Simon Cowell – X-Factor

Let’s start off with the number one judge of all time. Love him or hate him, he’s still the most watchable judge on television. More important, he has the credentials to back up his words. He’s been responsible for producing some of the biggest acts in the world, and you can trust he knows talent when he sees it. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything and expresses his thoughts in an entertaining way, and that’s why he’s always been great.

Howard Stern – America’s Got Talent

The newest judge on this list has already proven himself on TV and radio. Heck, they don’t call him the King of all Media for nothing. He’s got something to say, and it’s not just one-dimensional. Anyone who underestimates Stern as a crude radio host always get surprised because there’s a lot more going on underneath. This year on America’s Got Talent, he’s going to prove he’s got a sensitive side, an intelligent outlook, and an eye for talent.

Blake Shelton – the Voice

Every judge on The Voice has benefited from the show’s popularity, but none more than Blake Shelton. And it’s not just because the show’s a hit, this gentleman is a great judge and mentor. You can tell that he’s got a deep love of music and a great ability to share it with younger singers. If I could actually sing and I had a choice who I would want to be my coach on the show, it would be Shelton for sure. Need further proof? He’s the winning coach on the second season – enough said.

Ivanka Trump – Celebrity Apprentice

The only downside to Ivanka Trump is that she’s inherited her father’s weird mouth. Pouty-lips are a good thing in most cases for girls, but not when it makes you look like Donald Trump. Looks aside, Ivanka has proven that she’s smart and can hold her own, even against her father. She’s a shrewd businesswoman herself, and someone you wouldn’t want to mess with.

Len Goodman – Dancing with the Stars

There’s something to be said for a grumpy old man who doesn’t care what other people think. In the case of Dancing with the Stars, he gives the most honest and truthful assessments of celebrity performances. And if the season is suffering from a week cast, sometimes he’s the only watchable part of the show. He’ll always bring it strait and although sometimes he seems a bit too tough, it’s a good balance for the other two judges who are way too nice.

Those are the best, now let’s look at the worst:

Mary Murphy – So You Think You Can Dance

Can you imagine spending any more than 2 minutes with this woman? She’s got a voice that would test the patience of the Dalai Lama, and she doesn’t let up. Half the time you don’t even know what she’s talking about and the other half, she’s screaming whatever she has to say. She is also a bit mentally unstable, or at least appears to be when she gets overly emotional at things that really don’t matter.

Nicole Sherzinger – X-Factor

All it took was about five minutes to prove that she was a horrible judge. If you watched the first season of X-factor, you know exactly the moment I’m talking about. She was too chicken to cast a real vote so she let the elimination go to the audience vote. The result was rather horrific, and we got to witness the destruction of a 14-year-old girl live on television. This is the moment that cost her the job:

Bruno Tonioli – Dancing with the Stars

This guy is intolerable. You couldn’t pay me enough money to listen to him speak. He might be an expert in dancing, I’m actually not sure of his qualifications, but it doesn’t matter. Maybe it’s because English is his second language, or maybe he’s just a bit scrambled in the brain. He certainly adds flavor to the judges panel, but it would help if he actually made any sense.

Randy Jackson – American Idol

Randy Jackson is about as vanilla as you can get. He’s boring even when he tries to be provocative, and he’ll put you to sleep most nights. The other two judges aren’t much better, but it’s clear that Randy Jackson isn’t a strong enough judge to hold the show together.

Almost Everyone on Iron Chef

I’m the big fan of judges who know what they’re talking about. On Iron Chef, you’ll occasionally get food experts with proper qualifications. But sometimes you get celebrities who don’t know anything about food. All they know is what they like, but in some cases that’s just not enough. If I was a professional chef, I wouldn’t want my work to be judged by a soap opera actress or the fat guy from the Sopranos. If you’re trying to determine the best out of two world-famous chefs, I think you should have respected judges who know everything there is to know about food.

These aren’t regular sad songs – they are the ones that haunt you and stay with you longer than they should. You can try to shake them off, but once they have their hooks in your heart, it’s already too late. You’ll have to listen to hundreds of happy songs and look at thousands of pictures of cute bunnies to get you back to normal.

The Theme from The Cider House Rules – CAREFUL MAJOR SPOILERS
This is an example of a seemingly happy song that is actually totally depressing. Of course you have to see the movie to get the full effect. As an example, there’s one stretch of the movie where you see Michael Caine’s character accidentally kill himself in a drug related accident, and it’s quickly followed by Delroy Lindo getting stabbed by his own daughter for getting her pregnant. You’ve also got a house full of orphans that nobody wants, and Paul Rudd as a soldier who gets crippled in the war. There is also one of the most depressing love scenes in movie history between Tobey Maguire and Charlize Theron. It only lasts 30 seconds!

Anything by Coldplay
You have to wonder what happened to Chris Martin in his childhood for his music to manifest itself this way. Every song by Coldplay is extremely depressing. Here’s an example: Coldplay recently did a tribute song after Adam Yauch’s death, and it’s extremely cool in its own right. But listen to what they do to the song, they put that “Coldplay” twist on it – and it rockets-up five rungs on the depressing ladder. Now listen to the original version – does it make you sad at all? No, of course not. But when Coldplay does their thing to it, it instantly becomes depressing.

You are so Beautiful – Joe Cocker
A song telling a girl that she’s beautiful shouldn’t be sad, but this one is. Big time. It’s also used to perfection at the end of Carlito’s Way. If the ending credits with this song in the backdrop don’t make you cry, you must be some kind of robot.

Everything by Dido

Here’s another artist who makes depressing songs all the time. It probably has more to do with her voice and how it’s naturally haunting and sad. It doesn’t help that her videos have a certain sense of melancholy where things aren’t quite right.

Everything by Sarah McLachlan
We might as well jump to the Queen of depressing songs – Sarah McLachlan. There’s no doubt she has a beautiful voice. But it’s a prime example of the fine line between happiness and sadness. She sings so well that even when she’s taking on a happier song, it can bring a tear to your eyes. And of course we have those dog cruelty commercials. You know the ones, they come on late at night and make you feel guilty for being a human being. Sarah McLachlan was making sad songs long before these commercials, but now they have cemented her status as the most depressing singer to ever live.

The Theme from MASH
I remember watching MASH when I was a kid, and it confused me. There was a laugh track, but nothing in the show seemed funny. It didn’t help that I was an eight-year-old kid watching a show meant for adults. Then there was that horrific theme song that would make me depressed even as a kid. And did you know that theme has a title? It’s called “Suicide is Painless”. And it even has lyrics, here enjoy:

Hallelujah – all versions
This song has been butchered countless times by singing competition contestants. It’s also been way over done by professional singers, almost to the point that I can’t stand it anymore. But if used in the right context and under perfect circumstances, it still has the ability to make a stone statue burst into tears. Here’s a version by someone named Kate Voegele. I have no idea who she is but she was at the top of Youtube so there you go:

Mad World by Gary Jules
There is no two ways about it, this is a depressing song. It’s used all the time in ironic ways in movies and commercials. It still has the effect of leaving you feeling slightly uneasy, and just a little bit less optimistic about humanity. This video adds kids to the mix which always add to the ironic-depression factor.

Lana Del Ray – Video Games
Holy crow, this song and video is depressing. This is the song a zombie would sing if it regained its ability to speak. It just leaves you with the impression that it’s virtually impossible to be happy, even when you’re a celebrity. I really have no idea what the song is about, and I doubt it’s actually about video games, but watching the video makes me feel sorry for everyone in it.

Everything by Radiohead
Coldplay makes a run at becoming the most depressing band of all time, but the Kings are still Radiohead. Whenever you want to feel good and sorry for yourself, turn off the lights, light a few scented candles, and listen to one of their albums. If you survive, it means you want to live.

A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
This song epitomizes the tragedy and power of racism, so of course it’s going to be depressing. It’s also uplifting because it has a hopeful message in the end. But you can hear the pain in Cooke’s voice, and you know it’s not just his voice you’re listening to. It’s the voice of millions of people and generations who had to suffer immeasurable unfairness. You don’t get songs as good as this without the pain of human suffering, so it’s a mixed blessing that something so beautiful had to come out of just about the worst stuff imaginable.

Last Kiss – Pearl Jam
I challenge you to come up with a song about accidentally killing your girlfriend and not making it totally depressing. It doesn’t help that Pearl Jam uses that old-timey 50’s style for this song that adds to the nostalgic creepiness. The singer in the song consoles himself with the fact he’ll see his love again in heaven – and that’s the saddest thing of all because everyone knows there is no afterlife.

Edward Scissorhands – the Ice Dance
This song is beautiful and sweet, but why does it leave you feeling sad? Maybe it’s because Edward Scissorhands will forever be a lonely outcast who has to live by himself in a creepy castle while everyone else ages and goes on with their lives. He will never know love even though if there was ever a person who deserved it, it would be him. That kind of plot line has a way of tainting a song.

The Wishing Song – Gonzo the Great
Dear sweet Lord, this is depressing. You have a Muppet actually wishing that he wasn’t himself. Heartache can do a number on anyone, and apparently it can make Gonzo indirectly contemplate suicide. Luckily he sees it’s not so bad at the end, and he’s okay with who he is. This song has the ability to make you ride a roller coaster of emotion, and it will mess you up if you’re already a bit depressed.

Remember when this was considered hot?

The 80’s and Karaoke go together like Lucky Charms and hyperactive Leprechauns. This is the decade that produced some of the most ridiculous music in human history. But the strange thing is many of these hits stand the test of time – at least in terms of fun factor. It’s the mix of kitsch appeal and the fact that you’re actually singing in front of an audience that makes them a blast – and even cool (if you can pull them off).

Here’s a list of the best songs from the 80’s for you to sing the next time you’re on stage. They have the following things in common:

1. They’re catchy

2. Everyone will remember them

3. They’ll get the crowd excited

4. They are totally 80’s

99 Luft Balloons – Nena
You’re probably going to be singing the English version, but the German one is fun too – especially since no one will be able to tell if you make a mistake. This song has made a few appearances in television and movies, but thankfully it hasn’t been overdone. You’ll probably recognize its being used well most recently in “Watchmen”.

Jump – Van Halen
No song says the 80s like this one. It encapsulates Van Halen at their height and unfortunately, their peak. They’ve had several hits since this one, but none that are more fun – and it’s because David Lee Roth is at the top of his game. Make this your choice if you want everyone in the crowd to sing along with you.

You Spin me Round – Dead or Alive
This song is fun, silly, and slightly creepy. As you may know, front man Pete Burns has undergone extensive plastic surgery and is virtually unrecognizable. Take a look at the picture and then watch the video, and you won’t be able to believe that the same person. This song is an example of the innocence of the 80s contrasted against the sheer excess of the 90s and beyond.

With or Without You – U2
If you want to sing a romantic song to your sweetie, this is a great one to pick. It will also remind you of the days when U2 actually made hits. These days Bono is busy saving Third World countries and the rainforest, but it might be time for him to get back to making quality music.

Walk this Way – Run DMC and Aerosmith
This is an example of when two powerhouses come together. It was groundbreaking in a variety of ways, and it still holds up today. The world of rap and hard rock blend together to form one of the best songs of the decade. This is a great one to pick if you want to sing a duet, and the bar has a version with both the rap and singing parts.

Rock the Casbah – The Clash
Not a lot of people realize this song is actually quite political. With time, people focused on the main chorus and more specifically – rocking the casba which has become synonymous with doing “naughty things” as seen in this Simpsons episode.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Born_Kissers

Rio – Duran Duran
The video for this song brings back every corny image associated with the 80s. Duran Duran has a lot of other hits that make for good karaoke singing as well, but this is one of the easier ones. It actually didn’t catch on immediately, and only became popular after other songs on the album hit it big.

Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
Remember when we thought Michael Jackson was normal? Heck, he was the coolest guy in the world when this song was released. No one would suspect how fame and intense fortune would change him, and the creepiness that was lurking underneath. Despite all the weirdness that surrounds Jackson, it doesn’t change the fact this is the biggest hits to come out of the 80s.

Kiss – Prince
Just take a look at the video and see how far we’ve come. No one would be able to release a video like that today and be taken seriously. Prince has survived some of the worst fashion and bad movie choices, and he still endures. This song is a blast to sing because you can put your own personal twist on it, or you can go for a straight up impression. The real question is – can you get your voice to go this high?

Word Up – Cameo
This song is the perfect candidate for ironic appreciation. It’s also not that common to hear in the karaoke world, and you can bet the audience is going to roar when they recognize it. It’s a little bit of rap mixed with a touch of singing, and it’s really easy to incorporate your own style with this song. Bonus points if you wear a red cup while singing.

Ancient Memes

I’ve got a few friends who are pretty good at keeping up to date with stuff. I’ve also got a few people who seem to find once-popular memes two years after they first came out. It’s sort of the equivalent of someone saying “hey I just discovered the awesome music of Michael Jackson. I bet he’s not a molestor or anything”.

Declarations of Happiness

When you insist things are going great, you’re really happy, and you love your life – I’m inclined to believe things aren’t going great, you’re not happy, and you hate your life. No one who’s really happy has to advertise it. I’m super happy by the way.

Trying to Save the World

I’m not a horrible human being, but I could care less about most of the charities and causes you apparently love. Plus these folks who post all this stuff about saving animals are the same people I’ve seen push aside homeless people when they ask for change.

Big List of Thank Yous

Ok, so you did something and it was great and everyone who was involved already saw you there. You should have already thanked them in the first place and IN PERSON.

Whatever you Read on Yahoo

Great, now I know that you’ve read the last five articles about that transgender woman who wanted to enter Miss Universe. I end up having to ignore half of the stuff people read on Yahoo because otherwise my opinion of them will change irrevocably.

Cryptic Status Updates

If you have something to say, just say it. I refuse to play guessing games where I have to figure out why you’re upset. But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because you’re not that good looking.

TMI

I love to talk about my venereal diseases as much as the next guy, but at least I’m smart enough to keep it among close friends and family.

Birthday wishes that ignore history and reality

I am mutual friends with a few girls who I know FOR A FACT hate each other. I know this because they always tell me how much they hate each other. And yet they still wish each other glorious Happy Birthdays as if nothing was wrong.

Pictures of Food

Your food either looks delicious and I get jealous that I can’t afford to eat out right now, or your food looks gross and makes me doubt your personal taste.

Pictures of Fat Dogs

I have friends who post pictures of fat dogs. This is probably something the rest of you don’t have to deal with.

Big long discussion about Political Stuff

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the internet, it’s that discussions and comments lead nowhere. You will NEVER be able to convince someone to change their opinion. I’ve seen huge threads with hundreds of comments arguing the same points over and over again, and it’s all pointless. Don’t these people have anything better to do? Get back to posting pictures of fat dogs.

Event Invites

If you want to invite me to something, just give me a call – I’ll probably come.

People liking their own statuses

I don’t know anyone that does this who is normal.

Your High Scores in Wuzzle Wezabble or Ukranian Poker

I’m happy that you were able to Bejanzzle two thousand points of jewels, but you would save your friends a lot of grief if you figured out how to turn off sharing on your game apps.

Invites to Join You on Twitter

I can barely tolerate you on Facebook – joining you on Twitter too would be like pouring Tabasco sauce into my catheter.

Inspirational Quotes

If you haven’t been able to motivate yourself to stop repeating the same horrible relationship mistakes by now, I don’t think a couple of lines spoken by a dead guy is going to help.

Click this and Watch Kate Upton Kill an Immigrant Day-Worker!

Alluring Spam

I’ve been the victim of this one time and as a result, I looked like a pervert. You’ve undoubtedly seen a few of these things make appearances and spread like wildfire. They have tricky titles like “See Miley Cyrus Eat Wieners!” or “Watch this guy kill Himself!” Then you click it, and everyone you know clicks it, and worse of all – no one actually gets to see anyone kill themselves because the whole thing is fake.

The junk you’ve “pinned”

Pinterest is new to me and so far it has been extremely unpleasant. I don’t happen to like glossy pictures of candlesticks and black-and-white photos of Ryan Gosling, but that’s all I ever see on Pinterest.

Fat People and Vegetarians Telling me What to Eat

Ok you lost weight, good for you. But your lifestyle doesn’t have to be EVERYONE’S lifestyle. Just enjoy your skinniness or you’ll end up losing 2300 pounds worth of friends.

So what you're saying is....it's complicated.

Missing People

Don’t get me wrong, I think it sucks when people go missing. And if I ever got kidnapped, I’d want my picture plastered all over Facebook too. But nothing ruins my day more than seeing a picture of a pretty missing girl, knowing that chances of finding her are slim. Sorry to end on such a sad note. Please share this article on Facebook.

It’s like I have some kind of learning disability when it comes to these guys. And it’s not always because they look the same. Sometimes there’s just something about them that makes it hard to differentiate one guy from the other. Nick Nolte and Gary Busey, and Bill Paxton and Bill Pullman are common examples. The weird thing is I can tell those guys apart, but I have a much harder time with…

Aaron Eckhart and Thomas Jane

Ok, I know Aaron Eckhart was Two-Face in “The Dark Knight”, and I’m pretty sure Thomas Jane was in “The Mist”. But if I had to say which one was in “Boogie Nights” without checking on IMDB, I honestly can’t tell. Thomas Jane also looks remarkably like the Highlander. There can only be one, or in this case, three guys who all look the same.

Timothy Olyphant and Josh Duhamel

I get these two mixed up all the time. Sometimes I also get Paul Walker mixed up with Josh Duhmel, but I never confuse him with Timothy Olyphant – weird, eh? One thing is for sure, your wife will have no problem mistaking either of these guys for you if she ever got the chance.

Elias Koteas and Christopher Meloni

I could have sworn these two were the same guy. They are both great at playing creepy roles, and could probably win Oscars for playing Bert from Sesame Street. The only time Elias Koteas didn’t look like Christopher Meloni was when he starred in “Let Me In” where he actually looked a bit like Bradley Whitford.

Matthew Morrison and Bob Blumer

Ok, I can generally tell the difference between these two, I just think they look remarkably similar. Especially when they smile. They both have that gangly-face wavy-hair thing going on.

Javier Bardem and Jeffrey Dean Morgan

If Javier Bardem didn’t speak with an accent, I would have no way of telling these two apart. In fact, I didn’t even know there was a guy named Jeffrey Dean Morgan until a few months ago. When I was watching “The Losers”, the whole time I was thinking “why is Javier Bardem in this?”

Vincent D’Onofrio and Mark Ruffalo

I know I’m not the only one on this one. It’s not that they even look the same, but maybe it’s their acting styles. Or maybe it’s because both of their last names end with “O”. They talk with the same volume and cadence, but of course D’Onofrio plays more characters with the potential to go bat-crap insane.

Josh Lucas and Bradley Cooper

I put both of these guys in the “good looking, but not really” category.

Jeff Bridges and Wlliam Hurt

Both great actors, both have starred in some awesome films, both look the same when they have a beard.

Alexander Skarsgård, Stellan Skarsgård, and Peter Sarsgaard

I’ll give you one guess as to why I get these guys mixed up. Two of them have the same last name (father and son), and the other has one that’s similar. None of them look alike, but if you came up to me and said “Hey Peter Sarsgaard just got married”, I’d be like “uhhhh…which on is that. I also get Stellan Skarsgård mixed up with Tom Wilkonson sometimes.

Special Category – Sean Bean

There have been many times I’ve seen Sean Bean in movie and I had no idea it was Sean Bean. He’s a super-chameleon, although he kind of looks like Triple H the wrestler. Another guy who is making great strides in this category is Tom Hardy. I had no idea he was the young Jean Luc Picard in that horrible Next Generation movie.
If there’s one constant about Sean Bean – he dies in everything he’s in. Here’s a vid with SPOILERS (careful, it’s got blood and stuff):

It doesn’t matter where you come from or how old you are, everyone is in a karaoke bar for the same reason. So rather than having conflict, you have one of the most unique collections of personality types in the world. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common ones who you are likely to find in a karaoke bar.

The First Timer – it doesn’t matter where you are, or which corner of the country you find yourself in, your local karaoke bar has a first timer in it tonight. There’s always someone who’s finally gotten over their fears and decided to try it for the first time. Sometimes you’ll notice them right away because they look the most nervous.

Other times, they manage to keep cool because they’re only there to watch other people sing. But if they decide to get up on the stage, it’s always a great thing to support these first timers because it’s the fans that keep karaoke strong.

The Cheerleader – this person never gets up on the stage in front of other people. But they are just as important because they serve as encouragement for the singers. These karaoke cheerleaders tend to be wives and girlfriends, but they aren’t always necessarily women.

There are lots of guys who serve this role as well, and their enthusiasm is always appreciated. If you hear and applause break or supportive shouts from the crowd, chances are they come from the cheerleader.

The Know it All – it’s hard to go into any karaoke bar without running into a know it all. While their areas of expertise might be different, they always have something to add to the conversation. The term “know it all” has a bad connotation, but these people aren’t always annoying.

Yes, I know this is House.

There’s just no better way to describe how much they actually know. Whether it’s popular culture, singing techniques, or general music gossip, these are people who have lots of information at their disposal.

The Guy Who Takes it Really Seriously – there’s always one guy who take things way too seriously. The presence of this type of character might be detrimental to karaoke except for the fact that they’re usually pretty good singers.

They can be bullies, and they might be hard to get along with in certain cases, but when they pick up the microphone, they demonstrate a real ability to sing. As long as they aren’t rude, they add to the atmosphere in their own way.

The Wallflower – one of the best things about karaoke is you can participate in your own way. There’s room for shy people or more introverted types. If you don’t want to sing, you’re not a cheerleader, and you don’t really want to talk to anyone else, there’s still a way for you to enjoy everything going on around you.

There are always a few wallflowers who are content to sit back and enjoy their drinks while other people participate directly.

The Drunk – by the end of the night, there will undoubtedly be one or two people who are inebriated. It’s just something you have to deal with, and not a big problem if you’ve been around the scene for a while. Karaoke drunks tend to fall into one of two categories: they’re either really happy or really angry.

Thankfully, the really angry drunks are usually removed or taking care of quietly. The happy drunks are actually fun to hang around with, and chances are one or two of them are probably your friends already.

Can you believe I have over 150 apps for my iPad? A lot of them are games, and many are impulse buys that I really shouldn’t have purchased in the first place. So it’s nice when I can find an app that doesn’t make me feel guilty after downloading it. Soulo karaoke is an app that’s absolutely free to download and it unlocks the power of the AM70 Karaoke microphone. When you combine both together, you can effectively turn your iPad into a portable karaoke player. All you have to do is plug in the wireless adapter, set your iPad in place, and it displays the lyrics as you sing. The lyrics will stream in real time on your iPod just like a regular karaoke machine.

Sound and Performance – there’s no limit to how good you can sound if you hook up your iPad to a quality set of speakers. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a way to connect your iPad to your sound system while setting it down on a table for everyone to see. There are also some cool features that allow you to improve your voice as you sing.

For people who are “voice challenged”, you can use the pitch adjuster to make minor improvements. For some people, it actually makes a big difference and it improves their voice dramatically. There are other sound features on the bottom slider you can adjust to get your voice perfect.

Song Choice – upon initial purchase, you get a choice of 10 Soulo song files, and there are new songs being added all the time. If you want something that you don’t already have downloaded, you can easily purchase the song through the app itself. Most new songs cost around a dollar, and that’s a pretty good price for a new karaoke song.

Of course you can also access your iTunes account through Soulo and few songs you already own. There is a vocal suppression system built into the app that turns down the lead vocals for regular songs. It doesn’t get rid of the main voice completely, but it’s usually not a problem when you sing loud enough.

Video Recording – see that nice juicy camera in the top corner of your iPad? Now you can use it to record yourself singing to make your own videos (audio only recording available too). The sky’s the limit with what you want to do from there. You can watch your own performance to improve, or you can upload it onto YouTube for everyone else to see.

Fun Factor – there aren’t a lot of other products or apps that allow you to get a full karaoke experience from your iPad. The Memorex Singstand allows you to plug in your favorite Apple product, but it doesn’t really fit an iPad. This product on the other hand allows you to do exactly that – it transforms your iPad into a comprehensive karaoke player and allows you to get all the benefits of your iPad’s powerful features. What starts off as a novelty turns into a real-life karaoke experience as you see you’ve got a full system at your disposal.

I had a blast using the Soulo, and it’s an extremely affordable way to experience karaoke with features that you would have to pay a lot more for with high-end machines.

*In addition to the wireless microphone option, there is a slightly less expensive wired model.

Soulo Buying Details: Look Here for the Best Price

A few years back, I wasn’t a huge fan of systems with built-in songs. The first machines to have this feature came with limited selection, and the songs never really sounded that good. That turned me off of the built-in song phenomenon for a long time. I like being able to have a choice in building my own song library without having one forced on me. Then the Entertech Magic Sing system came along and changed everything for me. After using this great machine that comes with over 2000 songs, I thought to myself “why have I been wasting all this time with CDs?”

The MicroKY Duostar is very similar to the Entertech Magic Sing, and you can’t really go wrong with either one. Both of them are even in the same general price range that hovers a little over $300. But just in case you’ve never heard of either model, let’s take a look at why the MicroKY Duostar is a good choice.

The package

This system comes with two wireless microphones, a base holder, a remote control, and a wireless transmitter. From looking at the picture, you’ll see it’s not just a simple box-like karaoke machine that you keep on your counter. This is the type of model that becomes a fully integrated part of your home entertainment system. And yet its plug-and-play features allow you to take it on the go – to other parts of your house, or over to your friend’s dinner party.

Setup

Setting up this product is very easy, and if you’ve ever plugged-in a DVD player, you can certainly figure it out. An instruction booklet will also guide you along the way. Remember with this type of system, video and audio is only as good as the equipment you hook up to it. So don’t blame poor performance or bad sound on the MicroKY Duostar if the rest of your equipment isn’t up to par. If you have a stellar TV, you can take advantage of the HD video display – and you can even customize backgrounds or images. And if you have an awesome stereo, then you can expect the party to really get rocking.

Performance

The wireless mics work well, and there is no audible hiss or delay in performance. The wireless transmitter is powerful and that gives you a lot of room to play around with when you’re singing. There’s nothing worse than a “wireless” product that essentially keeps you on a leash when you have to stay in line with the transmitter – and you don’t have to worry about that here. The remote control can also be used from anywhere in close proximity, and you can basically control your singing session and party from anywhere. There are also simple controls placed on each microphone that keep the action going.

Value

The main difference between the MicroKY Duostar and the Entertech Magic Sing 19K is in the songs. Obviously, the MicroKY Duostar gives you around 3000 more. But there’s also a noticeable difference in terms of how the songs play, and what they sound like. The songs that come with the MicroKY Duostar are just a little less authentic, if you know what I mean. In most cases, it’s not going to be a problem at all -general fans and kids aren’t going to complain one bit. But if you’re a stickler for detail and you prefer your songs to be a bit closer to the originals, then your decision might be a bit more difficult. Even then, when you weigh in the fact that you’re getting so many songs, it might be something you can overlook just for the sheer value.

MicroKY Duostar Buying Details Here

Overall, since the two machines virtually cost the same, I say you can’t go wrong with either one. If you go with the MicroKY Duostar, it’s not like you’ll be saying to yourself “ah man, I should have gotten the Magic Sing” or vice versa. Once you start singing, you’ll be having too much fun to think about anything else.

The iPod line of mp3 players is particularly unique because this line of portable mp3 players has really taken the market by storm. Apple has managed to come up with a trendy and very useful gadget that allows people to store very large music libraries on a very small handheld device. And, the iPod Touch allows you to watch movies, surf the web, store pictures and much more. While the iPod is very useful on its own there are also some really great accessories for these players that are really must haves for anyone that owns this player.

Must Have iPod Accessories

1. iSoundCap
Every portable device owner has one dilemma; there are too many cords dangling around. So the iSoundCap is one accessory of the must have Apple iPod accessories that can solve this problem. There is a compartment for your iPod in the back side of the cap. This makes the sound quality much better and drastically reduces the cord lengths. Voila!

2. ThumbTack Microphone And Sound Recorder
I came across this ThumbTack Microphone and it has a sleek but very simple, yet useful design. It is meant to plug into your iPod’s headphone jack and then it transforms your iPod into a sound recorder.

3. The Bone Collection Cord Manager
This is definitely included in the must have iPod accessories. The design is so simple and yet so useful. It simply clips the jacks in place and then you can wrap the cord around the bone so that your cord does not tangle or dangle when you move it around.

4. Turbo Charge Digital Charger
Every once in a while you wished that you had your charger with you. Well the Turbo Charge Digital charger is a portable charger that runs on a single AA battery. It safely charges up your iPod quickly and does not overcharge. It is easy to carry and allows you to charge your player from wherever you are without needing a plug.

5. ION Audio Tailgate Portable PA System
The king accessory in must have Apple iPod accessories is the ION Audio Tailgate Portable PA system. This device has a two-way speaker system, an audio input for microphone or guitar, an amplifier and an 8 hour long battery life. This device is a really good one and eliminates the need for various different type of equipment.

6. Wireless Floating Speaker
The wireless floating speaker is a waterproof speaker that was meant to be used near pools. The device can be used in the pool as well. It is a floating device, which uses wireless technology to connect with your iPod. The iPod can be 150 feet away from this device but the device will still capture the signals and play your iTunes. So now you don’t have to worry about your iPod getting ruined in another of your parties. Other wireless sound peripherals for video games can be found here.

These are some of the coolest must have iPod accessories I thought were worth sharing. Also, remember the dock stations, and stationary speaker docks for iPods that further makes these players that much more useful buy allowing you to listen to your plays lists at home.

Some people said the same thing about last year, but it’s really hit a new low. The show is actually quite boring to watch, and there’s probably a few reasons for this. It’s still winning its timeslot and a huge ratings juggernaut, but I think more people are watching it out of habit than ever. If you actually take a look at the show and the overall entertainment value, it’s just not fun anymore.

The Judges – Steven Tyler made some waves last year with controversial statements. Jennifer Lopez showed us she had some personality. Randy Jackson was Randy Jackson, and we don’t expect much from him anyways. But this year everything is just stale. The judges interact and they give their bland statements that don’t really mean anything at all. They haven’t been all that critical, at least not in a way that’s interesting or that will help the contestants much.

This is probably where we first saw the Shark's fin.

The Talent – there’s just something about this year’s crop of contestants that isn’t a very interesting. You’ve got your usual sob stories with people who have tragic backgrounds who are fighting for their big shot. You have older contestants who have seemingly tried everything in order to make it big.

You have wide-eyed younger singers who are eager to make a mark even though it probably would be a better idea to focus on high school. And with all of these singers, you’ve got some decent talent but no one that really stands out.

These kids also shout way too much. It seems now if you can’t yell/sing at the top of your lungs, you aren’t going to get very far in the competition. This is a horrible thing for music in general because we want subtle and nuanced of voices as well. Shouting at the top of your lungs doesn’t mean that you are a good singer, it just means you’re loud.

Other shows – American Idol has officially become the old dinosaur of music shows. There is just a lot more competition that has picked up the pace with innovative ideas and more talented contestants. When you think about it, there are a few major shows (Idol, The Voice, Duets) and a talent pool that is spread pretty thin. It seems that American Idol has come out on the bottom of things unless there happens to be a big breakout star this year. But how often has that happened?

For the past two years, winners of American Idol have gone on to do basically nothing in the world of music. I’m not sure what the fix is for this once popular show. They’re not going to get rid of Steven Tyler or Jennifer Lopez, and they won’t really make big changes to the show. Ryan Seacrest just signed a huge new contract which means he won’t be going anywhere. It might just boil down to being able to find a contestant that people go crazy over. The Music Industry is all about generating hits, and American Idol needs one right about now.