mp3 players

Is Apple unstoppable? If it is, the Zune HD has long appeared to be the best shot at unseating the MP3-player kingpin. Knowing that, when a Zune landed at PopSci HQ, we had to see if such a thing could actually be true.

For a week, I split my commute between a Zune HD and a brand new iPod touch (my fourth Apple player). These are the high- (and low-) lights of my week with the Zune HD.

It's been 40 years in the making. This week Samsung finally announced they've kicked phase-change memory (PCM) into mass production. In a nutshell, PCM stores information by melting and freezing microscopic crystals. In gadgets like cell phones, its frozen-in-place nature means lightning-fast bootup times--instantaneous, even.

You're halfway through listening to "Layla" when it happens: Your MP3 player's battery dies. Normally you'd have to wait until you were at your computer to finish rocking out, but there is an easy and eco-friendly way to do it on the go. First, slip a piezoelectric transducer -- a device that generates a tiny charge when touched -- into your shoe. A connected module collects the voltage created every time you take a step and continuously powers up a rechargeable AA battery. (It takes a lot of walking to get a full charge, but it's perfect for reviving or topping off a gadget.) Once the battery is charged, put it into a DIY five-volt converter, and plug in your dead MP3 player. Now you can listen to the guitar solo while you walk some more juice into another battery.

If you plan on insulting your romantic partner’s style sensibilities, then by all means, buy her a pepto-pink gizmo. After all, nothing says those three magic words (by which I mean, “Let’s break up!,”) with quite the same punch as does a blushing gadget. If, however, you want to say those other three words that are the entire reason for February 14th, read on for some gift ideas that are sure to make her squeal with joy.

Set the mood with a few LED candles, spruce up the apartment with some love-centric aromas, make sure your breath is kissably fresh, put some romantic tunes on (bonus: give her the flash drive to keep!) and wow your geeky gal with one of the following Valentine’s Day gifts.