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iTunes 8 now available, HD TV shows, NBC is back, Genius recommendations
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Movies, Music, PC / Laptop, Software,
iTunes 8 was announced this morning as part of the whole Let’s Rock Apple announcement festivities, and there were a few nice pieces of news. First, NBC is back on iTunes with shows like The Office, 30 Rock, and Ballestar Galactics. What’s more, though, is that iTunes will now be selling TV shows in high definition. Aside from the feeling that I know my wallet is about to be drained, this is a very welcome addition. My only hope is that they allow those of us who have purchased shows in SD to “upgrade” to the HD versions at a discount. It’s only fair, right?
In other news, Apple has added “Genius” to iTunes - that being a recommendation engine that looks at the track you are listening to, and recommends other tracks in the iTunes store that it believes you would like. In addition, Genius can also create truly customized playlists on the fly, again, just by sampling what you are listening to. It will pull other songs from your iTunes library that it believes would complement your selection, without any work to be done on your part. We must admit, it looks slick. Speaking of which, they’ve also included a new visualizer, which is just off the hook. You’ve gotta see it to believe it.
iTunes 8 is available now.
Read More 
| iTunes
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iPod touch gets updated, Genius playlists, Nike+ built-in
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Movies, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Apple is improving the iPod touch with a thinner stainless steel case, hardware volume controls, a built-in speaker, and a Nike+ receiver (you’ll need to puchase a Nike+ kit to take advantage of that one.) Battery life is now at 36 hours for music, which translates to around six hours for video. The new Genius feature will be included, alongside the App Store. They’ve also redone the casing, which is now a thinner stainless steel, and we’ve even got actual hardware volume control buttons. The new iPod touch is available now - 8GB for $229, 16GB for $299, and 32GB for $399. You can pick on up from the Apple Store Online now.
Read More | iPod touch
Apple Introduces In-Ear Headphones
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Accessories, Apple, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
Apple announced new in-ear headphones that contain two high-performance drivers, a woofer and tweeter, built-in. The price might be high at $79, but it may well be worth it, especially if you have a discerning ear. The three pairs of changeable is a nice inclusion since all ears are created differently and you’ll be able to find just the right fit, unlike that last in-ear that Apple made a while back. Another nifty feature here is the “control capsule”, which includes a microphone, volume adjustment, and music/video playback control. Oddly, despite the microphone, these don’t seem to be compatible with the iPhone - Apple says the mic is great for voice notes though. In that case, we should all run out and get these! They’ll be available in October.
What? You don’t want to pay a high price for the Apple logo? I mean, comfort?
Read More | Apple In-Ear Headphones
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iPod classic gets bumped to 120GB
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Apple, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Storage,
As part of this morning’s Let’s Rock event, Apple announced that the iPod classic was going to be available in one model from here on out, that being 120GB. While that is down from the 160GB model that was available previously, it is also up from the 80GB version that most people were buying. In case you didn’t know, that amount of space gives you the ability to save 30,000 songs. 30,000! Does anyone really have the time to do download, and listen to, that many songs? If so, I’d like to meet him (or, more appropriately, her) - on second thought, maybe I don’t. In either case, this will be the only version of the classic iPod moving forward and it will retail for a cool $249. You can order one now at the Apple Store Online.
Read More | iPod classic
Here’s an original gift for a kid, mate, or anyone else that refuses to use a real ATM. Make a deposit of paper bills or coinage in the mini-bank, and it will keep track of your earnings. Of course there is a card with a PIN number so that you can withdraw when times get tough. At a size of 25.5 x 22 x 9cm, the ATM is recommended for ages of 8 and older. Pre-order for £24.99 (~$46.48) for an October release date.
Read More | I Want One of Those
We guess that it is not only blondes who are having more fun these days. The SwissCopter AG runs on Perosin, a mixture of 50% hydrogen peroxide and additives. While H2-O2 has been used before in the 30’s for fuel, the mixture contained 20% more and was highly explosive. The Swiss company claims their vehicle is inexpensive, low maintenance, and can also run on kerosene and bio-ethanol. They say that the copter already has plenty of pre-orders and should be out by 2010.
Read More | Innosuisse via cnet
StellarWindow Software - Astronomy on Your Computer
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: PC / Laptop, Science, Software, USB,
Stargazers will soon have a new device to help them out. StellarWindow works with a USB dongle and has built-in tilt 3-axis accelerator sensor and electric compass. After installation, the dongle finds your location and will point out what you can see. The software has voice recognition if you are looking for a particular planet, constellation, or other astral body. Built by Japanese students who formed Fairy Devices, they are hoping to release StellarWindow this year for ¥26,250 (~$244.00.)
Read More | Fairy Devices (translated)
iBike Console Duo for iPod nano
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Music, Portable Audio / Video, Transportation, Wireless / WiFi,
Now that you are cycling your way to work, why not reward yourself with all the money you saved on fuel by treating your iPod nano to an iBikeConsole Duo? The waterproof device will not only play your tunes, it has wireless control on the grips with glove-friendly keys and a 3.5mm stereo speaker/headphone jack. Push the mode button and the gadget will keep track of your speed, trip length, and total distance. At a size of 117 x 62 x 26mm and a weight of .5 kg, the basic Duo is available for $76.00 but is customizable for those who take biking very seriously.
Read More | iBike Console Duo Product Page
Canon has introduced its FAXPHONE/Printer L90 that uses laser technology for both. Built for small businesses and home offices, it produces 13 cpm and 15 ppm in print mode. It also features an up to 33.6 Kbps Super G3 modem for a speed of about 3 seconds per page. Images have a 600x600 dpi print resolution in monochrome and the device has a 30-sheet auto-sheet feeder. The FAXPHONE, with its convenient 15 one-touch dials and 100 coded dials, will be out this month with a price of $199.99.
Read More | Canon
Wilmington Goes All-DTV Early
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Smart Home,
Wilmington, North Carolina volunteered to be the very first U.S. market to change to digital-only television broadcasting. While the rest of us have to wait until February, the lucky city’s Mayor Bill Saffo and FCC’s Michael Copps pulled a pseudo switch to mark the event. More than 69,000 coupons for 37,500 households in the Wilmington market were requested. Those who didn’t purchase the ATCS tuners will see a crawl at the bottom of their screen with a toll-free number to get with the plan.
Mayor Saffo said, “If nobody calls, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t a problem. And if a thousand people call it doesn’t mean this wasn’t a success. Because success is ultimately going to be measured by what we’ve learned and can put in place to do next February.”
Read More | ABC News
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