News Archive for 06/10/06

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iSkin ships SiLo for Nano

10/06, 4:25pm

iSkin ships SiLo for original Nano

iSkin today began shipping its SiLo protector for iPod nano, a protective skin designed for fashion conscious Nano owners. The SiLo features a silicone interior with a two-tone leather exterior, offering clickwheel protection with a rear belt loop, a removable mini vanity mirror, and a removable hand strap for carrying the portable player. Users can further enhance the look of the Nano with iSkin slims, creating custom color combinations to create unique expressions. The player is removable in SiLo's silicone layer to integrate with other compatible iSkin cases such as the DuoBand armband and Duo for Nano. iSkin SiLo is available for Apple's first-generation iPod nano ($50), and a new version for the second-generation Nano is due to ship in the near future. iSkin slims are available in 5-packs for $30 each.

Dutch iPod levy looms

10/06, 4:15pm

iPod levy may tax Dutch citizens

Electronics manufacturers rallied against a European tax on recordable media, even as a proposed Dutch tax threatens to raise the cost of portable music players -- such as Apple's iPod -- to compensate artists for private copying. Executives from Nokia and Philips Electronics said that the tax is out of date and that consumers are already paying for digital content twice, once as they purchase tracks legally via the internet and once for recordable media to store those tracks, according to Reuters. Those electronics manufacturers also said they are still at odds with the entertainment industry, and that the chairman of their joint industry group SONT is prepared to set levies for new devices. The new levy would raise the price of Apple's iPod by about $32, according to the report.

Google to buy YouTube?

10/06, 3:20pm

Google in talks to purchase YouTube?

Google is in talks with video host YouTube to purchase the popular service, according to an anonymous Wall Street Journal source, which would give the search giant an effective monopoly over Web-based video. YouTube is reportedly valued at $1.6 billion, serving over 100 million videos per day. YouTube has been considered a problematic prospective takeover because its popularity stems from both legitimate amateur and official videos, as well as illegal clips from movies and TV shows that are often uploaded without its knowledge or consent. A move by Google to purchase YouTube could have serious consequences for Apple, as the absorption of YouTube into Google would give Google CEO Eric Schmidt -- who sits on Apple's board of directors -- a strong influence over Apple's recent movie initiative, and could result in the merging of Web-based video with Apple's largely closed system, according to Electronista.

Tango pre-orders begin

10/06, 12:05pm

XtremeMac's Tango to ship Nov 1

XtremeMac today began accepting pre-orders for Tango, its digital audio system for iPod. Customers who pre-order Tango via the XtremeMac website will also receive a free MicroShield two-piece hard plastic iPod case that will ship with the speaker system on November 1st. The Tango features two mid-range speakers, two tweeters and an independent subwoofer. The system is compatible with all dock connector iPod models, offering a line-in port for playing audio content from sources other than the iPod alongside an S-video jack and an A/V line out port for playing video content from the iPod on a TV. Tango ships with a wireless remote that offers bass, treble, and volume control as well as track selection capability. The system also includes a power supply with several international wall adapters, and universal dock well inserts to accommodate various iPod models. Tango is slated for shipment on November 1st for $200. [image]

Shuffle owners protest

10/06, 11:05am

Shuffle owners protest "1418 hell"

Hundreds of first-generation iPod shuffle owners are crying out to Apple for resolution after upgrading to iTunes 7 and trying to update their iPods. Many of these users report that updating the iPod renders it unusable with an "Unknown Error (1418)," effectively corrupting the iPods with no way to restore them. Some posts on Apple's own support forum suggest that owners of newly-replaced iPod shuffles are also experiencing the issue, and Apple has yet to respond. Users have already posted at least three Web pages to protest the problem, petitioning Apple to remedy the situation and demanding a fix. Such sites already include "shuf2006 Petition online," "Error 1418 - Fix Our iPods!," and "Shufflers Unite."

Akimbo takes on iTV

10/06, 10:45am

Akimbo takes on Apple's iTV

Akimbo today unveiled a new RCA Akimbo Player with 100 hours of standard-definition video storage, offering consumers the ability to view movies purchased online on their TV months ahead of Apple's planned iTV debut. The iTV, which Apple debuted at its Special Event in San Francisco on September 12th, aims to serve a similar purpose by receiving wireless content from a home computer, displaying that online content on the TV. The new Akimbo Player allows users to purchase content from online store MovieLink, charging subscribers $10 per month to buy classics as well as new releases and view them directly on a TV through the company's new RCA-made equipment, according to Electronista. The improved hardware also features component video out as well as an optional WiFi adapter, and existing subscribers can upgrade for a $30 shipping fee when the device launches the week of October 23rd. New subscribers can purchase the Akimbo player for $180. Apple's iTV is expected to launch in early 2007.