May 2008 Archives
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May 30, 2008
MP3 amp lets your iPod think it's a rock star
In a world where everyone seems to fancy themselves a guitar hero, something like this makes perfect sense. If some people will go so far as to carry a Fender "Stacked Amp Wallet," for instance, it's certainly not a stretch to think they'll go for an MP3 speaker that looks like an amp as well.
The "Mytunes MP3 Amp" actually has some impressive details considering its diminutive size, including working bass and treble dials. It even has a faux leather casing and corner protectors to minimize damage in mid-slash.
The 5-watt speaker will work with the iPod or any other MP3 player, according to Slippery Brick, though it can be plugged into a PC through its USB connection as well--just in case you're too embarrassed to be seen in public with it.
Posted by ipodworld at 03:26 PM
May 29, 2008
In-flight entertainment in your hands
Last year airlines around the world spent about millions of pounds on in-flight entertainment hardware. It's ironic, then, to see their offerings often being ignored by passengers with iPods or other personal entertainment devices. Such passengers carry their own videos, music and games.
Since mid-May passengers flying on Singapore Airlines between Newark and Singapore have been able to link their iPods to the in-flight entertainment systems. Other airlines around the world are lining up similar offerings.
"Supporting passengers' own devices is one way for an airline to enhance their product and gain an advantage," says Robert Smith, a senior market analyst at IMDC. "Consumers are carrying increasingly powerful devices, and some will want the option of having power, a bigger screen, and somewhere to put their iPod."
Posted by ipodworld at 05:17 PM
May 28, 2008
Report: Apple plans solar-powered iPod
Apple is rumoured to be planning a solar-powered iPod, according to a report Tuesday about a patent application submitted by the company. The patent, which was unearthed by the Apple fan site MacRumors.com, describes an iPod with a solar panel under the LCD screen that could be used to provide additional power.
Technology experts said that Apple's iPhone would also be a good candidate for the new system since its large screen occupies virtually the entire front of the device.
This integrated design would allow the mobile device, be it a PDA or portable music player, to be charged from daylight without having a separate solar panel that needs to be plugged into it.
Posted by ipodworld at 03:05 PM
May 27, 2008
Your iPod could get you arrested at the border...
Legislation is being planned in the name of "anti-counterfeiting" by the G8 countries which is actually a copyright enforcement treaty. It could, suggest experts, mean that you might get arrested by Immigration at US, European and other major countries, if you have an iPod or phone loaded with music.
The essence of the proposed treaty - which is expected to be ratified July this year - is that if you transfer music legally from CD to iPod or Walkman or any other device, you have to prove you own it.
If you've legally ripped your CD collection to your iPod or other player and travel abroad, to one of the nations signing up to the ACTA, you will have to also take some way of proving that the tracks on that device have not been copied illegally.
Posted by ipodworld at 03:33 PM
May 23, 2008
iPod Boombox (iPod Dock)
Lasonic have released what could possibly be the coolest iPod dock we've ever seen! Take it back to the old school with a monster portable iPod boombox.
Your iPod, iPod Nano, or iPod Mini will slide into the "cassette" deck just like your old Thriller tape did back in the day. It will dock your iPod and produce a crystal clear sound (perhaps unlike your old school boombox). Ah, music to the ears of every 80’s throwback!
It's truly unique and perfect for all of your summer BBQs!
Posted by ipodworld at 12:41 PM
May 22, 2008
Creative Unveils Portable iPod Nano Speakers
Creative has announced the TravelSound for iPod nano video, a one-piece speaker system that is portable enough to fit in a pocket or purse and features four independent micro drivers and a digital amplifier.
The speakers also have a rechargeable battery so users can charge it through their USB connection for up to 15 hours of playback. Connecting via USB to a Mac or PC also syncs the iPod to iTunes. The TravelSound for iPod nano comes with a speaker stand that enables the speaker to tilt at an optimal angle to view videos and photos and a USB wall charger to charge the speaker and docked iPod.
"This Creative TravelSound is the first iPod nano speaker that's actually as portable as the iPod itself. You can take it anywhere you would take your iPod,” said Marc Lee, marketing manager at Creative.
Posted by ipodworld at 05:07 PM
May 21, 2008
FlyTunes: Free Streaming Radio for iPod Touch
Fly Tunes is a new streaming radio web app that lets you listen to online radio through your Mobile Safari browser. It will give you access to over 375 channels of music, news and sports radio all from your iPod Touch.
If you have an iPhone, most of the channels are EDGE compatible so you will not need to be in a Wi-Fi zone. You have to sign up for the service but it is free and it very easy. To sign up you need to point Safari on your iPhone or iPod Touch to flytunes.fm, and then follow the on-screen instructions and you will be listening to free streaming media in no time.
FlyTunes has also added audio and video podcasts, which brings their total channel count up to 350 from the previous total of 150. And in the future they plan to expand their content to many new devices.
Posted by ipodworld at 04:56 PM
May 19, 2008
Apple Unveils New iPod Games
Apple released a new gaming section to the iTunes store that work with iPod nano, iPod classic, and even fifth-generation iPod models.
Three games have been released: Tetris, Ms. Pac-Man, and Sudoku. The games were first announced by Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, at the Apple special event earlier this month in San Francisco.
While Tetris, Ms. Pac-Man and Sudoku have already been available for fifth-generation iPods, this marks the first time the games have been released to be compatible with 3G iPod nanos and new iPod classics
Posted by ipodworld at 04:43 PM
May 16, 2008
iPod docking stations on airplanes
Air New Zealand will equip eighteen of its airliners with in-flight entertainment rigs allowing iPod users to play their video on seatback screens, listen to audio through the aircraft system, and control their device via the plane's interface.
Flight International reports that the Panasonic X Series in-flight entertainment system, which was trialed last October, will be fitted to 13 Airbus A320s and five Boeing 767s operated by the Kiwi carrier "in the near term".
The X Series kit is capable of offering broadband internet connection, VoIP, secure payments and indeed pretty much anything you might expect from a computer/media centre, and of course there is the iPod hookup, - under which, according to Panasonic, "your aircraft becomes an authorised Apple accessory".
Posted by ipodworld at 03:18 PM
May 15, 2008
Solar-powered bra 'able to charge an iPod'
A Japanese lingerie firm today unveiled the perfect gadget for eco-friendly sun worshippers – the solar-powered bra.
The bra comes with a detachable solar panel, worn around the stomach, which can produce enough energy to power an iPod or mobile phone as the wearer lazes on the beach, the makers claim.
It is also equipped with plastic pouches that can be filled with water, allowing wearers to quench their thirst without having to buy and then throw away hard-to-recycle drinks bottles.
Posted by ipodworld at 03:42 PM
May 14, 2008
A bridge to the future of the iPod
Apple has sent clear signals that it thinks the iPod touch and the iPhone are the future of its iPod business. It considers the Wi-Fi-enabled iPod touch "a new type of device," Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of worldwide iPod and iPhone< marketing, said when Apple unveiled a higher capacity iPod touch in February.
But that doesn't mean the whole world is ready to step up to a more sophisticated device like the iPod touch: Lots of people just want to play their tunes and watch their shows on the go, and don't want to break the bank to do so. While Apple is taking sure steps toward evolving the upper echelon of its iPod product line, what should it do to keep its iPod cash cow going into the next decade?
Look to the clouds. IaaS (iPod as a service) will thankfully never catch on as a buzzword, but Apple could bridge the gap between today and the future by bundling regular iPods with services, adding wireless as fast as possible, and bringing OS X down into a new generation of iPods as soon as Moore's Law lets it happen.
Posted by ipodworld at 10:51 AM
May 13, 2008
Schmap Launches City Guide Web App for iPhone and iPod Touch
Schmap , publisher of over 200 free online travel guides, has opened access to their guides for iPhone and iPod Touch users by way of a remarkably nifty web application. The guides cover cities throughout the US, Europe, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and provide information on everything from the city’s historical background to the best places to get your drink on.
In addition to the city guides available for many major cities, Schmap is working on implementing a local search feature to provide similar functionality for cities they haven’t charted out yet. While local search results obviously won’t be as in-depth as the custom written city guide entries, it provides enough to get by: the business name, street address, and phone number. It did a good job of finding coffee shops in my area, even pointing out a few I’d somehow managed to ignore. I was unable to get the local search to recognize any zip codes, so you may need to type out the city’s name for the time being.
Posted by ipodworld at 04:58 PM
May 12, 2008
Live TV Stream Available on iPhone and iPod Touch
OrbLive is the streaming media application developed by Orb Networks for iPhone and iPod Touch. With this app, you can stream all your media, no need to sync. This app plays live TV, Internet TV, and webcams on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
“TV on the iPhone is now real,” said Joe Costello, CEO of Orb Networks. “Steve Jobs may think that buying shows from iTunes is the same as watching TV, but iPhone users know better. When the NBA playoffs are on, you want to see the game, live, wherever you are. Free.”
Orb pulls files off your Mac and streams them to any device with an app or web browser capable of accessing the Orb interface. From there you can stream music, video files, and if you have a TV tuner card, live TV. According to Orb Networks, all media streaming is optimized so it works great over WiFi, AT&T, O2, and Vodafone. You must have a jailbroken iPhone or iPod touch to get OrbLive.
Posted by ipodworld at 03:27 PM
May 09, 2008
APPLE REPORTEDLY OFFERS $44 CREDIT TO CANADIAN IPOD OWNERS
Apple Canada is reportedly offering a total of $3.54 million in credits to Canadian iPod owners, in order to settle two lawsuits over the battery life of the portable music players.
The credits are being offered to owners of first-, second-, or third-generation iPods bought before June 24, 2004, The Gazette newspaper in Montreal reported Thursday. The lawsuits, one filed in Montreal and the other in Toronto, claimed that the rechargeable batteries in the devices died after three hours of use, while Apple advertised the iPods as running for eight hours between charges.
The Ontario Superior Court granted class-action status to the Toronto suit, while the court in Quebec denied the same status to the Montreal suit. Nevertheless, Apple Canada has agreed to a settlement covering both suits, the newspaper said. The deal has to be finalized by the courts. The next hearing is May 26 in Montreal and June 20 in Toronto, as many as 80,000 Canadians could be eligible for a credit.
Posted by ipodworld at 10:36 AM
May 08, 2008
Forget Star Wars R2D2 Projector, now R3-D2 with Apple iPod support
Many gadget buyers have heard of the Star Wars “R2D2 Projector”, but as technology keeps moving it looks like this device has been upgraded to the R3-D2 with Apple iPod support. The new limited Edition model features the ability to connect many move devices including iPod’s, game consoles, USB drives, flash memory cards and many other devices with video content on them.
The Star Wars movies have lasted decades and there is still no end in sight to fans continuing to follow Star Wars, so it looks like we will see many other gadgets in this theme and the R2-D2 Projector will continue to be popular. We saw the previous model at a gadget event last year and it did look impressive, but the limited edition model has so much more. Other improvements include the ability to project a screen up to 260 inches wide, an amazing 1800:1 contrast ratio, 1800 lumens brightness and built-in virtual surround sound.
Posted by ipodworld at 05:38 PM
May 07, 2008
Japan Mulling 'iPod' Tax
Japan's Agency of Cultural Affairs is expected on Thursday to unveil proposals for what is being dubbed an 'iPod' tax, in order to further compensate recording artists and record companies for home duplication of their products.
Although older technology, such as DVD recorders and minidisk players are already subject to a copyright levy, the newer wave of portable digital products are not, and an attempt to impose such a tax in 2005 was unsuccessful.
The proposed move is causing controversy, with firms that manufacture the devices likely to be affected by the levy arguing that they will be forced to absorb the tax hit, rather than pass it on to the end consumer, and representatives of the recording industry reportedly threatening to derail the introduction of the "dubbing 10" initiative next month, if the new copyright tax is not approved.
Under the new dubbing 10 rules set to come into force on 2nd June, those consuming copyrighted content via devices such as HDD recorders will be permitted to copy said content up to 10 times, rather than just once, as currently permitted.
Posted by ipodworld at 04:43 PM
May 06, 2008
Zune to start offering TV shows -- 2 years after iTunes
Microsoft Corp. says it will start selling downloadable television shows for its Zune portable media device -- including selected programs from NBC, the network that split from market leader Apple Inc.
The move comes more than two years after Apple introduced television shows and movies for its dominant iTunes store and iPod -- reflecting Zune's latecomer status. Microsoft introduced the device in late 2006, after devices from its hardware partners struggled to gain any significant traction against Apple's iPod.
Microsoft says its Zune online store will add TV shows starting Tuesday, offering about 800 episodes initially. The episodes will cost the equivalent of $1.99 in Microsoft "points." The company requires consumers to first buy points that they can apply to online purchases.
Posted by ipodworld at 04:59 PM
May 02, 2008
Car stereo makers beginning to shift from CDs to iPod
First eight-track players slid off into history. Then that unruly stack of cassette tapes disappeared from glove compartments. Now, car-stereo makers are marketing units that threaten to boot compact discs into the auto audio graveyard.
Blaupunkt recently announced a second-generation, $160 stereo and AM/FM radio that ditches the CD player in favor of ports for other digital music technologies including Apple iPods and other MP3 players, thumb drives or other USB devices or SD memory cards.
Other manufacturers have units that began appearing last year. All are aimed at the growing segment of music-loving auto enthusiasts who carry their tunes in their pockets.
Posted by ipodworld at 03:41 PM