Apple: iPods built to last 4 years...

The internet community has continued to question durability of Apple's iPod line, leaving some consumers to question whether the popular portable media players are built well enough to withstand the normal everyday wear and tear. Apple has acknowledged some issues in the recent past, offering battery replacements to some and free Nano replacements to those customers who purchased the tiny players with easily-cracked or scratched LCDs. Other problems remain, however, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune, and its virtually impossible to determine how widespread the problems actually are, as Apple is the only reliable source for data; however, Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris says that iPods have a failure rate of less than 5 percent, which is "fairly low" compared to other consumer electronics. "The vast majority of our customers are extremely happy with their iPods," Kerris said, noting that iPods are designed to last four years.

iTunes social network raises $2.5m

Music website GarageBand.com today said it has raised $2.5 million in equity financing from Khosla Ventures, as well as from individual investors. The company is testing a new music-oriented social network designed for iTunes users, from which it hopes to generate revenue, according to Bizjournals.com. Among the individual investors named was David Weiden, a new Khosla partner who joined in 2006, as well as MTV co-founder Bob Pittman, both of whom took seats on GarageBand.com's advisory board.

MediaGear debuts HD2GO iPod rival

MediaGear today introduced the HD2GO, its portable media player that can display photos, play music, and enables users to watch full-color videos on a 3.6-inch LCD. The gadget stands to compete with Apple's market leading fifth-generation iPod, which retails for $300 or $400 for 30GB and 60GB capacities, respectively. The HD2GO can store more than 10,000 digital photos and up to 25 hours of video, according to MediaGear, and accepts memory cards from digital cameras to transfer photos. A standard USB cable from a PC supports video/music transfers, and the device features navigational icons for all playback options after it powers up. The HD2GO offers an average of 4.5 hours of video playback time, or 15 hours of audio playback on a single charge, and the Lithium-ion battery is rechargeable in five hours' time. The HD2GO is priced at $300.

22Moo developing iTunes Kiosk

Australian hardware and software developer 22Moo today began development on an iTunes Kiosk called the "PodBuffet." The prototype will be powered by an Intel-based Mac mini running a 15-inch TFT touch screen with virtual keyboard software, a wireless internet connection, and a customized application for timed access to iTunes. The "PodBuffet" iTunes Kiosk will also feature multiple dock connectors, as well as female USB and FireWire ports to accommodate older iPods and Shuffle owners. 22Moo hopes to allow iPod owners around the world to download videos and music to their portable devices in locations such as airports, train stations, hotels, and shopping centers.