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New music services are great at making me feel old.

Opening Spotify is like opening the door to some hip cafe where a mustached 20-year old barista takes my order with folded arms and a stamp on his hand from last night's secret show. I feel not just a little lame. But instead of running for the door like the curmudgeon that I am, yearning for the comfortable embrace of my iTunes collection, I stay.

I stay because even in these days of free apps, free video streams, and free e-books, I'm still totally enthralled by the idea … Read more

Pinball machine: check. Vintage Coke machine: check. Now all you need is a jukebox to finish off that awesome man-cave, basement rec room, or retro-themed loft.

Ah, but real old-fashioned jukeboxes limit you to a few dozen songs. I'd be more inclined to buy something that combines classic styling with modern technology.

Like this: for one week, Shoptronics.com has the Electrohome Kinsman Jukebox for $799.99 shipped when you apply coupon code JUKECNET at checkout. That's $200 off the regular price, and a CNET/Cheapskate exclusive.

The Kinsman looks like something from a '50s diner, but instead … Read more

The latest data out on the gaming industry indicates one, simple message: times are tough.

Overall spending on game industry products in the U.S. in April hit $495.2 million, down 25 percent compared to the $657.5 million consumers spent during the same period in 2012, according to monthly sales data on the game industry from research firm NPD. Hardware sales were hit hardest with just $109.5 million spent on consoles and handhelds last month. That figure is down 42 percent compared to the same period in April 2012.

Once again, the Xbox 360 led the market … Read more

A new update to iTunes on Thursday adds two new features to Apple's MiniPlayer and improves performance for users with large libraries.

Version 11.0.3, which went out as a free update on Mac and PC, has a new feature that lets you tweak the MiniPlayer to show album art with the player controls hidden. When you mouse over the player, the controls fade back into view. It also brings back the MiniPlayer progress bar, one of a handful of features Apple took out in the jump to iTunes 11.

Other changes include now showing album art in … Read more

Baby Learns Fruits HD is the iPad version of the popular Baby Bus: Baby Learns Fruits app, and it is one of the more engaging offerings from the line. Using the same basic interface and design that has made the Baby Busy line of apps so popular for young children and their parents, Baby Learns Fruits is a great way to engage a young child and help them learn at the same time.

Most Baby Bus apps come with two games, but Baby Learns Fruits HD comes with four, making it even more engaging than others in the series. Games … Read more

Baby Learns Fruits is perfect for young children, because it is educational and will keep them engaged both physically and intellectually.

Baby Learns Fruit is one of many apps in the Baby Bus line of apps. The idea of these apps is to teach children simple concepts like fruits, vegetables, shapes, colors, numbers, and letters with tap-and-play games. This particular app has four separate games that will ensure your child knows the names of fruits through and through. The interface is a small issue, initially, practically requiring you to change games or move to a different menu for them. Ads … Read more

Baby Learns Shapes is one of many high-quality apps produced in the Baby Bus line that your children will love.

The basic idea behind Baby Learns Shapes is easy to grasp. There are two games that involve matching a specific shape with a cutout. The second game is a matching game as well, but has a collection of objects on screen--children must choose all objects that match a shape shown to them in the game. So a circle might flash onscreen and the child must find all items that are round like a circle. This mechanic is so simple in … Read more

Part of the Baby Bus suite of apps, Baby Learns Vegetables, helps a child between the ages of 1-3 learn the basics of vegetables (even if it can't get your little one to eat them).

The opening screen for Baby Learns Vegetables is familiar for anyone who has used a Baby Bus app. A bus with all of the apps currently in the App Store appears here. You can tap the one you've just downloaded or look through and download others. Each is a separate app, however, meaning they will load separately onto your device, and the interface, … Read more

An increasing number of people are deciding to dedicate their cash to Apple's iOS rather than traditional gaming handhelds, according to a new study.

A joint study performed by research firms IDC and App Annie found that during the first quarter of 2013, total spending on iOS App Store games outpaced that of dedicated handhelds such as Nintendo's 3DS and PlayStation Vita. It was the first time that iOS games outpaced the traditional devices. In the fourth quarter, iOS was slightly behind gaming handhelds in total spending.

For now, Google Play is still a distant third, tallying about … Read more