Compiled by Charles Moore
and edited by Dan Knight
- 2006.04.13
This Week's iPod News
PowerBook, iBook, iPod, and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review. General
Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in The Mac News Review. News about Apple's
transition to Intel CPUs and other Intel developments is covered in
The Macintel Report.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
For current iPod prices from a variety of sources, see our
Best iPod Deals.
News and Comment
Products
Software
News and Comment
Bluetooth iPod Imminent?
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Is there a Bluetooth-equipped iPod on the way? UK
girls'n'gadgets magazine Stuff certainly thinks so, based on a
conversation it's had with an unnamed British retailer. If Apple's
telling retailers to prepare for such a product, it can't be far
off launching the thing.
"CEO Steve Jobs has, of course, been sceptical about such a
device, claiming it adds one more battery - the one in the
headphones - users have to remember to keep charged. Then again,
he's expressed scepticism about not only Flash-based music players
but also devices that play video too, and Apple has nonetheless
released iPods with Flash and with video playback."
Link: UK
Retailer Claims Bluetooth iPod Imminent
Things You Didn't Know About Apple's iPod
TechWeb.com's Alexander Wolfe says:
"Apple's massively popular music player has practically spawned
a blogosphere all its own, with sites devoted to uncovering the
latest hacks as well as contrary blogs that sing the praises of
iPod alternatives.
"Meanwhile, Steve Jobs and company aren't sitting still,
continuing to expand the iPod ecosystem with accessories to stoke
sales.
"However, buried amid all that information are some little-known
facts and helpful workarounds that can help you get more mileage
out of your music experience. Accordingly, we bring you five things
you might not know about the iPod."
Link: Things You Didn't
Know About Apple's iPod
iPod in Your Car
ExtremeTech's Victor Loh says:
"I recently bought a 3.5mm stereo plug to connect my 1 GB
iPod nano to the Eclipse CD-5423 head unit in my car. My deck,
despite being an older model, is relatively iPod-friendly right out
of the box. It comes with a rear auxiliary input, a jog lever for
navigating long track lists, and is capable of displaying text
information like ID3 tags and radio station titles.
"While I don't consider myself a 'golden-eared' (or even
'silver-eared' audiophile), 128 kbps MP3s leave me wanting,
sometimes aching (literally) for more. At that compression, even
Apple's white standard issue earbuds are only bearable for
relatively short bursts. Projecting music through a decent car
stereo is a different story altogether. I'm accustomed to
CD-quality music in the car, and lossy MP3s don't really do it for
me. Apple Lossless is spot on, but the file sizes are a bit hefty
for the wee 1 GB Nano. I've found 320 kbps AAC is a good
compromise, and I can probably go lower without consciously
noticing a difference, but I'm sticking with it for now."
Link: iPod in
Your Car
Automakers Missing iPod Action
The Boston Herald's Jerry Kronenberg says:
"Automakers have failed to keep pace with the recent iPod craze,
mostly because manufacturers lock up car designs three years or
more in advance. 'The electronics industry moves faster than the
auto industry, and that's typically why cars have historically
lagged on consumer electronics,' said automotive analyst Mark
Fitzgerald....
"A new study by Newton-based Strategy Analytics finds automakers
are offering consumers like Pace too few iPod-enabled cars. As a
result, carmakers are largely missing out on the US$1.7 billion
market for iPods and other MP3 players, researchers say.
"Strategy Analytics found that 53 percent of U.S. car buyers
want vehicles with MP3 sound systems - something less than half of
today's models offer."
Link:
Automakers Missing iPod Action
NotPods
Forbes' Stephen Manes says:
"By now Apple's sainted iPod should be seeing real competition.
Some enterprising company should be developing a dandy new device
that costs the same as the clickwheeled darling but performs
significantly better - or a pure knockoff that looks great and
works as well but costs a lot less. Luckily for Apple the
competition just doesn't seem to get it."
Link: NotPods
Products
Bunny iPod Covers Just in Time for Easter
PR: iAttire, a new brand of handcrafted iPod accessories,
has announced the release of Spring 2006 attire for iPods.
iAttire makes handmade attire for all current and legacy
iPod sizes.
iAttire's Bunny is a comfy fluffy onesy garment for your iPod,
with fuzzy tail and pink ears. Your iPod is usable while wearing
the Bunny costume: see the screen through the front, find a bound
hole for the headphone jack, and the clickwheel is visible through
the costume. It is available in all iPod sizes: Video iPod, Nano
iPod, Shuffle iPod, Mini iPod and legacy iPods (3rd and 4th
generation), the first iAttire product to be offered in all current
and legacy iPod sizes.
Hand-crafted in California, each garment is sized for your
particular iPod, and no two are alike. iAttire products feature the
finest details for your amusement.
Bunny, $19.99
Free first-class shipping is always available within the US, you
can also choose USPS Priority Mail within the United States. For
Global orders, we use USPS Global Priority Shipping for guaranteed
faster service.
Based in California, iAttire is fascinated by iPods and we have
many ideas for iPod accessories. What started with an amusing
afternoon has turned into a long list of product requests from our
customers.
Link:
iAttire Spring 2006 Bunny
Magpie Outfits are Pod Couture for the
iPod
PR: Fashionistas can now dress their iPods to match their
music. Magpie, Inc. is excited to debut the Magpie Outfit - a
protective case for the Apple iPod. The Outfit was born from owner
Maggie Stephens' love of fashion and fitness.
Already a
successful designer of couture accessories, Maggie was training for
a marathon when she began searching for an iPod cover that was both
cute and functional.
"I wanted an iPod case that fit my personality," Maggie says. "I
couldn't find anything that was darling and sweat proof, with a
good belt clip. So I designed my own." After months of research and
many prototypes later, the first Magpie Outfits were born.
With both a belt clip and a removable keychain, the Outfit is
perfect for workouts or carrying on a backpack or purse. One of the
best features of the Outfit is the belt clip - it's positioned so
that a person wearing an iPod can actually see and work the screen
and wheel. The sturdy, reinforced vinyl comes in six bright
fabrics, and the iPod's screen and wheel are protected with clear
plastic. And the big, happy patterns ensure that even when two
Outfits are made from the same fabric, each one has a totally
different look.
Magpie got its start in 2003 with handmade pins, hair clips and
other stylish and girly accessories made from vintage fabrics and
buttons. The line was quickly picked up by stores such as Henri
Bendel and Olive & Bette's, and is now carried in boutiques
around the country and internationally, including London, Dubai and
Beirut. Magpie accessories have been featured in InStyle, Glamour,
Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, Women's Wear Daily, and O! Magazine and seen
on NBC's Today Show, and have been worn by celebrities including
Liz Phair and Dakota Fanning.
The Magpie Outfit for iPod nano retails for $24.95 and is
available now. Stores are snatching up the new line, and Magpie
plans to add covers for the other size iPods soon.
Link: Magpie
Outfits
The Amazing Waterproof Drypod
SKB introduces
the Drypod family of protective waterproof, interactive hard-shell
cases for the Gen 4 iPod, Nano and Gen 5 Video iPod models. Wear
the Drypod on the waves, in the rain or down the mountain while
your staying in control of every audio function. The seamless
'flex-pad' technology allows for the manipulation of the iPod's
control wheel right through the case. Independent laboratory tests
declare the Drypod compliant with immersion and rain tests. See our
website for complete documentation.
A compression fitting completes the watertight seal for the
headphone. The Drypod Includes a flexible neoprene arm band,
comfort-adjust lanyard and stainless steel belt clip. SKB
waterproof injection molded cases have been a huge success over the
past few years finally leading to the smallest product SKB has ever
manufactured. Small in size but gigantic in performance, the Drypod
line of personal A/V gear protection represents another
breakthrough in product design and functionality.
The amazing Drypod family is surfacing now.
Link: Drypod
Waterfield iPod Hi-Fi Speaker Case
PR: Fully padded travel case with space for all your iPod
gear. Provides play-though functionality. A solid plate of
impact-resistant plastic protects the front grill and speakers, and
a comfortable shoulder strap helps lighten the load.
Made from sturdy ballistic nylon and high-density foam.
Includes five exterior pockets. YKK locking zippers and durable
metal hardware. The inside of the case is layered with a soft,
scratch free liner.
To play, just tuck the front flap into rear of the case behind
the speaker, plug in the power cord, and drop in your iPod.
Starts shipping on April 18th
Outside dimensions: 19.5" x 8.0" x 8.0"
Case weight: 1.7 pounds
The iPod Hi-Fi Speaker Case sells for $150 and is available in
three colors.
Link: Waterfield
iPod Hi-Fi Speaker Case
Logitech Unrolls Cylindrical
iPod-friendly Speaker Unit
The Register's Tony Smith reports:
"Logitech will next month fill out its iPod-oriented portable
speaker lineup with a midrange set designed to provide up to ten
hours' playing time using four AA batteries, though it's bundled
with an AC adaptor for on-shelf playback too.
"The one-piece mm32 set places a pair of cylinder-enclosed
speakers either side of a cradle capable of recharging an
iPod...."
Link:
Logitech Unrolls Cylindrical iPod-friendly Speaker Unit
iCast and AudioCast: Interference-Free,
Wireless Audio
PR: Soundcast Systems, a leading provider of
revolutionary wireless audio transmission systems, today released
two breakthrough products - iCast and AudioCast - designed to offer
the highest-quality wireless transmission from digital music
players or personal computers to home stereo systems. Soundcast's
iCast is built to work exclusively with the Apple iPod(TM), while
its sister product, AudioCast is compatible with other devices,
such as personal computers or MP3 players.
"Consumers are looking for an easy solution to listen to digital
music on their home theatre systems that offers both clarity of
sound and a simple setup process," said Tim Bajarin, president,
Creative Strategies. "With the recent explosion of MP3 player
sales, the iCast and AudioCast products are poised to become a
welcome addition to the digital home audio revolution."
iCast and AudioCast offer a convenient, wireless way to link a
digital music player and home stereo system without running wires
and drilling holes in the walls. Each receiver comes with all the
cables needed to connect to the home stereo or multimedia amplified
speakers. With iCast, the iPod simply fits into the transmitter in
an Apple approved dock. The AudioCast transmitter can be connected
to any brand of MP3 player or to a personal computer using the
supplied accessory cables. The stylish iCast and AudioCast
transmitters come in white to match most iPods or MP3 players, and
the receivers are black to easily tie in with the other consumer
electronics that are already in a home.
"There have been hundreds of wireless products developed over
the years claiming to deliver an impressive quality of sound - yet
all of them have fallen short of that promise due to their innate
susceptibility to interference, which can significantly degrade the
audio quality to the point where the music is not audible," said
Rusty Bennett, vice president of Soundcast. "We're thrilled to
release the iCast and AudioCast systems as the first solutions to
effectively transmit a clean signal and enable unprecedented,
crystal clear sounding music from an iPod, personal computer or MP3
player - even in those interference-filled environments throughout
the home."
With effortless plug and play installation, no complex
programming and a simple, sleek interface, iCast and AudioCast form
a wireless bridge between an audio source such as an iPod or MP3
player and a home stereo system. Unlike competing solutions
available to date, both products effectively eliminate outside
interference caused by other household devices that share the
crowded 2.4 GHz band, including microwave ovens and cordless
phones.
In addition, no network setup expertise is required for the
consumer, as the receiver and transmitter are self enabling and
link immediately, once they are installed in the home. Based on
Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, Soundcast's
engineering team has refined its patent-pending wireless technology
to allow transmitters to search for open channels in the 2.4 GHz
band, and instantaneously jump to them - ultimately avoiding
interference and allowing for unprecedented sound quality. iCast
and AudioCast can transmit signals up to a distance of 150 feet
through multiple rooms indoors, and even farther outdoors. Both
systems coexist with other devices operating in the 2.4 GHz band,
including Bluetooth, 802.11 and related products. About iCast
The iCast transmitter comes with approved, interchangeable
inserts that accommodate different iPod models. Tracking and menu
controls operate while the iPod is installed in the dock and
transmitting music to the receiver, and the docking unit serves as
a battery charger for the iPod. The iCast receiver also duplicates
several key iPod functions to allow users to operate their music
players remotely from another room in the home. About AudioCast
AudioCast provides the same functionality as iCast for non-iPod
devices. With AudioCast a 3.5mm mini-jack connects any product with
a stereo signal output, including portable MP3 players, portable CD
players, personal computers or home electronics products such as a
cassette deck or CD changer, to a home audio system. All the
connecting cables required are supplied with the units. Soundcast
products coexist with all 2.4 GHz devices and with additional
Soundcast systems. As many as three Soundcast systems can operate
in close proximity. By achieving this level of service, the iCast
and AudioCast can now be securely used in high-density multiunit
dwellings (MUD). Each Soundcast transmitter can operate with two
receivers, allowing the creation of multi-zone systems. With
AudioCast it is also possible to link two transmitters to the same
source, making a low-cost, wireless four-zone system possible.
Each iCast and AudioCast transmitter and receiver will be
packaged and sold separately to make multi-zone systems easy to
assemble. They will be available during April 2006 in retail stores
and online for a suggested retail price of $299 for an iCast system
(transmitter and receiver), and $129 for each additional iCast
receiver. The AudioCast system (transmitter and receiver) will
retail for $249 with additional receivers at $119 each.
Link: SoundCast
Systems
Software
Merriam-Webster's Pocket Dictionary for
the iPod
PR: iPREPpress and Merriam-Webster have announced the
release of Merriam Webster's Pocket Dictionary for the iPod, the
first all-text brand-named dictionary for the iPod. The
downloadable dictionary includes 40,000 words and their
definitions, a pronunciation guide, abbreviation guide, and a
Handbook of Style.
"For the first time, iPod users on the go can instantly access a
wealth of language information," said Kurt Goszyk, founder of
iPREPpress. "The partnership between iPREPpress and the premier
publisher of dictionaries, Merriam-Webster, sets the foundation for
further development of high-quality reference content for the
iPod."
"Merriam-Webster is pleased to work with iPREPpress to offer our
dictionaries and thesauruses to iPod users," said James Withgott,
Vice President and Associate Publisher, Merriam-Webster Inc.
"iPREPpress has created an exciting new way to deliver
Merriam-Webster's best-selling language titles in a convenient,
easy-to-use format."
Under the partnership, the companies will produce a series of
quality portable references for the iPod over the next two months,
including: Merriam-Webster's Pocket Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster's
Rhyming Dictionary for song and hip-hop writers, Merriam-Webster's
Pocket Atlas, and The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Quotations.
Merriam-Webster's Pocket Dictionary is available for download to
the iPod from iPREPpress. It features simple scroll and click
navigation to search for over 40,000 words and their definitions.
Users search for words on the iPod through a hierarchical menu and
hyperlinked structure. Users can listen to their favorite tunes in
the background while viewing dictionary entries onscreen. The
dictionary will sell regularly for $14.95 but is available for a
limited time at an introductory price of $9.95. More information
about the dictionary is available online.
Merriam-Webster Inc. acquired the rights to revise and publish
Noah Webster's dictionaries in 1843. Since then, Merriam-Webster
has maintained an ongoing commitment to innovation, scholarship,
and love of language. Today, the company continues as the leader in
both print and electronic language reference publishing with
reference products, learning tools, and word games.
Washington Crossing, PA-based iPREPpress offers best-of-breed
content formatted specially for the iPod. A wide range of content
from branded study guides and travel guides to important national
documents, sports and entertainment is available via download. The
iPod is a powerful tool that can make educational material fun and
convenient to access. Unlike audio versions of classical
literature, iPREPpress provides text and graphics hyperlinks that
bring highly readable text and easy navigation to the iPod, turning
it into a PDA-like experience. iPREPpress LLC is a privately held
company founded by Kurt Goszyk, former CTO, Franklin Electronic
Publishers.
Link: Merriam-Webster's
Pocket Dictionary for the iPod
PodUtil 3.0 iPod Music Copier and
Playlist Rebuilder
PR: PodUtil is an easy-to-use utility for viewing the
songs on your iPod and copying them in a customisable organised
manner to your computer, and will automatically add them to iTunes
and rebuild your playlists if you wish.
PodUtil is compatible with Mac OS 9.x, Mac OS X, Windows 2000
and Windows XP.
Features at-a-glance...
iPod Scanning
- Fast and automatic iPod scanning
- Supports playlists
- Detailed information about each song
- Supports all formats iPod does (MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, Audible,
etc.)
- Song previews
- Works with all iPods
File Copying
- Organises copied music on your hard drive by artist, album,
both or neither
- Advanced mode allows customisable organisation and file
renaming
iTunes Integration
- Adds songs back to iTunes
- Rebuilds your playlists
Once your iPod has been scanned by PodUtil (takes ~5-10 seconds)
all your music will be presented to you in an easy-to-navigate
list. Want to preview a song? Just double-click it and it'll play
immediately, allowing you to scrub through the song to find out if
it's really the song you want.
On the left of the main window, you'll see a list of all the
playlists on your iPod. You can use this to just copy a specific
playlist, or just view your music exactly as you like it. Want more
information on a song? Just select it and choose "Get Info..." from
the file menu, and it's all there.
Once you have browsed your music collection, PodUtil will copy
it to your hard drive, organising it as it goes. In basic mode, you
can organise by Artist, Album, both, or not at all. In advanced
mode, you can organise your music by anything at all, and you can
rename your music files in the process, based on song ID tags. Say
good-bye to cryptic file names! For more information on advanced
copying, see the Advanced Copying Reference.
PodUtil can add your files back to iTunes and even rebuild all
your playlists. This is all automatic, and works on Windows and Mac
versions of iTunes as long as you have iTunes 4.5 or higher
installed.
Copying several gigabytes of music takes quite a while on any
computer, and PodUtil gives you visual feedback on how it's doing.
When a copy operation begins the main music list shows you all the
music that will be copied, as well a small icon telling you the
status of each song. Below this list, a progress area details how
many songs will be copied and how many have already been done.
On Mac OS X, a progress bar appears in PodUtil's dock icon, so
you can tell how it's doing without even interrupting your work
flow.
Supports all music formats iPod does, including MP3, AAC, WAV,
AIFF, Audible, etc.
New in PodUtil 3.0
PodUtil 3.0 is a huge update from 2.x. Below is just small
selection of what's new.
Rulesets
Take control of your music. Rulesets let you easily and quickly
select the exact music you want to copy - want all the Norah Jones
music that isn't in your iTunes Library? It's only a few clicks
away.
iPod Browsing
With PodUtil 3, you can now easily browse your music by artist
and/or album name.
Better Copy Settings
Advanced/Basic copy modes have gone. Replacing them is this
directory structure editor, which lets you easily add folders and
rename folders and files by simply dragging and rearranging tokens.
Presets can be saved to be reused at a later date.
iPod Information
Quickly see information about your iPod at a glance.
Better iTunes Integration
PodUtil 3 can scan y our iTunes library at startup, enabling it
to see what songs on the iPod are already in your library. If
similar songs exist, PodUtil will tell you what they are.
iPod Profiles
Customise PodUtil on a per-iPod basis. If you allow Roaming
Profiles, these settings are saved to your iPod so other computers
can pick them up. Song statuses can be saved, so PodUtil will
remember if a song has been copied before and if it was queued
between sessions - even between computers.
New Look and Feel
PodUtil 3 has a brand new look and feel.
System requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.3 or higher
- iPod
PodUtil is £5 shareware
PodUtil 3 is a paid upgrade. If you've purchased PodUtil 2.x,
you qualify for a discounted or free upgrade depending on when you
made your purchase:
- On or after December 1st, 2005: Free
- Before December 1st, 2005: Half PodUtil's normal price
(£5)
To get your discount, you need to apply for an upgrade coupon.
Please provide as much detail
Link: PodUtil
iPod-Linux Installer 0.4a
PR: An easy to use installer that enables Mac OS X user
to install and use Linux on their HFS+ formatted iPods in addition
to the Apple Supplied OS. Currently supports 1-4G, Mini, and Photo
iPods. Installation on Nano and Video possible but not supported.
Additional iPods will be supported according to what developments
are made on the iPodLinux kernel.
The goal of this project is to create an easy to use GUI program
that enables Mac OS X user with iPods to install Linux on HFS+
formatted iPods while still allowing users to keep and use the
Apple Supplied OS. Currently this project supports 1G, 2G, and 3G
iPods. 4G, Mini, and Photo iPods are now supported. Installation on
Nano and 5G iPods is possible with this installer but no support
will be given for these iPods! Make absolutely sure you back your
files up if you are using a post 3G iPod as this is an alpha
installer release.
New in version 0.4a (alpha):
- Added support for 4G, Mini, and Photo iPods. Installation is
possible on Nano and 5G iPods but is not supported. Note: This is
an initial alpha release, be prepared for some bugs.
- Includes newest kernel as of April 1st 2006.
- Added check to make sure user was able to write to where the
installer is located.
System requirements:
1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, Mini, or Photo iPod. Installation is possible
but not supported on Nano and 5G (Video) iPods. OS X 10.3.x or
higher.
System support: PPC
Free
Link: iPod-Linux
Installer
