Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Wireless

Fresh off an extensive corporate decaffeination downsizing and a scaling back of its foray into music sales, it’s a fair question to ask: just how ironclad is Starbucks’ commitment to rolling out iTunes WiFi Music Store integration across its entire chain? We just happened to notice that the Starbucks page on Apple’s site is now stone-cold gone, redirecting to the standard iTunes 8 stuff. You might say “no big deal, Apple’s just playing down an agreement that’s now been in place for a full year,” but there’s some other weirdness, too — the company’s iTunes WiFi Music Store at Starbucks FAQ, for example, still references the dead link. The partnership was kinda ill-conceived to begin with; getting access to the store meant hooking up to AT&T WiFi, which you wouldn’t normally have configured unless you actually had an AT&T WiFi account. We haven’t heard any official word here that the deal is in danger, but really, would anyone be welling up if it fell apart?

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Hope you don’t mind two similar worlds running together, because today we’re asking about not one, but two of Cupertino’s latest. The iPod touch 2G and iPod nano 4G were both simultaneously (give or take a few minutes) announced back in early September, and after getting a chance to handle both, we felt that Apple did a stand-up job with the each of ‘em. That being said, there’s always a thing or two that could use tweaked, added or removed completely, but we’ll spare you any additional opinions from us on that. Instead, we want to know how you, dear reader, would change either of Apple’s freshest PMPs. What are you digging? What’s still not good enough? The floor is yours.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_iPod_touch_2G_and_nano_4G_The_Engadget_Review’; It’s been just over a week since we ran a smash-and-grab at Apple’s unveiling of its newest entries to the iPod family, the nano 4G and touch 2G. The devices, both set along an evolutionary (rather than revolutionary) path have certainly been nipped, tucked, and updated — but we wanted to know if they’d been improved at all. For the nano, we’ve seen some iteration of the same device for years now, leaving questions as to how much further you can take a low-end music player, while the touch is another story completely; a handheld which treads that ever-thinning line between entertainment device and micro-computer. Do either of these products hit their marks, or has Apple overextended itself in its pursuit of market saturation? Keep reading to find out.

Continue reading Apple iPod touch 2G and nano 4G: The Engadget Review

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Well, that was fast — iPod touch firmware 2.1 was just released on Tuesday, and the QuickPwn project already has it jailbroken. It’s not quite the GUI one-click process it’s been in the past, but if you’re anxious for a little underground code to go with your Genius playlists, it’s not overly complicated. Let us know how it goes, we’ll let you know when the iPhone 2.1 jailbreak inevitably hits.

Update: The Dev Team just pinged us to say that this isn’t one of their official releases, if that sort of thing matters to you.

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Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video

We’ll tell you that when we first got a chance to handle Apple’s latest generation of the iPod touch on Tuesday, our gadget-nerd alarms went clanging like there was a really, really bad fire somewhere. The improvements the company has made in design aren’t remarkable, but they are entirely welcome. The new housing is smooth, incredibly thin, and feels like a solid metal brick in your hands. The built-in speaker is a nice addition, as are those volume controls (finally!) — the screen is incredibly bright (on par with the iPhone 3G), though it also looks like it got the 3G’s new color temperature. On the software side, 2.1 is definitely feeling smoother and slicker than previous versions, the Nike+ inclusion is huge if you’re a runner, and the implementation is well integrated — overall, we’re leaning towards a thumbs-up on those bug fixes too. Unfortunately, we couldn’t seem to get the Genius function working on the device (anyone else having this issue?), though that may be more of a server-side conflict than something funky with the player, as we were getting errors in iTunes when trying to flip the switch. We’ll be blowing this out with a full review, but for now you can enjoy the succulent pics in the gallery below!

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Usually product teardowns are only interesting for the raw, visceral thrill of seeing chipsets and circuit boards splayed wide open, but iFixit’s diassembly of the new iPod touch revealed something rather more interesting: a Broadcom BCM4325 Bluetooth 2.1+EDR chip. (That’s the silver rectangle in the middle of the top circuit board there.) That’s got a lot of people all atwitter, but there’s an obvious explanation for it: Nike+, built into the new touch, is based on a proprietary low-power 2.4GHz communications protocol called ANT — not quite the standard Bluetooth frequency, but awful close. Yep, sorry, it’s for technojogging, not secret A2DP — although we’d welcome actual Bluetooth support in the touch with open arms. Hit the read link for the complete breakdown.

Update: Just to be totally accurate, the BCM4235 also does WiFi — and Nike+iPod has been called a “proprietary 802.11 protocol” in the past, so it’s even less likely that it’s there for actual Bluetooth usage.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

It would have been juicier if Microsoft hadn’t announced the fall Zune lineup a day early and gone directly head-to-head with Apple’s newly refreshed iPod lineup, but the fact is that if you’re in the market for a new player the past 48 hours have delivered a slew of new options. Microsoft concentrated on the software side of the equation with Zune 3.0, but Redmond’s players themselves got a WiFi music store, some new games, and Buy From FM, while Apple added in new Genius playlists across the board and updated the iPod nano’s form factor and UI. At the high end of the capacity scale, the Zune seems to have the win on paper — both the Zune 120 and the iPod classic frustratingly top out at 120GB, but the classic’s stagnated essentially at the level of the 5.5G video iPod while the Zune 120 carries all the features of its smaller siblings. On top of all that, you have the newly-thinner iPod touch, with all of its browsing, media, gaming, and third-party application features — and the lost purity of purpose adding all features those entails. That’s a ton of choices — so c’mon, kids, what’s it going to be?

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Stoked about all those new features you heard about during today’s Stevenote? Dying to get your paws on the improved battery life, smoother UI, and other bug-destroying goodies? Well if you’re a current touch owner, you can download the update right now (for a tidy $9.95, of course). Just follow the read link’s “buy now” button to iTunes, and keep a credit card handy.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPod_touch_2G_first_hands_on’; We just got some hands-on time with the new iPod touch, and we’re really feeling this one. Jury’s still out on the new nano, but the second-gen touch is a marked improvement over the first gen model. The WiFi antenna looks much better integrated, the speaker doesn’t sound like complete trash despite not even having any speaker holes, and the thing is crazy thin. Like, really, really thin.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPod_touch_updated_same_screen_new_case_new_features’; As expected, Apple just updated the iPod touch with a new thinner stainless steel case — it’s still got the same display. There’s now hardware volume controls (hooray!) and a built-in speaker, and a Nike+ receiver is also built in, so you just need the shoe transmitter. On the software side, the UI has been tweaked and the new iTunes Genius features have been added, and the App Store is now included (obviously). Battery life is decent at 36 hours of music and 6 hours of video, and Apple’s doing the same “environmentally sound” design thing it did with the new nano. Three price points: 8GB for $229, 16GB for $299, and 32GB for $399. So much for that rumored price drop below the iPhone’s $199 price point, but we won’t complain too much about a $100 price drop.

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MacRumors has some last minute leaks en-route to Tuesday’s Lets Rock event. Arn’s sources claim that the entire iPod lineup will be refreshed and the heavily rumored iPod nanos will make the move from 4GB/8GB capacities and 6 color choices to 8GB/16GB configurations in 9 color variations — purple, orange, and yellow will be the new choices. Interestingly, the iPod touch will continue to be offered in 8GB/16GB/32GB choices which sets them up for the rumored price cuts we’ve been expecting ever since Apple kicked out the iPhone 3G for $199.

By the way, the Apple store will almost certainly be going down in the next few minutes. Consider us and yourselves, notified.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

First comes smoke, then comes flames a-blazin’. Shortly after hearing that Apple was gearing up to unveil a new iPod nano (at the very least) on September 9th, in flies a curious Best Buy ad that could be evidence of a tweaked iPod touch. According to our tipster, the image in the ad and the image on Best Buy’s website are ever-so-slightly different, and while we’d typically pass this off as the result of a fading ink cartridge, we’ve been expecting new touches for months now. Just a few days left until we figure out what’s really going on here.

[Thanks, Samm]

Update: As a few folks pointed out, it seems the image is a touch on the ancient side. Still, we know new iPod touches are coming in our hearts — we can just feel it.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_releasing_interactive_album_applications_next_month’; Looks like Apple is continuing to push the envelop of digital music with new “interactive album applications” set for imminent release. The first artist in the cue is Snow Patrol, scheduled to release their latest studio album next month. According to a Polydor production manager, the downloadable, “interactive” application (via AppStore or iTunes or the rumored iTunes version 8?) will offer additional content such as artwork, behind-the-scenes images, and lyrics for iPhone and iPod touch owners — “A digital booklet that will take you into the videos and content,” if you will. Now who says that digital music can’t be profitable?

[Via MacWord UK]

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Man, Apple’s lockdown on product leaks just isn’t as tight as it used to be — remember when having new iPod designs leaked by case manufacturers seemed totally unthinkable? Yeah, those times are over — check out these silicone cases for a fourth-gen iPod nano and second-gen iPod touch that just appeared on Alibaba. We’re not totally sold on the touch cases, but the nanos look way more legit, especially since we’ve seen some others matching this general look before; while nano KIRFs in this form factor aren’t uncommon, we’d say it’s pretty unlikely that anyone’s making several different types of silicone cases for them. We’re not calling this anywhere near 100 percent yet, but let’s just say we’re hoping Apple’s press photographers can make the new nano look a whole lot better than our pal Mr. Blurrycam by the time September 9th rolls around. More case photos after the break.

[Thanks, Samm]

Read - iPod nano case
Read - iPod nano case
Read - iPod touch case
Read - iPod touch case

Continue reading New iPod nano and touch revealed by case manufacturers?

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

There’s been a lot of iPod chatter in the air lately and now MacRumors and Ars Technica say that we’ll be seeing El Steve boom-boom some new gear on September 9th. No specifics on what’s in store, but new nanos are obviously on the table, as is that rumored subscription service and possibly a new iPod touch at a lower price. Anything you guys hoping for?

Read - MacRumors
Read - Ars Technica

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Sure, you could dismiss this round of iPod rumors — so carefully culled by the fine folks at 9 to 5 Mac and AppleInsider — as baseless speculation, but we’ll have none of your dowdy skepticism. We’re talking about rainbows here, people. AppleInsider claims that retailers are seeing current iPod models being switched to “discontinued” in inventory systems, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says to expect iPod refreshes across the board, including a slightly redesigned $200 iPod touch, and meanwhile 9 to 5 Mac has it from an unnamed source that the new iPod nanos will have enhanced features, double the storage and rainbow color schemes. It’s almost like somebody in Cupertino is reading our mind! We’ll know for sure when new iPods arrive mid-September filled to the brim with “Run’s House” episodes and bedecked in rainbow-hued gummy bears. It’s going to rock.

[Thanks, Kiwi616]

Read - AppleInsider
Read - 9 to 5 Mac

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Filed under: Announcements

For obvious reasons, we’re not really big believers in optimizing Engadget for individual devices or platforms. Despite the unrelenting number of requests for an iPhone-optimized version of Engadget, we thought we’d let Apple stand by its whole “the real internet in your pocket” thing. And then we ran the numbers. We could hardly believe it.

So far in 2008, the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPod touch account for some 95.8% of all mobile views on the full site. We’re not even kidding. That doesn’t factor the visitors who hit our current mobile version of the site, but it’s pretty hard to argue with any number like that, so we’re rolling out a new beta version of Engadget optimized for the iPhone at i.engadget.com. (Don’t worry, we’ll still be keeping original mobile site active at m.engadget.com.) Please feel free to let us know what you think in comments!

Oh, and for the stats nerds in the audience, you can check out Engadget’s mobile device breakdown after the break.

Continue reading i.engadget.com - Engadget for your iPhone or iPod touch

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Steve_Jobs_confirms_kill_switch_60M_iPhone_apps_downloaded’; Steve Jobs, presumably speaking from a hyperbaric chamber where he’s being nourished with an infusion of liquified developer-souls before his next public appearance, had a few interesting tidbits about the AppStore for the Wall Street Journal this morning. Namely, users have downloaded some 60 million programs for the iPhone representing sales of about $30 million since the launch last month — a 30/70 revenue split between Apple and developers, respectively. “The thing’s going to crest a half billion soon,” Jobs added, “I’ve never seen anything like this in my career for software.” He went on to say that phone differentiation is no longer about radios and antennas (or uh, battery life) but about software. Steve also confirmed the controversial iPhone application kill switch in the event that Apple inadvertently approves a malicious program for distribution. Jobs said, “hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull.” As to the $999.99 I Am Rich application, pulling that from the store was a “judgment” call. Sure, but that doesn’t explain how it made it through the vetting process to begin with.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Apple’s experimented with allowing iTunes to stream over the internet as well as your LAN in the past and quickly removed the feature (probably due to RIAA pressure), so we’re not placing too much stock in this, but AppleInsider’s unearthed a patent that seems to describe a way to stream music over the ‘net to your iPhone / iPod touch. The goal is to prevent you from having to selectively sync content to your device — instead, you’d sync just the metadata and stream whatever you wanted direct from your machine as though it was all stored locally. There are some obvious problems here — it wouldn’t work if you didn’t have service (or over EDGE, really), most home upstream connections aren’t that fast, etc., etc., — but it’s certainly interesting, and a welcome addition to local storage if it ever makes the scene. In the meantime, how about working in some of those new UI elements from the Remote app into the iPod app?

[Via Macrumors, thanks Mark]

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