News Archive for 09/03/18

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ThumbTacks mini-microphone ships for iPod touch, Nano

03/18, 11:25pm

ThumbTacks now shipping

Switcheasy has launched ThumbTacks, an ultra-small microphone for the iPod nano 4G and iPod touch 2G. The microphone attaches to the iPods's 3.5mm headphone jack and allows the media player to be used as a voice recorder. The ThumbTacks microphone is shaped like a thumbtack and measures 1.21 inches by .46 inches, using gold plating on the plug.

WeatherCal adds weather forecasts to iCal on Mac

03/18, 9:15pm

WeatherCal for the Mac

Bare Bones has launched WeatherCal, an application that adds current weather conditions and four-day forecast to iCal and the iPhone/iPod touch. WeatherCal is designed to create calendars which contain info on current and predicted weather conditions, and provides a system preferences panel to enable users to choose their preferred U.S. and international locations. Each calendar made by the program contains five days of weather data, which displays that day's specific date, followed by the next four.

iPhone apps: ConnectDots, Pocket Universe, Twist

03/18, 6:00pm

WordDigest, WirelessDMS

ConnectDots ($1) brings the experience of connect-the-dot style puzzles to the iPhone. The application includes sixteen different illustrations and when the outline has been discovered using the dots one can fill in the picture with various colors. Finished images can then be saved and shared with others or used as wallpaper on an iPhone or iPod touch.

Apple threatens accessory maker over "Podium" stand

03/18, 5:00pm

Apple trademark conflict

Apple's lawyers have issued a cease-and-desist letter to the accessory-maker Pivotal, claiming that the Podium iPhone stand infringes on the iPod trademark, according to Wired. The legal team argues that the word "Pod" has become commonly associated with the iPod, to the extent that using the prefix in Podium will confuse customers into falsely associating the product with Apple's line of media players.

Tuneband armband for Touch 2G adds new colors

03/18, 4:35pm

New Tuneband Touch colors

Grantwood has launched an assortment of new Tuneband colors for the iPod touch 2G. Also created for the iPod nano 4G and first-gen touch, the Tuneband is designed to help secure an iPod to a person's arm during exercise, while still providing access to the screen and buttons. Colors now available for the Touch 2G model include black, cloud/clear, navy blue, pink, red, teal blue and purple. Each Tuneband consists of a flexible armband strap, and a silicone skin that holds the iPod.

Kaufman positive on evolutionary iPhone 3.0

03/18, 1:10pm

Kaufman on iPhone 3.0

Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu has released an analysis of yesterday's iPhone 3.0 software preview, calling the new firmware "evolutionary," with six strong features. The announcements do not carry a big "wow" factor, says Wu, but are thought to be progressive, allowing the iPhone to evolve and stay ahead of competition. The firmware is also believed to be a precursor to new iPhone hardware, which could ship in the June or September quarters.

Apple granted iPod cupholder, Shuffle patents

03/18, 10:45am

Five granted Apple patents

Apple has been granted five new patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office, documents note. Among the more interesting to the public may be one for a unique iPod dock, shaped to fit a car's cupholder; the device would solve the problem of creating a solid mount in a car while potentially charging a player and/or feeding audio out of it. A spool could be included to keep cords organized, and sleeves could be supplied to cope with different cupholder sizes. As the patent was originally filed in 2005 however, Apple may be unlikely to turn it into an end product.