Fatman iTube 452: It's a series of tubes!

When you hear the word "iTube," you're probably more likely to assume it's the name of a grossly self-obsessed version of YouTube. But you'd be wrong, as fans of Fatman--the company, not the game--would tell you. The iTube 452 is in fact Fatman's uber-stylish new valve amplifier and it comes with the ValveDock for seamless integration with iPods.

Valve amps claim to offer a warmer, more natural musical sound than that from today's common transistor-based amplifiers, and they're often favored by audiophiles. With the iPod's arguably good sound quality and support for lossless audio formats, combining them with a valve amp makes a lot of sense.
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What Ripley would look like as an iPod

This is the ideal iPod dock for those who carry gear such as the Hummer phone to reinforce their fragile masculine egos. Kind of an MP3 version of the Makita MR100, the 10-pound "Construction Radio" is equally comfortable in the workshop or a demolition site for a 40-story high-rise. Indeed, it looks something like a "HyperBike" for the media player, or maybe a scaled-down version of Ripley's power loader from Aliens.

It comes with a built-in spotlight, SD card slot, dual power outlets, and an AM-FM radio in addition to a fortified iPod dock, according to T3, so you can enjoy your favorite Broadway show tunes while wielding a power saw. And if you're adding the latest songs from High School Musical 3 through its USB port, we have the perfect flash drive for it.

Via CNET Crave

Allen Iverson gets his own Zune, too

Joy Division isn't the only one that's trying to get the timing just right for a special-edition Zune. Allen Iverson's people are apparently hoping to do the same with their own exclusive version of Microsoft's media player now that his Denver Nuggets have barely secured the last spot in the NBA playoffs.

An etching of the superstar will appear on the back of a limited-edition 8GB Zune packaged with a pair of Reebok shoes called the "Answer XI Zune," according to CrunchGear. Weird.

Only 60 of these special bundles will be sold at a yet-unknown price, but that may be plenty if the Nuggets don't make it past the first round. (What is it about Zunes and shoes, anyway?)

Via CNET Crave

Microsoft to release a Joy Division Zune

If you're a big Joy Division fan, I've got good news for you--unless of course you're also a huge iPod fan. Microsoft is set to release a limited edition Joy Division Zune on June 10, to coincide with an upcoming DVD about the band. The player will feature an etching of the cover art from band's 1979 debut, Unknown Pleasures. Perhaps Microsoft will even throw in a digital copy of the album, though there is nothing to substantiate this postulating. There are no images available of the new Zune just yet, but my subpar mock-up at right might give you some idea. Or look below for an image of New Balances of a similar nature that came out around this time last year.



Via CNET Crave

How to manage a mansion's worth of music

Only a few days ago our minds were still reeling at the thought of Qsonix's latest media system and its 1.5 terabytes of storage. Now we learn that competitor from Sooloos dwarfs that capacity with up to 3 terabytes of glorious space to store your music.

Like its rival, the Sooloos system is controlled by a 17-inch touch screen that manages the media collection, according to Gadget Venue. And where the Qsonix controls four zones throughout the house, this apparatus can handle 32 of them across an Aaron Spelling-sized estate.

As if that weren't enough, it can be expanded even further with wired or wireless "micro controls" with 7-inch screens. If your needs exceed these levels, however, you may need professional help of a different kind.

Via CNET Crave | Credit: Sooloos

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