iPod

Review: iXpand 3G iPhone and iPod Touch charger

By Jeff Salton

15:04 February 3, 2010 PST

A new snap-on battery that can extend the talk time and power on an iPhone 3G, 3GS or iPod Touch 2G device by around three hours (up to 100 hours standby) has been released by Ethereal Home Theater. "No bulky or clumsy cords, and designed to look like an extension to a 3G iPhone, this is one of the better-looking spare batteries going around," says Gizmag's Jeff Salton, who's been putting the unit to the test. Read More

Nuvo's Ritmo is an advanced sound system for the next iPod generation

By Jude Garvey

14:02 January 30, 2010 PST

The Ritmo is a unique pregnancy belt that allows you and your baby to listen to music at the same time. While experts may disagree on when a fetus first hears sounds, they tend to agree that listening to music is beneficial for both mother and child. Music is not only soothing, some experts believe that it is facilitates development of some early behaviors and could play a part in future musical ability and intellectual development. Read More

Autograph for iPhone app lets you sign on the dotted screen

By Jeff Salton

23:06 January 27, 2010 PST

From Ten One Design - the creators of the Pogo Stylus (the first capacitive touch-screen stylus for the iPhone and iPod touch) comes Autograph for iPhone – a new iPhone/iPod touch app that lets you sign off documents by creating a digital signature directly on your device’s capacitive touch screen. Read More

MHub removes desktop clutter and adds functionality

By Jeff Salton

22:18 January 27, 2010 PST

Rather than merely keeping your iPod or iPhone upright while it charges, the Dexim MHub Dock Station offers a lot more connectivity for your Mac or PC. It’s designed to reduce cable and device clutter on a desk by combining the features of several computer accessories in a single housing, like a dock, a three-port USB hub, a mini USB port, and an SDHC/SD/MMC card reader. Mhub charges a variety of gadgets, including iPhones, iPods, BlackBerry phones, digital cameras … you get the idea. Read More

Apple creates special information site for iPad

By Gizmag Team

12:13 January 27, 2010 PST

In all likelihood, a new era of computing began today as Apple’s long-awaited iPad finally stepped from scifi into reality and filled the massive gap between Apple’s iPhone/ iPod handhelds and its richer computing experience of the MacBook laptop range. It begins life with a headstart never enjoyed by any prior new device. As Steve Jobs emphasised when launching the device, more than 75 million people already know how to use the iPad (because it’s essentially identical to the iPhone and iPod, just bigger) and there more than 125 million customers with one-click shopping on iTunes, the App Store and hence, the new iBook store. The iPad adds books and newspapers to the convergence mix and must seriously threaten the business models of all those eReaders announced earlier this month. Apple has created a special web site to disseminate information on the iPad. Read More

Apple's US$500 iPad - concise details of the announcement

By Gizmag Team

11:40 January 27, 2010 PST

The Apple iPad was announced today. In a nutshell, it’s a bigger iPhone that runs all the same apps on a 9.7 inch touch screen and has a 10 hour battery life and 30 day stand-by. It’s half an inch thick, weighs 1.5 pounds, and is powered by Apple’s own custom 1GHz ARM A4chip and can run up to 64 GB of storage. It has all the wireless connectivity of the iphone (802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1), a built-in speaker and microphone, accelerometer and uses the same 30-pin Dock connector as the iPod and iPhone. The first iPads will ship in 60 days, with 3G models taking another month. Pricing starts at US$499 and runs to US$829. Read More

Dexim iPod Nano 5G Power Case

By Paul Ridden

14:23 January 16, 2010 PST

China's consumer electronics manufacturer Dexim has announced the release of a multi-functional power case to complement the new iPod Nano 5G. Coming with a powerful flashlight to help shoot video in low light conditions, a built-in speaker for desktop listening and an antenna for improved FM radio reception, the DVA004 will also gives extended play courtesy of its lithium battery pack. Read More

Orbitsound T12 soundbar and T3 personal speaker hit the sweet spot

By Mick Webb

12:53 January 12, 2010 PST

UK company Orbitsound chose CES 2010 to showcase several of its speaker units that make use of its airSOUND technology, the T12 soundbar and T3 personal mobile speaker. The T12 dock features six front speakers, two side speakers and a subwoofer that create a permanent “sweet spot” no matter where the listener is in the room, while the T3 can be hung around the listener’s neck, also creating quality spatial stereo sound. Read More

Sharper Image unveils new iPod docks

By Paul Ridden

10:38 January 12, 2010 PST

Everywhere you look these days, someone is putting an iPod dock into something to try and convince you to play your favorite audio device through their product. SI Products has launched a few interesting variations on the dock theme at this year's CES trade show in Las Vegas including a voice-controlled alarm clock, a "Roman Clock" and a news and weather information center. Read More

Big screen experience from your mobile device - the Microvision SHOWWX laser pico projector

By Mick Webb

12:39 January 10, 2010 PST

The Microvision SHOWWX laser pico projector

first came to our attention in development back in 2008, with the final version making an appearance at this years CES. Around the size of a smartphone, the SHOWWX projector enables a user to connect their iPod, mobile phone or a myriad of other devices to display movies and photos as a WVGA (848x480 pixels) DVD quality “big screen” experience. Read More

Solar Surge: a sunny solution for iPhone charging

By Tannith Cattermole

22:46 December 17, 2009 PST

So you've finally got your new iPhone. You stroke its sleek shiny lines and imagine it purrs seductively at you. Then the battery goes dead. The Solar Surge is designed to get you out of the bind. It's a lightweight slip-on solar panel that cleverly charges your iPhone 3G or 3GS and iPod Touch whenever there is enough sunlight available, making the hassle of charging on the go, well, no hassle at all really. Read More

3rd gen iPod shuffle gets internal waterproofing

By Paul Ridden

15:06 December 13, 2009 PST

Just a few weeks ago Swimman announced that it had waterproofed the in-line controller on Apple's proprietary earphones for the 3rd generation iPod Shuffle. Now the company has turned its attention to the device itself, protecting it from water damage to a depth of 25 feet without adding weight or bulk. Read More

Multimedia on the move - the JVC Kenwood AVENUE MDV-313 navigation system

By Mick Webb

15:03 December 6, 2009 PST

JVC and Kenwood has produced its first in-car navigation system since last years merger and it certainly offers more than directions for getting from A to B. As well as boasting virtual 3D maps and fast response times, the AVENUE MDV-313 features a 6.1” touchscreen LED backlit display, integrated DVD player and TV tuner, as well as USB and SD card slots and optional iPod connectivity. Read More

Media Chair offers iPod dock, speakers, projector – and comfort

By Jeff Salton

17:04 November 19, 2009 PST

Usually, when you envisage a media chair your mind conjures up thoughts of weird (read uncomfortable) pieces of furniture that would be more at home in a museum of modern art than your lounge room. But Martin Emila’s Media Chair is something else. Sure, it’s a bit “left field” but it’s a concept chair that would look pretty good at my place I reckon. It features embedded speakers, an iPod dock, a projector and, above all, looks pretty darn comfortable. Read More

Rihanna kitchen scales with in-built iPod dock

By Paul Ridden

14:45 November 16, 2009 PST

Kitchen scales are essential for making sure your culinary delights turn out as expected. ADE-Germany has included another ingredient in the soon-to-be-released Rihanna model which is squarely aimed at those who like to listen to music while they rattle about in the kitchen. Currently in the prototype phase, the Rihanna kitchen scale is claimed to be the world's first to feature an iPod docking station. A recipe for success or iPod overkill? Read More

Zeppelin Mini: Bowers and Wilkins' high-end iPod dock gets downsized

By Jeff Salton

21:04 November 12, 2009 PST

No longer resembling a Zeppelin like its aptly-named big brother, the Zeppelin Mini iPod speaker system from Bowers and Wilkins still rates as an edgy, stylish design. B&W says the new sound dock delivers everything listeners love about the Zeppelin - advanced acoustic technology, intelligent design and elegant connectivity - but instead of being an almost prohibitive 26 inches wide, the Zeppelin Mini is a mere 12.6 inches, making it much easier to locate on bookshelves or other tight spaces. Read More

iSteady Shot takes the shakes out of iPhone video

By Jeff Salton

02:53 November 11, 2009 PST

Is your iPhone movie-making prowess giving your viewers motion sickness? Are your carefully planned, in-your-face action sequences of your friends’ skateboarding accidents, or grandma’s 80th birthday party antics not making it to Funniest Home Videos because of your inability to hold your iPhone still while you capture potential money-making footage. Fear not! If what the manufacturers say is true, the iSteady Shot camera stabilizer will soon have you cashing in. For roughly US$100, you can attach you iPhone or iPod nano to device and have your very own Hollywood-style “steady-cam” – check the video below to see what a difference the iSteady Shot makes to everyday filming. Read More

sparkz iPhone dock doubles as a pico-projector

By Gizmag Team

21:30 November 10, 2009 PST

We may have to wait some time before pico-projector technology finds its way into mobile phones as a standard feature, but until then products like the sparkz iPhone/iPod dock projector will help fill the gap. The handheld 4.5” x 3” x 2.5” unit uses a 3M LcoS projection engine to throw a 640 x 480 image at a brightness of 15 lumens - so you'll need to draw the curtains and dim the lights before the show starts. Read More

The Wall of Sound: the world's most powerful iPod dock unleashed

By Paul Ridden

02:51 November 5, 2009 PST

In a world where miniaturization rules the roost, it's refreshing to see some things getting bigger and bigger. Just last week we featured Regen's enormous ReVerb iPod dock which stands tall and slim at 35 inches (90cm). Now from Sweden comes the colossal 37.5 x 49 x 12 inch (95cm x 125cm x 30cm) "Wall of Sound", which can boom out 125 Watts of ground-shaking, tube-driven audio from its 28 speakers. Read More

ReVerb's 3-foot tall, solar powered iPod dock

By Paul Ridden

19:09 October 29, 2009 PDT

Of the myriad of iPod docking stations available, the ReVerb iPod dock from Regen looks set to tower above the rest - literally. At just over 35 inches (90cm) in height, this dock is not going to fit on your bedside cabinet. It will kick out an equivalent of a room-filling 60 watts, includes a backlit LCD display and features an integrated photovoltaic panel to draw energy from the sun. Read More

Award-winning ReNu personal solar-powered storage system

By Mick Webb

20:51 October 27, 2009 PDT

Solar power is being harnessed and applied in ever more interesting and creative ways, and the ReNu personal power generation and storage system is certainly no exception. The device features a freestanding modular solar panel that, once charged, can be slotted into a number of extensions to make use of the collected energy, including an iPod dock and an LED desk lamp. Read More

Portable power - the Bose SoundDock 10 digital music system

By Mick Webb

17:55 October 26, 2009 PDT

As the number of music-lovers who find their collections bundled snugly into the confines of an iPod continues to grow, so too does the number of increasingly more powerful docking stations that appear on the market to play those tunes aloud. One of the latest additions to the party, the SoundDock 10, comes with a promise from Bose that it delivers quality sound from a minimalist package. The SoundDock 10 features a newly-designed subwoofer, audio input and video output as well as optional Bluetooth capability. Read More

Green Power's sliding speaker solution for iPod

By Paul Lester

14:41 October 12, 2009 PDT

Though most multimedia phones tend to have external speakers for, albeit meagerly, pumping out tunes for other people’s benefit, they tend to be less common on MP3 players as companies prioritize slim and pocket-friendly designs. The most notable "hybrid" to take a chance in this market is Samsung’s K5, which offers a clever slide-out design to keep things relatively compact while allowing for the widest possible stereo image. This approach has now been aped by Korean company Green Power as a solution for the iPod. Read More

Take your iPod nano videos to a wider audience with the VideoBuddy AV out adapter

By Darren Quick

18:27 October 7, 2009 PDT

Owners of the new iPod nano 5G will no doubt be racking up hours of video footage by now and looking to inflict - I mean, share - their videos with all and sundry. While the nano’s 2.2-inch display might be ok “on the set”, nothing beats a TV to demand everyone’s attention. If you don’t have Apple TV, or don’t want to waste time turning on your computer to go through iTunes lest your audience disappear, GEAR4 have the perfect solution in the form of the VideoBuddy – a compact Audio Video (AV) kit that connects to the iPod nano dock connector and links to a TV via an RCA cable. Read More

Cochlear launches next-generation BAHA hearing aid that's iPod, Bluetooth ready

By Geoffrey Baird

10:33 September 29, 2009 PDT

Hearing aids have come a long way since the ear trumpet; from the traditional aid that simply amplified sound and delivered it to the ear via an earpiece (air conduction), to the so-called "bionic ear" that works by directly stimulating auditory nerves inside the cochlea with an electric field. But the journey continues, with newer technologies which use the bones of the skull to conduct sound. Now Cochlear has launched a new direct bone conduction device, the BAHA BP100, that delivers significant improvements in speech understanding in noisy situations (about 25%) and better bone conduction hearing performance than ever before. It can also integrate with other lifestyle accessories such as iPods and Bluetooth adapters. Geoffrey Baird spoke with audiologist Anthea Arkcoll about the new device - listen to the Podcast or Read More