Filed under: ipod shuffle

Filed under: Accessories, Odds and ends, ipod shuffle, Music

TUAW and Scosche are giving away a tapSTICK for 3rd gen iPod shuffle

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Oct 6th, 2009

When you think about the 3rd generation iPod shuffle, you probably don't think about getting a case for it. After all, the little music box is less than 2 inches long, .7 inches wide, and .3 inches thick, and it comes with a clip.

The designers at Scosche Industries realized that some shuffle owners might like a way of keeping their devices from getting scratched or wet, as well as having a way of using any earphones with the shuffle and still be able to control it.

The tapSTICK comes in white or black polycarbonate plastic, and slides over the outside of the shuffle. It has three buttons on it that allow you to control play, adjust volume, navigate playlists, and even activate the VoiceOver feature on your iPod shuffle. It also comes with a 3 foot audio cable that connects to most audio systems, including those in cars:

While nobody at TUAW had a 3rd generation shuffle to try out the tapSTICK on, the good folks at Scosche did make one available for a giveaway to some lucky TUAW reader / shuffle owner. To enter, just leave a comment telling us how many times you've misplaced your 3rd generation iPod shuffle. Here's the scoop:

Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
To enter leave a comment telling us how many times you've misplaced your 3rd generation shuffle.
The comment must be left before Friday, October 9, 2009, 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time.
You may enter only once.
One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
Prizes: One Schosche tapSTICK in black (Value: US$29.99)
Click Here for complete Official Rules.

Good luck!

Tags: accessories, Accessory, giveaway, ipod, ipod shuffle 3g, IpodShuffle3g, shuffle, where did I put it, WhereDidIPutIt

Filed under: Apple, ipod shuffle, Music

Apple introduces new iPod shuffle colors, adds a new $59 2GB model

by Joachim Bean (RSS feed) on Sep 10th, 2009

Along with the new iPod nano, iPod touch and iPod classic updates, Apple today also introduced 3 new colors of the iPod shuffle, a special stainless steel edition, and a 2GB model for $59.

The new colors are green, pink and blue, and are available for both the 2GB and 4GB models.

Also, there's a new $99 4GB stainless steel model, available for $99, $20 more than the regular 4GB colors.

Finally, there's a new 2GB model of the 3rd generation shuffle, available for $59, and also comes in black, sliver, green, pink and blue.

Tags: 2GB, 4GB, colors, ipod, iPod shuffle, IpodShuffle, stainless steel, StainlessSteel

Filed under: Humor, Odds and ends, Apple, ipod shuffle

Wacky Apple lawsuit of the day: Apple conspiring with Italian Mafia

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Jul 20th, 2009

Just when you think you've heard everything, along comes an Apple lawsuit that simply defies reality.

Beverly Hills, CA resident Gregory McKenna has filed a 124-page complaint in a U.S. District Court in Missouri against Apple and a group of other defendants, including the F.B.I., the St. Louis County Police Department, and an auto mechanic. Why? Well, McKenna alleges that Apple conspired with the Italian Mafia to affix special receivers to an iPod shuffle he purchased on eBay and an iPod mini purchased in an Apple Store. These receivers were allegedly used by the Mafia to transmit threatening messages to the iPods.

Okaayyyyy. So, what were these messages? Well, first there was the time in 2008 where recordings of Mafia members saying "I'm going to kill him" were played in unison with a song on McKenna's iPod mini. The most serious message was apparently transmitted not only to his iPods, but also to an iBook G4, a PowerBook G4, and three vehicles including his mother's Honda Accord.

The "message" consisted of the word "herpes" being inserted into the song "Still Tippin'" by hip-hop/rap artist Mike Jones. Mr. McKenna alleges that this was done "to humiliate, degrade, and cause emotional distress" to him. While apparently the Mafia was using the messages to coerce McKenna into doing fashion modeling for them in New York City (I am not making this up), I'd speculate that it's probably Apple's way to get him to purchase newer equipment.

[via AppleInsider]

Tags: apple, lawsuit, mafia, weird

Filed under: Humor, Found Footage, ipod shuffle

Found Footage: Captain iPod T. Shuffle takes on Kindle Noonien Singh

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Apr 29th, 2009

When it comes to screen pathos, nobody does it better than Shatner and Montelban in the classic confrontation Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan. Now the twisted minds at the SciFi Network's Dvice blog have taken a wonderful cinematic moment, full of overwrought line readings, and handed it over to the voice-synthesis capabilities of the Amazon Kindle 2 and the iPod shuffle via Talking Gadget Theater. "Buried alive... buried alive..."

This isn't the first screen collaboration for the two gadgets; they also did a rendition of the interrogation scene from Blade Runner -- clip in the 2nd half of this post.

Now, if we can get the iPod shuffle to convincingly say "I'd like to thank the members of the Academy," we'll be on to something.

Continue reading “Found Footage: Captain iPod T. Shuffle takes on Kindle Noonien Singh”

Tags: ipod shuffle, IpodShuffle, khan, kindle, kirk, trek, video, voice

Filed under: iPod Family, Software Update, ipod shuffle

New shuffle gets an update

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Apr 11th, 2009

Got a new iPod shuffle? Hook up to iTunes and check Software Update, because there's a holiday surprise waiting there for you. The revised VoiceOver Kit 1.0.1 corrects artist name pronunciations and includes a few other fixes.

If you've downloaded the update let us know how it's working for you.

[via Macworld]

Tags: ipod, ipod shuffle, IpodShuffle, shuffle, software update, SoftwareUpdate, update, voiceover

Filed under: Hardware, Apple, iPhone, ipod shuffle

Attention world: The iPhone dislikes moisture

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Apr 9th, 2009

There's a story at Click2Houston (I would have embedded the video if I had that option) about iPhone users who have had their devices ruined by excessive exposure to sweat. Specifically, they've been bringing them to the gym to provide a soundtrack to their workouts. Of course, sweat leaks into the iPhone's two moisture sensors (one in the headphone jack, one in the docking port) and it stops working. From the article:

"Both [customers] Keneker and Pittman use their iPhones at the gym to listen to music or use the calorie-counting fitness applications that actually come with the phone. They said Apple employees told them their sweaty palms are the likely culprit here."

There are no calorie-counting fitness applications that "...come with the phone." Sure, you can buy them in the App Store, but they're not built in. Also, Apple just so happens to make an iPod that was designed specifically as a workout accessory and it costs less than $80US. My guess is, if you can afford an iPhone, you can swing a shuffle -- or a case that blocks the dock port, which is a pretty accessible area for moisture.

I know it sucks to have your sweet iPhone ruined, but this was completely avoidable. Plus, aren't most phones with cameras banned from gyms?

All right, folks. Perhaps I was a bit too snarky. The lesson here is twofold. First, the iPhone is quite sensitive to moisture. The water sensors are placed towards the device's extremities, so even a sweaty palm can trigger them.

Secondly, with that in mind, be careful when using the iPhone in situations that may introduce liquids. We recommend a low-cost case. --Dave.

[Via CNET]

Tags: iphone, ipod shuffle, IpodShuffle, shuffle

Filed under: Accessories, ipod shuffle

Here come the new iPod shuffle accessories

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Mar 13th, 2009

Now that everyone is getting used to the new iPod shuffle, the accessory makers are already pumping out the third-party additions (or at least announcing them). Some of the more interesting ones I've seen so far are:

the Dexim Shu-Lip (right) that basically offers a streamlined 1/8" plug to USB dongle that turns the new shuffle into a thumb drive ($10).
Headphones with included button controller as well as an adapter for existing headphones that just adds just the button controller from Scosche ($49.95 - $99.99 coming in "the Spring").
Headphones with controller from Klipsch ($99.99 "this summer").
Headphones with controller from Etymotic (pdf link) (availability not announced).

In any case, if you're interested in dressing up the newest tiny iPod, it looks like the third-party makers have got your back (or at least they will by this summer).

[via Gizmodo, Macworld, iLounge]

Tags: Etymotic, ipod, ipod shuffle, IpodShuffle, klipsch, Scosche, shu-lip

Filed under: iPod Family, ipod shuffle

New iPod shuffle features VoiceOver

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Mar 11th, 2009

The store is back, and the rapid rumor ramp-up is vindicated: Apple introduced a new iPod shuffle this morning, billed as 'the first music player that talks to you' -- it features a VoiceOver interface that announces artists, songs and playlists on demand (the iPod nano features spoken menus as well, so that tagline may need some work).

Interestingly, the VoiceOver UI concept was mused upon by John Gruber last month. The shuffle now supports multiple playlists, which would have been difficult to manage without some sort of UI for controlling which one is playing.

The new shuffle expands to 4 GB of storage for the same $79US, but in the course of shrinking the overall size of the microscopic MP3 maven down to 1.8" high, 0.7" wide and 0.3" deep (45mm x 17mm x 7.8mm), the player controls were moved onto the headphone cord. This may not sit well with buyers who prefer other earbuds.

The shuffle is available in black and silver and is shipping in 3-5 days.

Tags: headphones, ipod, ipod shuffle, IpodShuffle, shuffle, voiceover

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Audio, Odds and ends, Apple, ipod shuffle

Concept: the iPod shuffle bracelet

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Nov 30th, 2008

This seems pointless and yet brilliant at the same time, somehow -- iPhone Savior has concept pictures of the iPod shuffle extended out into a bracelet. You can already find lots of straps and wristbands for the shuffle, and with that clip on it, it's designed to be jewelry anyway, so why not carry the premise out to its conclusion, right?

It's almost perfect, and yet weird enough that Apple would never go for it -- they'd much rather make the hardware, and leave the straps and hooks to third-party vendors, I think. Still, it's an interesting idea. What other kinds of jewelry could include the smallest version of "the world's most wearable" mp3 player? A shuffle necklace? Shuffle earrings?

Thanks, Rymon!

Tags: bracelet, hardware, ipod, ipod-shuffle, jewelry, mp3, wearable-ipod

Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, ipod shuffle

First Look: Got Your BAC for iPhone/iPod touch

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Nov 24th, 2008

If you frequent the bar, or just like to have the occasional drink, then a new iPhone application has Got Your Back. As a matter of fact, that is the name of the application; except it is spelled BAC (as in Blood-Alcohol Concentration). With this application you will know exactly when you should call a taxi.

When you first launch the application, you'll enter some personal information, like age, weight, and gender, so the application can calculate your BAC correctly. The main display shows four drinks on a table. You can change the type of beverage by double-tapping and selecting a different one -- the icon will also change. Each time you drink a beverage, you drag the icon off the table and onto the screen. The BAC, Carbs, Calories, and number of drinks will be updated in the top-left corner of the screen. As you add drinks, these numbers will increase. The red line across the screen indicates the legal limit -- when you're above this line, a new button will appear called "call a taxi." When tapped, this button will launch the Maps app and search for taxis.

I love subtle UI features, and this application definitely has some: from the icon sets for beverages, to the sloshing liquid when you tilt the iPhone. The application is really great, and I would love to see the developer create a caffeine calculator that does the same thing. I would like to see the ability to input a number for a designated driver, that way you don't have to fumble through your contacts or call a taxi. Got Your BAC is available from the App Store for $2.99 (US). And, remember, the best thing to do is to not drink and drive.

Gallery: First Look: Got Your BAC

Tags: alcohol, App Store, AppStore, BAC, Calories, Carbs, drinks, Got Your BAC, GotYourBac, iPhone

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