Aloisson Creates A New Most Expensive Phone

Phone customizer extraordinaire Peter Aloisson is at it again, creating a new most expensive phone. We've seen diamond iPhones before but this one is worth 1.79 million euros (around $2.45 million). The phone doesn't just feature a generous sprinkling of brilliant cut diamonds around the edges, it also features the King's button, a home button with a 6.6 carat diamond. The diamonds are set in white, yellow and rose gold.

Artist Rendition of 5G iPod Nano with Camera?

the new iPod nano will see a wider screen (1:5:1 ratio), smaller click wheel, and built-in camera.

Finally, there’s a camera on the back in an unusual location, one which conceivably might be blocked by hands… except when the iPod nano is corner-gripped for photography. It will debut at the same time as the new iPod touch, between July and September. Our gut feeling is September.

The report seems to confirm a recent claim from HardMac that the new iPod Nano will contain a camera. Of interest, HardMac also said in the same report that the next iPod Touch would also include a camera. Both models are expected to be refreshed around September of this year.

Visualizing the invisible I

 

• The goal is to visualize the operational volume of a RFID reader. Where it lights up a tag could be powered by the reader magnetic field.
• 
  
• This is an attempt inspired by this work but the technique is a bit different.
• 
  
• They drive a LED when the reader can read the tag while here, I mounted directly a LED on a tag (a Touchatag to be exact) after having destroyed the tag chip. So the LED gets powered directly by the available field: the response time is dramatically improved and LED intensity shows the field strength.
• 
  
• Tag+LED are then simply suspended by a wire like a radiesthesist pendulum in my hand and I move it around while shooting with long exposure.
• 
  
• Wikipedia: Radiesthesia is the paranormal or parapsychological ability to detect "radiation" within the human body. According to the theory, all human bodies give off unique or characteristic "radiations" as do all other physical bodies or objects. A practitioner of radiestheisa believes in his or her ability to detect the interplay of these radiations.
• 
  
• Mmm actually we're not that far ;-)

Gold Plated iPod Touch?

When your famous I guess everything is possible. David Beckham the English soccer legend and current player for the Los Angeles Galaxy was gifted a very unique iPod Touch.

According to Engadget, the English national soccer team gave David Beckham a gold plated iPod Touch for playing in his 100th game with the club. The English soccer team said it only put them back $1,188.

Prince Opus Limited Edition iPod Touch

You would think that this limited edition of the Prince Opus iPod Touch is lined in diamonds for the obscene price of $2,100. This item only has about 950 kits available that includes a book of Prince photographs from Kraken Opus. Of course it has Prince’s symbol on the back with the color purple and is preloaded with 40 minutes of footage along with a live soundtrack from Indigo Nights.

All aboard the update train!

Here are some details on our latest version of PwnageTool for Mac OS X that adds support for the 3.1 release of the iPhone software for iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 2G.

SUMMARY:

The iPhone 3GS is now supported in PwnageTool 3.1.3, assuming the phone was pwned at 3.0 or 3.0.1 - PwnageTool does not support the 3GS out of the box. If your iPhone 3GS has 3.1 preinstalled and is not Pwned then there is no tested jailbreak solution at the moment.

The iPod 2G is now supported in PwnageTool 3.1.3, assuming the iPod 2G was pwned at 3.0 or 3.0.1 - PwnageTool does not support the iPod 2G with 3.1 software out of the box.

DETAILS:

1. GOLDEN RULE: If you are using a iPhone 3G or iPhone 3G(S) with ultrasn0w and rely on ultrasn0w to obtain cellular service then you should only update your device with an .ipsw that is made with the new PwnageTool. There are no second chances with this. You need to remember that PwnageTool will provide an upgrade path to newer versions of the iPhone software in the future.
2. Please read all parts of this post before downloading and using these tools.
3. Read items 1, 2 and 3 again and again.
4. At the bottom of this post are the bittorrent files for the 3.1 capable version of PwnageTool.
5. PwnageTool will work for the iPhone 3GS assuming you have already Pwned it at 3.0 or 3.0.1
6. PwnageTool will work for the iPod touch 2G assuming you have already Pwned it at 3.0 or 3.0.1
7. PwnageTool WILL work for Original iPhone (1st Generation), the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G(S) and the iPod touch (1st Generation and 2nd Generation) but NOT the iPod touch 3rd generation.
8. For 3G and 3G(S) users who are Pwned, PwnageTool is your key to updating in the future, just remember to never install an update directly from Apple, always use an .ipsw that has been created with PwnageTool.
9. There is no Windows version of PwnageTool it is a Mac OS X tool only, we are not developing a Windows version of PwnageTool.

What’s a Baseband?

The ‘baseband’ is the generic nickname given to the internal components of the iPhone that handle the phone calls and Internet access. This ‘baseband’ is a tiny and unique independent computer system that runs inside your iPhone, it is separate to the main system that handles the applications (such as email and google maps) and it talks to the main part of the phone over an internal communications network.

Think of it like a cable modem or other peripheral that is attached to your home PC that needs occasional updates. When a software update is released and presented to you within iTunes the baseband is sometimes updated (to fix bugs or add new features).

The 3.1 update for the iPhone 3G and 3GS contains such an update, so running the vanilla updater straight away with iTunes will reprogram and update the baseband.

WHICH DEVICE DO I HAVE?

Read the description to identify your device, once you have correctly identified your device follow the specific instructions for that device as listed below.

SIM Free/SP Unlocked/Factory Unlocked iPhone 3G(S)

This applies if you bought your iPhone 3G(S) for $$$$$$$. This model of iPhone 3G(S) doesn’t have an Service Provider lock (aka factory unlocked) and you are able to put any SIM card into the phone and get service. Your phone is already unlocked so you do not need to worry about baseband updates, if your device was Pwned at 3.0 or 3.0.1 then you can use PwnageTool to create an ipsw and then use this to update and jailbreak your phone.

SIM Free/SP Unlocked/Factory Unlocked iPhone 3G

This applies if you bought your iPhone 3G for $$$$$$$. This model of iPhone 3G doesn’t have an Service Provider lock (aka factory unlocked) and you are able to put any SIM card into the phone and get service. Your phone is already unlocked so you do not need to worry about baseband updates, if your device was Pwned at 3.0 or 3.0.1 then you can use PwnageTool to create a 3.1.ipsw and then use this to with iTunes to upgrade and jailbreak your phone.

iPhone 2G (1st Generation)

Use PwnageTool to do the magic and then restore with iTunes using your newly created .ipsw ‘nuff said, you don’t need to worry about anything, the baseband will be unlocked, the phone jailbroken.

iPod Touch 1G (Original iPod Touch)

Use PwnageTool to create a firmware image and restore with that .ipsw using iTunes.

iPod Touch 2G

Use PwnageTool to create a firmware image and restore with that .ipsw using iTunes, this will only work if you are already Pwned at 3.0 or 3.1. If you are at 3.1, downgrade to 3.0 and use redsn0w to Pwn 3.0 then you have an upgrade path using PwnageTool.

iPod Touch 3G

At this time PwnageTool does not support this device.

Official Bittorrent Releases -

* PwnageTool 3.13 Torrent
* SHA1(PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg)=4141b7ecd3928c3a0c954bb06c86225a56b2f3e7

Unofficial Mirrors

The following links are unofficial download mirrors, you download these at your own risk, we accept no responsibility if your computer explodes or if it becomes part of a NASA attacking botnet or even worse if your hands fall off mid-way during the use of these files. We do not check these links or archives and we accept no responsibility with regard to the validity of the files, or with other content these links provide or with the content that is on the linked site. Always check the published SHA1 sums. We would prefer that you downloaded the official bittorrent release that is linked above, but you are welcome to try these if you really must. Mirror owners should email direct links only to blog@iphone-dev.org , please don’t place mirrors in the comments as they will be deleted.

* http://apfelportal.de/host/images/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://imodzone.net/pwn/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://nevyn.nu/files/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://zcr.me/f/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://dl.opt-6.com/public/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://mirrors.c2wifi.org/iPhone/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://www.spiralnine.com/bin/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://www.hackthatphone.net/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://downloads2.touch-mania.com/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://coldgame.de/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://files.mackgoodstein.com/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg
* http://dev.poorlad.com/PwnageTool__3.1.3.dmg

iPod Future Concept | iRing by Apple

This is the iPhone future concept named with iRing by Apple. Its very beautiful and look so sexy gadjet . Unlike other it have a sensitive body where you can touch to control the volume and music forward backward function.I think its still a future concept and this product iRing by Apple is not launched into the market.

Finally, a jailbreak for the iPod Touch 2.1 firmware is released! Thanks to jfb392, Zombiekiller, and QuickPWN for helping release this iPod Touch 2.

Finally, a jailbreak for the iPod Touch 2.1 firmware is released! Thanks to jfb392, Zombiekiller, and QuickPWN for helping release this iPod Touch 2.1 jailbreak. This jailbreak is a bit complicated, so if you're not an expert with computers/computer software then this isn't for you. If you really want to jailbreak your iPod Touch 2.1 then follow the below instructions. Or you can just wait until the iPod Touch 2.1 GUI jailbreak comes out, which can take weeks.

iPod Touch 2.1 Jailbreak

To jailbreak your iPod Touch 2.1 firmware, you must first be running a jailbroken firmware and be able to SSH into it.

1. SSH into your iPod Touch and download a backup copy of your MobileInstallation file from /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileInstallation.framework

2. Download iPod Touch 2.1, shift-click restore in iTunes to install it.

3. Download QuickPWN, and launch the QuickPWN.exe file. Follow the instructions in there until you get the "Your Device has successfully been PWNED" message at the end.

4. Once your iPod Touch reboots, your iPod Touch 2.1 is jailbroken, except you won't have Installer/Cydia just yet. Follow the below instructions to get these apps on there.

5. Download Total Commander and the T-Pot plugin:
http://code.google.com/p/t-pot/
http://www.ghisler.com/download.htm

6. Launch Total Commander, and navigate to /System/Library/PrivateFrameWorks/MobileInstallation.framework

7. Replace the MobileInstallation file with the one you downloaded in the beginning

That's it! Reboot your iPod Touch 2.1 and you will see Installer and Cydia. Congratulations you now have a jailbroken iPod Touch 2.1.

MetroTCM for iPod Touch 2G

combines a rubberized plastic body and durable silicone in a snap-on case featuring an integrated cable manager that doubles as a video stand.

This case also features open access to all ports and controls, and an included screen protector. It sells for $19.99.

Features :
-Durable silicon material will not rip or tear
-Cable management system
-Non-slip silicon material
-Opening to all connections and controls
-Removable scratch resistant screen overlay
-Horizontal stand to view movies on your iPod touch

mCase iPod Touch leather case

is a slip-on featuring open access to all ports and controls, a soft inner lining, and an included screen protector for $19.99.

Included in the package is, 1 leather case and 1 protective screen overlay .

Features :
-Form fitting rigid leather case for maximum protection
-Soft inner lining
-Scratch resistant protective screen overlay included
-Bottom load for easy docking
-Opening to all controls and ports

Macally’s mSuit iPod touch 2G case

is made from durable non-slip silicone, offers open access to all ports and controls, and includes a screen protector for either the nano or touch.

Available in clear, black, or white, each sells for $19.99. This case comes in a package that includes 3 pcs silicon case (black, white, and clear) and 1 clear protective screen overlay

Features:
-Non-slip silicon material
-Ribbed for a secure grip
-Durable silicon material will not be ripped or torn
-3 pcs included in black, white, and clear
-Wide 30-pin connector opening
-Opening to all controls and ports
-Scratch resistant protective screen overlay included

Macally BellaT2 leather case

features a carabiner and neck lanyard for iPod touch 2G users. With the lightweight aluminum carabiner, you can easily hook iPod touch to your backpack, bicycle or wherever you like.

It also gives you full protection for your iPod in an attractive way. BellaT2 comes with a removable lanyard (strap), which allows iPod to be worn around the your neck. The lanyard and carabiner can easily be removed or attached to fit your needs. This case also includes a screen protector in its package. This case sells for $19.99

Features :
-Scratch resistant protective screen overlay included
-Nappa leather front panel Neck lanyard
-Lightweight aluminum carabiner
-Microsuede interior
-High-density, soft and durable back panel
-Opening to all controls and ports

Speck CandyShell iPod Touch Cases (2G)

Speck CandyShell iPod Touch Cases (2G)
Speck has released iPod Touch version of its very popular and award-winning case called the CandyShell. The hybrid case features a one-piece design with a soft rubber interior and hard outer shell in contrasting colors. Available in two colors, Lemon Drop Liquorice (high-gloss black shell with bright yellow interior) and Cranberry White Truffle (high-gloss white shell with cranberry red interior), these ipod touch cases can be purchased at Apple stores, Amazon and speckproducts.com.
Show me more...

“We introduced CandyShell for the iPhone 3G earlier this year and it quickly became one of our top selling cases,” said Irene Baran, CEO of Speck. “We’re proud to say Apple enthusiasts are loving the case’s great looks, vivid colors and the seamless combination of a sleek outer hard shell with a shock-absorbing rubberized interior.”

Speck CandyShell iPod Touch Cases (2G)
The flexibility and protection of a soft rubberized case has been combined with the durability and scratch protection of a sleek hard shell in a seamless single-piece design. CandyShell's soft, colorful rubberized interior keeps your iPod touch insulated from life's bumps and knocks, while the shiny outer hard shell protects it from scratches and lets you slip it in and out of pockets easily.
Speck CandyShell iPod Touch Cases (2G)

These iPod touch cases provide protection for the sleep/wake and volume buttons, and open access to all other ports and controls. Available in two colors, Speck’s CandyShell iPod touch cases for 2G sell for $34.95. At Amazon the CandyShell sells for only $20.30. Check out the latest price by moving over the link.

Features:
-Lightweight, flexible one-piece design combines the insulation of a skin with the durability and sleekness of a hard shell
-Glossy outer hard shell slips in and out of pockets easily and protects from scratches
-Colorful, contrasting rubberized interior offers extra shock absorption from drops
-Includes cleaning cloth and removable screen protector film for extra scratch resistance
-Openings to all ipod touch ports & controls
-Available in two deliciously sweet and savory color combinations

ZAGG invisibleSHIELD iPod Touch 2G Screen Protector

ZAGG's invisibleSHIELD™ is an exceptionally clear and virtually indestructible film that will protect your iPod touch 2nd Gen from unsightly scratches. ZAGG's exclusive, patented film – with nano-memory™ technology – covers and shields your device, keeping it as pristine as the day you took it out of the box.
Show me more...
The precision pre-cut invisibleSHIELD applies directly to your iPod touch 2nd Gen, providing the toughest, most durable protection you will find. The invisibleSHIELD has its origins in the military, where it was used to protect high-speed helicopter blades from dust, dirt and debris. Now you can use that same powerful technology to protect your iPod touch 2nd Gen.

The invisibleSHIELD is only .2 millimeters thick making it the slimmest iPod touch 2G skin or iPod touch 2G screen protector of its kind. It is so tough that ZAGG backs it with a lifetime guarantee. So, if it ever does wear or scratch, they will replace it for free, for the life of your device. And if you ever need to remove the invisibleSHIELD, no problem; it comes off clean and leaves no sticky residue.

If you're still not convinced, check out the demo video and see for yourself how strong ZAGG's invisibleSHIELD™ really is.

iPod touch 3G faster by 50% proven

Macworld tested the new iPod Touch 3rd gen against the 2G to test Apple's claim of it being 50% faster than its predecessor and the results proved what Apple has touted. Macworld found that although the speed results vary from task to task overall it was faster across the board. Booting was dramatically faster, as was launching applications and Internet browsing.

Macworld also notes that 'Just as the iPhone 3GS was faster than the iPhone 3G at everything, the new iPod touch feels much faster at any task you throw at it: applications launch (and quit) faster, Web pages load more quickly, processor-intensive games and programs perform better-you name it.'

iTunes 9 to feature Blu-ray support , social networking integration and app organization

According to information received by BoyGeniusReport from reliable sources, iTunes 9 (next version) will feature Blu-ray disc support, as well as a better way to handle iPhone and iPod touch applications. It is important to note that Apple does not support Blu-ray drives on any of its computers. Show me more...

However, Blu-ray support could be added to upcoming Mac computers, and potentially aid Blu-ray-equipped PCs with iTunes in importing iTunes-friendly Digital Copies or using interactive Blu-Ray content.

Other features to be available are as follows:

* One of the other features that is expected in iTunes 9 is the ability to visually organize and arrange your iPhone and iPod touch applications by genre, date added, or custom arrangements
* iTunes 9 will offer some form of social networking integration, specifically for Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm.
* iTunes 9 will allow users to broadcast what music they?re listening to, connect to friends, and update all your statuses at the same time.

Sony and Best Buy join forces for iPod speaker systems

Sony and Best Buy have teamed up to provide a new line of audio products called 'ALTUS', which includes two iPod-docking speaker systems. Featuring a stylish assortment of wireless music systems, speakers, and home theater products, the ALTUS line offers a variety of simple, easy, and effective solutions for experiencing premium audio throughout the home.Show me more...

Part of the new Altus line, the premium ALT-SA31iR which will sell for $700, is a multi-room iPod package featuring three separate components: a docking station for iPod/iPhone and two high-output wireless speakers. An AM/FM tuner is also featured, along with an S-Air remote control with an LCD for display of metadata such as album, artist, and track information.

The AIR SW10Ti which will sell for $400, is a compact speaker system with an integrated dock, two built-in speakers, an FM tuner, 60 Watts RMS output power, an included remote control, and the ability to stream audio to compatible Altus and S-Air products.

These 2 iPod speaker systems will be available for pre-order soon from sonystyle.com and are expected in Best Buy stores in September.

Whats new in iPhone OS 3.1 update

Apple today also announced the availability of the new iPhone 3.1 Software Update for iPod touch which gives you new features that make watching video, playing games, and listening to music even more fun. Show me more...

This updates among others includes a new feature called "Genius for Apps". iPhone OS 3.1 with iTunes 9, utilizing the Genius technology introduced in iTunes 8 will be able to make recommendations based on the apps the user already owns through the Genius for Apps feature.

In addition, iPhone OS 3.1 adds the ability to buy and directly download pre-made ringtones. The new offering will launch with 30,000 ringtones from all four major labels, priced at $1.29 each. Accessible via the More tab in the iTunes application, the Ringtones section lets you browse by featured ringtones, top tens, or genres. You can preview any ringtone just as you would a song or purchase it for $1.29, at which point it will be downloaded to your device and appear automatically in Settings -> Sounds -> Ringtone, along with the rest of your ringtones

Finally, iPhone OS 3.1 adds the ability for iPhone 3GS only users to access the Voice Control feature using a Bluetooth headset, the ability to redeem iTunes Gift cards, code, and certificates in the App Store, display iTunes account credits in the App and iTunes Stores, remotely lock an iPhone or iPod touch with a passcode via MobileMe, and a warning when visiting potentially fraudulent websites in Safari.

iPod Touch owners who have paid to upgrade to 3.0 will receive the 3.1 update for free. For those who have an iPod touch but have not yet upgraded to 3.0, can upgrade to 3.1 at a reduced price of $4.95.

Apples unveils all new 64GB iPod Touch (3G) without built-in camera

ipodtouch-3g-1

Apple today at the 'Rock and Roll' Event in San Francisco introduced the all new third generation 64GB iPod Touch. This media player now has the same processing power as the iPhone 3GS and is about 50 percent faster than the older model and supports the same Open GLS 2.0 visual effects. Apple also unveiled iPhone OS 3.1 for the device. Show me more...

Surprisingly the most anticipated feature of a built-in camera is missing from the new iPod Touch. Off late there have been many reports suggesting that Apple had hardware issues with the camera and hence the capability had to be scrapped.

During the presentation Apple also pushed the iPod touch as a "pocket computer� with the device's ability to surf the Web, check e-mail, manage calendars, organize contacts, and access popular Web sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Apple also has updated the other iPod touch models by lowering the price of the entry model and increasing storage and speed in the two more expensive models. The price of the 8GB model has dropped from $229 to $199. This is the first time that the iPod touch has broken the $200 barrier.

Also the $299 16GB and $399 32GB iPod Touch models have been replaced with 32GB and 64GB versions selling for the same prices.

Zipcar car-sharing service App for the iPhone & iPod Touch

Zipcar car sharing iPhone and iPod touch appZipcar the world's leading car-sharing service has released Zipcar, the App for iPhone and iPod touch. Zipcar has 325,000 members and 6,500 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout 28 North American states and provinces as well as in London, England.

Zipcar chairman and CEO says,

"Like so many urban dwellers today, more than 25 percent of Zipcar members live their life from their iPhones. The new Zipcar App is a simple, fun and self-service technology that now allows millions of iPhone and iPod touch users to have on-the-go access to Zipcars around the globe."

The Zipcar application for the iPod touch and iPhone is available on the App Store for free and it enables users to find and reserve Zipcars around the corner or across the globe in just a few taps. Read more...

With the Zipcar app:

1. Find available Zipcars on a map using your current location, a favorite location, or any location
2. Reserve a Zipcar anytime, anywhere
3. Sort cars by time available, car type and model
4. View upcoming reservations
5. Get directions to your Zipcar
6. Easily locate your reserved Zipcar by telling it to honk its horn
7. Unlock and lock your Zipcar after scanning your Zipcard at the start of each reservation
8. Tap to contact Zipcar if help is needed during a reservation
9. Extend or cancel reservations on the go
10. Play around with the virtual key fob and make sounds even when you're not in a reservation

Belkin "for the Cure" iPod touch Cases

Belkin to help the cause for fighting Breast cancer has designed 2 new "for the cure" iPod Touch cases called DualFit for the Cure and Grip for the Cure. For each sale of the DualFit and Grip case for iPod touch case, Belkin will donate $2.50 to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help fight Breast Cancer. Read more...

DualFit for the cure iPod Touch cases:
The DualFit for the Cure armband features a dual-fit system designed to maximize sizing. This Ultra-comfortable armband is hand-washable and water-resistant giving full-protection and easy navigation access to the iPod touch. This cases features:

* Key pocket
* A pink ribbon design on the armband.
* ClearScreen protector allows for easy navigation of iPod screen
* Adjustable VELCRO closure fits many arm sizes
* Slim, lightweight, and stretchable neoprene material
* Reflective material for use in the dark

Grip for the cure iPod touch cases:
The Grip for the Cure is a form-fitting Silicone sleeve cases with textured exterior offering improved grip. This case provides:

* Access to all controls and dock connector
* Allows charging while in case
* Textured design provided extra gripability
* Camera lens cutout
* Slim, form-fitting design
* Includes ClearScreen Overlay

Both these ipod touch cases are scheduled for a mid-October release and will sell for $29.99 each.

Tapulous launches sleeker, more advanced Tap Tap Revenge 3 Game for iPod Touch

TapTap Revenge3 iPod Touch game

Off late there have been a lot of rhythm games released for the iPod touch and iPhone. The latest addition to that list is the Tap Tap Revenge 3 from Tapulous. Since its launch 15 months ago, Tap Tap Revenge has had 15 million total downloads, more than 11 million unique users, and more than 500 million games played. Show me more...

This version features a redesigned sleek look TapTap Revenge3 iPod Touch gameand more advanced game play with options to send messages, browse user profiles. You will be able chat with opponents while waiting for the next game to start.

You can create your own unique avatar with levels, points, and achievements that will give you status in the game, and also let you access exclusive game rooms and purchase special powers.

Tap tap Revenge 3 allows players to download around 130 free songs from artists like Korn and Killers using the purchasing feature that is built into the app.

One of the new cool features is the 90-second Quick Games and the popular instant game replay. Other features include a unique theme for each premium track, a new look for the game menus, a quickplay mode, the ability to resume and restart games, and much more.

Unlike previous free releases, Tap Tap Revenge 3 will sell for $0.99 on the AppStore. This is attributed to Apple because Apple mandates this for all Apps using in-app commerce.

Do-It-Yourself personalized iPod Touch skins

Want to get your own photo or personal art as a skin on your iPod Touch! You can do it all by yourself. GelaSkins has launched its new Do-It-Yourself service that allows you to upload your personal photos or artwork or any other picture files and you will able to create personalized skins for the iPod touch and the iPhone. Read more...

You can do this in only 4 steps:

1. Choose your device as iPod Touch or iPhone
2. Upload your photo or art work image file
3. Layout the picture as a skin for the iPod Touch
4. Preview and share

gelaskins-ipodtouch-2

These skins feature a 3M adhesive for easy application and removal with full access to all ports and controls. The GelaSkins iPod Touch skins are available for $14.95 each

GelaSkins Features:

-Removable art prints for the iPod Touch 2nd/3rd Gen.
-Fully compatible with 8, 16, 32 and 64GB iPod Touch models
-3M Technology for easy application and clean removal
-Durable scratch protection and customization for your iPod
-Includes full access to the GelaSkins Wallpaper Gallery
-Optional: GelaScreen 2-pack can be bundled and save 40%

Download iTunes 9.0.1 for Windows XP/Vista - bug fixes

Apple has released a new version of iTunes 9 which now stands at Version 9.0.1 this is a minor update and fixes the bugs in iTunes 9. We are also expecting revisions(iPhone 3.1.1) of iPhone 3.1 firmware software as users have been facing problems like low battery, dropped calls after upgrading to the 3.1 software.

Bug fixing report:

* Fixes a problem where iTunes may unexpectedly quit.
* Addresses a performance issue where iTunes may become unresponsive.
* Resolves issues browsing the iTunes Store.
* Fixes a problem syncing Podcasts in playlists to iPod or iPhone.
* Fixes a problem sorting albums with multiple discs.
* Addresses an issue with the Zoom button not switching to Mini Player.
* Improves application syncing for iPod touch and iPhone.
* Genius is now automatically updated to show Genius Mixes.

You can run the update via iTunes or download iTunes 9.0.1 from Apple website

Recommended Reading

1. Free Download iTunes 9 [iTunes version 9] Apple has released new version of its media player iTunes at the Apple Event just finished, iTunes 9 which is available for free download,...
2. Free Download iPhone OS 3.1 Software [Download Links]Latest firmware software for your iPhone and iPod Touch is now available for download via iTunes, but users with jailbroken/unlocked iPhone shouldn’t upgrade as of...

Grip Ergo with Hand Strap

Protect your iPod with a snug layer of rugged silicone. Ergonomic design lets you text, game, and surf the web comfortably. Contoured ridges provide maximum gripability of your iPod. Attached hand-strap provides a secure way to hold your iPod.
Features

* Maximum gripability
* Access to all controls and dock connector
* Allows charging while in case
* Textured design provided extra gripability
* Slim, form-fitting design
* Includes ClearScreen Overlay

Can Device Integration Save Music Journalism?

As music has become ubiquitous, music critics, and the magazines they write for, have become collateral damage, bypassed on the digital highway by cheap and instant gratification. It’s not that expert insight has become irrelevant in an era of crowdsourced feedback. It’s just that, at $0.99, an impetuous decision gone wrong is simply no big deal. Besides, you can listen to full songs by just about any artist by searching free streams and MP3 blogs to find out what they sound like.

The subject hit home at a panel I was on Tuesday at the Future of Music Coalition Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. The subject pretty much gave it away: “Critical Condition: The Future of Music Journalism” The participants were veterans from the Chicago Tribune, Daily Swarm, Jazz Journalists Association, Idolator, the Independent, National Public Radio, NewMusicBox, Pitchfork Media, URB magazine, Washington City Paper and the Washington Post.

During the Q and A, an audience member from NPR asked panelists to put aside the question of compensation for the moment and come up with concrete ideas about what music journalism will look like in the future.

My response: Music journalism should live on the same devices where we listen to our music — be that a computer, cellphone, MP3 player, tablet or home entertainment center. In other words, perhaps the same technologists who are making the reviews section in music magazines obsolete are capable of saving music journalism.


Say you like to read Pitchfork’s new music coverage. Imagine a “Pitchfork Player” app for Windows, Mac and cellphones that would present relevant reviews for each artist, album and/or track you’re listening to from your own library, or even from a streaming service such as Pandora. Such applications would have to analyze your entire music library or identify streaming songs on the fly — both of which are possible and have been done by other apps.

“I don’t know what would be involved with it from the technical end of it, but as an idea, that definitely sounds interesting,” said Pitchfork managing editor Mark Richardson, adding that Pitchfork readers have largely embraced the site’s policy of embedding Lala albums next to album reviews, which started in March. “It makes sense, going the other direction, so you can access criticism of records from the music [listening experience].”

Sonos Hopes to Rule Speaker Dock Market with ZonePlayer for iPhone, iPod Touch

Sonos has a new strategy: to become the dominant manufacturer of speaker docks for the iPhone and iPod Touch as consumer migrate to connected portable entertainment devices.

The company unveiled the $400 ZonePlayer S5 on Tuesday — an internet-connected speaker that can play the music on your home computers and a good range of free and premium streaming services in the cloud. This slimmed-down system requires only an iPhone or iPod Touch to function as the remote, and an internet connection to deliver the tunes.

Sonos co-founder Tom Cullen told Wired.com that the company is responding to a gap being created in the lucrative iPod speaker dock market as people upgrade their portable music players to the iPhone and iPod Touch. Owners of neither device — particularly the iPhone — want to leave it docked in order to listen to music, because they use the devices for so many other things. In addition, iPhones’ cell connections can interfere with the sound quality of legacy iPod docks unless they’re set to Airplane Mode.

The Sonos ZonePlayer S5 is quote compact, as indicated by this iPhone juxtaposition (photo courtesy of Sonos).

The Sonos ZonePlayer S5 is quote compact, as indicated by this iPhone juxtaposition (both images courtesy of Sonos).

We’ll demo the device next week to find out what it sounds like, but what we know so far about the S5’s sound quality is that the device splits the audio into five frequency ranges, each of which is routed to an individual Class D amplifier that powers one of the five speakers in the unit.

Cullen told us this uncommon approach allowed Sonos to test each driver with precision. If its team of beta-testing audiophiles detected a particular frequency distorting, Sonos was able to tweak the code inside the speakers to raise and lower certain frequencies to ensure that the speakers sound good within the chassis. Since these speakers are a single unit, they won’t provide much stereo separation, but neither did the iPod docks that consumers bought before their iPods came with built-in web browsers, cellphones, videogames and other apps.

Sonos’ iPhone/iPod Touch application is available for free, but there is one notable limitation to its system. In order for the ZonePlayer S5 (or any other Sonos device) to work, you need at least one ZonePlayer connected to your router via a hard Ethernet connection. After that, the devices form a Mesh network, so that you can set up ZonePlayers in multiple rooms without the various speakers going out of sync. So if you’re only planning on buying the ZonePlayer S5, it’ll need an Ethernet connection to your router, which is not as liberating as plunking down an iPod dock anywhere you want.

Once connected, the ZonePlayer can stream music from the iTunes library of any computer or networked hard drive (such as the Apple Time Capsule) on your network; subscription-based music from Napster, Sirius XM, and Rhapsody; and free interactive internet radio from Last.fm, Pandora, and Deezer.

Satellite Radio iPhone App Coming Soon

Howard Stern may have ignored the internet in his quest to broadcast his talk show without interference from The Man, but he’s going to end up on the iPhone anyway.

NiceMac uSirius StarPlayr, an iPhone application that’s still in beta (Windows Mobile screenshot to the right), lets Sirius XM subscribers stream channels over a cellphone or WiFi connection. When there’s access to the latter, bit rate jumps from 32 Kbps to 64 Kbps. The player displays lyrics, album art and buy links for Amazon and iTunes for when you hear a track you want to keep.

Multiple sources cited by satellite radio blog OrbitCast say StarPlayr will be submitted to Apple on Saturday, January 31. Assuming that’s correct, the app should show up in the App Store at some point next week, assuming Apple approves and processes the application by then (predicting when an app will show up in the store tricky even for the developers who submit the apps).

Satellite radio on the iPhone. Will someone remind Sirius XM why it pays for those satellites again?

Sirius XM Releases ‘Lite’ iPhone App. WTF?

After spending millions on what is arguably the strongest lineup in audio history, why would the recently merged Sirius XM not beam its shows to iPhones, which seem built exactly for that purpose (and a million others)?

The release last week of a dedicated iPhone app for pulling down Sirius XM channels should have answered that question. But several of the most popular shows on the network have been left out of the iPhone app — Howard Stern, MLB games, Nascar races and the NFL. So, Sirius XM’s commitment to streaming methods that don’t leverage its own satellites has been called into question by subscribers. They’ve been wondering on message boards, Twitter and elsewhere why they can’t get these channels on their phones.

The problem? For whatever reason, Sirius XM’s contracts with these big-ticket broadcasting powerhouses doesn’t include the right to stream to phones.

“It was a rights thing — a contractual rights thing,” explained Howard Stern yesterday on his show, which could not be heard by iPhone app listeners. “It was a rights issue and a whole entanglement thing. So, we’re not on it. Maybe one day we will be.”

Sirius XM’s site is no more helpful. “Sirius and XM offer all of the channels for which we have mobile performance rights,” it reads. “For that reason, certain channels which may be available on your satellite radio or online radio service may not be available on a mobile device like the iPhone.”

If you have any type of account with Sirius XM — including the $13-per-month, internet-only option that doesn’t require Sirius XM hardware — the iPhone app is free. It gives you access to over 120 channels, including the ones built around Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, the Grateful Dead and other luminaries, as well as a number of genre-based channels. Nonsubscribers can to listen for up to seven days before deciding whether to commit to at least $13 per month to the service. There is no free or price-reduced, ad-supported version.

Earlier this year, Howard Stern fans were overjoyed to hear that an app called Starplayr would soon stream Stern’s show to their iPhones, but Apple refused to approve that app. Nor did it approve uSirius or uXM, which let Sirius and XM subscribers with accounts in good standing listen on jailbroken iPhones. The developers behind these programs had planned to work together, before ceasing operations. Later, one wrote, “if anyone is looking for an iPhone developer to work on a project unrelated to satellite radio” (his emphasis), they should get in touch. It doesn’t appear any further work will be done on those projects.

Observations about the first, officially licensed way to listen to “satellite” radio on an unhacked iPhone or iPod Touch:

* Sirius XM streams in variable bit rate to the iPhone or iPod Touch at speeds of up to 128 Kbps, depending on your connection.
* There’s no caching of channels, meaning that dropouts occur on subways, highways, planes and countless other places you might want to listen to music. In this area, Slacker’s channel-caching approach is superior.
* However, if you pause the live stream, it will resume from a spot a few seconds before you hit the pause button (so in that sense, anyway, there is some caching).
* This app doesn’t perform reliably on AT&T’s Edge network, but that’s consistent with what we’ve seen from other streaming apps, so no surprise there. Performance over 3G and WiFi is much better.
* This being a Sirius XM app, with professionally programmed channels, we also weren’t surprised by the complete lack of channel customization.
* You can pick favorite songs or tag them for later purchase, but can’t pick favorite channels, meaning that you have to navigate to your favorites each time you listen. At least, categorized browsing makes this fairly painless.
* The app lets you see what songs are playing on music channels before you select them. In this regard, anyway, the iPhone version outperforms some of Sirius XM’s own hardware.
* The app includes phone numbers for its call-in shows, but you can’t click on a number in order to call it. Hey Sirius XM, remember: The iPhone is a phone, too.

Confessions of an iPod Touch Artist

Mobile devices are no longer just for communication, entertainment and business: They can make art, too. Several different iTunes apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch allow users to edit photos, record music and now paint.

Last month, French artist and videographer David Lasnier began composing paintings with the Brushes app on his iPod Touch and uploading the artwork to Flickr. The paintings quickly garnered praise and links from commenters and bloggers.

"The small screen and the limited types of brushes limit the possibilities," says Lasnier, "But this generally boosts my creativity."

The Brushes app has its own Flickr group with a growing number of regular contributors, many of whom create elaborate, professional illustrations with the relatively simple program. A competing app called Colors has similar features, and the debate over which is the superior program rages on in each app's review section.

Kevin Rose Predicts New iPod Nano, iTunes 8.0

Digg founder Kevin Rose has posted a “leaked” photograph of a new iPod Nano on his blog, along with details of updates across the iPod lineup. It’s kicking up a lot of dust in blog-world, but we’re not so sure. Rose (who we love on DiggNation, by the way), has a history of rumor-mongering before expected Apple updates. The trouble is, he’s usually wrong — remember his prediction that the iPhone would have two batteries?

According to Rose’s blog, the new Nano will look like the picture above, a kind of cross between the 2G Nano and a MacBook Air. But according to his video (below), the widescreen will run across the Nano, not in portrait but in landscape format.

Rose also throws in a few easy predictions, most of which are obvious to anyone with a brain and a pair of eyes: iTunes 8.0 will contain new features that will make it a worthy “point release” (yes, which is why it is 8.0 and not 7.8). Also, the iPod Touch will see “small cosmetic changes” and come with a 2.1 software update. Best of all, Rose says that the whole iPod line will drop in price so as not to lose sales the the $200 iPhone. That’s right: Apple will take a hit on its most successful line in order to sell less iPhones. IPhones which generate an estimated $500 plus each for the company after carrier subsidies are counted.

We’ll soon be able to check the accuracy of Kevin’s sources. He says all this will happen in the next two to three weeks.

IPhone Nano Clones Already on Sale

We’re not quite sure if this is a direct result of the hot iPhone Nano rumors bouncing around or if it just a natural shrinking of an existing iPhone knock-off, but the tiny fake iPhone Nano is excellent nonetheless.

See! How the copied icons are too small for their titles. Gasp! At the ability for Thai manufacturers to replicate even non-existent products in mere days. Swoon! At the fact that this fake beast is still probably better than my newly-bought junk-phone. And Wonder! If this handset doesn’t just come from the same Chinese factory as the real iPhone.

Possible iPhone Nano Photos ‘Leaked’

The iPhone Nano is shaping up (or shaping down?) to be the hot Macworld rumor. First we saw a leaked case design, and now an anonymous reader has submitted this shot to MacRumors.

To us, this looks like little more than a quick invocation of Photoshop’s scaling tool, but as MacRumors points out, it is at least consistent with the purported case design.

I’m unsure on this one. While the picture is almost certainly a fake, if the iPhone is to replace the iPod as we have previously speculated, there needs to be a Nano-sized product in the lineup. What do you all think? Is a smaller iPhone likely, desirable or even usable? Answers, as ever, in the comments.

Another iPhone Nano Case On Offer

Case maker Vaja is offering a case for the phantom iPhone Nano. There are no pictures, no prices and no specifications — the only thing you’ll see if you visit the awful Flash site is the listing above which, when clicked, will take you to a pre-order page:

Sign up for the upcoming release of our iPhone nano cases. [emphasis added]

Our resolve on this rumor is starting to soften — the fake product shot we saw last week is still likely a Photoshop job, but recently Apple’s famously tight ship has been springing leaks, from the various iPod’s Nano to the unabomber MacBooks. This makes us think there may be some truth out there.

Of course, to find out if this is really real, we should call the Grand Poobah of Apple insider secrets, Kevin Rose. Anybody got his number?

Leaked Case Designs May Predict Future iPod Cameras

Remember the iPhone Nano? It was a sure thing, based on designs of silicon cases leaked by a third party manufacturer. Oh, wait. No it wasn’t. The fire of speculation licked higher as the gasoline of rumor was sloshed and splattered around the internet, only to fizzle under the halon blanket of Apple’s silence.

Then again, you may remember the design of the iPhone 3G, itself leaked via a case design, although this time it was the actual molds that were the giveaway. These proved to be dead-on, revealing the curved back of the new handset.

So, take this latest story how you will, either choking it back with some hard-to-swallow skepticism or diving into the Kool-Aid flavored rumors as they lap the shores of credulity.

This time the silicone points to cameras in both the iPod Nano and a new iPod Touch (yes, cameras in iPods — yet another recycled rumor). The Touch case looks accurate enough, with a gap for both the lens and the Wi-Fi radio to peek through. Otherwise, the case designs of the iPods themselves do not vary.

We really don’t know where the truth lies. But we have a pretty good idea as to when it may lie: September, the traditional month for iPod updates. Expect analysts to begin “predicting” this soon.