Search

Focuses on the developing partnership between wireless communications ventures and the music industry and how this collaboration will influence the digital music market, specifically Apple Computer Inc. and the iPod music player. Reports that Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and Cingular Wireless are expected to unveil services for downloading music directly to wireless phones later this year; Summarization of the competition between Apple Computer Inc. and telecommunications companies making Apple the most influential digital music provider; Author's view that telecommunications companies have an advantage because so many already have mobile phones and because they will have the option of providing wireless digital music; Reviews the influence of the iPod on the digital music market; Potential impact of wireless digital music on the global music industry. INSET: Bringing Tunes to the Cell Phone.

Offers a look at new products developed by Apple Computer Inc. Introduction of several new products, including Mac Mini PC and the iPod shuffle digital music player; Positive response of consumers and analysts to Apple's new products; Comments of Apple CEO Steven J. Jobs on the new products; View that the new products offered by Apple are aimed at the lower end of the PC market; Potential impact of lower-priced devices in Apple's profitability. INSET: NEW APPLES IN THE ORCHARD.

The article focuses on Microsoft Corp.'s efforts to break into the digital media market with new products. Now that Apple has reinvented itself as the king of the digital music world, Microsoft is trying to wrestle that mantle away with a new breed of iPod rivals, including ones that play color video as well as music. More important, the company is rolling out an update of its Windows Media Player audio and video software that's designed to make it just as easy to purchase and manage music with Microsoft powered gear as it is with Apple's iPod and iTunes combo. Yet for all the effort, Microsoft isn't going to displace Apple anytime soon. The stylish, simple elegance of Apple's iPod, together with its pioneering iTunes download service, has come to define digital music. It has sold nearly 4 million iPods and more than 100 million songs, and its momentum shows no signs of abating. With the iPod so strong in the digital music biz, Microsoft thinks that video-on-the-go may be its best chance to pull ahead long term. The gadgets, though, aren't likely to kick-start a video revolution anytime soon. Their biggest drawback is simply that they're inconvenient. Users can copy video only from a PC, not directly from a television or DVD player. Copying hassles aside, the products are hefty and pricey, at $500 each. Analysts aren't willing to write off the long-term potential for portable video gadgets. Microsoft's partners could spiff up design, and Microsoft eventually will make video transfer more convenient.

Evaluates several digital music players including Apple iPod Shuffle, Samsung YP-U1 and Sony Walkman NW-A1000 and offers information on their features, price and quality.

The article provides information on Apple's iPod. Apple's MP3 players are the easiest to use because Apple software seamlessly links them to a computer library and the iTunes online store, both of which recognize your device instantly. None of Apple's rivals has created anything as seamless, and each has fallen short in other areas. MP3 players can play music downloads from online stores, making song purchases a snap.

The article presents tips for using Apple Computer's iPod. The steps for downloading DVD movies to the portable media player are discussed. Information about the Ripping & Burning ToolBox 2005 software is provided. It also looks on the process of changing a dead iPod battery. The features of a replacement battery kit are listed.

The article presents a comparison of audio players including Apple iPod, Cowon iAudio X5, iRiver HIO, and Samsung YH-925 and offers information on its key features, advantages, and costs.

Evaluates the Click Wheel iPod digital music player from Apple. Key features; Hours of battery life; Capacity of songs that may be stored; Price.

Evaluates Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod shuffle. Communication in iPod shuffle through two light emitting diodes; Inclusion of a USB 2.0 connector in the iPod, which links the iPod to a computer or an optional power supply; Decision of Apple to limit the kinds of files the iPod shuffle can play; Cost of the iPod. INSETS: MAGIC PLAYLIST GENERATOR;SHUFFLE ALONG.

This section features several applications that can be used to enhance the capabilities of the digital equipment, iPod from Apple Computer Inc. The Book2Pod is a brilliant, text utility that formats large text documents so users can read the documents on their iPod using the Note reader software. With great organization capabilities, it's a must have for any serious eBook reader. In order to take advantage, users will need OS 10.3 and iPod 2.0 firmware. Another text-to-iPod program, Text2iPod allows users to drag and drop plain text files onto their iPod using the Contacts option. To delete the file, just delete the contact. While not as elegant as Book2Pod, it's an easy-to-use application that many folks wanting to read small files on their iPods will enjoy. The iPod It helps turn a user's iPod into a personal digital assistant (PDA). It is a great application for anyone who wants their iPod to act as a PDA, and lets users transfer information from Entourage, Stickies, Address Book and more. Doodlers need to take a look at VoodooPad, a notepad for the brainstormer. This hypertext/wiki notebook lets users jot notes, create to-do lists and then put those thoughtful creations onto their iPod.

This article reports that the company Dell continues to migrate into the consumer electronics market, it relies on direct response to educate consumers on product innovation. Consumers want it all when it comes to electronics. It is not enough that Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod, the mega-hit digital walkman, can play thousands of songs in hundreds of customized orders by itself, on the computer, in the car or attached to a speaker deck. Now, the new iPod Photo holds up to 15,000 songs and 25,000 photos and plays selected songs with matching photos and displays pictures in more than 65,000 colors. The demand for incessant innovation and product convergence applies to the entire spectrum of electronics, whether it involves cellular phones or plasma televisions.

This article provides information on the new Click Wheel iPod player developed by Apple Computer, as of October 2004. In form and function, the Click Wheel is very similar to the ring of buttons that surrounded the scroll wheels of the first- and second-generation iPods. It pulls double duty, providing a wheel for scrolling through songs, menus, settings as well as a set of buttons. Next/Forward, Play/Pause, Previous/Back and Menu controls are on the edge of the wheel, at the three, six, nine and twelve o'clock positions respectively. The first two incarnations of the iPod promised 10-hour battery life. That changed when battery life on the third-generation dropped to 8 hours, a change that the device's more compact design necessitated. The new iPod reverses the downward trend, with a battery rated to run for 12 hours on a single charge. Apple attributes the longer battery life to several factors. It is a slightly higher-capacity battery. But the majority comes from engineering of a new hardware architecture and new software. Both factors reduce the iPod's overall power consumption. Meanwhile, the software running on the iPod often gets lost in the glitz of design, hard-drive space and accessory issues. INSET: Fourth-Generation iPods.

This article describes the debut of Microsoft's Zune music player, designed to compete with Apple's massively popular iPod. The Zune is comparable with the iPod in size, cost, and memory storage but has a unique capability to wirelessly share songs with other Zunes. Microsoft is also launching the Zune Marketplace, an online song store akin to Apple's iTunes.

The article discusses the use of miniaturized electronic motors in digital music players, with particular focus on Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod. According to the author, the iPod stores about 1,500 songs or six gigabytes of data per square inch of a magnetic hard disk that is thinner than a dime. The author describes how the iPod plays back music using microelectromechanical technology. INSET: DID YOU KNOW ....

This article reports on the video-capable iPod by Apple. This iPod is able to link through Mac or Windows computers to $1.99 video downloads on the Apple iTunes Music Store. The author contends that this newest iPod is the best one yet for playing music. The video-capable iPod does not, however, include a radio receiver, a feature that some rival players offer.

The article focuses on Apple's iPod. There is far more to the iPod story than advertising. Steve Jobs, head of Apple, argues that iPod's astounding success is about elegant software, not elegant billboards. Since the original iPod's 2001 launch, Jobs has unveiled a succession of improvements that keep the buzz alive. Apple has also lent some of the cachet of the iPod brand to its other products. The company is using the iPod brand to develop a portfolio of successful products that share a common look and feel and are pieces of a coherent company vision.

Focuses on Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod nano. Review of how it took Apple CEO Steve Jobs and his team nine months to redevelop the iPod mini; Suggestion that redesign of the iPod mini was a risky move because it was selling well; Analysis of the iPod nano's design and performance; Author's view that the nano looks more like a controller for a music player than a music player; Comments from Jobs regarding the company's work.

Evaluates the iPod shuffle, a digital music player by Apple Computer Inc. Description of its slim design and scaled down features compared to the original iPod and iPod mini; Ease of use; Speculation that it will be the top-selling model, due to its low price; Advantages of the player over similar products. INSET: IN BOX.

The article discusses various factors that contributed to the success of iPods from Apple Computer Inc. Apple was the first to release an iPod that came integrated with a player, a computer, and the software that connected the two. The integration was dependent upon Fire Wire, the conduit that helped one move music from one's Mac to one's iPod. Apple's iPod was designed in a manner so that it could be easier to use. The company also admirably restrained itself from loading up the iPod with features. Apple understood that many old-school music lovers like to build up their collections by rummaging through record bins and listening to the new stuff on the record store's turntable. With the iTunes Store, Apple brought that record store into one's living room.

The article reports on the new offering of Apple for the holiday shopping season. According to Apple, iPod owns 75.6 percent of the U.S. MP3-player market, and over 60 million iPods have been sold. However, sales decreased due to unlikely issues such as the alleged extreme scratchability of the iPod nano case and the controversy about iPod manufacturing conditions in China. The new iPod has a larger memory, brighter LCD and longer battery life. Improvements were made as well with a redesigned earbuds.

The article presents information on the video iPod developed by Apple. The company has added several features on the product besides playing music. Several video clips, music videos, and television programs can be watched using the product. The iPoding of video poses no threat to the high-definition television.

The article evaluates several audio equipment including the digital music player iPod nano from Apple.

This article presents information on the three versions of iPod by Apple Computer Inc. While the new iPod offers more storage than the iPod nano, it takes an hour and a half longer to fully charge. And because the iPod uses a hard drive rather than solid-state flash memory it's susceptible to skipping. It does, however, offer greater play time for both music and slide shows-15 hours of continuous play for music and as long as 5 hours for slide shows, versus the nano's 14 hours for audio and at least 4 hours for slide shows. And the iPod has all the music and storage features turned on. Unlike the nano and the shuffle, it lets a person record voice memos with a third-party recorder such as Griffin Technology's $40 iTalk or Belkin's Voice Recorder for iPod with Dock Connector. When Apple introduced the iPod nano, it killed off the much-beloved iPod mini-and many people wondered why. It didn't take long, however, to understand that the nano was more than just a more miniature mini-it was the next logical step in the mid priced iPod line.

Evaluates Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod photo. Key features of iPod photo, including a liquid-color display; Picture synchronization and playback schemes of the iPod; Efficiency of iPod photo; Cost of the iPod. INSETS: BUTTON POWER;COVER ME.

This article discusses the business prospects of Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod digital music player. It's not just Apple anymore. A slew of smart companies are thriving off the world's most popular digital music player. Already this year, Apple has sold more iPods than it did in all of 2003. So there's even more room for growth in the accessory market. As the snazzy gadget has evolved into the centerpiece of an entire music system, complete with an online store, consumers have begun demanding more sophisticated, higher-priced products that bring the iPod into their living rooms and, especially, their cars. Monster Inc. has sold more than $6 million worth of 14 different iPod accessories this year alone, including cases and wireless transmitters that connect iPods to FM radios. The key to Monster's success was playing off both its established reputation and its ability to act quickly to meet Apple's needs. Apple prefers to work with companies that have proven track records. Smaller companies can get a leg up by partnering with other members of the iPod economy. Earlier this year, SoundGate developed an interface that controls an iPod from any car stereo with a CD changer.

The author compares Microsoft's new Zune music players with Apple's iPod/iTunes. Microsoft hopes Zune's ability to share music will be its distinctive characteristic. However, in terms of copy-protected content, the Zune player will only take files purchased from the Zune Marketplace. The author believes Microsoft must outdo iTunes' menu of video offerings.

The article comments on wireless MP3 players and their use of wireless technology. Microsoft's Zune MP3 player uses Wi-Fi, allowing for the wireless sharing of music. Samsung's YP-T9B digital music player uses Bluetooth technology. The company Apple does not currently offer wireless technology in its digital music player, the iPod.

The article describes the digital music player Zune, which is being released by Microsoft. Comparisons are made between Zune and the iPod, Apple's MP3 player. Zune comes in a 30-gigabyte model, while the iPod has versions that range from 1-gigabytes to 80-gigabytes. Zune features Wi-Fi technology so users can swap songs with other Zune users. Zune only works on Windows applications, while the iPod can use both Windows and Macintosh computers.

The article reviews several mp3 players from Apple Computer and Microsoft, including the iPod nano, the iPod shuffle, and the Microsoft Zune.

This article presents information about Microsoft's attempts to catch up with Apple in the music downloading industry. Anyone who loads a free upgrade of Windows Media Player II or receives it as part of a package will get the Urge music store. Urge is similar to iTunes and is installed and is designed to work hand-in-hand with portable music players.

The article evaluates the Roku SoundBridge Radio, used to play music from digital players, and the Apple iPod Hi-Fi. Descriptions of these two products and how they work are included.

The article reports that Microsoft Corp. plans to develop its own portable digital media device to compete with the iPod of Apple Computer Inc. So far, Microsoft has just provided technology to partners. As Apple extends its market share in digital music, Microsoft has decided to make its own device. It is possible that a Microsoft digital media player would incorporate video games and use the Xbox brand to market the device.

The article reports that Apple Computer Inc. is looking at an iPod supply shortage for the 2005 holiday season. The author reviews how consumer demand for the iPod is expected to surge, despite forthcoming shortages at Circuit City Stores Inc. The article includes comments regarding the issue from Charlie Tebele, president of the retailer RCS Experience.

This article presents information about music download sites and portable equipment for storing and playing your downloads including such sites as Music Store for APPLE iTUNES where iPod must go to download music, NAPSTER and YAHOO! MUSIC UMLIMITED where for a monthly or annual fee you can download as much music or videos that you want, and such recorder/players as the Apple iPod Nano, the Dell DJ Ditty, the Toshiba Gigabeat, and the iRiver U10.

The article evaluates the iPod video player from Apple Computer Incorporated.

This article focuses on the various models of the Apple iPod. A description of the fifth-generation iPod, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Shuffle are included, with their cost and features. It is recommended that one should check eBay.com or craigslist.com to get cheaper iPods that were made in previous years.

Reports that Apple Computer's iPods run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that start degrading and need replacing after a year or two. Statement that while some iPod owners are covered by a warranty, others have filed claims tied to a class-action law suit; Report that Apple offers an extended warranty or a replacement for $59; Customer complaints about the iPod nano.

Reports on the Nintendo's Game Boy Micro and the Apple's iPod Nano as two examples of technological gadgets that are becoming almost too small. Description of the Game Boy Micro, which has a control pad and buttons so small that it could lead to frustration from users; Examination of the iPod Nano, which uses flash memory, instead of hard-disk drives, to store data.

Evaluates Apple Computer's Nano iPod digital music player. Small size of the Nano, which weighs 1.5 ounces; Ability to store 1,000 songs and listen to music for 14 hours on a charge; Cost of the 4-gigabyte, 1,000 song and 2-gigabyte, 500 song versions.

Reports on which companies are supplying the technology and the parts used in Apple's iPod Nano music player. Announcement that Synaptics, a supplier of touch-sensitive chips that were key to the original iPod's success, was overlooked in favor of chips from Cypress Semiconductor; Description of the specially made audio chips supplied by Portal Player; Discussion of the production costs associated with the manufacturing of the Nano.

Focuses on Apple's new iPod model, the iPod nano. Launch of the extremely small digital music player by Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs; Features of the miniature iPod; Comments of Jobs; Apple's release of the iTunes-equipped mobile telephone, which is built by Motorola and distributed by Cingular.

Focuses on the new Apple iPod Nano MP3 player. Ability to store 500 songs on a device that weighs 1.5 ounces and measures 0.27 inches deep; Cost of the iPod Nano.

Reports that Apple has reaches a tentative settlement with iPod owners who say the rechargeable batteries in their music players are not lasting as long as advertised. Where to find details of the agreement, which applies to iPods purchased before May 31, 2004; Compensation for customers, once a judge confirms the agreement.

Evaluates the iPod mini digital music player from Apple.

Reports on the price drop for Apple's iPod. Recent reduction in iPod prices by Apple CEO Steve Jobs; Price of the iPod; Features of the iPod, including large storage capacity and long battery life; Details of the iPod photo, which has also been reduced in price.

Focuses on Apple computer Chief Executive Steve Jobs and the success of Apple's iPod in the digital-music market. Release of new lower-priced models by Apple; Marketing tactics; Views of analysts; Outlook for Apple's increased share in the market.

Discusses the use of Apple Computer's iPod digital music player by employees of the company's rival, Microsoft Corp. Comments by Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Media division of Microsoft, who is opposed to the practice; Consideration of Apple's dominance in the digital music market.

Evaluates the iPod Shuffle digital music player from Apple Computer.

Reviews two new Apple Computer products, the iPod Shuffle digital music player, and the Mini Mac. Description of the products, which represent entry-level Apple products in cost and features; Capability of the Mini Mac, which doesn't include a monitor, keyboard, or mouse, but is just as powerful as Apple's low-end G4 Power Mac; Simplicity of the iPod shuffle, which is cost-effective, but offers limited features.