The iPod Nation

The new iPhone 3GS is here, and as always with a new iPhone comes a wave of new accessories from all the iPhone accessory makers out there. The first accessory most iPhone owners get is a good sturdy case, and one of the first iPhone 3GS Cases to be released was the Slim and Full polycarbonate cases from iPhone case maker Inspiretech. Known for their iPod and iPhone accessories they’ve just released a new line of iPhone 3GS accessories. They currently offer their iPhone 3GS cases in up to nine various colors (white, black, grey, pink, hot pink, red, blue, purple and baby blue) in both their Slim and Full sizes. The Slim iPhone 3GS cases fit over the back of the iPhone and give if adequate protection while not adding any excess bulk at all. The Full case covers the entire back and sides of the iPhone and gives it even more protection. They also have car chargers, travel chargers, USB sync cables and battery packs for the iPhone 3GS as well. For more information please visit www.inspiretech.com.

If you have a first-gen Nano and don’t mind filling out some forms and waiting, well, potentially a very long time, you could jump on the class-action bandwagon alledging the 1Gs were illegally scratchy.

I’m kind of baffled how a judge who probably doesn’t know a 1G Nano from his 40G gavel can be in charge of making this decision, and thus costing Apple $22.5 million in class-action payouts. You’re eligible for $15 if your Nano came with a slip cover and $25 if it was an early one that did not.

You can find all the info here, and if you’re feeling skeptical, this team of Mac Rumors forum commenters is on the case, investigating if this is real or not (it is). The whole thing will be finalized at a fairness hearing on April 28.

- Joe

Overview

Price: $9.99

Material: Polycarbonate

Colors: Black, White, Grey, Fushia, Pink, Blue, Baby Blue, Purple

Style: One-Piece Slim Fit

Retailers: www.inspiretech.com

The Inspiretech iPod Touch 2G case is definitely worth getting for those who want to protect their high-end iPod from scratches and minor impact damage. We tested out the shipping process by placing an order on monday and were able to receive the package by thursday of the same week. This time around we did not speak to customer service because we did not expect to recieve it so promptly.

With the iPod Touch such a popular sale over Christmas, there will inevitably be a lot of people out shopping for accessories. The typical accessories to have are cases and iPod Touch 2G car chargers.

The Inspiretech iPod Touch 2G Case was the first case we recieved for review and in keeping with their track record, the company has delivered another quality product. The cases come in 8 different colors ranging from the typical black and white to the outlandish pink and fushia.

The main body of the case is made of polycarbonate which means it is both impact and temperature resistant. Many users have commented that the chrome finish on iPods tend to scratch easily which is why there is such a high demand for protective cases. The Inspiretech iPod Touch 2G case does its job well and still manages to not become unsightly. Removing the case can be a little tricky but heres a tip; peel from the bottom left corner with your left thumb while you grip the ipod volume controls with your right thumb!

Priced at $9.99 it seriously undercuts the iPod case market by a significant margin. If you’re looking for a sleek and elegant protective case for your iPod Touch 2G, the Inspiretech iPod 2G case is a sure bet!

-Derek

[Source: Inspiretech]

The iPod Touch 2nd Gen was a huge hit over Christmas 2008. Basically an iPhone without the phone, the iPod Touch is priced much more reasonably than the iPhone and is the perfect choice for those who are happy just talking on their phones and have no need to pay an exorbitant amount to AT&T for the data plan. The App store reported an influx of downloads over Christmas with most of those coming from iPod Touch users. Amazon has reported the iPod Touch as their number one selling MP3 player and many companies have already started to order more iPod Touch 2G accessories in preparation for the large demand following receipt of the iPod Touch 2G as Christmas presents.
-Derek
[Source: macrumors]

The Android G1 from T-Mobile is gaining in popularity but one of the main complaints is its lack of a proper headphone jack. A few innovative do it yourselfers figured out a way to connect a G1 Android to an iPod dock. The hack is said to be very precise and delicate, doing such a hack is not for the faint of heart. The hackers took apart a HTC ExtUSB adapter for the Android phone and soldered it to the iPod dock’s female connector. Not only does the G1 play audio via the iPod dock, it charges the Android phone as well. It isn’t the cleanest hack in the world, but it works. Although this hack is pretty darn cool, why not use a universal speaker system with an AUX instead? Sure you can’t charge the G1 with it but you’ll still be able to play music. But hacking just sounds so much cooler I guess.

-Ray

[Source: gizmodo]

Inspiretech recently released their new iPod touch 2G Slim Fit polycarbonate cases. Made exclusively for the iPod touch second generation, they’re made out of highly durable polycarbonate for a long lifespan and is less likely to crack like other iPod touch cases. The iPod touch 2G case protects the back and side edges of the second generation iPod touch while still giving full access to the touch screen, camera and ports while protecting your iPod touch from scrapes or falls. Inspiretech includes a full one year manufactures warranty. The slick looking Inspiretech Slim Fit cases come in eight colors: black, dark silver, pearl white, dark blue, baby blue, purple, red, pink and fuchsia.

-Ray

[Source: iPod touch 2G case ]

Imagine you are planning your honeymoon or romantic getaway for your significant other. Imagine you want to make all your friends or coworkers jealous. Well you can now with a new feature from Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. Sheraton Maui allows its guests to download a notescast prior to their arrival at the resort. The notescast is a file from the Sheraton Maui site and it gives you information regarding your room and the resort. It also includes pictures just so you know what to expect (or just to make your friends jealous, depending on how much money you spend). Although this maybe something that is not worth mentioning, it just shows the direction every industry is taking in regards to technology. Everybody is being more technology-centric. It also shows how the Apple iPod has become a staple in our society.

- Geoff

[Source: HotelChatter]

Kenwood released their I-K50 car head unit that features support for Apple’s iPod and iPhone with its front-mounted USB port. The Kenwood I-K50’s CD can play MP3, WMA and AAC filed. The USB front-mounted USB port lets you plug in flash memory with music on them as well. The best feature is that you can plug in your iPod or iPhone and control it with the head units controls instead of from your iPod with other auxiliary head units. You can search your music collection and play or skip songs without ever looking at your iPod making it safer for drivers. Kenwood is planning on releasing the I-K50 in January and will go for about $260.

-Ray

[Source: ipodnn]

In the end, the iPod will always be better than the Zune. Even while saving a life, people can’t leave home without their Apple iPod. A teenager from across the pond in the United Kingdom was given the rare opportunity to listen to his iPod while he was undergoing brain surgery. Gavin Brooke, who is 18 years of age, required surgery so that a brain tumor could be removed. But the doctors wanted Brooke to be awake during the surgery just so they knew it wasn’t damaging his brain. So in order for him to stay awake, the allowed him to bring his iPod and connect it to the surgery room’s sound system. The first track Brooke chose to listen to was “Apologize” by Timbaland featuring One Republic. The funny thing about this is that this was his second time undergoing the surgery. During the first brain surgery, the doctor were unable to fully remove the tumor. According to the head surgeon,

“The tumor was in a very difficult place that controls the movement of the body,” Andrew McElroy, the head neurosurgeon told The Sun newspaper. “And we had to ensure we didn’t damage the surrounding area. A few millimeters too far could have paralyzed him, so I let him listen to his iPod. We talked to him all the way through, and he was happy with his music on.”

Well apparently, the iPod saved Gavin Brooke’s life. I’m not quite sure if I would of chosen Timbaland and One Republic as the artists I would want to listen to. Given the fact that I have several surgeons with sharp knives working on my brain, I wouldn’t want to distract them with that kind of garbage music. But oh well. It did the job. Congratulations Gavin Brooke. And kudos to Apple for their beloved iPod.

- Geoff

[Source: CNET]

Parrot, makers or speakers and home theater accessories, announced that will release their Zikmu series of wireless speakers for the iPod and the iPhone. Developed along with designer Philippe Starck these 2.5 feet high columns has a dock that works with the iPod, iPhone and the iPhone 3G . It plays music through the dock as well as charges the device attached to it. The main speaker tower sends music to the other speaker via Bluetooth. It can also use Bluetooth to play music from other music players and cell phones. It also features Wi-Fi so you can connect to nearby computers. The speakers are available in black and go for $1500 sometime this spring.

-Ray

[Source: ipodnn]