mi Jam Guitar: Guitar Hero with <i>Your</i> Music

Now, getting a Guitar Hero-esque experience doesn't have to come with the hefty price tag of a new gaming console and a game pack. B2's mi Jam line of instruments hook right up to your stereo or MP3 player so you can play along with any (and all) of your music. The mi Jam Guitar, for example, hooks up to a 3.5-mm headphone jack and has an audio out port for headphones or a separate speaker system. The guitar lets you play along to your favorite tunes, while adding beats and an extra instrument or two.

You can play the mi Jam Guitar as a stand-alone instrument or with background rhythms and musical styles (heavy metal, rock, blues, and bass guitar). There are on-board controls for volume, tempo, and pitch, as well. On the whole, the guitar resembles a Guitar Hero controller, with strum and whammy bars and buttons on the fret (though the mi Jam Guitar only has four fret buttons to GH's five).

B2 also makes a variety of other instruments that work the same way as their guitar, including the Jam Mini Keyz ($19.99, list), which is essentially a miniature piano keyboard with selectable rhythms and tempos.