News
Register: UK ‘bans’ iPod radio add-on
- July 31, 2003
- iPod Accessories
The Register reports that “Griffin Technologies’ iTrip iPod add-on is illegal in the UK”. It goes on to state that “While its operation in the US is permitted by the Federal Communications Commission, over here the device contravenes the UK Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1949. ”
MacSlash: BuyMusic.com Ripping Off Artists
- July 31, 2003
- Digital Media
MacSlash reader and musician, Jody Whitesides has reported that BuyMusic.com is ripping off artists.
Move over LimeWire, here comes Poisoned
- July 30, 2003
- Mac Software
I was on techtv.com today when I saw a download for a file-sharing program called Posioned. Basically it connects Mac users to the Gnutella, FastTrack (KaZaA), and OpenFT networks. This is good news for anyone that is sick to death of LimeWire. Hope you have a good time!
Editor’s note: Don’t steal music.
30GB iPod for $399
- July 30, 2003
- Deals
Macs Only! reports that they have overstock items for sale, including (2) 30GB iPods for $399. “They are sealed in their boxes and never opened. We are offering them to our readers before they go on eBay this Saturday.”
Billboard: iTunes Headed To PC, Biz Mulls Download Prices
- July 30, 2003
- Digital Media
“In the afternoon keynote session yesterday (July 29) at the Jupiter Plug.In conference in New York, Peter Lowe, Apple’s director of marketing for applications and services, said the company intends to launch a PC service with broad content-usage rights similar to those enjoyed by iTunes consumers using Mac computers. [...]
Meanwhile, Plug.In attendees questioned whether the 99 cent download model employed by Apple and others will drive the digital music business going forward. “We still have a long way to go in terms of figuring out how everyone makes money in the space,” Yahoo! Inc. VP/GM of music David Goldberg told attendees in a Billboard-moderated roundtable discussion on the state of the digital music business.”
BusinessWeek: Why iTunes Has Bands on the Run
- July 30, 2003
- Digital Media
Byte of the Apple columnist Charles Haddad writes how iTunes has shifted control from artist to consumer when buying music.
“DISTANT WAILS. In the hands of listeners such as McGinley, Apple’s iTunes is a tool of liberation. It gives them the freedom to pick and choose, and, in essence, make their own compilations from favorite tracks. And that’s just what many of those who wrote in told me they were using iTunes to do. In fact, the opportunity to compile personalized play lists and track selections may be one of the service’s biggest draws.
Fans of iTunes represent an unstoppable force. Who wants to keep all those CDs if you can carry around 1,000 songs on an iPod and easily expand that library through the Internet? Not many I suspect. Nor is this growing army of Internet-savvy users going to stop at music. Not too far in the future an iVideo and perhaps an iTome, for downloading literature and audiobooks, respectively, will be available”
Apple 20GB iPod for $279
- July 29, 2003
- Deals
Dealmac: Small Dog Electronics offers dealmac readers the Apple 20GB iPod for Windows for $279. That’s $50 off and well below the next-best price we could find. Offer ends tomorrow. (These are new, factory-sealed units that can easily be converted to work with Macs.)
Next generation iPod does TiVo?
- July 29, 2003
- iPod
Michael Sippey of ‘stating the obvious’ weblog has posted an excerpt from a concept document proposing several new features to be added to next generation iPods.
Jason Kottke’s weblog, Kotte.org Undesign has posted a rebuttal to the concept proposals, and said, “If Apple is pushing me advertisements and marketing which I can’t opt out of and are draining *my* battery while I look at them and taking up *my* hard drive space, is my iPod really mine or is it Apple’s?”
30GB iPod $419 and 15GB iPod $329 - Today Only
- July 29, 2003
- Deals
Deals on the Web: Dell is offering the 30GB iPod for $499, an instant 10% discount drops the price down to $449.10. TODAY only, take an additional $30 off with coupon code “50C322C30D4” for a final price of $419.10. With Free ground shipping, it’s the lowest current price we’ve seen. Offer ends tonight at 11 PM CST
Deals on the Web: Dell is offering the 15GB iPod at $399, less an automatic 10% off to bring the price down to $359.10. TODAY only, use coupon code “50C322C30D4” to save an additional $30 for a final price of $329.10. You’ll need to add something with a cost of $1 or more to your cart to use the $30 off coupon. Searc for “media” and add some cheap CD-R discs to your order. With Free ground shipping, it’s the best current price we’ve seen at $70 below the retail price. Offer ends 7/29 at 11 PM CST.
Windows iTunes “on track to launch by the end of this year”
- July 29, 2003
- Apple
At the 2003 Jupiter Plug.IN Conference & Expo, Peter Lowe, Apple’s Director of Marketing for Applications and Services addressed attendees at the keynote address, and mentioned several items in regards to iTunes.
“We fundamentally believe subscriptions are the wrong path…that’s not what consumers are doing offline…they want to buy downloads.
If digital distribution is about one thing, it is about being simple…as simple as a CD player…and it needs to be consistent….take the “but” out of it.
We believe Web is not the best interface to enjoy music…
Apple for Windows is on track to launch by the end of this year…Usage rules for Windows version of iTunes: certainly it is our intention to have the broad music rights…
Out of all our iTunes sales, 46 percent has been sold as albums..the disintegration of the album has not happened, contrary to what people are saying…”
iPod sound quality and AAC encoding tests
- July 29, 2003
- Digital Media
iLounge reader, Marc Heijligers has posted the results of his encoding tests for AAC using iTunes and QuickTime. You’ll also find reviews of several headphones and a comparison of the iPod’s sound quality to other audio digital devices.
Action Jacket $25 for iLounge readers
- July 29, 2003
- Deals
The Think Different Store has announced a special price of $24.99 on the DLO Action Jacket case for iLounge readers. The Jacket for 3G iPods features a belt clip, armband, and comes in red, black, graphite, and blue.
MadsonLine Releases iPod Jogging Pack
- July 28, 2003
- iPod Accessories
MadsonLine has released a Neoprene waist pack for joggers/bikers and fits all iPod models. The Jogging Pack is on sale at an introductory price of $28.
• Compatible with all model iPods
• Lightweight neoprene construction
• Comfortable & sturdy design
• Velcro strap to hold iPod securely in place
• Designed & manufactured in Germany
Hack for removing volume cap on European iPods
- July 28, 2003
- iPod
Update: The page has been removed due to a cease and desist order from Apple.
A reader has posted information and a how-to for removing the volume cap on iPods sold in Europe. EU iPods have a volume cap due to health regulations, therefore having significantly lower decibels than U.S. versions. It’s been a sore spot for many EU iPod owners and has been discussed at length in our forums. (Disclaimer: iLounge is not responsible for anything that happens to your iPod after performing this hack. Hack at your own risk.)
Think Different Store and eXo iSkin info
- July 28, 2003
- iPod Accessories
The Think Different Store wanted to clear up some rumors that have been floating around about the shipping of the eXo iSkins. Currently they are shipping the following colors (Click ‘Read more’) without the screen protectors. The screen protectors will be shipped separately sometime in August. New colors will be shipping each week.
Stereophile: Downloading Increases
- July 28, 2003
- Digital Media
“Downloading audio files, whether through a paid music service or not, continues to grow as a means to accumulate music in the US. According to a recent Ipsos-Insight study, as of April 2003, nearly one-third of the general US population aged 12 or older has downloaded a music or MP3 file from the Internet. This translates into roughly 65 million downloaders.
The survey also notes that enthusiasm for downloading audio files has increased significantly in the past several months, with the proportion of Americans who have downloaded a music or MP3 file growing from 26% in December 2002 to 30% in April 2003.”
The Register UK: MusicMatch to offer subscription free downloads
- July 28, 2003
- Digital Media
“MusicMatch, which already offers a subscription-based service, the $7-a-month MusicMatch MX, said it has struck deals with nine big-name labels to offer a casual purchase-oriented download service for Windows PCs.
Among the labels are ‘big five’ players EMI, Universal and BMG, but both Warner and Sony are notable by their absence, which automatically puts MusicMatch’s service at a disadvantage to both Apple and BuyMusic.”
Solution to unresponsive iPod Software Updater
- July 27, 2003
- Windows Software
Some of you have experienced this: The recently released Windows iPod Software Updater launches and is completely unresponsive (while CPU usage maxes out at 100%!) - leaving you unable to do anything with your freshly formatted iPod. What a dead end! After some ‘Googling’ I found an app written for exactly this problem: WinniePod will restore or update your iPod regardless.
Editor’s note: URL link has been corrected.
O’Reilly: Unsung Heros and Other iTunes Tips
- July 26, 2003
- iTunes
Derrick Story has written a tip on how to create a smart playlist for those songs that don’t get played often on i iTunes/iPod.
Last Played -> is not in the last -> 30 days, and then I set up a couple more limiters such as Album -> does not contain -> Christmas so Bing Crosby doesn’t constantly appear at the top of my list. One other parameter I set is Limit to 50 songs -> selected by song name.”iPod voted ‘Best Gadget’ in InfoWorld’s Reader Choice Awards
- July 26, 2003
- iPod
Macminute reports that InfoWorld has released its 2003 InfoWorld Readers Choice Awards results and the iPod took top spot as ‘Best Gadget’, sweeping the competiton with 40% of the votes.