iLounge

Design the Next iPhone Contest still open, enter today

• May 9, 2008
• Site News
• digg this

If you haven’t yet started on your submission for the Design the Next iPhone, Win the Next iPhone Contest, there’s still plenty of time to get your entry in—simply submit a brand-new artistic rendition (minimum 1600px wide) of what you think the next iPhone should look like. iLounge’s editors will pick six top concepts from the pool of valid entries, three of which will receive Apple’s next-generation iPhone (!!), while three runners-up will each receive a $100 iTunes Store Gift Card.

Submissions are already coming in, and will be accepted through May 25. The winners will be announced in The Free iPod + iPhone Book 4, on June 1. Get started, and good luck! For more information or for official rules, please visit the official contest page.

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Our weekly iPodweek summary is coming

• May 9, 2008
• Site News
• digg this

iPodweek, iLounge’s weekly newsletter recapping the last seven days in iPod, iPhone, iTunes and Apple TV news, articles, reviews, and more, will be sent out later today. In addition to rounding up the week’s top stories, iPodweek also features giveaways and accessory discount offers from various companies. If you haven’t yet signed up to receive iPodweek, there’s still time to register and receive this week’s edition — just use the simple form below to submit your email address.

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Apple offers credit to early Canadian iPod Owners

• May 9, 2008
• iPod
• digg this

Apple is offering a $45 credit to Canadian iPod owners as part of a class-action settlement. The credit is available to Canadian residents who own a first-, second-, or third-generation iPod purchased before June 24, 2004. The settlement is a result of a suit by two iPod owners angry over the battery life of their devices, which they claim dropped to three hours (from Apple’s claim of eight) after just one year of use. As many as 80,000 Canadians could be eligible for the credit, according to Monteal lawyer Philippe Trudel, who represented one of the plaintiffs. Full details of the settlement are available in both English and French from Apple’s website. [via CNET]

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Mix: NBC streaming, EyeTV 3.0.2, .Mac push e-mail

• May 8, 2008
• Mix
• digg this

NBC has begun offering full-length streaming episodes of popular shows “The Office” and “30 Rock” to the iPhone and iPod touch in Quicktime format from NBC.com. The move is unusual in that the network has yet to reach an agreement with Apple to resume selling its TV programming on the iTunes Store in the US, following its removal last December. To view the episodes, visit NBC.com on an iPhone or iPod touch and click “Full Episodes” under “Video.”

Elgato has released EyeTV 3.0.2, the latest update to its television playback and recording software for Mac. Notable improvements in the new version include support for digital television H.264 broadcasts in both standard and HDTV resolutions, support for the exporting of ATSC/NTSC Closed Captions for use on iPhone, iPod, and Apple TV, and other improvements. The update is available now through the Update feature in EyeTV.

Support for .Mac push email has been discovered in the latest build of iPhone software 2.0, according to a TUAW report. Screenshots accompanying the report show a new “Fetch New Data” button in the iPhone’s Settings menu, which enables users to choose between “Fetch” or “Push” delivery for each mail account. 

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Apple patent points to Wii-like 3D media controller

• May 8, 2008
• Apple
• digg this

A new Apple patent filing published this week outlines a ”3D remote control system” that would include Wii remote-like sensing capabilities and could possibly be used as a new type of controller for Apple TV-based games. The application, originally filed in November of 2006, describes “a remote control having a relative motion sensor, wherein the relative motion sensor outputs data indicative of a change in a position of the remote control; at least one predetermined light source; a photodetector that detects light from the at least one predetermined light source and outputs data indicative of the detected light; and at least one controller configured to determine an absolute position of the remote control based on the data output by the relative motion sensor and the photodetector, wherein the absolute position is determined with respect to a reference location.” The patent also says the remote can “zoom into and out of an image or a portion thereof based on the absolute position of the remote control in the third axis,” which could be used with the Apple TV’s photo browsing functionality.

The patent also directly references a “console” that can communicate with the remote using a cable “and/or one or more wireless communication protocols” and “can perform some or all of the processing described for [the] controller.” The console described in the patent can also have “one or more connectors to which accessories can be coupled. Accessories can include cables and/or game cartridges, portable memory devices (e.g., memory cards, external hard drives, etc.), adapters for interfacing with another electronic device (e.g., computers, camcorders, cameras, media players, etc.), or combinations thereof.” As with all patent filings, this does not necessarily represent any future product release from Apple, but offers evidence of the company’s research in this area. [via AppleInsider]

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Swisscom to offer 3G iPhone this summer?

• May 8, 2008
• iPhone
• digg this

Citing a source within Swisscom, a new report (Translated link) from French-language Le Martin Online indicates the company has reached an agreement with Apple to offer the iPhone in Switzerland later this summer. With over five million subscribers, Swisscom is the country’s largest mobile carrier; a prior report indicated there are already over 34,000 active iPhones operating in Switzerland.

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AT&T lists Wi-Fi access with iPhone plans

• May 8, 2008
• iPhone
• digg this

Following the brief appearance of “Free AT&T Wi-Fi for iPhone” pages at some AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots, the US iPhone carrier has officially listed Wi-Fi access as being included with iPhone rate plans. The company’s iPhone web site now states “Plans start at $59.99 and include Visual Voicemail, Unlimited Data (email and web), 200 SMS text messages and access to AT&T’s more than 17,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, including Starbucks* all for use in the U.S. *Wi-Fi available at U.S. company operated Starbucks locations equipped with a hotspot.” An AT&T representative had previously declined to comment on the appearance of the free Wi-Fi pages, but it now appears an official announcement on the service is imminent. [via Mac Rumors]

Update: Following the publication of this news, AT&T removed all mention of the Wi-Fi service from the iPhone site.

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Gear4 launches DUO iPod speaker system

• May 8, 2008
• iPod Accessories
• digg this

Gear4 will launch its new DUO iPod 2.1 Speaker System tomorrow in the United Kingdom. A novel design by iPod speaker standards, DUO is a home stereo system that splits into two pieces: a table-mounted bass unit and a detachable front panel with retractable iPod dock that can serve as a standalone portable speaker system. The system provides the user with uninterrupted music when docking or undocking. When docked, the drivers housed in the satellite speaker join with a 20W subwoofer in the bass unit to provide more full sound, and the main unit also charges the satellite speaker’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Other features include an integrated fold-out stand for the satellite speakers, direct charging of the satellite speakers via AC cable when away from the bass unit, a remote control, and 38W of total speaker output. The Gear4 DUO 2.1 iPod Speaker System will be available in the UK tomorrow for £150/200€ and will launch in the US and other regions later this year.

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Microsoft, SanDisk planning video piracy filters for NBC [updated]

• May 7, 2008
• Apple
• digg this

Following NBC Universal’s abrupt removal from the iTunes Store, which followed a breakdown in discussions between the television network and Apple regarding pricing and piracy, competitors Microsoft and SanDisk have been working to develop anti-piracy technology to remedy one of the network’s concerns. Both companies are selling NBC video content at prices similar to Apple’s pricing for the iTunes Store.

According to a New York Times report, NBC Universal digital distribution president J.B. Perrette claimed that Microsoft is developing a “copyright cop” to be installed in Zune devices, that will supposedly be capable of removing pirated videos rather than playing them. While the system is “still in development and its exact form has not been set,” NBC plans to create “filtering technology that allows for playback of legitimately purchased content versus non-legitimately purchased content,” and “is also working with Internet service providers like AT&T to put similar filters right into the network.” Microsoft confirmed in the report that it is exploring anti-piracy measures with NBC, but would not divulge additional details; the Times notes that the Zune’s lagging market position relative to the iPod will make it difficult for Microsoft to add consumer-unfriendly features.

Updated: Contrary to the NY Times report, Microsoft’s official Zune blog claims that the company has “no plans to add content blocking features in Zune,” and suggested that NBC was “expressing hopes.” Thanks, Justin.

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América Móvil to carry iPhone in Latin America

• May 7, 2008
• iPhone
• digg this

América Móvil, the largest mobile network operator in Latin America with more than 150 million subscribers, has said it will sell the iPhone across the region later this year, according to a Reuters report. Subsidiaries of Móvil include Telcel in Mexico, Claro in Brazil, Chile, and other nations, Comcel Colombia in Columbia, and Potra in Ecuador. This news follows a string of international iPhone announcements, which have Vodafone offering the handset in ten different countries and TIM offering the phone alongside Vodafone in Italy, marking the first non-exclusive iPhone country carrier. [via Fortune]

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AFT intros iCarta+ iPod dock and bath tissue holder

• May 7, 2008
• iPod Accessories
• digg this

Atech Flash Technology has introduced the iCarta+ Stereo Dock for iPod with Bath Tissue Holder, a revised version of its 2006 iCarta system. Unlike the prior model, which relied on a power supply and power cable that might not have been convenient in some bathrooms, iCarta+ features a built-in rechargeable battery which provides up to 8 hours of playtime. Like its predecessor, the iCarta+ also offers users a choice of inputs, including a USB port for the first-generation iPod shuffle, a line-in jack, and the integrated iPod dock, and features an integrated toilet paper holder that can be folded in for use as a portable stereo. Currently being offered for $70 in a charming Mother’s Day promotion, the AFT iCarta+ is available now and normally sells for $90.

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France Telecom in talks for more iPhone deals

• May 7, 2008
• iPhone
• digg this

France Telecom, the parent company of French iPhone carrier Orange, is in talks with Apple to sell the handset in other countries. France Telecom CFO Gervais Pellissier said the company is negotiations regarding “more than just two countries” when asked whether the company was hoping to secure iPhone deals for Spain and Poland. “It’s in discussion...we’ll see what the results are,” he said. Pellissier also said France Telecom was pleased with the success of its deal with Apple thus far, and that he expects the 3G iPhone to boost sales in France, where the company has exclusive rights for another two and a half years.

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