News Archive for 05/12/06

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Real's Glaser calls Jobs "pigheaded"

12/06, 7:15pm

Glaser bashes Apple, Jobs

Rob Glaser -- CEO of RealNetworks, the company that created the Rhapsody online subscription music service -- yesterday told a crowded hotel ballroom at the Digital Living Conference that Steve Jobs' refusal to make the iPod compatible with music services other than iTunes was an example of "pigheadedness." Glaser also said that Apple's unwillingness to cooperate with other online music vendors promotes piracy of copyrighted materials and will eventually draw the wrath of consumers, according to a report from News.com. "We think Apple Computer, and Steve personally, are making a mistake by making the software proprietary," Glaser said. "There's no reason we should penalize Apple customers for Steve's pigheadeness." Glaser has called for the music industry to pressure Jobs into opening up the iPod to other online music vendors.

pearLyrics: too easy to be legal?

12/06, 6:10pm

pearLyrics shut down

pearLyrics, a Mac OS X tool for displaying song lyrics of the track currently being played in iTunes, is no longer available due to a cease and desist order from Warner/Chappell Music. "As a freeware developer I can not afford to risk a law suit against such a big company, although personally I don't see where pearLyrics should infringe any copyrights handled by them," pearLyrics creator Walter Ritter said today. "After all pearLyrics only searches and accesses publicly available websites, displays, and, at the users wish, caches its content."

Think Different Store drops Song Sling price

12/06, 5:35pm

Song Sling price reduction

Long Island-based Think Different Store today reduced the price of the Song Sling for iPod shuffle by 50 percent, from $40 to $20. The Song Sling is a three-in-one accessory that provides earbuds, a light-weight pendant mount, and a lanyard. "Where other retractable earbuds fall short, Song Sling truly excels. Plain and simple, they work, and they work well. Easy up, easy down, over and over and over again, bringing an end to the frustrating dangle and tangle of conventional earphone wires. Song Sling takes the basic lanyard concept to the next level."

Das Blau unveils cases for 5G iPod, Nano

12/06, 10:00am

Das Blau 5G, Nano cases

Das Blau today unveiled The Wrap for iPod nano and The Versa for Apple's fifth-generation iPod (shown at right), its new cases designed for Apple's latest digital music players. The Versa for 5G iPod serves as a protective and stylish case, a stand to watch videos or view photos, and as an attachable belt clip. The case for video iPods is constructed from leather and combined chic fabric patterns, created for the "discerning fashionista" on-the-go. The Wrap for iPod nano offers access to the hold button, dock, and earphone jack both open and closed, while a flap on the bottom with a plastic sleeve protects and prevents the device from sliding out. The Wrap for Nano is constructed from leather and offers an inner lining, as well as Velcro closures. The Versa for 5G iPod is expected to be available in the near future, while The Wrap for iPod nano is available from amazon.com for $30.

iTunes sells 3M videos, adds NBC content

12/06, 8:50am

NBC content on iTunes

NBC Universal and Apple today announced a new TV content deal for Apple's iTunes, as noted earlier this morning. The lineup includes primetime, cable, late-night and classic TV shows, including primetime hits such as "Law & Order" and late-night favorites such as sketches from "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno". Apple said that iTunes now offers more than 300 episodes of 16 popular TV shows and that customers have purchased and downloaded more than three million videos since their debut on October 12, making "the iTunes Music Store the world's most popular video download store."

ezGear Elite Leather case for iPod nano

12/06, 8:10am

ezGear Elite Leather case

ezGear today announced the ezGear Elite Leather cases for Apple's iPod nano. The ezGear Elite is made of high-grade leather and includes meticulous stitching, built-in screen protector, and access to the clickwheel, all ports, and the hold button. The ezGear Elite case comes integrated with a sparkling polished nickel purse/belt loop clip and also includes a removable neck strap with a polished nickel clasp. “At ezGear, we did not want to settle for just another leather case. The ezGear Elite case uses the finest leather with impeccable workmanship, from the tannery to the stitching to the extras. The nickel clips secures the case to almost any thin, and the fancy neck strap lets you wear your iPod in style." The ezGear Elite nano is available in three colors: Onyx Black, Snow White, and Walnut Brown for $40.

Pressure Drop debuts DecoDock Ice for Shuffle

12/06, 8:05am

DecoDock Ice for Shuffle

Pressure Drop today announced DecoDock Ice, a special wintery edition of DecoDock. With a white base and glacier blue LEDs, DecoDock Ice provides users with a "simple, cool, and stylish way" to connect an iPod shuffle to their computer. The DecoDock Ice recharges and syncs the iPod in Art-Techo style. DecoDock Ice sells for $30 and is now shipping in limited quantities. Pressure Drop also announced today special holiday pricing, offering its PaperHub, the stylish paper tray with an integrated USB/FireWire combo hub for $100 ($50 off) and its classic DecoDock for $20 ($10 off), and its zStand, an integrated monitor stand with integrated USB/FireWire hub for the Mac mini, for $90 ($10 off).