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Anyone know how the Griffin SmartDeck works? It appears to be a cassette deck adaptor that can respond to (changes in tension?) cassette deck commands, and relay them to an iPod.

The iPod shuffle (and the even cheaper thumbdrive form-factor MP3 players with drag-and-drop) is proof that you don't need much internal space to make an MP3 player.

Once upon a time, the Mobiblu folks (yeah, the same guys who did the 1-inch-cube MP3 player) built a player into the form of a cassette adaptor.

I'd like to wedge the Griffin SmartDeck's ability to use the tape player's controls into the form factor of the MobiBLU DAH-220 form factor, perhaps with the buttons carved into the shell of the "tape". No staticy FM-adaptor stuff. No dangly wires.

Something like this (or the sequel, here), but without the problems that caused this guy to give up and end up with a more dangly solution?

As far as I can tell, some tape decks respond well to this sort of treatment, and some require that the tape adaptor have the full-size gears/etc. to maintain proper tension.

The ideal product would fit in the tape's form factor, and use the tape's built-in buttons. No need to teach the old dogs any new tricks - it'd just work like a 900-minute cassette tape capable of infinitely-fast fast-forward/rewind, that would never break. (Every 5-10 hours, you'd eject the "tape", carry it inside with you, and recharge it (and fiddle with the music on it) by means of USB.)

Anyone ever tried this, and if so, how far did you get?

First, I don't believe the original poster did much research before posting this Ask Slashdot article. For example, Griffin makes an FM tuner for the iPod.

However, it must be said that of all the choices so far, iTunes allows the consumer to do the most with the music they purchased, and has been rewarded by consumers for their actions - to the tune of controlling 85% of the market in portable digital players and online music.

Because of this dominance in the market place, more and more people are realizing that to get a piece of this market, they are going to have to go through Apple. This is why you are seeing the ROKR, iPod branded speakers (complete with iPod docks), and iPod docks being built into new automobiles. How many manufacturers are providing great accessories for other mp3 players, including recharging stations and integration with other established products? It is clear to anyone who has been following this market that the future is iPod, iTunes, and Apple.

Oh, and as for that Macintosh you want to buy next year? You will be happy to know that you will be able to play your WMV files on it.

The AirClick now comes in a dock connector version.

A Shuffle in an iVault is probably about as close to indestructible as any portable electronics appliance ever made, excepting submersion.

Now what with more and more (top end) car manufacturers building Bluetooth into their cars for Hands-Free Mobile use, using the Stereo, why not have a "bTrip" (er - "iTooth"?) that connects automatically to the car Stereo as well. That'd sure be neat!

One person's sheer opinion, I suppose.

Weasel out of fixing them? I took my iPod to the Apple store near me and as my iPod was under warranty, they replaced it right there in the store, a model they hadn't sold for 10 months. Out of warranty low battery replacement iPods (every battery wears out with repeated use, obviously) will cost you $59... to get a whole new iPod of the type you originally owned. They call it their "Battery replacement program".

Tens of millions of us think it's a triumph of both substance with style. From iTunes to my ears, it's an easy, very well thought out process that is extremely intuitive. It does what it does, and does it the best. I can add things as I see fit later, or not. I like that choice. The iPod has by far the widest array of accesories than any other player on the planet. If I feel like I need a radio, and would even like to record the audio, I can. Keeping it as simple and as intuitively easy as possible is the core. That's part of Apple's mantra, and we should be thankful for them filling the void...

You need to get this, it'll solve your problem:
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/radiosha rk/index.php

'Bet they don't like this...

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/radiosha rk/index.php

Seriously, for me the downside of the Nano is the lack of FM tuner. Mp3's are great, but sometimes you just want to listen to radio.

Looks like you need one of these. The only radio shows I have any interest in listening to are on when I'm asleep or at work; this solves both problems.

If Apple had to scrap firewire from the Nano, either for price or space restrictions, how are they going to add an AM/FM radio? How about all of us, who are the majority I'd assume, who absolutely never want to deal with the staticy medium known as radio ever again? Why should we pay for the desires of a small few when you will be more than happy with something like an iRiver anyway?

Besides, the very nature of navigating radio voids the simplicity of the iPod's interface anyway. AM, FM, frequency scanning, memory presets. Integrating a radio would mean adding a UI for it that totally contradicts the rest of the iPod's navigation menus in logic.

Do you really think Apple fails to include a tuner because of FM piracy? The same people lame enough to record a song, crossfaded with another, and with a DJ yapping over it from the radio will load their favorite p2p app and get a clean copy in 2 minutes.

I record NPR and PRI shows via RealAudio streams to .m4b (bookmarkable AAC) using Audio Hijack Pro on a Mac mini. I used to use Total Recorder Pro on Windows. TRP worked, but AHP has better auto-naming facilities so I can be lazy about deleting old stuff & still find the new. It also is able to "hijack" just RealPlayer's PCM output so I can use the computer for other audio stuff. TRP pretends to be a soundcard driver, so any other audio is recorded too.

Finding a stream with a high enough bitrate to sound good that stays up during a popular show like Car Talk is tricky, but doable.

I'll be switching to an FM tuner with an outdoor Winegard PR-6000 aimed at KQED and an Edirol UA-1A (out of production so I've linked the similar UA-1EX).

Outdoor antennas are cheap. A good chimney mount is going to double my cost, but the total is still cheaper than an indoor Terk & it'll actually work. If the PR-6000 or PR-5030 can't pull in that distant station Antenna Performance Specialties makes what many claim are the best around. $219 for the APS-13 might seem like a lot, but compared to an Audible.com or Sirius subscription, it's not too bad & a good strong FM signal sounds pretty good below 15kHz. I'm tempted to get one of these just for pure outrageousness of a 200" boom, but it's overkill for KQED from Santa Cruz-- need a rotor to really justify it.

I'll be using a cool 70's brushed-aluminum-faceplate Kenwood KT-5300 with analog "big knob" tuning that I got for $30 before I found the crazy FM DXers page that reviews every old radio & has info or links on tweaking them for better selectivity.

If I end up wanting to record another station, rather than getting a Radio Shark and hacking on an external antenna connector, I plan to just get more tuners & switch them with a repurposed Keyspan USB->serial adapter and some relays.

iPod! Griffin Technology's iTrip. And it does F.M, so no funny business like being tied down by distance! From the Apple Store - "...the coolest iPod accessory in the world."

Looking to broadcast your tunes around the house? We look at a product that does that without the hassles of wires

Like an FM transmitter?

Georgia Tech uses this device for some intro Physics Classes and some CS Classes.

The device we use iPRS uses just a simple infrared signal. In a class with 300+ Students there are several readers mounted in different parts of the room since the device has a relatively short range.

• No more than one person can submit an answer at any time (thus you have to keep trying to send it until it goes through, you see your name/number change color).
• You have the possibility to change you answer a certain number of times.
• The software is available in the lecture pc's and easily analyzable.
• The device will send a short message that includes: ID # of the Reader & Answer specified

The PRS response was required as part of the grade for the class (10%). A group of us (CS Majors) started thinking on ideas on how to around this. The first solution we implemented (Before we were able to translate the IR message into clear text) involved "recording" each of the answers from our group, thus one person sitting in the class could answer for all of us through his laptop. We later switched to an IR-Equipped Ipod.

That was ok but the person answering did not always answer the correct question (answering correctly gave you extra points). We were later able to decode the messages from the IR signal. And that's where things got fun.

We placed a laptop sitting nearby one of the "sensors" (end of white strip, on wall) and just analyze all the data coming live. We had about 30-60 seconds to answer thus we could analyze the data up to 25 - 55 seconds, estimate what the most "popular" answer was and then submit all of ours answers at the last second. That gave us almost 100% accuracy since whenever the class erred, the professor would step back, re-explain the problem and then see if the answer was right.

We used iPods, laptops and a CS-classroom-issued-Ipaq. The ipaq would eventually analyze the data through it's own high speed IR port and then send out our "responses" through a mp3 file (that came out of the IR device).

Also: the system is usecure, it is easy to skew the statistics by introducing new users to the system or to overwrite your ex gf's answer.

Although there was very little benefit, beating the system felt good!

Found the remote control at http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/airclick /index.php, thanks for the tip.

However, the receiver is a cumbersome apparatus connected via USB. I'd like to see it integrated like an Airport or Bluetooth card.

So you can run software like this without needing a peripheral.

I would kill for a Powerbook with knobs on it.

As it is I don't mind using a few of these, but you know, it seems logical to me that small well-engineered knobs are an obvious addition to the Powerbook cult ..

Like this?

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/icurve/i ndex.php

Not that I want to criticise, but for only ~20 UKP I got a really nice removable stand for my PowerBook, the iCurve which I think is a really good solution (even if it was over priced for a lump of clear plastic).

I got this for use at work, where I use it with a nice big monitor, with a 'normal' keyboard and mouse (the idea being that it's better for my back/posture in particular, also because it allows me to see the second screen on the PowerBook - on which I usually stick an IRC window on - at eye level).

I would think it's more cost effective and more convenient (particularly as it can be moved) to by one of the available stands than spend time making a fixed one.

Never mind licensing. What about competing products that are almost identical, and already on the market? The store that I'm working at right now offers this for sale for 100 CAD, and it's damn near identical.

"I have an HP laptio (Pavilioin ZV5000) and I have tried several Linux distros..."

Haha.

I feel for you. I have the exact same laptop (the Pentium 4 2.8 one, not the AMD64 one). Anyways, the wireless drivers drove me nuts for an hour, but I was surprised to see that Ubuntu came with ndiswrapper already compiled into the kernel which saved me a far bit of time.

About the sound in Ubuntu (I assume it will probably be the same deal with Mandrake?). I don't know why you're having a hard time to get it working. I'm using 5.04 and sound worked for me (using ALSA); hell, it even worked with my Griffin USB iMic. The trick to get the headphones to work is to open the Volume Control panel (in GNOME), select the second tab in the dialog (Input, or something like that?) and slide the first slider all the way down to the bottom then go back to the first tab and slide that slider all the way up (or to a "decent" level). The speaker icon in the taskbar will show that the speakers are muted (and they are), but your headphones will now work. If you want the speakers to work, simply reverse the process.

I wish I could have gave you a more definite answer, but I'm not sitting infront of my laptop right now. :/

Good luck, though.

There is a PowerPod?

I'm looking for a low-cost DAC/ADC chip for SP/DIF, something that takes audio and produces SP/DIF, and vice versa. If it can use fixed modes and doesn't require a uC that would be great.

The Phillips UDA1355H looks like what I want, but Phillips doesn't even list availability information, and DigiKey and Mouser say either nothing or non-stock, which leads me to think that the chip doesn't exist.

Does anybody have anything like this?

I already know about PCM2902 USB DAC project, and while that's useful (similar to the Griffin iMic) it's the opposite of what I want.

Tabbed browsing is irritating because it throws off window management.

I honestly have no idea why you think this. Maybe you have very different browsing habits than I do but I find tabbed browsing makes my life much easier. As others have mentioned, Ctrl-Tab works great for navigating tabs.

Anyway, if you have a few bucks one to spare, one really nice way to navigate tabs is with a Griffin PowerMate. I set up so that twisting to the right sends Ctrl-Tab thus moving through successive tabs to the right and twisting left sends Ctrl-Shift-Tab moving through tabs to the left. Pushing the button closes the tab. (I also have push-twist set up to go forward/backward) This lets me do most browing without ever needing to touch the keyboard and makes navigating tabs very fast. Plus you can use it for other things in different applications. Haven't got it running on my linux box though I understand there are some third party drivers available.

And no I'm not affiliated in any way with Griffin Technologies. Just recommending a product I've found useful.

And yet most cds with 'decent' music on them are recorded and mastered in the analog domain and sound pretty much like crap anyway.

I should really look into Griffin Technologies, as they're based here in Nashville. Seems like a neat company, despite the preponderance of Apple-styled peripherals.

how's this?. No digital in or out, unfortunately

If you didn't notice, both iPods are female (hence the need to a "dock"). Therefore offspring are not possible without artificial insemination - perhaps Griffin or Belkin can locate a donor?

When OS X came, everyone in the Linux/BSD camp said "Cool, the best and smartest thing to do for a vendor - take OSS and build and polish it around your plattform." And everyone said they'd wait until OS X has lost it's glitches and matured. This has happend with Panther. That's why everyone who needs to get 'computer stuff done' with zero hassle and no hardware compatibility problems is flocking towards Apples OS X. Including me.
x86 Linux is gaining ground here in germany. Corporations are pondering the alternatives to MS left, right and center, while just the other day a guy at Saturn, a german mass market electronics chain, told me that the mac mini is selling like hot cakes with iMacs going away in its wake and that they'll stock up seriously on mac games within the next few weeks because of that. They currently have two mac compliant games in stock and plan to have 30 in stock by the end of next month!
It's as I've said earler: Linux from below, OS X from above. We have some interesting times ahead of us in IT.
... Now if you excuse me, I gotta get going and try out frame skimming on Blender with my new Griffin Powermate I just got for my iBook today. :-)

Well, you get some of your wish. The iPod has a laser pointer and a flashlight available for it.

The Griffin Radio Shark is like a basic Tivo for radio. So, if you can identify some radio shows you think are worth listening to, you can set this to automatically record it, so you can listen to it at your convenience.

I use the MacOS version, but I assume the Windows software is similar. I schedule the programs I want to record, and it captures them, converts them to AAC, and adds them to an iTunes playlist. So, when I next synch my iPod, it pulls all the radio shows over.

I mostly record NPR shows.. my personal favorite is "This American Life" on Saturdays. Car Talk is an amusing show, Science Friday often has interesting topics, and Fresh Air is a daily show that sometimes has excellent guests.

Nah, instead of a Pan wheel, they'll sell a Lit Knob like the Powermate for scrolling. Because more LED light means it's faster

I was thinking more of a virtual snow globe, but you're on to something. With two of these you could have that etchasketch experience right on the desktop.

Finally! My Powerbook can be an etch-a-sketch. You could even get two of these for the knobs, if you're really into it...

2) While I don't need or use it, using mp3 players as audio recorders for lectures, concerts, note taking is an extremely popular feature.

The problem I see is output quality. I have tried several laptops' headphone jacks for sound quality,

I'd be very interested if somebody can suggest an automated dynamic range equalizer that's linux compatible!!

Use a Griffin PowerMate

Belkin external battery pack

Both Belkin and Griffin offer voice recorder attachments, but I don't think the quality would be comparable to minidisc recording - more suited to lectures than concerts. This review also mentions that there is a generic microphone adapter, but I think you may still be limited to low sample rate WAV recording.

You're going to want something like this ADB->USB adapter which lists for $39. For that price, you can probably buy a decent USB keyboard and mouse.

Froogle for lower prices on the iMate.

A question: can a Mac mouse/keyboard from an old G3 system be used with the Mini?

If your old G3 is beige, then you have ADB. You will need an USB-ADB adapter, such as this one. If your system is the Blue & White tower, then you already have USB, you will not need any kind of adapter.

For everyone else in the PC world, virtually every USB keyboard and mouse will work out of the box. Right-clicking brings up contextual menus as you would expect, and the scroll wheel scrolls pages, etc. If you have a PS/2 mouse/keyboard, then you will need an adapter to USB like this one.

The gPort supports OS X for midi no problem.

http://www.griffintechnology.com/software/software _serial.html

Apparently the modem is a separate board, similar to the PowerMacs and iMacs. I wonder if Griffin will release a new version of the gPort to support Midi on the Mini.
http://griffintechnology.com/products/gport/

I know it's not so convenient as having digital out built in, but look at this:

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/firewave /index.php

I'm happy that Apple have left the choice of whether to spend on digital audio out up to the buyer, rather than ramp the price of the mini.

Uh, no, Ohreally, the Mac Mini doesn't have audio in. That'll teach you to be so damn condescending all the time. Oh well, I guess I'd hypothetically need to purchase a Griffin iMic adapter for my hypothetical voice commanded automotive mac set up.

Then I suggest you read the Griffin site a bit more thoroughly. They sell a cassette adapter for the iPod named the Smartdeck, which uses your car stereo's controls to control the iPod. It's not wireless, but it's clever, and connects an iPod to a car stereo with a minimum of fuss...

Link here: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/smartdec k/index.php

They automagically upped my shipping from $6 ground to $10 2nd day air without my approval though. Watch your shipping charge.

Oh yeah, they say it'll ship in Q2 2005.

The FireWave looks better for home theater because it has 5.1 surround sound support.

The M-Audo Transit is good for stereo in/out, but the iMic adapter is half the price.

• use line in: iMic
• get a video card with TV out for HTPC use: get the optional S-video/composite video out
• get optical audio out so i can watch DVDs in surround sound: Sonica Theater (also supplies a line in)
• cheaply add wireless or bluetooth: get any cheap USB bluetooth/wireless adapter you want
• add any PCI cards i like: got me there I suppose
• install a TV tuner card in it: get something from El Gato instead

Shall I go on?

> I can't plug in my microphone or stereo in the Mac since Apple decided to skip the line in... Get an iMic for the microphone. $30. There's a headphone hack, plug/adapt that into your stereo.

look what's coming out...

There are a buncha them, ranging from the ubiquitous Griffin iMic up to big-bucks multi-channel Firewire rigs.

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