If you are in the market for a 20 GB iPod, and are also a die-hard U2 fan, then the U2 iPod Special Edition is right up your ally. For just $349 USD you will get Apple's first ever colored iPod, which you can see is black with a red click wheel. Turn the iPod over, and you have each member of U2's autograph. With your purchase, you will also receive an exclusive U2 poster and the signature white iPod earbuds.

If $349 USD sounds a bit steep for a 20 GB iPod, this unit also includes an iTunes Music Store coupon you can use to get $50 off the purchase of "The Complete U2" album. Also remember, if you want to get your regular 20 GB iPod painted elsewhere, it will cost you $99 USD.

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Yes, you read that right. What is arguably the hottest phone currently available right now for all the hipsters out there can be had for just $24.99. The T-Mobile Sidekick II (a.k.a. HipTop 2) is a great device, combining a cell phone with internet browsing and an IM client. The negative? It only works with T-Mobile, so good luck finding reception. Some things are just too good to be true.

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Read More | T-Mobile Sidekick II for $24.99
Read More | Gizmodo Review - Sidekick Good, T-Mobile Bad

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In this installment of Playlist, we look at some young bands that will factor heavily in the near future of the music industry, as well as a band that just can't let the past go. A couple of rap groups, a couple of rock bands, and a Collection Essential that is only two years old. Buckle up for Playlist.

Click to continue reading Gear Live Playlist: Talib Kewli, Cake, Black Keys, Medvillain, Bright Eyes

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Want a free Palm Pilot? Well, the next site in the recent wave of free offer sites has arrived - FreePalms.com. The site has come under a bit of scrutiny from visitors, due to it's design being a carbon copy of how Gratis Internet designs their websites. Many wondered if the site would even turn out to be legit. Burke Jones, the person who runs FreePalms.com, sent us a message which may or may not ease your minds, which you can read by clicking the link below.

FreePalms.com currently offers the Tungsten C Communicator, Zire 72, and the Tungsten 3 to those who complete the site requirements. Click here to sign up.

Click to continue reading FreePalms.com: Get Your Free Palm Pilot

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Previous reports have been confirmed, as Apple announced the new iPod Photo line today. Here are some images for now - and they are gorgeous. The Apple iPod Photo is available in 40 GB and 60 GB models, and both music and photos sync with iTunes 4.7. Back with full specs in a bit.

Click to continue reading iPod Photo Is Official

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It seems that the stubborn Sony has finally had to concede to the consumers. Sony has released the Walkman NW-E99 and the NW-E95, with 1 GB and 512 MB of flash memory, respectively. It's what we hope is a start to all of Sony's devices supporting the MP3 format natively, rather than forcing a conversion to their proprietary ATRAC3 format. These players are available for purchase in the UK, but the price might need a little tweaking. The cost of the 512 MB player is $200, while the 1 GB version is a whopping $300. We are still waiting for the firmware upgrade which would make the 20 GB NW-HD1 Sony Network Walkman also support MP3. Well Sony?

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We haven't been too impressed with the latest offerings from palmOne. The new T5 really could've used some built-in WiFi and voice-recording, and the slider design in previous models were an unnecessary mechanic. Hopefully, today's introduction of the new Treo 650 will get folks excited again. It's considered an evolution of the 600 model. Some key new features include an improved 312 Mhz Intel PXA270 processor, a new 320x320 High resolution TFT screen, built in Bluetooth, non-volatile flash memory, a removable battery, and a new connector. The camera is still .3 megapixels. I've had some limited experience with the older model and my big thumbs really couldn't come to grips with the little keyboard. Still, this is one of their better overall devices. The Treo 650 will be available as either a digital dual-band CDMA/1xRTT or a GSM/GPRS/EDGE quad-band world phone, with pricing to be set by individual carriers. Carrier availability is expected to begin later this year in the US, with worldwide rollout to follow in 2005.

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Didn't get to mention it on the Rio Carbon review a while ago, but the carry case that comes packed with the unit itself is a real piece of crap. It's quite hard to slide the Carbon out of the case, and though it allows access to the power and scroll wheel, it completely covers the display. Enter Vaja and its wonderfully crafted cases, made specifically for the Carbon. Vaja makes some really classy leather-based cases for a variety of portables, and just seeing that I could access the D-pad and the screen makes me want to have one. Plus you can get them custom-embossed with whatever text you'd like. There is a downside, of course. Cases are about $55, and that's without tax, shipping, or embossing.

Click here to discuss this story on the Gear Live Message Boards.

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If you have been on the fence about paying for a satellite radio subscription (or if you just like free stuff), you may be pleased to know that XM Satellite Radio is offering a free 3 day trial subscription to anyone interested. The best part? You don't even need a credit card to sign up.

There are a few drawbacks, however. I signed up for the trial to see how the online version worked. First of all, although it's XM Satellite Radio online, know in advance that you will not be getting satellite quality sound. Instead, you will have access to a myriad of station at 33 kbps. In addition, if you are a Firefox fanboy, be prepared to fire up Internet Explorer if you want to use XM Online. Also, you will only have access to 75 XM channels. This is about 50 channels shy of XM's full satellite radio offering.

Still, it's nice to have so many selections available right at your desktop.


Read More | XM Radio

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While they aren't the biggest name in the portable MP3 player world, it certainly has the largest amount of space in an MP3 portable to date. The Xclef 500 in now available in a, wait for it, 100 GB model. What's better, the unit costs just $450 USD. The Xclef 500 is recognized as a normal USB drive, and while it can hold up to 25,000 music files, it can also be used as a backup device. Other features include an FM tuner and recorder, analog and optical line in recording, all with a 20 hour battery life. Look for the Xclef 500 100 GB model to be on store shelves in early 2005.

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