JR Raphael, PC World
EU MP3 Player Volume PolicyHave you heard? iPods in Europe are about to get a lot more quiet. Regulators have released a new set of standards governing how loud portable music players can go, and that means the default max volume is going take a big dip from where it currently sits.
The EU's New MP3 Player Policy
The European Commission's new policy will require iPods and other MP3 players to have a default maximum volume of 80 decibels. That's considered a "very loud" level by most sound rankings; anything above that mark can be potentially dangerous. Presently, most MP3 players go as loud as 115 to 125 decibels.
For some fun comparisons, we turn to the U.S. National Institute On Deafness And Other Communications Disorders (apparently, every shorter agency name was already taken). According to the, er, USNIODAOCD:
• 80 decibels is equivalent to the level of noise you'd hear on a busy city street;
• 90 decibels is lawnmower-like loudness;
• 110 is as ear-shattering as a loud rock concert;
• 120 to 130 matches the level of an airliner taking off -- or, in less technical terms, "GET USED TO PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVING TO SHOUT AT YOU!"
Some Volume Limit Limitations
Now, the new European MP3 volume policy won't make it impossible to pump up the jam (even if you do make dated references to subpar dance tunes) -- it'll just make it more difficult.
With the new restrictions, MP3 player-makers will only have to preset their devices' default max volumes. They will, however, have the option of allowing users to disable that default and venture into deafening territory, albeit with some sort of warning about the eardrum-puncturing delights that may occur.
So what would this warning actually entail? Per the EU statement:
"A dequate warnings for consumers on the risks involved, and on ways to avoid them, including the situation when the original set of earphones is replaced with another type and this causes higher unsafe sound levels. The mandate is not prescriptive in terms of how this is done. Industry solutions could include, for example, labels or digital information on the screen."
(I'm pretty sure they meant "adequate," not "a dequate." Because, I'll be honest, I have no idea what "a dequate warning" would be.)
Sounding Off
Personally, I think it's great that users will still be able to ignore the advice and subject themselves to harmful decibel exposure. It's perfectly permissible for someone to ruin his own lungs with heavy smoking, after all, or to ruin his own liver with heavy drinking. Why draw a distinction with eardrums?
Seriously, though, the new visual warnings should be a good step toward ensuring people are at least aware of the dangers of rockin' out earbud-style. Unless, of course, they've already had their eyesight damaged by an exploding iPod. Then they're just totally screwed.
--
Turning the volume level one notch down will make a difference in one's health. Those with Ipod, don't screw your hearing.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Adobe Points Fingers: ‘Blame Apple for Lack of iPhone Flash’ The company behind Flash expresses deep discontent towards Flash-less iPhone
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Adobe-Points-Fingers-Blame-Apple-for-Lack-of-iPhone-Flash-125920.shtml
By Filip Truta
3rd of November 2009
Apple has long denied the presence of Flash on its iPhone and iPod touch, accusing battery drainage and other issues. Adobe, for its part, strove to prove that was not exactly the case, and recently announced that the upcoming Flash CS5 Professional would allow developers to write applications in Flash that were then compiled to run on the iPhone.
Nevertheless, the door to the iPhone’s resources remains locked, with Apple refusing to have Flash on the iPhone via an SDK clause. Seeing that Apple simply won’t barge, Adobe Systems, the maker of Flash, has decided to become a tad more vocal about the issue.
Previously, when a user would try to access a flash-based video on their iPhone, a message saying, “To view this content upgrade your browser and flash plug-in” would appear. Now, by visiting the iPhone version of Adobe’s Flash download page bears the following message (screenshot also available above, courtesy of geardiary.com):
“Apple restricts use of technologies required by products like Flash Player. Until Apple eliminates these restrictions, Adobe cannot provide Flash Player for the iPhone or iPod touch.”
As noted above, at Adobe’s worldwide developer conference (Adobe MAX), the Flash maker announced that Adobe Flash Professional CS5 would enable developers to create rich, interactive applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. The company showcased a series of new iPhone applications built using a beta version of Flash Professional CS5. The software is expected to include a new text engine for creative freedom and control with text, enhanced capabilities for team collaboration on projects, pre-built code snippets for rapidly adding interactivity, and integration with Adobe Flash Builder for advanced ActionScript editing.
Adobe also offered a sneak peek into how developers could use Flash Professional CS5 to export applications for the iPhone, during the MAX keynote presentation. The company thus revealed that, not only would developers be able to create native iPhone apps from the ground up using Flash, but that existing IPs could be ported as well.
---
No Adobe Flash in the iPod? That will be a sad news for Adobe Flash users.
By Filip Truta
3rd of November 2009
Apple has long denied the presence of Flash on its iPhone and iPod touch, accusing battery drainage and other issues. Adobe, for its part, strove to prove that was not exactly the case, and recently announced that the upcoming Flash CS5 Professional would allow developers to write applications in Flash that were then compiled to run on the iPhone.
Nevertheless, the door to the iPhone’s resources remains locked, with Apple refusing to have Flash on the iPhone via an SDK clause. Seeing that Apple simply won’t barge, Adobe Systems, the maker of Flash, has decided to become a tad more vocal about the issue.
Previously, when a user would try to access a flash-based video on their iPhone, a message saying, “To view this content upgrade your browser and flash plug-in” would appear. Now, by visiting the iPhone version of Adobe’s Flash download page bears the following message (screenshot also available above, courtesy of geardiary.com):
“Apple restricts use of technologies required by products like Flash Player. Until Apple eliminates these restrictions, Adobe cannot provide Flash Player for the iPhone or iPod touch.”
As noted above, at Adobe’s worldwide developer conference (Adobe MAX), the Flash maker announced that Adobe Flash Professional CS5 would enable developers to create rich, interactive applications for the iPhone and iPod touch. The company showcased a series of new iPhone applications built using a beta version of Flash Professional CS5. The software is expected to include a new text engine for creative freedom and control with text, enhanced capabilities for team collaboration on projects, pre-built code snippets for rapidly adding interactivity, and integration with Adobe Flash Builder for advanced ActionScript editing.
Adobe also offered a sneak peek into how developers could use Flash Professional CS5 to export applications for the iPhone, during the MAX keynote presentation. The company thus revealed that, not only would developers be able to create native iPhone apps from the ground up using Flash, but that existing IPs could be ported as well.
---
No Adobe Flash in the iPod? That will be a sad news for Adobe Flash users.
Black Friday Deals 2009 Best Buy: Best Buy Brings Back VIP Contest for 2009 Black Friday
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2369116/black_friday_deals_2009_best_buy_best.html
by Meg C.
Black Friday deals in 2009 at Best Buy are sure to please. Many anticipate that Black Friday deals in 2009 at Best Buy will be some of Best Buy's best deals in a long time. Lucky for consumers, Best Buy has gotten into holiday cheer early this year, offering a variety of early Black Friday deals.
Why are Black Friday deals so important this year? For starters, unemployment is over 10% for the first time in over 20 years. Consumers are feeling the pinch and have noticed that their dollar doesn't go quite as far as it used to. People are more cognizant of what they are spending, and are more apt to save money because of fear of the unknown. Retailers such as Best Buy need to entice these consumers to let go of their money.
What type of Black Friday deals do I expect to see at Best Buy during the 2009 holiday season? I expect to see stellar deals on TVs, computers, laptops, and various other electronics. I would like to see a 32 gb iPod Touch for under $150, but that may be nothing more than just a dream.
A leaked Office Max Black Friday ad pointed to an ACER netbook for under $149.99. Although Office Max had the leaked ad pulled, and the deal may not have been official, I expect retailers like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Office Depot to offer great deals on small portable netbooks. Consumers should look for deals on the HP Mini as well as the ACER family of computers and jump on them.
2009 will also most likely be the year of the TV. Expect to see 42" TVs slightly below the $500 mark. In fact, Best Buy recently offered a 42" TV for $498.99.
Another Black Friday tradition for Best Buy that will continue for the 2009 holiday season is the Black Friday VIP contest. Simply write an essay about why you love Black Friday and you could win a $1,000 Best Buy gift card and get escorted to your local Best Buy on Black Friday. You will get priority seating, and have early access to all the goodies in the store. If you won this, it would be the best Black Friday deal you would ever imagine.
---
Black Friday is so near. I hope my relatives would remember to send me an Ipod. That will be a bonus Christmas gift for a music lover like me.
by Meg C.
Black Friday deals in 2009 at Best Buy are sure to please. Many anticipate that Black Friday deals in 2009 at Best Buy will be some of Best Buy's best deals in a long time. Lucky for consumers, Best Buy has gotten into holiday cheer early this year, offering a variety of early Black Friday deals.
Why are Black Friday deals so important this year? For starters, unemployment is over 10% for the first time in over 20 years. Consumers are feeling the pinch and have noticed that their dollar doesn't go quite as far as it used to. People are more cognizant of what they are spending, and are more apt to save money because of fear of the unknown. Retailers such as Best Buy need to entice these consumers to let go of their money.
What type of Black Friday deals do I expect to see at Best Buy during the 2009 holiday season? I expect to see stellar deals on TVs, computers, laptops, and various other electronics. I would like to see a 32 gb iPod Touch for under $150, but that may be nothing more than just a dream.
A leaked Office Max Black Friday ad pointed to an ACER netbook for under $149.99. Although Office Max had the leaked ad pulled, and the deal may not have been official, I expect retailers like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Office Depot to offer great deals on small portable netbooks. Consumers should look for deals on the HP Mini as well as the ACER family of computers and jump on them.
2009 will also most likely be the year of the TV. Expect to see 42" TVs slightly below the $500 mark. In fact, Best Buy recently offered a 42" TV for $498.99.
Another Black Friday tradition for Best Buy that will continue for the 2009 holiday season is the Black Friday VIP contest. Simply write an essay about why you love Black Friday and you could win a $1,000 Best Buy gift card and get escorted to your local Best Buy on Black Friday. You will get priority seating, and have early access to all the goodies in the store. If you won this, it would be the best Black Friday deal you would ever imagine.
---
Black Friday is so near. I hope my relatives would remember to send me an Ipod. That will be a bonus Christmas gift for a music lover like me.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!! Coming to iPhone and iPod Touch this Holiday: Touch-friendly puzzle game featuring Dead Santa makes its way to pockets everywhere this Christmas
http://wireless.ign.com/articles/104/1044615p1.html
Legendo Entertainment and Innogiant today announced that Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!!, an original falling-block puzzle game wrapped up in the adventures of wacky spirit wardens Becky and Tim, is planned for release on the iTunes App Store this Holiday season.
Developed by the handheld specialists at newly founded Innogiant, Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!!, will have players traveling the world, capturing runaway spirits in various fun and exciting game modes designed for puzzle fanatics and casual players alike.
Having fallen asleep on their watch and lost the Spookies, Becky and Tim are banished and risk losing their spirit warden jobs unless they manage to recapture these pesky ghosts. The unfortunate duo must search haunted locations on Earth to track down the Spookies including the Sphinx of Egypt, a Haunted House in England and an abandoned crypt in Finland featuring none other than Dead Santa himself.
Jani Nurminen, Lead Engineer at Innogiant said, "We've had a lot of fun reworking Spooky Spirits into a pocket version, even though it's been a little scary at times as we've spent many nights in the dark, optimizing the original code so that it takes full advantage of the iPhone and iPod Touch."
Bjorn Larsson, Executive Producer at Legendo Entertainment, noted, "Innogiant managed to include every single Spookie from the original game! There must be at least half a million of them hiding in there now — an amazing feat for a nifty little device such as the iPhone! If everyone helps catching the Spookies, we can make the world a better place by stopping them from haunting innocent people."
Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!! offers a unique twist on the classic falling block and "match-2" gameplay format. In the game, players build and expand stacks of Spookies in any direction and in any amount.
Three Game Modes:
* In the Panic Mode, players must clear each level by catching an appropriate amount of Spookies before the screen overfills.
* Puzzle Mode is a relaxed mode with no stress – players must outsmart the Spookies' clever puzzles and beat them in their own game using only a limited number of blocks.
* Eternity Mode is a Tetris-inspired exhaust mode that just keeps going for as long as players can keep at it or reach the max-score of 9,999,999 points (that's A LOT of Spookies to catch!).
Touch Controls:
* Swipe the screen to control the game, left and right selects blocks, up swaps them and down drops them!
Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!! will be available on the iTunes App Store in time for Christmas and will be appropriate for players of all ages.
---
Dead Santa claus in your Ipod? You will not like that if you're a kid. Who's going to deliver gifts to kids? Good thing it's only in the game.
Legendo Entertainment and Innogiant today announced that Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!!, an original falling-block puzzle game wrapped up in the adventures of wacky spirit wardens Becky and Tim, is planned for release on the iTunes App Store this Holiday season.
Developed by the handheld specialists at newly founded Innogiant, Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!!, will have players traveling the world, capturing runaway spirits in various fun and exciting game modes designed for puzzle fanatics and casual players alike.
Having fallen asleep on their watch and lost the Spookies, Becky and Tim are banished and risk losing their spirit warden jobs unless they manage to recapture these pesky ghosts. The unfortunate duo must search haunted locations on Earth to track down the Spookies including the Sphinx of Egypt, a Haunted House in England and an abandoned crypt in Finland featuring none other than Dead Santa himself.
Jani Nurminen, Lead Engineer at Innogiant said, "We've had a lot of fun reworking Spooky Spirits into a pocket version, even though it's been a little scary at times as we've spent many nights in the dark, optimizing the original code so that it takes full advantage of the iPhone and iPod Touch."
Bjorn Larsson, Executive Producer at Legendo Entertainment, noted, "Innogiant managed to include every single Spookie from the original game! There must be at least half a million of them hiding in there now — an amazing feat for a nifty little device such as the iPhone! If everyone helps catching the Spookies, we can make the world a better place by stopping them from haunting innocent people."
Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!! offers a unique twist on the classic falling block and "match-2" gameplay format. In the game, players build and expand stacks of Spookies in any direction and in any amount.
Three Game Modes:
* In the Panic Mode, players must clear each level by catching an appropriate amount of Spookies before the screen overfills.
* Puzzle Mode is a relaxed mode with no stress – players must outsmart the Spookies' clever puzzles and beat them in their own game using only a limited number of blocks.
* Eternity Mode is a Tetris-inspired exhaust mode that just keeps going for as long as players can keep at it or reach the max-score of 9,999,999 points (that's A LOT of Spookies to catch!).
Touch Controls:
* Swipe the screen to control the game, left and right selects blocks, up swaps them and down drops them!
Spooky Spirits: Puzzle Drop!! will be available on the iTunes App Store in time for Christmas and will be appropriate for players of all ages.
---
Dead Santa claus in your Ipod? You will not like that if you're a kid. Who's going to deliver gifts to kids? Good thing it's only in the game.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
iPod for books Kindles excitement
http://www.theage.com.au/national/ipod-for-books-kindles-excitement-20091008-gp2c.html
IT'S the iPod for book lovers. The Australian publishing industry was abuzz yesterday over the announcement that Amazon.com's foray into the world of electronic readers, the Kindle, is coming to Australia.
The electronic reader, Amazon's biggest-selling product ever, has previously been available only to US consumers. A new version that can download books, newspapers and periodicals wirelessly in more than 100 countries will begin shipping this month.
Kindle is a reading device that uses the same technology as 3G phones.
About 200,000 books will be available for Australian customers to download through the device from October 19.
People will be able to read newspapers and periodicals from around the world, such as The New York Times, and Britain's Daily Telegraph. The Kindle will sell for $US279 ($A314). Sony's e-reader model begins at about $100 cheaper.
Amazon's vice-president of Kindle, Steve Kessel, was on the campaign trail yesterday and was adamant that Kindle will run seamlessly on Australia's mobile network.
''The 3G wireless connection means you can be reading a book less than 60 seconds after you order it,'' Mr Kessel said.
--
This iPod for book lovers is a good innovation. This is now a new way of i-love-reading-more-than-ever feeling. I hope children will be more encouraged to read.
IT'S the iPod for book lovers. The Australian publishing industry was abuzz yesterday over the announcement that Amazon.com's foray into the world of electronic readers, the Kindle, is coming to Australia.
The electronic reader, Amazon's biggest-selling product ever, has previously been available only to US consumers. A new version that can download books, newspapers and periodicals wirelessly in more than 100 countries will begin shipping this month.
Kindle is a reading device that uses the same technology as 3G phones.
About 200,000 books will be available for Australian customers to download through the device from October 19.
People will be able to read newspapers and periodicals from around the world, such as The New York Times, and Britain's Daily Telegraph. The Kindle will sell for $US279 ($A314). Sony's e-reader model begins at about $100 cheaper.
Amazon's vice-president of Kindle, Steve Kessel, was on the campaign trail yesterday and was adamant that Kindle will run seamlessly on Australia's mobile network.
''The 3G wireless connection means you can be reading a book less than 60 seconds after you order it,'' Mr Kessel said.
--
This iPod for book lovers is a good innovation. This is now a new way of i-love-reading-more-than-ever feeling. I hope children will be more encouraged to read.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Rock Band launches iPhone and iPod Touch app
http://www.nme.com/news/ipod/47761
Rock Band has announced it is to launch an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Details of the deal were announced by game developer EA Mobile on its Facebook page. According to the post, the app is to be released later this month. Users can play guitar, drums, bass or sing vocals, and also to launch multiplayer games with up to four people taking part simultaneously.
20 tracks have been confirmed for the app, including the likes of Pixies, Foo Fighters, Motorhead, Blondie and Smashing Pumpkins.
The full tracklisting for Rock Band on the iPhone and iPod Touch is:
30 Seconds To Mars – 'Attack'
AFI – 'Girls Not Grey'
All American Rejects – 'Move Along'
Beastie Boys – 'Sabotage'
Blink-182 – 'All The Small Things'
Blondie – 'Hanging on the Telephone'
Foo Fighters – 'Learn To Fly'
Foo Fighters – 'Everlong'
George Thorogood & the Destroyers – 'Bad to The Bone'
Jethro Tull – 'Hymn 43'
Joan Jett – 'Bad Reputation'
Lynyrd Skynyrd – 'Simple Man'
Motorhead – 'Ace of Spades '08'
Pixies – 'Debaser'
Presidents of The United States of America – 'Ladybug'
Rise Against – 'Give It All'
Silversun Pickups – 'Lazy Eye'
Smashing Pumpkins – 'Cherub Rock'
Steve Miller Band – 'Take The Money and Run'
The Go Gos – 'We Got The Beat'
--
This Ipod event is so cool. This Ipod stuff is a feast to all music lovers and Ipod fans.
Rock Band has announced it is to launch an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Details of the deal were announced by game developer EA Mobile on its Facebook page. According to the post, the app is to be released later this month. Users can play guitar, drums, bass or sing vocals, and also to launch multiplayer games with up to four people taking part simultaneously.
20 tracks have been confirmed for the app, including the likes of Pixies, Foo Fighters, Motorhead, Blondie and Smashing Pumpkins.
The full tracklisting for Rock Band on the iPhone and iPod Touch is:
30 Seconds To Mars – 'Attack'
AFI – 'Girls Not Grey'
All American Rejects – 'Move Along'
Beastie Boys – 'Sabotage'
Blink-182 – 'All The Small Things'
Blondie – 'Hanging on the Telephone'
Foo Fighters – 'Learn To Fly'
Foo Fighters – 'Everlong'
George Thorogood & the Destroyers – 'Bad to The Bone'
Jethro Tull – 'Hymn 43'
Joan Jett – 'Bad Reputation'
Lynyrd Skynyrd – 'Simple Man'
Motorhead – 'Ace of Spades '08'
Pixies – 'Debaser'
Presidents of The United States of America – 'Ladybug'
Rise Against – 'Give It All'
Silversun Pickups – 'Lazy Eye'
Smashing Pumpkins – 'Cherub Rock'
Steve Miller Band – 'Take The Money and Run'
The Go Gos – 'We Got The Beat'
--
This Ipod event is so cool. This Ipod stuff is a feast to all music lovers and Ipod fans.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Can You Hear Me Now? iPod Volume Restrictions On The Way
JR Raphael, PC World
EU MP3 Player Volume PolicyHave you heard? iPods in Europe are about to get a lot more quiet. Regulators have released a new set of standards governing how loud portable music players can go, and that means the default max volume is going take a big dip from where it currently sits.
The EU's New MP3 Player Policy
The European Commission's new policy will require iPods and other MP3 players to have a default maximum volume of 80 decibels. That's considered a "very loud" level by most sound rankings; anything above that mark can be potentially dangerous. Presently, most MP3 players go as loud as 115 to 125 decibels.
For some fun comparisons, we turn to the U.S. National Institute On Deafness And Other Communications Disorders (apparently, every shorter agency name was already taken). According to the, er, USNIODAOCD:
• 80 decibels is equivalent to the level of noise you'd hear on a busy city street;
• 90 decibels is lawnmower-like loudness;
• 110 is as ear-shattering as a loud rock concert;
• 120 to 130 matches the level of an airliner taking off -- or, in less technical terms, "GET USED TO PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVING TO SHOUT AT YOU!"
Some Volume Limit Limitations
Now, the new European MP3 volume policy won't make it impossible to pump up the jam (even if you do make dated references to subpar dance tunes) -- it'll just make it more difficult.
With the new restrictions, MP3 player-makers will only have to preset their devices' default max volumes. They will, however, have the option of allowing users to disable that default and venture into deafening territory, albeit with some sort of warning about the eardrum-puncturing delights that may occur.
So what would this warning actually entail? Per the EU statement:
"A dequate warnings for consumers on the risks involved, and on ways to avoid them, including the situation when the original set of earphones is replaced with another type and this causes higher unsafe sound levels. The mandate is not prescriptive in terms of how this is done. Industry solutions could include, for example, labels or digital information on the screen."
(I'm pretty sure they meant "adequate," not "a dequate." Because, I'll be honest, I have no idea what "a dequate warning" would be.)
Sounding Off
Personally, I think it's great that users will still be able to ignore the advice and subject themselves to harmful decibel exposure. It's perfectly permissible for someone to ruin his own lungs with heavy smoking, after all, or to ruin his own liver with heavy drinking. Why draw a distinction with eardrums?
Seriously, though, the new visual warnings should be a good step toward ensuring people are at least aware of the dangers of rockin' out earbud-style. Unless, of course, they've already had their eyesight damaged by an exploding iPod. Then they're just totally screwed.
--
Turning the volume level one notch down will make a difference in one's health. Those with Ipod, don't screw your hearing.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/172748/article.html
EU MP3 Player Volume PolicyHave you heard? iPods in Europe are about to get a lot more quiet. Regulators have released a new set of standards governing how loud portable music players can go, and that means the default max volume is going take a big dip from where it currently sits.
The EU's New MP3 Player Policy
The European Commission's new policy will require iPods and other MP3 players to have a default maximum volume of 80 decibels. That's considered a "very loud" level by most sound rankings; anything above that mark can be potentially dangerous. Presently, most MP3 players go as loud as 115 to 125 decibels.
For some fun comparisons, we turn to the U.S. National Institute On Deafness And Other Communications Disorders (apparently, every shorter agency name was already taken). According to the, er, USNIODAOCD:
• 80 decibels is equivalent to the level of noise you'd hear on a busy city street;
• 90 decibels is lawnmower-like loudness;
• 110 is as ear-shattering as a loud rock concert;
• 120 to 130 matches the level of an airliner taking off -- or, in less technical terms, "GET USED TO PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVING TO SHOUT AT YOU!"
Some Volume Limit Limitations
Now, the new European MP3 volume policy won't make it impossible to pump up the jam (even if you do make dated references to subpar dance tunes) -- it'll just make it more difficult.
With the new restrictions, MP3 player-makers will only have to preset their devices' default max volumes. They will, however, have the option of allowing users to disable that default and venture into deafening territory, albeit with some sort of warning about the eardrum-puncturing delights that may occur.
So what would this warning actually entail? Per the EU statement:
"A dequate warnings for consumers on the risks involved, and on ways to avoid them, including the situation when the original set of earphones is replaced with another type and this causes higher unsafe sound levels. The mandate is not prescriptive in terms of how this is done. Industry solutions could include, for example, labels or digital information on the screen."
(I'm pretty sure they meant "adequate," not "a dequate." Because, I'll be honest, I have no idea what "a dequate warning" would be.)
Sounding Off
Personally, I think it's great that users will still be able to ignore the advice and subject themselves to harmful decibel exposure. It's perfectly permissible for someone to ruin his own lungs with heavy smoking, after all, or to ruin his own liver with heavy drinking. Why draw a distinction with eardrums?
Seriously, though, the new visual warnings should be a good step toward ensuring people are at least aware of the dangers of rockin' out earbud-style. Unless, of course, they've already had their eyesight damaged by an exploding iPod. Then they're just totally screwed.
--
Turning the volume level one notch down will make a difference in one's health. Those with Ipod, don't screw your hearing.
Handling the Apple iPod Fame and Lawsuits
Handling the Apple iPod Fame and Lawsuits
With the success of the apple ipod series of Apple Computer, it is no wonder that there will be an apple ipod lawsuit on the table. Apple Corps sued the apple ipod creator, Apple Computer, of a breach in their agreement over the use of their famous trademark. Last March 2006, the hearing for the Apple ipod began before the London court.
Before any of the loyal fans of this iconic device dismiss this Apple ipod case as envy,it is important to look behind the court history of these two companies. The Apple ipod case is the latest court battle of these companies. In the early 80’s, Apple Computer paid Apple Corps $80,000 and promised that they will never enter the music business. 1989 proved to be another hot year between them after Apple Corps took Apple Computer to court again, this time for a music-making program and a microphone.
The latter paid Apple Corps another $26 million and was allowed to sell goods and services for the reproduction, play, running or otherwise delivery of music content. Apple Corps maintained the rights to creative works containing music. Their agreement only prevented Apple Computer in distributing content on media like CDs and tapes. It is vague on the stand pertaining to later inventions like digital music files or even the devices that they run on.
Mainly a trademark dispute, the Apple ipod case has become a much-anticipated issue. Because of the 1991 agreement, Apple Computer says that they are allowed to use the logo on the apple ipod and iTunes because they don’t own the rights to all their music, just the digital technology to handle its distribution. Whatever they have used the trademark on is well within their agreement.
Anthony Grabiner, Apple Computer’s lawyer believes they have a strong defense against Apple Corps. Meanwhile, Apple Corps is seeking damages and demands that the company and apple ipod maker to stop its use of the apple logo on their iTunes Music Store and the in advertising for the site.
Many fans of the Apple Computer products think that the Apple ipod case has some bearing. There are those who suggest that Apple Computer should just completely change its logo to end any lawsuit from being filed against them in the future. Ilounge.com visitors see this Apple ipod case as an admission that Apple Computer has indeed violated their agreement with Apple Corps especially when they are judged by the previous settlements that the former offered.
What this Apple ipod case really shows is a warning to all companies. Trademark and copyright lawsuits can be very expensive to settle especially when your company has just picked up business. That is why many companies invest heavily in market research, branding and patents. Make sure that you check the copyright of any of your business processes, logos and symbols before releasing it to the public. Setting everything in order will help your company avoid nasty court battles such as the Apple ipod case.
Eddie Cue, iTunes vice president at Apple Computer, took the witness stand April 3, 2006 to defend his company. Cue testified that the Apple Computer did not violate their 1991 agreement by using the Apple logo on their iTunes Music Store. What they provided was data transmission and not the original rights to the songs.
During the closing in the Apple ipod case, Anthony Grabiner defended Apple Computer’s right to use the logo because they are promoting the iTunes store and not the music itself and as long as they indicate the origin of the software and downloading services, they have not breeched anything.
Apple ipod will still remain as the most popular audio and multimedia player device in the market despite lawsuits filed against them. The apple ipod sales will continue to soar as users and patrons find more and more ways to use their apple ipod in their daily lives. Of course, there will be dissidents. By experience, anyone who can complain will complain so no matter how Apple ipod tries to meet its consumer’s needs, they can’t please everyone.
The ruling for the Apple vs. Apple trademark case is unlikely to be before the Easter break. As to how this all ends for the apple ipod, we will just have to wait and see.
Buy the Ipod Max E-book NOW
With the success of the apple ipod series of Apple Computer, it is no wonder that there will be an apple ipod lawsuit on the table. Apple Corps sued the apple ipod creator, Apple Computer, of a breach in their agreement over the use of their famous trademark. Last March 2006, the hearing for the Apple ipod began before the London court.
Before any of the loyal fans of this iconic device dismiss this Apple ipod case as envy,it is important to look behind the court history of these two companies. The Apple ipod case is the latest court battle of these companies. In the early 80’s, Apple Computer paid Apple Corps $80,000 and promised that they will never enter the music business. 1989 proved to be another hot year between them after Apple Corps took Apple Computer to court again, this time for a music-making program and a microphone.
The latter paid Apple Corps another $26 million and was allowed to sell goods and services for the reproduction, play, running or otherwise delivery of music content. Apple Corps maintained the rights to creative works containing music. Their agreement only prevented Apple Computer in distributing content on media like CDs and tapes. It is vague on the stand pertaining to later inventions like digital music files or even the devices that they run on.
Mainly a trademark dispute, the Apple ipod case has become a much-anticipated issue. Because of the 1991 agreement, Apple Computer says that they are allowed to use the logo on the apple ipod and iTunes because they don’t own the rights to all their music, just the digital technology to handle its distribution. Whatever they have used the trademark on is well within their agreement.
Anthony Grabiner, Apple Computer’s lawyer believes they have a strong defense against Apple Corps. Meanwhile, Apple Corps is seeking damages and demands that the company and apple ipod maker to stop its use of the apple logo on their iTunes Music Store and the in advertising for the site.
Many fans of the Apple Computer products think that the Apple ipod case has some bearing. There are those who suggest that Apple Computer should just completely change its logo to end any lawsuit from being filed against them in the future. Ilounge.com visitors see this Apple ipod case as an admission that Apple Computer has indeed violated their agreement with Apple Corps especially when they are judged by the previous settlements that the former offered.
What this Apple ipod case really shows is a warning to all companies. Trademark and copyright lawsuits can be very expensive to settle especially when your company has just picked up business. That is why many companies invest heavily in market research, branding and patents. Make sure that you check the copyright of any of your business processes, logos and symbols before releasing it to the public. Setting everything in order will help your company avoid nasty court battles such as the Apple ipod case.
Eddie Cue, iTunes vice president at Apple Computer, took the witness stand April 3, 2006 to defend his company. Cue testified that the Apple Computer did not violate their 1991 agreement by using the Apple logo on their iTunes Music Store. What they provided was data transmission and not the original rights to the songs.
During the closing in the Apple ipod case, Anthony Grabiner defended Apple Computer’s right to use the logo because they are promoting the iTunes store and not the music itself and as long as they indicate the origin of the software and downloading services, they have not breeched anything.
Apple ipod will still remain as the most popular audio and multimedia player device in the market despite lawsuits filed against them. The apple ipod sales will continue to soar as users and patrons find more and more ways to use their apple ipod in their daily lives. Of course, there will be dissidents. By experience, anyone who can complain will complain so no matter how Apple ipod tries to meet its consumer’s needs, they can’t please everyone.
The ruling for the Apple vs. Apple trademark case is unlikely to be before the Easter break. As to how this all ends for the apple ipod, we will just have to wait and see.
Buy the Ipod Max E-book NOW
Saturday, September 26, 2009
CNET editors' review on iPod Nano
* Reviewed by:
Donald Bell
* Edited by:
Lindsey Turrentine
http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/apple-ipod-nano-fifth/4505-6490_7-33770785.html
The iPod Nano MP3 player continues Apple's legacy of packing a multitude of features into a colorful, impossibly thin design and comes reasonably priced at $149 (8GB) and $179 (16GB). This time around, Apple is branching out of its iPod formula in a small, but not insignificant way by gracing the back of the Nano with its own video camera. If you've ever considered buying an iPod Nano, the fifth-generation model is the best one yet.
Design
In 2008, Apple broke away from the traditionally flat, rectangular iPod design and surprised customers with a curved, wing-shaped iPod Nano. It's safe to assume that Apple is still pleased with that design, since the fifth-generation model is nearly identical to its predecessor, measuring 3.5 inches tall by 1.6 inches wide by 0.25 inch thick at its center.
To distinguish itself from previous models, the latest Nano includes a slightly larger 2.2-inch screen (up from 2 inches) and a glossy, polished aluminum finish that one CNET editor described as looking like a Christmas tree ornament. However, the easiest way to tell that you're holding a fifth-generation iPod Nano is to flip it over. Unlike its fourth-generation sibling, the latest Nano has a bead-size camera lens on its lower left backside. The lens runs flush with the Nano's aluminum body, but if the worn-and-scratched back of our fourth-generation Nano is any indication, we advise investing in a protective case to keep the camera in good working order.
The user interface of the 5G Nano remains almost entirely unchanged with the exception of a few new menu items for the video camera, FM radio, and fitness features. The larger 2.2-inch screen can now display up to 12 lines of menu text (up from 10) and the Now Playing screen lists artist, album, and title information in three bolder, more readable lines at the top of the screen.
The majority of the Nano's hardware design elements remain the same as well. Apple's iconic Click Wheel navigation can still be found on the front of the device, just below the curved glass screen. The Nano's wheel measures just an inch wide, but its operation is no less intuitive and responsive than the larger wheels on other iPods. A durable hold switch still graces the top of the Nano's, and an off-center dock connection and headphone jack are found on its bottom. Be aware, though, that Apple reversed the location of the dock and headphone ports, which may create some compatibility issues with third-party accessories and docks, or possibly cause an awkward fit. As usual, Apple includes a white, molded plastic universal dock fitting for the new Nano, which could help in adapting any docking iPod accessories you already own.
Features
All of the features from last year's Nano have migrated to the fifth-generation model, including music, video, and podcast playback, as well as extras such as photos, calendar, games, alarms, stopwatch, contacts, notes, and clocks. If that weren't enough, Apple has upped the ante with an integrated pedometer, Genius Mix support, voice recording, a built-in speaker, video camera, and an FM radio that we've been asking for since 2001.
Even with the Nano's ever-growing stable of features, music playback is still the beating heart of this iPod. As a portable extension of Apple's popular iTunes computer software, the Nano offers an impressive number of options for playing music, audiobooks, and podcasts. The Nano supports all audio formats such as MP3, AAC, AIFF, and Apple Lossless, and it's a breeze to transfer media using Apple's iTunes software (a required install). For those of you with collections of WMA audio files, iTunes will handle converting your unprotected files (DRM-protected WMA files are a not convertible) into an iPod-compatible format. Niche formats, such FLAC and OGG, will also need to be converted; however, you'll need to use third-party software to get the job done.
The iPod Nano's ties with iTunes also brings fantastic media features, including standard, smart, and Genius playlists; the latter creates instantaneous 25 song playlists based around the characteristics of any of your favorite tunes. Aside from turning playlist creation into a simple, one-click affair, Genius playlists can be created directly on the iPod Nano, eliminating the hassle of creating and syncing playlists through iTunes.
Taking the Genius playlist experience one-step further, Apple has introduced a new feature called Genius Mixes, offering extended playlists of music grouped around a common genre. You can think of Genius Playlists as a more evolved take on shuffling your music library, with selections constrained by genre and ordered according to Apple's secret Genius mojo. Unlike Genius playlists, Mixes require no effort to create--they simply appear on your iPod as part of the automatic syncing process of iTunes. Understand, however, that if you set up iTunes to manage your iPod manually or prefer not to activate the Genius feature in iTunes, Genius Mixes will not appear on your Nano.
Another advantage of the iPod/iTunes relationship is the capability to download and transfer movies, TV shows, music videos, video podcasts, and other video content with minimal fuss. The Nano also handles iTunes-rented movies, many priced as low as $0.99, but typically costing about $3. Other welcome features on the Nano's video player include support for chapter markers, playback auto-resume, video podcasts, and subtitles. If you're wondering what video looks like on a device that's hardly larger than a pack of chewing gum--well, you'd be surprised. The extra twentieth of an inch added to the Nano's pixel-dense 240x376 resolution screen is a fairly significant bump over the previous model's 2-inch screen--especially when it comes to viewing videos formatted with a wide-screen aspect ratio. With its significantly larger screen, the iPod Touch is still the better choice if you plan to watch TV shows and movies frequently. However, for casually viewing short-form videos and podcasts, or showing off videos shot with the Nano's video camera, the quality and size of the screen makes is more than adequate.
The Nano's video camera
Of all the bells and whistles Apple added to the fifth-generation iPod Nano, the video camera is the most notable. Placed on the back of the Nano in the lower right corner (or lower left, if you're looking at the back), the small, bead-size lens brings yet another convenient and useful feature to an already impressive product. We're not thrilled with the camera's video quality, the location of the lens behind your hand, or the inability to take still photos, but it's difficult to criticize when you consider the Nano's relatively low price. A comparable, VGA-resolution video camera such as the Flip Mino has a street price of $130 and includes only a fraction of the features found on the Nano.
There are plenty of nice things to say about the Nano's video camera. First, the Nano's camera is easy to use, letting you to jump right into recording after only two clicks from the main menu. Its 640x480-pixel resolution and MP4/H.264 video recording format (bit rates range between 2,500Kbps and 2,800Kbps) works natively in iTunes and most video playback software as well as video streaming Web sites including YouTube, Flickr, and Facebook. With up to 8GB of storage, the Nano can store an impressive 16 hours of recorded video, and as far as convenience goes, you'll have a difficult time finding a smaller, lighter video camera than the iPod Nano.
In spite of its features, many factors prevent us from recommending the Nano as a camcorder when other options are available. Without a case, it's impossible to use the Nano without repeatedly smudging and abusing the lens on its back. Holding the Nano sideways and gripping its 0.25 inch-thick edges takes practice and patience. Its indoor video quality is poor, and without even basic controls for brightness and contrast, there's nothing you can do to compensate for bad lighting. The iPod's proprietary USB cable and one-computer allegiance makes it difficult to transfer videos to computers other than your own. Its videos are often shaky because of the Nano's exceptionally lightweight design. The Nano's internal tilt-sensor mistakenly recorded some of our videos sideways, requiring intervening software (such as iPhoto) to correct the orientation. There's no easy way to display your recordings on a television without purchasing a video dock or third-party video output accessory. Finally, audio from the Nano's pinhole microphone is easily distorted by wind noise. If you're serious about recording video on a sub-$200 budget, we prefer the image quality of the Flip Ultra HD (here's an image quality comparison).
These complaints aside, there's nothing about the Nano's newfound video recording capabilities that ruin the product. We wouldn't go out of our way to use the Nano's video camera over the one on our mobile phone, camcorder, or point-and-shoot camera; however, we're glad to have the option to shoot video with a Nano. The only instance where the Nano's camera might prove problematic is any situation where privacy concerns are at stake. With an increasing number of schools and health clubs banning camera phones because of privacy concerns, the Nano's video camera might be unwelcome in some circumstances. For better or worse, the Nano offers no outward indication (neither light, nor sound) when it enters video recording mode--making it a particularly small and stealth device for those interested in recording video unnoticed.
FM radio
It seems hard to believe, but the fifth-generation Nano marks the first time Apple has included a built-in FM radio on an iPod. We have no idea why it took Apple eight years to bring radio to the iPod, but to Apple's credit, its FM radio is one of the best we've used on a portable device.
Common radio features such as station presets, selectable world radio bands, and manual or automatic station scanning control, are all handled in Apple's typical and intuitive style. Going beyond the competition, Apple's FM tuner includes support for radio station RDS data (often identifying artist and song title information, along with station call letters), including the capability to tag songs for later purchase, and even lets you pause and resume radio playback. We've seen song tagging and RDS support before, in Microsoft's Zune media player (looks like the Zune is actually teaching the iPod a few tricks), but the capability to pause, rewind, and resume audio playback are features that are unique to the iPod Nano. The Nano's time-shifting capabilities come courtesy of its built-in memory cache that can hold up to 15 minutes of recorded radio temporarily until you decide to resume playback.
We had limited luck using the Nano to tag songs from the radio; mostly because of a lack of area stations broadcasting the full RDS data required to identify songs, we had the same tagging problem when using the Zune. Song tagging aside, the Nano's FM reception was great overall, and its radio pausing feature came in handy more often then we imagined (especially during restroom breaks, phone calls, and other distractions). Like the radios on most MP3 players, the Nano uses the wiring of your headphones as its antenna--so be aware that changes in headphones, or using different headphones, may affect reception quality.
Voice memos
Recording voice memos is technically not a new feature for the iPod Nano, but previous generations of the Nano required an investment in compatible headsets or recording accessories to use the feature. Now that the Nano includes a built-in microphone, recordings can be made without additional accessories. However, if you're serious about using the Nano as a voice recorder, spending a little money on a better microphone isn't a bad idea. In our tests, we found the Nano's microphone placement causes a considerable amount of noise caused by handling the device to be captured. If you're careful to keep your fingers away from the internal microphone--no easy task with the mic behind the Click Wheel)--the 128Kbps AAC recordings made by the Nano get the job done and conveniently import directly into iTunes labeled with the recording's time and date.
Extras
Under the Nano's Extras menu, you'll find a list of features almost as long as the main menu's list. Traditional extras such as an alarm, stopwatch, calendar, games, contacts, clock, notes, and voice memos, have all made the jump to the Nano in its fifth-generation. A new item labeled Fitness now graces the Extras menu, grouping together a new pedometer feature with any other fitness-related items introduced by third-party add-ons, such as Nike+iPod kit.
The Nano's small, lightweight size already makes it a big hit with the fitness crowd, but the introduction of an integrated pedometer can only help its reputation. The pedometer records your steps, estimates how many calories you've burned, and lets you transfer the data to the Nike+ Web site whenever the Nano is connected to a computer. Nike+ Web accounts are free to create, but don't act surprised when they try to sell you on the Nike+iPod hardware kit.
Although not found in the Extras menu, the fifth-generation iPod Nano includes another new bonus feature called VoiceOver. Introduced as a necessary feature for Apple's button-less third-generation iPod Shuffle, VoiceOver gives your iPod the capability to announce artist, song, and playlist information in a multilingual synthetic voice. The feature comes in handy when you have the Nano in your pocket or bag and want to identify the currently playing song without taking your eyes off whatever you're doing. To use the VoiceOver feature, you'll need to install an optional voice kit software package for iTunes (the download is free) and purchase a pair of headphones that include a compatible iPod remote.
Performance
In spite of the dizzying assortment of features Apple has brought to the fifth-generation iPod Nano, its audio quality and battery life haven't budged. Apple rates the battery of the fourth-generation iPod Nano at a respectable 24 hours of audio playback and 5 hours of video playback (up from 4 hours), but neglects to estimate figures for video camera use. Once CNET Labs' testing is complete, we'll update this review with results.
Sound quality is not one of the Nano's (or any iPod's) strong suits. Apple has gone another year without introducing any sound-enhancement settings to the iPod line beyond its traditional slew of EQ presets. To be fair, while the iPod Nano doesn't offer the sonic richness and advanced EQ settings of a Sony X-Series or Cowon S9 player, its audio sounds balanced and should please most listeners. To make a dramatic improvement to any iPod's sound performance, we highly recommend upgrading from the stock Apple earbuds.
Video playback on the fifth-generation iPod Nano is better than ever, although holding your iPod sideways still takes some mental adjustment. The wide-screen-friendly, crisp, 204ppi display makes watching a full-length movie on your iPod Nano a legitimate (but still somewhat silly) possibility. Compared with the flat screens of the iPod Touch and iPod Classic, the fourth-generation's rounded glass screen makes it difficult to eliminate glare, but images still look remarkably bright and clear on it. Like most portable video players, the iPod has specific file requirements for video playback, so you may have to spend some time converting video on your computer before transferring it. Fortunately, the iPod Nano's video formats are widely known by purveyors of Internet video, which often arrives preformatted for the iPod.
The iTunes factor
If you're considering buying an iPod for the first time, we feel it's worthwhile to remind you that Apple's iTunes software is a required installation for your computer. The software is free and available for both Mac OS X and Windows computers, and we encourage potential iPod owners to get familiar with the software ahead of time to ensure that it works well for you and your computer. To learn more about iTunes, we recommend checking out CNET Download.com's latest review and any user feedback associated with it.
Worth the upgrade?
It's hard not to be swayed by all of the Nano's new features--especially its video camera. If you have an older iPod and you've been waiting for an excuse to upgrade, you can rest assured that the fifth-generation Nano is the best Nano yet.
That said, with the highly rated 8GB iPod Touch sitting pretty at just $199, you'll need to decide whether the Nano's slim design, FM radio, pedometer, and video camera are more meaningful to you than the touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and App capabilities of the iPod Touch. From our perspective, it's hard to go wrong either way, but the bright colors, sturdy construction, and lightweight design of the Nano make it an easy choice for children and athletic types.
----
iPod fifth generation is packed in features to the max. This iPod is the best holiday gift one could give a techchie.
Donald Bell
* Edited by:
Lindsey Turrentine
http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/apple-ipod-nano-fifth/4505-6490_7-33770785.html
The iPod Nano MP3 player continues Apple's legacy of packing a multitude of features into a colorful, impossibly thin design and comes reasonably priced at $149 (8GB) and $179 (16GB). This time around, Apple is branching out of its iPod formula in a small, but not insignificant way by gracing the back of the Nano with its own video camera. If you've ever considered buying an iPod Nano, the fifth-generation model is the best one yet.
Design
In 2008, Apple broke away from the traditionally flat, rectangular iPod design and surprised customers with a curved, wing-shaped iPod Nano. It's safe to assume that Apple is still pleased with that design, since the fifth-generation model is nearly identical to its predecessor, measuring 3.5 inches tall by 1.6 inches wide by 0.25 inch thick at its center.
To distinguish itself from previous models, the latest Nano includes a slightly larger 2.2-inch screen (up from 2 inches) and a glossy, polished aluminum finish that one CNET editor described as looking like a Christmas tree ornament. However, the easiest way to tell that you're holding a fifth-generation iPod Nano is to flip it over. Unlike its fourth-generation sibling, the latest Nano has a bead-size camera lens on its lower left backside. The lens runs flush with the Nano's aluminum body, but if the worn-and-scratched back of our fourth-generation Nano is any indication, we advise investing in a protective case to keep the camera in good working order.
The user interface of the 5G Nano remains almost entirely unchanged with the exception of a few new menu items for the video camera, FM radio, and fitness features. The larger 2.2-inch screen can now display up to 12 lines of menu text (up from 10) and the Now Playing screen lists artist, album, and title information in three bolder, more readable lines at the top of the screen.
The majority of the Nano's hardware design elements remain the same as well. Apple's iconic Click Wheel navigation can still be found on the front of the device, just below the curved glass screen. The Nano's wheel measures just an inch wide, but its operation is no less intuitive and responsive than the larger wheels on other iPods. A durable hold switch still graces the top of the Nano's, and an off-center dock connection and headphone jack are found on its bottom. Be aware, though, that Apple reversed the location of the dock and headphone ports, which may create some compatibility issues with third-party accessories and docks, or possibly cause an awkward fit. As usual, Apple includes a white, molded plastic universal dock fitting for the new Nano, which could help in adapting any docking iPod accessories you already own.
Features
All of the features from last year's Nano have migrated to the fifth-generation model, including music, video, and podcast playback, as well as extras such as photos, calendar, games, alarms, stopwatch, contacts, notes, and clocks. If that weren't enough, Apple has upped the ante with an integrated pedometer, Genius Mix support, voice recording, a built-in speaker, video camera, and an FM radio that we've been asking for since 2001.
Even with the Nano's ever-growing stable of features, music playback is still the beating heart of this iPod. As a portable extension of Apple's popular iTunes computer software, the Nano offers an impressive number of options for playing music, audiobooks, and podcasts. The Nano supports all audio formats such as MP3, AAC, AIFF, and Apple Lossless, and it's a breeze to transfer media using Apple's iTunes software (a required install). For those of you with collections of WMA audio files, iTunes will handle converting your unprotected files (DRM-protected WMA files are a not convertible) into an iPod-compatible format. Niche formats, such FLAC and OGG, will also need to be converted; however, you'll need to use third-party software to get the job done.
The iPod Nano's ties with iTunes also brings fantastic media features, including standard, smart, and Genius playlists; the latter creates instantaneous 25 song playlists based around the characteristics of any of your favorite tunes. Aside from turning playlist creation into a simple, one-click affair, Genius playlists can be created directly on the iPod Nano, eliminating the hassle of creating and syncing playlists through iTunes.
Taking the Genius playlist experience one-step further, Apple has introduced a new feature called Genius Mixes, offering extended playlists of music grouped around a common genre. You can think of Genius Playlists as a more evolved take on shuffling your music library, with selections constrained by genre and ordered according to Apple's secret Genius mojo. Unlike Genius playlists, Mixes require no effort to create--they simply appear on your iPod as part of the automatic syncing process of iTunes. Understand, however, that if you set up iTunes to manage your iPod manually or prefer not to activate the Genius feature in iTunes, Genius Mixes will not appear on your Nano.
Another advantage of the iPod/iTunes relationship is the capability to download and transfer movies, TV shows, music videos, video podcasts, and other video content with minimal fuss. The Nano also handles iTunes-rented movies, many priced as low as $0.99, but typically costing about $3. Other welcome features on the Nano's video player include support for chapter markers, playback auto-resume, video podcasts, and subtitles. If you're wondering what video looks like on a device that's hardly larger than a pack of chewing gum--well, you'd be surprised. The extra twentieth of an inch added to the Nano's pixel-dense 240x376 resolution screen is a fairly significant bump over the previous model's 2-inch screen--especially when it comes to viewing videos formatted with a wide-screen aspect ratio. With its significantly larger screen, the iPod Touch is still the better choice if you plan to watch TV shows and movies frequently. However, for casually viewing short-form videos and podcasts, or showing off videos shot with the Nano's video camera, the quality and size of the screen makes is more than adequate.
The Nano's video camera
Of all the bells and whistles Apple added to the fifth-generation iPod Nano, the video camera is the most notable. Placed on the back of the Nano in the lower right corner (or lower left, if you're looking at the back), the small, bead-size lens brings yet another convenient and useful feature to an already impressive product. We're not thrilled with the camera's video quality, the location of the lens behind your hand, or the inability to take still photos, but it's difficult to criticize when you consider the Nano's relatively low price. A comparable, VGA-resolution video camera such as the Flip Mino has a street price of $130 and includes only a fraction of the features found on the Nano.
There are plenty of nice things to say about the Nano's video camera. First, the Nano's camera is easy to use, letting you to jump right into recording after only two clicks from the main menu. Its 640x480-pixel resolution and MP4/H.264 video recording format (bit rates range between 2,500Kbps and 2,800Kbps) works natively in iTunes and most video playback software as well as video streaming Web sites including YouTube, Flickr, and Facebook. With up to 8GB of storage, the Nano can store an impressive 16 hours of recorded video, and as far as convenience goes, you'll have a difficult time finding a smaller, lighter video camera than the iPod Nano.
In spite of its features, many factors prevent us from recommending the Nano as a camcorder when other options are available. Without a case, it's impossible to use the Nano without repeatedly smudging and abusing the lens on its back. Holding the Nano sideways and gripping its 0.25 inch-thick edges takes practice and patience. Its indoor video quality is poor, and without even basic controls for brightness and contrast, there's nothing you can do to compensate for bad lighting. The iPod's proprietary USB cable and one-computer allegiance makes it difficult to transfer videos to computers other than your own. Its videos are often shaky because of the Nano's exceptionally lightweight design. The Nano's internal tilt-sensor mistakenly recorded some of our videos sideways, requiring intervening software (such as iPhoto) to correct the orientation. There's no easy way to display your recordings on a television without purchasing a video dock or third-party video output accessory. Finally, audio from the Nano's pinhole microphone is easily distorted by wind noise. If you're serious about recording video on a sub-$200 budget, we prefer the image quality of the Flip Ultra HD (here's an image quality comparison).
These complaints aside, there's nothing about the Nano's newfound video recording capabilities that ruin the product. We wouldn't go out of our way to use the Nano's video camera over the one on our mobile phone, camcorder, or point-and-shoot camera; however, we're glad to have the option to shoot video with a Nano. The only instance where the Nano's camera might prove problematic is any situation where privacy concerns are at stake. With an increasing number of schools and health clubs banning camera phones because of privacy concerns, the Nano's video camera might be unwelcome in some circumstances. For better or worse, the Nano offers no outward indication (neither light, nor sound) when it enters video recording mode--making it a particularly small and stealth device for those interested in recording video unnoticed.
FM radio
It seems hard to believe, but the fifth-generation Nano marks the first time Apple has included a built-in FM radio on an iPod. We have no idea why it took Apple eight years to bring radio to the iPod, but to Apple's credit, its FM radio is one of the best we've used on a portable device.
Common radio features such as station presets, selectable world radio bands, and manual or automatic station scanning control, are all handled in Apple's typical and intuitive style. Going beyond the competition, Apple's FM tuner includes support for radio station RDS data (often identifying artist and song title information, along with station call letters), including the capability to tag songs for later purchase, and even lets you pause and resume radio playback. We've seen song tagging and RDS support before, in Microsoft's Zune media player (looks like the Zune is actually teaching the iPod a few tricks), but the capability to pause, rewind, and resume audio playback are features that are unique to the iPod Nano. The Nano's time-shifting capabilities come courtesy of its built-in memory cache that can hold up to 15 minutes of recorded radio temporarily until you decide to resume playback.
We had limited luck using the Nano to tag songs from the radio; mostly because of a lack of area stations broadcasting the full RDS data required to identify songs, we had the same tagging problem when using the Zune. Song tagging aside, the Nano's FM reception was great overall, and its radio pausing feature came in handy more often then we imagined (especially during restroom breaks, phone calls, and other distractions). Like the radios on most MP3 players, the Nano uses the wiring of your headphones as its antenna--so be aware that changes in headphones, or using different headphones, may affect reception quality.
Voice memos
Recording voice memos is technically not a new feature for the iPod Nano, but previous generations of the Nano required an investment in compatible headsets or recording accessories to use the feature. Now that the Nano includes a built-in microphone, recordings can be made without additional accessories. However, if you're serious about using the Nano as a voice recorder, spending a little money on a better microphone isn't a bad idea. In our tests, we found the Nano's microphone placement causes a considerable amount of noise caused by handling the device to be captured. If you're careful to keep your fingers away from the internal microphone--no easy task with the mic behind the Click Wheel)--the 128Kbps AAC recordings made by the Nano get the job done and conveniently import directly into iTunes labeled with the recording's time and date.
Extras
Under the Nano's Extras menu, you'll find a list of features almost as long as the main menu's list. Traditional extras such as an alarm, stopwatch, calendar, games, contacts, clock, notes, and voice memos, have all made the jump to the Nano in its fifth-generation. A new item labeled Fitness now graces the Extras menu, grouping together a new pedometer feature with any other fitness-related items introduced by third-party add-ons, such as Nike+iPod kit.
The Nano's small, lightweight size already makes it a big hit with the fitness crowd, but the introduction of an integrated pedometer can only help its reputation. The pedometer records your steps, estimates how many calories you've burned, and lets you transfer the data to the Nike+ Web site whenever the Nano is connected to a computer. Nike+ Web accounts are free to create, but don't act surprised when they try to sell you on the Nike+iPod hardware kit.
Although not found in the Extras menu, the fifth-generation iPod Nano includes another new bonus feature called VoiceOver. Introduced as a necessary feature for Apple's button-less third-generation iPod Shuffle, VoiceOver gives your iPod the capability to announce artist, song, and playlist information in a multilingual synthetic voice. The feature comes in handy when you have the Nano in your pocket or bag and want to identify the currently playing song without taking your eyes off whatever you're doing. To use the VoiceOver feature, you'll need to install an optional voice kit software package for iTunes (the download is free) and purchase a pair of headphones that include a compatible iPod remote.
Performance
In spite of the dizzying assortment of features Apple has brought to the fifth-generation iPod Nano, its audio quality and battery life haven't budged. Apple rates the battery of the fourth-generation iPod Nano at a respectable 24 hours of audio playback and 5 hours of video playback (up from 4 hours), but neglects to estimate figures for video camera use. Once CNET Labs' testing is complete, we'll update this review with results.
Sound quality is not one of the Nano's (or any iPod's) strong suits. Apple has gone another year without introducing any sound-enhancement settings to the iPod line beyond its traditional slew of EQ presets. To be fair, while the iPod Nano doesn't offer the sonic richness and advanced EQ settings of a Sony X-Series or Cowon S9 player, its audio sounds balanced and should please most listeners. To make a dramatic improvement to any iPod's sound performance, we highly recommend upgrading from the stock Apple earbuds.
Video playback on the fifth-generation iPod Nano is better than ever, although holding your iPod sideways still takes some mental adjustment. The wide-screen-friendly, crisp, 204ppi display makes watching a full-length movie on your iPod Nano a legitimate (but still somewhat silly) possibility. Compared with the flat screens of the iPod Touch and iPod Classic, the fourth-generation's rounded glass screen makes it difficult to eliminate glare, but images still look remarkably bright and clear on it. Like most portable video players, the iPod has specific file requirements for video playback, so you may have to spend some time converting video on your computer before transferring it. Fortunately, the iPod Nano's video formats are widely known by purveyors of Internet video, which often arrives preformatted for the iPod.
The iTunes factor
If you're considering buying an iPod for the first time, we feel it's worthwhile to remind you that Apple's iTunes software is a required installation for your computer. The software is free and available for both Mac OS X and Windows computers, and we encourage potential iPod owners to get familiar with the software ahead of time to ensure that it works well for you and your computer. To learn more about iTunes, we recommend checking out CNET Download.com's latest review and any user feedback associated with it.
Worth the upgrade?
It's hard not to be swayed by all of the Nano's new features--especially its video camera. If you have an older iPod and you've been waiting for an excuse to upgrade, you can rest assured that the fifth-generation Nano is the best Nano yet.
That said, with the highly rated 8GB iPod Touch sitting pretty at just $199, you'll need to decide whether the Nano's slim design, FM radio, pedometer, and video camera are more meaningful to you than the touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and App capabilities of the iPod Touch. From our perspective, it's hard to go wrong either way, but the bright colors, sturdy construction, and lightweight design of the Nano make it an easy choice for children and athletic types.
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iPod fifth generation is packed in features to the max. This iPod is the best holiday gift one could give a techchie.
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