via  http://www.individualsole.com/?p=15621

A confluence of what-ifs: Envisioning a WiMax version of the iPod Touch with Skype.

(Credit: CNET)If you want an iPhone in the U.S., you’ve got two choices: use AT&T’s wireless service, or risk unlocking your phone to use T-Mobile (the only other American provider that’s compatible with the iPhone’s SIM-based GSM design). And with AT&T’s exclusivity contract in effect until 2012, we’ll be well into the next presidential election cycle before that changes. But maybe there’s a loophole in the form of the iPod Touch–and its eventual successor.

While it looks almost identical, the iPod Touch is missing a few key iPhone features. But let’s envision a second-gen Touch that changes that–call it the iPod Max. The Max would use nearly the exact same housing as the iPhone, including the built-in speaker, microphone, Bluetooth, and camera missing from the Touch. (And since we’re fantasizing here, I’ll go ahead and make sure the Max uses a flush headphone jack, not that annoying recessed version found on the iPhone.) But here’s the key: in addition to Wi-Fi, the iPod Max would have a WiMax module in place of the cellular radio found on the iPhone. And that’s where things could get interesting.

WiMax is the fledgling 4G high-speed wireless service that’s due to be rolled out by Sprint later this year. The details are still thin, but the WiMax service–sold under the “Xohm” brand–is said to be available on a much more flexible basis than cellular service. So instead of a dreaded two-year contract, you’ll pay for service on a more a la carte basis–by the hour, by the day, or by the month, presumably on a flat fee all-you-can-eat data plan.

So Apple sells its iPod Max ($499 for 64GB, $399 for 32GB) as a standalone touch-screen iPod that can also double as a wireless data device. But unlike the current Wi-Fi-only iPod Touch, the user can also use the Max to connect to the Sprint/Xohm WiMax network, when and where it’s available. That would provide access to any and all Internet-connected apps, even when outside the range of a Wi-Fi hotspot.

But why stop at e-mail, instant messaging, Web browsing, and Google Maps? Throw a Skype application on the iPod Max, and the possibilities really expand. If the free Skype-to-Skype calling isn’t enough for you, just pay up for Skype’s various upgrades–the ability to call landlines and cell phones anywhere in the world, a standard phone number so you can receive calls, voice mail, and even SMS text messaging. Granted, you’d be paying two bills–the WiMax service fee plus the Skype charges–but I’d be willing to bet that even that combined rate would be less than what some people are currently paying for a cell phone bill that includes a good data plan. Meanwhile, Apple gets to sell another “iPhone” that works outside of AT&T’s network–but because Skype telephony is technically a “data” service, Apple’s not violating the letter of its exclusivity contract with the wireless carrier.

Now, let’s refresh a key point in case you’re just skimming this: I’m making all of this up. There is no such thing as an iPod Max, there’s no announced plans for an WiMax-enabled iPod, and there’s not even a Skype application available on the iPhone/iPod Touch platform, and even if one were to appear, the apparent inability of third-party applications to run in the background (multitask) seems to be a huge stumbling block. And even if all of that were to be resolved, there are still a lot of variables, not the least of which is Sprint’s WiMax network: it hasn’t yet been launched, and until it is, its pricing, coverage, and reliability remains completely theoretical. (Though it looks as if we’ll be getting details sooner rather than later.)

By the same token, however, none of this is completely outside the realm of possibility, either.

So what do you think? Would you like to see a Skype-friendly version of the iPod Touch? Or are you and your iPhone happily married to AT&T until 2012?

via http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9895547-1.html

Apple Computer has had three major marketing campaign runs that have changed the way the world looks at Apple Computer. ” Think Different,” “Switcher,” and most recently the PC and Mac guys. With the two most recent campaigns Apple has focused on the fear that many PC users have of getting a virus, leading users to believe that using a Mac on the Internet is like living in a small country town instead of the big city. Simply put, use a Mac and you will be safe from the dangers of the scary Internet. For the most part this has always been true. As Mac users we are fairly safe from viruses and spyware, or so we are lead to believe.

The safety that resides in the Mac community is based on its size, and that our hardware and software is completely different. The Mac community is changing and it is changing fast. We are no longer as different as we once were and our numbers are growing rapidly. This fact has been present for a number of years but was not a huge concern because the internet script kiddies (hackers who base thir hacks off of prebuilt applications that require little or no computer knowledge to use) had yet to see anything that targeted the Macintosh. Today things are different.

During my weekly trips to the local monster chain bookstore I always make a point of checking out all the new computer magazines to catch up on any events that I may have missed. I always make a special point to keep an eye out for the hacker magazines that all the wanna be hackers across the globe pick up. While flipping through one I found a very interesting article titled “iPod Sneakiness.” This article was focused on targeting unsuspecting computer users who are more then happy to let someone plug in an iPod for a quick charge. The article provides details on configuring the iPod as a hacking tool to automatically collect data in the background while it is charging. Very much like a DVD can automatically play when inserted into your computer, an iPod can automatically complete tasks as well, such as gathering passwords and personal information.

Although this has always been possible it is important to make note that Apple products are now gaining attention in the computer underground. For Mac users the coming years are going to end up showing just how unsafe our Mac community may be. Although you may feel it is a waste of money to purchase, install, and update regularly a respected virus scanning application, just remember that virus scanning software only protects you from what it knows about. If you don’t update virus software you may never know about the new virus out there.

via  http://www.macnn.com/blogs/?p=86

Requirements:

PQ DVD to iPod video converter software runs on PC (Microsoft Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP). (No Mac OS version has been planed yet) A standard DVD-ROM drive is required to rip/transfer DVD to iPod movie. iTunes software is required to copy/sync iPod movies. Supported iPod: iPod Touch (8GB/16GB), iPod Video (30GB/60GB/80GB), iPod Classic (80GB/160GB), iPod Nano (4GB/8GB)

Nike Inc. and Apple Inc. is up for another hit after previous successful collaboration. Remember the wireless system embedded in selected Nike running shoes with a sensor that communicates with Apple’s iPod Nano?

This time, the companies want to send iPod right to the gym; approaching several gym equipment makers and fitness clubs, 24-Hour Fitness and Virgin Athletic Health Clubs to allow their members to plug their iPod Nano into cardio equipment.

By having the Nano plugged into the cardio equipments, users’ workouts will be tracked and their fitness information will be sent to a Nike Web site.

People love tracking themselves to keep motivated,” said Trevor Edwards, Nike’s vice president of global brand and category management. “They want credit.”

Besides tracking their progress, users can also access other benefits in the Nike+ site such as buying songs or joining a social network to challenge other users to a workout goal.

The Nike+ site has roughly 1,000 runners sign up daily with members in more than 160 countries, including countries where the product isn’t even sold.

The new technology is expected to be up and running in no less than 500 gyms worldwide this summer.

via http://news.upickreviews.com/apple/ipod-in-gym/

A researcher at Osaka University in Japan has developed a device that allows users to control their iPod music player via eye winks.

Called the KomeKami Switch, or Temple Switch, the gadget uses infrared sensors and a microcomputer to detect differences in the movement of your skin when you wink.

The KomeKami Switch can be clipped to eyeglasses or headphones and will respond to various combinations of winks by remotely controlling play, pause, replay, and skip functions of the iPod, says its developer, Kazuhiro Taniguchi, a researcher at the university’s Graduate School of Engineering.

A few wink commands for the KomeKami Switch: close both eyes for a second to start the iPod and blink again to stop the machine; to replay a tune, wink strongly with the left eye for one second, or wink with the right eye to skip to the next song.

via http://www.applesource.com.au/ipod/first-look-wink-activated-ipod-controller/530/

We have multiple iPods in my house (like Dave) and have registered those iPods to multiple computers over time. So when I got my iPod Shuffle last year, I thought I’d make life easy by setting up a folder in iTunes on our one desktop computer acting as a home media server. I can add and remove songs from that one folder, sync my Shuffle, and voila! I have a brand new workout mix.

Unfortunately yesterday I couldn’t find my Shuffle before my run on the treadmill, so I grabbed my old iPod Mini. The Mini still works great, but it had none of my new favorite workout tunes. I knew I could sync the Mini to the folder I’d dedicated to the Shuffle to grab my newer stuff, but that would mean erasing all of the existing music on the Mini. Worse, the computer that was originally registered to the Mini - holding all of my purchased iTunes music and uploaded CDs - is long gone. Essentially my Mini has been carrying music with no back-up.

In the end, I decided most of my purchased iTunes music had likely been added to our household music library on the dedicated media server computer. There was a decent chance that some of my uploaded CDs weren’t in the library, but if necessary, I still had those CDs packed away somewhere and could find and re-upload them. (Not that that will ever happen…)

Bottom line: I gave up worrying about losing the music on my Mini and synced it to the music I had set aside for my Shuffle.

The situation was irritating at best and infuriating at worst, and I’m betting many, many people have gone through something similar. In fact I’ve heard stories about people losing an entire music collection by unwittingly connecting and syncing an iPod to a new computer. The fault lies in the rigidity of DRM, but I’ve always been surprised that there hasn’t been a backlash against Apple iPods specifically because of their market dominance. Many people have now had iPods for years, which means they’ve likely upgraded computer, iPod or both at least once. I’d have thought by now that there would have been some kind of uproar against iPods as people realized how difficult it can be to maintain a music library with one.

On a positive note, the situation is of course rapidly changing as more and more digital music goes DRM-free. Just this week I bought a bunch more tunes from Amazon MP3 and have moved them around to multiple devices already. (Still waiting on my Slacker player) However, what about the people who built up iTunes music collections and now carry around hundreds or thousands of DRM-protected tunes around? Impressively, it doesn’t seem Apple has alienated many of those folks. For one reason or another, despite being a frontrunner in digital music, the iPod has remained pretty successfully above the DRM fray. Some people might argue differently, but in the population at large, the iPod is still the music player of choice.

via http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2008-03/ipod-irritation-an-extended-rant/

Creatures of habit that we are, we sometimes get into a gadget rut, forgetting that our iPods are probably capable of a lot more than what we do with them. So far, I’ve used mine for listening to music and podcasts, watching movies (which isn’t my idea of film appreciation), and receiving RSS feeds. But I didn’t know what I was missing until I stumbled across “100 Ways to Use Your iPod to Learn and Study Better” from the Online Education Database (OEDb).

Many of the suggestions are free, while some have a low-cost fee. There’s not a loser in the bunch, and they come from some far-flung places on the Web.

Some are tutorials:

• Learning Podcasting: If you want to create your own podcast to share your skills or expertise on a particular subject, read this in-depth introduction to podcasting from Wise-Women.org.
• Podtender 3.0: This software program will teach you how to make all kinds of tasty cocktails for your next party.

Some are applications that make learning easier:

• iGadget: Make your class notes, presentations, study guides and other materials iPod-friendly by using iGadget. You’ll be able to move documents and files back and forth between your iPod and your computer easily and securely.
• YouTube to iPod Converter 2.6: This free converter lets you watch educational videos, TV clips and more on your iPod so that you can review for tests, contribute to class discussions or add them to a presentation.

Some are for lifelong learners:

• Journeys: Take walking tours in cities like Salzburg, Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris and ancient Rome by downloading iPod-compatible guides from this site.
• Free Classic Audiobooks: Find books like Herman Melville’s Typee, Huckleberry Finn and Swiss Family Robinson in iPod-friendly formats here.

And some are meant to augment other studies:

• Stedman’s Medical Terminology Flash Cards:This set of iPod-friendly flash cards will help any healthcare, nursing, pre-med or medical student prepare for an exam.
• Teach Kids Valuable Lessons With Free Sesame Street iPod Videos: Lifehacker writes about the six free Sesame Street videos offered on iTunes, perfect for introducing your child to technology and other educational basics.

Get through those 100 and you’ll find another 50 at kottke.org

via http://www.gatlineducation.com/education-trends/?p=396

If you don’t have a Kensington Mouse remote but still want to groove around your place without running to your computer every four minutes (because you want to hear that Kanye song again), use your iPhone (or iPod Touch) as a remote control! All you need is WiFi, and the download Signal (the demo is free and all you need to do is this). Then, have iTunes open on your computer.

First, put one hand in the air. Wave it around like you just do not care. With the other hand, point your iPhone browser to the address the demo download gives you — after the first time you go to it, add the web app as an icon to your iPhone home screen or just bookmark it.

From Signal you can browse your entire iTunes library and it will even display the album art on your iPhone or Touch. Party on, geeks!

via http://www.geeksugar.com/1085604

Rumors flying again.  It seems that a blogger is saying that a local newspaper add for Circuit City is showing a purple iPod nano.  

I particularly think that this could be a mistake.   Take a look at both of these snipits.  One of the newspaper add and then one from Apple’s website.

Here is where I have drawn my conclusion from.  Take a good look at both pictures.  If the advertisement was an image from Apple it should have a different picture in the purple iPod nano.  

If you notice in the two pictures.  All of the pics are the same for the corresponding color iPods.  EXCEPT the Purple and Pink.  They seem to have the same picture.  Every color should have it’s own pic.  That is why I think that the news paper add just got the color wrong.  

 Well, I could be wrong.  That is why this is in the rumor section.  Let’s see if we can see a Purple iPod nano soon.  

via http://ipodtouch4all.com/2008/03/03/ipod-nano-gets-a-grape-flavor/