iPod

Apple's App Store Surpasses 2 Billion Downloads

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 28, 2009 - 7:25am.
Cupertino, Calif. - Just six months after reaching the 1 billion milestone, Apple (NASD: AAPL) said on Monday that the 2 millionth app now has been downloaded from its App Store, which features applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It had taken nine months for the first billion.

Steve Jobs Unveils New iPods, Updates for iTunes, iPhone

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 9, 2009 - 7:53am.
San Francisco - Apple (NASD: AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs took the stage on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing a liver transplant earlier this year, to unveil upgraded and discounted iPods, including a video-capable iPod nano, as well as updates to its iTunes and iPhone software. Jobs compared the new video-capable iPod nano to the popular Flip video camera, noting that it is a fifth as thick as the Flip, and one-tenth of its volume. The new nano -- which will sell for $149 (8GB) and $179 (16GB) -- will now also sport a larger 2.2-inch display and built-in speaker.

Report: Sony Walkman Outsells Apple iPod in Japan

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 4, 2009 - 7:44am.
San Francisco - Sony's (NYSE: SNE) Walkman outsold Apple's (NASD: AAPL) iPod in Japan for the first time in over four years last week, CNET News.com reported, citing data from Japanese research firm BCN. While the survey does not include the iPhone, it found Sony took 43% of digital music player sales for the week ended Aug. 30, compared to Apple's 42.1% share. Sony had six of the top ten selling players during the week, according to BCN.

CNET: Apple to Begin Selling Preset Ringtones

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 3, 2009 - 7:43am.
San Francisco - Apple (NASD: AAPL) has obtained licenses from the record labels to offer pre-made ringtones, and is working to have them ready for next week's music-related press event, CNET News.com reported, citing "music industry sources."
tags: Music | iPod | Apple | iTunes | Cocktail |

Sirius XM Unveils SkyDock Satellite Radio Accessory for iPhone

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 26, 2009 - 12:05pm.
New York - As rumored last week, Sirius XM (NASD: SIRI) on Wednesday unveiled the SkyDock, a docking station for Apple's (NASD: AAPL) iPhone an iPod touch that turns the devices into satellite radio receivers.
tags: Mobile | Radio | Music | iPod | Apple | iPhone | Sirius XM |

Report: Sirius XM Developing iPhone/iPod Dock Adapter

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 20, 2009 - 10:57am.
New York - Sirius XM (NASD: SIRI) is rumored to be developing a docking station that would allow Apple's iPhone and iPod to receive the company's satellite radio service, All Things D reported, citing a post on XMFan.com.
tags: Mobile | Music | iPod | Apple | iPhone | Sirius XM |

European Commission Investigating Exploding iPod Reports

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 19, 2009 - 9:54am.
New York - The European Commission has announced that it is investigating reports from several consumers that their Apple (NASD: AAPL) iPhone or iPod had exploded, The New York Times reported.

Report: Apple Media Event on Sept. 9 Won't Include Tablet

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 18, 2009 - 9:35am.
San Francisco - Apple (NASD: AAPL) is planning a press conference on Sept. 9 at which it is expected to introduce updated iPods and a new version of iTunes, but will not unveil its anticipated tablet computer, All Things D reported.

Report: Apple Tablet PC Expected in the Fall

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 27, 2009 - 7:52am.
London - Apple (NASD: AAPL) is expected to launch a portable, tablet-sized computer in time for the holiday shopping season, the Financial Times reported. The device will have up to a 10-inch diagonal screen, and is thought to connect to the Internet via a Wi-Fi connection, similar to the iPod touch.
tags: Video | iPod | Apple | Movies | Tablet |

Apple Backs Off of Copyright, DMCA Claims Against Bluwiki

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 23, 2009 - 9:55am.
San Francisco - Digital civil liberties group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has dismissed a lawsuit it filed against Apple (NASD: AAPL), after Apple dropped legal threats against public wiki hosting site Bluwiki.

RealPlayer SP Ports Web Video to Social Nets, Media Players

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 24, 2009 - 12:07pm.
Seattle - RealNetworks (NASD: RNWK) on Wednesday released RealPlayer SP, an application that lets users transfer video from many websites onto their social network profiles or various portable media players. After installation, RealPlayer will identify video on sites like YouTube and CNN.com that users can port to Facebook, Twitter, or email. For portable device transfers, a selects the cell phone model or type of device -- including iPhone and iPod, BlackBerry, Android, Palm Pre, Zune, PSP, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Apple TV -- and RealPlayer SP then transcodes to the appropriate format.

Apple Sued for Stifling Web Speech About iPhone, iPod Security

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 28, 2009 - 8:49am.
San Francisco - Apple (NASD: AAPL) has been sued by digital civil liberties group the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) over its stifling of discussion about methods of putting non-Apple software on iPhones and iPods on the Internet. Apple sent OdioWorks, the operator of a website called BluWiki where users were discussing such methods, a letter demanding the discussions be removed. The company argues that the discussions violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), under which it is a crime to circumvent copy-protection security measures.

Apple Profits Up 15% in Q2; 3.79 Million iPhones Sold

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2009 - 12:01pm.
Cupertino, Calif. - Apple (NASD: AAPL) on Wednesday reported a 15% profit increase for the second quarter, to $1.21 billion, beating Wall Street analysts' estimates. The company said it sold 3.79 million iPhones during the quarter, a 123% increase over the same period a year ago. Apple also sold 11 million iPods, a 3% increase, and 2.22 million Mac computers -- a 3% decline.
tags: Mobile | Music | iPod | Apple | iPhone | Financials |

ZoomSystems Gets $20M for Electronics Vending Machines

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 10, 2009 - 8:41am.
San Francisco - ZoomSystems, a provider of automated retail vending machines that stock consumer electronics items like MP3 players, announced on Tuesday that it has closed a $20 million, fifth round of financing.

Has Apple Lost Its Mojo?

Authored by Jay Baage on January 6, 2009 - 11:00am.

Apple to Debut Variable Pricing, DRM-Free Library on iTunes

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 6, 2009 - 8:25am.

San Francisco - Capitulating to insistent demands from the major labels, Apple (NASD: AAPL) on Tuesday introduced a three-tiered variable pricing scheme for songs sold from its iTunes Store, and further announced that its entire library will be available for purchase free of digital rights management (DRM) restrictions by the spring. Beginning in April, labels may choose to sell older tracks for 69 cents and newer, popular tracks for $1.29, or continue with the standard 99 cent price tag.

Apple CEO Jobs Says Hormone Imbalance Caused Weight Loss

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 5, 2009 - 7:35am.

Cupertino, Calif. - Hoping to deflect further questions about his health, Apple (NASD: AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs on Monday issued a statement addressing his continuing weight loss over the past several months. "Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause -- a hormone imbalance that has been 'robbing' me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this," wrote Jobs, adding that he has begun treating what he terms the "relatively simple" nutritional problem.

Microsoft Lowers Prices on Zune Digital Music Players

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 18, 2008 - 1:10pm.

Redmond, Wash. - Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) is discounting the prices on its Flash-based Zune music players, Silicon Alley Insider reported, citing MobileDevicesToday. A 16GB Zune will now cost $179, while the same capacity iPod sells for $199. Likewise, the 8GB Zune was reduced in price to $139 (iPod: $149), while the 4GB Zune will now sell for $99.

tags: Music | iPod | Microsoft | Zune |

Judge Orders Apple Hire to Cease Work Over Competition Clause

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 10, 2008 - 11:38am.

San Francisco - A federal judge has ordered Apple's (NASD: AAPL) new head of engineering for its iPhone and iPod teams, Mark Papermaster, to cease working for the company while the court examines whether his employment at Apple violates a competition clause in the contract with his former employer, IBM, Reuters reports.

Apple Names New Head of iPod, iPhone Engineering Teams

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 5, 2008 - 9:16am.

Cupertino, Calif. - Apple (NASD: AAPL) on Tuesday named Mark Papermaster as its senior vice president of devices hardware engineering.