When we moved into new offices it became clear that it was also time to move beyond wires for our audio setup. Having things hanging down from the walls, having to plug devices in, having to worry about compatible charging docks, it all seemed so darn 20th Century. The quest was on for a really good wireless audio solution, so that's what we had on our minds when we attended the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.

While Apple's AirPlay was getting good visibility at CES this year, the problem was that the gear we could find was more aimed at bedside tables and desks than audiophile-level multi-speaker devices that could be wall mounted and enjoyed by everyone.

When we bumped into audioengine, however, things became interesting. They sell audiophile-level bookshelf speakers and a small amplifier that makes the tiniest of iPods sound like a fancy hi-fi system, while still having a remarkably small footprint: the P4 speakers are only 9" high by 5" wide and 6" deep, and the N22 amplifier is 7" x 3" x 5" deep. Tiny. With sound far beyond what you would expect.

And it's pretty darn sweet.

Are you one of the lucky ones who got a new mobile phone or smart phone for Christmas? So let me ask you this: Have you ever left your mobile phone behind? Say, in a restaurant, a coffee shop, or at work? Don't you just hate that feeling when you finally realize it? I know I do, and it has happened to me more than once, before, but never again.

Zomm is the first ever Wireless Leash™ for your smartphone! Alright, I know what you are thinking. Another device I have to carry? Steeeeve, I'm trying to carry less devices, not more! Well wipe that look of skepticism off your face, you cynical sort. The short answer is yes, it is an additional small device to carry, but a worthwhile one, about which I feel strongly to be a very useful tool.

I've been looking for a nice sounding clock radio that would let me dock and charge my iPods or iPhone 4, without having to break the bank. The Apple Store has some really nice ones, but at a premium price, like the terrific $399 Bose SoundDock that sounds great but requires a second mortgage.

Here's the funny thing about almost all of these iPod docks, however: they don't have clocks. Those were my two must-have items, actually. I wanted a clock so I could see the time at night, and I wanted a nice-sounding dock speaker system compatible with the range of iOS devices I own.

iHome iP90 ipod / iphone clock radio

Enter the iHome iP90 Am/Fm clock radio for iPod and iPhone. With a street price as low as $70 (see Google Products for your options), it's not breaking the bank, but it has nice sound and a lot of thoughtful features that made me glad I had it on my dresser...

Being the computer guru you are, I'm sure such a question won't tax your awesome technical problem solving savvy but here goes: How do I delete podcasts or music from my iPhone or iPod that I don't want anymore?

I've been hearing a lot about Ping, the music-based social network that's been added to Apple's iTunes 10 system, but don't really get it. Can you show me how to get started and share some thoughts on whether it's worth the effort to join or not, Dave?

I've been contemplating buying a new iPod Nano since the FM receiver capability would help me listen to the TV programming at the gym while I work out. Before I take the plunge, though, can you show me how the FM radio features work on the 5th gen iPod Nano?

I've lost count of how many iPods I have here in the office, but it's at least a dozen of various sizes, shapes, and technologies, ranging from a first generation mini-hard drive unit with a firewire connector to the very latest Classic (that's an odd expression, isn't it?)

In addition, I'm a big fan of my Apple iPhone, which among many other great features, is a splendid iPod in its own right and currently stores 1716 of my favorite CD tracks quite neatly (49 artists, 146 CDs), along with tons of apps, my phone book, and enough games to even keep my kids quiet for ten minutes.

The problem with all of these devices is that when you're ready to skip to the next track because you just don't want to hear the one that came up in shuffle mode, or even just prefer to jump past certain songs, it's a pain in the booty to pull your iPod or iPhone out of your pack, bag or pocket, unlock it, and tap the right button to get to the next track.

Apple's addressed that with the slick new iPod shuffle's smart controller headphone cord (a double-tap advances to the next track) but for the millions of other iPods in the market, what's the smart solution?

Enter the Griffin Technology Navigate device...

I can still remember the first Mac I used: it was a 512K unit that the fine folk at the Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link loaned me when they hired me to hack their discussion system and make it faster. At the time I'd just left my job at Hewlett-Packard and had no computer of my own (back then people didn't have computers unless they were hardware hobbyists or could handle cassette backups).

To the proffered loaner Macintosh I can recall saying "uh, no thanks, I don't really need a toy computer. I'll figure out another way to connect to your computer network." At the time, I was living in Los Altos, basically southwest of Palo Alto and due north of Apple headquarters in Cupertino, and the WELL was located north of the Golden Gate bridge in beautiful Sausalito. Way too far to drive for the work. So I had to get a computer of some sort.

I reluctantly accepted the dorky little fishbowl unit that was reminiscent of the Osborne my Dad had won in a sweepstakes a year or two earlier, and...

If you're like most people, you've found yourself at least once in the situation where you have your music library on an old computer that's the system you used to sync with your fancy iPod. No problem, until you get a newer computer or laptop and suddenly find that you can't just switch: iTunes wants to wipe your iPod (or iPhone) before its first sync. Not good at all.

There are various ways you can copy your music across, but I have to say that the $19.95 iPodRobot is one of the easiest Windows solutions I've tried, even with its few glitches...

I've gone to the Consumer Electronics Show for years, and generally the innovations there are because something is bigger, faster or brighter (think TVs and audio gear). Occasionally you'll find a company that's rethought a common object -- like, say, an iPod dock -- and done good things with it, but mostly it's the same stuff you saw the previous year, just refined and reengineered.

For 2009 the commodity item at the show seems to have been headphones, ear buds and other personal listening devices to improve your iPod, cell phone, Gameboy, PSP, laptop and other handheld device listening experience. I came home with a half-dozen different ones!

The one that I found brilliant, however, wasn't the one with skulls on the ends (though that was cool), or the one with personalizable earbud ends (again, cool idea) or even the lower priced noise-reducing units. The winner in my book was the listening devices from iHearSafe that limit the max volume of what you're hearing...

This is the first of many reports we'll be filing from the Consumer Electronics Show, January 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. There are lots of places to get all the big announcements, so our focus will be on trends and things that catch our eye.

Will Interactive Blu-Ray Save the Format?

"Dreamer, a leader in interactive TV solutions, announces today that their BIDDLE™ platform will be utilized by Technicolor to offer digital content delivery services including online and disc-based direct-to-TV solutions for Blu-ray; allowing movie studios, broadcasters, record labels and other content distributors to utilize BD-Live as a fully-controllable direct marketing and e-commerce tool."

There's a lot that's interesting in this announcement: First off, that Technicolor is expanding into your home, a smart move, but also that Blu-Ray Live can include e-commerce capabilities. Now we really might see a "click to buy Angelina Jolie's t-shirt" button floating above her during key scenes in Wanted or similar.

Will that work? Is it enough to save the lackluster performance of Blu-Ray as video on demand and DVR systems become increasingly sophisticated? You tell me.

If you've been on a plane flight in the last decade, you've doubtless seen people with huge headphones on their ears from Bose, headphones that would cut out most of the background noise even if they weren't using noise-canceling technology. It's not rocket science, big headphones can reduce background noise. But can little in-ear "ear bud" headphones prove effective in noisy environments too?

To find out, I review the Audio-Technica active noise-canceling QuietPoint ATH-ANC3 headphones.

This may seem like a weird question, but how do I download audio files when they appear as links on Web pages? If I click on the link, a mini-audio player starts up in my Web browser, but I want to copy the info onto my iPod, not listen on the computer. What's the trick?

I am a big fan of my Apple iPod, but I can't figure out how to have it automatically download the most recent podcast from the podcasts I subscribe to. I think there's something I can do in iTunes to get this to work, but I'm just not exactly sure how to proceed.

Just read about Amazon's new online music store that features millions of songs for sale without any digital rights management junk. Yeah! My question, before I jump in, can I access the store on my Mac, and if so, can I then put the new music into iTunes and thence onto my iPod?

Through some stupid moves on my part, I now have a trashed Mac and an iPod that is full of music. Problem is, every time I hook up the iPod to any other computer, iTunes promptly wants to empty it and reformat it, which would stink because i have tons of music and even some movies on the unit. Help!

I don't get it. When i put songs on my ipod nano it lists two album titles (the same titles) for that artist. I can't seem to fix it... thanks

Alright, Dave. I'm darn frustrated. My husband and I both have Macs and he also has an iPod -- that I bought him! -- but when I plug his iPod into my Mac, I can see the music in iTunes and can even listen to it, but I can't copy it into my own iTunes library. What's wrong, and how do I fix it?

Hey there. I want to know if I can use my iPod as a portable disk drive for my different Windows computers? My girlfriend was showing me how she can do that on her Mac, but I was wondering if there's a PC option too.

I'm running iTunes v 4.9 on my Mac (running Mac OS X 10.2.8). I screwed up somehow and deleted my old music library trying to fix a diiferent problem. I learned my lesson on that. I have on older v 1.5 iPod with all my music on it. Can I transfer those songs into my library?