One iPod nano, medium rare

We at Crave enjoy a good steak as much as anyone, but just the sight of this thing is enough to clog the arteries of the most dedicated carnivore. No ordinary iPod case, it's made to resemble Japan's famed Kobe beef.

It figures that this was made by SolidAlliance, the company that has brought us gems ranging from a disco ball mouse to a UFO-detecting strap. We've got to hand it to their detailed eye: Even the packaging resembles a real slab of beef, complete with a Styrofoam-looking tray and weight label with bar code.

And we appreciate that they chose a prime cut, rather than something trendy like skirt steak or pedestrian like top sirloin. The marbling looks excellent.

Via CNET Crave | Credit: GeekStuff4U

"Batphones" aren't for any winged crusaders

Remember the "Phonofone II"? The thing that looks like an antiquated ear trumpet? You'll never need it if this concept ever becomes a reality.

The "Batphones" appear to use the same kind of "passive amplification" theory--meaning that no electronics are involved, just a single piece of plastic, according to Audio Junkies. They're described as alternative hearing aids, though they could probably be used as natural amplifiers as well. But be aware: You won't be able to use these while wearing an "Office Collar" because you won't be able to fit both of them on your head at the same time.

Via CNET Crave | Credit: Yanko Design

A pen that sings while you write

As surprising as it may seem, one of the few combo pens we have not written about is an MP3 writing instrument. We were sure it would have been included somewhere in the pantheon of multi-tasking pens, which have been hitched with everything from cameras and DVRs to SD card readers and hot-spot finders.

Chinavasion's "MOQ MP3" is a ballpoint pen that's available with 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB of storage. Its four control buttons include one to tune an FM radio as well, according to Gizmodiva. But until they figure out a way to include aromatherapy, we'll have to pass.

Via CNET Crave

Tetris, now on the silver screen

We know the game Tetris has come a long way, but we never thought it would make it this far. Tetris--The Movie? Watch this Internet spoof by Black20 and you'll understand. According to the producers, the Tetris blocks shown in the trailer are actual models shot against a green screen. No 3D animation was used in the 144-second clip. The trailer, set against a catchy soundtrack, is actually pretty awesome even though the plot is a little lame. Someone dies from a crashing Tetris. Brother seeks revenge. Enter female love interest. Sidekick attempts to dissuade hero. We'll leave you to guess the ending.

Via CrunchGear | Picture screengrab from trailer

Clari-fi headphone adapter cleans up your music

This is probably one of those products where you have to try to be convinced. Apparently, the makers of Clari-fi Music claim the headphone adapter can improve the clarity and richness of MP3 files and other compressed digital audio files, even helping to reduce ear fatigue, especially at top volumes.

This is supposedly achieved by a technology that draws from the signal source to perform real-time compression of digital audio, and thus removing the digital artifacts in the song.

We only wished the Clari-fi Music headphone adapter was smaller and sleeker for portability. A black option would have been nice, too, to go with non-iPod earphones. Still, it sounds like an interesting product that will appeal to music enthusiasts who'll probably be willing to fork out the US$59.95 for one. The Clari-fi Podcast, which is optimized for listening to Podcasts, goes for US$49.95.

Via Slashgear
Picture credit: Slashgear

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