Category: Gadgets and Tech

I’ve tried to avoid covering anything from the glut of Transformers-related products out to support the film, but I’ve finally been won over by this Transformers Bumblebee audio speaker.

It’s for your iPod or MP3 player – just plug your in and listen to your tunes through the built-in speaker. But that’s not all, Bumblebee also dances and remixes your music, as well as flashing a few lights.

Yes, it’s a bit tacky, but probably very entertaining too. Yours for $58.90 (around £30).

Find out more at the Brando website

I’m all for a retro touch to a DAB radio, but I think this Spirit of St Louis boombox is taking things a little too far.

All the company’s range seems to hark back to the days of pioneers, with many packed in cases you might have taken on safari – if CD players were around in the 1930s.

For your money, you get a mains/battery system with chrome and black panels and an outer polished oak chest. Technology-wise, there’s an AM/FM radio, programmable CD player, tape deck, twin speakers, headphone jack and a load of replica toogle switches to control it all.

And of course, a hefty price tag – £295.

Find out more at the Posh Prezzies website

Radio has evolved enormously in recent years with the advent of digital radio in its various forms. Back in the 1970s, Panasonic introduced an innovation of its own – the Toot-a-Loop Radio.

This strange-looking creation is a radio that can be twisted and wrapped around your wrist for listening on the move. It comes with a jack for a mono earplug for personal use. As it is only picks up AM, the Toot-a-Loop offers a rather limited choice of stations by modern standards and I’m not all together convinced by its attraction as a fashion accessory, but nonetheless, it is a distinctive looking piece, very much of its time.

It was produced in various colours, including red, blue, yellow and white, and Manchester-based seller Haus has a stock of most colours with prices ranging from £45 to £75.

Yet another retro-styled radio, this time from the US – Lexon’s Mini-Dolmen retro-style clock radio.

Not as obviosuly retro as the recent Bush radio, this one takes the traditional radio shape and gives it a modern makeover – mostly by use of bold colours. For your money you get AM/FM reception via the telescopic antenna, along with an alarm – if you can stomach those bold colours at 7am.

Available now online, you can grab one for $49 (around £25).

Find out more at the Unica website