Apple has some of the best and apparently the worst of gadgets around. The 2009 iPod Shuffle model was rated a dismal 51 out of 100 points, the worst among 9 similarly specced MP3 players.

Navigation of the device was apparently one of many key problems, the voice controls ranked as one of the most common complaints. T3 points out the terrible quality of the stock headphones and how Apple limits you to using only their models. This year’s Shuffle is clearly not Apple’s best, though it continues to rake in the profit, so somebody’s gotta be loving it.

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If you’ve been looking for a way to carry all of your old NES games around without having to lug around the entire NES console this project will probably flip your lid.

A clever modder built an NES emulator and a display inside of an old NES cartridge. But that’s not all. Aside from NES, this cartridge is also capable of playing Game Boy games, Game Boy Color games and MP3s.

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Yo, dawg, your music is da bomb-diggity. You wanted bass that really exploded?

This decommissioned grenade has been de-bombed and MP3-activated, replacing its innards with portable media hardware and replacing the safety clip with a headphone jack.

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There has already been a fair share of quips about the video camera on the new 5th generation iPod Nano, most having to deal with the video quality and the positioning of the lens on the device. But what about the fact that it looks nothing like a camera? If you weren’t down with tech blogs, you’d probably not even notice the video feature.

iLuv offers these Nano skins which make the device more closely resemble a camera. This way, you’ll never forget what you can do with it. Grab yours for just short of $25.

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Thanko might not be known for their practicality, but I think they might be on to something for once. Their Micro Sports MP3 Player looks more like a Bluetooth headset. The device fits right into your ear with a built-in earbud. It’s that tiny.

Available in 2GB and 4GB flavors, the Micro Sports MP3 Player looks a little chintzy, but seems to be even tinier than Apple’s iPod Shuffle.

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While sifting through images of iFixIt’s teardown of the Zune HD we noticed something quite peculiar. Inside of the casing was a dedication, an inscription reading “For our princess.”

As far as we can tell, this inscription is a dedication to a member of the Zune team who passed away during the production of the device. In return, Microsoft made sure a proper dedication was in order. Anybody know the complete story? Let us know in the comments!

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Somehow, someway, iFixIt has manged to get their hands on a iPod Nano 5th Generation (yeah, that’s the new one with the video camera announced at the “It’s Only Rock and Roll” event). And what did they do once their grasp was tight on the device? What else? They took the thing apart and photographed its innards.

Check out these excellent hardware porn photos of the guts of the new 5th Gen Nano. Warning: This is NSFW if you work in the company of robots.

Link (Thanks Kyle!)

Now official on Apple.com. The new iPod Nano features a built-in video/still camera and mic. As well as the addition of VoiceOver, Voice Recorder, FM Radio and a pedometer. Available in a collection of great colors. I believe there are eight colors to choose from.

Buy it now!

Big news already, and there are still hours until Apple’s big “It’s Only Rock and Roll” iPod event. Apple has slashed the prices of all of their iPod models, the current iPod Touch models getting the biggest price cut; the 8GB model slashed from $229 down to $189, the 16 GB down to $249 (from $299) and the 32 GB model is now $279, down from the high price of $399.

Classics and Nanos also took a moderate price break. The 120 GB Classic is now down to $229, down from $249, and the Nano models being slashed down from $149 and $199 for the 8 GB and 16 GB models respectively, down to $129 and $149. Apple is definitely making room for something new in the iPod department.

And is it me, or did the 80 GB Classic get the boot? Or is that old news? Help me out here people.

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After years of building up their name in the recording industry, AKG released a slew of consumer headphones, ready for us in the States to dabble with. I’ve had the opportunity to play around with both the K 340 and K 450 models, both portable, though in-canal and foldable respectively. After a week or so of listening to these phones it became clear that AKG is just as serious about their consumer headphones as they are about their professional grade equipment.

K 340

The K 340 In-Canal phones ($115.95), right off the bat, first impression, sounded pretty treble-heavy. Every crack and pop of a sub par MP3 became a disturbance, a distraction from the current tune. But the more and more I listened, the high treble seemed to melt away as the device became broken in. During my final listen, the K 340  became an entirely different pair of phones, even becoming bass heavy at times, though typically, well-rounded.

To AKG’s supreme credit, what I didn’t notice might be more important than what I did notice. In-canal headphones are often uncomfortable to the point of inwearability. Right from the get go I almost forgot that I had buds in my ears at all. Not over-taxing on the eardrum like most bud style phones, the K 340’s felt natural, the only reminder of them being being the pristine sounds seemingly emanating from within my head, coursing from the center, out.

I’d recommend the K 340’s for both casual listening and athletic activity. The device’s excellent in-line volume slider makes volume control a breeze, and actually sort of fun. Perfect for biking or working out at the gym. Since they don’t block out every nuance of background noise, they are perfect for mountain biking, as you’ll always hear approaching bears and mountain lions.

K 450

The K 450 over the ear headphones ($189.95) succeeded in being both above-average and underwhelming at the same time, if that makes any sense. While every level from pretty low-lows to the screechy highs sounded decent, none of the levels sound spectacular.

The phones themselves are very comfortable with a generous application of padding. But the sound is the true winner here. Even if none of the levels particularly stand out the 450’s were extremely listenable, rivaling that of my current noise canceling over-the-ear Bose pair. And the design is certainly better than the Bose.

The 450’s 3D Axis folding mechanism is the star of the show. Most foldable headphones feel like they are about to crack under the slightest touch. Not the 450s, which feel rather durable and solid despite their very light, convenient and compact design. They’re the kind of phones you can through in a backpack and not really worry about them cracking in half, while still providing some decent sound.

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All in all, AKG has done a wonderful job with their newer consumer headphones. You can tell they have experience pleasing a tough crowd as their headphone’s offer a sweet mix between ultra-comfortable and clear sound. If you’re looking for a ultra-portable pair of phones, either one of these would do, though the K 340s are much better for the athlete, while the K 450s are sublime for just chilling out in front of the stereo.