Chronos iDock Series II on sale now
The leading manufacturers of radio, PURE have launched Chronos iDock Series ll – a stereo DAB/DAB+*FM bedside clock radio that works with iPods and iPhones with an SRP of £99.99.
Following on from the award-winning Chronos iDock, the Chronos iDock Series II combines all the features, choice and user-friendliness of DAB digital radio with the added convenience of iPod docking. With equally stylish looks, the Series II is available in an elegant black or white. Sound quality is greatly enhanced with upgraded audio, a digital amplifier and custom-wound stereo speakers and visible controls with a rotary dial and accessible buttons. You can even listen or wake up to your iPod or iPhone while it charges. A set of front-panel connectors also enables users to connect to an MP3, CD player or headphones.
The Chronos iDock Series II is perfect for the study or bedroom and enables the sleep befuddled to wake up in the best way possible – i.e. very slowly. This is achieved by means of a subtle and dimmed display activated by a light sensor, adjustable snoozers with an ability to set for as many days as required and a total of four independent alarms linked to radio, iPod, iPhone or tone. So now you can surface to consciousness gradually whilst listening to news, sport, music or your own favourite tracks; the Chronos iDock Series ll ensures that you start each day in the best frame of mind possible. Even better, with a clear display for track and ‘now playing’ information on a screen, users can use remote or radio control to alter settings and don’t even have to get out of bed – not immediately anyway.
And more good news – for those without multiple power points next to the bed, the Chronos iDock Series ll includes PowerPort that allows the user to connect USB accessories – these could include mobile phone chargers, cup warmers, electric fans, bedside lights, smoothie makers, moustache clippers – as soon as you wake, the world is at your fingertips.
Designed to minimise environmental impact, the Chronos iDock Series II, like all PURE products is manufactured in ethically approved and audited facilities with reduced power consumption in operation and in standby, recyclable packaging and components selected for their eco-friendliness.
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Jimmy Carr
Tickets have been released for Jimmy Carr’s Rapier Wit tour following on from his stint at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The dark master of satire, described by the Guardian as “A comedy hero for our times”, was born in Isleworth, London. The son of Irish parents, he debuted on television as the presenter of the Channel 4 series, Your Face Or Mine? Although the show bombed, the chubby faced presenter with his ad lib remarks was thought to be the best thing about it.
In 2003, he won the Royal Television Society Award for the best on screen newcomer in 2003. In between television appearances he became a beloved figure at the Edinburgh festival, drawing huge audiences. Other claims to fame involve being a frequent host of the 100 shows for Channel 4 and even film roles in movies including Confetti, Alien Autopsy and Stormbreaker.
A prolific writer who has written for Bo’Selecta and Meet Ricky Gervais, his outrageous banter with the politician Ann Widdecombe during Have I Got News For You prompted her to state categorically that she would never appear on the programme again, which didn’t appear to upset him unduly.
Jimmy Carr has become a household name following appearances on shows like Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Have I Got News for You. He is also famous for achieving the slowest time in the celebrity test track lap on Top Gear when he was described by The Stig as “the worst driver we’ve ever had.”
His new show, Rapier Wit has been billed as “not for the faint hearted” and described by Jimmy as “rude, crude and offensive – but those aren’t the only reasons why you’ll enjoy it.”
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Aprilia RSV4 R - release dates
The RSV4 R, an exclusive, competitively priced road version of the hugely successful Aprilia RSV4 Factory, has arrived – and could well be the only way to arrive!
Containing the most powerful and innovative engine ever built by Aprilia, the RSV4 Factory received an enthusiastic welcome from the motorcycling world when it was first launched in May 2009. Now Aprilia’s factory based in Noale in Italy has swiftly become established as one of the leading motorcycle manufacturers having demonstrated its expertise in delivering world-class bikes by gaining an incredible 33 world championships and 271 GP wins in their first WSBK year.
Now the man on the street (or road) can enjoy the world class features of the RSV4 R bike priced to be within reach of a wider range of people.
The spec is seriously impressive. The motorcycle boasts a high performance 180 HP engine that employs integrated Ride by Wire technology and an electronic injection system with twin injectors. An aluminium frame and swingarm, adjustable suspension, Brembo brakes with monobloc radial callipers and cast aluminium wheels comprise just a few of its iconic features. With the hallmarks of its racing background reflected in its fairing and triple headlight, the machine offers 2040mm of compact, sleek and powerful engineering.
Possibly the sports bike of the decade, the Aprilia RSV4 R is available in White or Black, priced at £12,449 excluding OTR and is currently the only V4 powered hypersports bike on the road.
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Pioneer AVI-F310BT Detachable Navigation and Multimedia System release dates
Another pioneering product from Pioneer, the AVI-F310BT offers navigation across the UK and Europe with the ability to connect simultaneously to audio from any source and hands-free phone systems with high quality sound and clear display.
Coming as part of the NavGate range, the AVIC F310BT offers navigation, communication and entertainment all in one package. And not only content with being an innovation in its own right; the AVI-F310BT brings improvements in quality and new features to all three functions.
With a 4.3 inch WQVGA detachable touch screen that allows superior control of navigation, audio and phone, the wide-view angle display gives 2D or 3D views ensures that the accurate and highly detailed maps are easily and quickly accessed by the fast-response, internal flash memory. The system also monitors TMC traffic feeds to calculate likely delays for up to 93 miles ahead and suggests alternative routes should there be a problem.
Entertainment can be accessed simultaneously and the AVIC-F31OBT is compatible with MP3s, WMA, AAC or WAV (played from CD or USB). You can connect your iPod or iPhone or link up to a portable media player. It’s then a simple case of flicking from the navigation to the entertainment screen.
There’s no compromise on sound either with Pioneer’s 50Wx4 amplifier and a 3-band parametric equaliser that even takes into account the acoustic possibilities of your car with the option of adding an extra amplifier.
The communication system comes with Parrot Bluetooth® and phones can be accessed from your pocket or anywhere in the vehicle with crystal clear transmission of conversations through the car’s speakers and the facility to register up to three phones in the system.
Even more of a blast, you can connect the screen to your PC and analyse your journeys with the new NavGate Feeds PC application – very useful for retrospective claims of expensive. If you feel brave enough you can find out how much your driving style has affected fuel consumption.
Available at around £649.99, the AVI-F310BT will soon become your very own intelligent traffic buddy and it’ll seem, and probably take, half as long to reach your destination – in fact, the journey could be so pleasurable you might not ever want to get there.
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The Green Man Festival release dates
Dates for the Green Man Festival 2010 have been confirmed. The festival takes place at Tangerine Fields, at Glanusk Park beneath the dramatic Brecon Beacons on 20th to 22nd August 2010.
The four day event features predominantly folk music with some indie, psychedelia, Americana thrown in and DJs playing everything from reggae to heavy rock.
The seventh annual celebration in 2009 was said to be the most magical yet with bands such as Animal Collective, Jarvis Cocker, Noah and the Whale and British Sea Power performing a live soundtrack on the Main Stage whilst the Far Out Stage featured Amorphous Androgynous, Hawkwind and Wood Shiips with top DJs performing in the Far Out After Dark including Idjut Boys, Bill Brewster and Michael Cook.
But there’s not only music to keep festival goers entertained. A weird and wonderful assortment of tents as and Big Tops including the new Far Out Tent – an Italian blue circus tent host art installations, cinema tents, poetry readings, ceilidhs, theatre and kid’s events with impromptu jamming sessions. Organic food, real ale and green issues are the order of the day with a special “Green Bus” shuttle transporting visitors to and from most areas of the city.
Fit PC Slim
This tiny computer doesn’t have a keyboard or screen, it’s the smallest, most power efficient PC available and rivals many desktops by being more eco-friendly with a lower power consumption. Costing fewer than 20 pence a day in electricity and being noiseless, the fit-PC Slim Linux is ideal for people who leave their PCs on all the time.
This is a ready to use Linux-PC with pre-installed Ubuntu Linux 8.04 for the best desktop experience and Gentoo 2008.0 for optimal performance, in dual boot mode; it measures only 4.3 x 4 x 1.2 inches and weighs 13.4 ounces
The CPU is AMD Geode LX800 500MHz. Chipset is AMD CS5536. The display is an integrated Geode LX controller up to 1920×1440 with a memory of 512MB DDR 333MHz soldered on-board. The ports are as follows: RJ45 Ethernet port 100Mbps, WiFi b/g 54Mbps. 3 x USB 2.0 HiSpeed 480Mbps, mini RS-232 (Rx, Tx) .VGA DB15, stereo line-out audio (headphones), stereo line-in audio/Mic
The Fit-PC Slim is great as an internet radio server, and as an endpoint for a SOCKS firewall (for, say, getting around firewalls). It is adequate for simple tasks (simple web browsing, document editing etc) and the fact that it is absolutely silent, and literally peaks out at 6 watts power consumption, even under “heavy” load (code compilation), means that it probably uses less power than your regular computer uses when it is completely off.
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Roth Audio ALFiE
This is the latest product from Roth Audio and provides a one-stop shop for all your audio visual requirements.
Named after the seminal sixties film starring Michael Caine as the eponymous hero, the ALFiE offers similar qualities of cool, sexy, understated glamour whilst still providing the ultimate in sound quality and versatility.
It’s compatible with the full range of iPods including the iPod mini, iPod nano and iPod touch and MP3 players whilst a slot fed drive means you can drop in CDs, including recordable discs or hook up to your TV to supply crisp, highly defined images via Video CD, DVD, CDR and DC/RW without compromising on deep, rich sound. There’s also digitally tuned FM/AM radio and clock with dual alarm.
With a total power of 40 watts, and a 2.1 amplifier and speaker combination, two front-firing speakers and a downward firing subwoofer cunningly housed under the unit, the ALFiE creates a wall of sound that can be deployed in any room in the house or office. Adjustable bass and treble touch sensitive controls on top of the unit and fully functional remote control means you don’t even have to get out of bed to change the tracks. Headphones that can be connected via a mini jack at the rear enable you to listen to your favourite sounds without disturbing the neighbours.
Ideal for film and music aficionados everywhere or anyone who enjoys the best of the audio and visual worlds, the Roth Audio ALFiE will quickly become the entertainment hub of any home.
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AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
Get ready to abandon all the conventional ways of making coffee. The AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker offers a simple yet flavourful solution to creating the perfect Americanos or Espressos for use in lattes and cappuccinos.
The AeroPress avoids all the bitterness and unpleasant tastes encountered in coffees made by drip brewing or French presses when near boiling water is mixed with the coffee grounds for a comparatively long length of time. Coffee making with faster brewing however, yields a rich flavour and far less acidity. Convenient markers on the side of the AeroPress help you to gauge the correct amount of water for between one to four espresso shots.
The manufacturers recommend that the water is heated to between 75 to eighty degrees for optimal flavour. When added to the coffee, the total immersion system means that the water and grounds mingle for just 10 seconds. The plunger is then inserted to extract water from the grounds creating an air pressure which pushes the solution through a micro filter in just 20 seconds.
With a total brewing time of 30 seconds, the resulting coffee is delicious, pure and free of particles and can even be stored for several days as a concentrate. Easy to clean, compact and perfect for camping, the AeroPress includes a funnel, scoop, stirrer and 350 micro filters.
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Beatles Remastered
The remaster series continues with Abbey Road, originally released on 26th September 1969 it was the penultimate album released before the band’s break up in 1970. This year, the remastered original will be available on the 9th September.
All albums in this series are digitally remastered and re-packaged with rare photos, illuminating background notes, eco-friendly limited edition packaging and in addition, come with a mini-documentary on each album plus photos and rare footage from Abbey Road Studios.
Come Together
Something
Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
Oh Darling
Octopus’s Garden
I Want You (She’s So Heavy)
Here Comes The Sun
Because
You Never Give Me Your Money
Sun King
Mean Mr Mustard
Polythene Pam
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
The End
Her Majesty
Mini-Documentary
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Brendan Benson Release Date
Brendan Benson is a US rock musician and songwriter and has been writing and performing since the early ’90s. He is a member of the band The Ranconteurs and since 1996 has released 3 solo albums.
My Old, Familiar Friend is his fourth studio album to be released this month. He started writing for the album in 2007 and gradually all 11 tracks have come together, produced by Gill Norton who is known for his work with bands such as Pixies, Echo & the Bunnymen and the Foo Fighters. Brendan will be backed by the Features on some of the tracks.
My Old, Familiar Friend is released through ATO Records on 31st August.
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