iLounge

Nike has announced the Nike+ Human Race 2009, a global 10K running event in which entrants can run in one of the 24 Nike-hosted Human Race events in cities worldwide, or use their Nike+ iPod Sport Kits at any preferred alternate location to log a 10K run on the event day. Registration for the event, which will take place October 24, is now open on nikeplus.com; U.S.-based, Nike-hosted events will be held in New York City at Prospect Park, at the University of Southern California, and on the campus of The Ohio State University, each offering post-race festivities, and with a portion of race-day fees will go to local non-profit organizations. For more information on the Nike+ Human Race 2009, visit nikeplus.com.

Update: Every 2009 iPod reviewed, photographed and more including the iPod touch 3G.

A group of pictures showing what is believed to be a prototype third-generation iPod touch used for screen impact testing confirm that the device will sport a rear-mounted camera, as had been previously rumored. The pictures, which were sent to iLounge by the Maxim Radio show Covino and Rich, show the presence of a “2009” marking on one of the device’s circuit boards, as well as a camera sensor module in the appropriate place for the rear-facing camera, shown in a separate shot. The photos also confirm that the new touch will keep the same size and aspect screen, and will keep the headphone port, volume buttons, sleep/wake button, and plastic antenna cover in the same positions as found on the second-generation device; interestingly, the camera is depicted with an iPhone-like metal ring around its lens, and a pinhole off to its right side.

A newly-published Apple patent application suggests the company is working on more sophisticated means to tell whether or not a device—such as an iPod or iPhone—has been subjected to abuse by its owner. Titled “Consumer Abuse Detection System and Method,” the patent describes a system of water, thermal, shock, and other sensors that may detect and record potential device abuse, while at the same time disabling certain components such as screens, hard drives, processor memory, and/or removable media in order to protect them from damage. The application summary reveals that Apple hopes to save money on faulty warranty claims via such as system, as evidenced by this passage: “In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the system may include an interface by which a diagnostic device may access the memory to analyze the records and determine whether a consumer abuse event occurred, when the event occurred, and, in some embodiments, what type of abuse event occurred. By providing the capability to quickly and easily detect whether consumer abuse occurred in an electronic device, a vendor or manufacturer diagnosing a returned product may be able to better determine whether or not to initiate a product return under a warranty policy.” As with all Apple patent filings, this does not necessarily represent any future product release or feature from Apple, but offer evidence of the company’s research in this area. [via AppleInsider]

Apple made an attempt to silence an 11-year-old girl and her father after her iPod exploded, the Times reports. Ken Stanborough of Liverpool, U.K., dropped his daughter Ellie’s iPod touch sometime last month, which caused it to make a “hissing noise.” “I could feel it getting hotter in my hand, and I thought I could see vapour,” Stanborough said. He claims he then threw the device out of his back door, where “within 30 seconds there was a pop, a big puff of smoke and it went 10ft in the air.” Stanborough contacted both Apple and Argos, the retailer where he purchased the device, and ended up reaching an Apple executive on the phone after being passed around several departments. Following that conversation, Apple sent a letter denying liability but offering a refund — in exchange for silence.

The letter specified that Stanborough, in accepting the money, was to “agree that you will keep the terms and existence of this settlement agreement completely confidential,” and that any breach of confidentiality “may result in Apple seeking injunctive relief, damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties.” Stanborough refused to sign the letter. “They’re putting a life sentence on myself, my daughter and Ellie’s mum, not to say anything to anyone. If we inadvertently did say anything, no matter what, they would take litigation against us. I thought that was absolutely appalling,” he said. “We didn’t ask for compensation, we just asked for our money back.”

According to a lengthy investigation by Amy Clancy of KIRO 7 Eyewitness News in Seattle, users of both first- and second-generation iPod shuffles have reported having the devices overheat. The reports, from 2006 and November 2008, respectively, come from information obtained by Clancy using the Freedom of Information Act. After seven months of delays due to blocks by Apple’s lawyers, who allegedly filed “exemption after exemption,” she eventually received access to more than 800 pages of Consumer Product Safety Commission documentation relating to iPod overheating incidents—which in turn offered information about 15 burn- or fire-related incidents, a number described by the CPSC as relatively small given the number of devices that have been sold. The report goes on to document several previously publicized fire and overheating reports of first- and second-generation iPod nano units; Apple has offered to replace units with faulty batteries in both Japan and Taiwan.

Nike has updated its Nike+ fitness site with a number of new features, and added a streamlined version for access via the iPhone or iPod touch. The redesigned main site still relies upon Flash, but features a more prominent Goals section, with a simplified interface and better context. Also new is the Levels feature, which awards users a color-coded level based on the number of miles they’ve run, the ability to rate individual runs, and the ability to integrate Nike+ data with a Twitter or Facebook account. On the iPhone and iPod touch, users are limited to viewing recent runs; both sites are still considered to be in “beta” status. [via TUAW]

A number of both first- and second-generation iPod touch users are reporting Wi-Fi irregularities after installing iPhone OS 3.0. No less than four separate threads on Apple’s Discussion boards mention Wi-Fi problems, the most common of which seems to be the iPod touch failing to reconnect to the most recent network after going to sleep, forcing the user to manually reconnect each time. Some users have reported that resetting the network settings fixes the problem; others report that this fails to solve the issue. One iLounge editor has experienced problems on first- and second-generation iPod touches, with a reset of network settings working on the iPod touch 2G, and the same thing on the iPod touch 1G resulting in the device failing to sense its own Wi-Fi chip, displaying a “No Wi-Fi” message afterwards. Other users have reported more mild problems, such as reduced Wi-Fi signal, or difficulty in getting their devices to reconnect following installation.

iLounge has confirmed that the purchase of the iPhone OS 3.0 software update for the second-generation iPod touch enables the same user to update the first-generation iPod touch as well. Prior to performing any iPod touch update, iTunes 8.2 requires the user to click through to the iTunes Store, authorize a $9.95 payment to Apple, and accept new iTunes licensing terms. iTunes then downloads the iPod Software Update for iPod touch, which is specific to the first- or second-generation devices. Upon connecting a second, different-generation iPod touch, there is no additional charge to update that device’s software to version 3.0. However, another software download from the iTunes server will be performed to retrieve the separate version of the software that runs on the different device.

Apple has posted a new support document warning iPhone and iPod users of possible shock from their earbuds. Titled “Apple Earbuds and static electricity,” the article states that “it’s possible to receive a small and quick electrical (static) shock from your earbuds while listening to iPod or iPhone.” The article goes on to offer a basic description of static electricity, noting that the “condition is not limited to Apple hardware and static can potentially build up on almost any hardware and could be discharged using any brand of earbuds.” Finally, it suggests tips—such as keeping the device out of the wind, not rubbing it against certain materials, using anti-static hand lotion, and using a humidifier to raise the moisture content of the air—for users to try and reduce the build-up of static electricity that can lead to being shocked.

A number of new international design registrations indicate that Apple is moving to protect the icons and interface of the Nike+ application found on the second-generation iPod touch. Images supplied by Apple for European Community design protection show the application in different states, including the Workouts menu both with and without a calibration option, the sensor detection screen, and the app’s Now Playing screen in various states, both portrait and landscape. Alongside these screenshot design registrations are listings for each of the icons on the app’s Workouts screen, including a circle icon for basic workouts, a stop watch for timed workouts, a road icon for distance-focused workouts, a fire icon for workouts with a calorie burning goal, and a target icon for the calibration option. Notably, each of the screenshot designs feature the iPod mark in the upper left-hand corner, offering no further evidence that Apple plans to add Nike+ support to the iPhone. All of the design screenshots can be found by searching this database.

Microsoft has posted a new Zune advertisement to YouTube, comparing the cost of the company’s Zune Pass subscription service to iTunes. Starring “Certified Financial Planner” Wes Moss, the ad goes on to suggest that it costs $30,000 to fill an iPod—with a black iPod classic shown as an example—while it costs only $15 a month to fill a Zune using the Zune Pass service. As the latest attempt by Microsoft to erode public interest in Apple’s hardware, the ad deliberately ignores the fact that music from users’ existing CD libraries can be loaded onto either company’s device at varying bitrates, but does underscore Apple’s continued lack of a subscription-based listening option for iTunes users. Continue reading to view the full advertisement.

British publisher Kraken Opus is bundling a special second-generation iPod touch, which it has dubbed the Prince Opus iPod, with its Prince Opus book, a limited-edition, 280-plus page photographic essay of Prince’s 21 Nights tour. The Prince Opus iPod features a custom-colored purple front and home button, Prince’s symbol logo etched onto the rear, and comes pre-loaded with an exclusive 40-minute movie and bonus audio tracks; both the iPod and the leather, hand-bound Prince Opus book are limited to 950 copies worldwide. Kraken Opus’ Prince Opus with Prince Opus iPod is available for pre-order and sells for $2,100. [via All Things Digital]

Apple has been exploring the prospect of an iPod model with a unified enclosure similar to the “unibody” MacBook and MacBook Pro computers, an patent filing discovered by MacNN disclosed today. In the course of discussing the design, which would use inexpensive, cost-saving sheet metal “formed in such a way that the final part looks like it was machined down from a large thick slab of material,” Apple offers a roughly sketched example of an iPod classic that features the same sharp, seamless body lines as the third-generation iPod shuffle and metal MacBooks, while preserving the screen, Click Wheel, headphone port, and Hold switch placement found in fifth- and sixth-generation hard disk-based iPods. Notably, even the substantially aluminum current-generation iPod nanos still rely on plastic top and bottom pieces, and no full-sized iPod has previously done away with the polished steel housing originally developed by Apple for the 2001 first-generation model. As with all Apple patents, this filing does not necessarily represent any future product release from Apple, but offers evidence of the company’s research in this area.

Apple’s iPod and iTunes Store remain the dominant MP3 player and online music store, respectively, in the teen market, according to the results of Piper Jaffray’s latest bi-annual Teen Survey. Of the 92% of students that said they currently own a digital media player, 86% said they have an iPod, up from 84% in the prior survey. While the percentage of students saying they are planning on buying an MP3 player in the next 12 months dropped dramatically from the prior survey, from 28% to 19%, a full 100% of those who plan to purchase intend to buy an iPod. “Apple is dominant in the market, and the lead appears to be growing as the market nears saturation,” said Piper analyst Gene Munster. “Apple’s dominance in the PMP market remains largely unchecked, and it is clear to us that Apple has captured the ‘cool factor’ among high school students across America.”

iTunes also made significant gains in the Spring ‘09 survey. While the percentage of students saying they download music online rose modestly, from 80% to 82%, and the ratio of students saying they use P2P file sharing over purchasing tracks remained the same at 6 to 4, 97% of students who said they purchase music online said they use iTunes, up from 93% in the prior survey. Finally, the percentage of students who said they owned an iPhone remained flat from the prior survey at 8%, but the percentage of those planning to buy one in the next twelve months fell slightly, from 22% in Fall 2008 to 16% in Spring 2009. “We believe AT&T rate plans are adversely causing the discrepancy in teen’s interest in the phone, and actual market share gains; as much as teens want the phone, parents may be reluctant to add expensive monthly data plans to their teen’s phone bill,” Munster said. “We expect Apple to address this issue in the coming months, with a family of iPhone models including a high end model with current plan pricing and possibly a low-end model with fewer features and lower-cost monthly data plans.” Piper Jaffray’s Spring 2009 Teen Survey was based on the responses of 600 students with an average age of 16.3 years, 54 percent of which were male and 46 percent female.

A new Apple job posting suggests the company is planning to add a camera module to future iPod models, possibly including the iPod touch. The listing for “Camera Project Manager - iPhone” states that “[t]he iPhone Engineering Group is looking for a Camera Engineering Project Manager (EPM) to drive the design, development and integration of camera modules across iPhone and iPod.” Responsibilities of the position include serving as an “interface” between Apple’s internal engineering teams and component suppliers of sensors, lenses, and camera modules, and coordinating all aspects of the camera module design, production, and integration. Applicants are expected to have a strong technical background including camera optics, sensors, actuators, manufacturing, and quality control. While Apple has yet to officially announce any plans to add a camera to the iPod touch, the company has in the past revealed future intentions through its job listings website; omitting the word “iPod” would have been easy for the company had it intended to offer camera functionality only for iPhone models. [via AppleInsider]

During his current international trip, President Barack Obama presented Queen Elizabeth II with a “video iPod” featuring a special inscription, pre-loaded content, and accessories. Content on loaded onto the iPod includes both photos and videos from the Queen’s 2007 visit to the United States, photos from President Obama’s inauguration, audio of then-Illinois Senator Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and audio of his Inauguration address. ABC News reports that the iPod was also loaded with a variety of show tunes, including selections from The King and I, West Side Story, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Once known as the “iPod Mechanic,” Nicholas Woodhams of Kalamazoo, MI, has been charged by U.S. prosecutors with both federal fraud and money laundering crimes over a scheme that allegedly involved tricking Apple into sending “more than 9,000” replacement iPod shuffles to a company that specialized in third-party repair and replacement of iPods. According to an earlier lawsuit filed by Apple last year, Woodhams allegedly took advantage of Apple’s iPod shuffle Advance Replacement Program in 2007, by filling out an online form for customers that saw Apple ship him “replacement” iPod shuffle units, with a credit card kept on file in case the broken shuffle was never returned. Apple claimed that Woodhams used a credit card he knew could be authorized for a potential charge, but would immediately decline any actual charges made by Apple should the broken shuffles fail to appear. Woodhams then sold the players for $49 each, according to court documents filed this week in Grand Rapids, MI. According to his lawyer, Woodhams has “been cooperating with the government and [is] in the process of negotiating a resolution,” adding that Apple’s lawsuit is on hold while the criminal case proceeds.

In addition to the shuffle replacement scheme, Apple also accused Woodhams of ignoring an agreement to stop using the iPod Mechanic name for his business and accompanying website, claiming it was misuse of the company’s “iPod” trademark; Woodhams is also said to have swapped out the back plates of out-of-warranty iPods for those of still-covered models in an effort to avoid paying repair and parts charges.

Update, April 7, 2009: Woodhams has pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering. As part of the plea, he has agreed to forfeit property, including a home, Audi sedan, a race car, and more than $570,000; Woodhams will be sentenced August 25.

Shortly following Apple’s release of the second-generation iPod touch, which unexpectedly added Nike + iPod receiver functionality to the touchscreen device, a hardware teardown by iFixit revealed the presence of a Broadcom BCM4325 chip with integrated Bluetooth support. The chip was determined at the time to be used for communication with the optional Nike + iPod Sensor accessory, but had no other known purpose.

During the iPhone OS 3.0 Event today, Apple announced that it would be unlocking the Bluetooth functionality of this chip upon the release of the new software, enabling features such as AD2P Stereo Bluetooth streaming, wireless gaming, and other application-to-application communications to be used by developers. It is unclear whether Apple will make all of the Bluetooth features of iPhone OS 3.0, including monaural headset support for phone calling, available to second-generation iPod touch users.

In keeping with past releases of the iPhone OS software for the iPhone and iPod touch, Apple today announced that the iPhone and iPhone 3G versions of iPhone OS 3.0 will be free for current iPhone users, and that the iPod touch version will be available for $10. Slides at the event, interestingly, depicted the iPhone as receiving a new Voice Memos application previously announced in the presentation, while the iPod touch was shown without the application; it is unclear whether Apple will attempt to charge iPod touch users separately for the voice recording functionality. iPod nano and iPod classic users have a free integrated application for this purpose.

A Cincinnati, OH mother is suing Apple and 10 unnamed employees from the Apple retail store in Kenwood Towne Centre claiming that her son’s iPod touch caught fire in his pants pocket. According to Ars Technica, the suit claims that the device was off when it made a popping noise and the boy noticed a burning sensation, only to stand up and discover his pants were on fire. The child was found to have second-degree burns from the incident. “He continues to suffer from both physical and mental conditions which will cause him to suffer pain, mental distress, emotional distress, and otherwise for the rest of his life,” the lawsuit claims. Apple and its 10 employees are accused of gross negligence and recklessness; the suit is requesting compensatory damages totaling more than $75,000, as well as punitive damages of more than $75,000, and attorney fees.