iPod Topics - Daily iPod & iTunes News, Views, Blog & Discussion. Apple Shuffle, Nano, Video iPods & More!

So we have been slacking a bit on this blog…but were back and kicking! Alright so there has been a lot happening in the Ipod world…needless to say. The biggest word…TOUCH.

So wow catching up, huh? We know, we know we’re a way late on this one. The iPod touch is a major turning point for Apple’s iPod line. For years technology enthusiasts pondered the possibility of an Apple-made widescreen, WiFi-enabled portable media device, and they finally did just that –Multi-touch Interface, You Tube connectivity, a full fledged web browser. It’s really as if they asked all of us dorks what we wanted with a music play…Cheers Steve.

Turn Your Unwanted iPod Into Cash

TheGadgetLocker.com announced a pretty innovative and environmental friendly initiative today. Basically those looking to dispose of their old iPods can visit the iPod Recycle Program page on the TheGadgetLocker.com website at
www.thegadgetlocker.com. After that the website will give them detailed instructions on how to ship their old iPod and then compensate them financially by awarding redeemable reward points worth $20 in their GadgetVault VIP Reward Points account.

“We’re committed to providing our customers with a convenient green alternative for the proper disposal of old iPods,” said TheGadgetLocker.com founder and president, Joe Ryan. “We want our customers to not only enjoy all of TheGadgetLocker.com’s great products, but a healthier, cleaner planet as well.”

Comparative Launch Sales Has Zune On Top

While I am not convinced that the Microsoft Zune is better multimedia device than the iPod, it is interesting that during the first 14 months of each devices existence, the Zune out sold the iPod by almost 40%. According to Microsoft, they have sold one million Zunes over the last 14 months. Comparatively, Apple only sold 600,000 iPods in it’s first 14 months on the market.

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Talk About Product Placement!

I finally have a good reason to do laundry! The generous folks over at Tide are giving consumers a chance to win a Special Orange Tide iPod. So what do we have to do to get our hands on this Orange Wonder?

For starters we have to buy a Tide Vintage T-Shirt (there no such thing as freebie in this world). But seriously all proceeds from the sale of T-Shirts will go to the St. Bernard Project, to help rebuild 10 homes for families in New. Each T-Shirt sells for 10$ and head over here to get your hands on one.

Is good old Microsoft getting desperate and succumbing to all the pressure? Confused about what I am talking bout? Well just take a look at the picture, which showcases “an iPod amnesty Bin”, right outside “Zune HQ,”. Taken by flickr user imoculous, the concept may be funny however totally uncalled for! If Microsoft thinks that the Zune can really dethrone the iPod, well kudos to their optimism!

[Via PC World]

Gene Munster a Piper Jaffray analyst says that this year Apple may just sell over 9.5 million iPods in the third quarter and not the expected 9.8 million. He basis his claims on the first month of sales data from NPD, a market research firm.

“While it is way too early to make a definitive call on June quarter iPod results, we have analyzed the first month of NPD data (April) for the quarter and found that it suggests iPod unit (sales) of around 9.5 million,” Munster wrote in a client note. “Our current iPod unit estimate at 10.5 million is ahead of Street consensus, which is 9.8 million for the June quarter.”

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Hell hath no fury like Apple scorned! Looks like Apple is not amused by ‘iGasm’ iPod sex toy advertisements and feel its in bad taste. Now Apple is threatening to sue iGasm if they don’t remove the provocative ads.

“iPod-maker Apple is threatening to sue a sex shop over a vibrator that hooks up to an iPod and has similar advertising to that used in posters for the digital music player,” Simon Jary reports for PC Advisor.

Jary reports, “Apple is demanding that stores remove all posters for the gadget, called an iGasm. ‘We hope this request to remove it immediately will prevent us having to consider further action,’ said Apple lawyers.”

Jary reports, “The Ann Summers neon-pink ads feature a sexy woman with wires coming out of her iPod and into her knickers, teasing ‘ Go at it hard and fast with a pounding drum and bass track or chill with the ambient classic.’”

Via PC Advisor

Study Shows iPod Can Cause Pacemakers to Fail

Ouch.

Just when we all thought that the iPod was the perfect device, it turns out it can be a silent killer. According to a study done by 17 year old Jay Thaker, a student at Okemos High School in Okemos, Michigan, iPod interference can lead physicians to misdiagnose actual heart function.

According to Reuters, the study tested the effect of the portable music devices on 100 patients, whose mean age was 77, outfitted with pacemakers. Electrical interference was detected half of the time when the iPod was held just 2 inches from the patient’s chest for 5 to 10 seconds. In some cases, the iPods caused interference when held 18 inches from the chest. Interfering with the telemetry equipment caused the device to misread the heart’s pacing and in one case caused the pacemaker to stop functioning altogether.

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New Patent Reveals Next Generation Devices

Apple’s latest patent is a strong indicator of where the company is taking their next generation iPod’s or a possible iPhone Nano. Featuring a full touch screen and a touch panel, the latest patent describes a device that not only resembles the much anticipated iPhone, but also the current generation of iPods and the video iPod. Here is a snippet from the patent:
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New George Foreman Grill To Be iPod Enabled

Named the iGrill, George Foreman has released an outdoor version of his world-famous George Foreman Grill complete with built-in speakers, amplifier, and an iPod dock - perfect for any outdoor BBQ. The iGrill features Indoor/Outdoor Electric grill/roasting capabilities, with a 200 SQ. Inch cooking surface, adjustable temperature control, and a 10 Watt amp. At a list price of only $149.99, it is definitely cheaper than most backyard grills, and with the iPod and speaker/amp integration, it makes this the “must have” grill for this summer.

Check out more information about iGrill at www.igrillwithgeorge.com.