Thursday, June 14, 2007

iPodpedia on Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show

On June 12th I was a guest on the Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show, out of Las Vegas, talking about iPodpedia and the iPod. You can listen to a podcast of that show here. I'm scheduled to appear again on the June 26th show, so mark your calendars -- you can listen to the show live on the Computer Outlook website.

iPod Shuffle Adapters

Here are some cool new accessories for the second-generation iPod shuffle. First up is Griffin's Dock Adapter for iPod Shuffle ($19.99); one end of the adapter connects to the shuffle's earphone jack, the other side is a standard iPod dock connector. It lets you use the shuffle with any iPod dock or speaker system.

Also cool is DLO's PowerBug for iPod Shuffle ($22.99). One end of the cable connects to the shuffle's earphone jack, the other end has a standard USB connector. You can use the cable as a USB cable, or connect the USB end to the included AC adapter. In this fashion, the PowerBug lets you recharge your shuffle from any AC power jack.

Monday, June 4, 2007

iPhone Release Date: June 29th

Apple will release its long-awaited iPhone combination iPod/smartphone on June 29th. Two models will be available, a $499 model with 4 GB music/video storage and a $599 model with 8 GB storage. In the U.S., the iPhone will work exclusively with the AT&T mobile service.

Friday, June 1, 2007

160 GB Apple TV Available

Apples is now shipping a second Apple TV model, this one with a 160 GB hard drive (vs. the original 40 GB) for $399. All Apple TVs are also being upgraded to stream YouTube videos; expect to see the YouTube option your Apple TV screen sometime in mid-June. In my mind, the 160 GB hard drive (for $100 more than the base model) makes Apple TV now worth considering, although my own CD collection takes up more than 400 GB on my Windows Media Center PC -- so it's still not big enough!

iTunes Plus is Here (and so is iTunes 7.2)

Apple has just released the latest update to the iTunes software, version 7.2. The main new feature in iTunes 7.2 is support for DRM-free tracks from the iTunes Store. These tracks, dubbed iTunes Plus, are offered at a 30-cent premium ($1.29/track), and also have a higher bitrate (256 kbps vs. the normal 128 kbps). Apples says these tracks sound "virtually indistinguishable" from the originals, which isn't true, but they do sound a lot better than normal-bitrate tracks. And the lack of DRM means you can copy them to as many computers or CDs as you want.