Prediction: New iPod Nanos on 9/18 or 9/25

I don’t know this for sure - it’s a guess, ok - but I am predicting that Apple will release new iPods
8 comments August 21st, 2007

8 comments August 21st, 2007

We should add that rumors are afoot that Apple may allow device manufactures to license their Fairplay DRM.
This comes on the heels of California sueing Apple as well.
Norway declares Apple’s iTunes illegal [Financial Times]
2 comments January 25th, 2007
Apple is once again being sued, but this time for its iTunes store. Apple is accused of creating a monopoly because users can’t transfer the iTunes Store’s music and video to any other device but the iPodiTunes Facing Lawsuit [MediaPost]
2 comments January 3rd, 2007

Available at Amazon for $99.
3 comments November 21st, 2006
If the latest round of touchscreen iPodTouchscreen iPod rumors have been circulating around the Internet for awhile now. Even MethodShop.com posted some touchscreen iPod patent pictures back in February. The new twist to this story is that the touchscreen iPod might have a wide aspect ratio screen. This would make a lot of sense since Apple recently started selling movies on iTunes.
The new widescreen rumor originated from an anonymous executive at an iPod accessories company who spoke to someone at TrustedReviews. How reliable is this anonymous executive? Your guess is as good as ours. Anyway, here’s what Mr. Anonymous had to say:
“In a very matter of fact tone I was told that the product was not designed for the current generation of device, but the official 6G iPod… which is to be released in December. His company’s device only comes onto the market shortly before then and would benefit hugely because the new iPod would sport a screen that filled the full side of the device and consequently offer higher resolution video… This is why Jobs isn’t afraid of the Zune,’ he said, though he had no knowledge of whether wireless would make an appearance.”
This might help explain Steve Jobs dismissive attitude last week:
“Jobs is unimpressed with Microsoft’s Zune, which allows users to exchange songs. ‘It takes forever,’ said Jobs. ‘By the time you’ve gone through all that, the girl’s got up and left!’”
Adding more fuel to the fire, here’s what Gizmodo had to say about the widescreen iPod rumors:
“One thing’s for sure, if this widescreen iPod is released in the next two months, the Microsoft Zune with its old-fashioned 4×3 screen and crippled WiFi will be slam-dunked.”
8 comments November 5th, 2006
The designers of the SpeckTone Retro have succeeded in making a product that looks modern and retro at the same time. The way they’ve paired clean modern styled lines with the nostalgic elegance of the 1950’s is very impressive. The end result is an iPod speaker system that doesn’t replicate or compete with the modern, sleek look of the iPod itself. These speakers almost feel like they could be in Lucy & Ricky’s living room.

The SpeckTone Retro sells for under $150 and has the following features:
The SpeckTone Retro comes in 3 high-gloss lacquered color finishes, black, white and green, and is available from Amazon.com. Thanks to the guys at iPastudio for turning us on to this.
6 comments November 4th, 2006
Want to be a rebel and break the law in the United Kingdom? It’s easy. All you need is an iPodStep 1: Pop a CD into you computer.
Step 2: Import the songs into iTunes.
Step 3: Sync the songs onto your iPod.
Millions of people in the United Kingdom break the law everyday just by using their iPods. Why? The music industry in the UK claims that the illegal practice of coping music onto your iPod costs them hundreds of millions of pounds a year. Anyone else getting a 1998 Napster flashback here?
Apparently the UK music industry is about a decade out of sync with reality. In an effort to help the UK music industry get with the times, ministers in the UK are being urged to relax copyright laws to prevent music fans from facing prosecution for using their iPods. A UK think-tank called the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has recommended an overhaul of the legislation to allow a “private right to copy” music, and thus stop home users being treated the same as large-scale pirates.
Ian Kearns, deputy director of the IPPR, had this to say on the subject:
“Millions of Britons copy CDs on to their home computers, breaking copyright laws every day. British copyright law is out of date. When it comes to protecting the interests of copyright holders, the emphasis the music industry has put on tackling illegal distribution, and not prosecuting for personal copying, is right. But it is not the industry’s job to decide what rights consumers have. That is the job of Government.”
The dawn of the digital age of music was initially damaging to the music industry… but only because the industry failed to embrace the change consumers desired. As a result, people turned to illegal file-sharing sites such as Napster to find digital music. However, since the launch of the iTunes Music Store, digital music has proven to be a successful business model and the laws in the UK should be changed to better reflect current times. Duh!?
3 comments November 1st, 2006
I was on Jason D. O’Grady’s PowerPage when I saw this article and started cracking up. We’ve all heard of the iPodApparently someone named Sean bought what he thought was an iPod from Smalldog.com. However after removing the shrink-wrap and opening the box, he instead found inside two bars of soap and a package of cheap batteries.
As you can imagine, Sean was pretty pissed off. I found a write up of how his conversation with a Smalldog customer service rep went on Consumerist.com.
“I picked up the phone and gave Smalldog a call… I was ready to really tear into someone when a supremely polite and nice customer service rep answered the phone. When I told her about my situation (and not too nicely, I might add), she started laughing. For a second I was shocked! I mean, first you screw up, and then you laugh at me!? But the next thing I knew, I started laughing too. She used just the right amount of humor and seriousness in helping me figure out what had happened… She also wanted to know if I took any pictures, saying that she’d love to have a few to show the other people in the office… It was good to see that someone could have a sense of humor and still be incredibly accommodating at the same time.”
The big mystery to this story is how was the iPod box shrink-wrapped if it had already been opened? There are two theories.
We will probably know exactly what happened, but this tale does have a happy ending. Sean got a replacement iPod. The moral of the story: just because something is shrink-wrapped, doesn’t mean it’s actually in the box.
6 comments October 30th, 2006