droolicious : ipod

7 Days of Dad: Music to his Ears

JeanneSager — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:01:00 GMT

He ponied up for Mother's Day, so now it's time to get cracking on how to make Dad's day. Lucky for you, we were wondering too. So we're offering up seven days of what we'll be giving the guy who reads bedtime stories and changes stinky diapers.

For dads whose playlist can't handle one more "waaaah" or "why," we can help.

Help him get double duty out of his iPhone or iPod with the dexim docking station that hooks right into the TV for big-screen viewing and big sound listening of your downloaded podcasts and movies. One of the most affordable options out there at just $69.95, it was easy to set up and it's versatility means it will last (it works with most generations of the iPod or iPhone). With a wireless remote for easy control from his easy chair and a recharging option as part of the docking station, the dexim will let him share his favorites with his favorite little people.

Because sometimes, he just needs to block it all out, EarPollution headphones from iFrogz can help. He can design his own set (or you can plug his tastes into their site to make him a pair), but even better than the style is the sturdiness of these headphones. Made to be folded up and stowed in the bag, they can handle your toddler yanking them off of Dad's head to ask him a question or accidentally (we'll give them the benefit of the doubt) sitting on them. Loud enough to drown out the noise, with good quality sound and comfortable fit, iFrogz hops onto the list for Dad.

Check out more gifts for Dad this week on the 7 Days of Dad.

Lullaby Versions Of Rock Songs At eMusic

Chris Ford — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:30:00 GMT

We've told you before about the oddball lullabies from Rockabye Baby. They're the company that takes famous rock songs and turns them into lullabies. Well, if you're interested but don't want to necessarily commit to an entire CD, there's a great new option.

All of the music from all of the (many) Rockabye Baby CDs are now available on music download service eMusic. There are 21 compilations in all, each focusing on the music from rock icons as diverse as U2 to Led Zeppelin. I'm kind of a big fan of the Lullaby Renditions of the Pixies myself (hasn't Monkey Gone To Heaven always been kind of a lullaby anyway?), but you don't have to stick with one artist. At eMusic you can make a mix and download the tracks - DRM free and ready for any MP3 player.

And to boot - there's a promotion going on at eMusic that if you sign up for a free trial you get 25 free downloads. Which means you'll have plenty of free music that will put your baby to sleep without you pulling your hair out over too.

Check it out at the Rockabye Baby page at eMusic.com

Music on the Half Shell

JeanneSager — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:29:00 GMT

Who knew you could listen to rap music and think "awwww, that's so cute?"

OK, I probably shouldn't have my iPod tuned to Biggie when it's plugged into my daughter's iTurtle, but come on. Who doesn't want to see a turtle dance?

The newest critter in the Hasbro line of animal iPod music players for kids has already earned my vote for best of the bunch. The little turtle (and I do mean little, this thing fits in my palm) bumps around to the beat and let's you know what he's "thinking" with musical riffs. If he's hungry for more tunes, he lets you know. When he likes their pick, he bobs his little head, taps his tiny feet and his shell goes bumpity bump.

Add the light show on his shell, and you can paint this turtle happy (unless you touch his tail).

The player itself gives off a pretty decent sound, and it's only $21.99 at Amazon.

Big Deal: 20% Off iFrogz Tadpole Set With Headphones

Heather Kuldell — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:32:00 GMT

Au courant Apple addicts have long since moved onto the iPhone, but anyone with kids and an iPod Classic (or the old-school video iPod) should check out the iFrogz Tadpole set. The set includes child-size headphones and a silicone case with sturdy handles, and screen and wheel-protecters that help keep the iPod drop-resistant and fingerprint-free. A few years ago, the set would have cost you $34.99. Now, the set starts at $14.99, but for a limited time you can get an additional 20 percent off.

CES 2009: iPod Docking + Microphone + 50 Watts = The Dock 'N Rock

Chris Ford — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

The Dock 'N Rock is a new product the company representative was calling "a party in a box." It's a portable iPod docking station with a huge amplified speaker and a microphone - so you can rock the mic while listening to your favorite songs.

The Dock 'N Rock isn't a karaoke machine, but more like a portable DJ machine. It has 50 watts of amplified sound, and is rechargeable (they told me each new charge should last you about five to ten hours). The coolest feature of it though, is that when you start speaking through the microphone the music that's playing on the iPod automatically lowers, and then raises back up when you stop. For parties or just to annoy mom and dad, it looks like something kids could totally get into.

The Dock 'N Rock should be available sometime in the fall of 2009, and will retail for around $199.99.

CES 2009: iHome Rotating Alarm Clock - Perfect For Teen Bed Side Tables

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

File this one under "cool idea for a product that I can see a college kid or teenager thinking was cool too." The Rotating Alarm Clock from iHome has all the features normal clock radios that have built-in iPod docking stations have, with one exception. You can turn the whole thing on it's side so you can see a movie on your iPod easier.

"But wait a minute," you may be thinking. "Won't that make the clock look all screwed up when the whole damn thing is on its side?" It normally would, if the designers at iHome hadn't already thought of that first. When you rotate the radio, the clock display rotates as well, so you'll always be sure to know how much time you're actually wasting watching your iPod.

The IP41 Rotating Alarm Clock will take all kinds of iPods (including the iPhone) and should be out in April of this year for around $79.00.

CES 2009: Parrot By Starck - Wireless Speaker System

Chris Ford — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:30:00 GMT

Parrot by Starck isn't for kids or even families really (at least not families with a normal budget). But the modern design and Starck name is making me add it to the long list of cool stuff at CES 2009. What you're looking at is basically the most expensive iPod docking station I've ever seen, with a few bells and whistles thrown in too.

Parrot by Starck are two wireless speakers that work together via bluetooth, and they show up on your wireless network. What this means is that you can play music from your computer, iPod or any other source on your home network. In fact, the only cord to these speakers is a power cord. I have to admit they did sound pretty great, but what you're paying for obviously is the look and the Starck name.

Parrot by Starck, $1500 (for the pair) and should be available in the US in April.

CES 2009: iHome iHM77 Portable Mini Speakers

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT

These little speakers from iHome may be small, but the sound they produce is pretty big. The iHM77 are the perfect little portable speakers for a laptop or for an iPod or IPhone that you or your kids don't want to plug headphones into. They are rechargeable, collapse into a capsule (pictured on the right) when you're not using them, and will cost you $49.99.

Check them out at iHomeAudio.com

CES 2009: iLuv Multimedia Player - Portable Entertainment For Kids

Chris Ford — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Watching video on your iPod may be fun for kids, but getting more than one child to look at that little screen without fighting over it is a challenge. With the iLuv Multimedia player might just stop those fights before they start. Oh, and it plays DVDs too.

The iLuv Multimedia Player has an 8.5" screen and will play movies from an iPod (classic sized, not iPod Touch). There is also a DVD player in there too - the whole thing splits in half and opens up like a clam shell allowing you to put DVDs in. Battery life isn't great (about 4-5 hours) but honestly if you need more than that before recharging you might want to think about getting the kids a book.

iLuv Multimedia Player, $269.99 from i-Luv.com.

CES 2009: iMini Pet Includes A Singing Plush Robotic Obama

Chris Ford — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:30:00 GMT

CES is also a place for is foreign companies (especially Asian) to showcase their products to a US retailers. And this one was one of the more odd offerings. The iMini Pet is a radio alarm clock with an iPod docking station. Oh, and they're plush. Oh, and the robotic animals on top wiggle and move their mouths to whatever music is playing.

And yes, that's supposed to be a plush Barack Obama on top. You can tell by the t-shirt that says "Change."

The iMini Pet will have an MSRP of $99, but it is not yet available in the US (but feel free to keep your fingers crossed).

Read all of the posts from CES 2009 the Consumer Electronics Showcase on Babble.com here.

CES 2009: iHearSafe Headphones Limit The Volume For Kids

Chris Ford — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

If I was ranking the cool stuff for kids and parents I saw at CES (which I'm defintely not), then this would undoubtedly land in the top of the list. These headphones from iHearSafe are made for kids, and they won't let any audio pass that's higher than 85 decibels.

Each pair of headphones limit sound output through the hardware in the headphones themselves, so there's no softare or anything you have to do to the imput sources. So no matter how high your kid blasts his iPod, Nintedo DS, PSP or whatever, it will never get above 85 decibels. They come in standard headphones, earbuds and "gaming headphones" - which are really just ear clip type headphones. I got a pair for my daughter and we're going to check them out, and I'll write up a review here in Droolicious.

iHearSafe headphones cost $19.99 for the buds and the regular and gaming headphones are $24.99 from iHearSafe.com.

ABC Kids Expo 2008: Ritmo Prenatal Audio Belt

Chris Ford — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:27:00 GMT

This one is way outside the "normal" baby products at ABC, but that's what makes it fun. The quickest way I can describe it is the Ritmo are headphones for your baby, while your baby is still in utero.

The RItmo is a belt with four small speakers (that pop out for easy belt cleaning) that you put around your pregnant belly. The speakers are placed in the four places your baby (in theory) should be. There's also a small amplifier that you plug your iPod or other personal music device into. Then the music you're listening to can be the same music your baby is listening to. I've seen other "womb sound" music devices before, but never one so elaborate.

The Ritmo should be available January of 2009 and will cost around $99. Check it out at nuvo-group.com.

Ten Best iPhone Apps For Distracting Young Children

Chris Ford — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:02:00 GMT

We've all been there. You're in the grocery store, or doctor's office, or a restaurant and you need a five minute distraction for your toddler. And if you're a dad or mom on-the-go who doesn't keep a spare stuffed animal in their pocket, you're usually relegated to whatever you have handy. If one of those things is an iPhone or an iPod Touch, then you may not realize it or not, but you've got a wealth of toddler distractions just waiting to be explored.

I've combed through the iTunes Application store and tested out what I think are the ten best applications you can use to distract your young child. The emphasis here is on the word "young." I only included things that would be good for pre-school aged kids, which means I didn't pick any games or anything that would have a learning curve. I also didn't pick anything that required your child to shake the iPhone. It's one thing to hand over your $300 telephone to a two year old, it's another to hand it over and encourage them to shake it.

So here they are, in no particular order:

Preschool Adventure ($0.99, 3DAL, LLC.):
Preschool Adventure is one of the few on this list that was written specifically for pre-school aged kids. It's an app that has four smaller activities inside of it: Colors, Shapes, Sounds and Body. With all of them, you touch the screen to make something appear and sound. So for instance, in the colors app, your child touches a splash of a color, and then a sea creature appears saying the name of the color and the name of the creature ("Pink Sea Animone" is, admittedly, kind of a mouthfull for children). I found the app to be very simple but engaging for a pre-schooler, and my two year old loved it.

Bubble Wrap (Free, Orsome Software):
Bubble Wrap is one of those adult time-wasters that can double as a diversion for your kid. The app itself is simple - you just get a field of bubbles like you were holding a sheet of bubble wrap. Then you touch each bubble to make it pop. As soon as you start, there is a timer to see how many you can pop in sixty seconds, but your kids will undoubtedly ignore that and just enjoy popping the bubbles.

Midomi (Free, Melodis Corp.):
Midomi is a distraction for your kids that you'll have to do with them, so it won't buy you any time, but it's cool nonetheless. Midomi is an application that will identify any song it hears, whether it is on the radio, being played live, or your own singing or humming. It's pretty amazing when you first try it, as it's quite adept at figuring out your tuneless humming. My kids and I had loads of fun thinking up songs and singing them into it to see if it could recognize the tune. Even better is listening to some of the songs it thinks you're trying to hum (especially the songs in Japanese).

YouTube (free, with iPhone):
Everyone who has an iPhone has the YouTube application built in, so some may think this one is a cop-out, but in reality it's one of the great diversions on the iPhone. This is how you get the most out of it. Get a free YouTube account, and in your free time (you are reading this after all) go and search for videos you think your kids will love. Mark all of those videos "favorites" and then when you log into YouTube on your iPhone, go right to your favorites and start playing them. I loaded my favorites with videos of Disney songs, and I can get both of my girls (2 and 4 years old) silent for the length of each song.

Scribble (Free, Zintin Software):
This one is kind of self-explanatory. Scribble is a simple app that lets you draw on the iPhone screen. You can choose colors and draw whatever you can manage to get on the screen. Better than drawing though, I've found it good for quick games of tic tac toe or getting my four year old to practice writing her name.

Vehicles ($0.99, iFRizzo.com):
I don't have boys, but this one is clearly for those of you with little XYs running around. Vehicles is a soundboard of all the cars, trucks and plane sounds they could fit onto one screen of the iPhone. The sounds themselves (cars, police cars, fire trucks, airplanes etc.) are about two or three seconds in length depending on which one you choose and can be played over each other for a true sounds-of-the-city symphony.

Koi Pond ($0.99, The Blimp Pilots):
This app is deceptively simple but mesmerizing to adults and children just the same. When you launch Koi Pond, you get a screen with Koi fish swimming underwater, with tranquil outdoor sounds playing in the background. When you touch the screen, the app makes it look like you are touching the water they are swimming in. This naturally makes the fish swim away, so you have to wait until they unwittingly swim again into your view. There are lilly pads to move around and food to feed them too (when you shake the iPhone food appears - thereby breaking my "no shake" rule) which makes them swim back into view more quickly. I know, it sounds really simple and boring, but both of my girls were fighting over the iPhone for a half hour the other day so they could see the fish.

Rulla (Free, LIngon i Korg Software Creations):
This one is a little odd, but kind of fun for a toddler who is learning to read. Rulla (terrible name) is a simple app that makes a message crawl across your iPhone screen, kind of like a news ticker. I think the original intention was to have a way club kids could shoot a message to each other across the dance floor, but my kids loved thinking up funny messages to "make the phone say." It started with their names and ended up with "Daddy is a kitty cat."

Color Tilt ($0.99, IMAK Creations):
This one is kind of like Scribble, but is way cooler. It's an app that lets you draw by bringing your finger across the screen, but the color you're drawing in is determined by which way you are tilting the iPhone. It's a great use of the iPhone's capabilities, making any scribble look cool. And quite frankly, scribbling is about all you're going to get out of a two year old anyway.

Bubbles (Free, Hog Bay Software):
Bubbles isn't the same as Bubble Wrap, although it may seem like it. Instead of a static page of bubbles, with this app you draw your finger across a blank screen to create the bubbles. Then, as they fall down the screen you pop them with your finger. Simple, but interesting enough to stop a toddler crying in a shopping cart, believe me.

Photos (free, with iPhone):
Photos might be the eleventh suggestion, but everyone gets it with an iPhone (or any iPod for that matter), but in some ways I saved the best for last. The Photos app is the one slam dunk that my kids always want to use. Looking at pictures of themselves, friends and family always quiets them down, and it's gotten to the point that when my two year old sees me with my phone she asks to look at pictures. The trick to it though is to load it up with pictures you've been taking with your regular digital camera, not the iPhone. The pictures will look better and you'll always have more of them.

So there they are. If you have any suggestions or great finds yourself, please let us know in the comments below and happy distracting!

Stick Your iPod Into a Pig's Rear End

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:02:00 GMT

Whether it ends up in the dorm room, the kids' bedroom or your room, the iPig is one of the coolest-looking (if not -sounding) iPod docking stations we've seen. Packing five speakers (including a 4" subwoofer) into its rotund little frame, the iPig delivers full 360-degree sound that's as pleasing to audiophiles as it is to those who just dig stuff that looks goofy: For instance, among its other features, the iPig lets you control its volume settings by tweaking its ears. Plus, you know, there's also the rear-end thing.

Available in yellow, white and pink: Grab your own for $140 from Speakal.

Nap26 is Mommy and Daddy's (Non-Addictive) Little Helper

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:04:00 GMT

No matter how well you think all those years of 24-hour partying conditioned you for the sleep deprivation that goes along with being a new parent, the truth is that nothing can prepare you for the onslaught of a newborn's demands. Some of us learn to adapt, taking siestas whenever the kids go down, but for the rest of us, the lack of sleep can quickly turn into crushing fatigue.

Nap26, a new audio system geared toward new parents and other sleep-deprived adults, aims to provide a solution in just 26 minutes -- the precise sleepy-time duration in which NASA studies showed airline pilots' energy and alertness improved. Using binaural beats and vibrations, the disc lulls you into, and later awakens you from, a nap that's meant to leave you feeling as though you just came out of a three-hour sleep. Just pop in the CD or download it to your iPod, and away you go.

Nap26 is $19.99 from the POWRNAPS online store -- and if you've tried the system and had success, try to stay awake long enough to let us know in the comments.

7 Days of Eco-Friendly Décor: Suck in Some Fresh Air

Lisa Mulcahy — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:45:00 GMT

With a new baby also comes lots of new stuff, or at least a fresh coat of paint. But unless you’re diligent about buying 100% organic/non-toxic/voc-free everything, which in theory would be great but in practice is sometimes difficult to achieve, one of the best ways to clear the air of off-gassing and other pollutants is with an air purifier. If you can’t bring yourself to buy a generic looking Ionic Breeze or some other infomercial rendition, check out this nod to the IPod that will surely blend in a bit better with your décor.

The AirPod purifier from Blueair is a compact and attractive alternative. I have to agree with Blueair, that “the sleek shape of the AirPod gives you more room to breathe and there’s no visual clutter. Just clean design.”

$99 at Amazon.

Gorillapod Go-Go

Chris Ford — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:48:00 GMT

Imagine you're on an airplane, or a car trip, or any public place where you want the kids quiet, occupied and sitting down. Bringing the portable DVD player might not be feasible, but with all the iPhone's, iPods, cell phones and other small portable video devices out there, having something handy they can watch isn't out of the question. The real question is, how do you get more than one kid to watch it without them fighting over it. I present to you, the Gorillapod Go-Go.

The Gorillapod has been a handy portable table-top tripod for some years now, but manufacturer Joby has made it even better. The Go-Go comes with (in addition to the standard tripod screw mount) adhesive clips and a suction cup mount. The adhesive clips (there are two) would be for things that you would frequently attach to the Gorillapod, but the suction cup mount will attach to most anything with a flat, smooth surface. Which is (as it turns out) is perfect for an iPod, cell phone, GPS or anything else you can think of.

The website says they are "Coming in April 2008" and there isn't a price, but the regular Gorillapod retails for around $21.95. Check it out at Joby.com.

Audible Launches New Kids Site

Chris Ford — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:44:00 GMT

Audible, the online purveyor of audio books, has just launched a new web site for kids. Audible Kids sells audio versions of lots of your favorite children's books, from Pre-K to ages 13 and up. And just might start encouraging your kids to read while they're at it.

This idea isn't new (when I was a kid on long car trips, my sister and I used to love listening to those Disney cassette tapes where they would read along with a book) but in an age where placating children with portable video players is becoming the norm, it somehow seems revolutionary. The web site even allows you to set up an account for your child, where they can choose titles themselves and put them in a queue. The prices are kind of all over the place (for Pre-K, there are a lot of compilations off different books), but if you're loading your kid's iPod with movies or TV shows you might want to consider an audio book as well.

Check out all of the available titles at Audible Kids (kids.audible.com).

Mixing Legos and iPods, An Tweens Dream Come True

chrisjordan — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:01:00 GMT

Mini docking station is shaped like a classic lego brick. Snap your iPod onto it and let the tiny speakers play the music.

My sons who are obsessed with all things Lego would love this little gadget. Completely self contained, like little Lego brick. No plugs, no batteries.

If you’d like to pick one of these up for your after holiday shopping you’ll have to import it from Korea’s 10×10 for 14,500 KRW (about $16 USD) and have some mastery over Korean. Or you can get on the waiting list at Delight.com.

The Babble Review: Dad Field Bag from Jack Spade

Chris Ford — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:10:00 GMT

Looking for a gift for the new father in your life? Nowadays there are lots of diaper bags for dads out there, but for my money nothing beats the Dad Field Bag from Jack Spade.

This is the bag that I've used back since I was a brand new dad, and I still love it and use it every day. From the outside it looks like a regular messenger bag that you might see anywhere, but inside it's built for the dad on the go. It's got a changing pad, pockets for bottles (or sippy cups or snack traps), a zipper compartment that I use for fresh diapers, a big open pocket on the back and pockets on the side with zippers on the outside for iPods or whatever else you might need quickly. It even has a little eyelet for snaking your headphones through, so you can listen to that iPod while strolling your baby down the street.

But the best part is how it holds up. I've used mine almost every day for three and a half years now, and it still looks as good as when I got it. It's made of durable (and spill-proof) nylon canvas, so you're not worried about getting something on it like you would with a leather bag. The only negative I can think of is the changing pad isn't attached, so you'll have to make sure you don't misplace it somewhere, but other than that it's damn near perfect. I'm betting you'll probably even use it well after you're worrying about bottles and diapers.

Remember, there will be a day you don't have to worry about diapers - I promise.

Available in khaki and orange (pictured) for $125 from ModernSeed.com and available in black from Neiman Marcus for $150

Droolworthy: ifrogz Tadpole for Kid-Friendly iPod Use

Mir — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 15:58:00 GMT

I don't know how I missed these when Stefania first wrote about them, so let's just agree that I'm late to the party and move on. Move on to drooling on these ifrogz Tadpole iPod protectors, that is -- because even a kid nicknamed Destructo wouldn't be able to damage your iPod if it was wrapped in one of these babies. Plus, dig those handles. Fewer fingerprints on the screen for sure. The only problem I foresee is settling on which color to choose.

Get yours at ifrogz: The wraps are $19.99 and coordinating kiddie headphones can be added in for just $5 more.