Restoring the screen of your iPod with iDrops

Have you ever regretted scratching the screen of your brand new iPod? Most people have this feeling initially, but after a few months of use the iPod screen is completely full of scratches. It seems like a natural process that you cannot control, unless you use some type of protective case. But then, in some way, you loose the coolness of using your small iPod for everybody see..

Now you have an option. Instead of simply trying to avoid scratches you can remove then with iDrops. This new product sold by the PodShop woks by blending with the surface of the screen. The liquid is spread over the scratches, and after a few minutes the surface is restored to an almost original state.

Very smart product, I think it will definitely be useful for many iPod fans.

Link

Technorati Tags: accessories, Apple, Gadgets, iPod, Music

The Pink iPod from Target

The iPod is so well known in its two distinctive colors (white and black), that we hardly imagine they coming in other colors. But now, thanks to Target, you can get a really colorful iPod. Target is selling the Pink iPod, which is officially called the ColorAware iPod, Pink edition. Different models are coming in this color, including the iPod video (figure above), and the iPod nano.

We still don't know if this is exclusive to Target, neither if other colors will be made available, but it is really nice.

Link (thanks to MacNN)

Technorati Tags: Apple, iPod, Gadgets

iPod Nike is currently shipping

Nike has previously announced that it would launch a line of products to be used by iPod fans. The new shoes would have special design and iPod integration.

Now, the iPod store shows that the product is available. Among the special features of the iPod nike is included step counting: the iPod can receive information directly from the Nike, so it can compute how many steps you've run.

This looks like a really great way of walking in tune with the iPod.

Link, via Macrumors

Technorati Tags: Apple, Gadgets, iPod, sports

iPod is better than drinking beer

Ask a college student what he or she thinks is the best product they can consume? Well, most people will think that they will answer: "the good ol' beer!"

Well, this is not quite right, according to the latest research done on several college campus around the country.

According to the Associated Press, a pool performed by the Student Monitor Lifestyle & Media Study has revealed that the iPod is the most "in" product in the list of college students. This puts it on top of beer, and according to the same research, this is the first time in the last decade that beer has been top out by another product...

So, drink your beer, but don't forget your iPod!

Link

An Aluminum case for the iPod

Stylish as they might been, the iPod sometimes lack a bit of individuality. The white and black colors are really cool, but after a few weeks you certainly wish that you could have an iPod different from all others in your street.

To help improve this situation, Griffin has a line of iPod cases that can make it much more fun to use and handle your iPod. These cases are made of aluminum, so your iPod will stay protected and safe.

And what make it seems better, the iVault comes in four nice colors, that can be changed as you want. For me it looks very stylish, and I think many other people will feel tempted to use one.

Link (and here too)

Technorati Tags: iPod, Apple, accessories

Making your car more iPod friendly

Using the iPod in your car in not anything new. Since the first iPod, various systems for delivering iPod music for the car stereo have been devised. They mostly rely on FM transmission to specific radio bands.

So, if you don't have a sound system integrated with the iPod (like the Mercedes-Benz) you will have to live with an FM transmitter. In this area, a new accessory that can help greatly was developed by Kensington. The Kensington’s RDS FM transmitter allows no only the music to be send to the radio, but also the title of the music.

To be able to get this information, the car radio needs to be equipped with a RDS system, which is available most radios nowadays.

Link via playlistmag.com

Technorati Tags: accessories, Apple, iPod

A water resistant iPod case

The iPod is so nice you want to take it everywhere. But, sadly, there are some limits of where the iPod can go, especially if it involves water. At least until now.

The iPod was not created to be water resistant, but it can be turned so using one of the nice iPod cases that have been recently released in the US by a company called Otterbox.

The water-proof cases crated by Otterbox allow iPod fans to carry their favorite widget around, even in raining conditions, or even under water.

According to a recent article on ign.com:

Otterbox's line of waterproof iPod shells are the aquatic equivalent of Kevlar flack-jackets in the protection they provide. The cases are available for the Shuffle, Nano, Mini, 20GB-3G, Photo, and Video, which is pretty much the full line of conceivably functional iPods today. Each case is composed of two clamshell-like halves of semi-translucent impact-resistant plastic. The two halves clamp together and seal with O-ring moisture protection. A totally clear section allows the screen to be read, and a textured plastic portion that resides over the Click-Wheel can transmit the electrostatic connection between finger and touch-pad while still remaining pliable enough to allow for depression to click the wheel.

It looks like a very nice addition to the already large number of iPod accessories. However, if you need water protection for your player, this is just what you need.

Link via IGN

Technorati Tags: Apple, iPod, accessories

The iPod could be a speaking machine...

More interesting analysis and cheap-talking about Apple and the iPod. According to this analyst, the new iPod would probably innovate in being the first to use voice as a communication between user and the device.

The reasoning goes on as:

Instead of a touch screen, what about voice feedback? My experience with the iPod shuffle has led me to think that simple auditory feedback would really be all that product needed to be really fantastic, and if that's true for the iPod shuffle, why not for the iPod as well? It's a beautiful color screen, but it's not something you want to look at while driving, or jogging. Instead, you could scroll through menu items and have each menu item read to you in your earbud, including Artists, Album Titles, and Song Titles. There's even a patent which lends support to this idea, though it's an old one.

It seems far fetched, but who knows what Mr. Jobs has hidden as the next trick?

Link via blogcritics.

Apple can redesign iPod nano to avoid scratches

While we approach the season of new announcements by Apple, forecasters start to get busy at work. According to MacObserver, the new rumor is that the iPods will now come with a better case, made of magnesium, which will be much more protective and avoid scratches all over the iPod.

According to the article:

American Technology Research Analyst, Shaw Wu, thinks the next generation iPod nano is likely to have a magnesium-based metal case instead of the polycarbonate version used in current models. While some analysts are speculating that a redesigned nano will be announced in July or August, Mr. Wu thinks that problems in converting to a system on a chip (SOC) architecture are slowing the process down.

Link via MacObserver