Lextech Labs introduced iRa, a remote surveillance viewing and control system that puts the power of multiple live video feeds and direct camera pan-tilt-zoom control in the palm of your hand on an iPhone or iPod Touch.
Apple today introduced MobileMe, a new Internet service that delivers push email, push contacts and push calendars from the MobileMe service in the “cloud” to native applications on iPhone, iPod touch, Macs and PCs. MobileMe also provides a suite of elegant, ad-free web applications that deliver a desktop-like experience through any modern browser. MobileMe applications include Mail, Contacts and Calendar, as well as Gallery for viewing and sharing photos and iDisk for storing and exchanging documents online.
Continue reading "Apple introduces MobileMe Internet service" »
The iPod shape trademark gives Apple a new weapon in the fiercely competitive market for media players. While competitors may eventually appropriate the iPod's inner workings, as utility patents expire, they will risk litigation if their products come too close to the trademarked shape of the iPod, including its popular circular-touchpad interface.
Moreover, trademark law allows the holder to sue not only manufacturers but also distributors of competing products whose attributes so resemble those of the protected mark that they create the likelihood of confusion in the marketplace.
Apple today added new models of the iPhone and iPod touch which have double the memory. The iPhone now comes in a new 16GB model for $499, joining the 8GB model for $399. iPod touch now comes in a 32GB model for $499, joining the 16GB model for $399 and the 8GB model for $299.
Until the 1.1.3 firmware is successfully hacked by the resourceful iPhone hackers, you can still enjoy all of the features the update is bringing and more with your jailbroken iPhone. Here's a look at 20 outstanding (that's right, 20) third-party iPhone and iPod touch apps.
More information at Touchmodders.
Greg Joswiak has what you might call a busy job — he’s charged with marketing two of Apple’s biggest hit products, the iPod and the iPhone. That might sound easy considering the buzz Apple’s product announcements generate, but there’s more to the task than promotion; he works with the company’s engineering teams to decide what the next iPods and iPhones will look like, what features they’ll have, and what they’ll cost. In this interview he discusses the iPod and iPhone’s holiday prospects, and the company’s plans for expansion.
Rumors of the death of hard drives in Apple's iPod are greatly exaggerated - so says, wait for it - the hard drive industry. On Tuesday, the industry intelligence company iSuppli predicted the end times for spinning disc drives in iPods, characterizing the latest iPod Classic as "likely the last (iPod) from Apple to employ the venerable HDD technology for storage." Many observers took this news as validation that mini disc drives are going the way of the dodo.
Richard Menta made a short video in which he shows how an iPod touch can be used to discover available wireless networks nearby.
With its widescreen display and WiFi capability, the iPod touch might sound like a big step up from older iPod models. But the iPod touch isn't for everyone. In this article, we'll look at how the iPod touch measures up to the iPod classic and other versions of the iPod. We'll also examine the technology behind the multi-touch interface and the media player's technical specifications.
This Flickr set contains a few pictures of an iPod Touch unboxing and below is a video showing off the fresh new iPod in action.
Here are all the details with lots of screenshots.
Apple today introduced the new iPod touch featuring Apple’s revolutionary multi-touch user interface that enables users to find and enjoy all of their music, videos and more on its gorgeous widescreen display with just the touch of a finger. The 8GB iPod touch model is $299 (US) and the 16GB iPod model is $399 (US).
Continue reading "Apple unveils iPod touch - WiFi included!" »
The new iPod classic now comes with 80GB or 160GB of storage that holds your entire collection of music, photos, video, podcasts and games—up to 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video. Now in its sixth generation, the new iPod classic delivers all the features customers love about their iPods, plus an enhanced user interface featuring Cover Flow and a new all-metal enclosure. iPod classic is priced at just $249 for the 80GB model and $349 for the 160GB model.
Continue reading "160GB iPod classic holds up to 40,000 songs" »
Apple today introduced the all new iPod nano which comes with video playback and an enhanced user interface featuring Cover Flow. The new iPod nano lets users watch their favorite movies, TV shows and music videos in the same resolution they currently enjoy on the video iPod. iPod nano also includes three fun games and delivers up to 24 hours of audio playback or five hours of video playback on a single charge, and is encased in a beautiful new all-metal design made with anodized aluminum and polished stainless steel and comes in five new colors—silver, black, blue, green and a (PRODUCT) RED special edition.
Apple will apparently use a media event next month to unveil a new breed of iPod digital music players that have been injected with Mac OS. The Mac, iPhone and Apple TV already rely on derivatives of the Mac OS. In surgically replacing the iPod's Pixo-influenced OS with a modern-day variant of its homebred software, the company will have effectively scaled the Mac OS across its entire product matrix.
This article shows you how you can upload MP3 files from your desktop to your iPod, download MP3 files from your iPod to your desktop, and how you can delete files on the iPod. Normally, Apple's iTunes software is needed to manage an iPod, but iTunes is not available for Linux.
Fortunately, there are Linux alternatives such as Amarok that can handle the task.
The argument against OS X-based iPods debuting this fall is that Apple wouldn’t want to offer something that distracts from the iPhone yet. But what’s the alternative? To let the iPod – a brand worth billions of dollars – languish?
The Free iPod Book 3.0 includes the world’s first look at Ultimate Ears’ groundbreaking quadruple-driver UE-11 earphones, comprehensive iTunes and iTunes Plus tips, and the latest details on making the most of your Apple TV. Although not really iPod related, there's also info on the entire first wave of iPhone accessories.
Macs are not immune to hard drive or system startup problems. On occasion, something may go wrong during the boot process and your computer just sits there. If you have enough open space on your iPod, you can use it as an emergency startup disk. Then, if you experience the frightening feeling of not having your Mac boot properly, you can at least boot it from the iPod and possibly repair the problem or at least move some of your files off the boot drive.
Few corporations are likely to ban iPods in the workplace, but whether Apple and other manufacturers of MP3 players shoulder some responsibility to add security to their devices - and how effective that security would be – is a growing debate.
Apple said on Monday that it has sold its 100 millionth iPod, marking a major milestone in the product's history.
Since introducing the iPod in November 2001, the company has unveiled more than 10 new iPod models. The music player has also sparked an ecosystem of more than 4,000 accessories, ranging from fashionable cases to speaker systems. More than 70 percent of 2007 model cars in the United States currently offer iPod connectivity.
More information here.
Light aircraft maker LoPresti Speed Merchants is adding the ability to use an iPod as a flight data recorder, more commonly known as "black box," to its Fury piston aircraft. The airplane will include an iPod dock connector, and will be able to send data to the iPod for storage.
Everyone loves the iPod. Not everyone loves iTunes. It's not that iTunes is a bad application, but it does limit what you can do with your iPod. This article will show you how to free yourself from the one computer, one music library shackles of iTunes using alternative software for managing the iPod. When you're done here, you'll be able to add music and movies to your iPod from any computer - and retain almost every other useful feature iTunes brings to your iPod.
The conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan once grumpily lamented the rise of "the iPod people." Walking down a New York street in February 2005, Sullivan saw each person "in his own musical world, walking to their soundtrack, stars in their own music video, almost oblivious to the world around them." Even as he copped to owning an iPod of his own—one of 67 million sold since its debut in 2001—Sullivan saw civilization crumbling in the friendly, well-designed face of the little Apple digital music player.
Everyone’s got an opinion on iPod, and everyone thinks they know the player inside out. They’re wrong. Here’s five facts you never knew about Apple’s almighty music machine.
Apple announced that the iPod shuffle is now available in five colors; Blue, pink, green, orange and the original silver. The 1GB iPod shuffle costs $79. "When we designed the new shuffle we entered into a new space of fashion - the idea that you can wear it in your favorite color is a great extension," Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, told Macworld.
This is a short movie about a fictional new generation accessory that interacts with your iPod or iPhone through your window blinds. Superior performance and technology that drives iBlinds to create innovative dynamic living room space through your own music.
As a sign of the global reach of the iPod, an Australian bank has opted to use the music player as a benchmark to track currency values worldwide. Commonwealth Securities has launched an iPod index, based on the cost of the 2 gigabyte iPod Nano player as a way of showing if a currency is overvalued. The idea stems from The Economist magazine's Big Mac index. The bank has chosen the iPod since they are all made in China and its price - in theory - should be consistent.
A senior Microsoft executive was so frustrated by his experience with digital music players made by Microsoft’s partners that he proposed turning to Apple’s iPod for salvation, documents made public as part of an Iowa antitrust case reveal. The outgoing head of the Microsoft division in charge of Windows, Jim Allchin, was so distraught by his experience using the music players on offer in 2003 that he considered calling Steve Jobs, the documents show.
Ah, isn’t it good to be back from the holidays, showing off the latest gadgets you received as gifts from your family? That new iPod, for example, will be great for storing files, especially because your company won’t allow you to take home your laptop for some silly security reason. No one will ever guess all the stuff you need is around your neck, stored in a little silver Mini.
The top treat in the sleek, high-tech machines operated by her company and ZoomSystems at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is a top-of-the-line Apple iPod that fetches $349 before tax. It comes with a money-back guarantee, and it doesn't drop from anywhere. A sophisticated robotic arm gently guides the mini-music machine to the buyer's hands. "We've done about $55,000 in a month in gross sales just for the one on Concourse A," said Leopold, executive vice-president and owner Business Traveler Services. "This is becoming the future for some high-end products in places like airports where space is at a premium."
Joggers using the iPod Sport kit to keep fit are putting their personal privacy at risk, warn scientists. The academics showed how easy it was to track those using the combination of music player and running shoe sensor. In the worst scenario suggested by the scientists, stalkers could use the tracking data to "engineer" encounters with victims.
One of the great joys about a device like the iPod is that it doesn't just do music. It does videos. It does text. It does games. It does pictures. You can use it as a portable hard drive. With the proper hardware, it can do radio and it can record voice memos and do even more. The device is so flexible, one is constantly finding new ways the Apple engineers have thought of to break out of the MP3-player box and give more power to both developers and end users. The iPod's Notes feature is a great example of this power.
If you enhance your workout with the new Nike + iPod Sport Kit, you may be making yourself a surveillance target. A report from four University of Washington researchers to be released Thursday reveals that security flaws in the new RFID-powered device from Nike and Apple make it easy for tech-savvy stalkers, thieves and corporations to track your movements. With just a few hundred dollars and a little know-how, someone could even plot your running routes on a Google map without your knowledge.
If you can get past the fact that iPods are some of the most frequently stolen consumer devices on Earth, and you might consider developing and providing material on this platform, interactive presentations add a great new spin to an already amazing device. This article will introduce you to the basics of interactive iPod design and show where you can learn more about iPod multimedia development.
Since its retail debut on Nov. 15, customer interest in Zune has been lackluster, analysts report. Early reviews of the product have been less than stellar as well. According to a research note published Tuesday by PiperJaffray senior research analyst Gene Munster, only 8 percent of 40 retailers surveyed by the firm recommend the Zune to customers, while 75 percent recommend Apple's iPod.
Sure, you can easily listen to your iPod in your car. However, if you want to take your hacking skills to the next level, this hack gives you the knowledge you need to give your iPod the props it deserves by integrating it into your car’s interior. Once you’ve completed this hack, your iPod will have a permanent place in your car, integrated with the car’s electrical systems.
The nano RED is just like Apple’s regular line of iPod nano’s but it’s got a much greater cause. A portion ($10) of every iPod nano RED is donated to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa.
Apple is launching a new 8 GB model of the iPod nano Red Special Edition that holds up to 2,000 songs and is available for US$249, joining the 4 GB model priced at $199. The company will contribute $10 from the sale of each iPod nano Red - which comes in a red aluminum enclosure and features 24 hours of battery life - to the Global Fund to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Brian writes: "I looked everywhere for a lightweight solar iPod charger. Nothing fancy, just something I could attach to the top of my backpack. I couldn’t find one anywhere, I couldn’t even find instructions on how to build one. So, I set about building one for myself. As this was all about getting very light materials, this set-up is very simple but the charger has no protection from branches, rain, or marmots."
If a recent patent filing is any indication, Apple may abandon the iconic wheel that has become virtually synonymous with its popular iPod music players. The company had previously explored replacing the click wheel with a virtual one as part of a touch-sensitive display. But now Apple appears to be looking at a third option: a touch-sensitive frame surrounding the display. Rather than click a physical button or press a virtual one on the screen, users would touch an area on the frame to operate their iPod.
The hacker known as "DVD Jon," a.k.a. Jon Lech Johansen, has thcracked the digital rights management technologyat Apple uses to protect songs purchased through its iTunes digital music store. The Norway native is reportedly considering licensing the code through his firm, DoubleTwist Ventures.
Michael writes: "The Video iPod could be a very fun gaming platform with the right titles on the device. Not every kind of game will work with the click wheel interface, so only certain existing titles will be able to excel on the iPod. After taking a look at the current (and very small) list of titles available for the iPod…including Pac-Man, Zuma, Mahjong, Texas Hold’em Poker, Tetris, Bejeweled, and others…I’ve compiled a list of 10 titles that I think should be in future rounds of iPod games."
Security and quality assurance experts reacted negatively to Apple's efforts to blame manufacturing problems that resulted in iPod MP3 players shipping with a virus that affects Microsoft's Windows operating system. Security professionals, including Microsoft's own product release virus scanning chief, called Apple's efforts to deflect blame onto Microsoft misleading and said the batch of factory-infected iPods reveals a troubling lack of thoroughness in the company's manufacturing process.
Ryan Faas writes: "Apple has released the finest set of iPods to date and it has done so by listening to the needs and concerns of its customers. This new generation of video iPods has raised the bar for many types of portable entertainment devices. Likewise, the new iPod Nanos and the iPod Shuffle illustrate Apple's ability to listen to its customers and deliver an excellent product. If you've been holding off buying an iPod of any kind, now may be the best time to finally spend the money and treat yourself to one."
Adam Pash writes: "Recently Apple announced that you can buy video games for your 5G video iPod for 5 bucks a pop. But what if you don't own a video iPod? What if you're stuck in the world of pre-video obsolescence? Worse yet, what if you don't have 5 bucks? The new games for sale at the iTunes Store aren't for you, and that's not quite so cool. Luckily, you can still play video games like Texas Hold 'Em, Tetris, and Bejeweled (all of which are for sale at the iTunes Store) on pretty much any iPod with a little bit of virtual elbow grease for free. Here's how."
In this massive review by Jacqui Cheng you get a pretty good idea of how good the new iPod nano really is: "When it's all said and done, this is a solid upgrade to the 1G nano. The better battery life, an improved screen, lower price, and colored cases, means that the 2G nano gets a solid 8. We still don't like Apple charging more for black and not including software with the iPod."
Eugenia Loli-Queru writes: "For the 5th+ iPod generation Apple has just introduced downloadable games and so far they offer 9 games for $4.99 each. Looking back in the classic era of computer gaming we remember some real gems that would fit right into the "keep it simple stupid" philosophy of the iPod. So, let's have some fun and suggest 10 classic games that would specifically work well with the iPod scroll wheel interface."
This new guide includes a step-by-step in how to rip the 640×480 resolution for the new iPod 5G software, well-known iPod video conversion guides, and how to categorize the movies more efficiently.
There's been a lot of drooling in the news since Apple released the new iPod nano just 2 days ago. If you want detailed high definition pics that compare it to the previous version check out AppleInsider. For unpacking pr0n of a sexy blue second generation iPod nano head over to this photostream on Flickr. Looking good! :)
The new iPod features a 60 percent brighter and more vibrant 2.5-inch color display perfect for watching TV shows and now movies. It is available in a 30GB model at the price of $249 and an 80GB model, which holds up to 20,000 songs or 100 hours of video, for $349.
The new iPod shuffle, is now the world’s smallest digital music player with nearly half the size of the original. It is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a stunning all-new aluminum design and a built-in clip which makes it the most wearable iPod ever. The new iPod shuffle contains one gigabyte of flash memory which holds up to 240 songs, and is more affordable than ever at just $79.
The all-new iPod nano comes with a new aluminum body, an incredible 24 hours of battery life and more than twice the music capacity for the same price as the previous generation. It also features Apple’s innovative Click Wheel and an even smaller, thinner and lighter design available in silver, pink, green, blue and black.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s inside a pair of iPod earbuds, here’s your chance to take a look. Though Apple has gone through several different iterations of its now-famous pack-ins, this particular pair is from the batch shipped with the most recent iPods - nano and 5G.
The Bridge works with Harmon Kardon's iPod friendly AVR 40 Series receivers (AVR 740, 340, 240, 140 models). Included in The Bridge kit are various docking connectors, making it compatible with 3G or higher iPods, including the video models (note that video and photos will not be displayed onscreen). Simply connect the single plug into the back of the "DMP - The Bridge" input on the receiver and you're ready to go.
TubeSock grabs YouTube videos from the web and copies them to your video iPod, Mac, or PlayStation Portable. TubeSock knows how to convert the video using the codecs and bitrates best for each device. It can even add the video to iTunes for you.
Apple's iPod line has gone months without an update. It's been nearly a year since the portable music player added new capabilities, such as the ability to play video, or appeared in a new form factor, like the slimmed-down nano. In the rapid-fire world of technology toys, that's usually the sign of a product line that's gotten long in the tooth. And yet, iPods continue to fly off the shelves just as fast as Apple can make them.
Wilson Rothman writes: "For a field already glutted with gadgets, the Nike + iPod kit is the most elegant of high-tech runner's aids. An instrument the size of a pebble measures your pace from a pocket inside one of Nike's specially designed shoes. The pebble streams data to a computer that keeps time and calculates caloric burn. Instead of making you buy a whole new computerized accessory, Nike and Apple decided to use a computer you may already own, an iPod nano."
There's seemingly no end to the ways companies will try to accessorize Apple's popular music player. This article takes a look at some of the most outlandish items, from a docking station for the bathroom to an iPod belt buckle, and even a leather thong. (No, not that kind.)
From jackets with built-in iPod controls to belt buckles that house your iPod shuffle, Dan Frakes looks at a slew of iPod accessories that have one thing in common - you'll find them in the clothing section.
The iPod is rapidly turning into the early 21st century equivalent of the Maidenform Lady—you never know where one is going to show up next.
According to informants inside the Cupertino-based computer giant, the next version of Apple's operating system will let you track belongings through clever GPS and integrated mapping.
Stephen Miller writes: "It's an iPod world, and that makes Apple's popular music player a target for thieves. Police departments around the country have reported a surge in thefts of iPods and other portable music players, and the New York Police Department says iPod robberies have helped push up crime statistics in the subway. To foil iPod snatchers, Targus recently introduced the Mobile Security Lock for iPod."
Apple and Nike's new iPod-sneaker combination for monitoring exercise could be just the first of several activity-aware applications for the iPod -- and maybe even a new gesture interface that uses movement to select songs or adjust the volume. In case you missed it, Apple and Nike have teamed up to develop a wireless Sport Kit sensor that tucks into new Nike sneakers that will be on the market shortly. The sensor is based on a tiny, battery-powered accelerometer, similar to the deceleration sensors used in automobile airbags.
Simon Caulkin writes: "One lesson is the importance of using the right medium, and executing it properly. The iPod is a textbook example of getting applications - for playing, organising and buying music - to work seamlessly together through the net without dropping you between the gaps. The second is simplicity. The more complicated the product, the harder it has to work to make you love it. A large part of the iPod's appeal is how easy it is to use - put another way, the fact that nothing gets between you and what you want from it."
Apple's iPod Hi-F certainly has garnered its share of headlines, but it's not the only game in town.
Here's a few speaker systems that will still deliver quality sound without breaking the bank.
TechWrap reports that Fox TV shows have been added to iTunes. Available shows include Unan1mous, Prison Break, 24, Stacked, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Lost in Space.
Two UK based hospitals (St. Johns, Sussex Hospital) have created small mp3 files to carry around that teaches you how to perform CPR, treat burns, shock, fractures and other basic first aid. Now you can carry with you an audio equivalent of a first aid guide wherever you are.
SKB Introduced the Drypod family of protective waterproof, interactive hardshell cases for the Gen 4 iPod, Nano and Gen 5 Video iPod models. It includes a flexible neoprene arm band, comfort-adjust lanyard and stainless steel belt clip. The seamless 'flex-pad' technology allows for the manipulation of the iPod's control wheel right through the case.
Mark Evans writes: "Not to suggest commercial radio is heading down the tubes but when it comes to audio in the car, the most exciting battle is being waged between the iPod and satellite radio. While the iPod has tremendous buzz and million of loyal followers, Apple isn't taking complete advantage of the opportunity to take control of the in-car experience. Why?" Read on.
Joe Barr writes: "The software for the Nano and most fourth- and fifth-generation versions of the iPod is experimental - but, well, you know me - Linux on my desktop, workstation, laptop, Tivo, and router. I had to have it on the Nano, too. Here's my report how I converted my stock iPod Nano into a dual-booting, sweet MP3-singing, iDoom-playing monster. "
Belkin's new TunePower for iPod video keeps your videos and tunes playing even when the internal battery is drained. Giving you up to six hours of additional video playtime, this rechargeable battery pack lets you finish your movie and catch up on the shows you missed last week.
Continue reading "Power your iPod longer with Belkin's TunePower" »
Mathew Honan writes: "The iPod is a deeply personal device. The music, contacts, calendars and notes you store on it reveal much about your personality. From playcounts to playlists, our iPods can tell others what we enjoy, how we think and even who we are. But if you truly want to transform your iPod into an engine of extreme personal expression, why not customize it?"
Almost every picture has some details burried in the high resolution abyss. As much fun as it is to have all your photos on an iPod, most details are lost due to screen size and image resolution. SplittingImage joins the game and splits the high resolution image into several smaller tiles so you can scroll through your photo and zoom away!
It seems iPod mania is alive and well in Japan - one of the most competitive consumer-electronics markets on the planet. Despite an array of well-entrenched Japanese rivals, such as Sony and Matsushita, the iPod had cornered 51.3% of the digital-music player market as of the end of 2005, up from about 32% in 2004, according to research firm BCN. Sony was a distant second with 16.2%, while Panasonic grabbed just 8.2% of the market.