Singapore’s digital radio stations beaming “CD-quality” music over the airwaves will be shut down next month, when MediaCorp pulls the plug on the once highly-touted digital audio broadcasting (DAB) technology.

The broadcaster said the effectiveness and reach of DAB, which once promised to replace FM radio with its higher quality digital audio, had diminished over time. This, it added in a statement on Tuesday, was made even more obvious with the popularity of  online streaming and mobile phone apps.

It elaborated: “Since the launch of the service some 12 years ago, the growth in listenership on MediaCorp’s DAB service has remained stagnant. On the other hand, the rapid growth in the number of listeners through online streaming and phone app MeRadio has shown that these platforms are serving the listeners more effectively than the DAB platform.”

Several DAB-only stations, like J-K Pop which plays Japan and Korean pop music, appear to be already gone from the airwaves. Soon too will be simulcast digital versions of FM stations, such as Symphony 92.4FM (classical) and Lush 99.5 FM (chill out, easy listening), which are a hit with audio buffs who enjoy high-quality audio while driving home or listening to the hi-fi at home. …

Jabra, that brand better known for its Bluetooth headsets, has come up with a rather solid pair of sports earphones that are both light on the ear and firm enough to stay in place when you run or cycle.

The Jabra Sport receives the music wirelessly via Bluetooth from your smartphone or a compatible MP3 player, doing away with the annoying cord that usually runs down to your MP3 player in your shorts pocket or an arm pouch.

At a launch in Singapore yesterday, reporters were shown how the earphones come with a number of useful features for those sweaty moments, starting with the specially-coated, flat cord linking the two headsets that are said to be less susceptible to stick to your sweaty back, or get tangled that easily. …

Ever wanted a gaming console or Blu-ray player that can make a statement on your TV console, instead of trying to blend in with a dull black finish?

Well, you have your wish if you are a Sony Playstation 3 fan. Come November 17, the game console will ship in Singapore in “splash blue” and “scarlet red” – colours that will surely liven up your boring console table as well as your living room. …

The usual sight of folks with trolleys of  flat screen TVs to printers in tow are back this weekend at Suntec City, thanks to the Comex 2011 show.

With bargain basement prices for items such as TVs – a Toshiba 42-incher for going for just S$549 – and laptops bundled with all sorts of freebies, the tech bazaar promises good deals for folks who brave the human jam at the halls in Suntec City.

Here are some hot deals that Techgoondu sussed out yesterday while there for a quick walkthrough: …

Apparently, 40 minutes is too late by several hours.

I was far too late to score a new HP Touchpad (either the 16GB or 32GB version), because both were sold out at COMEX 2011 within minutes of the opening of the computer show, which runs from 1st to 4th September at the Suntec Convention Centre.

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The hype surrounding Internet or smart TVs these days begs the question: why would you want to check your Facebook on your TV with an awkward remote control rather than your touch-screen phone?

Apparently, TV makers think differently. From Samsung to Sony, they have been cranking out smart TVs as the next big thing for the living room, and well, now you too can get your old TV on this “next gen” goodness when you plug in an Asus O!Play Mini Plus set-top box cum video streamer.

Never mind if you can’t pronounce its name. This petite gizmo not only streams all sorts of video formats from your PC to your TV, but it also acts as a conduit for “smart” e-services that your neighbour’s spanking new TV offers. …

Sony’s Playstation 3 is going for as low as S$399 from today, as the electronics giant drops prices for its game console in Singapore some five years after it first hit the stores worldwide.

With the price drop, a version that comes with a 160GB hard disk will cost S$399 now, instead of the previous S$449, while the 320GB version will cost S$429, down from S$499.  …

Toshiba today showed off what it called the world’s first laptop capable of displaying 3D games and videos without the need for users to wear those dorky glasses.

Current laptops and monitors in the market already let users play stereoscopic 3D games, but they require users to put on glasses, which are uncomfortable if you are staring at the screen for hours. …

Ultimate Ears, a headphone maker that Logitech bought in 2008, last week unveiled a trio of affordable new earphones: the Ultimate Ears 100, Ultimate Ears 200, and Ultimate Ears 200vi.

The Ultimate Ears 100 is the base model and will set you back just S$25 – cheap by comparison to top-end UE models that easily go up to a few hundred bucks. …

After seven months of renovation works and with S$20 million sunk in, Shaw Theatres will re-open Lido Theatres with 11 new cinema halls, including Singapore’s first IMAX Digital Theatre System.

The 10 regular halls opened on May 5, while the IMAX theatre will come later on May 19. …