Jazz Up Your Player With iPod Accessories

Jazz Up Your Player With iPod Accessories

The ipod is the ultimate symbol of the digital age and if you haven’t heard about it, then you’ve been in cave for a very long time. The iPod is today’s coolest gadget. Having one elevates you to the status of the ipod people – audiophiles in love with their ipods. And what self-respecting ipod person would you be if you didn’t dress up your ipod with ipod accessories? Luckily there are hundreds of companies who offerthe best and amazing hardware and software ipod accessories to compliment and personalize your “baby.”

Let’s start with the basics of ipod accessories: ipod skins. The first, second and third generation ipods often has to content itself with the ipod accessories of cases in leather, rubber, aluminum or fabric to protect the ipod from scratches, dust and moisture. Depending on your needs, there are covers that allow you to carry your ipod in all your activity. From water-resistant cases to sweat proof sleeves, these ipod accessories define the meaning of portable.

The skins can also serve a fashionable function. DecalGirl.com has a vast array of ipod skins, from your loud colors to your favorite anime characters, anything you can think of is possible. You can even satisfy the abstract lover in you with graphic designs printed on your ipod skin. Just make sure that the ipod accessories you get have a guarantee, in case of an inferior product.

The next basic ipod accessories you need are the headphones or earphones. Although the ipod box set comes with earphones, there are but a few who prefer an all-surround sound experience. Other ipod accessories for headphones include the retractable headphones, which is great to use on the outdoors. And then there are the ipod accessories of headphones with speakers, the infrared wireless earphones and water resistant earphones for those times when you can’t even take a bath without listening to your ipod.

Aside from this basic earpiece, external speakers and the carry case ipod accessories are quite popular. The iBoom iPod player has a dock for your ipod player with speakers on the side. It fits perfectly for those picnics and beach outings where music is a must to liven up the party. Another brand called the iBag ipod player with FM stereo tote carrying bag adds more fun since you have the option to surf through local radio stations for more hopping beats.

More ipod accessories are available to the ipod junkie via the Internet. A lot of websites do product reviews of these ipod accessories and you can get a preview of the items you want to buy through them. Among these sites are welovemacs.com, and connectingpoint.net. They have a wide range of ipod accessories for all the generations of iPods. They not only give you the price, features and product compatibility details but they also give you the pros and cons of each ipod accessory.

Other ipod accessories that is a must have for any iPod warrior is the Belkin Voice Recorder that lets you record reminders, meeting and notes into your iPod. Then there’s the hands free accessory called the iPod remote and earphones. You don’t have to worry about fumbling over the iPod controls as you drive or make that last 2-mile run. A stationary version of this remote is available. Called the NaviPod IR Remote, it allows you to control your iPod’s audio from across a room. Another one of the essential ipod accessories is the iPod Dock that charges iPod at work or at home.

For the car lovers, ipod accessories have been created to accommodate your music players. First of these is the Belkin TuneDok Car Holder that hold your iPod in place. Another one of these nifty ipod accessories is the Sony Car Cassette Adapter that connects your iPod to the car stereo. And not to forget is another one of those wonderful ipod accessories, the Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter. Your ipod can now play your music through the FM radio of your car. All it needs is the iPod dock connector to work. It draws a small amount of power from your iPod and doesn’t need any batteries.

You can really personalize your iPod in more ways than one. These ipod accessories not only enhance your iPod but it is also the number one status symbol for any true iPod lover.

The iPod Junkie’s Dilemma

The iPod Junkie’s Dilemma

Modern society keeps creating new and better ways of fulfilling a need. Living in the digital age has never been more exciting and for anyone who can afford these gadgets, life is indeed sweeter. One of the most influential devices ever created is the ipod. These nifty portable audio players created by Apple Computers has redefined our understanding of personal freedom and customization. For anyone who loves music and multimedia, ipod is the best media player out there in the market.

Before the ipod, MP3 players were the best portable players around. Primarily a flash drive, these devices had limited features. The screen size was small and only text is allowed. The colored screen was optional and the memory size only went up to 1 GB. But with the introduction of the ipod and its succeeding generations, music lovers were transported to another realm. A world where they can only listen to all the songs that they want to hear. Once they put on their ipod, they have total control over what tunes should fill their heads. Call it listening to their daily-personalized soundtrack.

Is all this ipod play list personalization good for its users? Apparently some detractors don’t think so. They argue that too much personalization limits the listener to the new genres of music. Constantly listening to Eminem or Christina Aguilera on your ipod can deny you the pleasure of discovering new artists like Ne-yo or new music styles like trip hop. Ipod users become islands of their own, trapped in a floating music bubble of their own making.

Not only that, frequent users have become oblivious to their surroundings making discovery of new sounds very difficult. It can be of grave concern especially for those emergency cases when one is not able to hear a call for help because the other person is too distracted by their ipod. Such cases may seem extreme but turn to Hollywood movies and you’ll see how prevalent such instances are.

Ipod fans say otherwise. They say they can be as entertaining as the FM radio that has more content and users are exposed to more styles and artists on a regular basis. Plus there are some trivia and entertainment news that you cannot get from this device without buying accessories. Because of this, a new trend was born through the ipod called podcasting. Podcasting is a radio-style program that can be shared to other people through the Internet and played back in their ipod. You can create your own program and broadcast it to the World Wide Web.

Ipod users and fans have come up with ingenious ways of making their toy into more than just a digital audio player. Some have opened up it up and tinkered with its hardware and software. The result? An ipod that has an organizer function that stores addresses and calendar events in its memory. While it does need some getting used to, fans are thrilled at the devices’ limitless possibilities. Apple Computers then gave us the fourth generation of ipod more commonly known as the ipod photo.

This generation boasts of a colored display and photo transfer capabilities. As the company realized the need for something more innovative, the fifth generation was released. This ipod series is currently the hottest model because of the video function. Ipod video can play MPEG-4 and H.264 video with resolutions of up to 480 x 480 and 320 x 240. Its potential as a marketing and advertising tool is so huge that even Apple is overwhelmed with the idea. One possible product for this is the selling of video formats like music video clips and television show reruns.

The personalization of ipod is not a big issue among its many patrons. It is this quality that makes the device so appealing to them. Our age today holds value to the importance of self-expression. Ipod can deliver that self-expression through personalized covers, skins, accessories and a host of other complimentary software. It becomes an extension of one’s taste in music and other multimedia formats. The only real dilemma for any ipod junkie nowadays is getting the money to buy all those accessories.

All About the Apple iPod

All About the Apple iPod

The Apple iPod has been on the music scene for sometime. Users of the Apple iPod have posted many reviews through the years. iPod reviews, iPod hackings, as well as free iPod videos are posted all over the Internet.

iPod users have the following to say about the Apple iPod:

1. The Apple iPod has a hard drive that can hold more than 5,000 songs. The number of songs that can be stored in an Apple iPod is enough that users can expect to listen to a non-stop music experience using the Apple iPod. This hard drive has a forty gigabytes of space available for the 5,000 songs. The free iPod videos are also included.

2. The Apple iPod was manufactured in such a way that the control buttons are incorporated in a sleek design that ergonomically provides ease of movement to the user. The ergonomic design is called the Click Wheel.

Using the Click Wheel, Apple iPod users can now easily browse through their favorite free iPod videos. The Apple iPod users can either fast forward, play, pause or stop, and control the reverse. An added plus is the access of the menu via the Click Wheel.

3. The Apple iPod have enough battery life that coudl make it possible for non-stop playing of songs or free iPod videos. Apple iPod users are capable of the set up of a playlist of songs or free iPod videos on the Apple iPod.

4. With the shuffle function of the Apple iPod, users can choose randomly the free iPod videos they want to watch and the MP3 songs that they want to hear.

5. The Apple iPod is not only an excellent audio player but also an excellent player for the free iPod videos. The system menu of the Apple iPod is super intuitive. The sound quality is world class, The storage size is sufficient to store not only MP3 songs but free iPod videos. Lastly, the Apple iPod has an assortment of accessories available for use.

6. The Apple iPod was said to have a poor post sales service. One user of the Apple iPod claimed that he was just watching free iPod videos when the LCD screen suddenly went broke.

The service representative of the Apple iPod, however, claimed that the service warranty of the Apple iPod does not include abuse. In this case, it was decided that it was abuse and the Apple iPod was now beyond warranty.

7. The Apple iPod also has a clear lineage of the warranty. Several users of the Apple iPod claimed to experience weird things on their iPods after the termination date of the warranty.

Below are some of the faulty events that user of Apple iPods experiences:

a. The Apple iPod is claimed to be skip-free in playing free iPod videos, but after the warranty period, it started skipping free iPod videos.

b. The Apple iPod is claimed to have a long life battery, but after the warranty period, the battery was constantly experiencing shortage in power especially in playing free iPod videos.

c. The Apple iPod is claimed to have a robust hard drive, but after the warranty period, the hard drive of the Apple iPod usually fails.

8. The Apple iPod was also reported at one time or another as having a software bug or design flaw. Music tracks or free iPod videos being played are meant to be skip-free and to flow continuously from one track or video to the next. The Apple iPod, according to some users stalls for even a single moment between tracks.

9. The Apple iPod is said to be the best in MP3 audio playing. Users, however, pray that Apple would try to improve the video playing capability of the iPod such that playing free iPod videos would not be a hassle. Making the video player more perfect would definitely boost the sales of the Apple iPod.

10. The Apple iPod is also said to be susceptible to static. Some users reported that the Apple iPod could easily affected by static when put inside a coat pocket. Static caused the Apple iPod to switch off suddenly at times. This has an effect to the overall circuitry.

The Marvels of iPod Video

The Marvels of iPod Video

You might see people walking around, whipping out their big ipods. These ipods might look like the other ipods that we often see, but they are otherwise. They are one of Apple’s latest releases. You are now given a notion that ipod does not just play music and MP3, but also plays videos. Like aforementioned, it might look like a common ipod, but it actually costs more, and has a different name, of course. It is the video ipod.

The video ipod does not have much thickness, unlike the other ipods that you probably have seen. They are also not of the same size with those other ipods that display photos. You might find this fact a disadvantage, but surely, you will find the next feature to be highly advantageous.

Video ipods do not just play videos, but these play videos with extreme clarity. Plus, it has no delays. The numbers of pixels that are present on the images a video ipod produces are fluctuating; therefore, it is very hard to determine its exact number.

But whichever, the videos a video ipod play go very easy on your eyes. They do not give you bloodshot eyes nor do they give you visions of floating dots wherever you look.

It is not difficult to play videos via your video ipod. It is definitely a no-brainer. With just one click, videos stream through your video ipod, and are played for you pronto. You do not have to allot time lengths to the videos that you want to save on your ipod for video ipods do not require time limits, upon watching videos.

As long as your memory works so you can put to memory what you’re watching, then you can watch any video you like, without exception. By without exception, just think television. You can watch about anything on your television sets, from music videos to films. It is like you own Mtv, for you have the power to choose which videos to play and which are deleted from the track list.

If you want to have low-caliber dreams, then you can at least feel the feeling of having your own mini-Mtv on the palm of your hands. You can also play your own home videos, the way your video player at home does. Only, it is a video player that fits quite snugly in your pocket. These are few, but not the only ones, reasons why the video ipod is simply amazing.

Everything is known to be imperfect, so there is no reason why Apple should break the superstition. The video ipod, though seems to be perfect, is imperfect after all. Its weight is not as convenient as those of ipod minis or nanos, or the more with the ipod shuffle, which weigh almost nothing.

Video ipods weigh more since they are much bigger in size. And probably, the materials used for this innovation, weigh a lot too. But this flaw is nothing compared to the joy (and the smug feeling) of showing your friends and officemates your new video ipod, and the videos it contains.

MP3’s can still be played on your video ipods. You might have a quick notion that since the video ipod plays videos big time, then it must have neglected the MP3’s. That is very much not the case.

The video ipod, however, does not have that much of a difference from the other ipods that have been invented and commercialized. The only difference is its big colored screen, which makes it a lot easier for you to view your most wanted videos; and its capability to play videos.

The Click Wheel is also smaller with video ipods, compared to the Click Wheels of the other ipods. This gave way to an even larger screen to support the resolution color display that extends further down the face of the device.

Apple has updated their itunes website, especially the downloading service, because of the release of the video ipod. The staff and crew of Apple put in more music videos and other ordinary videos on the selection of downloadable videos.

So, if you’re looking for a more visually stimulating experience, the video ipod is the thing for you. Apple has really outdone themselves on their latest release. You, together with the whole of the trendy humanity, should see if the video ipod would become a big hit. Looks like it will, doesn’t it?

New iPod Nano and iPod Touch Disassembled

New iPod nano and iPod touch disassembled
Dan Moren

You’ve seen Apple roll out the new iPod nano and new iPod touch. Heck, you’ve heard what we have to say on both the new models. But perhaps you’re wondering what really makes these suckers tick. Fortunately, iFixit is in the business of satisfying your prurient interests in that regard.

As is its habit, the company has posted in-depth slideshows of the newest Apple products in all their disassembled glory. You can see the nano’s new video camera, microphone, and speaker, all the while marveling at the incredible tolerances of engineering that make it possible to fit all that tech in such a small package. The camera itself, for example, is just 3mm thick—as iFixit points out, that’s half the size of the unit used in the iPhone 3G, which is likely why they don’t use the same hardware.

Then there’s the third-generation iPod touch. While it doesn’t look very different from its predecessor on the outside, you can’t judge an iPod from its exterior. As we know, there’s a new, faster processor on the inside, and a wireless chip that supports 802.11n (though the software at this point does not). There’s also an FM receiver and transmitter in the Bluetooth chip, though no antenna to use them. Conspiracy theorists can run wild on the fact that there appears to be room for a camera similar to the nano’s, and the internals even look similar to allegedly leaked photos of the new internals from a few months back which actually had cameras in them.

There you have it: the nano and touch—two innocent iPods—dissected for your amusement. I hope you’re happy.

Free iPod Video Converter

Free iPod Video Converter: Easy video conversion at no cost

With the video features of iPod, you can now enjoy watching video files in the palm of your hand. Free iPod video converters are frequently downloaded by iPod users to make file conversions easy and fast.

Here are some of the free iPod video converters you can find online.

Free iPod video converter is an easy and completed way to convert all video formats to iPod video. By using free iPod video converter you can automatically enjoy videos in your iPod from different video files like DVD, VCD, AVI, MPEG, WMV, RM, RMVB, ASF, VOB, and DivX.

Its key features include being clean and free without any adware or spyware. Free iPod video converter supports all popular video formats while completely stable and fast. Free iPod video converter's interface is easy to use that helps you set up conversion process easily. The final video that you see in your iPod is also excellent in video and audio quality in using free iPod video converter.

ID3 Tag can be derived from the input files easily while batch processing is supported which can process an unlimited number of files at one time. Other features are detailed hypertext markup language (HTML) is included, and the installing and uninstalling is very easy.

Free iPod video converter also allows you to drag multiple sources files regardless of format from Windows Explorer directly at one time.

You can also download for free a Xilisoft iPod video converter 2.1 which is a powerful software for iPod video conversion. This Xilisoft iPod video converter can also convert all popular video files to iPod video files including:

AVI to iPod

MPEG to iPod

WMV to iPod

MOV to iPod

RM to iPod

RMVB to iPod

ASF to iPod

3GP to iPod

DivX to iPod

Xilisoft iPod video converter 2.1 also converts audio files including WAV, WMA, MP2, AC3, RA, and OGG. Its encoders and decoders are built-in. This iPod video converter offers multi-threading and batch conversion with an adjustable setting such as video size, bit rate, frame rate and others.

This iPod video converter also supports preview which the user can use prior to actual conversion process. You can check on the Internet for the availability of a free downloadable Xilisoft iPod video converter.

Other iPod video converter that are free for download include PQ DVD to iPod video converter with which you can convert DVD to iPod video, DVD to MP4, and gives support to DVD subtitles.

Free Cucusoft iPod video converter suite is an all-in-one solution to iPod MP4 video conversion. It includes Cucusoft iPod video converter and Cucusoft DVD to Ipod converter that help you to convert video and DVDs to iPod MP4 format.

You can also download iPod Media Studio - an iPod video converter that allows iPod users to put DVD directly to your video iPod and enjoy its 2.5" LCD monitor.

The Super DVD to iPod video converter is one of the fastest DVD to iPod video converter software with which you can covert almost all kinds of video formats to iPod MP4 video format.

MovKit iPod Video converter is a handy and powerful iPod video converter that makes easy conversions of all video format to iPod video and audio formats.

WinXMedia AVI/MPEG iPod converter is a powerful iPod video converter converts AVI (DivX, XviD, MPEG4, and YUV), MPEG and WMV files to iPod video and audio formats.

WinAVI MP4/3GP/iPod video converter is a powerful but easy to use MP4 video file conversion utility for iPod and portable video devices that can convert almost all video formats to iPod and Sony Play Station Portable.

Magicbit iPod video converter is also powerful in video and audio conversion for your iPod.

Super Video to iPod converter is a professional video to iPod converter software that supports the latest industry standards.

Lenogo Video to iPod converter is a professional video to iPod converter software that converts all video formats to iPod MP4 format.

A-one iPod Video Convertor automatically converts almost all formats of video files such as DivX, XviD, RM, RMVB, AVI, WMV, MPG, MPEG, ASF, MOV, ASX, SVCD, and VCD stream formats into iPod MP4 format.

Other free iPod video converters are Cucusoft DVD to iPod Converter and Xilisoft iPod Video Converter.

These video converters are free to download for period of time. If you wish to buy, the prices may vary for the different iPod video converters but its prices usually range from $30 to $40.

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.
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Smaller? Thinner? Camera enabled? Rewind capable? This is a cool ipod!
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