iPod

441 'iPod' stories November 2008 - October 2012

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iFixit tears down the new 7th generation iPod nano

Jordan Kahn Oct 16 2012 - 5:13 am PT

We got a look inside the new fifth-generation iPod touch last week thanks to our friends over at iFixit. Today, they are taking apart the seventh-generation iPod nano that Apple recently unveiled alongside the new iPod touch and iPhone 5 lineups. While it did not perform quite as poorly as the iPod touch in terms of repairability, it was still unable to outperform the 7 out of 10 repairability score given to iPhone 5. We see the usual suspects inside including flash memory from Toshiba and a TI touchscreen controller. However, a quick look at the Nano’s internals shows a few anonymous, Apple-branded chips as well:

* Toshiba THGBX2G7D2JLA01 128 Gb (16 GB) NAND flash
* Texas Instruments 343S0538 touchscreen controller
* Broadcom BCM2078KUBG Bluetooth + FM radio
* NXP Semiconductors 1609A1
* 75203 23017
* 75292 98820
* 339S0193
* Apple 338S1099
* Apple 338S1146

Thanks to many components being soldered to the logic board (battery, lightning connector, headphone jack, etc.), and a battery attached to the assembly, iFixit is giving the new Nano a 5 out of 10 for repairability. Here are some of the highlights:

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Microsoft’s entertaining Surface Stomp commercial still doesn’t show how it works [Video]

9to5 Staff Oct 15 2012 - 7:12 pm PT

Great commercial—except they did not really show how or if it even works. It reminds me more of an iPod shuffle commercial than a hybrid tablet/laptop introduction.

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Apple preparing to soon accept Apple Store payment cards via Passbook

Mark Gurman Oct 14 2012 - 1:36 pm PT

Baseball ticket in Passbook being scanned in (CNET)

Nearly a month after launching its virtual wallet iPhone app, Passbook, Apple is preparing to put the feature to good use in its physical retail stores.

Later this month, Apple will be seeding an updated version of its mobile point-of-sale (EasyPay) system software to Apple Store employees. This update, numbered version 12.3, will allow retail employees with EasyPays to capture Apple Store payment card codes from customer iPhones and iPod touches running Passbook.

While Apple’s EasyPay software should be ready for Passbook this month, some sources noted that the current EasyPay hardware, at least at some retail stores, may not be capable of scanning iOS device displays. Presumably, Apple has a solution for this in the works.

Also, Apple’s plans for rolling out the consumer-facing Apple Store app update to support Passbook-based Apple Store cards is currently unclear. But with Apple preparing to seed software to its stores that interacts with Passbook on customer iPhones and iPod touches, we believe that the feature is close to being a rolled out.

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Apple iPods start appearing at US retailers, Touches in short supply

9to5 Staff Oct 13 2012 - 6:15 pm PT

(Click to enlarge)

Apple is now supplying iPod touches to retailers including Amazon which now has some supply of the iPod touch. Strangely, Amazon only lists the yellow 64GB as ready immediately, while the 32GB yellow and pinks will ship in “2-4 weeks”.

Apple is being a little less stingy with its supply of Shuffles and Nanos as Amazon lists the whole line as available.

Best Buy is a hit-and-miss: it has most Shuffles and Nanos, but it is still missing black and white iPod touches.

Target is also a hit-and-miss with many only available in-store. B&H has some stock, but it will not see much until November. Walmart still says ‘coming soon‘.

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Apple releases minor version 1.0.1 update for new iPod nano

Jake Smith Oct 11 2012 - 1:29 pm PT

As the new seventh-generation iPod nano lands on the shelves of Apple stores this week, the folks in Cupertino have released an update for the personal music player this afternoon. Version 1.0.1 is a minor update, as first noted by iLounge, only adding “support for iPod nano (7th generation).” As always, you can grab the update by plugging your device into iTunes.

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iFixit tears down the fifth-generation iPod touch

Jordan Kahn Oct 11 2012 - 5:48 am PT

As usual, our friends at iFixit have once again taken apart Apple’s latest device. This time we get a look inside the new fifth-generation iPod touch that started shipping to customers this week, revealing all of its internal components including: 512MB of RAM from Hynix, Apple’s A5 processor, and NAND flash from Toshiba.

* A5 Processor
* Hynix H9TKNNN4KDBRCR 512 MB RAM
* Toshiba THGBX2G8D4JLA01 32 GB NAND flash
* Apple 3381064 dialog power management IC
* Murata 339S0171 Wi-Fi module
* Broadcom BCM 5976 touchscreen controller
* Apple 33831116
* STMicroelectronics AGD32229ESGEK low-power, three-axis gyroscope
* Texas Instruments 27AZ5R1 touchscreen SoC

While the iPhone 5 was able to grab an impressive repairability score in its teardown, iFixit unfortunately found the new iPod touch much harder to get inside. Due to lack of external screws and two “hard-to-manage ribbon cables” on the logic board, the device gets a low 3 out of 10 repairability score. That’s in comparison to the 7 out of 10 awarded to the iPhone 5. iFixit said, “repair is not impossible, but it’s certainly going to be difficult and expensive if one component breaks.” The teardown also found the iPod touch Home button has a “weaker, rubber-membrane design” when compared to the iPhone 5.

Here are some of the highlights:

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Apple’s new iPod ‘Bounce’ ad ready to watch online; first real bounce test too

Jake Smith Oct 10 2012 - 5:43 pm PT

[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrRHPf0_B3M&feature=plcp”]

Shown during its media event last month, Apple posted a new iPod advertisement online. It has also been appearing on television. The ad, titled “Bounce”, highlights the various new designs in Apple’s iPod lineup and the choice of colors it now offers.

In case you are wondering how these iPods really bounce, we have the first iPod touch drop test below:

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New iPod touch begins shipping to customers and showing up in Apple Retail Stores alongside iPod nanos

Jordan Kahn Oct 9 2012 - 5:21 am PT

Apple posted a user guide for the fifth-generation iPod touch to iBooks early this morning, indicating a retail launch for the device is coming sooner rather than later. Apple promised an October timeframe for preorders of the device shipping from its Online Store, but today we get word from readers that Apple is now shipping orders of the fifth-generation iPod touch, as well as the new iPod nano, with delivery expected early next week. The shipment notice above comes from a user in the United States with an expected delivery date of Oct. 15, but international users have reported receiving notices as well. The image below shows an expected delivery date of Oct. 15 from an Australian reader, while the new iPod nano is still listed as preparing for shipment. Yesterday, Apple started shipping orders for the 30-pin to Lightning adapter. Thanks, Penpal1278!

It also appears that Apple started to sell the new iPod touch and iPod nano in at least some of its retail locations:

[tweet https://twitter.com/richardlai/statuses/255638557606162432]
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Target announces Passbook support for mobile coupons

Élyse Betters Sep 20 2012 - 10:09 am PT

Target just announced support for Apple’s new Passbook app in iOS 6. Folks can now use the Target app to send, store, and access Target Mobile Coupons in Passbook. Check out the press release and app changelog below for additional details.

Target for iOS version 5.5.1:

Big screen, big savings:
Now you can receive coupons directly in the app and scan them in the store. Check out My Target section to get started. Saving has never been this easy.
Add coupons to Passbook on iOS 6.
Filter search results by price, in-store or online availability, color and much more.
Supports the larger screen size for the iPhone 5 and new iPod Touch.
And the little things matter, too:
Change the color or size of a product right from your cart.
View ratings and reviews for Daily Deals.
Fixes an issue with adding items to your cart. (Older versions will be fixed soon.)

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iFixit delves inside the new Apple EarPods [Gallery]

Élyse Betters Sep 18 2012 - 12:06 pm PT

iFixit is hardcore when it comes to breaking open our favorite electronics to see what’s inside, and the website did it again today with the new Apple EarPods that just unveiled last week.

There is no repairability score for the EarPods, because they are “the throw-away kind.” Due to their glue blinding, iFixit warned the EarPods would never be the same if taken apart. In fact, an X-Acto blade was needed to cut the headphones open.

The notable tidbits from inside:

The EarPod speakers house a diaphragm/ paper cone, a voice coil, a permanent magnet, and a cabinet. Previous Apple headphones used plastic cones rather than paper.
The new design includes “larger cable wrapping on both ends” to sustain durability and minimize strain on the wires, and Apple removed the external microphone grate to make the EarPods more resilient to moisture damage.

As for the EarPod remote microphone:

The microphone in the EarPods’ remote bears the markings 2F17 045; we also uncovered another IC with the markings TI25ASGVI, which Chipworks believes to be an ADC, or a device used for volume-control duty.

Oh, and click here to see a size comparison of the remote’s circuit board alongside a U.S. dime.

Something to consider: Perhaps the new EarPods are so “mediocre'” because Apple wants to protect ears from the type of sound that only plug earphones produce. Apple sells many headphones, so producing a good sound that protects ears is probably a high priority for the oft-sued Apple.

Go to iFixit for the entire teardown.

: Final layout

: Compared to older-generation EarBuds

: Packaging

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ITC launches investigation of Apple devices following Motorola complaint

Jordan Kahn Sep 18 2012 - 8:06 am PT

The United States International Trade Commission announced today (via TNW) that it would launch an investigation of Apple devices, including iPhones, iPods, iPads and Macs, following a complaint filed by Motorola last month that sought an import ban related to seven patents. The release from the ITC does not provide many details and only stated it will investigate “certain wireless communication devices, portable music and data processing devices, computers, and components thereof” from Apple.

USITC INSTITUTES SECTION 337 INVESTIGATION ON CERTAIN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES, PORTABLE MUSIC AND DATA PROCESSING DEVICES, COMPUTERS, AND COMPONENTS THEREOF

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted to institute an investigation of certain wireless communication devices, portable music and data processing devices, computers, and components thereof. The products at issue in this investigation are certain Apple iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Apple personal computers.

The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Motorola Mobility LLC of Libertyville, IL, Motorola Mobility Ireland of Bermuda, and Motorola Mobility International Limited of Bermuda, on August 17, 2012. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain wireless communication devices, portable music and data processing devices, computers, and components thereof that infringe patents asserted by the complainants. The complainants request that the USITC issue an exclusion order and a cease and desist order.

The USITC has identified Apple Inc. of Cupertino, CA, as the respondent in this investigation.

By instituting this investigation (337-TA-856), the USITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case. The USITC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge will assign the case to one of the USITC’s six administrative law judges (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. The ALJ will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation of section 337; that initial determination is subject to review by the Commission.

The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation. USITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance unless disapproved for policy reasons by the U.S. Trade Representative within that 60-day period.

First third-party Lightning to 30-pin adapters show up on Amazon for $10-18 (Ebay too)

Seth Weintraub Sep 16 2012 - 6:59 pm PT

.

Look what just popped up on Amazon: A company called Nanotch is offering pre-orders for 30-pin to Lightning adapters. There had been concern when a report last month said the 9-pin adapters were only going to cost $10 each and Apple would be the sole manufacturer, but neither looks to be true.

The company listed the following features:

Lightning cable adapter for newest generation of Apple products.
Adapter to use your new Apple products with older accessories.
Use your iPhone 5 with older models of accessories.
20cm cord.
Small adapter for easy connection.

There was some controversy in the first few hours of the iPhone 5 pre-orders because Apple’s Store website said a 30-pin adapter was included with the iPhone 5. Apple quickly removed the error but confused some customers in the process.

The Nanotch item is currently listed for pre-order. As with most third-party Amazon sales, buyer beware.

Update: Ebay has these as well and another item, which more closely resembles Apple’s adapter, is from seller ‘iTronz” below and ships next week:
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Full fifth-generation iPod touch and seventh-generation iPod nano schematics, blueprints on file

Jake Smith Sep 16 2012 - 6:35 pm PT

Just as it did for the iPhone 5, Apple posted schematics for the new fifth-generation iPod touch and seventh-generation iPod nano—both of which will be available to customers in the coming weeks. The blueprints are certainly useful if you are in the accessory game. You can see the iPod touch above (get a look at where the Loop is and the top area that should not be obscured by metal) and the iPod nano past the break (also notice a Bluetooth antenna area):

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Amazon gets new iPods as Best Buy throws a MacBook Sale

9to5 Staff Sep 16 2012 - 5:41 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Amazon just launched pre-order pages for the new iPod Touch, Nanos and Shuffles. They will ship probably right after Apple starts with sales tax in only some states.

Meanwhile. Best Buy is having a MacBook Sale this weekend with up to $200 off MacBooks. The new Airs with 4GB of RAM start out at $949 and many 13″ Airs/Pros are $100 off, which are the lowest prices we could find.

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Roundtable: Pundits Gruber, Stevens, Snell, Siegler and Dalrymple discuss iPhone 5 [video]

9to5 Staff Sep 13 2012 - 10:59 am PT

TechCrunch did a panel at the Disrupt conference of ‘some folks’ who got to play with the iPhone 5 after Apple’s event. The running themes were the new iPhone’s light weight, the panoramic camera, and comparison to Android.

iOS formatted MP4 for non-Flash

[via Loop]
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Analyst: iPod touch to gain 5-Megapixel Camera, GPS, Gaming capabilities and more

Seth Weintraub Sep 12 2012 - 5:35 am PT

Following a string of reports on the new iPods expected later today, KGI securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo issued (via MacRumors) a list of “expectations” for today’s iPod touch upgrade.

Most of it is a rehash of details that others and we reported earlier. He mentioned the same iPod touch colors that we reported last week, we also first reported a 1,136-by-640 display in May, and the processor was revealed by @Chronic yesterday, but there is some new thinking which we hadn’t yet reported:

– GPS: While the current iPod touch can in some cases determine fairly accurate location information based off of Wi-Fi access points, Kuo expects that the new iPod touch will incorporate built-in GPS in order to better capitalize on Apple’s new Maps app.

– Camera improvements: Kuo expects the iPod touch to adopt a FaceTime HD camera on the front, as well as a significantly upgraded 5-megapixel rear camera.

– Cross-device compatibility: The new iPod touch may be able to easily connect with iPad and Mac hardware to serve as a game controller or other accessory.

Kuo also believes that Apple will discontinue the fourth-generation iPod touch. We heard that is wrong and the current iPod touch will continue in a new 16 GB form. Given that—we cannot be too sure about the exact nature of the camera improvements he listed above (and view them as estimates). While we do expect improvements, possibly including a panorama mode, we cannot verify the 5-megapixel figure. We earlier predicted the same FaceTimeHD that Apple released on the iPad 3.

GPS would be a factor of the Broadcom Wi-Fi chip that is used. Typically, Apple’s iOS device GPS resides on the 3G/4G Broadcom baseband processor that is missing from iPods and Wi-Fi-only iPads. The current thinking is that GPS is not very useful without a data plan, but perhaps Apple is considering caching local maps data to the new Maps.app. Current iPod touch devices can triangulate their position based on Wi-Fi hotspots and through hotspotting on a GPS-equipped iPhone.

As for the Game controller angle, we are not sure it is an angle Apple will take. We have heard about some Bluetooth 4.0 opportunities, though.

Kuo also has been setting moving targets for iMacs and other Apple products, which have varied from August to November.

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New iPod codes and colors: 1136×640 display Touch is N78, Nano is N31, Shuffle is N12B, iPhone/iPod touch panorama mode?

Sep 11 2012 - 8:16 am PT

Alongside the information we have already posted about the new iPod touch, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle, we received possible code names for the devices. Like developer @chronic, we’re hearing that the new iPod touch has the internal codename of N78.

We also understand that the iPod nano is codenamed N31 and that the iPod shuffle is codenamed N12B. Like we posted last week, the new Shuffle and Nano will ship in 8 colors. We also understand that the new iPod touch will come in several variations, which we speculate points to colors other than black and white.

We previously reported that the new iPhone is codenamed N42. Like the new iPod touch, the new iPhone will include an 1136 x 640 Retina display, as we first reported in May.

With the iPad mini launching next month, many, including us, have wondered what would happen to the iPod touch price point. Even with an iPad mini en-route for a rumored $200-250 price point, our sources are saying that the iPod touch will stay at an entry-level price point at or around $200.

@Chronic is also saying that the new iPod touch will run a processor named S5L8942X which is similar to the AppleTV single core A5:

oh wait, another thing worth mentioning: the new iPod touch / N78AP runs on an S5L8942X, NOT an S5L8950X.

— Will Strafach (@chronic) September 11, 2012

This processor codename seems to just be a couple of levels up over the 40X A5 processor we reported a few months ago (along with a bunch of minor specs). We assume Apple will refer to this new iPod touch processor as an A5, though.

@Chronic also tweeted that the new iPhone and iPod touch may include a new Panorama feature. Several references to Panorama were found in iOS 5 code last year, but the feature was never released. iMore recently hinted at this as well:

It’s not hard to imagine the iPhone 5 will once again include a camera demo, perhaps Phil Schiller showing off automagical new Panorama software, and other optical wonders.

We’ll surely know all tomorrow at 10AM Pacific/1 PM Eastern. We’ll have full live coverage of the announcements.
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Awesome next-gen iPod touch concept [Gallery]

Jordan Kahn Sep 11 2012 - 7:29 am PT

Ahead of Apple’s iPhone event tomorrow, where we also expect to see a refreshed iPod lineup, Guilherme Schasiepen shares a few new fifth-generation iPod touch concepts with us.

Apple’s new iPods: Various new iPod touches, new iPod nano, tweaked iPod shuffle (9to5mac.com)
iPods likely to share the stage with iPhone 5 at next week’s Apple event (9to5mac.com)

Craig Federighi and Dan Riccio Join Apple’s Executive Team as Senior Vice Presidents, Bob Mansfield staying on

Seth Weintraub Aug 27 2012 - 1:36 pm PT

Apple just announced that Vice President of Mac Software Engineering Craig Federighi and Vice President of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio will join CEO Tim Cook’s executive team as SVPs. Apple’s Executive Bio page updated thusly:

.

Note: Apple currently has two SVPs of hardware engineering. Bob Mansfield announced his retirement in June but will instead stay to work on future products, while reporting to Cook.

The press releases and bio/pictures follow :

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Summer peripheral review and gift guide: All the..small things…

Seth Weintraub Aug 26 2012 - 12:00 am PT

[slideshow]

We often get review items that do not merit their own review for a variety of reasons. Some might have gotten to us late after we have already read reviews, while others might be smaller niche items or some bigger ticket items that might not have blown us away, but they are still interesting nonetheless. Still, we think these guys are all noteworthy…

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‘Get a Mac’ ad creator leaves TBWA/Media Arts Lab, new clients include Samsung and Microsoft

Jordan Kahn Aug 24 2012 - 6:19 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt4]

Creator of Apple’s “Get a Mac” ad campaign, Scott Trattner, is leaving his role as executive creative director at TBWA/Media Arts Lab. He was responsible for the creative development of many Apple product ads from the iPod, iPhone and iPad to Mac, iTunes and iCloud. According to Ad Age, after years of focusing mostly on Apple campaigns at TBWA/Media Arts Lab, Trattner will take a new role at 72andSunny to work as one of three creative directors with clients, including Samsung, Xbox 360, Hewlett-Packard, Activision and Nike.

“Scott’s track record for creating colossal impact on behalf of his clients is second to none,” said 72andSunny CEO John Boiler in a statement. “His work has not only shaped one of the biggest brands in the world, but redefined industries.”

Most notably, 72andSunny was responsible for Samsung’s “Next Big Thing” Galaxy S II campaign that “launches the Samsung Galaxy S II by challenging blind allegiance to Apple’s inferior products”. 72andSunny is also behind many Call of Duty ads and campaigns for other Activision games.

Apple’s most recent ads featuring Apple Genius Bar employees, which aired during the Olympic Games in London, were not well received due to their lack of focus on an actual product and the fact they assumed customers were not knowledgeable. Apple later removed the videos from both their website and YouTube channel.

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Walter Isaacson reflects on The Genius of Steve Jobs in Smithsonian Magazine cover feature

Jordan Kahn Aug 23 2012 - 12:04 pm PT

Author of the Steve Jobs biography Walter Isaacson has penned an exclusive piece for the upcoming September issue of Smithsonian magazine titled, “How Steve Jobs’ Love of Simplicity Fueled a Design Revolution”. For the piece, Isaacson reflects on tapes of Jobs speaking at an Aspen Design Conference in the early 80s, which Isaacson also made mentions of in the official biography. An audio recording of Jobs speaking at the 1983 International Design Conference in Aspen is available here, and an excerpt from Isaacson’s lengthy piece in Smithsonian Magazine’s September “Style and Design” issue is below:

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Lumify: an Instagram-like app for 20 sec video montages

Jordan Kahn Aug 23 2012 - 7:56 am PT

[slideshow]

Lumify, a new app launching today for the iPhone, is an Instagram-like social experience for video that allows users to share 20-second montages set to music. The free app analyzes video clips from your device’s camera roll, allows you to select soundtrack music from your iPod library, and then automatically creates a “lumified” montage for you. According to one of the developers, former Senior Product Manager at Google and YouTube Kuan Yong, “Lumify is the first mobile app capable of analyzing and editing 1080p HD videos in real-time, entirely on the iPhone.”

Technically, we are ridiculously fast and easy video editing…We use advanced algorithms to mash up your videos in real-time. We highlight the most interesting parts and pair them with music for a 20-second montage…In the end, we want to help you take video in a new way. Just point and capture each moment as it happens. We take care of the rest.

SanDisk SSDs, SD Cards, USB Sticks up to 76% off at Amazon

9to5 Staff Aug 21 2012 - 5:05 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

..

Today only, Amazon chops a big chuck off of SanDisk storage products as shown above. The discount yields the lowest prices we’ve seen on speedy SanDisk product but these usually dry up quick – so hurry! Amazon doesn’t charge shipping if you are a Prime member or the order is over $25 and doesn’t charge tax in most states.

Best bets are the 64GB Cruzer USB stick for $31.99, the Ultra 64SDXC card for $44.99 and the 240GB SSD for $154.99 and not on the page: $349.99 on SanDisk Extreme 480 GB SSD

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