A few weeks ago SOL REPUBLIC sent a pair of “Tracks” headphones. Given their history in the audio game (several SOL execs were responsible for Monster and Beats by Dre products) we were excited to see just what they had put together for a sub $100 price. The results are astounding.

Full review

Visual: The Tracks are pretty basic at first glance but the interchangeable pieces. Users can add flair with different ear cushions and headbands.

Functionality: The switchable cables and polymer “Sound Track” headbands with FlexTech technology are on point. You can drop, step on or sit on the headphones and they keep ticking—not that we advise you to be destructive with your purchase.

Tracks are very light and comfortable as well. On a five-plus hour flight, I wore them with no discomfort whatsoever.

The three-button remote and microphone is a good look. Granted the feature has become the norm since people started storing music on their smartphones but it is not something you expect from a $99 pair of cans.

Pros: Tracks have all the bells and whistles but they mean nothing if the sound isn’t right. Fortunately the V8 Sound Engine powered headphones produce superior sound. Highs, mids and lows come through with amazing clarity. Even at high volumes there is little to no distortion. Whether your pleasure is vintage Mobb Deep or Bach, Tracks get the job done.

Cons: The interchangeable parts that make SOL stand out can also be a downfall for the new brand. If you have a hard time keeping up with parts, the Track HD’s are not for you. Also, adjusting the removable headband is a different beast than with normal headphones, but over time users will get used to it. The 3-button remote is not Zune or Zune HD friendly.

Overall: Bottom line, you will not find a better pair of headphones for this price.

In a world where streamlined, noise-canceling headsets rule, the Soundesign Retro-style Hi-Fidelity Stereo Headphones are obvious artifacts from years past. Tearing the box open, I realized that these funny looking headphones were the exact ones I used to covet in my youth. As much as I smirked at the old-school design, I remembered that they were the ones I was never allowed to touch while my father played his music. They were the ones I never had enough money to buy for myself. More than two decades later, here they were, in my hands. Above all though, they are proof of how much the industry has changed in regard to how we listen to music.

Full review

SDi (an offshoot of iHome) held on to the black pleather and chrome design made famous by the original, with an adjustable headband and the volume control conveniently located on the earpieces. They aren’t physically appealing at all. I threw the headset on, glanced in the mirror, and thought, “Dork.” I acknowledged the ‘left’ and ‘right’ markings above the earpieces with a chuckle and an eyeroll initially, then considerable warmth. The padded cushions on the earpieces aren’t fitted to hug ears snugly, even my elfishly small ones. I plugged the coiled wire into my laptop to test the sound, which I noticed was clear and crisp, but-possibly because of the ill fit- I could still hear my obnoxious neighbor threatening her man- -again.

Clearly the company was going for nostalgic appeal in rereleasing the Soundesign Hi-Fidelity headphones. I’ll probably never wear them outside of the house, but they do make me smile and they deserve a spot next to the space I’ve cleared for whenever daddy lets me have his records. –N. Graham

Since launching in early 2011, Proof has become one of the hottest and most progressive eyewear companies on the market. Their glasses–made of sustainable wood–are a far cry from the metal and plastic frames we’re used to rocking. We recently chatted it up with Proof founder Brooks Dame to discuss the past, present and future of the company.

Read the full Q&A

Kuhvet: What was the inspiration behind Proof? Did it start with the love for wood or the love for fresh sunglasses?

Brooks Dame: A little bit of both. My Grandpa was a hustler and always on his grind. He got into the wood business a little bit by accident and then blew up his business and started really selling wood, building products all over and made a business of it. So sawdust is in my veins. I love wood. It is one of the most versatile mediums out there. I’m also a big fan of accessories. I’ve always had multiple pairs of shades, watches etc. , things that just really bring that extra something to your personal style. So it was a marriage of both.

What are the rewards/difficulties of basing a brand out of Boise, Idaho?

Being in Boise keeps us grounded. It’s home base. Once a person from LA said, ‘Wow, Proof is so progressive, and just such a solid brand, I’m surprised you’re out of Boise and not in LA or NY.’ That fueled the fires a bit for me. I kind of took it as ‘you can’t be creative unless you’re in a major metro area.’ I want to release stuff that people are peeing their pants for. And one of the reasons we haven’t come out with any duds thus far is because we are driven to make a statement with all our products. Maybe it’s a chip on our shoulder maybe it’s just our personality as a company. Either way we are out to say, ‘We are here, and aren’t going nowhere.’ You may think we are just Joe Schmoe from Idaho and that’s ok. Keep underestimating us you’re just gassing us up. We love Idaho. The community is supportive. It’s easy to make connections. People are into Proof here and they just keep digging what we are doing. We have people come by the shop to check out what we are doing or pick up a pair of shades. It’s just fun.

We have other brands approaching us and coming up with ideas for us to work together all the time. The internet, social media and all that has made the world a smaller place. So we can be chatting with someone across the country working on a collabo. So there aren’t a lot of negatives being in Boise, plus after a long day we can go for a hike, float the Boise River or go skiing. Try that living in LA. Just sayin’.

The company has been recognized by heavy hitters like Huffington Post for its charitable efforts. Were you inspired by the likes of Toms to go in that direction with Proof?

Toms has got such a great model and we love what they are doing. The company was run by me and my 2 brothers originally. Now we have a huge supporting staff of designers like my Brother in Law Joe, a ton of Interns, a great marketing team out of BYU’s Ad School, and the support of our customers.

But, we believed from the get go that we needed to give back. Good business and doing good aren’t mutually exclusive. “Look Good. Do Good.” is our Mission. We created that before we even made a dime, so after we started making a little money it was already part of our DNA to giveback so that was an automatic.

How did you choose the charities that Proof donates proceeds to?

It is always stuff that we are involved in or passionate about. We are inspired by people, events, our travels, and all those things have helped inspire us with our charities.

Sustainable goods and recycling are not something we’ve seen too often in the eye wear world. What made you think so far out the box when launching the brand?

Sustainability is just part of our DNA. We live in a world of consumerism and disposable products. We wanted to create an heirloom something that people would pass on to their kids and their grandkids. We really like the vintage movement. People making old new again. And really classic design will always stay in style. Style is sustainable if it is done well.

The idea for recycling shades actually came from the computer industry. HP had a deal where you can recycle old batteries and we thought, hey that’s a great idea. We added our own twist to it by giving people a discount for recycling their Proofs.

Proof has done exceptionally well for a new brand that’s not even a year old. Are you at all surprised by the grass roots popularity?

(Laughs) Shocked. It has been such a great ride. We are really grateful for those people who have supported us. There are people that were all about Proof even before we had any shades on the market they supported the movement and the idea.

We haven’t done any advertising. It has all been about support from our fans, bloggers, media, and we are grateful for that. It’s been so fun.

Are there plans to put Proof into retailers this year?

We are opening up stores all over the world as we speak. So it’s a lot of fun to get that support and have retailers approaching us about our products.

The frame styles and lens choices are very different from what’s already on the market, what inspired the designs?

Just that. We don’t want to be like everyone else. We are original and want to come out that way. We also wanted to create designs that were classic while adding a little flare to them. So that was a conscious decision. We have some new stuff that is gonna drop and blow some minds. We want the other guys to step their game up and these new models are going to have to make them bring their finest.

You named one of the designs after your Grandpa “Bud,” how proud would he be to see glasses named after him being worn all over the world?

(Laughs), you gotta know something about my Grandpa Bud. He was always scheming and coming up with new ideas and businesses. There’s a funny story, when he died some of his siblings mentioned that he never graduated from high school. It was something no one really knew. After he started his business he was making good money and went back and saw his High School Principal and his principal asked him, ‘Bud, How’s your business? How much money are you making?’ He told him and his principal said, ‘shoot that’s more money than I make.’ When he was really established he went out and bought a Caddy. A year later he bought another one for my grandma. So the guy had two Cadillac’s sitting in the garage early on. He just worked hard and made things happen. So, to be honest I think he’d be proud for sure, but he wouldn’t expect anything less from his grandsons. Can’t knock the hustle.

What can we expect from Proof this fall/winter?

We’re coming with some new models and some new twists on the old classics that are going to blow minds. We are super stoked on getting these things on people’s faces. We are also coming out with some new accessories that are going to take us from being a sunglass company to being an accessories company. You know we’ll be staying on the sustainable bent in the next chapter. We can’t say more than that. So just stay tuned. We’ll be dropping more info on our Facebook and Twitter accounts so keep up with the comings and goings.

We are really excited about this next chapter for Proof. It should be a lot of fun and expand our base across some more demographics while staying true to who we are.

WWE announced that Tough Enough will return to television on the USA Network.

Kicking off on Monday, April 4^th – no coincidence, the day after WrestleMania XXVII– Tough Enough will feature twelve hopefuls competing for a one-in-a-million shot at being the next WWE “Superstar” or “Diva” as the grand prize winner will be awarded a contract with WWE.

“We’re thrilled to tag team with the WWE in bringing Tough Enough back to television,” said Chris McCumber, executive VP – marketing, digital and brand strategy and Jeff Wachtel, president USA Network programming. “By focusing on both the physical and the performance challenges of becoming a Superstar, the show will shine a new light on what it takes to truly make your mark in the WWE universe.”

As some of you may remember, Tough Enough, as a show and competition, ran for several years from 2001 -2004. It started out as a cross between MTV’s Real World and the current version of another combat sports’ competition series, UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter. Eventually, it became a Smackdown exclusive for one season before being abandon altogether.

In its four years, Tough Enough produced such notable contestants as Maven, Nidia, Christopher Nowinski, Jackie Gayda, Linda Miles (Shaniqua), Matt Capatelli, and Daniel Puder. But it may be most notable for producing current WWE Superstars, and former tag-team champions, John Morrison and The Miz, the current WWE Champion.

WWE Tough Enough premieres Monday, April 4^th at 11/10c before moving to its regularly scheduled slot, Mondays at 8/7c, starting Monday, April 11^th.

Aside from being one half of the award-winning production duo Tha Bizness (along with Henny), Dow Jones is also a full-fledged gadget head. When he’s not working on tracks for Trey Songz (“Alone”), Lil Wayne & Drake (“Every Girl”) or Young Jeezy (“My President”) or shooting photographs Dow is on the lookout for the next big thing in technology.

Check out Dow Jones take on his latest purchase, the 55″  Samsung 3D LED HDTV (UNC55C8000)

A few weeks ago I decided to join the 3D revolution and after a few weeks of researching and checking out different brands I decided to go with Samsung’s new 55″ 3D LED LCD TV in the 8000 series. Out of Samsung’s 3D TVs this is supposed to be their semi pro while the 9000 series is the pro and the 7000 series is the rookie. With the price tag of the 9000 series being just under 5-6k I decided a TV was definitely not worth that price tag. After reviewing the 7000 series I saw that it afforded way less contrast ratio of only 6 million-to-one which ironically is the same as the 9000 unit. This was a big reason why I picked the 8000 unit because its contrast ratio is 8 million-to-one and provides crazy vibrant color. Also only the 9000 and 8000 units come with a brushed titanium finish along the outside of the TV while the 7000 units finish is called “mystic earth” aka not shiny chrome finish.

Another big reason I choose the 8000 series is because Best Buy had a huge deal where the price dropped to $2800 and they also threw in a brand new top of the line Samsung 3D 1080p Blu-ray player and a pair of Samsung 3D powered glasses (overall saved value of around $800) and a free 3D Blu-ray copy of Monsters vs. Aliens (one of the only 3D Blu-ray movies available at current time)

Another dope feature of the Samsung TV is that it has a setting where u can uprez your 2D regular TV image into a 3D image. Essentially you can watch all your current favorite shows in 3D even before they are provided in 3D which is kind of a cool added bonus. Of course this is not true 3D but hey there aren’t that many 3D TV stations available yet you can’t be mad!

Another new feature on all the Samsung 3D TV’s is the Samsung apps feature where you can use some of your favorite services directly on your TV like Skype, blockbuster, Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Twitter, USA Today and many more.

Ok enough with all the technical talk bottom line this is the greatest TV I have ever owned… as soon as you plug it in you realize that this is real HDTV and that after using this TV it makes you realize all your other so called HDTVs are just TVs and not HD at all. By this I mean that the clarity and depth of field on this TV is absolutely crazy and like no other. It looks like you are the director and you are watching the images on the TV through your cameras view finder and that the people on the screen are real and right in front of your face. I have to admit it took a while to get my eyes used to such clarity. At first it makes your brain trip out like “this is not real this looks so clear it looks fake” but after a few weeks you feel right at home with the crispiest TV in the world. Furthermore don’t get me started on what the Blu-rays look like… It’s like your own personal movie theater right in your living room.

All in all I couldn’t be happier with my new TV and there is nothing on the market right now competing with these new Samsung TVs the clarity and 3D is unmatched. Compared to other 3D TV’s Samsung’s unit is the best one out there and it’s the closest to what we see in movie theatres.

This is also the thinnest TV I have ever owned. At just under an inch thick, a surround system or a sound bar is a must to really get that movie theater feel to go with your great TV images because with the TV being so thin it’s impossible to get a whole lot of room for speakers in the unit, but then again when you spending over 2k for a TV you should be expecting to get a good sound system to go with your TV.

If you want a real 3D HDTV get a Samsung.

In May we reported on VoiceSkins partnering with Star Wars to bring the official Star Wars Darth Vader GPS voice to all TomTom GPS systems. The company upped the ante this month when they released their third official Star Wars GPS Voice character featuring Jedi Master Yoda.

VoiceSkins is continuing the love for Star Wars fans by giving TomTom owners a chance at owning all four GPS Voices with the “VoiceSkins, You Can Win. Twitpic, You Must!!!” Contest

To qualify, contestants must follow VoiceSkins on Twitter, take a picture of their TomTom GPS system, and then Twitpic the picture with @voiceskins, @tomtom, and @kuhvet in their tweet to complete submission into the contest.

One (1) winner will receive all four Star Wars VoiceSkins (Darth Vader, C-3PO, Yoda, and Han Solo) with five runner-ups to receive one (1) Star Wars Character VoiceSkin of their choice.

Check out the Yoda voiceover video

A couple weeks ago WCG Ultimate Gamer held a casting call in Atlanta, GA to find the best gamers in the area for the 2nd season of the reality show. We caught up with some of the gamers who came out to compete and the producers of the show.

WCG Ultimate Gamer will return for a second season of eight episodes beginning in August on Syfy. WCG Ultimate Gamer pits the top video game players in the US against each other to test their skills in a range of video game and real-life challenges while seeing if they can survive living together as housemates. Only one gamer will emerge victorious to claim the title of Ultimate Gamer.

More information

Unlike last year in the 2nd season fans can vote for the final cast member in an online contest starting Today.

Each of the one-hour TV episodes will focus on in-game and real-life challenges for the dozen rivals living together in Los Angeles, while they compete for $100,000 in cash, an ultimate Samsung Electronics prize package, the chance to become the face of the WCG – representing the organization at events around the world – and bragging rights as the best all-around gamer.

This season, the final contestants will face off at the prestigious 10th anniversary WCG 2010 Grand Final competition and festival taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, September 30th – October 3rd 2010.

Special thanks to Maurice Garland (camera/editing) and Tha Bizness (music).

Upper Playground Walrus TV sat down musician/artist John Dwyer for a pretty cool interview. You can check out some of Dwyer’s music and artwork here.

UNDRCRWN gave kuhvet a few “Your Swagger Sucks” Tee’s to give away to our readers. The tee was such a hit when we posted it a few weeks ago that we figured what better way to hook you up than a cool contest. The first 4 readers to  email info@kuhvet.com with  the correct artists and song titles to the lyrics below will recieve an official UNDRCRWN “Your Swagger Sucks” Tee.  Congrats to Cagney C., Marques B., Rasheed and DJ Critical Hype, your shirts will be going out this week. Be sure to check out undrcrwn.com for their latest collection.

As far as I know this is the first song/video solely dedicated to twitter. Peep the kuhvet twitter cameo at the bottom of the screen at about :35.
Spotted at Thabizness