This just in (sorry, had to say it), a brand new use for that lily-white iPod. The OhMiBod claims to be "the first insertable vibrator that moves to the beat from the iPod," and works with other music players, of course. I could go on and on about it, but I'm really just inclined to parrot some of the intriguing comments from the press release:

Unlike other vibrators, it has a sleek and elegant design so it appeals to first time users as much as it does to aficionados."

OhMiBod offers vibrator users:

a user community.
the hottest DJs mixing playlists.
a 500 strong beta team."

Really, what more can I say? I guess I could point out that if you visit the Web site, you'll find a collection of "Acsexsories," including the first iPod garter ever created. Oh Boy.

I remember when my mom bought me a Yamaha keyboard one year for my birthday. I never learned how to read music unfortunately, so I had to pretend. That was back in the 80s. Yamaha has come a long way since then.

Have you ever aspired to be a cello player? Or maybe you want to challenge yourself even more. Then Yamaha's SVC-110 Silent Electric Cello can make your musical dreams come true.

This redesigned cello is the newest addition to Yamaha's Silent instrument line, which was introduced in the late 90s. Its body is made of spruce and the neck and bridge of hard maple. The SVC-110 comes equipped with headphones, a 9V battery and a protective bag.

With it, you can connect any MP3 or CD player so that you can play along to any song or accompaniment. A second input allows you to duet with another player. And using the headphones will surely keep your neighbors' or parents' ears happy.

How it works: "A studio-quality audio pick-up is connected to an internal effects processor (powered by 2 AA batteries) that places the sound in a simulated acoustic space selected by the user, such as a concert hall or practice room."  

According to Yamaha, the "cello was featured in a February performance with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. World renowned cellist David Geringas performed a piece using the SVC-110SK that was specially written for him by Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür. This unique instrument gave Geringas tonal and dynamic possibilities not achievable on a conventional cello, while preserving its characteristic sounds."

If the cello doesn't tickle your music fancy, the company offers other instruments in the Silent line, including a violin, viola, and bass.

The SVC-110 retails for $2,795 and is available now at your local Yamaha dealership.

Thanks to Reviews Editor Laarni Ragaza for the tip!

Oh, sure, you could opt for a functional, stylish, practical, rugged, tasteful cell phone case... or say to hell with all that, and purchase a foam banana to enfold your device in a fabulously weird way. They come in bar or flip styles and will run you just $10 at FredFlare.com.

It all makes me wonder which came first: The banana phone case, or this.

As weird word fan Jeremy Kaplan says, "bananular!" (Thanks for the tip, Jeremy.)

When I read about what Cingular was planning, I nearly fell out of my chair. The wireless carrier said yesterday that it will start "charging customers with older phones an extra $4.99 monthly fee as early as September unless they upgrade their phones."

Many people (like me) own phones that are two or more years old. So it doesn't surprise me that this will affect nearly 4.7 million subscribers out of Cingular's 57.3 million total subscribers.

The reason behind Cingular's monthly fee is so that the company can grow its technologies toward GSM (global system of mobile communications), which is supposed to provide better voice quality and let you use your cell phone overseas. I guess Cingular doesn't care about outraged folks calling in to their company center! I'd be angry if Sprint did this. I own a Sanyo PM 8200, and I am perfectly happy with it. Right now I just don't care enough about having Bluetooth or MP3 capabilities in a phone to want to upgrade. Eventually I will once I have the money and the time. But in the meantime, my Sanyo serves me well (even though the antenna is chewed from my brother's whippet!).

The good news is if you do purchase a new cell phone, Cingular will give you a discount. At least they're offering that. It seems like we're always getting screwed by cell phone companies, whether it's illegal taxes, being charged for services we never agreed to, or dishing out hundreds of dollars to terminate our contracts.

The current TDMA network will remain in effect until February 2008.

[via Reuters]

The Wolfking Warrior keypad is a handy device for serious FPS gamers: The circular pad saves desk space and bunches the keys together so they're easier to reach.

I played a demo of Call of Duty 2 on my regular keyboard and on the Warrior to compare. The action wasn't really that different; it cut down the finger gymnastics needed to reach over a row of keys back and forth for different actions, but not by much.

The real convenience, for me, was all the desk space it cleared up, which made it easier for me to use my mouse and keyboard in tandem. The keys felt a lot sturdier than what I'm used to on regular keyboards (Wolfking claims the keyboard can last through over 10 million keystrokes), and you'll love its portability if you take your keyboard on the road for FPS tournaments or LAN parties. You can pick one up by clicking for $34.99 at Wolfking's Web site.

Thanks to intern Errol Pierre-Louis for this review!

Everywhere I turn, a company is opening its own retail store. Nokia, Nintendo, Apple, Dell, Nokia, Motorola, and most recently, Garmin.

And what's with all these stores opening in Chicago? I know the city is full of Segway scooters and fans cheering Oprah's name, but c'mon. Give New York some gadget lovin'! Perhaps Chicago piqued Garmin's interest because downtown Chicago offers "over 3.3 million square feet of retail space, 460 stores, 275 restaurants, two unique museums and entertaining attractions to more than 22 million visitors each year."

Garmin will open a retail store around the holiday season in downtown Chicago. And just so you won't have to use your GPS to find it, the store will be located at 669 North Michigan Avenue. There, you will be able to buy Garmin units, receive hands-on product demos, training, seminars, and even product support.

[via Garmin press release]

Thanks to PC Mag Editor-in-Chief Jim Louderback for the tip!

OPPO Digital is releasing the LT-2007 today, their sleek, new LCD TV/DVD Combo.

The TV features a 20.1-inch flat-panel TFT LCD with TV tuner, 800 x 600 pixel resolution, a USB port and card reader, built-in slot-loading DVD player, a headphone output, and a VGA input for use as a game or computer monitor.
 

When not in use, the remote control can be tucked away in the cradle behind the screen.

I'm always skeptical about devices that have built-in components, because if a part of it stops working and can't be fixed, you're kinda out of luck. Still, it's ideal for small spaces in the office or home, especially for those who live in Manhattan!

Get the OPPO LT-2007 for $607 (electronic waste recycling fee included in price).