iPod nano
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Snoopy themed iPod nano set
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.[via Krunker]
XtremeMac announces MicroMemo and MemoMic for 2nd gen iPod nano
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.
RWC's neoTune: here thief, have a nano
Yeah, we know what you've been thinking: "now that I've got my 2nd gen iPod nano, how can I strap it to my bigazz head as a beacon for theft?" In from stage-left, steps Japan's RWC with their neoTUNE. By shrinking the cans from the mTUNE-N, they've certainly taken out the bulk. However, they've left in plenty of freak by making something as miniscule as the nano now appear freakin' ginormous. Tip: save the ¥4,980/$43 (plus replacement nano cost) and clip an iPod shuffle onto the cans you probably already own. At the very least, you'll be spared a geek pummeling and might even get a date... ok, probably not.[Via Impress]
iPod's glow helps rescue lost mushroom picker
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.
Zune stacks up in size: iPods, Zen, Sansa
And here we have the brown Zune stacked agains the Zen Vision:M, iPods 5G and nano, and the Sansa E200 series. Just because it's taller than the rest doesn't mean it's larger than the rest though; we actually found the Zune to be deceptively small, and still quite pocketable. But hey, that's just us, we're the peeps prepped and ready to rock a Universal in tight jeans.P.S. -In case you're wondering, the screens only "lit" on the Zune because it's a non-functional retail display unit.[Thanks, Steven]
Apple launches 8GB (PRODUCT) RED iPod nano
We hear you, the war on AIDS in Africa is all well and good, but what's the point if you have to suffer with a paltry 4GB of storage? Well, Apple hears you too, and it just busted out an 8GB (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition iPod nano to appease your storage lust. The new version costs $249, just like its black 8GB counterpart, and Apple will be donating the same $10 of each sale to the Global Fund that it's currently forking over for 4GB versions. Not too bad for a bit of iPod hawterness you were planning on nabbing anyways, right?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition now available in 8GB version
Apple has upped the charitable goodness ante with a new 8GB version of the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition, which is now available for $249 (same price as the 8GB black version) exclusively at Apple's online and Retail stores. $10 from the sale of each 4GB iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED goes to the Global Fund to help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. No word yet on whether the 8GB version is kicking back more cash to the cause.Still waiting on those (PRODUCT) RED MacBooks and (PRODUCT) RED iMacs. I say go all out and introduce an entire (PRODUCT) RED "Candy Apple" lineup!Thanks, Tom!
Chinese iPod knockoffs
This isn't the first blatant and bad iPod knockoff, and it won't be the last. But I still get such a kick out of seeing these, I just had to share.This "ipod" sports a badly fitted usb connector, a poor imitation of the iPod UI, says "Designs by Appls California" on the back, has 512MB of memory and plays "AMV," MP3 and MP4 files. The iPod nano-style box it comes in (1st gen, natch) is apparently a better fake than the "ipod" itself. It can be yours for only 12 Euro if you find yourself wandering through an electronics store in China.[via Powerpage]
How to turn your 2G iPod nano into a Ouija board
If you happen to have one of them shiny new 2G iPod nanos, and you happen to have a penchant for the occult, and you're looking for a new party trick to impress your friends with while dressed in your gadgety-themed costume that you're wearing to that hot Halloween party, well, right now -- fear not, Engadget is here to keep you on the techno-supernatural cutting edge. Those creative friends of ours at CNET UK turned their iPod into a Ouija board, remarking on the similarities between the Click Wheel alphabet-search system and an analog board. CNET UK's ghost (named "Brad") communicated through various tunes on the iPod, clearly the medium of choice for today's hip 21st century spirit. Now if you do try this at home or are participating in other Halloween festivities, make sure to keep it fun and safe for all involved -- awakening long dead spirits can ruin somebody's night. You do want to be around to read Engadget on Día de los Muertos, don't you?[Via The Uber-Review]
Nexx NF-810 PMP looks vaguely familiar
Yeah, we're sure you get tired of us comparing every other music player that comes down the pipe to the iPod nano, but a fresh design now and then could sure help us kick the habit. To its credit, the Nexx NF-810 bears almost as much resemblance to the Sansa as it does to Apple's eponymous player, unfortunately, it seems the NF-810's "scroll wheel" is all for show -- thus aping the Zune and completing the picture of unoriginality. Luckily, the Nexx player is pretty dang diminutive, at a mere 7mm thick, and with 10 hours of playback time and a max a capacity of 2GB, there's plenty to love here. The unit also comes in 512MB and 1GB flavors, and supports MP3, WMA and ADPCM audio codecs, along with SMV for video, with an included converter for prepping MPEG, WMV and AVI files. No word on price or availability[Via MobileWhack]
The iPod turns five
Hard to believe it, but a half decade ago today Steve Jobs stood up in front of a small crowd and introduced an "MP3 music player... that plays all of the popular open formats of digital music, MP3, MP3 VBR, WAV, and AIFF," a device that changed the consumer electronics industry forever. Of course, that device was the iPod. Love it or hate it (we tend to have mixed feelings about it 'round Engadget HQ), the iPod helped to make consumer electronics cool again, and managed to be a huge step forward for the CE industry shortly after the tech bubble had burst -- and during a time when the country was in turmoil after the attacks of 9/11, no less. No, the iPod wasn't the first digital music player -- not even the first with a portable hard drive -- but we're not going to wax on about what it was that charmed tens of millions of consumers out of their hard earned cash. So we figured it'd be enough to present to you an iPod family tree, do a little groundskeeping to make sure the iPod family cemetery is in good shape, and let you blow out the iPod's birthday candles whichever way you like.P.S. - Check out Steve's original introduction to the iPod after the break. Ah, memories.
iPod nano wants to be your friend
I'd heard that MySpace was the place to see and be seen for hipsters of all ages, but isn't the iPod nano a bit young to be on MySpace? Apparently not.Tyler tipped us off that while he was innocently trawling MySpace last night he noticed that iPod Green Nano was the featured profile. Didn't take long to locate Green's closest friend, iPod Pink Nano and iPod Blue Nano. Each of them has more than 1500 friends already, by the way, and with the prevalence of Podophiles rumored to be on MySpace, I'm sure that number will only grow.The iPod nano profile pages contain links to buy iPods, of course, along with a photo gallery, videos of the commercials, free iPod nano screensavers, desktop wallpapers and even MySpace profile skins. I'm not the MySpace type so I have no idea how effective this advertising model is, but I suppose it can't hurt.In trying to locate other possible Apple-sponsored profiles I replaced /pinknano at the end of the URL with /rednano. In case you were curious, the rednano URL is already taken by a young red-headed girl in FL. I wonder if Apple has tried (or would try) to buy or rent her profile from her? Thanks, Tyler!UPDATE: As of 1pm ET, the nano profile pages are now MIA from MySpace but we're not sure why. Since we're the curious types we've dropped MySpace an email to find out.UPDATE: As of 2pm ET the profile pages are back online. Go figure! Enjoy~
Apple brings (a little) web 2.0 to iPod nano RED site
I've been getting somewhat annoyed with Apple's aging website for a while now, as it still even contains the striped elements of Jaguar in its navigation at the top. Not that I have any problem with Jaguar, mind you (though I have a hard time with the possibility of giving up Tiger), but for a company who's so progressive, and even a CEO who says you should upgrade iPods at least once a year, I'm just surprised we haven't seen some sort of Tiger/Unified update to just the navigation, if anything (the rest of their site, admittedly, is designed darn well).Setting aside my gripes for a moment, reader Mark Fleser noticed that the new page for the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED which was just announced shows that all this fancy new web 2.0 stuff hasn't been lost on Apple. Granted, this new use of AJAXy goodness seems to be only present on the Technical Specifications button at the bottom of the page, but it's a pretty handy implementation and possibly a sign of good things to come.
iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition officially official
We really didn't need any more vindication that this product exists -- what with photos of them sitting on store shelves and all -- but Apple would never leave us without a nice official announcement: the officially-dubbed iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition is now detailed on Apple's website, verifying all the facts we reported on yesterday ($10 per iPod donated to The Global Fund, same $199 price, it's red!, etc., etc.).Not much else to add, other than "buy one, you cheapskate -- it's for a good cause." Oh, and check out "The Oprah Winfrey Show" today for what will probably be the official officially official live announcement by Bono and Oprah.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]Update: In my haste to get this post out before I had to abandon the computer, I neglected to mention (as reader Greg notes) that Apple will also begin selling new iTunes RED gift cards for $25 (though they don't mention how much is donated to the charity).
iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED now shipping
Go and get it! Right on schedule, the iPod nano (product) RED is now available on the Apple store for $199. That's the same price as the other 4GB iPod nanos only with RED, Apple will donate $10 from each purchase to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Besides, that red is hottastic, so what's keepin' ya?[Thanks, Stephen and Steven]
Bono and Oprah confirm iPod nano RED in Chicago
Welp, looks like those iPod nano Reds have been confirmed -- Bono and Oprah (Bonoprah?) congregated to the North Michigan Ave. Chi-town Apple Store to catch this amazing photo op. Hocking AIDS curing portable audio players never looked so fun.Oh yeah, caption contest! Naw, you can't win anything, but it's not like we can't have a little fun at their expense.Ryan - "Ms. Winfrey, Mr., um Bono, may I interest you in some iSplitters?"Pete - "I wish we could afford a second iPod!"Paul - "Yeah, I'm starting to have second thoughts about Vertigo as well."Cyrus - Oprah: "Do we really have to listen to all of 'Under a Blood Red Sky' right now?"Evan - "Sorry, Oprah; even as a book-on-tape, The Uncommon Wisdom of Oprah Winfrey still isn't very compelling"[Via MacRumors]
Bono, Oprah introducing iPod nano Red tomorrow?
If there's anyone better than U2 frontman Bono at playing both sides of the fence in the OS wars, we haven't met them yet. One day this guy is hanging out with Bill Gates and sleeping over at his cushy pad, and the next day he's convincing Steve Jobs to release a special (non-U2) iPod and donate 5% of the proceeds to his HIV / AIDS charity. Well, at least that's the word from AppleInsider, who's claiming that the rocker was at the Apple Store in Chicago today filming a promo spot with Oprah Winfrey to prepare for the device's debut on her show tomorrow. This iPod nano Red (artist's rendition pictured above), as it's being called, will supposedly be yet another addition to the rainbow of 4GB 'Pods first unveiled at last month's "Showtime" event, but unlike the U2 models, this one will cost the same $200 as its multi-colored brethren. Each DAP sold will reportedly net PROJECT RED $10, which will then be re-donated to The Global Fund to help African women and children afflicted with the deadly disease. Get a Mac? Get a PC? An iPod? A Zune? When you're Bono, you don't have to decide.[Thanks, Tom]
Apple, Bono, Oprah set to announce red iPod nano
Reader Jim Judd tipped us off early, and AppleInsider reports: Just as Think Secret speculated last month, Apple is collaborating with its fave musician-gone-activist, U2 frontman Bono, and Oprah Winfrey (of all people) to release a red iPod nano that will promote an AIDS charity. According to AI, Apple will price the color-of-love iPod for $199, and for each one sold donate $10 to Project Red.Bono and Oprah will supposedly unveil the new Apple product during tomorrow's episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." And since this seems like an official announcement, one of them -- and frankly I don't care who -- better be wearing a black mock turtle neck and jeans.Update: Reader tom points to an article on the Chicago Tribune website about Bono and Oprah's trip down Chicago's Michigan Avenue, including their visit to the Apple Store, where Oprah "bought 10 new red iPod Nanos." The picture accompanying the article shows the iPods already on the tables.The real news here, though, is that both Oprah and Bono were at the N. Michigan Avenue Apple Store, which is only ten minutes away from me! Oh man, that's so awesome! They were so close! I'm freaking out, omg!**Please don't take that seriously.
Ars Technica on the Second gen iPod nano
Oh, the things the good folks at Ars Technica do to innocent iPods. This time around it was the new iPod nano that got the 'Ars treatment.' This review includes the normal, run of the mill details, as well as the famous 'torture test. A silver iPod nano was dropped, washed, and dried out to see how it would hold up. I won't ruin the ending for you, but I will note that the nano scored an 8 out of 10.
DIY dock from new iPod nano packaging
Oh it's on now: one-upping the DIY iPod Dock is Flickr user MulletMan13 with a dock for a new 2G iPod nano made out of its own clever packaging. It looks as though MulletMan13 more or less used the same technique, cutting a hole through the plastic package with mere scissors and a pocket knife, then taping the dock adapter in place. The final product certainly earns some style points for the use of Apple's eye-catching packaging, but we still have to tip our hat to Flickr user flickrflick151 for the home-grown use of the AirPort Express card box and the extra touch of a sharpie marker label. Cheers to the both of you inventive dock creators, and thanks in advance for sparking a DIY dock movement. With any luck, your names will be etched in stone to forever highlight your sparks of innovation - or maybe they'll just be written down and sculpted somewhere with a sharpie and some packaging tape.
