Easy Ipod Blog

Xtrememac have released details of the upcoming Accent range for the iPod Video. Expect to see these in the UK at the end of February 2006, below are all the details we have from Xtrememac.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—JANUARY 2006—XtremeMac announced today that its popular TuffWrap Accent cases, the first multi-color silicone case designed with specific placement of different colors, are now available for iPod with video. Available in three vibrant color combinations, the cases offer impact-resistant protection and striking style. Unlike other cases that use uncontrolled color mixing or multiple layers to achieve a multi-color look, TuffWrap Accent is manufactured with two colors in distinct, contoured areas of the case. With this unique design, TuffWrap Accent offers both the style and protection that iPod owners look for.

TuffWrap Accent for iPod with video is currently available in three color combinationsÑblack/red, black/yellow, and blue/whiteÑthat complement the iPod’s distinctive design. The base color of the case is complemented by a contrasting mask that surrounds the screen and Click Wheel and runs down the back of the case.

“The response to our original TuffWrap Accent cases for the iPod nano has been tremendous,” said Gary Bart, CEO of XtremeMac. “We have experienced high levels of demand for a version of this case for the iPod with video and are pleased to now offer it to our customers.”

“We are thrilled about the new additions to our line of Iconz cases for iPod with video,” said Gary Bart, CEO of XtremeMac. “We have received an excellent response to these products and look forward to bringing additional teams and brands to our customers.”

TuffWrap Accent cases feature ribbed sides for a secure grip and carefully designed openings to ensure that all controls and ports are easily accessible. Each case ships with optional screen and Click Wheel protectors that provide play-though access to the iPod’s controls. TuffWrap Accent cases will begin shipping end of February and should sell for around £24.95 each.

With Podgear changing their name to GEAR4 what better way than to launch some new products. The first here is the Reserve Power pack similar to products launched by Griffin and Belkin. It has a very modern design that is very pleasing to the eye, this has the sleek look that your ipod derserves. Below are the details on the product from a Press release from GEAR4.

High Wycombe, UK, January 20th, 2006 – GEAR4, formerly PodGear™ - The new brand from Disruptive Technology Channels to cover more than just iPod accessories today announces the PocketPower – A reserve power pack for all iPod’s and any other USB device.

Tom Dudderidge, managing director, Disruptive Technology Channels, commented: “The PocketPower is the first of ten new exciting products to be launched within the next few weeks from GEAR4. The reserve power pack is perfect for anyone, who like myself, has the problem of electronic gadgets running out of juice whilst away from home or the office. The PocketPower comes complete with four AAA rechargeable batteries that can be charged via the USB on your computer, and then at the flick of a switch, they can provide power for your iPod or any other USB device. The PocketPower has the added advantage of being able to charge any electronic device with a USB charger slot, which highlights GEAR4’s gradual trend to diversify away from just iPod specific products”

Dudderidge continued, “The use of AAA batteries in the PocketPower means that it is more flexible than other lithium iron battery back-ups available on the market. If you don’t have access to a USB power source to charge up the PocketPower, you will be able to charge your iPod or phone just from normal AAA batteries. No longer will people have to travel in silence or miss that important telephone call.”

PocketPower for all iPod’s and other USB device’s – A 2 in 1 reserve power pack and AAA battery recharger for all iPod’s and other USB device’s. This sleek, sexy lightweight and portable power pack provides an additional 8 hours of playtime to your iPod, but will also work with any USB charging device such as cameras or phones. The PocketPower comes complete with 4 x AAA rechargeable batteries and male to male USB cable. The device also has bright LED torch built into it’s casing for added convenience.

The New York Daily News is reporting that Starbucks is planning to offer its customers the chance to purchase songs for their iPod with their Coffee. Customers at Starbucks may soon be able to say “I’ll take a Double Mocha Latte and fill up my iPod.”

“The ubiquitous coffee chain already sells music CDs with its coffees but soon may offer on-the-fly MP3 downloads.

“A lot of our customers are asking for device fill-up, and going forward we’ll do that,” said Ken Lombard, president of Starbucks Entertainment, at the Midem music industry conference in Cannes.

The chain hasn’t yet set a date for moving into music player downloads and is still talking to various companies about the technology, Lombard said. “

Tivoli has anounced that it will introduce its very popular iSongBook in Black to match the New versions of the iPod Nano and Video.

Here are details from the Tivoli website.
The iSongBook comes in a new shiny black and silver finish that matches the new black iPods. It is currently available to order and will begin shipping on January 23rd. Order today and be the first to own the new black iSongBook!

BBC is covering what we reported earlier on the huge rise in traffic to the itunes music store. Here is the coverage from the BBC

The popularity of Apple’s iPod has given a huge boost to the number of people visiting the iTunes music store, research shows.

Statistics gathered by Nielsen NetRatings shows that traffic to iTunes grew by 241% in 2005.

Between December 2004 and 2005 the numbers of people going to the site grew from 6.1 million to 20.7 million.

The figures mean that about 14% of the net’s active population are regularly using the iTunes service.

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“Consumers have clearly indicated that they are eager to control their own music libraries, one song at a time,” said Jon Gibs, director of media analytics at Nielsen NetRatings.

As well as looking at raw user numbers, Nielsen NetRatings also tried to find out who those users were.

The research revealed that teenagers aged between 12 and 17 years old made up a disproportionately large group of iTunes users. They were more than twice as likely to visit the music store than any other population group.

Nielsen also found a slight male bias in the iTunes audience as 54% of users were male.

Curiously, the market research firm also found that iTunes users comprise a readily identifiable audience in terms of their likes and dislikes for certain goods and services.

For instance, Nielsen said, iTunes users were 2.2 times more likely to own a Volkswagen than the average internet user. Audi and Subaru were also popular with regular users of the Apple store.

The research also revealed that the most popular alcohol drink was cider followed by imported beers. Top magazine among iTunes fans was hi-tech bible Wired.

Apple has revealed its fiscal first quarter results, which show a 64 per cent rise in revenues from $3.49 billion to $5.75 billion.

This was due in no small part to the shifting of more than 14 million iPods over the quarter, bringing the total number sold since launch to 42 million.

At the same time, sales of Apple Mac computers reached 1.25 million.

Chief executive, Steve Jobs, said that the sale of 14 million iPods had ensured Apple had its best ever quarter in the run-up to Christmas 2005, when many an iPod was bought as a present.

“We are working on more wonderful products for 2006, and I can’t wait to see what our customers think of them,” he continued.

Apple predicted second quarter revenue of $4.3 billion. Its shares more than doubled in 2005.

Nielsen//NetRatings has reported that traffic to the iTunes website and use of the iTunes application has “skyrocketed 241 percent over the past year, from 6.1 million unique visitors in December 2004 to 20.7 million in December 2005, reaching nearly 14 percent of the active Internet population.”

Nielsen said that teens are nearly twice as likely to visit the iTunes website and use the application as the average internet user. iTunes users are also more male—traffic is 54 percent male and 46 percent female. According to the study, iTunes users’ favorite car maker is Volkswagen, followed by Audi and Subaru. In terms of beverages, their alcohol of choice is hard cider, followed by imported and domestic beer. Favorite magazines include Wired, Rolling Stone and FHM, while they prefer Cartoon Network, HBO and BBC on TV.

Xtrememac are really going for it yet more accessories announced its nearly a new piece of kit from them everyday at the moment.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—JANUARY 2006—Leading iPod accessories manufacturer XtremeMac today announced the debut of HomeShow and RoadShow, two new cable kits that turn the new iPod with video and other iPod players into powerful home or auto entertainment centers.

At home, XtremeMac’s HomeShow cable package supports connection of iPods to nearly any kind of speaker or video playback device. RoadShow, on the other hand, is an all-in-one cable that connects iPod with video to in-vehicle DVD entertainment systems as well as the vehicle’s DC power system. Specific capabilities include:
HomeShow for all iPods

HomeShow is a complete 4-piece home audio/video connection kit that gives iPod owners everything they need to play their content through home entertainment systems. The Home Theater Cable is a composite cable (red/white/yellow) that connects the iPod with video to any television or home theater component; the Home Audio Cable connects any iPod to a home audio system. The Auxiliary Audio Cable connects any iPod to stereos or computer speakers, while the handy Audio Splitter allows users to connect two pairs of earbuds to the same iPod for listening with a friend.
RoadShow™ for iPod with video

RoadShow lets iPod with video owners share their music and video files when traveling using portable or in-vehicle DVD players. The rugged eight-foot integrated cable, plugs into the car’s 12-volt accessory outlet for charging, then links the iPod with video to the DVD unit via composite audio/video connectors.

“The iPod is today’s ultimate portable entertainment device,” said Gary Bart, CEO of XtremeMac. “HomeShow and RoadShow let you easily integrate the iPod into your home entertainment system or into portable or automobile DVD entertainment systems.”

Xtrememac are really going for it this year and here at blog.easyipod.co.uk/ we feel by the end of the year they could be the largest iPod Accessory Manufactorer in the world.

Here are details on what looks like one of the most useful accessories of the year so far.

Leading iPod accessory manufacturer XtremeMac debuted another new product on day three of Macworld Conference and Expo with the announcement if its new MicroPack battery pack for all Dock connector iPods. Capable of providing up to five times as much audio playback time as a fully charged iPod nano, MicroPack also serves as a syncing dock when connected to a computer via USB cable. Depending on iPod model and settings, MicroPack can provide up to 80 hours of audio playback for the iPod nano and up to 8 hours of video playback for the iPod with video.

MicroPack is encased in a sleek, compact housing that features an integrated Universal Dock for iPod to accommodate any size iPod with a Dock connector. MicroPack is designed to position the iPod at a precise angle for optimal viewing, serving as a convenient base for the iPod while watching video content. In addition, MicroPack offers dual headphone ports with independent volume controls so that two people can watch and share the same video and audio content.

“MicroPack is a perfect travel companion for the iPod,” said Gary Bart, CEO of XtremeMac. “Providing extended playback time and a base to hold the iPod while watching video, MicroPack is great for taking your content on the go.”

With Apple doing so well following Steve Jobs finally got to laugh at his big rival Dell. Here is details as reported in the New York Times

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 15 - It may not be the last laugh, but on Friday afternoon, after the close of the stock market, Steven P. Jobs, the chief executive of Apple Computer, shared an e-mail chuckle with his employees at the expense of Dell, a big rival.
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New York Times technology reviewer David Pogue was at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, posting blog entries and daily video updates.

The message was prompted by the 12 percent surge in Apple’s stock price last week, which pushed the company’s market capitalization to $72.13 billion, passing Dell’s value of $71.97 billion.

In 1997, shortly after Mr. Jobs returned to Apple, the company he helped start in 1976, Dell’s founder and chairman, Michael S. Dell, was asked at a technology conference what might be done to fix Apple, then deeply troubled financially.

“What would I do?” Mr. Dell said to an audience of several thousand information technology managers. “I’d shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders.”

On Friday, apparently savoring the moment, Mr. Jobs sent a brief e-mail message to Apple employees, which read: “Team, it turned out that Michael Dell wasn’t perfect at predicting the future. Based on today’s stock market close, Apple is worth more than Dell. Stocks go up and down, and things may be different tomorrow, but I thought it was worth a moment of reflection today. Steve.”

Dell executives did not return calls over the weekend asking for comment on Apple’s rising fortunes.

Mr. Dell appears to have softened his views on Apple recently. In June, he responded to an e-mail inquiry from CNET News.com, the computing news service, and said that Dell would consider putting Apple’s OS X operating system on its machines if Apple ever decided to sell it separately from its hardware.

Although Mr. Jobs has recently shifted some gears and last week introduced his first computer based on chips from Intel, which are also used in Dell machines, it does not appear that selling the operating system separately is in his plans.

Since returning to Apple, of Cupertino, Calif., Mr. Jobs has revitalized the company’s computer business and created its wildly successful iPod division.

In 2000, after pulling the company out of its financial nose dive, Mr. Jobs was awarded a corporate jet and options to purchase 10 million shares.

In 2003, Mr. Jobs’s options - by then, the number had risen to 55 million - were exchanged for a restricted stock grant of 10 million shares, which will become vested in March. At Apple’s closing price on Friday of $85.59, his stake in the company is worth some $855.9 million.

Dell’s stock closed at $30.58 on Friday, down from a 52-week high of $41.99. But Mr. Dell’s personal wealth still exceeds that of Mr. Jobs, despite the fact that Mr. Jobs also has a 50.1 percent share in Pixar Animation Studios that is worth about $3.4 billion.

Last year Mr. Dell, who founded his namesake company as a college student in 1984, was ranked fourth on Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States. It estimated his personal wealth at $14.2 billion.