iPod and iTunes

How to Force Quit Applications on the iPhone/iPod Touch

2010-03-17T09:24:00.001+08:00

The iPhone may be known for its incredible stability, but even it occasionally suffers from a frozen or non-responsive app every once and a while. Luckily, there is a simple way to force quit these applications. Think of it as a ctrl+alt+delete or option+shift+command+escape for your iPhone or iPod Touch.

There are actually two different ways to do this, depending upon the version of the iPhone or iPod Touch OS that you are running. I’d tell you how to go into settings and check which version are are running, but it is actually much more simple just to try one, and if it doesn’t work, then you need to use the other. If you really need a way to tell, try swiping your home screen (the one with all of the icons) all the way to the left. If you find the Spotlight search page to the left of your first page of icons, then you want option number one here. If you don’t find that search page, then you want option number two:

1. For devices running 3.0 or later – Press and hold the hold button (on the top of your device) until the “Slide to power off” slider comes up. Then, hold the home button (the one on the front of your device which takes you back to the apps screen) for about 6 seconds, or until you see the currently running application close. Congrats, you’ve performed a force quit.
2. For devices running software before 3.0 – Just press and hold the home button for about 6 seconds, or until the see the currently running application close. Voila, no more frozen app.

It’s rare but every once and a while you may also need to force the device to shut down if it is completely unresponsive. This is also very simple. Just press the hold and home buttons at the same time and keep them held until your device turns off (this will take about 10-15 seconds).

Apple battery replacement program

2010-03-16T06:58:00.008+08:00

Apple has launched a program for replacing the batteries (with a maturity of up to 10 hours) when they are about to die. For $ 99 plus expenses, the tablet will be replaced with iPad Refurbished and fully functional.

The house of Cupertino were in hot news few weeks back as it has launched a lawsuit against Taiwan’s HTC, which produces terminal Android multitouch. A few months before Apple had rejected an App (an ad hoc program) of the house in Mountain View for Google Voice equip the iPhone, while there was a battle between two giants to win the AdMob, which specializes in online advertising, blown the last minute by Google to Apple. The two giants continue to work together, but everyone is wondering how long. There is integration between the iPhone and Google Maps, but it attaches to the house of Cupertino’s intention to abandon the search engine in Mountain View for Bing, that developed by the (former) rival Microsoft.

Jaibreaking 3.1.3 using Snowbreeze

2010-03-15T14:07:00.001+08:00

The final version of Sn0wbreeze 3.1.3 V1.4 is now available for download. This minor update fixes the iPhone 3GS issue which was hampering users in the last release. It also brings support for iPod touch 1G. For those of you who don’t know, Sn0wbreeze is a jailbreaking tool like blackra1n, redsn0w and PwnageTool for iPhone and iPod touch which can be used to create custom .ipsw files.
Sn0wbreeze supports jailbreaking on iPhone 2G/3G/3GS(old bootrom and non-MC) and iPod touch 1G. iPod touch 2G and 3G are not supported at the moment.
For iPhone 3.1.2 firmware, you can use blackra1n, PwnageTool, redsn0w, sn0wbreeze, ultrasn0w and blacksn0w to jailbreak and unlock your iPhone and iPod touch.

Check out the step-by-step instructions here.

iPad pre-booking: 120K in Day 1

2010-03-15T08:58:00.000+08:00

The long-awaited iPad through Apple's online store has began. Last Friday in the United States, the pre-booking has started and there were 120,000 iPad booking in the first day.

Microsoft said that it is as “exciting and revolutionary and those Google Android also interesting with models priced from $ 199."

But the success of iPad, at least according to early sales figures, already seems unstoppable: 120 thousand ipads sold in one day, and online only mean. about 75 million turnover in just 24 hours. Indeed, the data refer only to sales made online and not in the physical Apple Store in all major cities in the United States where it counts that have been purchased at least 20 thousand pieces.

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JonQBX

iPad is like Super Pumpkin in Farmville

2010-01-28T11:29:00.000+08:00

It's out -- Apple has launched iPAD. It's like the current trend in Farmville today, the super Pumpkin! Apple's newest gadget is like an oversized iPod touch.

It's a half-inch thick, weighs only 1.5 pounds and is sporting at 9.7 inch screen. Pretty close to all those rumors floating around the web this week. The iPad has an incredible 10 hours of battery life and one month of standby. It comes standard with a built in mic, speakers, Bluetooth, WI-Fi as well as an accelerometer and a compass. You can also purchase a keyboard dock if the virtual keyboard doesn't do it for you. You also have a 3G option that runs on AT&T for connection on the go. Data plans start at $14.99 and an unlimited plan for $29.99 a month. No contract. Every iPad is unlocked and comes with a GSM "micro-SIM" so you can use it abroad. It also comes standard with iTunes, iWork and an ereader called iBook. It can run all of your current iPhone apps and syncs seamlessly with your Mac.

Pricing starts at $499 for 16GB, 32 GB for $599 and 64GB for $699. Adding 3G will cost you $130 per model. (64GB 3G will cost $829)

The Wi-Fi devices will ship in 60 days, 3G in 90.

We've got to see if there will be video camera add-on for video conferencing. iPad will surely put a considerable cut on Kindle's market share. So start saving, it will be out in 2 months or less.

iPod Touch app downloads higher than iPhone

2009-12-29T16:59:00.001+08:00

Christmas purchases of iPod Touch have really affected the App Store statistics, as Flurry Analytics has reported. The mobile analytic firm recorded a considerable surge in app downloads coming from iPod Touch users with 172% difference on iPhone app downloads during the Christmas holidays.

Flurry merged with Pinch Media December 23, creating what both companies called the leading and iPhone monetization and analytics service that covers 80 percent of iPhone, iPod touch, and Android devices. The deal came a month and a half after Google snapped AdMob for $750 million, providing Google with access to the network of 15,000 AdMob-powered mobile sites and apps, thousands of advertisers, and – most importantly, important App Store metrics.

Read more

Best iPod Touch Deals

2009-12-01T17:02:00.000+08:00

Apple — iPod lovers, Rejoice. Now you can accessorize you iPod Touch, iPhones, and Apple Macs as Apple is offering great savings on all online stores this Cyber Monday.
Not just this, Amazon.com is offering the best iPod Touch deal at amazingly reduced prices this Monday. It is probably one of the hottest deals offered by any retailers to its online buyers. The 8 GBiPod Touch which is otherwise sold at $199 will be available at $154 on Amazon.
Apart from Amazon deals, Apple is offering great deals on all its items available on online stores. The saving offerings which started on Thanksgiving will be wrapped up by Apple onCyber Monday. The 16 GB iPod Touch will be available at an amazing price of $199 while other editions of iPod are also being sold at discounted prices. All Apple products will be shipped for free. Since the holiday season is going on, Apple is offering personalized engravings too. The buyer can request for a personalized engravings on theiPod Touch, iPod nano, and IPod Classics.
Apple is also offering signature gift wrappings on all purchases. In addition to the savings on products, Apple Inc. is offering discounts on accessories too. All the sales and discounts will end at midnight Monday November, 30.
In case you miss the Apple’s Cyber Monday deals, you can always visit other websites to get advantage of these offerings. Many websites e.g. Wal-Mart are offering savings and discounts till Christmas. Happy Online Shopping!

How to view your iTunes account from your iPod Touch or iPhone

2009-11-27T10:58:00.000+08:00

1. Click on the Settings icon

2. Scroll to the very bottom of the Settings menu and select “Store”

3. Click “View Account” to see your account from the current device.

Source: modmyi.com

Gameloft’s Black Friday Deals

2009-11-26T11:23:00.000+08:00

IPhone, IPod Touch, and mobile game developer and publisher Gameloft is cutting the price of 7 of its iPhone games. The special deal will run until Sunday November 29th.

Games getting a price cut in honor of Black Friday include Terminator Salvation, Shrek Kart, Blades of Fury, Real Tennis 2009, Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes, Castle of Magic, and Hero of Sparta.

All of these titles are available for a limited time, for the low price of $0.99 cents each. Gameloft games for iPhone and iPod Touch are available on the App Store now.

For more information on these and other Gameloft games, visit www.gameloft.com

iPod Touch with camera in 2010

2009-11-26T09:44:00.000+08:00

Apple’s iPod Touch may still be in line for a camera, according to renewed rumours online. We heard rumours of Apple working on a camera-toting iPod Touch in September but now the whispers are back…

According to an “inside source”, who spoke to the LA Gadgets Examiner, Apple did plan to launch an iPod Touch with a camera in September. However, quality control issues allegedly nixed its arrival.

iPod Touch teardown shots have already shown that the device has space for a camera in amongst its digital guts so this speculation sounds convincing. But, of course, it’s easy to claim an “inside source” as Apple never comments on speculation.

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Rumor or not this is something that many iPod Touch fans are clamouring. The next generation iPod Touch should include the same camera as that of iPod Nano. But should this happen, will Apple restrict video recording in iPod Touch as it has done with iPod Nano?

JonQBX

New Ipod Nano Rates Well with Young Radio Listeners

2009-10-14T19:16:00.000+08:00

A survey from Vision Critical Communications shows that the interactive features of the FM tuner in Apple's new Ipod Nano show potential to energize interest among younger demographics who are the heaviest users of MP3 players. The online survey of 1,185 American parallels results of the same survey conducted among Canadian and British adults.

Key findings
The interactive features of the FM tuner generate considerable interest-particularly among 18-34 year-olds. When presented with the specific features of the FM tuner, 47 percent of Americans aged 18 and older say they are "very interested" in the ability to pause and rewind songs they hear on the radio. This rises to 66 percent among 18-34 year-olds.

Seeing the name of the song using the Nano's RBDS display also has strong appeal. In all, 41 percent of Americans and 55 percent of 18-34 year-olds express an active interest in this feature.

Consumers show somewhat less interest in the ability to tag songs for future purchase. 28 percent of Americans aged 18 and older are "very interested" in this feature, but this increases to 45 percent of 18-34 year olds.

Of the five features from the new Ipod Nano that were presented in the survey, American adults rank an FM tuner #3 in terms of overall interest. American adults in general show greater active interest in the Nano's larger display screen (with 46 percent indicating they are "very" interested) and the new video camera (45 percent "very" interested) than in an FM tuner (34 percent) when the tuner is presented on its own prior to mentioning its specific features. Interest in an FM tuner is however well above the active interest expressed in the voice recorder (21 percent) and the pedometer (17 percent).

Interest in and usage of MP3 players and the Ipod Nano are highest among 18-34 year-olds. 32 percent of 18-34 year-olds report listening "daily" to MP3s. This compares to only 14 percent of all Americans aged 18 and older. 15 percent of 18-34 year-olds say they currently use an Ipod Nano vs. 8 percent of American adults in general.

From Sept. 10 - 13, 2009, Vision Critical Communications conducted an online survey among a representative sample of 2,768 adults in the United States, the UK and Canada. The three-country studies were conducted with representative national samples selected from the Angus Reid Forum (Canada), Springboard America and Springboard UK. The three panels are made of respondents recruited in each country exclusively by Vision Critical.

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Just about when I think that the mp3 players have doomed the FM radio broadcasting industry, comes this interesting survey. This age bracket has been the trendsetter in this era.

JonQBX

JonQBX

FM in iPod Touch?

2009-10-14T09:12:00.001+08:00

Apple-oriented website 9to5mac: Apple Intelligence reports that it's received a tip that a radio application is being developed in-house by Apple for the iPhone and iPod touch. The site says, "From what we know, the app will be allowed to operate in the background .. and will offer the same functionality as the FM radio in the new iPod nanos."

The site's sources say the holdup is that Apple is trying to integrate iTunes purchases into the program, allowing listeners to get information and purchase songs as they play. That would be an extension of the iTunes-integrated song-tagging feature that works with HD Radio receivers.

9to5Mac points out that iPods and iPhones can already receive FM signals, but the ability has only used in the iPod + Nike functions so far.

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This should come handy since iPhone 3GS and the new nano have already this feature. Microsoft has already this in their Zune. In the Philippines, the first commercial HD radio broadcast was in 2006 by Radio Mindanao Network's FM station 93.9 DWKC.

JonQBX

Rock Band launches iPhone and iPod Touch app

2009-10-13T08:33:00.000+08:00

Foo Fighters, Pixies, Beastie Boys are already confirmed for the mobile game

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Rock Band has announced it is to launch an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Details of the deal were announced by game developer EA Mobile on its Facebook page. According to the post, the app is to be released later this month. Users can play guitar, drums, bass or sing vocals, and also to launch multiplayer games with up to four people taking part simultaneously.

20 tracks have been confirmed for the app, including the likes of Pixies, Foo Fighters, Motorhead, Blondie and Smashing Pumpkins.

The full tracklisting for Rock Band on the iPhone and iPod Touch is:

30 Seconds To Mars – 'Attack'
AFI – 'Girls Not Grey'
All American Rejects – 'Move Along'
Beastie Boys – 'Sabotage'
Blink-182 – 'All The Small Things'
Blondie – 'Hanging on the Telephone'
Foo Fighters – 'Learn To Fly'
Foo Fighters – 'Everlong'
George Thorogood & the Destroyers – 'Bad to The Bone'
Jethro Tull – 'Hymn 43'
Joan Jett – 'Bad Reputation'
Lynyrd Skynyrd – 'Simple Man'
Motorhead – 'Ace of Spades '08'
Pixies – 'Debaser'
Presidents of The United States of America – 'Ladybug'
Rise Against – 'Give It All'
Silversun Pickups – 'Lazy Eye'
Smashing Pumpkins – 'Cherub Rock'
Steve Miller Band – 'Take The Money and Run'
The Go Gos – 'We Got The Beat'

OS 3.1.2 released

2009-10-12T22:26:00.001+08:00

It has been over a month since the last iPhone OS update was released from our favorite fruit-themed toymaker. (Your favorite maybe. sub.ed.) Nevertheless, the software engineers are back on the job with a fresh update for both iPod and iPhone consisting of several anticipated bug fixes from an assortment of problems users have been faced with.

Most notably, the 3.1.2 update resolves a sporadic issue with the iPhone that may cause the device not to wake from sleep. We have personally experienced this unpleasant bug and it was a fatal misfortune to have dealt with while networking with friendly new business contacts, only to find the device in “coma mode” and unresponsive until synchronized again.

The second critical OS code correction resolves an intermittent issue that may interrupt cellular services until the device is restarted. While we are not confident that this might also resolve random signal drops when idle for long periods of time, it will definitely be wort hour time to investigate.

Finally, the 3.1.2 update addresses a bug that can cause occasional application crashing or OS lock-ups during video streaming. This issue has been reported consistently in the past, but some further issues with AT&T’s network may still persist.

On another note, jail breaking for this update is currently in development and iPod or iPhone users with jailbroken devices are not advised to apply the vanilla 3.1.2 update until official word has been posted by the internet famous dev teams.

Photoshop App for iPod

2009-10-12T08:26:00.000+08:00

Adobe have officially announced the availability of its new Photoshop app, known as Photoshop.com Mobile, for both the iPhone and iPod Touch which, apart from being billed as offering a convenient way to edit photos, apply effects and share images instantly with friends — all with the flick of a finger.

The new iPhone/iPod Touch Photoshop App, brings a wide variety of tools to your fingertips encompassing basic functions such as image cropping, resizing and rotating as well as more complex image editing functions such taking in image fine tuning (exposure, tint and vibrancy, for example) as well as providing an array of special effects that are sure to assist you in making your imagery ‘pop’ such as blurring and sketch (renders your image as though it have been drawn – obviously).

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This expands the functionality of iPhone/iPod Touch...or is it Photoshop expanding it's way to the mobile arena? What do you think?

JonQBX

iTunes on your TV?

2009-10-02T16:06:00.000+08:00

With the enormous success of Apple selling 8.5 billion music online through iTunes, technology designers are on the rat-race in finding ways to ride the digital wave. Statistics show that 2.5 TV shows and 0.33 movie are downloaded on an average by each App Store customer. Compared to 85 downloads for music. It's apparent that videos are not the "turf" of iPods. So why not put iTunes on your TV?

Businessweek's Arik Hesseldahl blogs:

Apple should consider making iTunes an ingredient brand by embedding it as an application on smart TVs from other manufacturers. Yes I understand this is a heresy, but hear me out.

Imagine the possibilities: TV sets will be marketed with "iTunes inside" and boast a remote control that itself includes an iTunes button. Pushing the button triggers something very similar to the AppleTV experience, and contain links to the iTunes Store, allowing movies, TV shows, and music to be downloaded directly to the TV set and even shared with the nearest PC, iPod, and iPhone. AppleTV could be a feature on TVs from Samsung, Vizio, and—dare I suggest it?—even Sony (SNE), among others.

How might it happen? Apple could build and design an iTunes module using a microprocessor designed by PA Semi, the chip company it acquired in 2008, and the other chips necessary to embed iTunes software directly into the TV. Throw in some flash memory for storage, a network interface for wireless and wired connections, and offer the whole package as an add-on to TV manufacturers.

At this point you're probably thinking Apple is giving away more than it should. The margins on this iTunes module would be lower than if Apple made its own TVs—a low-margin business if there ever was one. But Apple would likely sell fewer units of the Apple TV set than many companies could sell of TV sets with "iTunes inside."

And yes, I realize this would be a fundamental departure from Apple's typical business model. ITunes, after all, exists primarily not to sell content but to give people who buy iPhones and iPods something to do with those devices. But imagine how many new iTunes accounts might be created. And if you've never owned an iPod before, and happen to buy a TV with "iTunes inside," you may be motivated to buy one. The universe of potential iPod and iPhone buyers will grow.
Ironing Out the Details

The trick of course will be in convincing content owners, especially TV networks and their affiliates, to allow iTunes video to be seen on the big screen. If you can pay $2.99 for that episode of Glee and watch it on the main TV set in your house, there's a smaller chance you'll tune in on Thursdays at 9, and thus see the ads that Fox (NWS) has sold against it. Why do you think online TV site Hulu has had such a hard time keeping its programming out of Boxee, an open-source video entertainment application that's all the rage among the early-adopter set (and installed by technically adept AppleTV owners).

And granted, this plan has some fundamental technical questions that I can't fully answer. For one: Won't the storage boost the cost to build the TV, thus boosting the retail price? Moreover, how do you easily get the Internet connection to the TV? And, of course, Apple's consumer strategy is all about selling hardware that runs great software and about controlling the entire experience from beginning to end. It's not selling chips to third-party hardware vendors à la Intel (INTC).

Doing this would require a wide-ranging philosophical shift in the mind of Steve Jobs and his executive team.

Next month will mark eight years since Apple unveiled the first iPod and thus set out on its quest to remake the music industry. Video is proving more difficult for all concerned. The way things stand now, Apple stands a chance of losing the unfolding battle for control of the digital living room. To borrow a phrase from its history, to turn the tide it will need to think different.

Palm Pre backs away from Apple iTunes

2009-10-01T20:39:00.000+08:00

The long-running feud over the Palm Pre's ability to sync with Apple's iTunes may have come to an end. Or not.

On Monday, Palm announced its latest update to the Pre's webOS operating system. Conspicuously absent from the announcement was any mention of what the company calls "media sync" - the ability for Palm's smartphone to mimic an iPod when connected to iTunes.

On Tuesday, a Palm spokeswoman confirmed to The Reg that "webOS 1.2 did not reestablish media sync with iTunes."

Palm and Apple have been playing hide the salami with iTunes syncing since the Pre shipped in June. First syncing was in, then it was out. Then in. Then out.

Palm tried to get the USB Implementers Forum, guardian of all things Universal Serial Bus, to rule that Apple was unfairly locking the Pre out of iTunes, but that effort came to naught last week when the USB-IF took Apple's side in the syncing spat.

And now with the introduction of a webOS update that leaves iTunes syncing unsynced, Palm appears to have thrown in the towel.

But Palm won't admit that its media sync days are over. As the company spokeswoman told us, "We never comment on what might or might not be on our product roadmap."

source: TheRegister.co.uk

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Will a rival app for iTunes is on the way? This will be interesting.

JonQBX

iTunes 9 update fixes podcast syncing, app sorting, and more

2009-10-01T05:29:00.000+08:00

Last week, Apple released iTunes 9.0.1, which addresses a number of iPhone syncing issues as well as making some performance and stability improvements.

During our first hands-on look of iTunes 9, we noted two problems with podcast episodes being listed in random order and being unable to arrange certain apps based on their being checkmarked and therefore set to sync to the iPhone or iPod Touch in question.

Later, we discovered more problems with syncing in general, including wrong episodes being synced to playlists containing podcasts, podcasts failing to sync, etc. Smart Playlists, according to users, were generally messed up and did not behave as expected.

iTunes 9.0.1 has addressed all of these issues with the exception of the Smart Playlist problem. Podcasts are now properly synced, podcast episodes display in the correct order, and you can arrange apps regardless of their sync status.

The temporary workaround for new or existing Smart Playlists that no longer work as they used to is to uncheck "Live updating" in the settings.

iTunes 9.0.1 also addresses other issues, including performance issues that can lead to iTunes freezing or unexpectedly quitting, problems browsing the iTunes Store, and improved app syncing for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The update is available from Software Update or via direct download from Apple's downloads page for both Mac or PC.

source: CNet.com

The top 10 singles and albums on iTunes

2009-10-01T04:26:00.000+08:00

iTunes' top 10 selling singles and albums of the week ending Sept. 21, 2009:

Singles:

1. "Party In the U.S.A.," Miley Cyrus

2. "Whatcha Say," Jason DeRulo

3. "I Gotta Feeling," Black Eyed Peas

4. "Paparazzi," Lady GaGa

5. "Down," Jay Sean

6. "Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)," Jay-Z

7. "Run This Town (feat. Rihanna & Kanye West)," Jay-Z

8. "Cowboy Casanova," Carrie Underwood

9. "Forever," Drake, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Kanye West

10. "Use Somebody," Kings of Leon

Albums:

1. "Backspacer," Pearl Jam

2. "The Blueprint 3," Jay-Z

3. "Life Starts Now," Three Days Grace

4. "Church Music," David Crowder Band

5. "The Boy Who Knew Too Much," MIKA

6. "Draw the Line," David Gray

7. "Daisy," Brand New

8. "Monsters of Folk," Monsters of Folk

9. "The Resistance," Muse

10. "War is the Answer," Five Finger Death Punch

source: The Associated Press

'New Moon' Soundtrack: iTunes Launches Preorder, Four Bonus Tracks

2009-09-30T15:39:00.000+08:00

Posted 11 hrs ago by Amy Wilkinson in Movie News, Movies, Music News, Twilight Forever!

No doubt you were already super psyched about the October 20 release of the hotly anticipated "New Moon" soundtrack, but now you have four new reasons to be excited: four just-announced bonus tracks!

Pre-ordering for the soundtrack launched today on iTunes and when you purchase the album, you'll also receive four extra songs: Lupe Fiasco's "Solar Midnite," The Magic Numbers And Amadou & Mariam's "All I Believe In," APM Orchestra's-Die Fledermaus's "Duettino: Ach, ich darf nicht hin zu dir" and Ulf Bastlein's "Wandrers Nachtlied II, Op. 96, No. 3, D.768," in addition to the music video for Death Cab for Cutie's "Meet Me On The Equinox". Along with your iTunes order, you'll receive an immediate download of Anya Marina's track "Satellite Heart."

Anya debuted her melancholy ditty yesterday on her MySpace page, and we're digging it. Our first impressions of the soundtrack's sixth song? To be honest, we giggled! The opening lines—So pretty/so smart/what a waste of a young heart/What a pity/what a sham/what's the matter with your man?—sound like they came straight from the wolf's mouth, no? In my opinion, this is a "Jacob song" for sure. Anya's whispery vocals and plucky guitar playing make this quiet song the perfect backdrop for a tender Bella- Jacob moment, methinks.

The track is nestled snugly between The Killers' "A White Demon Love Song" and Muse's "I Belong To You ('New Moon' Remix)," and though we have yet to hear either track (you can listen to an un-remixed version of "I Belong To You" here), we bet Anya's sweet song will be a bit of a palate cleanser between the two (likely) more rousing numbers.

"New Moon" is not the first soundtrack to feature Anya's name in the liner notes. If you're a fan of the soapy medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," you've likely heard her song "Miss Halfway" off of the second volume of the series' Grammy-nominated soundtrack. It's no coincidence Anya's appeared on both albums, since they share the same musical supervisor—Alexandra Patsavas—who's also known for her work on "The O.C." and "Gossip Girl."

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Let me know if you'll be among the first to download these bonus tracks.

JonQBX

iTunes App Store hits 2 billion "apps" download

2009-09-29T23:59:00.000+08:00

IPhone and iPod touch owners have downloaded 2 billion "apps" from Apple's iTunes App Store, the Cupertino company reported today.

More than 85,000 software applications, or apps, are available for downloading, Apple said in a statement. Some of the apps can be downloaded for free, and others for a fee.

"The rate of App Store downloads continues to accelerate with users downloading a staggering 2 billion apps in just over a year, including more than half a billion apps this quarter alone," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in the statement.

According to a Bloomberg News report today quoting Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi, Apple pulls in $60 million to $110 million in revenue a quarter from its App Store.

Apple launched the App Store in July 2008. Since then, makers of rival smart-phones including Palm, which makes the Pre, and Research In Motion, which makes BlackBerry phones, have started their own app stores.

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iPod has not only revolutionized the music industry but even the way portable apps exponentially boomed. The market is really going-gaga on this small technology.

JonQBX

Can You Hear Me Now? iPod Volume Restrictions On The Way

2009-09-29T16:58:00.000+08:00

Have you heard? iPods in Europe are about to get a lot more quiet. Regulators have released a new set of standards governing how loud portable music players can go, and that means the default max volume is going take a big dip from where it currently sits.

The EU's New MP3 Player Policy

The European Commission's new policy will require iPods and other MP3 players to have a default maximum volume of 80 decibels. That's considered a "very loud" level by most sound rankings; anything above that mark can be potentially dangerous. Presently, most MP3 players go as loud as 115 to 125 decibels.

For some fun comparisons, we turn to the U.S. National Institute On Deafness And Other Communications Disorders (apparently, every shorter agency name was already taken). According to the, er, USNIODAOCD:

• 80 decibels is equivalent to the level of noise you'd hear on a busy city street;

• 90 decibels is lawnmower-like loudness;

• 110 is as ear-shattering as a loud rock concert;

• 120 to 130 matches the level of an airliner taking off -- or, in less technical terms, "GET USED TO PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVING TO SHOUT AT YOU!"

Some Volume Limit Limitations

Now, the new European MP3 volume policy won't make it impossible to pump up the jam (even if you do make dated references to subpar dance tunes) -- it'll just make it more difficult.

With the new restrictions, MP3 player-makers will only have to preset their devices' default max volumes. They will, however, have the option of allowing users to disable that default and venture into deafening territory, albeit with some sort of warning about the eardrum-puncturing delights that may occur.

So what would this warning actually entail? Per the EU statement:

"A dequate warnings for consumers on the risks involved, and on ways to avoid them, including the situation when the original set of earphones is replaced with another type and this causes higher unsafe sound levels. The mandate is not prescriptive in terms of how this is done. Industry solutions could include, for example, labels or digital information on the screen."

(I'm pretty sure they meant "adequate," not "a dequate." Because, I'll be honest, I have no idea what "a dequate warning" would be.)

source: PCworld
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Frankly, I think this is just gonna be ending to deaf ears (no pun intended). There's no clear cut restrictions on harming oneself. Just take smoking for example, nobody is jailed for over-smoking, but maybe from smoking on non-smoking zone.

But the warning is legit. One could really harm his auditory sensors with misuse, especially when used by children. In any case, you can always use an amplifier to soothe your raging ear-shattering craving for music. You hear that?

JonQBX

Ferrari 430 Spider in Fuji Speedway shot with iPod Nano video taped on front bumper

2009-09-24T13:05:00.000+08:00

Courtesy of Hideki Francis Onda comes the best demo of the iPod's camera that I've seen to date. The iPod was taped to the front bumper of a Ferrari, and the resulting video (taken at Fuji Speedway) is below. Keep an eye out for the spinning Porsche at the 2:45 mark.

New iPod Nano With Camera Banned From Many Gyms

2009-09-24T11:20:00.000+08:00

Ah, the humble iPod Nano. Choosen by many athletes because of the ability to carry tons of songs anywhere without having to carry a heavy and bulky device. Two of the new features that are appealing to many athletes and everyone for that matter is the pedometer and the built-in video camera. Alas, the latter feature is causing somewhat of a controversy in gyms. Due to the Nano’s subtle way [it's a small device] of capturing video, it has been banned from many gyms. It’s reasonable, gyms are just trying to respect the privacy of all those naked people walking around. They’re probably making a big deal out it though. How are all these athletes going to work out without their precious music?

Has your gym asked you to stop bringing your iPod Nano with camera?

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Hmmm... I gotta be a little bit careful in the gym now. I don't want to be a YouTube sensation. LOL.

JonQBX

Bug fixes for the new iTunes 9 -- version 9.0.1 released

2009-09-23T08:46:00.000+08:00

ITunes 9 released 2 weeks ago, has a number of new features and improvements such as Home Sharing support, allowed iPhone and iPod Touch users to organize their iPhone home screens directly in iTunes and lots more.. However, the version has encountered some minor setbacks which Apples has promptly addressed in their new bug fix version.

Today Apple released a minor update to iTunes. The new version is iTunes 9.0.1 and is available now for download.

The update brings some minor enhancements listed below:

Resolves issues browsing the iTunes Store.
Addresses a performance issue where iTunes may become unresponsive.
Fixes a problem where iTunes may unexpectedly quit.
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.
The update is available on Apple’s website, the Apple Software Update tool or through Mac System Update.

Jailbreakers and Unlockers should avoid the update to iTunes 9.0.1 until further notice.