More Advantages of the iPod

Have you every bought something, like a new car or new kitchen device, and months (or even years later), someone comes by and introduces you to a feature that you never knew existed?

Well, if this has ever happened to you; take heed: you aren’t alone! There are so many features and gadgets and settings on today’s modern devices, that it sometimes feels that you need to take a school course in gadgetology just to ensure that you’re enjoying your item to its fullest capacity.

So, in an effort to ensure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck, let’s take a look at some of the advantages of your iPod (whether you own it now, or are in the market to buy one).

Some of these advantages may seem very straightforward to you, while others might be an eye opener.

Remember, too: you may not use a particular feature or advantage right now, but that doesn’t mean the opportunity won’t arise in the future for you to enjoy something new.

Here are some advantages of the iPod:

--> Size Does Matter!

While you’re obviously aware that your iPod can store your music for you while you’re on the go, you might not be aware of just how much space there is to some of the new 4th generation iPods on the market right now.

Current versions offer 20 gigabyte and 40 gigabyte storage capacities, which is enormous for most audiophiles. Of added convenience, the new iPods also offer a new music menu, and support for multiple playlists.

--> The Shuffle Feature

iPod’s shuffle feature allows you to listen to music you’ve selected yourself, such as listening to a radio station that plays only the music you like. That’s why Apple added the Shuffle Songs” feature – this saves you from having to activate the shuffle in the iPod’s settings menu and then browse through several levels just so you can select songs.

--> Not Just for Music…

The iPod was originally marketed as a device for listening to music; and this made sense, since that wonderful teenage demographic spends more than the other groups put together! Yet as the iPod has matured, so has its target market.

The educational market has now caught on to the advantages offered by the iPod; and this is a driving reason why many people who might not otherwise buy an iPod are finding one in their pocket.

For example, take the case of Duke University in North Carolina. University officials provided 1,650 of the 20 GB iPods to freshmen. These sets of iPods came pre-loaded with campus information, orientation notes, and an academic calendar.

And here’s the most interesting part: the Duke iPods adopted the format of the iTunes store so students can purchase academic materials, course outlines, language lessons, and yes of course: music. We look specifically at iTunes in the fourth section of this book.

In addition, there’s also the thriving audiobook market. We’ve come a long, long way from a binder full of tapes! Now, entire books can be downloaded onto an iPod, and enjoyed on the go.

These audiobooks include everything from young fiction to romance, from business books to self-help, and everything in between.

So if you’re currently using your iPod just for music – or that’s what you plan to do when you buy one – remember that it can indeed be used for so much more.

http://www.ipodresourcecenter.com/More_Advantages_of_the_iPod.html

Low Price Mobile Phones, Ipods & Computers with the Online Shopping Revolution

There's a revolution going on, but you won't be hearing the shouting in the streets, unless it's over the great deal that your neighbour got on his new home cinema. More and more UK consumers are doing their shopping for mobile phones, computers, cheap ipod accessories and ipods and home cinema equipment online. What kind of low prices can you expect when you let your fingers do the shopping on your keyboard?

How about the 4GB Nokia N91 Chromium mobile phone, a veritable jukebox that can carry along all of your favourite tunes and beats for a mere £387, a savings of nearly £100 off retail? Or the top rated Sony Ericsson at £129, a 30% savings off the manufacturer's list price? Those are just a couple of examples of the sort of deals that you'll find if you're looking for low price mobile phones online.

If you're shopping for computers, the discounts can cut even deeper. Computer manufacturers and discounting web sites are playing a game of 'how low can you go' with computer prices. By shopping online and comparing prices, you can find deals as low as £360 for a full desktop system with all the bells and whistles you need to do your basic computing and online puttering. If you want to get really fancy, though, you can do some hardcore shopping for the sort of accessories that make computers into one of a kind gaming machines.

How about an Ipod Shuffle for less than £50? A 30GB Ipod for less than £200? Shop online and you'll find dozens of offers at prices that low, some with free postage and 1-2 day delivery. There's virtually nothing you won't be able to buy online, and for far less than you'll pay at your local stores. Even home cinema equipment is priced at a bargain - and if you shop the right sites, they'll even deliver it and set it up for you to be sure it's all working right.

But is it safe to buy high value items like computers, Ipods and home cinema equipment online? According to no less an authority than Consumer Reports, a long time consumer watchdog keeping an eye on issues of product safety and consumer satisfaction, it's not only safe, it may be better than shopping in a bricks and mortar store. In a recent survey, the well known magazine found that its' readers were more satisfied with their experiences shopping online for consumer electronics like mobile phones, digital cameras and computers than they were with the same products bought in a local store.

You can find the best deals on mobile phones, computers, Ipod and Ipod accessories and home cinema equipment online where you can compare prices and offers to get the absolute best, lowest price on all your home and entertainment electronics needs.

http://www.ipodresourcecenter.com/Low_Price_Mobile_Phones_Ipods_Computers_with_th.html

iPods- Which Rock the World

Wondering why people are becoming crazy about this miniature audio device? I Pods offer excellent quality of digital music. The success of I Pod is due to its features like:

• I Pod is able to deliver extremely rich quality of digital music.
• It comes in attractive small sizes and thus tends to be very handy and compact.
• They come with in-built media library software, called as the I Tunes media library software. This feature enables the user to manage the music files efficiently.
• The most attractive feature which made I Pod the best seller is the attribute which allows the device to be connected to the users’ computer.
• Thus by enabling connection with the users’ computer, the I Pod prove to serve as efficient storage devices.
• I Pods sport a display, which makes the gadget more users friendly.
• Improvised I Pods also had PDA's (Personal Digital Assistants).
• Apple, the creators of I Pod kept on improvising it, and thus many models of I Pod have rocked the market.

The models of I Pod categorized according to the chronological order.

First Generation I Pods:
Initially the I Pods were released with 5GB hard drive, but then later Apple increased their hard drive capacity to 10GB. These I Pods have a scroll wheel with a select button in the middle. This device was a huge hit in the commercial market, but now they rarely exist due to the release of new models.

Second generation I Pods:
These devices had a thicker body and they supported 20 GB hard drive. They were the first gadgets, which were compatible with the windows. They also sported cases and wired remotes.

Third generation I Pods:
These I Pods were thinner than the original versions; the 30 pin dock connector was introduced with this series. They also had touch sensitive buttons this attracted the masses to a great extent. And it did not have buttons surrounding the wheels and hanging parts.

Fourth generation I Pods:
The only difference, the fourth generation I Pods had over the others is the introduction of click wheels. They also sported the same monochrome screen. But it enabled the battery to be charged through the USB connection.

Color I Pods:
As the name suggests these devices had a color screen and the ability to store and display JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG images. They supported 65,536 colors. They possessed the photo library and released accessories like I Pod camera connector.

Fifth generation I Pods:
They were developed to reduce minor audio effects so that the head phone does not deliver hard drive noise. They came in a wide variety of sizes, colors and hard drive capacities. They also supported features like the World Clock, Stopwatch, and Screen Lock applications. In addition, the earphones plugs were smaller.

I Pod mini:
The mini had a smaller structure and it resembled the earlier versions in its features. But it did not support third party accessories. They introduced micro-drive hard drive as the storage medium. The minis were further improvised as the first generation and second generation devices. It had rich case colors and was a big hit in the market.

I Pod shuffle:
Flash memory was introduced through these gadgets, but they did not have a screen so navigation of music files was a little difficult. But it has been reviewed as the best sounding audio device in comparison with the other models.

I Pod nano:
I Pod nano also had the flash memory but it came with a color display. It also included a number of features like world clock, stop watch and screen lock options.

http://www.ipodresourcecenter.com/iPods-_Which_Rock_the_World.html

iPods and Podcasting for Learning and Sales Enablement

The Corporate Podcast Push

What do Duke University, IBM, Capital One, Newsweek and Barenaked Ladies all have in common? Answer: they are all reaching out to staff, students, and customers with a new and powerful tool – podcasting. You may have heard about podcasting from your kids or on the news, but podcasting is much more than some phenomenon started by the rock and roll or techy crowd. Podcasting is a powerful communication tool being used to reach global and mobile audiences, save people time and, most importantly, really connect with their audiences in news ways – in today’s communication/message glut. But let’s take a look at what podcasting is, who is using and why it is so effective for both business and individuals.

First, we’ll look at the size and scale of the podcasting phenomenon…

-- A recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that more than 22 million American adults own Ipods or and MP3 player and 29% of them have downloaded podcasts or listened to podcast that have been pushed” to them. That equates to 6 million people listening to podcasts. Market researchers and analysts continue to buoy up podcasting's future with latest figures suggesting a US audience alone of 56 million by 2010.

-- Jupiter Research recently predicted that US digital music player sales would grow to 56 million by 2010, up from 16.2 million in 2004 and by 2010, three- quarters of all people who own portable digital music players will listen to podcasts, a growth from less than 15% last year.

What is podcasting?

Whether you describe it as the greatest communication tool since email, or as an RSS feed for audio, podcasting is a way to push” audio content to subscribers for virtually zero cost. Podcasting allows anyone (me, you, IBM, or NBC) to post audio content that gets pushed to any subscriber’s desktop and then directly to their iPod or MP3 player. This is global. Anyone, anywhere can tune in” to your podcast and learn what you have to offer or say. You don’t need to be NBC with a global distribution infrastructure. Now people can subscribe” to a podcast and have new content pushed” out to them without them having to surf the web, download MP3s or burn CD’s.

Ideas/Stories/Voices ? Audio/MP3’s ? Internet ? PC ? MP3 player

All the arrows go in one direction. Once someone has subscribe to your podcast, your content get pushed” out to them. There is no turning in to stations with podcasting. You don’t have to visit a website to find streaming podcasting. Podcasts show up (pushed) when new content is produced. If you are a subscriber, you get the podcast right then. All you need is an Ipod or MP3 player of any kind for listening, thus the word podcasting.

The term "Podcasting" is derived from the iPod (Apple Computer’s popular device for playing compressed audio files) and "broadcasting." Podcasting allows for audio files that would have been previously downloaded and played on a personal computer to be automatically downloaded and listened to on portable music playing devices (such as the iPod and other MP3 players).

Having originated in the world of blogging, some have even referred to podcasting as "audio blogging." For many, podcasting is a logical next step from blogging. As Business Week Senior Writer Stephen Baker observes, "The heart of the podcasting movement is in the world of blogs, those millions of personal Web pages that have become a global sensation. In a blogosphere that has grown largely on the written word, podcasts add a soundtrack."

Now that you know what a podcast is, let’s look at where they come from: who is producing the pushed audio content.”

Who is producing podcasts?

The answer is wide ranging. Teenagers, techies and rock musicians were early adopters. Today you see the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Business Week, ESPN and news programs of all types producing, distribution and marketing podcasts. The number of podcasts available is growing at a very rapid pace. In late 2004, there were close to 500 podcasts available. Today there are over 10,000 different podcasts to choose from.

Now that podcasting has becoming more mainstream, corporate and non-corporate organizations are getting into the act, using podcasting to connect with customers, students, staff and partners. Here are some examples:

-- Duke University handed out iPods to their entire 2005 freshman class so they could receive podcasts that included university news, class work and social content.
-- Capital One University has handed out over 3000 iPods to support corporate training and communications. This includes, leadership training, sales, customer service and other topics.
-- IBM has created podcasts to show their thought leadership to customers investors and prospects.

-- Keane Inc. has handed out over 100 ipods to their global sales force to share training, customers’ stories and organizational content.

Why have these and other organizations gotten into podcasting? They have gotten into it because they know their audience (whether internal or external) is inundated with text-based content: emails, articles, the web portals, and marketing messages. Podcasting allows them a unique medium to reach and connect with their audience.

iPods will be part of Duke University’s new Duke Digital Initiative (DDI). "We've been focusing on iPods and other mobile computing, but our wider goal is to integrate technology broadly into the teaching and learning process,” said Peter Lange, Peter Lange, the university's provost and senior academic officer. The iPods have helped jump-start this process, and we plan to keep pushing ahead."

Listeners love podcasting because it delivers rich content directly to them, in a form that allows them to save time, control what they hear and listen to while commuting, working or whenever it works for them. No longer is learning tied to a book, PC screen or web portal.

Content is still king in any communication, especially recorded podcasts. Podcasting is the delivery tool. Compelling content ensures continuous listening and not a flip of the power switch or turn of the dial.

Should you podcast?

Podcasting is not answer to all your learning and communication problems. As great as audio is, like any medium, it has its limits. While audio allows users to multi task, it is not easily scanned – which means you consider the listeners needs very carefully. You must provide value.

Corporate podcasting is different that individuals or media podcasting. The standard for a corporate podcast is much higher than for individual or media. Your staff and customers expect certain from your communication with them. You can’t just offer long-winded rants, self serving commercials or cute content. It is all about value. When producing that value, ask yourself; who and how will you produce your podcast? Who will review it and how? Will you get it transcribed? There are legal issues to consider as well.

Despite these issues podcasting can be simple. Once you have determined your format and established a process the whole process gets much easier. Still podcasting takes a proactive effort, a planned approach, creative development and the courage to try new things. But if you have the courage, and are willing to put the front-end work into it podcasting and mobile audio can provide huge benefits. If you would like to:

-- Reach a global audience
-- Connect with that audience in a new and effective ways
-- Save your audience time
-- Share the passion, experience and stories of your business

http://www.ipodresourcecenter.com/iPods_and_Podcasting_for_Learning_and_Sales_Enable.html

iPods & Theft, Of Body Fat That Is

Twenty years ago we used cassette players, ten years ago it was portable CD players, five years ago we were burning our own CD’s and since then it has been the onslaught of the ever popular iPod and other related MP3 players. Our world has changed so drastically in such a short time period. This new revolution has been so big, that I am now crediting these iPod’s and MP3 players with literally tons of weight lost during exercising. For those us who exercise regularly, these devices have become the norm in our workout routines. Glance at any runner, walker or people working out at a gym in your area and you will see what I am talking about (as if you have been living in a cave). The percentages are much higher today than in the past. Have we become antisocial towards other people? Maybe, but maybe we are just in the iZone”. We love these things so much and for so many reasons.

So, what’s the big difference? Whether its twenty years ago or today, we are still listening to music. Why are we so addicted to these machines and what about them puts us in this iZone”. The differences are obvious. First comes size. Those old clunky cassette players and CD players were just too big. Although you could strap it to your waist or arm, it just was not that appealing to have it weighting you down, besides the fact that the CD’s often skipped and the cassettes needed to be flipped. The newest players are as small as a pack of gum or even smaller and we have an abundance of accessories that aid us in forgetting that we are wearing them.

Second, we can store a near infinite number of songs on our little white gems. Regardless of size we can choose from somewhere around 100 songs to tens of thousands. WOW! That just blows those old fossils out of the water. Imagine a new MP3 player on sale at your local electronics store that holds a whopping 15 songs! Huh? Doesn’t sound like such a hot buy? Well in the 80’s and 90’s our cassette players and CD players held just around that many.

Now lets talk about ease of use. We didn’t mind recording tapes and CD’s that much, but boy was it time consuming. We now use our computers with USB or Firewire cables and boy it is an absolute snap. We save time and picking songs is simple also. No more loading cassettes and then fast-forwarding to find a spot. CD’s may have been a little bit easier, but they still required the right equipment and time.

Those are the obvious differences, but not the leading reason for our lust. We are in love with the individuality and diversity that these machines afford us. The words individuality and diversity have been etched in our vocabulary over the past ten years and that is exactly what iPod’s and MP3 players deliver for us. With the ease of use and song storing capacity we gain an immense amount of power. We stuff these creations chock full of diversity. Everyday in our lives we have many moods. Maybe we just had a bad night or maybe we just got some great news. Without worrying about any extra time or thought, we can go to the gym and scroll through artist after artist and pick what our mood demands. We almost never have a loss for music that appeals to us. It could be a brand new hit single or some song from the past that gets us psyched and ready to go. The primitive ancestors we were accustomed to just couldn’t deliver this remarkable feature. Imagine being instantly motivated because of a library that seems endless. That is exactly what the creators of these modern marvels have done for us.

We hear stories about the obesity epidemic in America almost everyday. So how can my claim be substantiated? Regardless of any other factors, we have a large amount of people in this country who workout on a regular basis. Gym memberships have increased over the past decade. Of those people exercising, a significant percentage of them are utilizing our newest technologies to their advantage. iPod’s and MP3 players give us a chance to get out of our bodies and minds for that workout period and can actually make time seem to go faster. Instead of thinking about every step you take, your mind is focused on that song that is geared for a specific mood. You have an almost out of body experience. This iZone” creates a new place for us. This place allows us to perform at an optimal level regardless of where we are and who is around us. So keep those batteries charged and those song lists fresh and America’s weight loss will continue on its current hot streak for those of us who are committed to staying healthy.

If you haven’t begun yet, this is such a great way to get started and make a difference in your life. Pick up an iPod or take that one you have off your desk and start working out. Join the revolution. It can be as simple as a short walk here or there or you can renew that old gym membership. Any place can be a starting point to a new lifetime commitment. Update that song list and give it a try. Let those songs release your minds grip over your body. It can change the way you think about exercising. I guarantee you will experience the iZone” for yourself. Good Luck and what the heck, sing out loud while you run down the block!

http://www.ipodresourcecenter.com/iPods_Theft_Of_Body_Fat_That_Is.html

iPods Cases For iPods

iPods have cornered the market in terms of trendy mp3 players and the latest, third generation, versions offer photograph and video options too. Then there is the 'iPod nano' and the 'iPod mini' and the 'iPod shuffle' too! These gadgets have remained popular for some time now and alongside the sale of iPods an industry has grown in accessories.

The biggest advantage of an iPod is its size and therefore the ability to take it with you wherever you go. However, this can cause problems as they are also quite delicate and the screen and case are prone to scratching, even during normal usage. Therefore there is a whole market out there offering cases to protect your iPod from damage and to make it possible for you to take it literally anywhere. Most cases now come with a variety of options for straps and clips to make sure your iPod never leaves your side until you are ready to put it away.

IPod Case Type 1: Socks

Yes really! This is just a pocket that your iPod slips into and it can be made out of sock material, usually cotton or wool. It's easy to make them fit all the different shapes and sizes of iPods and they can be made in a variety of materials and colors. You can get iPod socks from Apple but there are lots of other places to choose from offering all sorts of styles and colors. But why buy one when they are so easy to make. I used a pair of men's thick sports socks. I cut off the foot then sewed up the end where the foot would have been. That's all there is to it and you get two iPod cases for the price of a pair of socks.

IPod Case Type 2: Fabric and Skins

I'm not sure whether the fabric cases here shouldn't come under the 'socks' label, but having looked at various websites, there are some really wacky cases for iPods available, at a cost. The options should suit all tastes from pink and fluffy to textured and to practical plain "Hotromz" make the cases to fit all types of iPod available. More expensive than a sock but they do make an individual statement about the owner!

If you don't want an iPod case that issues a fashion statement then you can try something a little simpler like a wallet covered with tweed or other fabric. The problem with the wallet approach though is that you have to remove the player from the iPod case in order to use it. I think that's a bit inconvenient.

If standing out from the crowd is not your style, there are other fabric options available, such as tweed covered wallets that the iPod just slides into. However, if you wish to change anything, or look at the screen, you need to take the player out of the iPod case.

The 'Moshi' pouch is like a cross between fabric and skins. Made of a special fabric called 'Terahedron'. Inside the iPod case there are microscopic filaments that help to clean the iPod of fingerprints and smears. The iPod case is also resistant to water and dirt. With a handy pocket for storing earphones, this iPod case is not expensive and proving quite popular.

Skins are made from silicone rubber or orca-skin neoprene. The silicone variety provides a translucent skin so that you can still see the iPod inside. They have clear screen protectors too, so there is no need to remove the player from the iPod case to use it. Neoprene covers are best for those people who like to take their iPods when they are taking part in outdoor activities. Tough and strong, they are made to protect the iPod regardless of where you are. They still offer a clear view of the screen, but the cases often have shaped grips on the sides for easy handling. Some have a lid to protect the front and a pocket to store earphones.

IPod Case Type 3: Leather

Leather cases for iPods are the most expensive option there is, but not always the most practical, leather iPod cases offer a very smart alternative to the brightly coloured neoprene or silicone skin, or the fabric versions. Some manufacturers offer the opportunity for you to have your initials printed on the iPod case, just to make sure no-one mistakes whose case it is. Leather iPod cases come in several different styles, such as one that looks like a notebook with a front flap, or there is one that has a flap that fixes over the top, like a purse. The ultimate and possibly the most expensive iPod case available is one made from ostrich leather!

IPod Case Type 4: Sports Cases and Armbands

The ultimate in portable cases for iPods with elasticised straps that have neoprene cases attached, ready for you to strap on your upper arm. This turns your iPod into the ideal partner to take to the gym where you can exercise whilst listening to your favourite music or other download.

If you are not too keen on wearing it on your upper arm, a new variation is a case that slips on to your hand, which is easy to access if you wish to change whatever you are listening to. This style is most suited for those who want to exercise outdoors such as joggers or walkers.

http://www.ipodresourcecenter.com/iPods_Cases_For_iPods.html

How to Transfer Movies to Your iPod in 3 Easy Steps

There’s a very easy and quick way any iPod Video owner can use to get their favorite movies into their iPod Video. But first, we have to know what video formats the iPod works with. There are various types of video formats:

- DVD
- AVI
- DivX
- XviD
- WMV
- ASF
- RM
- RMVB
- Mpg/Mpeg

They appear as an extension after the file name of your video… such as ‘The Longest Yard.avi’…So to feed your iPod with videos, all we have to do is convert these formats into the MP4 video format, which the iPod only allows. The MP4 format is very compressed and saves a lot of space on your iPod hard drive.

Here is what you need as basics:

- A Video-to-iPod Converter. There is software that converts any video format to the iPod MP4 format.

- A DVD Player installed on your computer. You can use iTunes to preview videos before they get put into your iPod.

- A DVD Ripper installed in your computer if you want to transfer DVD into your iPod. Also, there is a software which converts any video format plus the DVD format to the iPod MP4 video format.

- iTunes, which is free for download at the Apple website.

- And your Video iPod with its USB Cable.

Here is the Basic 3 Step Method:

1. Use your Video-to-iPod converter to locate the video you want to convert into the iPod MP4 format in your hard drive… and click select/convert. Remember in the Output Settings”, select DivX 6.0 codec” for the optimum output.

2. If you want to copy DVD movies into your iPod, you need to use a DVD ripper to rip the DVD file out of the DVD…use the DVD ripper to select the movie you want to transfer to your iPod and click extract/rip.

3. Find the files that have been converted, DVD or Non-DVD using the iTunes Library. Make sure they appear in iTunes and test if they work. Load the MP4 files to your iPod by clicking Update iPod” under File” in iTunes.

There you go, a simple method to enjoy your movies – whatever you want, wherever you want and whenever you want!

http://www.ipodresourcecenter.com/How_to_Transfer_Movies_to_Your_iPod_in_3_Easy_St.html