Wednesday, September 5, 2007

iPod Shuffle: Technology for a Lifetime

If someone said fifteen years ago that you could hold 240 songs in a device no bigger than a pack of gum, you’d probably be hauled off to the loony bin. But today, they are more of a reality than Survivor, the Apprentice and American Idol combined. This is an innovation brought upon by Apple with their iPod and the iPod shuffle.

The iPod is a family of extremely popular digital music players from Apple that was introduced in the year 2001 for the Mac and in 2002 for windows. The iPods are noted for their user interface that originally features a circular scroll wheel that later become touch sensitive and clickable, thus the term click wheel.

Since its unveiling, the iPod released a new model each year. On January 11, 2005, Apple launched its smallest and most affordable member of the line-up, the iPod shuffle.

What is remarkable about the iPod shuffle is that it is the first iPod that used flash-based memory, allowing it to be constructed in a small frame. The shuffle, as its name implies, plays music in a shuffling order, thus making Apple use the tagline “Life is Random” in its unveiling.

The new iPod Shuffle rejects the norm by playing your favorite songs in a different order every time. This new iPod is loaded with songs by just simply plugging it into a computer’s USB port and let iTunes auto fill it with up to two hundred forty songs and a new experience each and every time.

The new iPod Shuffle only weighs as much as a car key and make a tuneful fashion statement. Just put the included lanyard around your neck and take a walk or run or ride or do whatever that satisfies you. It runs up to twelve hours of continuous playback time and it keeps going like the little rabbit with drums.

A neat little cap protects the USB connector and the white ear bud headphones tell the world that you are a music lover in style. The iPod Shuffle can also be made as splash-proof, arm-hugging and longer running with the optional accessories available.

The controls on this new iPod Shuffle feel as intuitive and easy to use as those on every iPod model. You can play, pause, skip and repeat songs in iPod shuffle in just a touch of your thumb. The circular, ergonomic controls and one click slider make it simple to listen and control even without looking.

The iPod Shuffle makes synchronizing a piece of cake. Use the optional Dock to connect to your computer or just plug iPod Shuffle directly into the USB port on any computer. Then drag and drop individual songs or podcasts, auto fills, your favorite play lists or auto fill your iPod Shuffle with a random sampling from your music library. Since iPod Shuffle automatically charges while synching, it’s ready to play after loading it with the songs. .

Do you need to transfer files? No problem, the iPod shuffle can double as a flash drive as well. You can store your files in its memory and just transfer it to your other computer. Taking home your work is a flash. Just plug in your shuffle into the USB port, drag and drop the files then vice versa to your other computer.

But more than its weight and looks, the iPod shuffle is all about quality music. Some even say they have a better bass sound quality than the other iPods’. In any case, the iPod shuffle can be very useful and quite unpredictable but hey, Life is Random.


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Apple Has Outdone Itself With Apple iPod Mini

Apple iPod mini is a 4-gig version iPod. It is much smaller, with dimensions of 50.8 X 12.7 X 91.4mm and weighing only 102g.

But you can still stuff an amazing number of songs on it, it has 25 minutes of skip protection, the battery lasts eight hours and it comes in five colors: silver, gold, green, pink or blue. Belt clip and earbud headphones included.

Apple iPod mini can store up to 1,000 tunes in its hard disk.

With their iPod mini, users can effortlessly connect with the iTunes Music Store, the most widely used online music store in the world.

Together with the Apple iPod mini comes a power adaptor, a FireWire cable, a USB 2.0 cable and a CD with iTunes 4.6. The iTunes 4.6 is compatible both for Windows and Mac. The battery life can last up to 8 hours.

With the exciting array of features, colors and capabilities, it is no wonder why Apple iPod mini have made its mark in the music player industry in such a short span of time.

Before the creation of Apple iPod mini, it seems that nothing can beat Apple iPod in its game. Besides being the leading in the hard and portable music player, Apple have already dominated the all other portable market industry.

So it does not come as a surprise that only Apple can out design the original iPod when they introduced Apple iPod mini.

But just like the original and full sized iPod, Apple iPod Mini carries a premium price tag. A tag not everyone have the capability to leave up to. For those who have, they realize that it is one thing worth paying.

A speedy FireWire/USB 2.0 connection used by Apple iPod mini makes downloads a breeze. The new click wheel inherent in the mini iPod with integrated buttons is in fact easier to navigate as opposed with the original controls.

The one tough decision consumers have a difficult time making is choosing a color. A more advanced battery is also developed to last twice that of an iPod. But then, this comes with a price range suiting an excellent device.

Among the flash memory players, the iRiver iFP-390T won Editors' Choice award. It has a sharp design, a very easy-to-use interface, and a wealth of features that go beyond those seen in other music players.

The FM tuner reception was top-notch and voice recordings were excellent. A USB 2.0 interface would probably have earned it a rating of 5.

For the fickle minded consumers, buying an Apple iPod would have caused them some regrets now that they have seen a much better device with Apple iPod mini.

Blame it all on the geniuses from Apple. Those who are just planning on buying an iPod will definitely have something to lust after in Apple iPod mini.

People are already thinking ahead. If Apple iPod mini is the thing now, what would they think of next? Leave it to Apple to come up with something that will amaze even the most difficult persons to amaze.

For the time being, Apple iPod mini is the THING. Unless the next big thing comes early, then it will remain that way for some time.



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The Amazing Features of the Apple iPod nano: Reasons why you should get one

Shocking as it was, the iPod nano came out the same day the iPod mini was introduced then discontinued. A move by Apple that is quite unorthodox but still a good seller. The nano combined the features of the iPod and the iPod shuffle which drew the attention of both types of iPod enthusiasts.

This is a portable digital music player that is considered to be a trendsetter as well as a must have for all music aficionados. It is common knowledge that iPod has led its corner of its market since its unveiling in 200. With the fourth iPod, the nano, they have further increased their lead over the competition.

But why choose the iPod nano over the multitude of portable and compact digital muic players being offered today? For a couple of good reasons;

Its very thin, compact and lightweight. You can just place it anywhere with you and you wouldn’t even notice it was there if not for the great music coming out from the earplugs.

For its size, you can either have a 2 gb or 4 gb flash memory space which means, you can carry 500-1000 songs wherever you go.

Fantastic technology. It has a state of the art processor, good system performance, and great flash memory. It’s specially designed and manufactured to provide skip-free playback. Say goodbye to the problem portable CD players never fully solved.

Its system requirements are very basic which means you don’t have to spend more money just to upgrade your computer. either a MAC OS x 10.3.4 with a USB port or Windows 2000 SP4 or windows XP will do just fine.

The iPod nano doesn’t just play music. You can carry photos and view it there as well. You can listen to audio books or read ebooks through its notes feature.

The Apple click wheel makes it easy to navigate. With its shuffle feature, you can play music in random order, because as Apple said, “Life is Random.”

You get access to iTunes and be synchronized with it and the iTunes music store, which means you get access to the world’s largest collection and selection of digital music.

It has many accessories available so you can customize it anytime you want. Change the look of your iPod nano every week or even everyday. It would feel like you have a different new nano every time. Also, you will be protecting it from scratches and damage as well.

It can be used with earphones or a dock connector. This means you can carry it with you, plug it into your car, use it with speakers, at home or at an outing. This also means that your iPod nano can go wherever you go.

Aside from the said features, the nano can also be loaded with other goodies. It also has a screen lock for security purposes, stopwatch, and a world clock that will show the time in the different places around the world.

Apple iPod nano is now the new star in the field of the iPod family; you can go for accessories that will enable you to attach the iPod around your neck, on your belt or your arm to keep it in check at all times. With its lightweight, you will need it to be attached to you at all times lest you forget your carrying it with you.



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Should You Buy Your Kid An iPod?

Every kid that I know wants an iPod but should you buy one for yours? This is a huge question that is plaguing millions of parents just here in the US. The question is how much should you be spending on your child and if you buy him or her an iPod, won’t you be spoiling them? The answer is pretty obvious really. An iPod is rather a luxury item and if you buy it for your kid then yeah, you are spoiling them. Especially if you buy it just because they asked for it.

The best way to deal with the wants of children is to make them work for the things that they don’t need. First of all little kids have no need for something as fancy and expensive as an iPod anyway. So your child is probably 13 and up. At that age they need to be learning some responsibility and they need to learn that the good things in life are things that you work for. Put them to work to earn that iPod and the chances of them really appreciating it and taking care of it are going to skyrocket.

If you are planning to buy it for their birthday, the iPod might be a little extravagant. If it is one f the big birthdays like the 16th or the 19th or even the 21st then perhaps an iPod is an okay choice, otherwise you kid is gong to turn into a spoiled brat who thinks that the world should be handed to them on a platter. The fact of the matter is that the world does not work that way nor does it revolve around your son or daughter no matter how much they wish that it did.

When it comes to giving an iPod as a Christmas gift that is only really a good choice if that is all you are going to be giving your kid. And if you have a few kids you are looking at some serious bucks if you want to get one for everyone.

There are other cheaper options of course. Many of the mp3 players out there can be purchased for just over a hundred dollars and they work pretty good and they hold a good number of songs. They are not as snazzy as the iPod or as sophisticated but they will do for most kids. Especially if you are unsure of how well your child will be bale to take care of it. It is probably a good idea to start them out on a lesser model to see if they can handle the responsibility of an iPod. That is a lot of money, and while they are worth every penny, some kids just should not have them.

For example, don’t ever let your kid take their iPod to school. Hundreds of them get stolen every year from just about every single school. Kids joke about the cheapest place to get an iPod being at school. You do not want to see your hard earned money go that way.


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Hook Up your Ride with an iPod: A Great Addition Busting the Cool-O-Meter

On the eleventh day of January 2005, the iPod shuffle was released in the market. The iPod shuffle is the latest addition to the thoroughbred stable of the iPod lineup. This digital audio player is made by Apple Computer. It was released with a tag line “Life is random”. Unlike other iPods, the shuffle was the first one to use flash memory instead of a hard disk and it only weighs about 22 grams or .78 ounces. A new innovation that made the iPod more versatile and affordable.

There are two models available for the iPod shuffle. You can get the 512 MB and the 1 GB model. It plays all the saved songs in random order, thus the name shuffle. Many users of the iPod were always putting their iPod to shuffle mode which made Apple decide to manufacture the iPod shuffle, it is a cost effective fashion that eliminates the need to program the songs to be played. It uses the iTunes’ Autofill, which plays and select song in random order and It can store up to 240 songs.

The iPod shuffle doesn’t feature the usual functions a regular iPod does, like the display mode, scroll wheel, playlist management features, address book, games, calendar, and notes capability, it is not made to be used with iSync. Another thing to note, it is not capable of playing Apple Lossless and AIFF audio files. On the brighter side, iPod shuffle is of better sound quality, with the bass more heard, than the bigger iPods. The sad thing is it does not have a screen, no equalizer and a slow speed transfer.

With more than 400 songs in a small audio machine, you can have a virtual jukebox in your home, office or car. That’s the beauty of the iPod, you can have your music wherever you are. Now imagine, you, your car and the long road. Hooking up your ride with an iPod shuffle would provide you with a great number of hours of excellent music fun.

Any long drive can be turned into a musical concert with the iPod shuffle. All you need is an iPod shuffle hookup to connect it with your cars stereo system. This would include an adapter that plugs into your iPod’s headphone jack and on the other end; there is a cassette adapter that could be plugged in the cassette slot of your cars stereo system.

This and other iPod accessories can make your iPod shuffle very adaptable to different situations. There are many car manufacturers who has seen the big influence the iPod shuffle has and their vast popularity. Many have manufactured car stereo systems that have a built in iPod hook ups ready. All you have to do is plug your iPod in and you’re good to go. You’ll never see a roadtrip the same way again.

The benefits are endless, you have great music on command. You get great quality music and you get it in random succession which means you don’t have to listen to the same songs over and over again and you eliminate the need to look down and mess with the your iPod while driving. The iPod shuffle gives you music in random succession which means you don’t have to look down while driving. You get different music every time you turn your iPod shuffle on.


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Buying the Right iPod After Considering Needs

Buying your very first mp3 player means that there are some things that you’ll need to decide on before you make you final choice and start loading your new iPod with music.

You’ll need to decide how much room you want for your iPod, since there are several different sizes for you to choose from. If you have a lot of music that you want to put onto your iPod you’ll probably want to have the large iPod, which is 40 gig. The two smaller choices for an iPod include 10 to 20 gigs. Any of these sizes of iPods will hold more than enough songs for most people.

Keep in mind that you can always delete those songs that you rarely listen to and replace them with those songs that you listen to more often. You’ll also need to determine what type of a display window that you want your iPod to have. The Apple iPod, in the 10, 20, and 40 gig sizes has a great screen display that attractive and easy to use.

If you’re too concerned about viewing what song is playing then you can choose the iPod Shuffle. The iPod Shuffle is new this year and will play your songs in a random shuffle. The one drawback about the iPod Shuffle is that it doesn’t hold as much data as the larger gig iPods.

There are many reviews that you can find online or in magazines to help you decide which iPod is best for you and your music listening tastes. The iPod has become the world’s most popular MP3 player of all time. This is due to both its great functionality and its great design.

Apple products continue to be top quality electronics that you can count on. Just look at the reputation of other Apple PC products that are becoming more popular each year.



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Forty-Two Million iPods, Which is Mine?

In Apple’s latest press release you will find that the famous iPod has clearly made its way to number one for multimedia players. It’s like a car; you don’t notice just how many of them are out there until you buy one. Personalizing iPods is becoming as popular as personalized cell phones and Hondas. There are many companies who can engrave your iPod for you but if you want to go a step further, you can get it modified. Depending on the model, there are different colored screens, casings and so much more.

One of the most distinct iPod modifications is changing the color. Not only can you change the faceplate of an iPod, but you can also change the buttons and even the screen. How great is it to personalize an iPod with your own style. Say goodbye to boring white. Try colors including blue, green, red, purple, or orange.

In addition to modifications, there are a plethora of iPod accessories to make your iPod experience more comfortable. Purchase A/C chargers, headphones, USB cables, docks, and RCA jacks. There are accessories to fit into any lifestyle.

With the growing popularity of these peripherals, another need is repair. With more and more use, unlike any other gadget, iPods will have a fair share of wear and tear. In most cases, screen repair is a must. Without the use of a protective case, scratches, water damage and such can cause your screen to become hard to read. Other repairs include sound problems, hard drive upgrades, and liquid damage. Also, if you use your iPod on a regular basis you will find that after an average of one year the battery seems to show signs of fatigue and it will just not hold a charge as long as it used to. A more powerful battery replacement is also a great idea.

Are you a do-it-yourselfer? Why not just buy iPod parts and repair your own iPod. Instead of sending off your iPod and waiting for the repair. Purchasing iPod parts is a great and hopefully quicker alternative. You may purchase individual screens, hard drives and batteries.

With this popularization of iPods, there is a growing need for individualization and repair.



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iPod: Setting the Bar Where Others Can Only Limbo

Does anyone ever still remember the big CPU’s which had HD’s with 2 to 3 GB capacities? They had these large floppy drives and disks, and of course the internet never even heard about broadband. Now compare it with the iPod. In less than fifteen years, technical advances in processors and memories have grown in capacity and amazingly have shrunk in terms of physical size. What you could store now in the lowest capacity iPod (512 MB) could store the operating software then and leave some space for some songs.

Call it impossible. Call it amazing. Call it surprising. Call it everything you want. Nevertheless, it is true. You can now fit, a plethora of songs, a multitude of videos and an eternity of pictures in the palm of your hand. Introducing, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Apple iPod.

The iPod is a small transportable audio and video innovation that provides high quality multimedia entertainment. Since its introduction in 2001, it has dominated its market and never looked back. Now on its fifth generation, it has offered so many innovations and has continued to “wow” its loyal clientele.

So, I guess it’s safe to assume that everyone or most everyone has heard about the iPod. Since your reading it from the internet, you must know something about today’s latest technologies. And since your reading this, you’re probably on the market for an iPod or has just recently bought one.

Congratulations, you have just made an excellent choice. The iPod is not the most popular portable multimedia player in the market for nothing. There are some things though that you could do to keep your iPod in tiptop condition.

The first thing somebody does after buying their iPod, besides putting songs in it and enjoying its great quality) is to customize their iPods. They want it to look totally customized and unique, just like adding rims to your car and body kits as well. But sometimes, you have to prioritize which add-ons you need.

You have to buy accessories that can address the immediate needs of your iPod.

Okay so nothing is perfect. There are some unavoidable problems that could be brought upon by certain elements, such as scratches. This is the most common problem of many iPod users. Then there is the dilemma of extreme heat when charging the iPod when it is in a non-breathable casing.

It’s a shame to see blemishes on your beautiful iPod. This could be brought upon by many circumstances, one of them is putting them in your pocket with sharp metal such as keys. So basically, you need some sort of protection. Like a skin or case maybe for the iPod.

Aside from this, you have to ensure that you know the basic care techniques, like for example charging and discharging your batteries. Without proper care, your batteries won’t provide you with its maximum performance and may die down sooner than expected.

An iPod is a great investment, not that it would earn for you, but you would get great quality performance every time. With proper care and maintenance, you could keep in tiptop shape and keep its resale value high. When the new iPod comes, you can sell your old one and get almost enough to finance for the new one.


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The iPod Family

Apple is easily the most well known name in MP3 players or personal music players. The iPod has taken the music world by storm and each time a new one is released it seems to break all previous barriers. Initially, they were slightly larger than their counterparts but they were hard drive based and so held thousands and thousands of songs but with the introduction of the iPod Nano this soon became a thing of the past. The iPod Nano uses Flash based memory and so it is infinitely smaller. In fact, it is as thin as a pencil.

The iPod is popular for a reason though. As well as being durable and very advanced it features access to iTunes. ITunes is the Internet’s largest music store and allows iPod users to download tracks to their computer or to their MP3 player. ITunes has also become huge in terms of popularity.

The 2GB Nano allows the storage of up to around 500 songs, the 4GB Nano 1,000 songs. They are both available in either black or white and despite their miniature size they are hardy and resistant to general wear and tear. With predictions that the next iPod to be released will be the video iPod, Apple once again look certain to take the portable media device to yet another level.

Buying an iPod now also requires buying into an iPod. Those who own them love them, but there are some that are skeptical due to its price being quite high compared to other MP3 players and the fact that they feel they are paying for the Apple brand. However, the iPod is an excellent personal audio player and you will have to go a long way to find one that is as good and offers a service similar to iTunes.


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iPod Video… At Long Last!

Another round of applause for Apple as they launched their fifth generation iPod which not only plays quality music and displays photos, they now can play videos too.

The newest kid on the block, the iPod Video, is wanted by those with a high budget or who wish to watch video on their iPod. It has a slightly larger screen than the iPod Nano and play a crisp 30 fps video display.

iPod video, in either black or white, has a 30GB and 60GB storage memory. It features a 2.5-inch color screen and is thinner than the older iPod. The new video feature has long been waited for and has already been the subject of many Apple rumor in many websites for some time now.

How does iPod video works?

You first have to go to the iTunes store through the new iTunes 6 software and access the videos area.

iTunes 6 gives you:

• Video podcasting

• 2,000 music videos for $1.99 each

• Six Pixar short films for $1.99 each

• ABC TV shows for $1.99 each

• DRM: No burning allowed. Play videos on up to five computers and unlimited iPods as you want. Videos are protected.

• Gifting: iTunes 6 allows you to buy a friend a song.

• Customer reviews

• "Just for you" personalized recommendations on the main page based on iTunes purchases.
From there, you can choose from more than 2,000 music videos as well as ad-free episodes of selected ABC or Disney television programs.

After you make your purchases, the videos are downloaded to the iTunes software on your computer and then synced onto the iPod itself. You then access the videos by selecting the video option from the main screen on the iPod’s display.

That done, you can now navigate and play your video using the click wheel.

That is how simple and uncomplicated the video iPod works. If you are one of those who is already familiar with these things, then it will not pose a problem anymore.

Besides videos purchased from the iTunes store, iPod video can also play home videos exported from Apple’s QuickTime 7 Pro.

Other features of the new iPod video are those which have been introduced in previous model of this device. This includes USB 2.0 support, calendar and contacts synchronization with Microsoft Outlook, song shuffle, photo slideshows set to music, a world clock and playlists.

Some of the fresh new improvements of iPod video include:

• 16x9 screen

• 320x340 pixels

• 260,000 colors

• Realtime decoding of MPEG4 and H.264 at 30fps

• Video out

• 30GB retails for $299 and 60GB for $399

• The 60GB model is thinner than the current 20GB

• The 30GB holds 75 hours of video

Portable media players with the capacity to play video are not new, but it looks like Apple is hoping to take is dominance of the digital audio landscape to video.

This is a huge step forward in accessibility and portability of digital entertainment. It will be very interesting to watch where things will go from here. If the iPod video device will not surpassed for some time, then for sure it will become the most in demand iPod ever made.

As of now, expect a lot more accessories and features for iPod video to appear in the future.


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