Cool Hunting

Monome
Since the multi-use controller Monome first came out a few years back, it's slowly gained a cult following thanks to its attractive and flexible design. If you're unfamiliar with the device, the Monome is an ultra-tactile, interactive and adaptable MIDI interface that takes advantage of open-source software to manipulate any number of musical parameters. With a pleasing grid-based design, the programmable buttons function as...

V-Moda Vibe Duo
Not everyone has welcoming outer ears to the standard iPhone earbuds. While we haven't found the perfect replacement, the V-Moda VIBE Duos deliver the best combination of functionality, sound and in-the-ear fit. The VIBE Duos feature the inline mic and button to switch between music and incoming phone calls similar to the Apple iPhone stereo headset. This is a must for smoothly handling unexpected...

Create an Eskimo Joe cover
Our friends over at Imeem, the internet's fastest growing social networking site according to the latest Comcast figures, have an Eskimo Joe design contest running at the moment on their group page. It's all very simple: Listen to the album, which is streaming on the page, choose your favorite song, and create album art for it as if it was going to be produced...

USB Cassete Archiver
Whether it's old mix tapes made by exes or an obscure Kid Dynamo album bought before everything went digital, us nostalgic types all have a shoe box or two full of old analog cassette tapes. Every now and again I get the urge to dig back into them, but I don't even have a deck to play them on anymore. The USB Cassette Archiver...

Suzuki Omnichord
When Suzuki introduced the Omnichord in 1981 it had a profound effect on both music instruction and as a tool for professional musicians. An electronic musical instrument, it features a touch plate and chord buttons, making it almost too easy to play. Just press the chord buttons, strum the touch plate and you're playing dynamic chord progressions. Beginners can immediately start playing in tune,...

Four Pairs of Wireless Headphones
I lack the coordination needed to operate a keyboard and mouse while tethered to my computer by the wire on my headphones. To protect my laptop from being thrown across the room by a careless jerk of my head, I invested in a pair of wireless headphones, the Sony IF140s (pictured right), about 10 years ago. They had an infrared transmitter that plugged into...