Filed under: iPod nano

According to Engadget, people are finally starting to receive settlement checks for the iPod nano class action lawsuit that was filed shortly after the first-gen nano's release in 2005. Only days after the first nano debuted, people started noticing that the iPod nano's screen was about as easy to scratch as a block of butter. Apple quickly tried to claim that nano screen scratching wasn't a widespread issue, but the lawyers smelled blood and swarmed in; less than three weeks after the class action suit began in the US, the iPod nano suit went international.

Apple agreed to pay a $22.5 million dollar settlement in early 2009. The settlement terms indicated that people would receive refunds in the amount of $15 to $25, depending on whether the iPod nano had a protective slip case included with it or not. However, Engadget's story shows an unidentified submitter receiving a check for $37.50. The settlement terms indicate that the $22.5 million is split up amongst those who participated in the class action lawsuit, regardless of how many applied, and that the ultimate settlement can't exceed 150% of the per-claimant settlement. In the Engadget reader's case, he would have received $25, but since there apparently weren't all that many actual claimants in the case, he received the maximum settlement possible of $37.50.

This is an interesting study of the class action system at work. First, although the suit was filed in late 2005, it took over three years before it was finally resolved. Apple agreed to pay out $22.5 million in consumer refunds in early 2009 -- refunds which are only now arriving in claimants' mailboxes -- and another $4 million in attorney fees. Those $37.50 check claimants are receiving a pittance compared to what Steve Berman, lead attorney in the class action case, likely received in his mailbox.

Far more important than the money being thrown around is a practical side-effect of the case: Apple's portables are much less prone to scratches than the first-gen iPod nano. Perhaps, learning its lesson from the nano brouhaha, Apple changed its mind at the last second and decided to use glass instead of plastic for the iPhone's screen -- a decision that greatly improved the durability of the screen and very likely spared the company from yet another lawsuit.

This is an interesting little statistic, but it could be very telling about what's going on in terms of sales this holiday season. 9to5Mac says that over in the UK, the iPhone and the iPod touch are the current most searched-for products this holiday. iPhone made up 1.75 percent of all product searches last week, and 14% of mobile phone product searches. Meanwhile, the iPod touch was in second place at 1.29 percent, and the iPod nano was actually third, at .5 percent. Over three percent, then, of all product searches in the UK were for Apple's handhelds.

Of course, just because one in 34 people are searching for an iPhone or iPod doesn't mean that they'll be huge gifts necessarily -- maybe the searching just means that they want one, not that they'll be getting one. But there's no question that as big as Apple's 4th quarter has been so far, it's going to get even bigger, in the UK and probably everywhere else as well.

• Fixed audiobook playbook setting so Normal, Slower, Faster, works for audio podcasts
• Resolved issue where Genius Mixes did not work when using the Nike+ Sport Kit
• Accessibility setting for Mono Audio in now working
• Fixed bug so VoiceOver menu items are no longer skipped when using headphone + and - volume buttons to navigate

As always, you can download this update by clicking on the "Check for Update" button in iTunes when you connect your iPod nano to your computer.

It looks like another day with another update from Apple. This time, iMovie has been updated to version 8.0.5. This updates fixes some minor issues, as well as improve compatibility with the 5th generation iPod nano and some camcorders

These fixes include:

• Improved compatibility with camcorders using the iFrame video format

• Improved compatibility with importing video captured on the iPod nano

• Fixed problems with resizing the iMovie window during playback

This update available and recommended for all users of iMovie '09, it's around 36MB, and it's available through Software Update or the Apple Support Downloads page.

Thanks Mike for the tip!

Some of us here at TUAW have been known to hoist a pint or two of a frosty beverage now and again. When doing so there's quite a few selections from which to choose to satisfy that urge for something cold and refreshing. One choice often made by me personally is Guinness. But what if I want a Guinness after a long day but can't figure out where to go and get one? Fortunately, there's an app for that: the Guinness Pub Finder.

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Guinness on September 24th they have created a new iPhone and iPod Touch app that will, according to the company, allow "consumers of legal drinking age across the US (to) join the celebration and more easily raise a toast with friends in the future." Which, of course, sounds great unless you happen to live in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas or West Virginia where the app is forbidden by law from working. Yeah, I don't get it either.

Even if you can use this app for its intended purpose, it actually isn't just about helping you find a drink, although it does do that pretty well. Here's a breakdown of its main features:

• Locate a Pint - uses GPS to locate the consumer and the pubs serving Guinness nearest to their current location. It then provides name, address and telephone number of the pub chosen, access to directions, and an email setup to invite friends to join.

• Know Your Pint - provides a tutorial on the 6 Steps to Creating the Perfect Pint, and also includes a ruler that can be used to measure your pint's head.

• Fun Extras – includes animated screensavers, a countdown clock to the "Arthur's Day" celebrations and a live feed of the latest news regarding the Guinness 250th Anniversary celebration

• Responsible Drinking – Provides consumers with the DRINKiQ resource which shares important facts about alcohol to aid responsible choices.

The app is US$1.99 in the iTunes store and its available now.

Our planned look at the camera feature on the iPod nano got delayed by a household medical emergency, as described in one of our nano example videos above. It did give me a bit more time to go a little more hands on with the nano video camera, and the end result is satisfactory. You're not going to buy this nano for the camera; it's just a bonus feature. Will it be the deal breaker over buying a nano versus another iPod, an iPhone or even a Flip? It all depends what you want out of it.

The video above was shot indoors using the nano. It was actually my fourth attempt at taking an indoor video because if you want any luck with the nano's camera, you've got to have decent lighting. This shot was my first attempt with the camera, and you can see the difference the lighting made.

As mentioned during the keynote, Apple is looking to take on Flip mino with the new nano. As such, we decided to see not only how the nano compares to the Flip, but also to an iPhone 3GS. Continue on reading to see how these shots turned out.

quirky is a design firm with a difference. Rather than pay a brain trust to sit around and think up product ideas, they let average Anns and Andys submit designs that are then refined and named by a community of site visitors. When designs are ready for production, quirky sets a threshold number of units to be sold to be profitable, and once that number of orders comes in, they send the design off for manufacturing.

Plato said "...the true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention." In this case quirky community member Jeff Scholen was driven not only by the need to neatly wrap up the thin power cable and thick AC line going into his Apple MagSafe Power Adapter, but also keep the transformer "box" off of the floor or desk and give it a way to stay cool.

In less than 24 hours, the design was finalized through input from Apple fans worldwide and the PowerCurl (US$9.99) was ready to roll. It comes in "quirky orange" only, but has two sizes to match the 60W and 85W MagSafe Power Adapters.

The quirky community has also come up with a case design for the new iPod nano that not only protects that shiny finish, but acts as a stand and video handgrip as well. The Kickster (US$14.35) is awaiting your commitment to purchase before it moves into production.

The pioneers at iFixit are at it again, this time exploring the Loop's newest, coolest gadget -- the iPod nano. According to their measurements, this iPod is as thin as it could possibly be, and more densely packed than any previous Apple device. I work on iPods at my day job, but I'm afraid to start working on this one because there is very little wasted space and LOTS of glue.

Here are some facts worth highlighting:

• The iPod nano uses flash memory manufactured by Toshiba.
• Apple would not be able to put a larger camera into it without reducing the footprint of other components.
• It uses the same style speaker as the iPod touch. The sound exits through the dock connector.
• The display has 17.5% more real estate than the 4th Generation iPod nano.
  

Read on for the nitty gritty, "I want to tear it apart" information...

While people were still reeling from the fact that the iPod nano, and not the iPod touch, gained a video camera, my trusty 5.5G 30 GB iPod video decided to die a slow, painful death. Over the past few weeks, I'd been hearing the hard drive click of doom, having the iPod randomly reboot while listening to an audiobook, and then had the entire system lock up on me and not unfreeze until the battery had worn completely down. When the last symptom occurred a second time yesterday during the iPod event, I decided it was time for a new iPod and ordered my first nano.

For years, the nano seemed like a good idea, but it wasn't something that fit my needs. My music collection clocks in at a respectable 8GB, and it is growing. I have another 6GB of audiobooks, also growing, and at the time I purchased my iPod video I had another 8GB of TV shows and movies ripped from my DVDs. In the days before the iPhone and iPod touch, the iPod video was just a more practical device for those of us who weren't quite so new to the whole idea of a portable music player. Apple initially targeted the noobs with the iPod mini, and then followed with the iPod nano.

Now that's changed. If you really want to play video on a portable device, the iPhone or the iPod touch is the way to go. If you primarily want to listen to music, the nano is an excellent choice for an everyday iPod. 16GB is more than enough to cover many music collections, and if you need more capacity there is still the iPod classic or the larger iPod touch models. The current nano can fit my entire library of music and audiobooks, and leave some room for videos if I choose -- except I really don't want to squint at subtitles on a nano.

Meanwhile, Apple is also realizing that they need to change their marketing strategy for the nano. With more than 220 million iPods sold to date and a 73.8% marketshare, the general public is fully aware of the brand and most likely has an iPod. So, Apple is changing tactics and has decided to take on the Flip, a popular and inexpensive handheld video camera that is roughly the size, although thicker, of a nano. New ads promote the "fun" factor of the nano, but overall it's just a solid iPod.

We're splitting our look at the new nano into two parts. Today, we're taking a look at the device itself and a vast chunk of the new features. Tomorrow, we take an in-depth look at the iPod nano's flagship feature -- the video camera -- and see how well it holds up to both a Flip and an iPhone 3GS.

Update: The video of the keynote announcement is now linked off the front page of Apple.com.

Though the video of today's event is not yet on Apple.com (as of this writing -- though you can find it here), it has been added to Apple's official podcast. Even if you were underwhelmed by today's announcements, you don't want to miss Steve's return or the ovation he received. The video of today's press event is just over one hour and fourteen minutes long.

We'll be diving deep into the new features of iTunes 9 over the next 24 hours, so check back often. Until then, launch the stream and succumb to the Reality Distortion Field.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Well, looks like we weren't the only ones wondering about the two big questions of the day -- the New York Times sat down briefly with Steve Jobs post-event this morning and found out the whys and wherefores on the following:

• Why doesn't the iPod nano take still pictures? Jobs says that the tiny teensy CMOS sensor in the nano isn't up to the quality standards needed for stills; it's too thin. "The sensors for doing a still camera... they are just way too thick to ever fit inside the Nano."
• What about a camera for the iPod touch? The product path for the touch, apparently, is that it's a great gaming device and it's the lowest investment option for getting access to the App Store; given that, the push was to get it down to a price point everyone could afford instead of adding new features like a camera. "So what we were focused on is just reducing the price to $199. We don't need to add new stuff - we need to get the price down where everyone can afford it." Not to say it won't ever happen.

So much for my idea of a firmware update to the nano enabling still images down the road.

Apple appears to be aiming right at the Flip market with its release of the updated iPod nano today. A quick rundown includes:

• Storage capacity: 8GB for $149USD, 16GB for $179USD.
• 2.2-inch color display. 240-by-376-pixel resolution at 204 pixels per inch.
• Battery: 24 hour playback for audio, 5 hours for video
• Video camera. H.264 VGA video, 640 by 480 pixels, up to 30 frames per second with AAC audio. Real-time special effects include: Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido, Motion Blur, Mirror, Light Tunnel, Dent, Stretch, and Twirl
• FM radio featuring iTunes tagging and live pausing (for those who still like to listen to Delilah.)
• Pedometer and accelormeter
• Built-in mic and speaker with voice memos
• Genius features
• Voice Over kit featuring a multiple number of languages
• Variety of colors, but two of those colors -- yellow and red -- are in-store only.
• Environmental features: Arsenic-free glass, BFR-free, Mercury-free, PVC-free

We will have an in-depth look at the nano later today, as I'm actually headed out to the Apple Store to get one to replace my aging, dying iPod 5.5G.

[For those who are asking -- as far as we can tell from the spec, the iPod nano will not shoot still pictures, only video. We'll be able to confirm this later today.]

It's no secret that next week's Apple event is built around the iPod, and all signs point towards new iPod touch and iPod nano models with a marquee new feature: cameras. As the cavalcade of case manufacturer leaks continues, Engadget visited with case builder Hama at the IFA trade show in Berlin and got plenty of pictures of the new cases for both models, complete with camera ports.

Even allowing for the possibility of mass hysteria among scores of accessory vendors, one thing to keep in mind here is that this same firm -- Hama -- was among the first to show new cases for the iPod nano 4G, last year at this very same event. Check out the gallery of images from Germany and let us know what you think.

Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster is having a busy week. First, he predicted that the iPhone will go non-exclusive in the US by next year, and today he's suggesting that Steve Jobs will appear at Apple's September 9th press event.

We fully expect new iPods and iTunes next Wednesday, but Steve would be a surprise. We know that he's returned to work, but this would be his first public appearance as Apple's head since he took medical leave back in January. Depending on how he looks, a visit from Steve could nudge the stock up a notch or two.

It sure would be fun to see Steve, but we hope he's happy and healthy more than anything. In any case, we've got just over a week to wait. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Via AppleInsider]

At last Apple has begun distributing invitations to a press event scheduled for September 9th. The image on the invitation, which features a classic silhouette dancer, pretty much confirms our suspicion that this particular dog-and-pony show feature the iPod (now with cameras! ...maybe). Apple typically introduces new iPods in September.

This year's event will take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco on September 9th at 10:00 a.m Pacific time. Perhaps then we'll see that secret television ad. In any case, we think it's safe for the pro-tablet theorists sit this one out. Maybe next time, folks.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!