mp3

Maybe I'm a creature of habit, but in spite of all the great new streaming-music services out there, I still find myself settling back into my love of Pandora. It's just a solid service that demands none of my attention and best of all, none of my money.

And while Pandora may be an old dog compared with the whelps of Spotify, Rdio, and Twitter Music, it actually has includes a number of ways to share your favorite music on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

To see how it's done, watch the video tutorial above. … Read more

If your kid's been begging for an iPod Touch, I've got some bad news. Apple has quietly discontinued the most affordable entry point into the world of iOS, the $199 16GB 4th-generation iPod Touch, an update of the 2011 model with a 3.5-inch screen. It's just as well since little Junior would have suffered some peer humiliation for not sporting one of the latest, greatest 5th-gen iPod models -- clearly distinguished by their bigger screens and candy-colored aluminum casing. Those models start at $299 for 32GB, or $399 for double the storage.

Until now, anyway. Apple … Read more

MP3 Cutter Joiner Free cuts your audio files into clips and joins them together with equal ease. You can use it to remove blank spaces, extract clips to use as ringtones and notifications, and even create quick homemade mash-ups. If a clip's too big, MP3 Cutter Joiner can cut it down to size. If you need to string a bunch of files together to play as one, it can do that, too. MP3 Cutter Joiner also converts audio files, individually or in batches, and applies various effects. It can join multiple files of different formats and bit rates, and … Read more

Switch Audio Converter for Mac lets you change any format of audio into MP3 format and vice versa in a matter of seconds. The application supports batch converting and has many other more advanced features.

Switch Audio Converter for Mac comes with a 14-day free trial, after which some extra features will expire. At around 1.4MB the application downloaded very quickly and was easy to install. The interface might seem slightly overwhelming at first as there are a lot of options, but ultimately it proved easy to use. It's very quick to select single files or a whole … Read more

Is there still a place in the world for the lowly MP3 player? Absolutely there is. It's a great companion for the gym, the hiking trail, the 5K you're training for, and so on.

And for 20 bucks? How can you go wrong? Today only, and while supplies last, DealFisher has the refurbished SanDisk Sansa Fuze+ 8GB MP3 player for $19.99, shipped. I'm not sure I've ever seen this particular player priced this low.

Indeed, this is not the tiny Sansa Clip you often see selling in this price range, but rather the more robust (… Read more

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

Hang onto your wallets, cheeps, because I've got five -- count 'em, five -- deals lined up for your Friday.

Why the glut? Same as always: I found lots of really good items and couldn't decide which one to spotlight. Check 'em out:

1. One big TV. When it comes to bang for your TV buck, I think Vizio leads the pack. Especially when Vizio resellers serve up deals like this one: Dell Home has the Vizio E552VLE 55-inch smart LCD HDTV for $649.99 shipped (plus sales tax in some states). Although CNET had some nits to pick … Read more

The number of video conversion programs available makes choosing a good one difficult. Though it's basically functional, the lack of features and problematic setup make VidConvert for Mac a less desirable option.

VidConvert is available as a free trial version with a three-minute conversion time limit; the full, unrestricted program requires payment of $7.99. The program installs quickly. Unfortunately, after initiating the program, the user must complete an additional download from a separate site before conversion can take place. This second download requires Terminal operations, which is a lot to ask of all but the most experienced Mac … Read more