MP3 Players »

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  Samsung S2 Pebble

  Samsung has officially announced the S2 Pebble, a screenless 2GB MP3 player that retails for under AU$50.

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  Audio Technica ATH-W1000 headphones

  An exceptional pair of reference headphones for the price with sonic accuracy across the board and brutal detail from upper low end to the top of the high end.

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  SanDisk Sansa Fuze

  Hey there, Nano killer! The Sansa Fuze has its sights set on Apple's skinny player, but comes up a little short. Still, with its extra features and ease of use, it's one to put on the shortlist.

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  Sony MDR-AS20J Active headphones

  Sony's curvy MDR-AS20Js are a suitable choice for MP3 player owners who simply want a more secure pair of earphones for the gym, but don't need better audio quality than that of stock earbuds.

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  Audio Technica ATH-W5000 headphones

  From dance to metal, folk to pop, rock to Balinese gamelan, these cans shine with their relentless detail, wide soundstage and clarity. What they lack in low-end presence they make up for in brightness and high-end clarity.

More reviews »

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  Top ultrathin MP3 players

  Thin is in, so why not pick up a space-saving MP3 player? Here are some of our picks.

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  Best tiny MP3 players

  Flash memory chips are tiny, meaning the players that use them can be small to the point of ridiculousness. Here are some of our favourite teeny little super guys.

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  MP3 for Mother's Day

  Forget sneaking around in the kitchen in the early hours of Mother's Day trying to throw together a continental brunch for your dear mum. Wake her up with the sound of her favourite music, as heard via a new MP3 player, headphones or a sound system.

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  MP3 players that look as good as they sound

  Thanks to the phenomenal influence of Apple, design is everything in the world of MP3 players. Here are the slickest looking models to cross our desks lately.

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  Portable video players for movie marathons

  These six players each give at least five hours of video playback -- take that, excruciating long-haul flight!

More review round-ups »

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  Sydney Apple Store mania

  Check out the scenes from the Sydney Apple Store's opening night and find out how queuers passed the time awaiting its launch.

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  Samsung YP-K3 (2GB)

  Samsung sets its sights on "slick" with its latest flash MP3 player, an understated beauty that hopes to tame the iPod beast.

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  Hacking the iPod Touch

  When Apple gave birth to the iPod Touch, it should have been the killer fusion of MP3 player and PDA. It wasn't. Fear not though, the guys and gals of the Internet have unlocked the Touch's full potential -- we show you how.

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  Iriver E100

  Video's a little shonky and scrolling will test your patience, but the E100 delivers the audio goods and throws in some nifty features to boot.

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  Sydney Apple store tour

  Sydney's Apple store opens to the public at 5pm on June 19, and with 30 hours to go the queue for entry had already begun. Here is a video tour showing what punters can expect when the moment of truth arrives.

More popular reviews »

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  Belkin TuneStudio

  The Belkin TuneStudio is an excellent four-track recorder which is best when used with a Mac or PC. It includes pro-level features such as a compressor and phantom power.

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  iRiver Clix (2nd generation)

  The 2nd gen iRiver Clix offers the perfect blend of hot design, desirable features, and stellar sound quality. If you're looking for an alternative to the iPod Nano, this device should top the list.

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  Archos 605

  The Archos 605 Wi-Fi portable video player is one of the best mobile distractions money can buy.

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  Samsung YP-U3

  With its sound quality and industrial chic look the YP-U3 stakes its claim to being the king of USB key MP3 players.

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  Shure E500PTH sound isolating earphones

  If you're the type who prefers uncompressed or lossless formats, require low-profile headphones, and don't mind investing in high-end headphones, the Shure E500PTH should be on your short list.

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  LG FM37

  The LG FM37 is an incredibly stylish player with a refreshing touchscreen interface and excellent sound quality -- but ease of use is sacrificed for the gorgeous design.

• TDK iSlim

  Utilising NXT speaker technology, the iSlim is an ultra-thin flat panel speaker system with an iPod dock, FM radio, alarm clock and remote.

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  iRiver T60

  A terrific-sounding player, and many will find the use of AAA batteries handy. But the very low-resolution screen doesn't impress and navigating the thing can be tricky at times.

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  Oticon Epoq Streamer

  Oticon's Epoq hearing aids and Epoq Streamer offers an elegant way for those with hearing impairments to utilise mobiles, MP3 players and all sorts of audio devices.

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  Philips GoGear SA3125

  A bargain price and decent sound quality can't lift this MP3 player above the mire of mediocrity.

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  iTunes Australia now offers TV shows

  Australian iTunes users can finally download TV shows, with content from the ABC, Nine Network, Disney Channel, MTV and Disney's ABC Studios now available on the store.

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  Whaddyareckon?: Mac vs. PC

  With the Sydney Apple store throwing its huge glass doors open this week, it's time to revisit the age-old debate: Mac versus PC. Choose your side and let the games begin.

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  Sydney Apple Store: Fans say wait was worth it

  Check out the scenes from the Sydney Apple Store's opening night and find out how queuers passed the time awaiting its launch.

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  Sydney Apple store: View from the queue

  Apple's Sydney store doesn't open to the public until 5pm this evening, but the queue for entry began with 30 hours to go. We talk to a queuer about Macs, cults and the turtlenecked wonder that is Steve Jobs.

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  Sydney Apple store video tour

  Sydney's Apple store opens to the public at 5pm on June 19, and with 30 hours to go the queue for entry had already begun. Here is a video tour showing what punters can expect when the moment of truth arrives.

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  Apple replaces .Mac with MobileMe

  At the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced the next evolution of its .Mac service, MobileMe.

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  Apple uncovers Sydney store for the first time

  There can be absolutely no doubt about Apple's first official store in the southern hemisphere coming to Sydney, with a giant banner which was uncovered announcing the store on George Street today.

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  Apple iTunes targeted by phishers

  Now phishers have turned their attention to iTunes, creating a bogus site that reportedly looks like an iTunes billing page asking for current credit card information.

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  Apple to boost music content for iPhone

  Apple is in talks with the largest record companies as it attempts to boost the iPhone's offering of ringtones and other musical content, according to a report in The New York Times.

More news »

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  Photos: Inside Apple's Sydney store

  Apple took the wraps off its first Australian store today. Here is a sneak peek of what is inside the big glass walls.

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  Under wraps: Apple's Sydney City Store

  Work is coming along at the soon-to-open Sydney Apple store, although the high-security site is wrapped up to resemble a Steve Jobs skivvy.

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  Mother's Day Gift Guide

  Give your mum the gift of tech. We've rounded up gadgets that will make her life better well beyond Mother's Day: cameras, mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players.

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  Top free MP3 apps: alternatives to iTunes and WMP

  Sick of Windows Media Player? Over iTunes? Here are three free alternatives for your music management needs.

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  Hands-on with the iriver E100

  iriver's E100 MP3 player is a usable and friendly alternative to anything by Apple. Here's a closer look at this likeable new device.

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  Does streaming lift music sales?

  Free streaming music turns people on to new music and encourages them to buy, says social-networking site Last.fm. In the music industry, this will not come as a huge revelation.

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  Photos: iPod journeys to outer space

  Never mind freeze-dried ice cream and Tang -- it seems modern-day astronauts are now taking a certain Apple gadget into outer space.

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  Microsoft TechFest 2008: A glimpse into the future

  Each year Microsoft holds its Techfest show, an exhibition of some of the research projects it's working on. CNET.com.au went to check out where the future lies.

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  Wink-activated iPod controller

  A researcher at Osaka University in Japan has developed a device that allows users to control their iPod music player via eye winks.

More features »

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  Oi!: Look professional with AKG's high-def headphones

  High-end audio manufacturer AKG has introduced a range of high-def headphones designed to please the pickiest of music appreciators.

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  Oi!: Creative's cheap headphones silence the world

  Buying noise-cancelling headphones usually requires a bank loan but Creative's new HN-605s are alarmingly cheap.

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  Oi!: JVC's dual-dock iPod speaker eases party pain

  JVC has doubled up on the docks with its NX-PN7, an iPod speaker system that allows you to charge two players simultaneously and play songs from each.

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  Oi!: Philips: Won't someone please think of the children?

  Sex, drugs, rock-and-roll: our innocent children need to be sheltered from this unholy triumvirate of badness, and Philips is attempting to tackle the third evil in the line-up with its new range of child-safe headphones.

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  Oi!: iPhone accessories a-go-go

  Buying an iPhone is like bringing home a newborn — you want to ensure you have everything prepared so that it's comfortable and cared for. To this end, here are some iPhone accessories for the feverishly anticipated handset.

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  Oi!: Back to school with iTunes U

  Get your academic kicks via iTunes U, which offers lectures, speeches and student work from a bunch of Aussie universities.

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  Oi!: Jumpstart the beat with a Pacemaker

  DJs can now spin their tracks by fiddling in their pocket, courtesy of Tonium's Pacemaker handheld tune mixer.

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  Oi!: Mini aluminium Nano add-on

  Trick out your third-gen Nano with Creative's TravelSound i80, a teeny, rechargeable speaker that fits snug against your player.

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  Oi!: Brand Tags' clouds cut through marketing hype

  CEOs and marketing types talk about improving or maintaining "brand values" all the time. But what do we really think of the companies that deliver us our modern existence? The site Brand Tags is attempting to find out.

More oi! »

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  Memory cards: All your questions answered

  With all the different types and variations available, it's easy to get confused about memory cards. But as they now fit into everything from digital cameras to printers, phones and televisions, it's important to know your way around the memory card maze.

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  Photos: Inside Apple's Sydney store

  Apple took the wraps off its first Australian store today. Here is a sneak peek of what is inside the big glass walls.

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  DIY: How to create an MP3 CD

  Got a lot of songs on your MP3 player that you’d like to hear on your PC, home stereo or car CD player? Our tutorial explains how to burn you favourite playlist to CD to get more mileage from the music on your portable player.

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  Sydney Apple Store: Fans say wait was worth it

  Check out the scenes from the Sydney Apple Store's opening night and find out how queuers passed the time awaiting its launch.

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  The sound of silence: Noise-cancelling headphones

  Top active noise-cancelling headphones

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  DIY: How to update firmware on your MP3 player

  We'll step you through how to upgrade the firmware on some of the most popular MP3 players, so there'll be no excuses not to have the latest and greatest feature set available.

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  Bluetooth headphones: Enjoy your music wirelessly

  We take five stereo Bluetooth headphones for a spin to see which set reigns supreme.

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  How to find album art for your iPod

  Sick of seeing grey squares parading across your iPod? We show you how to find album art -- the easy way.

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  Apple iPhone hands-on: pros and cons

  CNET.com.au's Jeremy Roche gets a quick hands-on play with the iPhone, Apple's first mobile phone, in a Q&A session with the company's vice president of iPod products, Greg Joswiak.

• MP3 player buying guide

• Buying music online in Australia

• Glossary of music terms

• MP3 player shopping checklist

• Apple iPod family

• Supercharge your iPod