ipod

Get a 5th-gen iPod Touch for $249 shipped

First it was an unusually cheap deal on MacBook Airs (since expired, alas). Now there's a solid savings to be had on the new iPod Touch.

And I mean new, not refurbished. For a limited time, you can get the 5th-gen iPod Touch (32GB) for $249 shipped. Just click on over to your local ShopRite.

Wait, what? ShopRite? The East Coast grocery-store chain? Oooookay.

I have no idea why ShopRite has the single best price on iPod Touches anywhere on the planet, but I'm not complaining. And I don't think it's a price mistake, as this … Read more

Apple polishes iTunes 11 with an all-new look and lots of new features

An all-new Apple iTunes? No need to tempt us: We'll bite! The look is pure Apple, but the new iTunes 11 is also lighter, sleeker, and faster than the old app. It also comes with many new features and refinements, such as improved iCloud integration that lets you play your iTunes purchases right away on all your devices or pause play on one device and pick it right up on another. New Library Views clean up media collection clutter. Expanded views display album notes in place so you don't have to click back and forth. The new MiniPlayer … Read more

How to purchase movie tickets using Siri

Apple has released iOS 6.1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users. Among other fixes and new additions is the ability to purchase movie tickets using Siri, as originally reported back in November.

Siri's new capability requires iOS 6.1, the Fandango app to be installed on the iOS device, and you'll also need to be in the U.S. to purchase tickets.

Once you have updated your device and have Fandango installed, buying tickets is as simple as launching Siri and asking for tickets to a specific movie time, or asking for a list of movies … Read more

Put files on your iOS device with PC iPod

Downloading software other than iTunes that can help you move your files to an iOS device is always a good idea. iTunes has a bad habit of disappointing and confusing users. However, this archaic download will make you hope iTunes never gives you any problems. PC iPod is somehow worse than Apple's default media manager when it comes to syncing your computer's library with your gadget.

If you want to convert more than half of a file, this download makes you spend $19.95. Even if you do, the program still has major issues recognizing your iPhone, iPad, … Read more

Back up your Apple gadget with 123 iPod iPad iPhone Backup

Keeping backup files can save you plenty of headaches if your Apple gadget starts bugging out. However, this long-winded download is just as hard to use as it is to say. The only reason to be impressed by 123 iPod iPad iPhone Backup is that it's somehow worse than iTunes in features, usability, and reliability.

When we put it in use, this ancient-looking download crashed and seized when it tried to recognize our gadget. When we finally made 123 iPod iPad iPhone Backup work, backing up wasn't slow, it's just wasn't particularly fast. There's also … Read more

Get an iPod Shuffle bundle for $39

iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches get all the attention, but let us not forget the humble iPod Shuffle, the tiny clip-on MP3 player that's hard to beat for hiking, biking, running, and the gym.

Apple sells the Shuffle for $49, but for a limited time, Walmart has the fourth-generation iPod Shuffle 2GB and accessory kit for $39, plus sales tax where applicable. Shipping adds about $3, but you can avoid that charge by choosing store pickup or padding your cart to at least $45.

I should note that three of the seven available color choices are already out of … Read more

Message your friends with this classic Yahoo Messenger app

Yahoo Messenger is an instant-messaging application that has been around for many years and has been a popular IM tool on different operating systems. Now that there's a port to iOS, Yahoo Messenger can be ubiquitous. It's available from iTunes and several other sites, and easy to install.

In Yahoo Messenger you can add contacts by e-mail address or invitation, break them into groups, see when they are online, and message back and forth with multiple sessions active at once. Yahoo Messenger goes beyond basic IM by adding integration with the iPhone and iPad camera. You can launch … Read more

Convert and play video files in several formats with DivX Plus for Mac

Handling many popular file formats, DivX Plus for Mac is the latest DivX player for the Mac platform. With its editing and conversion options as well, we found it to be a great potential addition to any user's Mac toolbox.

As you would expect, DivX Plus for Mac handles DivX format video files, as well as MKV and AVI files. This latest version of the player also allows for conversion from MP4 format, so you can format existing video files for use on the iPhone and iPad. You can also use DivX Plus for Mac as a streaming platform … Read more

Six iOS apps you'll thank me for (you're welcome)

With all the time I spend sifting through the iOS App Store and writing reviews, there simply isn't time to use every app regularly. Still, I find that just about every month there are a new handful of apps and games that I keep coming back to.

These aren't the best apps of all time and I'm not declaring them as the best apps even for right now; these are simply the ones that have grabbed my attention and have been getting the most use on my personal home screen.

If you see something here and think, &… Read more

Access all your iPhone functions with JailbreakMe, a tool to unlock your phone

JailbreakMe is an app that jailbreaks (unlocks from a specific carrier) your iPhone. It allows full access to all functions built into the iPhone, as well as some apps that are not available through the App Store. JailbreakMe is itself not available through the App Store but is on many download sites including the authors' sites.

Before running JailbreakMe you should make a backup through iTunes so you can restore the iPhone to its original state should you have problems with JailbreakMe or any app installed once broken. Installing the app is as simple as running the download and then … Read more