January 13th, 2006
The XtremeMac MicroPack is a universal dock that can provide up to 80 hours of music on your iPod, and up to 8 hours of video on new iPods with video. The XtremeMac MicroPack dock is powered by a Lithium Polymer battery and is expected to ship some time in spring priced at $99.
MicroPack allows you to sync with iTunes while iPod sits in the dock. It also comes with a headphone amplifier that can provide sound to 2 headsets that each have separately adjustable volume control. It also has line-in, line-out and can charge the iPod.
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January 12th, 2006
Aspen’s Sky Hotel has announced an upgrade to each of it’s 90 rooms to feature new iHome technology. The iHome is an alarm clock featuring an integrated iPod docking station that can charge and play music from any iPod (3G / 4G), iPod mini and iPod photo.
Using the iHome alarm clock guests can wake up to either radio or music played from their iPod. This announcement comes hot on the heels of Chrysler’s decision to roll out support for iPod across all models in 2006 and Levi’s new RedWire DLX iPod-compatble jeans.
Buy the iHome Alarm Clock @ Amazon.com
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January 12th, 2006
I was checking through my MacUpdate feed and noticed the number of apps for converting video for iPod (just after posting about how iTunes does it)! Anyway, here is a fairly good list of apps for converting your videos to playback on your iPod. Here goes. 
- MoviePod: Drag & drop conversion of movies for iPod.
- DVD2Pod: based on HandBrake, DVD2Pod rips your DVDs into an iPod-compatible format.
- iSquint: Free app with drag & drop video conversion for iPod. Can also optimize for TV.
- MoviesForMyPod: Batch conversion of QuickTime movies into iPod-compatible video. (Creates podcast movies / 320×240 MPEG-4 / H.264 files).
- podFlicks: Automatically convert movies into iPod-compatible format.
- Transipod: Converts files for iPod. Batch processing, add to iTunes, drag & drop.
- Video2Pod: Shareware app for converting movies for iPod.
As usual, if there are any missing just drop a comment. Likewise, drop me a comment if any suck!
Posted in iPod | 3 Comments »
January 12th, 2006
Getting home videos to play on your iPod used to involve downloading specialized software that would convert your video into an iPod-compatible format. It caused some confusion among iPodders, but thankfully Apple have solved the problem. Here’s how to convert video for iPod the easy way.
- Download iTunes 6.0.2 first.
- Add your video to the library (File -> Add To Library).
- Click on ‘Videos’ under the source menu.
- Right-click on your video.
- Select and click ‘Convert Selection for iPod’.
- iTunes will create an iPod-compatible version of the video and add it to your video collection.
Posted in How-to | 34 Comments »
January 11th, 2006
If you are like me, you probably couldn’t wait to try out Front Row even though Apple didn’t release it for your computer. So when you heard about Andrew Escobar’s tutorial to install Front Row on your unsupported Mac you just ran over there and tried it out.
But if you’ve just updated to Mac OS X 10.4.4 (like me) you’ll have problems with Front Row. Luckily Andrew has just released a new version that allows Front row to run on unsupported Macs running 10.4.4. Grab it here.
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January 11th, 2006
The number of companies building accessories for Apple’s iPod just keeps on growing. After the recent announcement that Chrysler will be adding iPod support in 2006, Levi have announced a new iPod-compatible pair of jeans!
The RedWire DLX Jeans will launch in August priced at $200 with a built-in iPod dock that is fitted inside a pocket. RedWire DLX Jeans also come with integrated headphones, which is pretty awesome!
Other companies, including Burton Snowboards and Kempo, make iPod-compatible clothing – but Levi are the first to offer iPod-compatible jeans.
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January 11th, 2006
As part of yesterday’s MacWorld Keynote speech, Apple announced that version 6.0.2 of iTunes is now available to download. Features include:
- MiniStore: can be used to quickly browse the iTunes Music Store from within your library.
- Create iPod-compatible versions of your home movies with iTunes.
- Simultaneously stream the same song wirelessly to up to three home stereos or powered speakers with AirTunes.
The new capability to stream music to more than 1 stereo is enough for me!
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January 10th, 2006
Griffin have announced the release of their latest iPod accessory, the TuneFlex for iPod nano. The Griffin TuneFlex is a dock and charger designed for in-car use. It has a flexible neck that can be easily adjusted to just about any angle you need. It has an integrated cradle that grips your iPod nano so that it can be rotated for the best viewing angle, while staying safely secured.
The tuneFlex can be plugged into your car’s 12 Volt power outlet, which will charge your iPod nano. A light at the base of the TuneFlex displays your current battery charge. Griffin have designed the TuneFlex so that it will stop any damage to your nano’s circuitry should there be any electrical faults. It also has a low / high audio output switch to help adjust playback in case of distortion.
It comes with a built-in 1/8″ stereo line-out jack which can be easily attached to a cassette player. An included cable can be used to connect your iPod nano to FM transmitters, cassette adapters and other common car accessories for audio playback.
Posted in Accessories | 1 Comment »
January 10th, 2006
As part of MacWorld Steve jobs gave his usual run down of sales figures for iPod and iTunes.
iTunes
- New FM radio tuner that works with all current iPods. $49.
- Reports that Apple have sold over 8 million TV shows since they started on October 12th.
- iTunes currently running at 3 million downloads per day, 850 million songs already sold.
- iTunes has 83% marketshare, selling at the rate of over 1 billion songs per year.
iPod
- Apple sold 14 million iPods over the 2005 Christmas shopping season.
- They were selling at the rate of over 100 per minute throughout the entire quarter!
- Since Apple first released the iPod they have sold a total of 42 million iPods.
Posted in iPod, iTunes | No Comments »
January 10th, 2006
DLO (Digital Lifestyle Outfitters) have announced the new DLO HomeDock Deluxe Home Entertainment Center for iPod. The DLO HomeDock is touted as the first iPod accessory that allows the user to browse through their music library, digital photos and video on their TV using the included 20-button remote control.
The HomeDock will ship in March ’06 and will retail at $149.99. It is compatible with any iPod with a dock, and can hook up to a TV or home stereo. Video and photos can be played from your iPod on a big screen via an AV / S-Video connection. The base station also charges the iPod while it is docked.
This is a handy but pricey all-in-one accessory that will probably remain the reserve of the few. But then again, it’s simple design and ability to play back your media on a TV or stereo could catch on.
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