Easy Ipod Blog

In News today from the Washington Times its been revealed that Mrs Bush is an Avid iPod Fan

Here is an extract from the interview!!!!

“Mrs. Bush also revealed that her IPod listening includes songs by Tina Turner and Dolly Parton. She said her musical tastes are somewhat different from those of her husband.
“He likes country music a little bit more than I do, although I actually really am very fond of country music, as well,” she said. “One of the songs on my IPod that I love is Dolly Parton singing ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ So that’s sort of a combination, country and pop.”

Amazing whatever will the accessory makers come up with next, Levi today announced jeans with an iPod docking station built in!!! Not sure if you will want to wash these!!

Here is the Levi press release.

SAN FRANCISCO (January 10, 2006) –The Levi’s® brand, the denim authority, is launching a wearable technology revolution with the introduction of new Levi’s® RedWire™ DLX Jeans available worldwide in fall 2006. Designed for both men and women, the jeans seamlessly integrate iPod plug and play technology giving music enthusiasts the most innovative and fashionable way to enjoy music on the go. The jean is designed to be compatible with most iPod systems and features include a special joystick incorporated into the jeans’ watch pocket to enable easy operation of the iPod.

“The Levi’s® RedWire™ DLX Jean is the latest extension of the Levi’s® brand leadership position by merging fashion and technology that provides consumers with the most innovative way to enhance their portable, digital music lifestyle,” said Robert Hanson, Levi’s® U.S. brand president. “In designing the jeans we considered both function and fashion – the result is a uniquely functional, yet stylish, great fitting jean.”

Design features include:
Easy Pocket Storage – An iPod docking cradle is built into the jeans and is “invisibly” housed within a side pocket. The Levi’s® design team took special care to ensure the iPod unit remains neatly and securely stored in the jean, while the iPod “bump” in the pocket is virtually eliminated. The cradle is equipped with sophisticated technology housed in a red conductive ribbon that allows users to quickly and easily remove their iPod from the pocket to view its screen while staying connected. The jean is machine washable once the iPod is removed.

“Hip” Controls – A special joystick remote control is externally designed into the jeans’ watch pocket to enable operation of the iPod. Four-way controls allow the wearer to easily play/pause, track forward, track back and adjust the volume control without ever removing the iPod from the pocket.

Handy Wire Retractor – A handy retractable headphone unit has been built directly into the jean to help prevent tangles and efficiently manage the iPod earphone wires.

The new Levi’s® RedWire™ DLX jeans have been developed to be practical and leading-edge in their aesthetic. A crisp white leather patch and joystick, bluffed back pockets with hidden stitching, and clean minimalist buttons and rivets allude to the iPod’s famously pure design. Special care has been taken to marry the physical design with a great-fitting jean.

NILES, IL and Las Vegas (CES South Hall 3, Booth #30349), January 5, 2006 - Shure Incorporated raises the bar in the CE market with the launch of the E500 Sound IsolatingTM Earphones, the new flagship for the award-winning E Series product line. Setting a new standard for sound isolating and noise-canceling headphones, the E500 Earphones are precision-engineered for audiophiles and include an innovative “Push-to-Hear” option that lets you alternate between complete isolation and your connection with the outside world.

What HDTV has done to the experience of watching television, the E500’s Triple Hi-Definition Drivers will do for audio. Utilizing three miniature speakers-one tweeter and two woofers-the E500 lets you experience precise highs and the richest lows that are true to live performance. Delivered in a tiny “in-ear” package with a sleek and comfortable new bronze metallic design, these earphones represent the ultimate audio experience at home or on the go.

An industry first for sound-isolating earphones, the E500 is available packaged with Shure’s new modular Push-to-Hear (PTH) accessory. Designed to allow consumers to alternate between complete immersion in their music or a connection with outside ambient sounds, the Push-to-Hear Control activates an external microphone and mutes the music. Perfect for brief conversations at work or when traveling, Shure’s PTH is also sold separately and can be used with any sound isolating earphones.

“IDC forecasts that the portable compressed audio (MP3) player market will grow from over 105 million units shipped worldwide in 2005 to nearly 182 million in 2009,” said Susan Kevorkian, Program Manager, IDC Consumer Markets: Audio, “The audio accessories best positioned to capitalize on this trend will be those that not only enhance the listening experience, but also complement the inspired design that is a hallmark of the portable MP3 player category.”*

Leveraging personal monitor technology previously available only to professional musicians, the E500 offers the following features and benefits:

* Unparalleled Acoustic Accuracy: The E500 is the first in Shure’s earphone line to utilize 3 miniature precision-engineered drivers — one tweeter and two woofers — to offer the most accurate audio reproduction for the ultimate in precision highs and the richest lows.
* Sound Isolating Design/Personalized Fit and Comfort: Proven more effective than noise-cancellation, Shure’s sound isolating earphones block 30-37dB of outside noise with a good seal. Leveraging soft, flexible sleeves that contour to the inside of the ear for the best possible fit and maximum comfort during wear, the E500 blocks outside noise to prevent it from interfering with the audio experience.
* Low-Profile Industrial Design: This is miniature technology at its best with sleek styling, bronze metallic casing, and a unique over-the-ear design to keep cables out of the way.
* Premium Accessories Kit: With 8 pair of sleeve options for a personalized fit, the E500 also offers modular cables for portable and home stereo listening.

“Shure has always been focused on using technology and design to deliver the best possible listening experience to our earphone customers,” said Mark Karnes, general manager of Shure’s Personal Audio Business Unit. “Building upon our rich professional heritage, Shure recognizes the qualities needed to create the ultimate refined audio product - innovative technology combined with cutting-edge design and maximum comfort. In the E500 and the PTH, we’ve delivered products that provide the purest of sound within a package that’s personalized for consumers’ lifestyles.”

Pricing and Availability
Priced at £399.00 , the E500-PTH will begin shipping in May and carries a two-year limited warranty.

Shure’s PTH accessory will also be sold separately for £49.00 and is compatible with Shure’s E500 or any other standard earphone.

Both products will be available for purchase on the Shure Web site, www.shure.com, as well as through select retail partners.

Apple filed its annual report (SEC form 10-K) filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission and what a year its been for iPod sales.

Net sales of iPods rose $3.2 billion, or 248 percent, during 2005 compared to 2004. The company said it sold 22.5 million iPods in fiscal 2005, an increase of 409 percent from the 4.4 million iPod sold in 2004. Apple has now shipped more than 30 million iPods since the device’s introduction four years ago.

“Strong sales of iPods during 2005 continued to be experienced in all of the company’s operating segments and was driven by strong demand for the iPod shuffle introduced in January 2005, the release of an updated version of the iPod mini in February 2005, the release of the iPod nano in September 2005, and expansion of the iPod’s distribution network,” Apple said in the filing.

Apple said that net sales of other music related products and services, which consists of sales associated with the iTunes Music Store and iPod accessories, increased $621 million, or 223 percent, compared to last year.

“The company has experienced strong growth in sales of iPod services and accessories consistent with the increase in overall iPod unit sales for 2005,” Apple said. “The increased sales from the iTunes Music Store is primarily due to substantial growth of net sales in the U.S. and expansion in Europe, Canada, and Japan.”

Amazing sales really I think the iPod will be even bigger in 2006 once the iPod video really comes into its own. I’m really looking forward to being able to download TV shows in the UK I think this will over time be huge.