Canadian iPod owners may gain $45 credit...

A select number of Canadian iPod owners may soon be eligible for a $45 credit from Apple, says a major regional newspaper. The Montreal Gazette writes that the credit would be applicable only to owners of first-, second- or third-generation iPods, and only those who purchased theirs prior to June 24th, 2004. It is part of Apple's proposed settlement for a pair of lawsuits filed in Montreal and Toronto, under which Apple stood accused of false advertising.

.Mac mail to to be push-ready on iPhone 2.0?...

Users of Apple's .Mac service will be able to get their e-mail pushed to their iPhone or iPod touch, an anonymous source claims. The person writes that in the latest version of the iPhone 2.0 firmware, the Settings page now has a "Fetch New Data" submenu, which lets users toggle the "fetch" or "push" status of various e-mail clients, including standard ones such as Gmail. Within this list is .Mac, giving subscribers the option of having their mail sent as soon as possible, or kept back so it appears as new when on a desktop or notebook Mac.

Sonoro exports Cubo radios to US...

German audio maker Sonoro says that it has begun exporting its Cubo line of luxury clock radios to the US. Aside from receiving AM/FM radio, the Cubos have a built-in CD player, and an auxiliary input for sources such as iPods and notebooks; output can in turn be redirected through a stereo output. Special features include wooden casing, 20 programming presets, and a 10-seconds-per-track intro option.

EyeTV 3.0.2 supports H.264 TV, closed caption export...

Elgato has released the v3.0.2 update to EyeTV, its TV streaming and recording software. The patch makes significant changes, most crucially support for broadcasts with H.264 compression, which are said to be increasingly popular; in Europe, for example, a number of DVB-T channels offer only H.264 streaming. Elgato has also introduced the export of closed captions to QuickTime videos, in particular text broadcast over ATSC and NTSC. As a result, users can now toggle captions on and off in software ranging from iTunes to the iPhone OS.

Gear4 intros DUO convertible iPod dock...

British gear maker Gear4 today unveiled the DUO iPod speaker dock. Its design is built uniquely to double both as a portable system and as a higher-quality bookshelf stereo. While normally a full 2.1-channel system with a 20-watt subwoofer, the front satellite panel (18 watts) detaches completely from the bass unit to operate independently as a thinner, portable speaker unit with swivel-out stand. Gear4 also does away with the typical reliance on disposable batteries in favor of a lithium-ion pack that recharges whenever the front is reattached. The iPod cradle itself also folds into the center for carrying in a bag.

Apple applies for 3D remote control patent...

An Apple patent application, just published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, depicts a new 3D remote technology. Similar in basic concept to the controller for Nintendo's Wii console, the remote would have a photosensor, accelerometer or gyroscope, and detect absolute and/or relative position to an image. Distinguishing it would be the ability to zoom in on part of an image at will by pushing a button.

NBC streams iPhone/Touch-ready TV shows...

Owners of an iPhone or iPod touch can now stream episodes of select NBC TV shows, observers note. By visiting nbc.com, users can gain access to complete episodes of 30 Rock or The Office, presented free of advertising and in an unprotected QuickTime format. The video quality is extremely rough, however, and at least one publication has reported iPhone lockups.

New iPhone 2.0 OS adds Safari YouTube support...

The latest version of the iPhone 2.0 firmware -- bundled with the beta 5 SDK -- adds limited support for YouTube within the Safari web browser, experimenting has revealed. Users of the current public iPhone firmware can only browse videos through the dedicated app; under v2.0 though, videos embedded in websites now present a link, which opens clips under the dedicated app, but then lets users quickly return to the page they were viewing.

H20 ships new waterproof headset for Shuffles...

Accessory maker H20 has introduced a new product for iPods, the iSH2 headset. The unit is designed explicitly for second-generation Shuffles, and waterproofs them to a depth of 10 feet. The Shuffle is safeguarded in a case on the back of the head, which still has controls for playing, pausing and skipping tracks; the silicon earbuds are meanwhile designed to hold out water, when used in tandem with included earplugs, and can clip to swimming goggles.

Kensington Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone, iPod...

Kensington on Monday unveiled a Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone and iPod, along with a Mini version. The portable battery packs plug into the Apple devices' dock connectors and power and recharge them, and are themselves rechargeable. The lithium-ion polymer battery packs feature a USB connector that allows them to be charged via either the AC adapter or a PC, whether or not they are also plugged into an Apple device, charging it as well.

Associated Press launches iPhone site...

The Associated Press has launched a new iPhone version of its online portal, according to an announcement. The newswire service notes that the site should now be visible by visiting apnews.com, and that it contains not just AP news but material from over 100 media outlets, covering topics such as breaking events, business and entertainment. Publications involved include the likes of the San Francisco Chronicle and the Miami Herald.

McAfee for iPhone beta appears online...

A beta version of a McAfee virus scanner for the iPhone and iPod touch has appeared online, according to reports. The application is named iVirusScan (iPhone link), and has allegedly been installed and uninstalled by a number of users. Users can analyze the contents of their handheld for malware, update their definitions, and adjust a variety of settings. The version number is listed as 1.0a07.