Just when you thought the kids were forgetting about Sing Star for good, Sony comes along with this candy-coloured concoction aimed at the “young music lover”: An entry level walkman with, amongst other things, a karaoke function.
The Karaoke mode automatically reduces the volume of the original version’s vocal level, whilst supporting the .lrc file format, producing scrolling lyrics (just in case you haven’t got them all memorised). It also conveniently alters the key of the song if necessary, making Mariah Carey’s dolphinesque range more achievable for the everyman.
As Walkmans go, the specs are pretty good: MP3 / WMA / AAC / MP4 / WMV playback, up to 50 hours of music battery juice, 2-inch QVGA LCD, voice recorder, FM radio, 4GB to 16GB of memory.
Obviously appealing to the younger market, the NWZ-E450 features an easy new interface with optional wallpapers and a QVGA screen, easy PC transfer with auto video format conversion in Windows 7, and SensMe technology, which automatically categorises music libraries to create a series of themed channels. Of course, it comes in a rainbow of colours, so as to match your schoolbag/uniform/black lipstick.
Although it comes ...full story
Posted by
Tone on July 28th, 2010 in
News | | Tags:
karaoke,
MP3,
Sony,
WalkmanDVD reviews: 9
The words “Produced by Tim Burton” should be a dead giveaway that a film is likely to err on the side of creepy. Post-apocalyptic robot/doll cartoon 9 does nothing to break with convention.
Born of a 10-minute short, first time director Shane Acker has conjured into life a collection of odd little dolls, each individually numbered, that find themselves hiding in the ashes of civilisation. First among them is 9, who springs to life only to discover his creator laying dead.
9’s plot doesn’t waste any time getting into the action. Within moments of awakening, the talking burlap purses are waging war against robot cat skeletons and crashing through an outsized world in an attempt to deactivate a giant brain that’s after their souls (of course).
Character movement is roundly impressive – while the stylised sack-people look like toys, their motion is fluid and realistic. The world of 9 is also terrifyingly realised. Exploring its smoking and glowing-green ruins is definitely the film’s chief pleasure.
Apart from looking magic, sound design is also well put together. Metallic creaks and lurches are deep and the ever-present sound of wind rustling through the wasteland ...full story
Posted by
Tone on July 27th, 2010 in
DVD reviews,
Reviews |
After the terrible reputation vampires began to get for themselves as sparkly, vegetarian Mormons thanks to the unfathomable popularity of that pap Twilight, some serious public relations activity was needed to restore the balance. Thankfully, True Blood was up to the task, with its first series opening the lid on a grave full of nasty, hungry, horny vampires that weren’t too shy to bite.
Based on the Southern Vampire series of books by Charlaine Harris, True Blood reimagines the deep South of the USA, where vampires, freed from killing people thanks to the development of artificial blood, decide to live openly among humans. Of course, there are plenty of fangs still hungry for the real thing, and the general population is less than impressed with their existence.
Joining the central couple of telepath Sookie Stackhouse (New Zealand’s own Anna Paquin) and vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) is a band of shapeshifters, zombies and demigods.
True Blood series two sees the show really hit its stride. While the first season suffered an identity crisis as it wondered whether it was allowed to be funny or not, the second knows that vampires are ...full story
Posted by
Tone on July 26th, 2010 in
DVD reviews,
Reviews |
Being asked to review a set of speakers made by an American company is always a bit of a thrill, because you never quite know what to expect. The Yanks are big on wild speakers, which are often jammed with multiple horn-loaded drivers and an in-your-face sound that can excite or annoy in equal measure.
Listening to the JBL LS speakers proved to be a subtler experience than I was expecting. With the grilles on they’re not brash, intimidating or even ‘out there’; they’re elegant enough to fit in with the most restrained décor. But whip off the grilles and the JBL bloodline is blindingly apparent: traditional paper cone woofers handle the lower frequencies, with a sleek horn-loaded midrange driver and a short horn-loaded tweeter taking care of the rest.
Build quality is superb and in keeping with the price; the wedge-shaped cabinets are well built and good looking, with a lovely gloss 
mahogany and black finish (the only finish available). They’re also heavy and quite solid, which bodes well for the ...full story
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