MacBlogz - One Stop Apple News » iPod

Leaked Photo of NEXT-Generation iPod Shuffle

Aviv — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:17:56 +0000

Even though Apple has recently released released a new iPod Shuffle, our sources were able to get their hands on a leaked photo of the NEXT generation iPod Shuffle. It’s even smaller, invisible and only works with these obscure Japanese headphones that nobody can find.

The new shuffle depicted in the leaked photo below, has wireless syncing built right in.

Amazon Releases Kindle For iPhone Application

Dave — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:24:13 +0000

Following on the heels of the Kindle 2’s recent debut, Amazon has released a free Kindle application for the iPhone and iPod touch that will give users access to their vast e-book library.

Dubbed “Kindle For iPhone,” the application will allow consumers to purchase and read Kindle books through an interface that the company describes as simple and easy-to-use. Amazon notes that there are “hundreds of thousands” of e-books that can be wirelessly transferred to the device of your choosing. Unfortunately magazines and Newspapers are not currently supported.

Primary features of the application include:

• Buy a Kindle book from your Mac, PC, or iPhone using a Web browser and wirelessly transfer the books to your iPhone
• Read first chapters of any book for free before you buy
• Download the Kindle books you already own for free — they are automatically backed up on Amazon.com
• Adjust the text size, add bookmarks, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle device

The application also comes coupled with Whispersync, allowing users the ability to seamlessly revert back and forth between your Kindle and Apple handheld, while maintaining bookmarks and reading locations synched between the two devices.

Because purchased items will be linked through an Amazon account, those using the iPhone app will need to make new purchases through the browser or a Kindle itself, which can then be pulled into the application the next time that it is launched. The application can be found here (iTunes link).

Slow January for Mac and iPod, Sales Dip up to 14%

Aviv — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:39:31 +0000

Not completely immune from the global financial crisis, new market data from research firm NPD group shows Apple’s slowing sales in the month of January, when compared to the same time last year.

NPD’s data explains that in when compared to last January, Mac unit sales were down 6%, while even less iPod units were sold dipping 14%. In comparison to what was expected by Wall Street, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster estimated that Mac sales would fall 4%, and iPod sales 11%.

In a report issued to clients on Tuesday, Munster estimates that Mac sales for the March quarter should be between 2 and 2.2 million units, and expects Apple to sell between 9 and 10 million iPods. As a report over at Fortune notes, Munster sees the overall situation as “a neutral or slightly positive,” especially considering the entire economy’s current financial crisis.

Munster also found something to cheer about in the iPod numbers, even though he now expects unit sales to fall 6% to 15% by the end of the quarter. “Given concerns regarding iPod weakness,” he writes, “we believe the segment’s in-line performance relative to Street expectations is a positive.” He was also pleased by the average price for iPods in January, which was up 4%. He had expected it to fall 3%.

While explaining that some of the information may be hard to digest from NPD’s market research, Munster believes that higher priced iPod touches in Apple’s lineup, may help to “exceed our expectations in the March quarter.”

Munster’s data holds true to the belief that Apple has remained resilient through this tough time. “In a tough economy where headlines have been dominated by layoffs, cuts and downsizing, Apple has remained focused on securing its bottom line and treading lightly with product announcements. In terms of marketing Apple has maintained a mystique around the company and its products. Even though swarms of people are demanding cheaper devices, smaller notebooks and tiny iPhones, Apple has steered clear of entering new product categories. Which in terms of volatility from a shareholder’s perspective is a good thing. There’s no reason to gamble on a new product, or revolutionizing a new product category, when consumers just are not spending money.

Munster has pinpointed a $180 target for Apple shares, which at this point seem like a distant memory. His near $200 target is one of the highest on Wall Street, and the stock has just recently bounced back from hitting 52 week lows in the high-seventies.

Apple Settles for $22 Million in Longtime iPod Nano Lawsuit

Aviv — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:46:14 +0000

Apple has agreed to settle a lawsuit in which customers were claiming that the company’s iPod nano “scratched too easily.” The lawsuit, which has been brewing for nearly four years has finally come to an end with iPod owners being given $25 for their scratched iPods.

Apple iPod nano owners were able to apply for to receive the $25 check from Apple, but those pushing the case from the top (legal teams), are raking in nearly $4 million according to CNBC’s Jim Goldman.

Dating back to October 2005, the case has been around for some time now. The lead plaintiff was Jason Tomczak, after he complained on several Apple websites that his nano was easily scratching and had become unreadable. “He said then that he was contacted by attorneys at Meyer and Associates who had also received similar complaints. That firm joined forces with Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, who contacted Tomczak to try to sign him as a client as part of this case,” CNBC explains.

Tomczak claimed he was the target of numerous online attacks for his lead role in what some perceived as a “frivolous” suit, and he reportedly tried to have his name removed from the action. Instead, the original law firms filed actions against Tomczak to keep his name attached to the suit, forcing Tomczak to retain his own attorney to fight the original lawyers.

In a note sent out to owners involved in the lawsuit this week, Apple explained, “Apple has agreed to provide a cash settlement fund of $22.5 million,” and for those consumers who did not receive a “slip case from Apple when you purchased your iPod nano, you may be entitled to a cash payment of $25. If you received a slip case, you may be entitled to a cash payment of $15.”

A judge still needs to pass the settlement through and sign off on it, and a hearing has been set for Aple 28. Tomczak did not reply for comment this morning, however Apple did confirm the settlement.

Functional iControlPad Gaming Prototype In Action (Video)

Aviv — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:04:12 +0000

The first prototype of the iControlPad gaming pad definitely looked promising. Bringing extrenal input buttons and a directional pad to Apple’s purely touch interface handhelds is seen by many people as a must. For gaming, we definitely agree.

A developer that goes by ZodTTD has posted the above video of him using the iControlPad to play quake4iphone on a jailbroken iPhone. As Engadget notes, there’s still no word on availability or pricing.

As we’ve previously covered, Apple definitely touts the iPod touch as a gaming device, but the fundamental lack of controls still hinder a vast majority of the gaming experience. Whether Apple opens up and embraces add-ons like the iControlPad has yet to be determined. But with out at least some support from Apple, additions like the iControlPad may never flourish due to lack of official acceptance.

Larger Apple Touch Device Rumored to Launch Fall ‘09

Aviv — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:43:30 +0000

TechCrunch brings the latest word of an Apple touch tablet device rumored to be released around the fall of 2009. Even though rumors of an Apple tablet, or multi-touch netbook have been around for a long time, TechCrunch explains that their sources have actually seen the rumored device.

TechCrunch explains that they’ve received the same or similar information from three independent sources close to apple. “…expect a large screen iPod touch device to be released in the Fall of ‘09, with a 7 or 9 inch screen. Prototypes have been seen and handled by one of our sources, and Apple is talking to OEMs in Asia now about mass production.”

Additionally, the information notes that Apple has been experimenting internally with large multi-touch, tablet-like devices for quite a few years, however concerns over usability and acceptance have been holding it back. According to TC’s Michael Arrington, what makes this device different is the App Store. Users will now instantly have access to millions of games and applications for the device. There is no information regarding pricing.

Back in October of this year, John Markoff for The New York Times also shared some information he thought was credible in regards to an Apple tablet rumor. All in all, a device like this is expected, and would be a natural move in Apple’s future product lineup. As multi-touch technology matures, expect it to spread across multiple products, not just small handhelds and iPods.

Medical Students: iPods Are a Thing of the Future

Dave — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:10:03 +0000

The UK’s University of Derby has recently given 35 radiography students 3rd generation iPod nanos loaded with video lessons in an attempt to provide them with an alternative method of learning.

At £99 a pop, the University of Derby has spared no expense to give these students an unconventional way to learn their lesson plans, the BBC reports. Each device comes pre-loaded with video tutorials about how to properly position patients for x-rays, under the hopes that this will be more useful than traditional text book learning.

Senior lecturer at the university, Ruth Chester, notes, “They (iPods) are not gadgets, they are things of the future that are here to stay. Students want different ways of learning.”

Supplied only to first-year students, the iPods are expected to be returned to the university after a two year period. During this time, the students are free to add whatever media they choose, just so long as the video lessons remain on each device. While the faculty maintains that the iPods are of great use to the budding pupils, radiographer, Sue Errett, states “I don’t feel it would be professional to use it directly in front of a patient.”

Involved in creating the video lessons themselves, Errett, showed concern over older patients not being familiar with the devices, and would assume that the students are preoccupying themselves with something other than the task at hand.

Microsoft Researcher Links Apple’s Industrial Design To History

Casey — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:28:43 +0000

The multi color strategy used by Apple is a throwback to Kodak’s innovative industrial design just before the Great Depression, says Principal Microsoft Researcher, Bill Buxton.

Kodak industrial designer Dorwin Teague made the Vanity Kodak camera popular in 1926 popular by selling it in 5 different colors – each in its own matching colored box.

In a letter published by BusinessWeek, Buxton says:

“Great design is as much about prospecting in the past as it is about inventing the future. This we can see in the following tale of two pocket-sized examples of personal technology – separated by 76 years.

In 1926, Kodak launched the third generation of their Vest Pocket camera line, the Series III. While the product line had been very successful, they wanted to expand its market appeal, in particular, to women. To help them with this, they turned to the designer, Walter Dorwin Teague, who had recently set up one of the first industrial design consultancies in the USA. The concept that he developed was to do a version of the camera that would be released in five distinct and different colours, packaged in a satin-lined box of matching colour. (All previous Vest Pocket Cameras had been solid black.) This version of the camera was released in April, 1928 under the name, the Vanity Kodak.

Leaping ahead to 2003, Apple Computer had just launched the third generation of their iPod MP3 music player. While the product line had been very successful, they wanted to expand its market. To do so, they turned to their head of industrial design, Jonathan Ive. The concept that he developed was to do a smaller version of the iPod, and release it in five distinct and different colours. (All previous iPods had been solid white.) This version of the iPod was released in January, 2004 under the name, the iPod Mini.

Did Apple steal the idea from Kodak? Not at all. Was Apple aware of the Vanity Kodak, and the what and the how of Teague’s contribution? Without a doubt: Jonathan Ive is an outstanding designer, and the Vanity Kodak is one of the classic examples in the history of industrial design. What Apple did was learn from history, and adopt, adapt, and assimilate past success to current context. That is simply good, intelligent design in action. It is also a very good lesson: an obsession with the new and original, without a deep literacy and appreciation for the past, leads to a path of missed opportunities.”

Livestation to Bring Live TV to the iPhone/iPod touch

Dave — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:42:01 +0000

On Thursday, Livestation, a service that offers peer-to-peer streaming from major broadcasters will announce a development application for the iPhone/iPod touch that aims to bring live TV to these devices.

TechCrunch UK reports that the heavily funded operation has recently announced plans to offer an iPhone/iPod touch application that promises to deliver streaming Television to your device. While this certainly sounds intriguing and was easily able to capture my attention, there is an interesting twist to this tale. In 2006 Microsoft had inked an equity deal with Skinkers, the developers of Livestation, a first for the Microsoft in Europe at such time. What this means is that now Microsoft will have an associated interest in delivering live streaming TV to the iPhone. Isn’t it ironic. Don’t you think?

Once the app is made available it will only work via WiFi, for the time being. Skinkers CEO Matteo Berlucchi, is set to be online in a Livestation chat room to answer questions about the upcoming application, but if you would like instant gratification of seeing of in action now, check the video below.

Livestation will not be the first to offer streaming content to these devices, as Orb had announced an official application to do just that. However, it required the use of pricey software that must be downloaded to a PC to work. Kind of lame if you ask me. If Livestation can properly stream live TV to the iPhone/iPod touch this will be an application to look out for. As TUAW points out, with the expanding popularity of video streaming sites like Hulu and Netflix streaming service, there is no doubt that media is trending in this direction, making it all the more reasonable to assume that we will be seeing this functionality on mobile devices in the near future.

New Headphones’ Volume Control Not Compatible With iPhone

Aviv — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:24:57 +0000

iLounge points out that Apple’s new premium, in-ear headphones will not be as compatible with the iPhone and iPhone 3G as we all thought.

According to a support document found on Apple.com, the new in-ear headphones will not support the volume controls for iPhone and iPhone 3G models.

“[the support document] explains that while the remote, microphone, and volume control features of the new headphones are compatible with the 120GB iPod classic, iPod nano 4G, and iPod touch 2G, the volume controls will not work with iPhone or iPhone 3G — only the playback remote and microphone. In addition, the article states that earlier iPod models will be compatible with audio only.”

After some long delays, Apple’s headphones have finally received a shipping date of 7-10 days. They can be found at Apple’s online store here.