News Archive for 05/11/02

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\"Fluffer\" fur iPod case

11/02, 5:55pm

Fluffpod launches "Fluffer" fur iPod case

Fluffpod today launched Fluffer, its soft luxury iPod cast made from soft faux fur with a satin lining and white leather boots. Fluffer allows access to all ports and protects the device from scratches. Fluffer fits all fourth-generation iPods, and is available for $35. An optional silver hook ($2) secures the Fluffer to belt loops or other clothing.

iPod \"coolness\" sinking

11/02, 5:20pm

iPod 'coolness' waning, shunned by some

A new report suggests that the "coolness" of Apple's iPod may be waning. Aiming to deconstruct the iPod's "special sauce", or to identify what specifically continues to make the iPod so much more successful than other digital music players, the study found that the reasons many consumers are purchasing an iPod are more closely related to the interface and brand familiarity than "coolness", or social status -- despite the fact that supply has been unable to meet demand for both the iPod video and the iPod nano. More than 21 percent of those surveyed said that they definitely will not switch to Apple's iPod with their next purchase of a digital music player, while nearly 15 percent are deftly loyal to the iPod. Neutral-standing consumers make up almost 26 percent of the survey, while over 6.4 percent of individuals indicated that they were definitely making the switch to iPod with their next purchase. The report also provides information about why consumers purchased the device, how they use them, and their natural inclination to switch brands with their next purchase.

iKEY portable recorder

11/02, 4:05pm

iKEY records audio directly to any iPod

iKEY-Audio today rolled out the iKEY, its portable USB recorder designed to record live audio in real-time, convert it to MP3 and WAV formats, and save it to the iPod or any other USB-compatible storage device. It offers a record button that, with each consecutive press, creates a new file and users can choose the type and quality of a recorded file with 128- 192- and 256Kbps MP3s or uncompressed WAV for CD quality audio. A level clip LED indicator signals when the input is too high or too low. The device connects to any USB 2.0 storage device and offers RCA inputs that accept any line level audio source (using the included Y-cable). Other features include a dual-function LED to indicate transfer errors; a low battery indicator; a five-bar progress LED indicator to display the occupied space of the connected USB storage device, and more. The iKEY is available for $230.

UCSB Apple promotion

11/02, 1:55pm

UCSB promo to reward Apple-owners

Students and faculty at the University of California Santa Barbara can win prizes for displaying Apple gear as part of a promotional effort to publicize how many UCSB students own Apple products. Apple student representatives Maya Collins and Ian Fisch said they will circle the campus this month in black Apple hats, handing out prize entry forms to students, faculty and staff who are in possession of any fully visible Apple product, according to the Daily Nexus Online. The contest began yesterday and ends on November 23rd, with the final drawing to be held the Monday after Thanksgiving. Fisch said "we want to show how prevalent Apple is on campus, a lot of students use Apple - many people don't know how popular it is. Plus, it's a cool contest... iPods are really popular with students. This will get people excited."

Nextel, Cable providers

11/02, 1:30pm

Spint Nextel partners with Cable providers

Nextel is teaming up with Comcast, Cox Communications, and Advance/Newhouse Communications to join market each other's products in a deal that will create stiff competition for Apple. The joint venture will offer bundled video, wireless, voice data services, and high-speed Web and cable-phone services at Sprint stores and other retailers, according to a report from Forbes.com. The new deal will create hybrid products that integrate cable services with cellular phones, while the newly-formed partnership is set to investigate the possibility of a new type of high-speed wireless service. "The new Sprint-cable partnerships will forever transform what used to be merely a cell phone into an indispensable third screen in customers' lives," said Gary Forsee, chief executive of Sprint Nextel. Sprint will provide $100 million to fund the project, while the cable companies pool together the other half.

Multitier music pricing?

11/02, 12:20pm

Universal, Warner push "multitier" music pricing

In addition to downloaded tracks, U.S. consumers downloaded 11.3 million albums this year through mid-October, out of 436.1 million albums sold, says White Plains, New York-based Nielsen SoundScan. "It's a blip, not a trend," Paul Burger, 50, president of London music-management agency Soho Artists and the former head of Sony Music in Europe, says of the leveling off of U.S. downloads. That belief has music companies, led by Warner Music, fighting to boost the 99-cent retail price on their most popular songs downloaded on Apple's iTunes Music Store. "The market ought to be able to decide, not a single retailer,'' Warner Music's Bronfman, 50, said in September at a Goldman Sachs Group Inc. conference in New York. Days earlier, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, 50, said at a Paris news conference that music companies were being "greedy" by seeking more for downloaded tracks, adding that it would only encourage piracy. "There will be variable pricing, multitier pricing," Universal Music CEO Doug Morris, 66, said Oct. 6 at a meeting of financial analysts in London. "The issue is going to be when and who blinks first."

Griffin updates RoadTrip

11/02, 8:45am

Griffin updates RoadTrip for video iPod, Nano

Griffin Technology today updated its popular RoadTrip FM transmitter, charger and cradle. The company said that the RoadTrip has been updated for use with iPod nano and Apple's newest video iPods. A cradle specifically built for iPod nano ships with every RoadTrip, providing a complete auto solution for all Dockable iPods. The RoadTrip's adjustable cradle, which holds the iPod securely yet easily accessible, plugs into any automobile 12-Volt accessory port. Users can set RoadTrip's transmitter to broadcast iPod music to any FM frequency--from 88.1 to 107.9. RoadTrip's backlit screen shows frequency settings at a glance and users can change the frequency settings as needed via the buttons on the front of the unit. The updated RoadTrip now comes in both white and charcoal. It is available now for $90.