Digital Technology for Digital Living.
September 21, 2006
Broken iPod Reborn as iPod Dock
Got a broken iPod? If you can’t fix it yourself or don’t have the money to get it repaired by iPodMods, then you can always rip it apart and make an iPod dock like Andrew Monks. This photo montage on flickr shows how he teared apart his existing iPod dock and jammed it through the screen of his broken 3G iPod.
It’s a very clever way to make something useful out of a busted iPod. The folks at Engadget think this might be the “start of a very wonderful, very cannibalistic trend in consumer electronics.” It’s always nice to breathe new life into an old gadget that you blew a couple hundred bucks on right?
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Toysgadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
Disney Sells 125k iTunes Movies
Apple has been selling movies in iTunes 7 for a full week now. How are sales? According to The Wall Street Journal, Walt Disney says they’ve sold 125,000 movie downloads totaling $1 million in revenue. Not bad for just 1 week.
“This is just the beginning,” Disney CEO Robert Iger told Wall Street analysts at a conference Tuesday. “[iTunes] has proved [to be] a great business because there’s no marketing or other expenses involved in selling digital downloads except the cost of encoding.” Iger went on to predict that iTunes would help generate $50 million in additional revenue for Disney this year.
Walt Disney Pictures, which includes Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films, is currently the only major movie studio participating on iTunes.
75 Disney movies, including such hits as Pirates of the Caribbean, The Incredibles, Good Will Hunting and National Treasure, can currently be purchased on iTunes. The other major movie studios are exploring partnerships with iTunes competitors or have disagreements with Apple over licensing fees. Disney’s success this week will probably help convince the other studios that participation on iTunes is probably a good idea.
Disney was also the first to offer TV shows on iTunes a year ago from their American broadcast network ABC.
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Software, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
September 15, 2006
iTunes 7 Interface Changes
After you download and install iTunes 7, you may be a little surprised at the new user interface. It doesn’t even remotely resemble the standard Mac OS X Aqua theme set. iTunes 7 has a much flatter and darker appearance like a Windows or Java application.
The reaction to the new iTunes 7 interface is mixed at best. Most people feel iTunes 6 was prettier with its bright glossy controls gone. True. But the smoother and darker interface of iTunes 7 at least cleanly packs more features into the familiar iTunes interface. As a result, the new iTunes 7 interface makes it much easier to sort movies and TV shows from your music. Also iTunes now plays back video much better than it did before. Probably a good idea since they are selling movies now.
So why would Apple make such a drastic interface design change? Could this be a taste of things to come in Apple’s next operating system – Leopard? Has Aqua been replaced by a flat, smooth, darker appearance? If you think hard enough, you might remember that iTunes got the new improved Aqua interface before the rest of the iLife 06 apps.
methodshop | Comments (0) | Broadband, General, Music, Portable, Softwaregadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
September 13, 2006
New iPods, iTunes and iTV
Apple saved the music business with the iPod. Can they do the same for Hollywood?
In the five years since the iPod’s rollout, Apple has locked down the online music business. 1 in 5 Americans owns or has owned an iPod and consumers have downloaded more than 1 billion songs from Apple’s iTunes music store. Riding on the heels of that success, yesterday, Apple founder Steve Jobs fired his first shots in the battle to revolutionize the movie industry. In a special event called “It’s Showtime,” Apple unloaded new gadgets like it was Christmas morning.
In this single event, Steve Jobs announced the following new products and preannounced a new wireless video router called the iTV:
- new versions of both iTunes 7 and QuickTime 7.1.3
- bigger Video iPods including an 80GB iPod
- new multi-colored iPod Nanos that go up to 8 GB and don’t scratch
- a matchbook-sized iPod shuffle
The new version of iTunes (iTunes 7) sells more than just music and TV shows. iTunes now sells movies and games. The movies are priced starting at $9.99 and include new releases such as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, as well as older classics. If you were disappointed at the quality of some of the iTunes videos you’ve downloaded in the past, then you will be happy to know that the video quality has also gotten an upgrade. Any movie you buy is at “near” DVD-quality, 640-by-480-pixel video, and in Dolby Surround sound.
WARNING: While I was writing this blog post, 4 MethodShop.com readers reported that iTunes 7 erased their iPod. So you might want to wait and backup your iPod before you upgrade to iTunes 7.
When you’re not watching movies on your iPod, you can always check out some of the new games Apple is selling in iTunes 7. Each game is in full color and uses the Click Wheel as a controller. The selection of games include addictive classics from Tetris and PAC-MAN to a few newer games like Vortex and Texas Hold’Em.
Games, movies and new iPods are nice, but what is going on with the iTV? In a major break in Apple tradition, Steve Jobs only preannounced a new wireless router product called iTV (screenshots). Apple usually likes to have products ready to buy the day they announce them, so this preannouncement caught everyone off guard. According to CBS MarketWatch, the iTV can attach to a television and wirelessly receive and play digital content from any computer (Mac or PC) running iTunes software. The iTV will also feature a HDMI port for high-definition digital televisions. You can expect to see the iTV sometime during the first quarter of 2007 for around US$299.
methodshop | Comments (0) | Broadband, Digital TV, General, Music, PVR, Portable, Software, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
September 10, 2006
Klipsch iGroove
Klipsch’s snazzy new iPod speaker, the Klipsch iGroove, has a couple of tricks yet to appear on other brands’ compact power speaker systems. First off, it comes with a pair of two-way speakers (woofer and tweeter), whereas most iPod-inspired alternatives rely on a single, small woofer per channel. Within the Klipsch iGroove’s compact dimensions, Klipsch engineers installed a stereo pair of 2.5-inch woofers and 1-inch horn-loaded tweeters that focus the treble sound up toward the listening position. A set of volume up/down buttons and an on/off switch are the unit’s only controls. The Klipsch iGroove is available in both matte-silver finish and high-gloss black, called the Klipsch iGroove HG.
The Klipsch iGroove comes with a handy mini-remote that adjusts the volume and your iPod’s play/pause functions, as well as changes tracks on your playlists. Like the Bose SoundDock, the Klipsch iGroove can accept any iPod with a dock connector. Full-size iPods, including the video-enabled fifth-generation iPod, fit snugly, thanks to an adjustable backrest. An adapter is included for older iPod Mini models, and Klipsch has begun bundling adapters for the iPod Nano as well. If you bought the early versions of the Klipsch iGroove that lack the Nano adapter, just call Klipsch’s customer support, who’ll ship one to you for free. Don’t own an iPod?
No problem–other similar-size MP3 players can use the included J-Cup cradle and loop the provided cable into the headphone jack. In fact, you can plug anything with a headphone or line-out jack into the Klipsch iGroove, even if it doesn’t fit the cradle. The speaker runs off the included AC power supply and charges docked iPods as well.
We started our evaluations in earnest with some Simon and Garfunkel’s tunes, and the Klipsch iGroove sounded pleasantly natural. Their soaring vocals, the guitars, and the band on the Bridge over Troubled Water album sounded great. The Klipsch iGroove is just 15 inches wide, so stereo separation isn’t its strong suit. In small bedrooms or kitchens, the Klipsch iGroove will play reasonably loud, but it’s not exactly a party animal. That said, considering its modest dimensions, the Klipsch iGroove generates surprisingly satisfying bass without exaggerated boominess or thickening.
We noted that some tunes elicited a mild buzzing sound between our iPod and the Klipsch iGroove. Most of the time, we were unaware of the noise–it happened on only a limited range of bass notes. After adjusting the Klipsch iGroove’s backrest, the buzz disappeared, and the bass noticeably improved. In other words, make sure the iPod has a solid connection with the Klipsch iGroove’s dock.
We liked the Klipsch iGroove, but it’s nowhere as impressive as the company’s three-piece iPod speaker system, the Klipsch iFi Speaker System for iPod . That set features a hunky 8-inch, 200-watt, powered subwoofer and a set of Klipsch’s superb two-way, RSX-3 satellite speakers. It takes up a lot more space than the Klipsch iGroove, but it’s far and away the best iPod speaker on the market.
Source: CNET
read more | digg story | treblemaker
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable, Toysgadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
September 06, 2006
New iPods, iMac due September 12
Planning on attending Apple Expo Paris? Looks like it might be a hot ticket this year. According to ThinkSecret, Apple will use a September 12 media event for Apple Expo Paris to introduce the 2G (second-generation) iPod nano, an updated 5G iPod, movies in the iTunes Store and an upgraded wall-mountable iMac.
Although the “media event” will be held in California near Apple’s Cupterino headquarters, it will be fed via satellite to a London location for members of the European press. Apple Expo Paris kicks off September 12, the same day as the media event, and these new products will supposedly be on display at the show.
iPod Nano
What does Apple have in store for the 2G iPod Nano? If ThinkSecrets sources are correct, an increased storage capacity and multiple colors. When Steve Jobs first announced the iPod Nano, he said it would replace the iPod Mini. Now that the Nano comes in multiple colors, the transformation appears complete.
iPod Video
Don’t get your hopes up too high for the new 5G iPod. The upgraded iPod will just have bigger hard drive capacities at the same price points. More storage for less money is always nice but this new iPod will probably not be the long-awaited touch-screen iPod. Most people believe that Apple will strategically release a 6G iPod at the same time as Microsoft’s new Zune player. Reports of Apple filing for a touch sensitive media player patent first surfaced back in February. If the touch-screen iPod lives up to the rumors, the Zune won’t pose much of a threat. The Zune is more of a “catch up” product than a leap forward in advanced consumer technology.
iTunes Movies
Apple is also expected to formally announce their movie store initiative at the September 12 event. Several major studios have reportedly partnered with Apple to sell movies in the iTunes Store. Both iPod and movie announcements were originally suppose to happen in August but were postponed for unknown reasons. Perhaps Wal-Mart’s recent efforts to muscle out Apple from the downloadable movie business caused the delay.
New iMac
Details surrounding the new iMac are still a little fuzzy. The new upgraded iMac will probably receive Intel’s faster Core 2 Duo processor and a 23-inch screen already used in Apple’s line of Cinema Displays. Also rumored, but not confirmed, is the introduction of an iMac mounting kit. You wanted to wall mount your new iMac above your fireplace mantle right?
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, PDA, Portable, Software, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
September 05, 2006
Touch Sensitive iPod Patent Pictures
Here’s a few patent pictures Apple submitted to the US trademark website.
Is the touch sensitive iPod going to be a reality? You be the judge. After seeing these images, I must say it looks like an iPod to me. And with the increasing popularity of tablet PCs, a touch sensitive iPod would be something that would be very plausible. Most people believe that Apple will strategically release a touch-screen 6G iPod at the same time as Microsoft’s new Zune player.
However, it is still unclear if we are going to see an Apple tablet, full screen iPod or a combination of both. Nonetheless the multi point touch screen is a major revolution.
Check out the following video to see the possibilities:
http://mrl.nyu.edu/~jhan/ftirtouch/multitouchreel.mpg
Also here’s a link to Apple’s Patent Application on the US trademark website:
Mode-based graphical user interfaces for touch sensitive input devices
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
August 30, 2006
Rip DVDs for Your iPod Video
Need something to watch on your iPod Video? Here’s a tutorial that explains how to use a program called Handbrake to rip DVD’s into iPod compatible MPEG-4 video files.
Requirements:
- An iPod Video
- Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later
- 500 MHz G4 processor or better with at least 16MB of video RAM
- QuickTime 7.0.3 or later
- iTunes 6.0.1 or later
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
Universal Music to Offer Free Downloads
Free music downloads? Is this good news for music lovers!? What’s the catch?
Universal Music, the world’s largest music company, has shaken up the record industry by announcing that it will make its song catalogue available as free internet downloads. Unlike Napster and other competing online music retailers, could this service actually pose a challenge to iTunes.
Are these tracks really free??? Don’t be silly.
Is Universal Music just giving away all their music for free? Not exactly. A series of advertisements would play while you wait for each song to download. Will this advertising model work for an online music store? According to research conducted by Universal Music and SprialFrog, consumers willing to watch non-intrusive relevant advertising in exchange for the free content. I guess some people like watching advertising. Not me. I’d rather pay TiVo a service fee for the ability to fast-forward thru the commercials.
Catch#1: you have to watch advertising before/while downloading tracks
So what is stopping someone from redistributing these free tracks on P2P sharing services like BitTorrent once downloaded? According to SprialFrog, Universal Music Group’s online distribution partner, digital rights management (DRM) technology will be built into all audio and video content to address the issue of piracy. However, DRM can be a double-edged sword if you are not careful. The model of DRM they plan on using is Windows Media based and means that any free tracks that you download cannot be burned on to a CD and won’t work with Apple computers or iPod music players. Personally, that’s a major deal breaker for me.
Catch #2: tracks cannot be burned on to a CD
Catch#3: tracks won’t work with Apple computers or iPod music players
In addition to Universal Music’s artists, which include U2 and Kanye West, SprialFrog is seeking to license the catalogs of Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Group. It’s a start. iTunes currently offers millions of songs and video content worldwide. SprialFrog and Universal Music Group have a lot of catching up to do.
Catch#4: smaller music catalogue than iTunes
Will this service actually pose a threat to Apple’s iTunes Music Store? Since iPod owners can’t use these free downloads, it’s doubtful. But you can’t blame the entertainment industry for scrambling to find new ways to make money as the Internet rewrites the rules of distribution and marketing.
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Software, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
Rejected iPod Engravings
As you may know, you can order an iPod from the Apple Store with a custom, laser-engraved message. However, not everything gets engraved. Apple has been rejecting some messages for editorial reasons.
The following is a collection of engravings that were actually rejected by Apple, and some that probably should have been. Enjoy!
Full Story: Rejected iPod Engravings
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
August 29, 2006
Bosch iPod Power Box Review
Like to listen to music while you work but find your workplace a little too dangerous and dirty for your fragile little iPod? Bosch, a company more famous for their power tools than stereo equipment just might have the perfect solution for you.
The Bosch Power Box is a feature-rich stereo system that not only sounds great, but has a protective roll cage that keeps it safe in busy commercial and outdoor work environments. When used with the Bosch Power Box iPod Dock (sold separately) you can bring your job sites into the digital music age. The Bosch iPod Dock easily connects to the Power Box where it not only protects your iPod but recharges it too.
The Bosch Power Box and iPod Dock sound like a powerful combo, but let’s take a look at all the features of each item and how well they perform together in a busy work environment.
Review: Bosch iPod Power Box
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Musicgadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
August 23, 2006
Shower with Your iPod?
There’s no doubt the iPod has revolutionized the way we to listen music. People take their iPods everywhere. On the run, in the car, or at the gym, our iPods have gone with us to the ends of the earth… except places near water.
Until recently, a short fall or a splash of water meant certain death for an iPod, but not anymore.
Thanks to a company called OtterBox, makers of watertight storage cases for electronic equipment like PDAs, and GPS units, you can safely take your iPod near or even underwater. OtterBox has created a waterproof hard shell case they call the OtterBox for iPod.
We put all their waterproof iPod cases through several tough tests including a steamy shower and a trip to the beach.
Here’s our full series of Otterbox case reviews:
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Portable, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
August 18, 2006
What if Microsoft Designed the iPod?
Apple definitely has a successful formula when it comes to their elegant product design and marketing. Simple. Uncluttered. Clean… and very un-Microsoft. But what if Microsoft designed the iPod? What would the packaging look like? This video parody explores those possibilities.
What makes this video even more funny is that it was created by Microsoft. Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla sent an email to iPod Observer saying that his company initiated the creation of the parody video.
“It was an internal-only video clip commissioned by our packaging [team] to humorously highlight the challenges we have faced RE: packaging and to educate marketers here about the pitfalls of packaging/branding… While MS did not release the video, it’s natural to share funny things with friends. So while we didn’t publicly share the video, it was shared with appropriate teams internally. We’re happy to see others enjoy the laugh as well.”
The music in the background might sound familiar. It’s the song “The Breakfast Machine” from the movie Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
methodshop | Comments (0) | General, Music, Videogadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
August 17, 2006
A Look Back at the 1st iPod
Are you one of the digital music trailblazers who owns a 1G iPod? It’s hard to believe, but Apple first unveiled the iPod back in October 2001. Today, the iPod amounts to almost 50% of Apple’s quarterly income – but back then few could have predicted that the iPod would become such a major game changer for Apple.
Here’s a clip from TechTV with their first impressions on the 1G iPod. It’s interesting to see what people thought of the iPod before it became such a huge success.
Want to watch this YouTube clip on your iPod? Then check out this tutorial: How to Copy Files Off YouTube and Convert them for your Video iPod
methodshop | Comments Off | General, Music, Portablegadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
August 01, 2006
iPhone Rumors Confirmed?
Is Apple working on a music player cell phone? Apple’s CFO, Peter Oppenheimer, might have let the ‘cat out of the bag’ on an Apple analyst Q3 conference call.
When analyst Richard Farmer mentioned the success of the Sony Walkman Phone, Oppenheimer responded by saying: “As regards cell phones, we don’t think that the phones that are available today make the best music players. We think the iPod is. But over time, that is likely to change. And [Apple is] not sitting around doing nothing.”
So when it comes to cell phones, just remember that Apple is “not sitting around doing nothing.” Our sister blog e-Fuze thinks that “This should serve as a clear indication that Apple is indeed working on the iPhone, it is now a matter of when Apple will officially confirm the project and even release a timeframe for the device. Probably within the next one and a half years or so we should see this device roll out.”
e-Fuze | digg story | methodshop
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