Look, it's nice and all that you've got Atlas woofers and CMMD tweeters and DSP equalization, but seriously, Harman Kardon? You're going to charge a thousand dollars for speakers with no subwoofer? To you I say good day, sir! [BusinessWire via Coolest Gadgets]

Each receiver takes advantage of the latest sound and video technologies — such as the latest high-bit-rate formats, including Dolby(R) TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio(TM) delivered via Blu-ray Disc(TM) and the HD video content stored on iPod and iPhone products — and incorporates them into a beautifully designed, easy-to-use system.

We knew that the iPhone 3GS has the power to play 1080p video, but this capability is not enabled right now. The video that gets transferred to your iPhone and iPod from iTunes is low resolution at this moment. There's no way to store HD content, and have it accessible to Harman Kardon's receivers. So, obviously, the company knows something that we don't.

Could this mean that Apple will announce this capability in today's event? Perhaps it is related to the Cocktail project? We will discover it at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific, in our liveblog. [MarketWatch]

The BDP 10 will be able to play back 1080p/24 video, and will also support BD-Live and BonusView capabilities for Blu-ray movies that contain that extra online content. Also, not only will the player have the standard analog audio outputs, but also it will come equipped with coaxial and optical audio outputs, HDMI v1.3a, a composite video output, USB ports, and an Ethernet jack.

Although the May release of the BDP 10 is for Europe only, Harman Kardon is expected to announce a release date for North American sometime soon. [Harman Kardon via Electronista]

The ClearAudio Statement: At $100,000 the ClearAudio Statement, seen above, is everything that is wrong with the audiophile culture, combined into one four-foot, 770lb, variously suspended, NASA-electronics-adorned turntable (check out a full-length shot here). But it's a design triumph, coaxing a polished, demure aesthetic out of what should by all means be an ostentatious CNC-machined mess.

Speak-er: Spawned by a playful concept that nobody honestly expected to get made, the Speak-er isn't fancy, powerful or technologically impressive. It's a dead-simple desktop speaker in a fantastic shell, which opens up a slew of design possibilities for your office, room, or live-action comic book troupe.

Sonnance Freewheeler: Continuing the simple-but-perfect theme, the Sonnance Freewheeler is a wireless speaker disc, about the size of a car's wheel and able to run for about 8 hours on a full charge. It's also $21,000, but that neither here nor there, "here" being "within the range of you to buy" and "there" being "at all worth it, even if it was." But, pretty!

BeoSound 5: It's somehow heartening to see so much design go into a remote control. That's what the BeoSound 5 is: a 1024x768 screen with a brushed aluminum control wheel that serves solely as an interface for the BeoMaster 5, a giant B&O media server.

Montegiro Lusso Turntable: Apparently designed in the Towers of Hanoi tradition, this conical turntable is adorned with enough expensive-sounding features for even the most credulous discerning audiophile. It's just under $50,000, but really, you can't put a price on tying a room together, can you?

Sony Sountina: So, it's a speaker in a glass stick, but it's also one of the rare speakers that would work in virtually any setting. As a bonus, it can be illuminated in blue, amber or purple light, though I think it looks best without any at all.

V-Moda Vibe Earphones/Headsets: This is one of the few items on this list that people actually buy, and with good reason. They're capable (though not outstanding) earphones, on which V-Moda has shown extreme attention to design. The corrugated bodies, Mont Blanc-esque pen-tip wire accessories and (sometimes) fabric wire casings make for the most stylish earbphones on the market today.

Harman Kardon Soundsticks: You've seen this at Apple Store and Best Buys for years, but they're due some credit: they bring a stunning transparent aesthetic to mainstream buyers, perfectly complementing a generation of Apple hardware while being generally gorgeous enough to be appealing to the PC crowd too. You'd still be hard-pressed to find a lovelier set of speakers for under $200.

Opera Sonora Speakers: Every once in a while, questionably scientific theories of audiophilia result in extremely handsome products. That's the story of the Opera Sonora line of speakers. The theory: Bolting little speaker driver on to the back of tonewood—the same stuff used in high-end violins—will provide a rich, warm sound. The result: Speakers that look like they were designed by a reanimated Antonio Stradivari, with a sound—well, not many people have actually heard them yet.

Sony Qualia 010: Priced at over $2500, slapped with a painfully pretentious name and jinxed forever to be rejected by mainstream-averse audiophiles, these futuristic headphones were doomed from the start. But whatever, these are subtly good-looking cans, blending in for day-to-day use but revealing meticulous design and construction on close examination. (Image from Head-fi)

Listening Test: It's music tech week at Gizmodo.

First, some ground rules on the scope and purpose of my testing:

The headphones tested are all what you'd consider "upgrades" rather than "replacements" for the crap headphones that came with your MP3 player. While I capped pricing at $200, my "cheapest" pair started at around $40. The three tiers are under $100, $100-$150, and $150-$200.

The most practical measure of sound quality is to just sit and listen. I focused on in-ear headphones because they are built not just to jam a driver right next to your ear, but to block outside noise. It's simple: less ambient noise = better experience.

In the spirit of cutting out the vaguely scientific marketing jargon, my tests were unscientific, but consistent across the board and based on real-world situations. The methodology was simple: a current-gen iPod, a sonically diverse playlist of music and, for isolation testing, a seat on the 14 bus in San Francisco, then some time next to a white noise machine.

With so much of the earphone inside of your ear, rustling of the cable can cause some serious noise. If the cable isn't properly buffered from the earphone, the deep, annoying shuffling can interfere your music when you try to walk or turn your head. That's why I made note of "cable noise"—this isn't to suggest there was some kind of buzz or white noise from the cable itself.

The Losers: This is a tricky price point, as some stock earbuds (Apple, Sony) are actually pretty good. Slapping a rubber cuff on a half-baked product doesn't justify a price of $50+. In the case of Apple's in-ears and the CX300s, you aren't really experiencing a different class of audio than with stock buds, though there is a marked improvement. The CX500s put on a good show for bass junkies, but that's about it. Creative has a nice product with a great price, but it just can't measure up to the metro.fi on the performance front.

$100-$150
The Winner: Shure SE110 This price point offers the highest price to performance ratio, and the SE110 is the best of the lot. If you can get over the deep penetration and the over-ear looping, you'll find that the SE110s are comfortable, block out plenty of ambient noise and most importantly produce stunning, immersive sound. The tones are wisely balanced, and quality is at the level that you'll be noticing new things about songs that you've heard dozens of times. Decent discounts are available at various online retailers, as is the case with most of this category.

The Losers: Manufacturers know that this is a sweet spot for consumers, so the market is crowded with good options. The hardware starts to look a little more "professional," or more accurately, "weird." Etymotics, always fans of producing earphones that are really good on paper, fails with the ER6 not because of quality issues, but because the buds are awkward and overwhelm with the high and middle tones. The company's new earphone tips, however, are amazing (more on this below, in the more expensive category). Ultimate Ears loses their luster at this level. Creative is yet again a nice runner-up; the Zen Aurvanas are very capable, but couldn't supplant the crystal-clear SE110s.

$150-$200
The Winner: Etymotics hf5 Ostensibly designed with portable music players in mind, the hf5s solve the balance problems of the er6 models and much, much more. They're cool looking (with the right tips, they look like sci-fi laser pistols), have little to no cable movement noise and reproduce sound in a way that is both perfectly clear and highly enjoyable. Everything about these gives the impression of quality, from the brushed aluminum finish to the way that music suddenly sounds distinctly layered in a way that it didn't before, and that it doesn't on many similarly priced units. One caveat, though: the hf5s (and the er6s, for that matter) must be used with the new foam rubber tips, called "Mushrooms." They're a little phallic and sort of a sickly gray, but they are leaps and bounds better than Etymotics' trademark flanged tips. The tighter seal that these offer to most people is conducive to better listening, and the isolation properties are superb. You can't hear anything else with these guys in. Every manufacturer should have something like this. According to the Etymotics people, by the time the hf5s ship these will be standard issue. Good.

The Losers: To sum up the category: Expensive without enough added benefit. Spending $100 will get you a phenomenal listening experience, so it's hard to justify spending more. The $200 cap was intended to filter out the luxury market/audiophile products that tend to show up at about that price, but hints of both are apparent here. The Shure SE210s are a wonderful pair of earphones, but the large premium over the SE110s is a dealbreaker, as side-by-side comparisons expose only the slightest variation in sound quality. The Klipsch Custom-2s are more of a luxury item than the others, with woven cable housing and a case that is ready for you iPod as well. Harman Kardon is just batting out of their league here, and Ultimate Ears doesn't improve on their cheaper models, even introducing some pretty terrible cable noise.

If you're looking to get the most out of your MP3 player, you'll have to spend some money. But as it turns out, the general rule is that once you pass about $100, your audio improvements will become smaller and more expensive. After reviewing all of these earphones, one simple fact is very clear: If I were in the market for a new set of earphones, I would buy the SE110s.

Despite the noise in the Harman International tent, which covered JBL, Harman Kardon, Infinity and AKG (there was a line of cars, their boots agape, kicking out banging basslines, families fiddling with docks, computer games, a fabulous hospitality area with food, cocktails, so no suprise at the bees-round-a-honeypot vibe) we could hear the Go + Play pretty well.

The sound was clear, with a strong bass and no fuzziness around the treble. It's got Video Out as well, as well as metal buttons on the RC unit, which meant we really did think it was a special little number. Oh, and do any of our UK readers think, like me, that the Go+Play looks a bit like the aliens from the old Smash commercials? The unit costs $349.

I'm not sure whether either of these will be making it out of the workshop, but I reckon HK should take a punt on them, as they will probably be a big hit with the girls.

IRVINE, Calif. (July 24, 2007) -Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the availability of the Qosmio(R) G45-AV680, a cutting-edge audio-video notebook computer with Dolby(R) surround sound technology and the first U.S. model to feature an HD DVD-R optical drive and full 1080p playback resolution.

As the first U.S. notebook computer with an HD DVD-R optical drive, the Qosmio notebook provides users with a state-of-the-art multimedia machine that can burn up to 30 GB of data, including home-videos, entire photo albums and music libraries onto a single HD DVD recordable disc. In addition to storage capacity, the HD DVD-R optical drive also plays HD DVD movies at a resolution six times sharper than the DVD format.

"Already Toshiba's premiere audio-video solution, the new Qosmio is a remarkable step forward in the digital renaissance, in terms of putting high-definition capabilities and creative multimedia tools into people's hands," said Mark Simons, vice president and general manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "Whether you want to immortalize a recent European vacation on HD DVD, simply enjoy the perfection of studio-produced high-definition films with stunning Dolby surround sound or listen to music, the Qosmio puts a world of opportunity at our fingertips."

The enhanced technology of HD DVD provides Qosmio users with a groundbreaking level of interactivity that will change how people watch movies. Features such as in-movie commentary and downloadable internet content will provide layers of valuable options that reach deeper into the moviemaking process, highlighting interesting details concerning real-life set locations, as well as high definition movie trailers and music videos.

A key benefit of using a notebook computer as a conduit for HD DVD playback is the standard 1 gigabit Ethernet and 802.11n(1) wireless(2) internet connections, which makes it possible to quickly and easily access internet content. New releases, such as Warner's blockbuster "Blood Diamond," provide enhanced High Definition content that's only available through the internet.

"HD DVD is the future of high definition entertainment, and the Qosmio G45 is an example of the incredible opportunities in store for consumers," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of HD strategic marketing for Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group. "By adding a writable HD DVD drive, Toshiba once again sets the bar for high definition experiences on the PC. Consumers get a portable home theater for watching their favorite films in stunning 1080p quality or unlocking interactive experiences."

The Qosmio G45-AV680 sports a striking piano-key white glossy finish, which is starkly contrasted by a silver volume control knob and Qosmio AV Controller. Adding to the effect, each control knob is backlit by a halo of blue light. An impressive machine right out-of-the-box, the Qosmio G45 comes with such high-end features as four Harman Kardon(R) Bass Reflex stereo speakers, a built-in subwoofer, a 1 Bit Digital Amplifier and Dolby Home Theater(TM) technology. This high-end speaker configuration dramatically enhances the visual experience by delivering a sophisticated suite of audio technologies, such as Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Pro Logic(R) II, Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker. As a result users have the freedom and flexibility to enjoy rich surround sound in a variety of playback environments as well as more vivid and engaging experiences from a user's favorite music, HD movies and games.

Built around a stunning 17-inch diagonal widescreen Ultimate TruBrite(R) display, the Qosmio G45 delivers an image resolution of 1080p. While at home, users can connect the Qosmio's HDMI port to a High Definition TV to expand the functionality of their home entertainment center. Once connected to an HDTV, the Qosmio G45 can deliver a 1080p movie with all of the quality users expect from HD DVD. Additionally the Qosmio includes the TOSHIBA USB HDTV Tuner, an external device for viewing and recording live high definition TV from an antenna, satellite set-top box or cable line.

As the most complete entertainment notebook available, the Qosmio G45 also takes the gaming experience to the next level, through NVIDIA's GeForce 8600M GT GPU, which empowers gamers to take full advantage of Microsoft's cutting-edge DirectX 10 graphics technology to deliver modern visual effects. The DirectX 10 enabled NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT graphics card propels next-generation games to new heights of realism by producing realistic textures in hair, facial and body features, while providing a richly detailed environment for an immersive gaming experience.

To download large files, such as movies and television shows in a fraction of the time, while providing greater security, faster internet browsing, and a richer wireless internet experience, the Qosmio G45-AV680 incorporates the draft 802.11n wireless protocol. For users, this new wireless technology delivers transfer speeds up to five times(3) faster than the previous 802.11g standard.

To maximize the functionality of the Qosmio and its HD DVD-R drive, the digital lifestyle application Ulead(R) DVD MovieFactory(R) for TOSHIBA has been included. With this value-added software, Qosmio users can easily import and edit high-definition and standard digital home movie footage to create personal family masterpieces. In turn, the Qosmio G45-AV680 makes it possible to add the finishing professional touch to personal films and home movies that were originally captured using an HD or digital camcorder by burning them onto an HD DVD complete with graphical menus and chapter markers. With this feature, the Qosmio brings HD DVD production capabilities within reach of the video enthusiast.

The Qosmio G45 is available at www.toshibadirect.com, as well as a variety of major consumer electronics and computer stores nationwide in the following configuration:

Qosmio G45-AV680 Unique Specifications (ESUP $3,199.99(4))

· Genuine Windows Vista(TM) Ultimate (32-bit version)

· Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T7300(5)

o 2.00 GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB with 64-bit(6)

· 2048MB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM memory(7)

o Maximum capacity 4096MB

· Intel(R) Turbo Memory

o 1024MB

· 320GB using two Serial-ATA hard disk drives(8)

o Primary 160GB + Secondary 160GB

· HD DVD-R/DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive (in one optical drive) supporting 13 formats

· Toshiba USB HDTV Tuner (External)

· 17-inch diagonal widescreen Ultimate TruBrite(R) display

o 1920x1200 native resolution (WUXGA)

o Supports 1080p content

· PCI-Express(TM) x16 graphics subsystem, featuring:

o NVIDIA(R) GeForce(TM) 8600 GT with 512MB DDR2 discrete graphics memory, plus up to 255MB dynamically allocated shared graphics(9) memory using NVIDIA(R) TurboCache(TM) technology

· 1-bit Digital Amplifier

· Four built-in Harman Kardon(R) Bass Reflex stereo speakers with subwoofer

· Dolby Home Theater(TM)

· Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n)(1)

· Toshiba Remote Control

· Embedded Webcam and microphone

· Fingerprint reader

The Qosmio G45 series is available with a one-year standard, limited warranty(10), which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country; or customers may utilize any of the 4,460 UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations nationwide for packaging and delivery of the product to a centralized depot for prompt turnaround service. Customers can also choose to upgrade the notebook's service plans, including up to four years of extended warranty coverage.

All new Toshiba notebooks are RoHS-compatible(11), effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. Toshiba also offers a computer trade-in and recycling program to reduce environmental impact and promote efficient utilization of resources. All Toshiba computers qualify for free recycling, while non-Toshiba computers and other consumer electronic products can be recycled for a small fee. For more information please visit: www.reuse.toshiba.com.

There are two kinds of docks: ones that let you control music from the iPod itself and ones that take control of the iPod, like BMW's notorious first dock and many subsequent (and more affordable) accessories since. The Bose SoundDock is an example of the former; the DLO HomeDock and Harman Kardon's Bridge dock are examples of the latter.

Regardless of the dock type, regardless of whether the iPhone is set for ring or vibrate, here's what happens: you are rocking out to your music when it suddenly—though gracefully—fades out. If it's on ring, you hear the one of the cheesy Apple ringtones, but it doesn't play through the system, it plays through the iPhone speaker. (If it's vibe, you may not hear anything.) You can even answer in-dock, and tap the speaker button to put the call on speakerphone. The instant you hang up, your music fades back in, no problem.

The video dock, on the other hand, was a total bust. Mind you, I only tried one, the Memorex iFlip, but the prospects are grim. Since iPhone doesn't have the video options screen that a video iPod does, you can't choose to route the video out. Since it would never play video internally and externally at the same time, it seems video is doomed to stay in the iPhone forever. And that "audio interference" Apple mentioned, well, the iFlip is the first time we heard it. A low, digitally unpleasant moan. More updates on that subject soon.

This is mixed news for every iPhone aspirant who has spend hundreds on iPod docks and accessories, but still it's not a comprehensive, scientific study. We will continue to test and report back to you as we learn more.

Comprehensive iPhone Coverage [Gizmodo]

Compared with other HTIB (home theater in a box) units with DVD players built in, the price may be a little high (even though the player outputs up to 1080i), but nobody ever said Harman Kardon was cheap. Except maybe Mrs. Kardon. – Jason Chen

Harman Kardon may not a name to say quickly or people will think you are talking about having sex in your car, but it is a name associated with high-end AV products for the home. These home theater systems, the HS300 and HS500 should be available to ship any day now. Both have a 5.1-channel receiver/DVD-Audio/Video player, five satellites, HDMI connectivity, 1080i video processing, subwoofer and a USB connection to other players - and, unlike many HT systems, they are not unstylish. Be prepared to part with $1199 for the 500 and $999 for the 300. – Ad Dugdale

Harman Kardon Theatre Systems Out [Source]

• SanDisk Sansa View Video
• De-Pntsing the Samsung K3 Slim MP3 Player
• Harman Kardon Drive+Play 2 and Guide+Play GPS-500
• Dirty Hands-On: Sony VIO WA1 Wireless Music Streamer (Not really a portable media player, but still cool despite the aesthetic problems.) –Travis Hudson

Maybe justifying that cost is the D+P 2's screen. And its unique music browsing features that will create a personal DJ that selects music from the same artist, album or genre of music. Another music browsing feature is the ability for the D+P 2 to create dynamic channels. Imagine your wide music library being organized into stations or channels—similar to satellite or terrestrial radio.

The D+P 2 has an included wireless (!!) navigation knob and screen for full browsing capabilities on your portable music device. It also includes Harman Net (like a port for expandability), Bluetooth and supports for Sirius. The D+P 2 will supports many devices such as the iPod and Zune. – Travis Hudson

Harman Kardon's iPod Bridge [Coolest-Gadgets]

The The AVR-740 ($3,500) uses Faroudja technology for upconverted and enhanced HD 780p and 1080i video output through its HDMI connection, which should mean nice clear images. It also includes that EzSet/EQ II automatic room equalization system, which automatically measures the frequency response by bouncing sound around your room, and helps you set up your system correctly. All A/V receivers also work with the Harman Kardon iPod interface called the Bridge ($70), which gives you a direct audio and control link between iPod and receiver.

The HS-100 Integrated Home Theatre System ($899) is pretty, that's for sure. It includes an extremely slim receiver/progressive-scan DVD-A/V player, 5.1-channel loudspeaker with wall-mountable speakers and a unified remote control. Perfect for flat panel TVs.

The CP-35 System Solutions is a 7.1 channel home theatre package with just about everything you need for a kickin' home theatre. It includes an AVR 335 receiver, a DVD 31 progressive scan DVD A/V player, multichannel loudspeaker system and unified remote control, as well as cables and satellite wall-mount brackets. Not bad for $1,900.

Drive + Play [Product Page]
Behind The Wheel With An iPod [The Mossberg Solution]