The weather is getting warm, so you know what that means – more pretty and portable speakers are going to start popping up. iLuv, has announced that the iSP100 Mini Portable Stereo Speaker for iPod, iPhone 3G, 2G and MP3 Players is now available in pink, purple, silver and black. There is nothing really new here except the spring-like colors, but we’ll give you the lowdown again on the iSP100′s specs. Trying to not sound like some cheap tinny external speaker, the iSP100 features jAura Acoustic Speaker technology with 720° surround sound 4W Speakers, and a 3.5mm jack for unlimited connectivity. The palm size speaker comes with a carrying case for protection and storage and only requires three AAA batteries for it to work. The iLuv iSP100 Mini Portable retails for $34.99, expect to see them on a beach blanket near you.

I guess those who make plush toys are really not thinking about the dogs anymore but the humans who are buying them. I mean how else would you explain headphones and radio shaped plush toys. I am impressed with the details of both the Snoop Dogg Pets Plus Headphones and Snoop Dogg Pets Plus Boom-box but honestly do we need our pets to chew on everything that looks real…

Can’t afford a real DeLorean time machine for yourself? Here is the next best thing. The Back to the Future II DeLorean Vehicle is an exclusive from Entertainment Earth. It’s got special wheels that pop up for “flight mode”, the wheels also spin, the gull-wing doors open, and it has got electronic lights and sounds to complement all this action. The description even says that the car can fit in 3 3/4 inch scale action figures such as Hasbro’s G.I. Joes and Star Wars lines. Hey, at least your action figures will be able to time travel now. The Exclusive Back to the Future II DeLorean Vehicle is up for preorder for $34.99.

Ever been to a party and everyone is having a good time and then suddenly a conversation comes up that sparks an uncomfortable silence? Well theCRICKETtoy is just the perfect thing to press when that type of situation arises. Press it and the sound of crickets begins to play. It’s a great prop too when talking about someone who may not be the brightest – theCRICKETtoy says it all without saying anything. The best part is the price, currently you can snag one for $5.00 on the website unpackaged.

Design:
The Lubix NC1 Bluetooth headset is designed to not only be wearable as a necklace but also be customizable to your taste. Lubix offers consumers a chance to create a skin for their pair of Lubix NC1 headphones and you can choose from predetermined designs or you can create one yourself.  The skin itself is of good quality since the folks behind Skinit are behind it, so we were more than pleased. The pair we tested actually had two skins included which was a nice touch.

The Lubix NC1 headset may look a bit out there since the earphone pieces are a bit on the large size. However, they are designed this way because of all the jog button controls that are located on the left earphone. The headset is held in place together magnetically in a form that resembles a pendant. The two pieces easily pull apart when you are ready to use them. Once you are done using your phone for the moment, then just bring the two parts together and they will seal closed magnetically.  The necklace cable is comfortable to wear and you can adjust the choker for neckband length. Included in the package is a manual, large/small eartips, USB adapter, and USB cable.

Setup:
Like any typical Bluetooth headset, the first thing that needs to be done is for the device to be paired. There are no batteries that need to be inserted but the device does need to be charged. Once the charging was completed, the next logical step is obviously to pair the device with your cellphone. I was using the new Blackberry 8900 Curve and turned on the Bluetooth feature to begin searching for Bluetooth devices in the area. Immediately I switched on the headset and held in the Talk/3D Sound button on the Lubix NC1 and the blue LED started to flash to indicate the pairing had begun. The Lubix NC1 was picked up immediately and I paired both devices. Now both the audio and phone calls would be heard and received by the device.

Features:

A key selling point of the Lubix Bluetooth headset is the stereo quality with 3D sound effects. I was impressed with the sound quality overall considering this is not a dedicated pair of headphones. The sound was of decent quality and when you switched on the 3D sound effects it only enhanced the aural experience. The different options consist of lowering the noise in the background of the song, delivering music that gives the impression of a live performance, or enhancing the vocals. With each effect you could hear a difference, which again I did appreciate for a bluetooth headset. Changing the volume can be done from the NC1′s earpiece’s jog button. Since the controls are on the left earbud of the NC1, it will take sometime to train yourself for as to which button does what, if you do it blindly. But if you just take the piece out of your ear for a moment the task can be completed easily.

Using the Lubix NC1 as a headset, I was able to hear callers on the other side of the headset just fine. However, when I was in a noisy environment, people on the other end of the call said that they did have problems hearing me because of surrounding noise, and as a result I would have to speak up a bit. Hopefully the next version of the NC1 will include noise cancellation tech in it.

The only real disappointment I had with the Lubix NC1 was that the buds were just too big for my ear canal. I switched to the smaller buds that were included and even squishing and pushing made no difference. They still kept falling out of my ears. If I stood still they stayed in my ears but as soon as I walked they popped right out of my ears. Of course I could just have an abnormal small size canal so this might only be an isolated problem with me. Many folks out there may not have the same issue.

Conclusion:
The Lubix Bluetooth Stereo Headset accomplishes what it set out to do. Be a decent handsfree device as well as a fashionable pair of stereo headphones. The fact you can customize (if you so choose) the NC1 with SkinIt skins and wear it as a necklace is a nice touch that makes it stand out from the very crowded Bluetooth crowd. Except with my own personal issue with the eartips – I think anyone who purchases the Lubix NC1 will be happy and pleased with a uniquely stylish and customizable product and the fact it can do two features well. The Lubix Stereo Bluetooth Headset SkinIt Bundle retails for $60 and the headset itself is available in blue, black or white. The Lubix Stereo Bluetooth Headset without the SkinIt option retails for $54.

The Good: Customization via skins is cool, fashionable pendant design, good stereo sound quality, easy setup.

The Bad: Eartips were a bit big for me, lack of noise cancellation

With its colorful urban decorations, the Women’s Audio Couture Ghetto Blaster Bag By Loop NYC looks like the funkiest boombox bag you could ever have.  The best part is that it actually does emit sound. There are two working speakers with MP3 connections for you to input an audio source.  The bag alone is pretty awesome and features a cotton twill body, interior zip pockets, all over graffiti design, and nice big handles to schlep it all around town.  This is definitely the modern day version of the boombox…now only if I could remember how to break dance without twisting my ankle…. The Audio Couture Ghetto Blaster Bag from Loop NYC retails for $49.99

The HexoLight 3000 Sound Activated LED Lighting System is the perfect compliment for any hardcore Guitar Hero enthusiast because who doesn’t love a good lightshow when playing plastic instruments? This lighting system takes the game to new levels with its pulsating colors that pulsate to the beat of the music from the game. It comes with 3 pods of color: red, yellow, and blue lights in an octagonal shape. You can customize different shapes and configurations, the threshold of the sound, and you can control the speed of the flash. The best part is when the drums and guitars are put away, the HexoLight 3000 will work with your iPod or any other audio source resulting in the same neat effects.

The Onei Solutions 6.1 Home Theatre System/Stand is perfect for those looking for a awesome home entertainment system but lack the space. The TV Stand has a black piano finish with chrome legs with a full integrated home cinema sound system.  Pop off front speakers, built-in amplifier and several HDMI and Optical Digital Audio connections. For £385.98 you can get this from Dabs and again only the cool looking  tech resides in the UK.

The Sonos Multi-Room Music Digital Player system is for people who love music. Not just like music – LOVE music. It is meant to fill your home with it no matter where you go. In the living room, kitchen, bedroom, or den. Just about anywhere you might be at a given moment – you can have access to your entire media library.  The Sonos gives you the freedom to stream not only your media files but internet radio or local radio channels.

Setup:
When we first received the Sonos we almost passed out by how many boxes there where. Not that I’m put off by the quantity of boxes, but I certainly had in the back of mind that this was not going to be easy to setup. However I was wrong! The unpacking took me longer than actually setting the Sonos up. We got a chance to review the Sonos Speaker Bundle 150 as well as some extras which comprised of the Wireless Controller, Zoneplayer 120, Zoneplayer 90, 2 Sonos Loudspeakers, Sonos Zonebridge, and a cradle for the controller. Like I said – that is a lot of boxes. Once unpacked it may seem a bit overwhelming as to where you should put all these pieces. The first thing I did was decide where I would put the Zoneplayer 120 along with the speakers. Granted I don’t live in a huge luxurious home so it took some finagling to decide where I would put and keep the speakers since the Zoneplayer 120 does need to be connected to a router or modem via ethernet. So that was a bit tricky. Luckily, all the components of the system have a streamlined design that any Mac owner would appreciate. They blend into your home without looking like an eyesore. The ethernet cables also have a flat design to make it easy to blend on to walls for decent wire maintenance. Another nice feature is that both the Zoneplayer 90 and Sonos Zonebridge are both wireless so they can be placed anywhere in your home so that you can really complete that experience of having a fully amplified musical abode.

Installation:
After placing the Zoneplayers were I wanted to them to be, the next logical step was to install the software. I have an iMac and the installation was done in 10 minutes. You follow the onscreen prompts and the devices are picked up around your home. You’ll have to repeat the steps to have the computer recognize the other Zoneplayers scattered about but with just the press of a button on each player the software picks it up and installs it. You can label each player for the area its in. Lets say the Zoneplayer 90 is in the living room – so you can label it living room etc… this will allow you to control that device when you are in the room or not by giving it a name associated with its location. Once the devices were picked up it was time to import my MP3s….that is where I hit a snag. Everything was going too perfectly! I repeatedly kept coming across the same error over and over about how my files couldn’t be imported followed by the file name. After spending some time on the Sonos Support forum I downloaded the newest version of the software and tried again….Still no luck. So again…I headed over to the forum and it seemed to be only a problem with those who have Mac computers and not so much with a PC. After additional digging, I found a suggestion to change my file sharing settings and modify my file name of the location of where my MP3’s were coming from….it was becoming a big hassle.  Finally, finally after changing just one more permission under the Security Settings and then Firewall settings I was able to access my files. This was after three hours. I was a bit upset that this wasn’t something that was mentioned in the manual or easily accessible on the forums unless you dug through and found it.
However setting up the radio functionality was a lot easier. It took 2 seconds, it asked you where you reside and then a whole list of stations pops up for you to listen to. Of course there is the ability to preset the stations you love. I was finally ready to begin my Sonos experience.

Interface:
The Sonos controller is just like it’s other components sleekly designed and easy to use. Everything is very visual and doesn’t require a graduate degree in engineering to figure it out. The right side of the device resembles a iPod scroll wheel to obviously scroll through the menu options or songs available on the system. Its big bright LCD screen makes it easy on the eyes as you scroll through your options.
The first place I wanted to play my music was in the kitchen. Nothing gets you in the mood to make a meal like a little Andre Boccelli. I selected kitchen and the Zoneplayer I set up in there started to play music through some desktop speakers I connected to it. Standing in that room I gave the controller over to my co-editor who was itching to listen to a little Alanis and she started her Zoneplayer in the living room. So at one moment we had different music playing in two different parts of the apartment. In a smaller space than an average home, music from one room can over power the other room. So be careful when you set it up, that you take into account sound absorption so that you don’t irritate another Sonos listener.
When the controller was given back to me I decided I wanted all the rooms to listen to my fave song that just came on and very easily I was able to make that happen by selecting all the Zoneplayers to play the same song. The controls were super easy to navigate and a nice new feature is that you can now control it from your iPhone or iPod Touch via a free Sonos app. So there is no need for me to keep passing the Controller around and around to operate the system. Once the app is downloaded onto your iPhone you can easily do all the same functions. So it’s like having another controller in the room without having to pay extra for it. Again the interface is sleek and extremely easy and with the ability to see all the music and FM stations available on your system to control.

Conclusion:
The Sonos Multi-Room Music Digital Player is perfect for those who have large homes and want the ability to have music playing in random parts of your home that suits your own personal taste. No more telling mom or dad to shut off Frank Sinatra or vice a versa about your loud heavy metal. It’s also perfect for businesses like restaurants and spas that want to give customers a more personal experience as well as save money with unnecessary and costly wiring for other complex systems that do the same thing but on a different scale. I was extremely happy with my time with the Sonos and except for that little snafu with importing my MP3 library, it was overall a great experience. However I would have liked if the Zoneplayers did have a built in speaker so that you had the option to not attach external ones. This takes up space that sometimes you just don’t have, as well as creating more visible wires.
Of course such a luxury music experience doesn’t come cheap, the Sonos BU150 Multiroom Music System bundle typically starts at $999 and up. But sometimes the cost of music is priceless.

The Good: Very user-friendly. Excellent design concept and software interface. Perfect for large homes or businesses looking to add a personal touch. Liked the iPhone app a lot, saves money on having to buy additional controllers.

The Bad: Would have liked to have had a bigger troubleshooting section in the manual for possible Mac problems importing your MP3 library. You have to attach speakers to every Zoneplayer to hear music, would have liked built-in speakers. A bit pricey but you get what you pay for.

Casio releases today the the EXILIM EX-Z29, this new model stays true to the user-friendly features of other EXILIM digital cameras in compact design and sound pricing. There is a 2.7-inch wide LCD display which enables users to easily navigate camera functions like EXILIM’s of the past.  The EX-Z29 has Anti-Shake DSP which reduces photo blur from hands that shake or fast moving objects. In Easy Mode you can never take a wrong photo as there are three easy menus ( image size, flash, and self timer). Casio’s Face Detection Technology maintains a sharp focus and the correct exposure for the human face. The Casio EXILIM EX-Z29 will be available in April in the colors black, pink, blue, silver and purple and will retail for $149.99.

Read below for more information about Monster Digital PowerCenter MDP 900

Monster® Digital PowerCenter™ MDP 900
Monster boasts their powerful electronics yet again with their Digital Powercenter MDP 900, this powerhouse is one of the top models for data protection under dangerous power conditions. The MDP 900 is more than an ordinary surge protector. Patented outlet and cord labels are color coordinated for easy hookup, and to make sure you don’t accidentally unplug the wrong piece of equipment.

Green and Energy Clean
The Monster GreenPower™ MDP 900 PowerCenter™ protects your computer and the valuable data stored on it from common power surges and spikes. It also provides a high level of protection for high definition home theater components. Monster Dual Mode Plus™ surge protection automatically disconnects and sounds an alarm to protect your equipment. Monster GreenPower™ automatically shuts down outlets to stop energy waste. Surge protection is also provided for phone and Ethernet connections, for complete system protection.

Features:

* Advanced Dual Mode Plus™ surge protection with automatic disconnect and audible alarm
* Monster GreenPower™ stops standby mode energy waste and saves money
* Exclusive PC Clean Power™ Stage 2 filtering rejects noise and interference
* Surge protected coaxial, network and phone connections
* 10 surge protected, color-coded AC power outlets
* 4220 Joule rating provides a high level of surge protection
* Powerline Communication (PLC) compatible with HomePlug® high speed networking
* Mountable design for easy mounting to desk or AV cabinet
* 2 convenient USB surge protected charging ports
* $300,000 limited connected equipment warranty

Regulations: Monster Cable & ChipChick.com are not responsible for any lost packages or incorrect shipping addresses. The prize is not redeemable in cash and must be accepted as awarded. Approximate value of prizes may vary. By claiming the prize, the winner authorizes the use, without additional compensation of his or her name and/or likeness and/or voice/photograph and municipality of residence for promotion and/or advertising purposes in any manner and in any medium (including without limitation over the internet and picture data storage). Contestants must be living in the U.S.A. to submit an entry.

Ever want to go vroom vroom with your usb key? Well now you can and its even in the shape of a Nascar. This officially licensed Nascar product offers a selection of USB keys that are 1:88 scale replica design. Each one is named after a famed driver, be it Dale Jr. or Jeff Gordon. The storage capacity is 4GB and comes pre-loaded with driver specific videos, pictures, and sounds. The tail-light even flashes indicating activity. All of this and an official Nascar logo lanyard too! The DataStick Nascar USB Flash Drive can be found in several retailers including Amazon for only $19.00

This has to be the most practical office gadget I have come across in a long while! I could have sooo used this when I dwelled behind a desk in a cube…The Cubicaller is the polite way for someone to come into your personal space. Before they make their way around your wall, the Cubicaller will alert you of a visitor by the press of a button much like a door bell. You can choose from 12 different sounds including a “Ding Dong”, a “quack quack” and a ringtone, as well as 3 different volume levels. It only requires 2 AAA batteries and the self adhesive velcro allows for easy placement to any cube wall. The Cubicaller retails for $17.89.

No this is not another version of the sonic boom alarm clock, instead this is the Soundbomb MP3 speaker. Obviously shaped as a a bomb, just attach your MP3 player to it via the aux jack and you have the full illusion of a bomb that is about to go off. There is no pricing or any other details available at the moment from the manufacturer Blue Sky Designs but expect it to be available soon.

Well we certainly have seen alot of earbuds in our day but this certainly takes the cake for awhile. If you thought the giant earbud speakers were impressive, then you’ll love this. This little earbud keychain MP3 speaker may not be practical at all but it will certainly get you alot of attention. Just plug it in to your MP3 player and you’ll have a live working speaker. When done, attach it to your keys. I can’t imagine how good the sound is from this thing especially considering the size. No pricing is available from the manufacturer Bluw but I assume it will be available soon. I mean just look at it?! How could it not be.

Head on over to Chip Chicklets to see more kid oriented coverage from Toy Fair ’09.

However, what we did discover that was tech worthy, was on the software side of things. It turns out that there are a whole bunch of programs out there that are designed to help geeky creative folk become more productive.

Manga Studio Debut 4
Designed for Manga and Comic artists artists, Manga Studio lets you sketch, scan and import artwork. From there you can add on special effects. The software is designed to use with a mouse or tablet, and of course you’re likely to take the most advantage of it by using a tablet. Manga Studio provides over 2,300 screen tones to add to your sketches. It also gives you the ability to fill and color your sketchiness using advanced shading tools and pattern brushes. The software also comes with word balloons, and it gives you the ability to add focus and speed line effects for expressing moods and motions. Manga Studio also comes with 160 pre-built page templates, or you can make your own. When you’re done with your creation, you can export your work as jpg, bmp, psd, tga, png, tiff and pict files. Basically, you get everything you need to create your own professional comic. The software is available for Windows or Mac and retails for $49.99, while the professional version, Manga Studio EX 4.0 retails for $299. The pro version lets you do other cool stuff like importing 3D objects.

ArtRage Deluxe 2.5
Perhaps our favorite of the bunch, is ArtRage Deluxe 2.5. We’ve heard of ArtRage before, but seeing it in action is a different story. Whether you’re a professional artist, or jut someone who likes to draw or paint for fun, ArtRage has something for everyone. Designed to use with a mouse or tablet, the software lets you sketch, paint, blend and draw -without all the messiness of using real world tools. Paints even smear, smudge and blend just like real paints. The wealth of “art supplies” that come with ArtRage is mightily impressive. You can create masterpieces using oil paints, pencils, chalk, and glitter. You can also use stencils and rulers, scale, rotate, move and corp accordingly,
Photoshop users will appreciate the ability to create and import layers and effects from Photoshop. There is also a neat tracing paper function so that you can sketch over a photo or drawing. Other abilities include the option to adjust canvas grain, color and metallic options, as  well as the ability to blend and mix metallics with other media. ArtRage Deluxe retails for $49.99 and is available for both Mac and PC.

MashON SPORE Comic Book Creator
There was other comic book creation software being shown off on the show floor, but this one is solely for SPORE fans. The software lets you take your SPORE creations and develop comics for them via a simple drag and drop interface You can drop in text with text balloons, sound and video. Once you’re done you can email it to friends or post you’re ingenious creation on your Facebook page – or wherever else you’d like. The software retails for $29.99 and is available for both Mac & PC.

Anime Studio 5
Another cool software app that we got to see a demo of in person at the show was Anime Studio 5 which lets you sketch, scan and import graphics which you can in turn animate and add audio soundtracks too. The software comes with everything you need to have your own little animation studio. And the animations can be output to Flash formats aside from regular video formats. The software also seems a lot more intuitive to use for character based animation than Flash itself, so this can be a great alternative if you’re someone who creates a lot of character based flash animations. The software retails for $49.99 ad is available for both Mac and PC.

So there you have it, If you were looking for comics or just wanted to learn how to make your own without even being that artistically inclined you were in luck at Comic-con or if you just wanted to dress up as your average day Ninja, that worked too.