New iPod Nano Fulfills Its Mission, Mostly

New iPod Nano Fulfills Its Mission, Mostly
By Stephen Williams

It’s glossy, it’s slick, the video’s for real, the audio speaker’s not.

I took a run up to the Apple store on 14th Street in Manhattan on Thursday, and a young lady showed me the new iPod Nano, a gold colored version with a sassy gloss finish and a nifty camera lens peeking out the rear. It was the only demo Nano in the house, she said, but I could buy all the Nanos I wanted — in any color — for about $150 and up.

After a short hands-on fool-around with it — others were waiting, real customers — I concluded that:

* The video camera’s a delightful feature.
* The speaker inside the Nano — if you can call it a speaker — lacks any fidelity.
* The FM tuner’s a neat addition (although not too effective inside the store).
* The satiny finish is cool.

The larger issue, however, is: why is there no camera in the new iPod Touch model?

It’s curious, since little brother Nano has one, and its seems a no-brainer to install a camera into the Touch, since it could be transplanted directly from the iPhone 3GS, which shares a similar form factor. There were stories last week that some “technical problems” had arisen in the camera option, but it appears that Apple might just be waiting to upgrade the device. Again.

Back to the FM radio, a component that Apple has steadfastly refused to include in its portable music players. As an article in Wired points out, “the answer comes with iTunes-Tagging. In addition to live pausing of the radio stream (and rewinding up to 15 minutes through the buffer) you can tag tracks by hitting the center button. If a radio station supports it, the song info is saved and later you can see a list in iTunes alongside, you guessed it, the option to buy the song.”

Meanwhile, as I reported earlier, it had appeared that Apple has lowered the prices on some “older” iPod models, including dropping the price on the iPod Touch with 32 gigabytes from $399 to $279. However, the latest update to Apple’s online Store page only refers to the new models introduced on Wednesday. A manager at the Apple store in Manhattan told me that all previous iPod incarnations had been boxed and shipped out of the Chelsea location.
***
Smaller? Thinner? Camera enabled? Rewind capable? This is a cool ipod!
Find out more here.

Another iPod, Another iPod Case

Another iPod, Another iPod Case
By Charlie Sorrel
Like death and taxes, there is “one more thing” in this world which is absolutely, utterly certain: after a new iPod is announced, my inbox fills with pitches for new iPod cases.

And so, as liquor-spiked coffee follows a delicious dessert, here comes a case. And whose case got pulled out of the hat this time? It’s Scosche’s polycarbonate and rubber kickBACK n5, which wins partially because of its absurd name, and partially because of its absurd design.

Now, with its tiny screen, the correct way to watch video on a Nano is to hold it mere centimeters from your eyes and squint. Should you have a small telescope about your person, you could prop it up on the desk before you for more comfortable viewing, and the kickBACK will let you do just that, for it has a “kick” stand on the BACK (such catchy nomenclature). It also has “integrated traction nubs”, something so wonderfully named that we almost don’t care that they “provide grip on flat surfaces”.

And don’t forget the other, hidden feature: the kickBACK n5 will add several fractions of an inch to the already slightly fatter Nano. Wonderful, and worth the $25 all by itself.
***
This is cool.
More of the iPod.

Free iPod Music Downloads: Legal and Safe

Free iPod Music Downloads: Legal and Safe

Apple iPod is not only trendy but it also helps make music revolution in the new era. This new technology from Apple Computers has brought a new order of musical pleasure to many people. That is why it has spread widely and its music widely shared around the world. You can have a wide array of choices from the downloadable music in the Internet for your Ipod.

You can choose from millions of songs and download what you want and when you want it. Effortless free iPod music downloads are also available in the Internet of which music can be kept for as long as you want.

There are free iPod music downloads in the Internet where thousands of music tracks are stored for legal sharing. And if you find a song you like, you can download it effortlessly and legally. There are many questions still about the legality of free iPod music downloads.

International and domestic iPod music downloads are bombarded with questions of legality in accordance to the Recording Industry Association of America or RIAA. There are still a handful of websites that offer legal free iPod music downloads including:

3hive.com

Amazon.com

eMusic.com

Epitonic.com

Freekidsmusic.com

Garageband.com

IUMA.com

MFiles.co.uk

MP34U.com

MP3blogs.org

Music.download.com

PureVolume

Vitaminic

and iTunes Music Store

Free iPod music download websites above have great blog-style listings of free iPod compatible MP3 songs by record artists and labels, and mainstream and independent artists. Some will give you a free two-week trial period to check on the services provided by these websites that offer free iPod music downloads.

There are specialized websites too that give free iPod music downloads for young listeners. These are clean, professionally designed interface to give free iPod music downloads where you can download free iPod music across all major genres. There are more than hundreds of thousands of songs that are free for iPod music downloads.

If you find it hard to look for the songs you like, you can always go to iTunes Music Store. It is not as cheap as other iPod music download stores but it is completely safe and legal way to get access to one million songs.

Websites that offer free iPod music downloads can also update you to new cool accessories about your iPod and Apple computer that can help you and your gadgets achieve maximum performance. Accessories include car chargers, pocketdock firewire, pocketdock line out firewire, pocketdock combo, pocketdock line out USB, earbuddy and more. Websites that offer free iPod music downloads also feature not only songs but entire albums as well as updates on which songs and artists are becoming popular and hitting the charts.

From these featured free iPod music downloads in the Internet, you can easily locate the songs you want to have on your iPod. You can find the songs you like by browsing through the store's library by finding it by genre. Or you find too many results; you can make it easier by searching by artist, album or song title. For songs that are very popular for the moment, there are lists of songs that are topping charts around the world that will make the search easier.

Free iPod music downloads on different genres of music include alternative, indie and punk, Broadway, children's music, classical, country, dance and DJ, folk, international, jazz, Latin, miscellaneous, new age, Opera, pop, rap and hip-hop, rock, R&B and soul, and soundtracks.

There are many websites that offer free iPod music downloads but some people who have iPods do not know where to begin. The best way to search for these free iPod music downloads is through search engines like MSN, Google and Yahoo. Once you have found the websites you are looking for, you can click on them one by one and start by looking for the songs you wish to download for free.

After completing the downloading process of free iPod music, the songs you want are already stored in your computer which you can easily transfer to you iPod. Take note about where you saved the iPod music you downloaded for free for easy access later.

With free iPod music downloads, there is no need for you to break the law and join illegal files sharing communities in the Internet. If you cannot afford to buy new music downloads, you can maximize the use of free iPod music download websites today.

Free iPod Games and the Apple iPod

Free iPod Games and the Apple iPod

Apple iPods were promised to be the greatest breakthrough in the music industry. Somehow, it did not disappoint the fans and more; it has added various capabilities to the iPod that made it famous to people worldwide.

Aside from playing various kinds of music files (which includes MP3, WAV, AAC, MP3 VBR, AIFF), the Apple iPod can play and record video, can store data files, and can download various free iPod games from the Internet.

Free iPod games are available in the Internet. Through the years, the number of Internet hits on these websites offering free iPod games for download, increased suggesting that the popularity of the Apple iPod extend not only to music lovers but for gamers as well.

The iPodArcade Website

The Internet website that offers free iPod games is iPodArcade.com. It was was created in the year 1979 by two brilliant people who realized that a demand for ipod games is imminent and would soon increase as time passes by.

By the year 2005, the two creators of iPodArcade believed that the iPod world is finally ready for the free iPod games. They released their creation and iPodArcade.com was born.

After more than a year since its creation, Apple iPod users of every age started talking about the latest website catering to Apple iPod lovers. This website specially catered to the younger generation. Kids of any age just can not stop chatting about iPodArcade.Com.

iPodArcade.com reported that peering into any locker available in every high school or college universities in America would make you realize that iPodArcade is a hit. You will hear all the smatterings and murmurs about iPodArcade website and the free iPod games. All the brilliant free iPod games that it offers. But all of these are claims by iPodArcade.

The Real Score

An internet site such as iPodArcade.com can cater to most need of the iPod gamers. It is a one-stop storage for all popular iPod Games. All of these iPod games are completely free, no hidden charges and are readily available for download.

iPodArcade also offer different types of iPod Games. You can choose from a variety of options that includes strategy, memory games, trivia, and even jokes.

As of March 6, 2006, iPodArcade is beginning their development of redesigning the iPodArcade design. The interface would be cleaned up, features would be added, as well as other improvements.

This website offering free iPod games supports the following iPod products: 3G Apple iPod, 4G Apple iPod, Apple iPod Mini, Apple iPod Nano, and Apple iPod Video.

Previously, iPodArchive discontinued their support to Podzilla, another source for free iPod games. This is because Podzilla is only capable of supporting the first few generations of Apple iPod. Many of the Apple iPod users of today have newer iPods and needs to download the latest free iPod games. iPodArcade discontinued their business arrangement with Podzilla.

Apple iPod users can remove the installed Podzilla from their iPod by using Apple's Firmware Restore Utility. This would reinstall Apple's iPod Operating System. Reinstalling this would remove Podzilla and make the Apple iPod work as if it was newly bought.

However, the stored music on your iPod might be lost so be sure to have a back-up when reinstalling Apple's iPod Operating System.

Currently, note games are also available for download at iPodArcade. This array of note games is only possible for Apple iPods with the Notes feature. These includes the Apple iPod Mini, the Third and Fourth Generation Apple iPod, Apple iPod Photo, and the Apple iPod Video.

The best thing about the iPod Notes feature is that it lets Apple iPod users have a feature to let you create Note Games. Apple even has an iPod Note Reader User Guide in PDF file that will give you information regarding the iPod notes.

This gives power to the Apple iPod user to make a game and entices them to sent it to Apple. Some of the free iPod games available at iPodArcade are created by Apple iPod users out of fun.

Another program that can let you create your own free iPod games is iPodSoft's iStory Creator. Using iStory Creator, no coding experience is needed. Also, you can create any type of note game from quizzes to adventure story games.

The Advent of DVD to iPod Technology

Why DVD?

DVD is the latest craze in technology breakthroughs. Since the advent of the timetable discs in the 50's, technology has reached new heights almost every decade with the release of the Betamax tapes, VHS tapes, audio cds, laser discs, video cds, mini discs and all sorts of data storing accessories. The DVD is the latest of these data-storing acessories. Carrying Dolby Stereo sound and high end picture image, viewers and listeners can be assured of the best quality possible in movies and music records.

The Features of Apple iPod

The Apple iPod has always been a stand out not only in design but also in its features. Below are some of the features people love most about the Apple iPod:

1. The Apple ipod users can store and record about five thousand songs.

2. The Apple ipod users can store data on a forty gigabytes of harddrive space. The storage of the five thousand songs is not the end of it.

3. The Apple ipod users can easily manuever their way with the iPod controls because of the Click Wheel.

4. The Apple iPod users can expect to have a longer period of music and videos because of the long battery life of the Apple iPod. The battery life of an Apple iPod usually last about 12 hours.

5. The Apple ipod users can expect a more easier tuning to music due to the ability of the iPod for an easy set up of a music playlist.

6. The Apple iPod users can also expect to be happy with the shufle function providing them with random feel to the playlist.

With these basic features, the iPod have increased its sales and is now number one among the MP3 playin devices. Apple, however did not stop there, they started introducing more accessories, more add-ons that eventually gave the Apple iPod an edge over other multimedia players. A feature, however, that was missed by iPod is the DVD to iPod software.

The iPod Media Studio 2.0

iPod Hacks

For sometime, Apple techies and fanatics have introduced many modifications to the Apple iPod. These modifications aims to help the Apple iPod user to personalize their iPods. Apple iPods has been modified by techies by using iPod hacks. Techies are bent on giving more power to the user in terms of customization and personalization of their Apple iPod.

What are iPod hacks?

iPod hacks are either softwares or hardwares that improves the appearance, capabilities or features of an Apple iPod. Summing it up, iPod Hacks is anything that provides modifications to the Apple iPod. One such avaialable iPod hack is a software that provides DVD to iPod capability to the usual Apple iPod. Various firmwares on the Internet offer free softwares of DVD to iPod technology.

DVD to iPod Software

DVD to iPod, this is the feature that everyone wishes to have, but unfortunately, the Apple iPod did not provide. The iPOdMedia provides DVD to iPod capabilities to the Apple iPod. It is the fastest software available for DVD to Ipod transfers or to move DVD's directly into your video Apple iPod. By using this DVD to iPod software, you can enjoy watching DVD movies on the beautiful 2.5 inches LCD monitor of the Apple iPod. It is currently 400 percent faster than any other DVD to iPod products on the market.

Imagine this, anyone can convert any movie from DVD (DVD to iPod), and not only that; any recorded material from the television, or even movies that you recorded from home using a DV-camcorder, even a movie record from a digital still camera is possible for conversion.

With 2 mouse clicks using the DVD to iPod software, convert the movies into a file that is optimized for playback. It must be optimized with the Apple iPod's built-in video player.

Anyone can now enjoy movies with a surprisingly sharp and clear picture with additional quality stereo CD sound. Also, new Cyberspeed technology will allow a user of up to 400 percent faster conversion from DVD to iPod. In fact, in a span of less than 45 minutes, a user can put a complete DVD movie on the iPod.

The DVD to iPod technology is the ideal solution for all frequent travellers or just to manage the kids while driving the car.

Apple iPod users can store up to 100 video hours (if the Apple iPod is a 60 Gb model) or 50 video hours (if the Apple iPod is a 30 Gb model). Any video of either feature films or TV and movie content.

Do not worry if the DVD is sourced from abroad, all subtitles, foreign languages, and even the quality of Dolby surround sound are supported. Users have no need for the Quicktime Pro. The DVD to iPod software would run on any PC with Windows NT, XP or Windows 2000 Operating System.

This DVD to iPod software can also automatically zoom or widescreen movies with the ratio 16:9 to be able to fit on the 4:3 iPod screen. The user can even have a manual option to turn this feature off.

The iPodMedia Studio is about US$ 32.95 and has a lifetime support.

The Apple iPod Mini

Owners of the original Apple iPod clamors for more from the makers of the iPod music experience.
The latest ipod player available in the market comes in a smaller and leaner frame, and is marketed in a rainbow of colors. This is the Apple iPod mini.

The Apple iPod mini has a platform of MAC or Windows OS. Some original Apple iPod users have already seen the Apple iPod mini with a new four gigabytes harddrive space for a US$ 249 price tag. It is not a secret that an additional of US$ 50 will get you a fifteen gigabytes iPod that would store somewhere around 2,700 more music files. That is a lot more than the Apple ipod mini.

This is because harddrive space is so much important for Apple iPod users, the original Apple iPod have so much space available to the user of about forty gigabytes. This amount of space can store more than five thousand songs. Aside from this, the original Apple iPod also has a longer battery life.

However, criticizers should consider the frame of the Apple iPod mini. It is slender and is more styled, that which made it seem more functional and more attractive to the eyes and has a more ergonomic feel to the fingers. To most people, it would not be the ideal music player, but to the 99,000 or so Apple iPod mini users, they beg to disagree.

The Too Sexy Apple iPod Mini

The Apple iPod mini is compared to a US$ 1,200 purse from Chanel. This is because the US$ 249 Apple iPod mini, with its variety of five colors, brings out class and posh.

It has an anodized body made of aluminum and weighs about 3.6 ounces. It measures about 2 inches in width, 3.6 inches in height, and only about half an inch in thickness. It does not look like it at first glance, but the Apple ipod mini is almost like a featherweight than the original Apple iPod.

It is also silky to the touch and smooth. It also fits wonderfully in your palm. This is the reason for the premium price tag.

The Apple iPod mini also has no external moving parts. You will notice that underneath the smaller 1.67-inch LCD screen lie the light touch-sensitive and highly ergonomic Click Wheel. This Click Wheel is the one which incorporates the Apple iPod mini's other controls. The control's buttons are located on the pad itself. This is much different than the original Apple iPod's four function buttons that is located above the scroll pad.

Anyone who is familiar with the software for the iPod knows about the seamless integration of iPod with iTunes. In no time, you would be cruising with the tunes.

The Apple iPod mini behaves just like exactly as other newer generation Apple iPods. It now even packs a battery life of 8 hours. The original Apple iPods have a longer battery life.

Besides the smaller physical dimensions and the new warm minimalist choices of color, which can be gold, silver, pink, green and blue. A major difference observed between the original Apple iPod and the Apple iPod mini is the harddrive space capacity.

The Apple iPod mini has a tiny Hitachi harddrive that can hold about four gigabytes of music. Music files include AAC, Audible, MP3, WAV and AIFF. This is enough storage for a number of Apple iPod mini users.

Apple iPod users usually prefer to carry an entire library of music any time of the day. Rather than manually selecting and transferring specific songs to the Apple iPod mini. The Apple iPod mini can only hold as much as a fraction of the forty gigabytes music collection.

The Apple iPod mini also has accessories that include the earbuds, a USB 2.0 cable and a FireWire dock connector, an AC adaptor, a belt clip, and the Apple iPod mini software.

The Apple iPod mini could have been more lenient by adding a dock or armband to teh package.

The US$ 29 armband is a great help for joggers who want to listen to good music while jogging and carrying the very lightweight and effectively skip-free Apple iPod mini.

Conclusion

To summarize, the Apple iPod mini has a sleek styling, it is a small size and has an excellent integrated Click wheel. It has a possible disadvantage to the user, though, that is the price per megabyte which is much higher as compared to the original Apple iPod.