The iPod Nation

Ever get the urge to karaoke but you don’t have a karaoke machine? Don’t worry because thanks to Memorex you can turn your Apple iPod into a Karaoke machine! Memorex recently released their SingStand MKS-SS1 microphone and speaker system. It includes a powered speaker base, an auxiliary input for more microphones and audio controls. The Memorex SingStand goes for $70, but for much less you can get a real karaoke machine, or Rock Band. Head on over to the Memorex site for more info and availability of the SingStand for the Apple iPod.

-Ray

[Source: engadget]

LA Computer Company is offering dealmac readers a Griffin Technology PowerBlock Charger for iPods and iPhones for the amazing low price of $3! If you’re like me you lose your iPod and cell phone chargers all the time. This Griffin PowerBlock charger would make a great replacement charger for your lost one or as a great backup for your iPod . The Griffin PowerBlock comes with a USB cable and wall charger adapter. Check out dealmac for this awesome iPod charger deal!

-Ray

[Source: dealmac]

When iPhone Firmware 2.2 was released last week, the one feature that they kept boasting about was the Google Street View. But unfortunately, for iPod Touch users, they were left out with their iPod Touch Firmware 2.2 update. Well the iPhone Dev Team has solved that problem for all iPod Touch fans. Their famous jailbreaking tool QuickPWN will add Google Street View to your iPod Touch. For all of those who have been living under a rock, jailbreaking your iPhone or iPod Touch allows you to install third-party applications that are not available at the Apple App Store. The QuickPWN jailbreaking tool is available for free at the iPhone Dev Team Blog.

- Geoff

[Source: iPhoneDevTeam]

Handheld Games Corp. announced today that they have found the second generation iPod Touch to be the fastest for 3D gaming among all iPod Touch and iPhone models. Their new 3D TouchSports Tennis game, which is available for download at the Apple App Store for $4.99, seems to run the fastest when played on the second generation iPod Touch. In order to compensate for the varied performances among the different devices, Handheld Games Corp. had to implement different optimizations for the various iPod Touch and iPhone models. The differences in performance can be attributed to the different processor speeds as the second generation iPod Touch has a processor speed of 532MHz. In comparison, the iPhone 3G, original iPhone, and the first generation iPod Touch have a processor speed of 412MHz. But according to the tests, the first generation iPod Touch was shown to operate the slowest.

- Geoff

[Source: MacRumors]

Scoshe has released theor Passport FireWire-to-USB iPod adapter cable. Its purpose is to convert the energy from older FireWire-based iPod chargers into USB or newer iPhone and iPods. All the reviews and tests went well and it was shown to work with all the newer model iPods. The Scoshe Passport was designed to be used in the car but it works with dock-cradle accessories as well. The Scoshe Passport FireWire-to-USB cable goes for $30.

-Ray

[Source: engadget]

Earlier this week, we reported on a Apple iPod patent infringement lawsuit filed in China. Now there might be more bad news for the iconic Apple iPod. Spansion, a company based out in Silicon Valley, is filling a lawsuit against Samsung for 10 patent infringements. According to the lawsuit, Spansion went to Samsung in an attempt to draft a license agreement for the products, but Samsung refused. This led to the lawsuit. How this lawsuit affects the iPod is that Samsung is the provider of flash chips for several electronic devices, including the Apple iPod. With this lawsuit, Samsung may have to halt the production of these flash chips, and therefore halt the production of the Apple iPod. It seems as if the iPod is going through rough times. Last month, we reported that sales of the iPod have been declining as of late. Now with so many lawsuits, the iPod might become irrelevant soon.

- Geoff

[Source: TGDaily]

SpongeBob Squarepants has become one of the great Nickelodeon cartoons, right up there with Monsters and Doug. Who doesn’t love that cute little sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea? Too bad execs at Nickelodeon took things a little too far. They created this creepy SpongBob Squarepants iPod dock that not only plays your music, but lets you rip out SpongeBob’s eyes only to watch them dance around on your table. What were they thinking?

-Ray

[Source: gizmodo]

When a blog reader was perusing high resolution pictures of the Space Shuttle Endeavor, which is docked at the International Space Station, he found an iPod through the cabin window of the space shuttle. Well apparently, this is not the first time there has been an iPod on the Space Shuttle. It may seem that bringing an iPod into space is easy. In fact, it is quite hard. The iPod has to be modified in order for it to make it in space. The lithium batteries must be switched out for specially certified alkaline batteries and they can’t bring the iPod onto the Space Station. But its cool to know that astronauts sport their iPods, even in space!!!!

- Geoff

[Source: TheUnofficialAppleWeblog]

Chris DeWolfe, chief executive of Myspace, dropped hints that they may be developing an MP3 player of their own to rival the Apple iPod and the Microsoft Zune. They said it was “possible” when asked if they were indeed working on the device at the Web 2.0 summit help in San Francisco. They didn’t give any more insight as to what they have planned and instead tried to push their new MySpace Music service. MySpace has tried to make itself the must be place for new and aspiring artists as well as established and popular artists. In such a competitive market it’s really surprising to see MySpace developing an MP3 player.

-Ray

[Source: nme]

Developer Pádraig created the software iPhone Backup Extractor which converts your iPhone and iPod touch backups that were created by iTunes into a readable Mac OS X files. You can then examine or browse them. However the program only works with Mac OS X Leopard. It allows you to extract app recourses so developers can investigate any bugs, explore files that are created by third party applications and decode SQLite database files on the iPhone and iPod touch like SMS messages and call history. The iPhone Backup Extractor is a must have for iPhone and iPod touch app developers.

-Ray

[Source: iphoneatlas]