shuffle

The poker boom has given rise to a variety of related gadgetry, ranging from poker-chip flash drives to wireless on-screen games. But there's a staple of the card table that's been surprisingly ignored: the automatic shuffler.

Shuffle Tech is trying to capitalize on this egregious oversight with a state-of-the-art version that promises to speed the whole process so you can lose your money as fast as possible. It has two options, one with three riffles (45 seconds) and the other with seven (90 seconds), which is certainly faster than most poker buddies are capable of, especially after several … Read more

Speaking of iPods, Apple just announced a price cut on the 1GB iPod shuffle: $49, down from $79. If you can't make do with a measly 240 songs, cheer up: Apple also announced a new 2GB shuffle, though it won't be available for a couple weeks. That model will sell for $69, meaning anyone who just paid $79 for a 1GB shuffle will be crying into their beer.

Alas, I'm among those with teary beer: I bought a shuffle for Mrs. Cheapskate just a few months ago. But she absolutely loves it, so I will bottle up … Read more

Apple on Tuesday shuffled (har, har) its lineup of matchbook-size digital music players, announcing a new iPod Shuffle with double the storage space and slashing the price of its 1GB models to $49.

The 2GB version of the screenless flash memory-based player will cost $69 and be available for sale later this month, Apple said in a statement. That's less than the previous price for a new 1GB model, at $79. (Apple has, however, been selling refurbished 1GB Shuffles for $49 in recent months.)

Both models, which sport a built-in clip, are slated to come in five colors: silver, … Read more

Well, we now know what other interests Pieter Knook will be pursuing. Knook, whose departure was expected to be announced this afternoon as part of a broader executive shuffle, is joining Vodafone to head up a new Internet services unit.

The unit will work on delivering consumer Web services on mobile devices and driving new revenue for the British carrier. Knook, a 17-year Microsoft veteran, will start on March 10.

Server and Tools executive Andy Lees is being tapped to run Microsoft's mobile unit, according to sources. Microsoft also recently hired Staples executive Todd Peters to head Windows Mobile marketing. … Read more

Japan's Bird Electron has always been known for the literally stripped-down design of its products, but it seems to be in a particularly minimalist mood these days for the iPod.

First we saw the industrially bare steel speaker stand made for the Touch, and now we have a decidedly DIY-looking iPod speaker. And it's not just any speaker, according to GeekAlerts, but the "one and only recycling speaker for iPod."

The EZ17-B speaker is designed to fit snugly into the clear plastic box that comes with certain versions of the Nano and Shuffle, without the need … Read more

Windows taskbars are notorious for being unfriendly, chaotic, and occasionally unresponsive. They also have poor social skills, but I'm not here to pass judgment. Instead, I'm going to show you three great freeware ways to lasso that unruly taskbar of yours and tame it right down, with Taskbar Shuffle, RocketDock, and Launchy.

… Read more

Troll the Web all you want--you'll almost never find price breaks on iPods. Unless you go straight to the source, that is: Apple's own outlet store sells refurbished players for pennies on the iPod dollar.

For example, you can snap up a 4GB nano (last year's perfectly cromulent model) for a mere $99--half the original selling price. Other current bargains include a 1GB Shuffle for $49 and a 30GB video iPod for $199 $179. I say "current" because the deals and availability change on a fairly regular basis. So if you see something you like, … Read more

Last summer, GeekSugar showed off a few nifty design proposals for some iPhone jewelry, which were then followed by a concept for an "iRing" that would actually function as well as adorn. As much as we lauded those efforts, we should point out that there's a limit to our appreciation for Apple love. Case in point: an mini-iPod pendant.

For one thing, if you're a true iPod devotee, wouldn't you always have a real one on your person anyway? And $100 seems kind of steep for an enamel charm with sterling silver and gold plating, … Read more

I love my Archos Gmini 220. It doesn't play movies, make phone calls, or take snapshots, but it provides me 20GB of digital music and files that I can take anywhere and transfer to any computer. It also only cost me $150 two years ago and is still going strong (with the help of one critical rubber band). It's also very solid as a lo-fi recording device for live shows.

While I don't need a portable music player that massages my back or sorts my laundry, I do need one that can shuffle my tracks randomly. Unfortunately, … Read more