Category > News
September 15, 2006
New iPod nano: one day we’ll look back and laugh at all of those scratches our old iPods had.
Q: What do you get when an iPod nano gets it on with an iPod mini?
A: The new 2G iPod nano.
The new iPod nano sports:
- Improved battery life - up to 24 hours
- Increased storage capacity - as much as 8GB of flash-based memory.
- Thinner design (only by 1mm though) and cool curved edges.
- A 40% brighter display. (I thought there was nothing wrong with the old one.)
- Your choice of 5 colors and a new aluminum enclosure
Apple's introduction of the new, redesigned iPod nano solves many of the problems that plagued the first generation digital music player. Anyone who came within arm's reach of a nano that was more than 5 minutes old was familiar with how easily scratched it was. After the iPod mini's multi-color availability, the choice between black and white of the new nano seemed limited. And you can never have too much battery life, my 1G seemed to run out of juice too frequently.
Prices start at $149 for the 2GB model. The 4GB model runs $199, and the 8GB bad boy lists at $249. Available at the Apple Store right now.
You can watch the new iPod nano ad from Apple here. Colors. Brighter display. We get it.
Category: News, iPod nano | Comments (2)
iTunes 7 - It Lives!
In my mind, the best part of this week's announcements from Apple has been a chunky upgrade to the iTunes application. New features include:
- Cover Flow album art viewing
- Automatic album art retrieval
- Full length films are available for purchase from the iTunes Store. Priced at $13 to $15 for new releases and $10 for older titles.
- 2-way sync with iPod
- Gapless playback (yeah, baby!)
I've been using the new iTunes version 7 for a couple of days now and I couldn't be happier. It feels like a well-rounded and capable piece of software. As I use it, no longer do I lament what is missing. In fact, some of the (long overdue) improvements - gapless playback and automated cover art fetching/display - make you wonder how you ever lived without them. iTunes has finally hit its stride with the version 7 release and I'm curious, and excited, to see how Apple will improve on this.
Related
- Use iTunes Better: iPoditude.com’s guide for getting the most out of iTunes
- Use multiple windows in iTunes
- New iTunes 6 is announced, details
Category: News, Software, iTunes | Comments (0)
New iPod: games and… well, games.
The regular iPod must feel like the neglected middle brother of the iPod family this week. Apple updated the display to have be 60% brighter, they've improved the interface with some welcome changes to help navigate large music libraries, and the biggest change is that it now supports downloadable games. For $5 you can purchase and download games from the iTunes Store. I never play the games that come free on iPods so I'm not too impressed. Oh, and the 60GB model is replaced by an 80GB model.
The 30GB model now runs $249 and the new 80GB model will drain $349 out of your bank account. Both are available now from the Apple Store.
Perhaps the lack of updated features will only fuel the rumors of an impending "true" widescreen video iPod that everyone wants to see Apple make. Me, I'm still waiting for the iPod with wearable video display.
Now that games are being sold on the iTunes store, I'd like to point out that I prognosticated this in a post from November, 2004. I was quite close to getting it right, too.
Category: News, iPod 5G (video) | Comments (1)
July 13, 2006
Nike + iPod = shin splints?
I was reading about the new Nike + iPod gear today and I was thinking, "...so wait a minute... athletic shoes aren't just for fashion?! ...people must actually run in these things - on purpose! Wow..."
You need three things to outfit yourself with the new Nike + iPod gear; an iPod nano, a pair of Nike+ shoes, and the new iPod Sport Kit ($29). Oh, and you have to want to run. You place a small sensor in the sole of your shoe (man, that's gonna hurt after a coupla miles, don't you think?) The sensor talks to your nano wirelessly as you run so you get real-time feedback on the iPod's display. Then it'll download information into iTunes when you sync so you can track your runs and analyze your workouts.
The goods hit the stores today, so run on over (ha-ha) to your friendly neighborhood Apple Store, Niketown, or NikeWoman store.
Category: Gear, News, iPod nano | Comments (6)
February 28, 2006
iPod Hi-Fi: We will, we will, rock you
An Apple-branded speaker system is kind of like the Sasquatch of the iPod accessory kingdom. Long-rumored but rarely sighted, and you always knew that it could exist. Well, today we get to see it in the flesh. Dubbed the iPod Hi-Fi, Apple is clearly going after the high-end market with a product that would seem to double not only as a portable speaker system, but could serve as the only sound system in an apartment or small home.
According to Apple, the iPod Hi-Fi produces a large soundstage, precise imaging, and a wide frequency range. According to iPoditude.com, it looks cool, too. Two 80mm drivers provide highs and mids, while a single 130mm woofer rounds out the bottom end. The enclosure is a trick sealed/vented hybrid that took some serious engineering. The iPod Hi-Fi speaker system also features AC or DC (via 6 D-cell batteries) power modes, built-in handles in its double-walled plastic shell, comes with a remote control, and there is a combo analog/optical audio input jack on the back. It sells for $349 and is available from the Apple Store immediately. Extra coolness points when coupled with a wireless AirTunes to create a whole-house streaming music system.
Category: News, Speaker Systems | Comments (21)
January 13, 2006
Afternoon Links
- Does Steve have more up his sleeve? Cult of Mac's Leander Kahney thinks there may be more cool gear coming from Apple soon.
- And speaking of... Read an interesting first-hand account of what goes into a Steve Jobs Keynote speech. Not the magic of a man behind the curtain, but the teams behind the curtain.
- Don't like Apple listening along to your music? New in iTunes 6.0.2 is the mini-store feature. Turning it off in the preferences does seem to disable iTunes from reporting your music to Apple.
Category: News | Comments (0)
January 12, 2006
Two worlds collide: iPod meet radio
Endless streaming, dozens of stations, no fees, unlimited songs... Before you get too excited - it's just the radio.
This year's MacWorld Expo Keynote speech by Steve Jobs was a bit light on iPod developments (but the new Intel iMac makes up for it) but perhaps the most interesting thing to be released is the new iPod Radio Remote. In true Apple fashion, the capabilities of the device have been extended to include some thoughtful design touches: The iPod will display any RDS data that is transmitted (such as station name, song titles, and the name of the band), there is a really cool graphical display on the iPod to help you navigate the station and easily see what you're listening to, and they even include another set of earbuds with a shorter cable so you don't get all tangled up in white earphone cable. In addition to being an FM radio receiver, this device doubles as a remote control for your iPod, very much like the remotes that used to come with some 3G iPod models, so when you're tired of listening to seemingly endless commercial breaks and the hearing same song played over and over again, you can switch back to the real music that's stored on your iPod.
The iPod Radio Remote sells for $49 and is shipping now from the Apple Store.
Related:
Griffin Technology announces the iFM - everything but the kitchen sink
Category: Gear, News | Comments (0)
December 29, 2005
Downloaded music continues to pick up momentum, people accidentally downloading Mariah Carey songs
Mariah Carey has the most downloaded song?! What's with that?!
- BBC reports, "Albums sales in the US dipped by 7% in 2005 but the music download market doubled over the past year."
- "Music downloads rise 50% as iTunes dominates" according to MSN Money. They state, "Visits to music downloading websites saw a 50 per cent rise on Christmas Day." (I'm guilty)
Are you seeing a trend here? I don't think downloaded digital music has reached critical mass yet, and it probably won't until iPod/DAP integration is more prevalent (in cars especially). However, despite the strong growth of downloaded music, more than 95% is still sold in CD format. That's a lot of Mariah Scarey discs.
Category: News | Comments (4)
November 11, 2005
Afternoon Links
- New nanos nuzzled in nest: Apple is now shipping new iPod nanos with a simple sleeve case similar to the one included with 5G iPods.
- iPod shuteye: Apple has posted an interesting knowledge base article entitled, iPod: About Sleep, Deep Sleep, Hibernation, and Sleep Timer. "If the iPod or iPod mini is left in sleep for about 36 hours, it will fall into deep sleep..."
- 5G iPods selling like, well, iPod nanos: Seems that people like 'em.
- iPods - collect them all!: In an article at CNN ("Market growing for used iPods") they talk about the iPod market as it begins to mature, what people are doing with their older iPods, and even how some are trying to collect the mini in all colors. In my mind there is nothing wrong with a used, older iPod as long as the battery is still good. Also of note, the article says that approximately 30 percent of iPod purchasers are repeat buyers.
- When your iPod is having a really bad day: ESS Data Recovery iRecovery service can recover lost data on your iPod.
Category: News | Comments (1)
October 18, 2005
Afternoon Links
- Mac OS Rumors pontificates on what the unnaturally-shaped-potato-chip-sounding Vingle trademark is about. I've always thought that a Wi-Fi iPod would be better than a video iPod.
- Kiwali.com is having a 20% off fall sale. Get their corduroy Mineon iPod mini case for just $12 and the ShuffleDeco iPod shuffle stickers for $4 each. Look for an iPoditude product review of the Mineon case soon.
- My friends over at iPod-DJ.com got to play with the Numark iDJ mixer and have posted their review online. Give me an iDJ, a strobe light, and a disco ball, and there is nothing I couldn't do.
- Apple posts Exporting a movie from iMovie HD to iPod. Couldn't be any easier.
Category: News | Comments (0)
