A brief report from Reuters this morning said Japan's trade ministry claimed three fires had been caused by defectively hot iPod nano batteries.
Nobody was injured in the fires.
The government said in a statement that Apple had two other reported cases where people were burned by their iPod nanos. The defective nanos, they said, were sold between September 2005 and September 2006.
Japan's quasi-governmental product safety commission will investigate the incidents with Apple's cooperation, the trade ministry said.
AppleInsider reported today that Apple is advising resellers to stock up on the better-selling iPods and MacBooks, as factory supplies are expected to slow to a trickle in August. There's speculation that this could be due to a release of new models.
For 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros and the standard MacBooks, Apple was recommending that channel partners place orders that would give them a 3-week supply. For iPods, a 4-week supply was advised.
Apple usually notifies resellers via bulletins like this when they're getting ready to refresh a product line. This points to a product introduction for the new laptops and iPods (most likely the iPod touch and nano) in late August or September. While this is late for the school buying season, it could mark an early entry into the holiday buying season with an agressive launch of new products.
iPod gamers (there's an odd phrase) have got something new to try out. Apple released Bubble Bash this week [iTunes link], a new game for iPod (5th generation) and iPod nano (3rd generation).
I played it on my nano and it's fun. Basically, you've got to toss bubbles into bunches of balloons, knocking out three or more of the same color. The graphics are nice for an iPod game and the music is only mildly annoying.
It doesn't beat my favorite iPod game, Mini Golf, but it's still fun. Check it out if you like puzzle games.
Dear TUAW readers, I have a confession. Normally I am not a person who spontaneously buys an iPod . However last Thursday morning was, well, a little different. Upon seeing the new Nanos, Shuffles and iPod Classics on display at an Apple Store I just happened to be passing (convenient, eh?), I was torn. Do I buy a new Nano? Do I need one? Do I want one? Can I even justify purchasing one, given that I have a (RED) 4GB Nano that I love dearly? The answer to all those questions was close enough to 'yes', almost exclusively because I wanted a video-playing iPod. And more importantly, because I had 7 days of travel that would allow the Nano to prove its worth. Well, after a week of video-playing, music listening and more, the jury is in.
People love to dismantle their expensive, new toys for whatever reason (probably the same reason I took transistor radios apart as a kid - to see "how it works").
Today, AppleInsider is pointing to fully illustrated take-aparts at iFixit.com - one for the iPod nano, and one for the classic. They note that Apple abandoned the anodized aluminum enclosure of the former nano for the scratch-hungry gloss of the original. Also, Apple used lots of adhesive with the nano, which makes getting it back together difficult.
As for the classic, it has metal enclosure tabs instead of the old plastic ones, making it harder to get apart.
If you're still compelled to disassemble your iPod, iFixit has the how-to.
Our good friends at iLounge have gotten their hands on some brand new iPod Classics (both colors) and iPod nanos (all 5 colors) and did what any self respecting member of the Mac web would do: posted a bunch of unboxing pictures on Flickr.
The iPod Classic comes in a box very much like the one the iPhone comes in (economies of scale I imagine) while the nano comes in a clear container to show off the nifty colors.
Regular readers know that we're big fans of VisualHub here at TUAW. It's generally the easiest and quickest way to convert video from one format to another, particularly for playing on our favorite Apple hardware. Techspansion is really on the ball and today released version 1.27 adding video support for the new iPod nanos and classics. The new release adds presets for the new iPods, and also includes a "universal preset designed to be compatible with all Apple video devices at the highest quality possible."
This is a free update for registered users. For everyone else, VisualHub remains $23.32 and a demo is available
The newly refreshed iPod nanos no only sport a new look, but a new version of the iPod UI (as does the iPod Classic). This might not be obvious a first blush, so Apple has posted some demo movies to clue you in. The first shows off CoverFlow and the second is focused on the 'Extra' functionality in the iPod nano.
Get 'em while they still exist in their current form factor: today's prize is an iPod nano. Again, you pick the color. The catch? Apple has to actually make a nano in the color you request. It was the same deal for yesterday's shuffle giveaway, sorry all you ColorWare fans.
To enter, leave a comment on this post between 5AM and 11:59PM EST on August 24. Validate the comment for it to qualify, and only one per person please. Full rules on our TUAW Back-to-School Giveaway page. Good luck and thanks for reading!
This is kind of amazing when you think about it. According to Macworld UK -reporting on information from DRAMeXchange - Apple has secured about 25% of the entire world's supply of flash memory. That's a lot of iPod nanos and iPhones!
Apparently, production problems have reduced yields, leading to increased flash prices and even shortages for other vendors. When you consider all the memory cards for cameras, etc. out there, that Apple is using that much of the global supply is quite remarkable.
Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? (Robert Heinlein says it, but that's not the point.) Check out this funky little button on the iTunes front page this morning. Granted, while the Apple Store is down it does nothing in particular, but soon, my precious, it will offer college students a free iPod Nano with every Mac purchase. Yummy.
NotePage has released a free PDF describing everything you want to know about the iPod. From tech specs to usage, everything is covered in thorough detail. It's a good reference for seasoned users like you and me, and certainly valuable for new users (like my mom) who may be a bit intimidated by the device.
Snoopy, one of the most beloved fictional characters in the world. The iPod nano, one of the most beloved pieces of consumer electronics in the world. It was only matter of time before someone combined the two, and that's just what Japanese company RUN'A did. They are making the limited edition Snoopy iPod nano set pictured above available for purchase in Japan. Only 1000 of these will be made, so if you are Jonesing for a Snoopified iPod nano you had better get thee to Japan.
XtremeMac today announced additions to their MicroMemo audio recorder lineup. The new MicroMemo is a stand-alone, hi-fi digital audio recorder designed specifically for the new iPod nano. It captures CD-quality audio through a flexible, detachable microphone and features one-touch recording and a built-in speaker for instant playback.
In addition, XtremeMac introduced the new MemoMic, a lapel microphone that clips onto your shirt, jacket or tie and is designed to work seamlessly with the MicroMemo, but also works with any device sporting a 3.5mm jack. Both products are powered by the iPod nano itself, so no extra cables or power sources are required.
The new MicroMemo comes in your choice of black or silver anodized aluminum is available for pre-order now and is priced at $59.95. It's expected to ship early this month, while the MemoMic is currently shipping for a mere $29.95. Complete specs for both can be found on XtremeMac's website.
Talk about the iPod's halo effect: the Gazette-Times has a story about a 25-year-old "city boy" son of a mushroom picker who got lost in the back woods of Benton County, Oregon. Apparently picking went a little late, and after getting separated from her son, the mother sent a search and rescue team to find the boy. Surprisingly, the glow of his iPod nano was bright enough in the thick underbrush for the team to track him down at 1:12 am, offering the possibility of a new "life saver" marketing angle for Apple's darling little music player.
All humor aside, however, Pini Nou was reunited with his mother.
A brief report from Reuters this morning said Japan's trade ministry claimed three fires had been caused by defectively hot iPod nano batteries. 
AppleInsider
iPod gamers (there's an odd phrase) have got something new to try out. Apple released Bubble Bash this week [
People love to dismantle their expensive, new toys for whatever reason (probably the same reason I took transistor radios apart as a kid - to see "how it works"). 
Our good friends at 
Regular readers know that we're big fans of 
Get 'em while they still exist in their 
This is kind of amazing when you think about it. According to 
Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? (
NotePage has released 
XtremeMac today announced additions to their 
Talk about the iPod's halo effect: the Gazette-Times has 
