iPod’s in Space.

If you look very very closely at this picture, you can see a 5th generation iPod docked in a charger.


It’s not enough to have world-wide domination of the MP3 Player market, they need to get their product into outerspace aswell.

Right on Apple. Give Microsoft a run for their money!!

BenQ dog tag MP3 player goes a little too far with World Trade Centre imagery on its advertising.

BenQ will recently be bringing out a new ‘dog-tag’ style MP3 player called the MusiQ. A great looking little player that comes in 512MB and 1GB file size, coming with a built in microSD card.

Two different types are available for boys and girls and some reports say that for a limited time BenQ are giving away limited edition gift set with carry cases and arm braclets with the players that are due for release on Dec 15th.

One very interesting point that seems to be making it’s way around the blogsphere is that BenQ are using images of the crumbled World Trade Centre to push it’s products. In my opinion, this is incredibly tacky and in very very poor taste. Surely the marketing department at BenQ could have come up with something better than that?

Ipod phone or iphone on the horizon?

From all accounts it looks as though Apple is bringing out an iphone. There has been a lot of buzz around the net of late about Apple’s foray into the mobile phone / mp# player combination, however a new patent application filed by Apple very strongly suggests that an iphone is on the way.

The patent describes “a portable computing device capable of wireless communications, comprising: an enclosure that surrounds and protects the internal operational components of the portable gadget, the enclosure including a structural wall formed from a ceramic material that permits wireless communication”.

The patent was filed back in Aug but was made public by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Friday.

Technology Magazine Red Herring reported that Apple has contracted a firm located in Taiwan to make over 12 million units of this new device but this has not been confirmed or denied by Apple.

Keep your eyes out early next year as this is the rumored release date of Apple’s latest gadget.

If you liked the Samsung YP-K5, check out the Samsung YP-K3

Scheduled to make a debut at CES in Janurary, Samsung are tempting us with the delivery of a new MP3 player. Slimmer than the Samsung YP-K5, the YP-K3 seems to be a lot slicker and thinner than the last iteration of the model. One interesting rumor is that this new version of the player isn’t going to have the tell tale in-built speaker that made the YP-K5 so different.

All in all it looks like a very cool gadget set to hit the marketplace next year for all you technology heads.

Crayola launches kid friendly MP3 Player

Crayola, the company we know and love responsible for many many kid-friendly edible/non-toxic products has decided to delve into the MP3 player market.

Announcing the Crayola mp3 player. Now you and I both know that most kids aren’t going to be doing online shopping looking for digital cameras, online coupons and MP3 players, so why would Crayola bring out an MP3 Player.

My thought is that my kids love music, and I know loads of other kids that do. The idea of giving my child a MP3 player that they can use and share is of great value to me as a frazzled parent on a long road trip.

The Crayola MP3 Player has large buttons to help little fingers navigate through songs etc, and also has two headphone jacks so they can share with a brother/sister or friend.

With the ever growing popularity of podcasting and audiobooks there is bound to be a plethora of kid related stuff floating around the net these days and it looks like Crayola want to cash in on this.

Podcasting getting bigger and bigger

According to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, it seems that the amount of podcasts and people listening to them have increased dramatically in the past few years.

"We are at a crossroads of a major transition in the way media content is delivered," said Mary Madden, a senior research analyst who worked on the Pew survey.

Using Podcast Alley as an example, the number of podcasts now available on their site has grown from fewer than 1000 podcasts in November 2004 to over 25,000 today.

Part of this huge growth is the release of Apple’s iTunes software, which brings podcasts to the masses without the need for a high level of technical skill.

It seems that roughly 12% of the population now listens to some form of podcasting, meaning there is room for growth as this medium starts to eek its way into the mainstream.

iPod in the air – in-flight displayed stream your iPod video content

Apple has teamed up with a range of different airlines to offer in-flight docking systems for iPods on international flights. For any of you who have traveled overseas on long flight, you know who frustrating it is when your MP3 Player runs out of batteries and are forced to watch the crappy in-flight movies.

The iPod docks will be set in the arm rest of seats on airliners of Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United airlines, offering passangers an opportunity to charge their iPods while 10,000 feet above sea level.

Another very handy feature is that video content from your iPod can be streamed onto seat-back displays meaning you can watch all your favourite movies straight from your iPod video.

Virtual reality iPod

How’s this for cool. A pair of glasses that generate a virtual 44’ screen viewed at around 9 feet in front of your face that connects to your iPod Video.

These virtual display glasses also come with built in headphones giving you a surround sound home theatre entertainment experience without thousands of dollars of high tech equipment and pesky cables and wires.


Coming with 16 million colours and 23 degree filed of view, these little beauties let you watch any movie in style from you 30gb video ipod on the train, bus or even in the pool if you so wish.

Go to the official website

Water resistant MP3 player

Have you ever wanted to listen to your favourite tunes while out surfing, on your boogie board or dancing in the rain? Well now you can thanks to the Ultrasound water resistant MP3 player.

Called the Hydra, this player comes in a variety of storage capacity and colours. Ranging from 1GB to 2GB and coming in black, yellow, or orange, the Hydra mp3 player is the perfect gift for those outdoor types who just can’t live without their music.

Playing MP3 and WMA files, this player uses USB 2.0 to transfer files. A handy FM tuner and built in voice recorder means you will never lose that great idea or your mate betting you $20 you can’t listen to your digital audio player in the shower!

Go to ultraproducts website

Samsung YP-K5 MP3 player review

If the idea of lugging round mp3 player speakers doesn’t appeal to you, then this great little MP3 player from Samsung, the Samsung YP-K5, might just be the thing you are looking for. There are many MP3 player accessories on the market today, including speaker systems and other home theatre systems, but what if you want something a little more portable?

Click here to read the entire Samsung YP-K5 MP3 player review

Apple going overboard with legal battles over the word pod

Apple have been sending out cease and desist letters willy nilly to companies using the term pod in the marketing or products. Take Podcastready for example, Apple states that the term ‘mypodder, used by Podcastready causes confusion with their products.

Isn’t it about time big businesses woke up and looked at the bigger picture. This is like the case of lucasfilm trying to get star wars fan sites taken down because they infringe copyright!!

Don’t these companies realise that most of the time these types of sites tend to bolster their products or services and if they try to attack the little guys, this can lead to a PR nightmare for them?

What do you think?

Touch Screen iPod – is it closer than we think?

According to this report, a touch screen iPod may be on the market quicker than we think!

According to an insider from a third party accessory provider Apple may be releasing the touch screen video iPod in time for Christmas. Given the fact that Apple has only just released the new nano and shuffle versions of their player, I tend to think that the touchpod will still be a little while away.

AllofMP3 legal issues – operators deny breaching copyright laws

If any of you have used http://www.allofmp3.com/ to download mp3’s, you may want to get in quick if music giants like EMI Group, PLC, Warner Music Group and Sony BMG have anything to do with it.

AllofMP3 went on a large scale PR campaign earlier in the week to quash accusations of it being branded a pirate website by some music industry big wigs.

The Russian operators of AllofMP3, Mediaservices asserts it is running a legitimate business not a free mp3 downloads facility.

"The company has been unfairly characterized as a pirate Web site. Nothing could be further from the truth," said Vadim Mamotin, the company’s director general.

Stating that 15% of every sale goes to the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society Mamotin said The society has "offered to pay the record companies the royalties they collected but been rebuffed,"

Here is what AllofMP3 released earlier in the year in relation to the pressure being applied by the US government to stop operations.

The US government officials and politicians have been demanding lately that
the Russian authorities shut down allofmp3.com, alleging the site is pirate.
Otherwise, they threaten Russia with sanctions, including blocking its entry to
WTO.

In this regard we would like to make a statement:

1. The site AllOfMP3.com belongs to a Russian company and for 6 years it has
   operated within the country, in full compliance with all Russian laws.
   Throughout this period the various government offices have scrutinized site's
   legality and have not found any breach of the law. So far there has been no
   decision by any Russian court contesting the site's legality.


2. The Russian site AllOfMP3.com is not operating or advertising its business
   on the territory of other countries.


3. The site AllOfMP3.com does regularly transfer substantial amounts of
   royalties to the Russian organizations for collective management of rights such
   as ROMS and FAIR, which have granted the site licenses to legally deliver music
   through the Internet.


4. The site AllofMP3.com reserves the right to take all steps necessary to
   protect its business reputation. We call upon everyone to take a thorough and
   unbiased view of the site's legality.


5. On September 1, 2006 the changes to the Russian copyright legislation
   will come into force. Since January 2006 the site has been making direct
   agreements with rightholders and authors at the same time increasing the price
   of the music compositions and transferring the royalties directly to the artists
   and record companies. The aim of AllofMP3.com is to agree with all rightholders
   on the prices and royalties amounts by September 1, 2006.


6. We believe in the long term and civilized business based on respecting the
   law, considering the customers' demands as well as the interests of both
   national and international rightholders.

The AllofMP3.com Administration June 6, 2006 Moscow

Child Safe MP3 Player – Get a kiddisafe case for your ipod

Have you ever wanted to get your young child listening to music but are concerned that your beloved digital device will take a beating or a dribbling? Well now you can give your toddler your ipod and be safe in the knowledge it will be protected by this Kiddisafe covering called the tadpole from ifrogz.

Made from 100% silicon, the tadpole is designed to repel dust and lint and save your ipod from any unexpected knocks or bumps. Designed with children in mind, the tadpole has two large handles for your little one to grab onto. Your ipod’s screen and click wheel will be protected by the ifrogz screenz™. Coming in orange or purple, the iFrogz Tadpole retails for US$19.99

Visit The iFrogz Website

Red iPod - Apple and Bono See Red

U2 frontman and Apple have joined forces to help fight aids in Africa by producing a red iPod Nano. $10 from each red iPod sold will be donated to the (Product Red) Global Fund to help the cause.

The red iPod comes in the 4Gb edition and has the anodized aluminum case of the latest generation of iPod Nano’s.

If you would like to help this cause, please go to the official (Product Red) website for more information.

www.joinred.com

Gear4 BlueEye Turns Your iPod Into a Mobile Phone

Now this is a fantastic idea! If you’re like me and you live with your ipod in one ear and your mobile phone in the other, then this is the product for you. Introducing the Gear4 BlueEye.

This device allows you to enjoy your music through your iPod and enables you to take calls via a Bluetooth remote control headphone system. The Gear4 BlueEye makes viewing your mobile phone numbers through your iPod and it pauses your favourite tracks when you receive an incoming call, then resumes your music after the call is finished.

Integrating a FM radio receiver with the system makes this iPod accessory one of the best on the market. If you had ever thought about the concept of an iPod phone, the Gear4 BlueEye takes us one step closer.

Samsung YP-K5 MP3 Player

Samsung has announced the release of the new YP-K5 MP3 Player, a player that has an onboard speaker system. There are many speaker accessories available for MP3 Players on the market today, but the Samsung YP-K5 MP3 Player is a little different in that the speaker system is in-built into the player.

Sporting a sleek look, the player slides apart to allow the connection of the speakers. The slick looking touch buttons on the player allow easy access to a range of different functions.

Surprisingly the speakers offer fairly good quality sound for such a small unit. There is some distortion when pumped up to max and the bass is almost non-existent (but that is expected for such a small unit)

With features like alarm clock, FM Radio and 30 hours of battery life this MP3 Player is a very decent addition to the MP3 market.

iPod Remote Control

Belkin has just launched a fabric-based interface that can control your iPod Nano. It’s called the SportsCommand.

This nifty little armband acts as a remote control that uses wireless weather resistant neoprene, allowing you to listen to your favourite tunes while your skiing down your usual slope or mountain.

This device allows you to play, skip, pause and control the volume. It has extra large buttons so glove covered hands can still press the buttons.

Relax with this massaging MP3 Player

Have you ever been sitting on the train after a long day, wishing someone would rub you neck or rotate soothing fingers around your temples? Now you can with the OSIM iGoGo a massaging MP3 Player.

Packaged with two wireless massagers you can stick these on yourself and get a massage along to your favourite music. The digital player comes with 7 massage programs but only 128MB of memory, which indicates OSIM will be pushing the player on the fact that it massages you as you play music as apposed to it being a great player with loads of storage.

Available in Black or White this player is due for release later this year.

Triple J release the jPlayer MP3 Player

Triple J has decided to expand into the MP3 Player market with their latest release the jPlayer. Available in 1GB and 2GB memory with a choice of red or black for colours, the jPlayer is another addition to an saturated MP3 Player market.

It is interesting to note that their point of difference is that it comes pre-loaded with Triple J podcasts, which is nice if you want to listen to something on your jPlayer as soon as you get it out of the box.

Here are some tech specs from their website.

• Plays music from online MP3 and WMA services
• Full speed USB for fast file fransfers
• Quick and easy - Drag & Drop music to and from PC
• 1GB version stores up to 480 songs at 64kps WMA
• 2GB version stores up to 960 songs at 64kps WMA20
• Preset FM Channels including triple j across Australia
• Available in triple j red or mono blackEvery jPlayer comes bundled with a free $20 music download voucher
  

Unfortunately Mac users dip out with this latest windows only offering.

Sony’s NW--S706 4GB MP3 Player

Sony’s new offering the NW-S706 adds another powerful punch to their already impressive lineup of MP3 Players.

Due for release soon, it comes with an impressive 4 GB of memory and uses the flash memory platform. With a built in FM tuner and noise cancellation technology, this player is great for the general music listener or the avid MP3 buff.

Stating an impressive 50 hour battery life, this player will outplay most MP3 Players on the market today. Also this player has quite possible one of the smallest screen on the market today. Available in a range of different colours; pink, black or purple, this player should meet even the most fashion conscious. Release date and pricing to be announced.

Microsoft Zune MP3 Player

Product Overview:

Zune starts with a 30GB digital media player and adds a twist. You can wirelessly share selected full-length sample tracks, playlists, pictures or your home-grown tracks directly from Zune to Zune.1 You can listen to the full-length songs that you receive up to three times in three days, flag the ones you like and easily buy them the next time you sync up. You can discover new music in the Zune Marketplace, and show off your favorite pictures and videos on the big, bright screen. Zune has all that and a built in FM tuner, too. Let your inner DJ run wild.

Features:
Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing. Zune lets you spontaneously share selected full-length sample tracks of your favorite songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends wirelessly, device to device.1 You can listen to any song you receive up to three times in three days. And if you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device to easily find it later.

Your own personalized Zune
Zune is easy to use and easy to love. You can choose one of three base colors, each combined with a distinctive double-shot finish created by the overlay of one color on another. The player also can easily be customized with your favorite pictures.

Large color screen
Zune comes with a bright 3-inch LCD video screen that works in portrait or landscape mode. Your music, video and pictures never looked better.

30GB player

Zune stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video.2 You can make playlists on the go and watch a slide show while you’re listening. Watching video in landscape mode gets the most out of the vivid display.

Zune Pass
Downloads or a subscription? It’s your choice. A Zune Pass subscription gives you “all you can eat” access to discover and explore the Zune Marketplace.

Built-in FM tuner

With the built-in FM tuner you can listen to local FM radio stations or tune in to programming while you’re at your local health club, for example. Advanced tuning capabilities allow you to see the name of the song currently playing on selected frequencies.