphones are only available with the purchase of one of the new Nokia XpressMusic phones and won't be sold separately. So, if anyone is hanging around Sweden right now, be sure to pick us up a pair.

A good pair of headphones should envelope your sense of hearing. Able Planet has mastered the art of noise cancellation with their Clear Harmony NC200 Audio headphones. The foldable and easily portable cups come equipped with Linx Audio technology, delivering clarity no matter the format. A little plus is that you can still use the headphones without the noise cancellation feature, which is battery powered. Pick them up here.

It’s like a glory hole … for your ears. Our Great White neighbor’s metro system has become the testing grounds for Pepsi’s new musical poster campaign. Agency BBDO has devised an interactive ad on Canadian subway cars (currently 100 cars in Toronto and Vancouver) that allow you to plug in (headphones not included) and get a taste of some brand new music. Ok, so the mariachi guys, conga players, and team of kids who pop n’ lock in the middle of the F train had this idea first, but those b-boy urchins aren’t trying to get you to visit Pepsiaccess.ca and download their artists. Where else can you find a captive audience that are all wearing earbuds?

Headphones can hurt. Those DJ style cups might sound great and make you look like an aficionado, but the cartilage in your ears feels the pain of prolonged use, and no matter how compact those ear buds are, the sound could always be better. Enter Coosh, headphones designed not only to fit comfortably and stay on, but to deliver high quality sound and look dope doing it. The adjustable ear-pieces come equipped with little pluses, like an inline mic for phone use and a right angle jack so that your music doesn’t stop dead when you accidentally yank at the cord (you know it’s happened to you a hundred times). Have a look at coosh.com

If there was any doubt that in the 21st century toys = bonafide art, Christie’s recent pop culture auction — including $625 vinyl figures from Huck Gee and Joe Ledbetter –settled it. Now, Phillips de Pury & Company is following suit with an urban art auction to be held in London on September 6th and in New York on October 25th. The selection of original works includes paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, mosaics, record covers and yes, toys, by urban street artists like Bansky, Blek le Rat, DFace, Faile, Shepard Fairey, KAWS, Dave Kinsey, Adam Neate, Barry Mcgee and Swoon.

While the full catalog won’t be made available until a week before the auction, PdP and Co. did drop a teaser: New York City-based Suckadelic created DJ Stormtrooper, an exclusive 12-inch Star Wars-based figure for the sale. The iconic mashup is 1:6 scale, wears a custom track suit, mini-headphones and spins his collection of records on a double turntable stand. DJ Stormtrooper is estimated to go for between £750 – 1000. This is on the low-end as compared to works from Brooklyn collective, Faile, which have estimates of £10,000 – 25,000.

Finally, this one goes out to all the elitists who like to debate “What is art?” Los Angeles’ Buff Monster, who has slapped his signature style of pink monsters, ice cream and squirting breasts on many toys, will be introduced to auction (eBay not inclusive) by PdP for the very first time.

Hulger — the London-based old skool phone masters (and MOMA exhibitors) who take your basic clunky ’70s handset and connect it to your sleek ‘08 mobile phone — have not stopped retrofitting our lives. Behold! The spankin’ new DJ adapter. Now you can take your P*, PIP*, or Penelope*Phone handsets to the club in lieu of headphones (seriously, you’re only using one ear anyway.) Hello? Yes. It’s for you. Something about a kick-ass DJ set that going to burn this mofo down? Pretty sweet.

Whether you're willing to call yourself a nerd or not, you've likely perused the pages of Gizmodo, one of the internet's favorite gadget guides. Reporting techie playthings at the rate of around 60 posts per day, Gizmodo employees chase dorky developments with all the frenzy of paparazzi, sharing their wired finds with hoards of daily visitors.

Currently translated into nine different languages, readers of Gizmodo don't have to speak binary to learn about the newest toys. With a staff of writers gifted at making dock connectors sound sexy – and Apple products practically pornographic – the pages of Gizmodo are loved by software developers and day traders alike, and serve to keep those in search of wit, wisdom, and the next best conversation starter happily satiated.

Heading up the Gizmodo revolution is Brian Lam, a Wired expat, known for his trade show disguise tactics and nerdy know-how. Read on as we learn why the internet is the new magazine, the blog is the new suburbia, and why Engadget can, uh, just call itself Pepsi.

Joshspear.com: What enticed you to leave Wired for your current position at Gizmodo?

Brian Lam: I got a lot of my content from blogs. That didn’t feel great.

JS: You've been the editor of Gizmodo for almost two years now. How has the site progressed in that time?

BL: I’d say there’s a lot more teamwork going on, and that’s helped us pass a lot of operations that work as a set of lone wolves. READ MORE…

Richly layered and refreshing, Ananda Project’s “Night Blossom” brings together a myriad of producers and artists to reinterpret their 2007 album, “Fire Flower.” With help from Grammy Award nominated J-Jay, Pasta Boys, Frankie Feliciano, and others, the deep house double CD set is enjoyable both on and of the dancefloor. Highlighting strong vocals and what I’d call multidimensional sound, the album is best enjoyed with a pair of good headphones. Though mostly remixed, the album also includes a few untouched classics as way to introduce newcomers, like myself, to the group. The album drops April 15.