Ladybugs are known for being lucky and making your garden look great. Element Skateboards are known for pumping out slick-looking boards for pro and amateur skateboarders alike. And now the two have been brought together for a new line of iPod docks by Element. The docks feature speakers that open like the wings of a ladybug and while some of the docks - available at Vestalife’s online shop are standard, but spiffier, iPod docks that play music, charge your iPod, etc. - others are one-off art pieces available on eBay that are for merely sitting there and looking good.

Either way, all proceeds from the docks designed by thirteen Element/VestaLife artists - including Aaron Martinez, Craig Metzger, and Dan Severson - help kids attend their Element YMCA Skateboard Camp that otherwise couldn’t afford it. So, while they may not give you any extra boost of luck when you try to land more nollies or kickflips, at least you’ll make someone else feel lucky this summer.

Your iPod is a vital organ. It contains the music and video essential to your everyday existence and sits comfortably in the palm of your hand or wherever you keep it. While your other vital organs are protected by at least your epidermal layer, your iPod isn't quite as safe. If you've chosen to protect it at all there's a chance you're doing so with a flimsy cloth pouch provided by the manufacturer. Could you imagine protecting your spleen that way? To help you protect your vital technological organ we recommend The Tinbot. These iPod cases are made of impact resistant tin of the highest quality and have padding lined insides, not to mention headphone and charging ports. While your iPod is snug and safe inside, it's always stylish on the outside as these cases are adorned with designs from art world luminaries like toy designers MAD, SKET-ONE, and Christopher Lee; DC Comics master JOCK, as well as Urban Artists Parra, Kurt Ketchum and 7Sleepr. If that doesn't add enough flava for your eyes, there's also a white matte Tinbot case that you can customize yourself. Paint it like an Altoids case to confuse potential thieves.

Orbino, the Italian Company that lives to cover iPhones in tanned Tuscan leathers, just released a new hand-stitched case for the iPod Touch. Called the Corsa, the new skin comes in several colors and a richly stained wood, and carries the same features as Urbino’s other premium cases. Unlike many if the iSomething cases out there, Urbino’s skins respect the already elegant contours of Apple products, making your phone or music player look extra sleek instead of extra safe. Check out the full line here.

I have some first pressings of David Bowie albums on vinyl, graciously bequeathed to me from my uncle, but my annoying OCD and penchant for worrying have kept me from playing them, because I’m afraid of the scratches that might attack. Instead I’ll listen to burned CD versions, grumbling like an old lady about how much better sounding the LP version I have in the closet is. No surprise — it’s a complaint shared among stalwart vinyl lovers. But hooray, hooray, the LP-to-iPod Converter is finally going to change the vinyl versus digital debate. It’s designed as a turntable-slash-iPod dock that makes it easy turning your vinyl into digital files, all the while keeping the original quality of the record intact. You could also hook it up instead to your computer directly and use the included software to remove imperfections, but I can’t guess why you’d want to do that. Put in your orders now; the converter ships on December 20th for $260, maybe just in time for Christmas for a vinyl-loving boy/girlfriend who will love you forever as a result when they unwrap this.

A mere 4 months ago, we told you about the ultra-thin ultra-colorful iPod Cases from Shades, but 4 months ago there were no such things as the iPod Nano 3G and the iPod classic. Now we’re pleased to announce that the folks at Shades are keeping up with Joneses, if the Joneses were iPods and therefore have come up with a new line of said ultra-thin, ultra-colorful cases for the brand new line of Apple audio amusement appliances. While probably not as colorful as the music you listen to, the cases are available in 10 vivid “shades” (9 for the Nano 3G) from clearly original to serene green to hot pink, so you’ll certainly have no problem being noticed as you rock on down the block. And if making slick safe shells for your musical machinery wasn’t enough the Shades team is also charitable towards your cause offering a free iPod case with every 100th case ordered, a free 8GB iPod Nano 3G to the 1000th case ordered, and an 8GB iPhone to the 2,007th case that is ordered through their website. Now, if that don’t beat all.

Warning: do not pop Contexture’s cassette tape nano cases into your boombox hoping to hear all of those sweet tunes you taped off the radio back in 1985, because they don't work like that; while they may look like the tapes you used to record hits like El Debarge's Rhythm of the Night and Prince's Let's Go Crazy off your favorite Top 40 station, you'd have a hard time producing any sound from these audio ancestors. However, if you do own an (older-gen) iPod Nano and happen to have said sweet tunes on your playlist, feel free to rock out with your fancy new technology placed snugly inside one of these shelled-out former cassette tapes and feel the beat of the Rhythm of the Night all day or as Lionel Richie would have recommended, all night long.

swissmiss via Core77

The trend towards designer speakers that focus on aesthetics rather than technical specifications seems to be growing. I am not sure how NXT does it, but they continue to find companies to create with “innovative” ways to use their flat speaker technology. The latest comes from a company out of Switzerland called XOUNTS, which offers wireless speakers with a choice of “skins” for the ultimate in chic home decor. The 2.1 system even packs in a light source which, when lit, reminds me of Chinese lanterns…except these play music and naturally, there’s also a wireless iPod option available. Pretty sweet.

At any given time I have between fifteen and forty playlists that I actively listen to, each of them slightly different and tailored to fit exactly what mood I’m in, and generally the only time I actually share these with other people is when I’m tending bar and playing the iPod-DJ. Every now and then, though, I get inspired and/or get in one of those sappy-generous moods and start making mixtapes (okay, more like mix-zips or mixcds, but you get my point) for people left and right — a lovely tradition originally started by my friends Angela and Eric. I shared a playlist with you earlier this summer, and it got such a great response that I thought I’d do it again. This one’s a mix of some artists I consider go-to’s (The Wrens, Cold War Kids, Built to Spill) and some amazingly terrific new stuff pilfered from the goodness that is Peel (Spoon, Pinback, John Vanderslice). My full playlist is after the jump; you know what to do in the comments*.

*Addendum: You’re supposed to go ahead and post a playlist of your own. Sorry for the confusion.
(Read More…)

I immediately realized my mistake yesterday as I settled in a cab heading downtown after leaving the IILWY office to meet Josh for dinner. I’d left behind both my iPod and brand new (and rather pricey) headphones behind, which generally means I will not, under any circumstances, get on the subway to come back to Brooklyn. After confirming that I had, in fact, left them there (also reconfirming that sometimes, I’m a total idiot) and deciding turning around was not an option, I mentally budgeted out cab fare back to Park Slope because in that sense, I am a total snob.

My self-annoyance was briefly replaced with amusement this morning when I saw Anna Tascha Larrson’s earphone lariats. Available in both gold and silver, they reminded me of the old adage, “you’d forget your head if it wasn’t screwed on.” Because that, I would. The best part is they’re androgynous enough — in a totally awesome way — to be worn by both guys and girls. (I’m totally digging her “I’m With Stupid —>” necklace as well. So hot.)

via Fashionista

I’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of the inaugural line of iPod-protecting Styles from People Like Us for sometime now, and it looks like they’re finally here. Jeremy Somers, a member of the Spear Collective and head of People Like Us has been working hard, and it looks like — once again — the Aussie didn’t disappoint. With so many iPod protectors on the market, do we really need more? I think so, because Styles aren’t your ordinary boring skins, and are not only made from non-destructive vinyl adhesive for protection, but also boast original art from a slew of some of our favorites– Chuck Anderson, Hejz, and Electric Heat (’Bad Horsey’ design shown above), to name a few. They’re available in an impressively wide selection of designs for most of the iPod and iPod Nano chassis for about $15 USD.

We’re probably all too young to remember Nipper, the charming little terrier and spokesdog for the RCA Corporation’s phonographs and Victrolas. You can see from his posture that he’s absolutely fascinated by the disembodied noise coming from the bell of the machine. Weren’t we all?

Before 1877 when Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, sound was not recorded. You had to go to the symphony to hear music. From his father (my grandfather, not Thomas Edison’s father), my dad inherited an old Victor Victrola that you had to crank by hand to make spin. It must have been a marvel at the time…and now you just have to click your iPod off “hold.” There are no more grooves, needles or tubes — just electricity. We’ve come a long way. We’re not Nippers anymore because we’re so used to being able to hear what we want when we want to. But for all of the convenience, it’s easy to forget that sound has to come from somewhere.

That’s a long preamble to explain why I like the Phonophonics II from Science & Sons so much (props to Core 77). You connect your ipod—or any other headphone device—to the Phonophonics II and, using nothing but genius acoustic design (no electricity, no “speakers,” no cables), it transforms the whispering buzz of the headphones to a full sound. The Phonophonics II is limited edition, it looks fantastic, and it might just reintroduce you to the physical nature of music. Here’s hoping, anyhow.

–Dan Steckenberg

I wish I would have known about the iPod cases from Shades when I was buying my Nano. Alas, I elected for this nylon contraption with a (supposedly) removable belt clip to protect my 8G of MP3 goodness. I staved off buyer’s remorse for a time by rationalizing that the belt clip would come in handy at the gym…ahem. Suffice to say, the thing is bulky and ugly. Not so, however, with the cases offered by Shades, they are slim and come in a variety of eye-pleasing colors — even pink, for those of you into that kind of thing. The slim profile and transparent window in the case will protect your iPod from scratches yet retain that sleek look we’ve all come to know and love. The case can remain on your iPod at all times - even when you have it docked. Plus, here’s the best part: the price tag on these lovelies is very, very reasonable. If only everything in life was so straightforward.

Say goodbye to the P2P music gathering hassle and hello to LaLa's new online music library. You might recall LaLa as the CD trading, artist aiding, music site that aimed to change the way consumers trade old music. With a freshly updated site, LaLa is stepping up their online presence by providing users a way to listen to and share all their iTunes and digital music online. That's right: LaLa will sync all the music from your iPod and music library to an online account that users can access from any computer with an internet connection. In addition, you can grab music from other users and add it to your online library allowing you to keep expanding your listening selection, free! As if that weren't enough, you can also purchase new digital music at up to 30% less than Amazon or iTunes and side load it straight to your iPod from the site. We are really excited about this next step in LaLa's evolution and the way they are changing the way we use the internet for music.

This week has brought us some of the most gorgeous weather we’ve had so far this week in NYC, and something that marks a definite shift in season for me, personally, is when I trade the typical winter depressive-type playlist (I can generally gauge how bad things are by how much Eliott Smith and Death Cab I’m listening to) for material that’s a bit more…fun. Summery. The type that makes me bounce a little more than usual when I’m walking down the street. The stuff that you’d listen to whilst barbecuing with friends, or drinking beer on some stoop in Brooklyn, watching kids play in open fire hydrants.

My current playlist is after the jump, and in Talk Shop Friday tradition, go ahead and add yours in the comments.
(Read More…)

In today’s fast-paced world, young Catholics are finding it hard to slow down enough to say the rosary. The Catholic staple, wherein “we say fifteen decades or tens of Hail Mary’s with an Our Father between each ten, while at each of these fifteen decades we recall successively in pious meditation one of the mysteries of our Redemption” is apparently thought to be monotonous (no way!) by the young faithful. In order to address this pressing issue, a “critical concept design” has emerged in the shape of the iRosary, which attempts to make the rosary more attractive and flexible for younger believers. The iRosary converts the iPod’s white headphones into a hybrid prayer bead that can be shifted and then heard as an “audio bead” during prayers, which are themselves monitored via the iPod’s integrated calendar. As an added bonus, the iRosary accommodates for various degrees of piousness by allowing users to choose between three settings: “Infidel,” which recites the entire prayer for the listener to follow along to; “Believer,” which only displays the right prayer in the mode; and “Shepherd,” which allows the user to listen to music and hear the sound of the beads. Hmm, I’m getting a little overwhelmed by all the iEverythings these days- plus, according to the iRosary, I am an infidel. What do you think, readers? Too much, or totally brilliant?