Lots of people use the iPhone to record voice memos, etc. but the included mic isn’t really optimal for anything much more high-fidelity than that. Companies such as Blue have released products such as the Mikey (no relation to local Frenchman Michel Le Weiss) to allow a higher-quality mic to be used with the iPhone. One of the Hookup staffers, Bobby, has been wanting a good way to use his iPhone as a recorder for interviews, ambient noise, etc., and wanted to use his favorite XLR mic to do it. He began scheming early in the morning and soon enough had begun to assemble a prototype, all made from standard components found here in the store. And thus was born this terrifying abomination of technology:

But, actually, it works great. The audio came out exceptionally clear, and the total cost, less mic, was a mere $32.00! Not bad. Works great for the “I Am T-Pain” app, too. I hear. Most importantly, good-quality recordings of really interesting and Nobel Prize-worthy thoughts can be captured straight off the domes of favorite coworkers.

“So anyway, I says to him, I says…”

Hold the phones! In a crazy (presumably) mix-up, Mikey’s Hookup has ended up with a super rare BLACK magic mouse. We were super excited to get the new Apple magic mice in (and they are sweeeeet), but imagine our surprise at finding this amazing artifact:

it keeps making us speak backwards, and some of us can spin our heads 360 degrees now. Others have developed neat powers, like level 12 attack spells and amazing guitar soloing ability (seriously searing licks).

The best thing is that instead of AA batteries, it runs on human blood! And man, this thing is thirsty. Multitouch gestures make browsing our favorite LARPing and Dimmu Borgir sites a breeze. We can’t believe all this is available at am MSRP of just $666.66!

Now, before you try and be all like, “oh, I’m totally going to get that to go with my Elvira calendar,” not so fast. Sources in Cupertino tell us that this the only known black magic mouse in existence. You should come on down and check it out–but keep in mind that it’s invisible to the unworthy.

Okay, back to the sacrifice!

Well, we always hoped it would happen. And today, unexpectedly, it did. We sold our SCART connector. What is SCART, you ask? Well, while I think that question could best be answered by the Syndicat des Constructeurs d’Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs, I’ll go ahead and give you a little primer. It’s a connector found mostly in France and the EU, that has some pretty neat capabilities. Do we advocate rewiring your entire house to utilize it? Absolutely.

We’ve had this lone SCART connector kicking around the shop, baffling inquirers for some time. Today, an amazing milestone: we sold it. The last of the SCART (not to be confused with the more ubiquitous SCAT)(sidenote: could “The SCARTman” have a novelty career like “The Scatman”?) connectors from a period wherein, to quote Mikey, “SCART connectors were really popular for awhile 2 or 3 years ago.”

But, sadly, those glory days, as always, have faded. The last SCART connector walked out our doors with the smiling couple above. While it was sad to see our little SCART go, we were happy to see it go to such a good home. But as HDMI becomes ubiquitous across the EU, and SCART slowly fades into obscurity, we definitely feel the twinge of a bigger loss. Just not of picture resolution.

We here at the hookup don’t just love FireWire adaptors. We also love Angela, Pamela, Sandra, and Rita. And you know who else does? Forgotten (but not in his native Germany) “singer” of yesteryear Lou Bega:

In honor of this cosmic connection, several of the vital young squires here at the HookUp took last wednesday as a special opportunity to celebrate Bega and his nobel-prizeworthy roaring-20’s rehash. BUT WAIT, you say, Lou Bega has a girl in Paris, a girl in Rome, and he’s even got a girl in the Vatican dome! What about you guys?

So instead, we grew moustaches. Bega moustaches. The week worth of shaggy faces it took to grow them out totally paid off when we all arrived looking dapper, one might even say “boffo.” Many customers were unable to identify exactly why we were all looking so good this particular day…okay, Williamsburg, the cat’s out of the bag–it was the moustaches. Please enjoy this winsome gallery of finely groomed cookiedusters and don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming, “a little bit of Jessica/here I am/a little bit of you/makes me your man/WHOOOAOAAA”

by this point i think we can all agree that Bega day was a huge success. The hardest part of the day was not running off to the “liquor sto’/’round the co’nah.” In summary, this rare, collector’s edition Bega day sticker is valued by Sotheby’s at just over $2.95 USD. No one knows where it went–some lucky person somewhere is sitting on a literal shaving of a goldmine.

Stay tuned, folks. This will NOT be the last theme day at the HookUp.

With a get-a-way car waiting out front with New Jersey plates, these Ed Hardy wearing boyz decided to pay Williamsburg Brooklyn of visit with wire cutters in hand. Even with the Apple laptops locked down with laptop security cable, that didn’t stop them from coming  by and choosing the two least expensive display laptops in the store. They had the choice of a brand new 17″ Macbook Pro with optional matte screen , balls to the wall new 15″ Macbook Pro, first generation Macbook air and low end 2.16 White Macbook. They took off running to their idling black two door sedan (maybe Toyota) with a Macbook Air and a White Macbook. There have been many reports in Williamsburg of two guys walking into galleries and other stores doing this same procedure . Hopefully they’ll stop by the Dumbo store soon to purchase the Magsafe adapters and show off any new Ed Hardy clothes they may have bought recently. Couldn’t they have waited after fashion week.

Laptop thieves

Bonjour, Brooklyn!

How have you been? We here at Mikey’s Hookup have been restless. No longer content to just keep Brooklyn, well, “hooked up” with everything from iPod docks to SCART connectors, we’ve decided to quit resting on our laurels and add “fashion plate” to our collective resume. Renowned fashion designer Michél “Mikée” LeWeiss was recruited to supply his legendary touch of panache to the new apparel, and now we at the Hookup are proud to announce that we no longer specialize only in connecting your computer to your television, but now also in connecting your nubile flesh to the latest in haute couture.

Emblazoned with the bold, yet familiar logo that is synonymous with Apple expertise and excellent customer service, these fine t-shirts can be yours for just $10! Available in white with black screenprinted logo, black with white screenprinted logo, or 14k gold chain mail with genuine swarovski crystal logo. Oh, wait, those last ones are already sold out. Ebay?

BUT WAIT! There’s more! Mikey’s now offers totes as well. Available in black with white screenprinted logo only, these totes are a stylish way to transport Hookup purchases, groceries, beloved household pets, even oatmeal cookies by the dozen for bulk returns* The totes are available for $5, and are also available now. Here, Hookup figurehead/employee of the millennium Martha models the fresh threads, looking def while anxiously awaiting the next headphone sale.

So, now there’s no excuse to let Chili or T-Boz see you hangin’ out the passenger side of your best friend’s ride lookin’ like a scrub. Holler in style with a Mikey’s tee, tote, or even both. Be prepared to be treated like Brooklyn royalty when you stroll down Havermeyer representing local business and sustainable portage. No need to tell ‘em all Mikey sent ya–they’ll already know!

*see Mikey’s Hookup receipt for details

Ahoy, there, mateys!

Mikey’s Hookup stocks all sorts of writable media for your data storage needs. Especially popular are the Hookup CD-R and DVD-R’s which we have in many varieties:

Did you know that you can get $2 off your next spindle of Mikey’s CD-R/DVD-R’s by bringing in the spindle of a used pack of Mikey’s CD-R/DVD-R’s? While this is a great way to save a few bones, in this hardscrabble economy Hookup staffers are taking frugailty and practicality to a new level:

Oh, dip! A convenient bowl for vegetable intake! a delicious way to sustainably get that elusive FDA RDA of niacin. Here, Katie demonstrates how the 100-disc size makes a convenient bowl for mixing and eating salad. But why stop there?

Extensive field testing at Hookup Williamsburg has determined that the 50-disc size lid is great for cereal, party snacks, or cold soups (e.g. gazpacho, borscht). The 25-disc lid makes a great guacamole boat, or cheese cubes corral. They also make charming hats.

But what of the spindle itself? Well, say goodbye forever to unorganized (and unattractive) piles of donuts. Stack your donuts by the hole for a winsomely presented columnar cavalcade of breakfast that will really wow your guests. Obviously, this doesn’t apply to jelly-filled or Boston creme.

Keep you eyes peeled for more great ideas, and let us know how YOU reuse your Mikey’s post-purchase packaging surplus!

love always,

Hookup Staff

Tangled wires can be a factor of shortened life for your dainty little headphones. It can weaken and fray them. Winding them around your iPod is not recommended for the same reason.
A lot of brands don’t seem to give you any type of case with your earbuds. Which for me, means that they sadly end up as a wired wad seasoned with loose tobacco and gum wrappers at the bottom of my bag more often than not.
Luckily, my crafty, frugal brain lead me to a free and simple way to prevent this from happening, ever again! I just grabbed an old cassette tape, wound them in, and THEN tossed it into my cruddy bag.

Fancy that.

post and photo by Chloe

That’ll take your mind off of computers.