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Keepin' it real fake, part XLIX - Le Clip: c'est chic!
We really honestly do wish Chinese knockoff artists would spend more ripping off gadgets we want to use (i.e. not iPods), but hey, it is what it is. And if nothing else, "Le Clip" might just have the best name a knockoff ever had. Voulez-vous jouer la musique pour moi?[Thanks, Gabriel G]
iLounge announces iPhone contest
How'd you like to be the first one on your block to own an iPhone? Now imagine getting that iPhone for free.It could happen if you win iLounge's new wallpaper contest. The rules are simple: Create a high-resolution desktop picture featuring any current iPod model and the iLounge logo. The iLounge editors will then pick their top three. That's it! All work must be original and submitted by March 25, 2007 at 11:59PM Pacific Time.The third place contestant will receive an iPod nano and an iPod shuffle, second place gets at AppleTV and the grand prize winner will walk away with an iPhone. Not bad for a few hours with Photoshop.Now get to it!
Great deals on iPod nanos, shuffles
Attention, frugal Mac addicts. Second generation iPod nanos and original iPod shuffles have been added to Apple's list of refurbished items. Nanos are starting at $119US for a 2GB model, and the shuffles are just $49US! I really liked the original shuffle's rough-and-tumble design and here's your chance to pick one up at bargain basement prices.Color availability is subject to change, of course, so good luck there.[Via MacNN]
Focal / DLO offer up PowerBug AC-to-USB power adapter
Okay, so Focal's latest charging gizmo comes bundled with a cable that plays nice with your shiny (and colorful) new vivid Shuffle (or your "old" silver edition), but realistically, the PowerBug isn't much more than a snazzy AC-to-USB power adapter. Weighing in at around 40 grams, this device reportedly handles 100 to 240-volt plugs and works well with worldwide adapter prongs, and essentially turns any AC outlet you may run across into a charging station for anything that utilizes USB to suck down power. Namely, just about every iPod that relies on your trusty USB port for energy can befriend this here gadget, along with NAV systems and USB battery chargers. The plug itself sports a green LED that gives you an indication of how the whole charging process is going, and while Focal doesn't seem to give mention to a little company dubbed DLO, the blatant branding leads us to believe that it'll be sold under that accessory maker's product line. Nevertheless, if you're finding yourself closer to power outlets than electrified USB connectors during your travels, you can pick up your own PowerBug now for $22.99.[Via NewLaunches]
PSA: how to spot a new silver iPod shuffle
If you're browsing the wares at your local iPod-peddlin' location, but don't want to look like a fool when you get home and discover you just bought a silver shuffle with the old school headphones -- or perhaps the inverse is true -- then you might be pleased to hear that it's easy to spot the difference: the brand new silver shuffle has silver accents on the cardboard backing, while the old version was dressed up with green. Happy hunting![Via Cult of Mac]
Colorful new iPod shuffles live and in person
The expedient iPod fanboys over at iProng already got some hands-on time with the new iPod shuffle colors. Nothing much to see, of course, other than the shuffles being photographed by mere mortals. After browsing through the pics, we have a few notes: A.) There are five different colors. B.) All five shuffles, while being different colors, are all shaped the same. C.) We aren't really being all that clever with this whole list thing. As reported before, the headphones are indeed the fancy new curvy kind. Interestingly, iProng mentions that Apple's low-key announcement of colorful shuffles "might have been a bit too low-key," since "no one knows they exist yet" according to an Apple Store employee. In fact, the five shuffles iProng purchased were more than had been purchased the whole day long, even with nice stacks of shuffles prominently displayed behind the counter. Oh well, Apple, can't win 'em all.
iPod shuffle -- now with color
Well hello new iPod shuffles. Breaking free from their bleak battleship-grey origins, the $79 iPod shuffle now hits in your choice of pink, green, blue, and even a new tasty orange flavor. Still 1GB, still 12 hours of battery, and yes... available with free laser engraving just in time for Valentines Day.Update: We got so distracted by all those flashy colors, we forgot to mention the neatest part of the announcement. You might remember the (minor) public outcry at Apple's failure to include those snazzy new iPod headphones with its 2G shuffle, especially considering the fact that the first time we got our hands on one, Apple was showing it off with the new headphones in tow. Well now it looks like Apple has finally gotten with the program and is including the new headphones with the 2G shuffle. Thanks, Christopher K. for pointing this out.
iPod Hacks posts "iPhone shuffle" spoof
The folks over at iPhone Hacks have posted a spoof (read: this is fake) of an upcoming Apple product that minimizes the functionality and branding of the recently release iPhone. The new iPhone shuffle (again, this is fake kids) carries the slogan of "Life is random," and its ground-breaking industrial design indeed conveys this idea with the exclusion of most typical phone features such as a full keypad and screen. Details are slim, but the iPhone shuffle appears to feature nothing but the soon-to-be-iconic singular iPhone button, presumably for dialing friends, family and co-workers completely at random. Since we can assume the iPhone shuffle synchronizes contacts from your Mac or PC (or possibly just a random selection of them?), it is likely that you have a good chance of calling someone you know and possibly even want to talk to.Not much else is known about the iPhone shuffle, though I think it is also safe to assume that its price could lean more towards an introductory demographic, due to its extremely minimal design. Unfortunately, Apple declined to comment as to when the iPhone's little brother will come to market, or, surprisingly, whether the device exists at all.[via Macitt]
Dress up your Shuffle with Shufflesome
The second gen iPod Shuffle is looks pretty good in its nature state, but some folks like to differentiate their gear from the rest of the pack. Shufflesome offers a variety of stickers for your Shuffle (both first and second gen Shuffles can be dressed up with Shufflesome stickers). They have a wide variety to choose from, and some are very striking (the one above is my favorite).Each Shufflesome sticker will set you back about $7, but can you really put a price on individuality?[via iLounge]
New dance craze: Origami Benjamin Shuffle
When you've chugged back a gallon of 'nog in an effort to soothe your spirits over the size of your holiday bonus, consider the gifts that employees of BIG Images got this year. The entire staff of the large-format printing provider got iPod Shuffle units... neatly wrapped in two $100 bills.Nothing says "We appreciate your contribution to the success of our business" more than wrapping paper made from legal tender. For companies that aren't feeling as flush as BIG Images, may I suggest giving out Zunes on a bed of pennies?[via Gizmodo]
Marware USB Travel Dock for 2G Shuffle
Marware has announced a sexy new travel dock for the second generation iPod shuffle. Looking very similar to a first generation shuffle which has been cut in half, the dock features a protective rubberized bottom and blue LED indicator light. While it's not quite as small as the other travel dock we've posted about, I find it a bit more refined and elegant (though I'm not sure how well it will work with non-portable systems). The dock is available for pre-order at a hefty 20 dollars considering how inexpensive the shuffle itself is.[via UneasySilence]
$25 iPods? Or cheap ripoff?
Spotted online: $25 Pistons-branded 128 MB MP3 player. Looks a little familiar, doesn't it. Kind of shuffle-y, in an "is it or isn't it" kind of way? So is it an iPod? Or is it a ripoff. My guess? "Ripoff." The "supports MP3 & WMA" just screams of cheap imitation to me, plus nowhere in the ad do they mention the word iPod, let alone Shuffle. And did the Shuffle ever have a 128MB model? I'm surprised this one has such official looking support. It comes preloaded with a message from National City Bank and Lindsay Hunter, and sale proceeds will benefit Breast Cancer Prevention.
IncipioBud lets you jack into your 2G iPod shuffle
While we've seen a previous gadget that brings back that long-sought-after USB functionality to your second generation iPod shuffle, this one does it for about a quarter of the cost. The IncipioBud is a tiny device plugs right into your shuffle, and weighs less in grams (5.6, or 0.19 ounces) than it costs you in single-digit dollars ($6). Now which jacket did we leave our shuffle clipped to, again?[Via iLounge]
Microsoft copied the only iPod they could
John Gruber has penned an interesting observation of how Microsoft might very well have missed the mark from the get-go when they made the strange decision to take on the iPod and iTunes. Since the player's initial wiz-bang sales period is essentially over (as in: it more or less set a decent sales barometer, at least for now), John wrangles some interesting statistics from Amazon's charts on exactly where the Zune stands in comparison to Apple's players (including year-old models), as well as its ranking in the overall electronics category. To spoil the surprise: the Zune isn't doing so well. We've looked at Amazon's charts before, but as of this writing, a record player is beating out the best selling Zune on the electronics list, while iPods - specifically the small, flash-based nano and shuffle - dominate most of the top 10 spots.John then uses this data and good ol' fashioned people watching to conclude that Microsoft shouldn't have taken what could be their only swing at the plate in producing a hard drive-based iPod; they should have cranked out a flash memory model to go head-on with the nano - inarguably the home run slugger in Apple's lineup. While I tend to agree with John, I also see a problem with going down this road: Microsoft would likely have had even less room to maneuver, and even fewer things to market ('Beam your tunes') and invent lame, dead-end lingo for - they actually refer to sharing your music wirelessly as 'squirting'. Who wants to bet how excited Steve Ballmer's kids are to 'squirt' at school?Sure, when you look at what you're up against in the DAP market, Apple's iPod nano and SanDisk's respectable 2GB Sansa player (expandable via an SD slot, and at #11 on Amazon as of this writing) are the top dogs to beat - but what could they have offered? I highly doubt they could have fit their DRM-crippled and arguably worthless (though admittedly buzz-worthy) Wi-Fi sharing feature into a nano-sized player, even if they made it slightly larger and uglier like the Zune is to its 30GB iPod rival. A 'Zune nano' with nothing unique to offer would dry up on its own in a market already dominated by Apple, SanDisk and Creative, and Microsoft's exclusive, 3rd party bitch-slap of a music store would have even less of a leg to stand on.In summary: I think John's right - Microsoft made a bad move in copying the 30GB hard drive-based iPod, but it was the only move they had. In this light, it kinda makes you wonder why they bothered in the first place.
iPod shuffle 2G and Radio Remote - separated at birth?
I was rooting through a friend's treasure trove of iPod accessories yesterday when he whipped out his Radio Remote for the iPod. He then pointed out the striking similarity it has to the new iPod shuffle 2G he just picked up - and behold! They clearly must be related; possibly separated at birth - long lost siblings, happy to be reunited after many long quarters of product updates. Look! I think the shuffle is smiling!"Gee, you've really let yourself go," said the Remote. "But who cares! C'mere, gimme a hug big guy!"Ahhh... ain't a silly obsession with Apple products love grand?
2G iPod shuffle review round-up
When the original shuffle launched, Creative CEO Sim Wong Hoo claimed that the "whole industry will just laugh at it" thanks to its basic feature set. While executives at music companies may have had a few chuckles at the orginal shuffle behind closed doors, the power of the iPod brand combined with the simple design of the shuffle made it one of the most successful models in Apple's line-up. Now that the 2G iPod shuffle has hit the stores, Apple's competitors aren't laughing anymore, although the new shuffle isn't quite the technological revolution that Apple might claim it to be. iLounge and C|NET picked up on one particular problem that was previously the shuffle's forte: a distinct degradation in audio quality when compared with the first shuffle -- although it's worth noting that The Washington Post had no complaints in this area. Other niggles range from the inclusion of the "old style", ergonomically questionable earbuds to the stupid requirement that the user turns the shuffle off and on to check the battery life; all of which are insignificant when you factor in the new miniscule form factor, convenient clip, and improved price:capacity ratio. Unfortunately for Apple's competitors, at the moment the only significant distraction from the 2G shuffle's appeal is the new iPod nano range.Read - C|NETRead - iLoungeRead - The Washington Post[Image: This is what 200 iPod shuffles look like]
Thought Out KEY gives classic USB action to your 2G iPod shuffle
Thought Out has announced a new concept product, code-named the "KEY," which is designed to jack into the 2G iPod shuffle to create a standard USB 2.0 plug -- allowing you to "sync, charge, and transfer data like any standard USB drive." You'll be able to get a a $22 KEY in early 2007 to snuggle up to your shuffle -- that is, assuming you haven't lost your new friend in the couch before then.[Via iLounge]
2G iPod Shuffle stripped and left bare for the world to see
We've barely gotten a chance to get used to the new iPod Shuffle in the wild, but wouldn't ya know it, already people have taken it apart. Apparently to achieve this dastardly task you'll need a "spudger" (yeah, we had to look that one up too) and a #00 Phillips Screwdriver. There's not a lot to see but the logic board, flash chip, and battery -- but it's all there, in spilled electronic-guts glory.[Thanks, Sean]
Apple's 2G iPod Shuffle unboxed and in the buff
While Apple's second-generation iPod Shuffle was unveiled quite some time ago, shipments just recently started flooding out of Cupertino's (or China's) doors to eager early adopters. Even more recently, Apple announced retail availability to the enthrallment of those who'd rather brave mall traffic than take advantage of free shipping. Nevertheless, *nathan has hooked us up with an early peek at what 2G Shuffle owners can expect when unboxing their precious little DAP, so be sure to hit the read link to see the shiny, silver device in all of its minuscule glory. [Via Nick Starr]
MobiBlu Cube2 makes it stateside
With its compact form factor and eye-catching design, the original Cube MP3 player has developed something of a following in the US, so it's no surprise that Korean manufacturer MobiBlu has decided to bring its successor stateside as well. Even though the Cube2 definitely has its share of drawbacks -- weak battery life, cumbersome navigation, and more-gimmicky-than-useful video / photo functionality -- there's still a small amount of cachet in sporting the "world's smallest multimedia player," which should probably be enough to help this device convert a few potential Shuffle purchasers. Amazon claims that the Cube2 will be "in stock soon," but if you just can't wait to shell out your $100 / $120 (for 1GB or 2GB of storage, respectively), MobiBlu's Yahoo-powered online store apparently has the C2 available immediately.[Via Anything But iPod]
