ipod

Apparently, the designers at Fluance think different.

Instead of plastic they made their FiSDK500 iPod speaker out of wood, and they made it sound good enough to please audiophiles. It's usually $200, but it's on sale through November 7 for just $100. (Just be sure to add the coupon code "FISDK500" when checking out.)

I usually judge iPod speakers on a different scale than regular speakers. I have to, they're handicapped in a number of ways, even the $600 models never really delver hi-fi sound quality, and the one-piece models have almost no stereo separation. … Read more

On October 23, 2001, Apple took a big step in its corporate renaissance with a little device that stored all of 1,000 songs, cost an eyebrow-raising $399, and had more than a few critics chuckling at Steve Jobs' expense.

Jobs even seemed to anticipate that skepticism when he introduced the first iPod at a private event in the company's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters. In classic form, he saved the big reveal until the very end of the presentation, pulling out the iPod like a magician showing off the correct card pulled out from a shuffled deck.

"Why music? … Read more

This was probably the easiest review of my life.

I mean, sure I was disappointed that Apple's new iPod Touch for 2011 is just last year's model with a new coat of paint and some new software. But let's be honest. At just $199, there's nothing else out there that even comes close to what the iPod Touch offers. The competition literally gave up.

The closest competitor to the iPod Touch is a product that isn't even out yet--Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet. But even if we assume the Kindle Fire is a perfect 10, it's ultimately a different class of product. If nothing else, it's around three times the size of the iPod Touch. Let's also not forget that the iPod includes Bluetooth, AirPlay, FaceTime, an HD video camera, a gigantic app store, up to 64GB of storage, iMessages, maps, and dozens of other worthwhile features that seemingly aren't included on the Kindle. … Read more

At long last, Facebook as a universal app is finally here and if you're an iPhone or iPad user looking to browse the popular social site, the app is better than ever. On the iPad specifically, it might be the best platform for browsing the site available.

Now a universal app for both iPhone and iPad, Facebook offers a fun and fast way to browse through friends' pages, statuses, photos, and more. The interface is fairly sparse, but makes it easy to get exactly where you want to go on the site quickly. Across the top you have a … Read more

Editors' note: This week's edition of Apple Talk Weekly is not the usual roundup of top news from the week. For that, you can read all about Apple's iPhone 4S event on Tuesday, and our coverage of the life and legacy of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who passed away Wednesday.

commentary Long before I ever thought I'd be writing about Apple, I had a deep fascination with its products. That journey started as I imagine it did for most people my age: an iPod, followed shortly thereafter by one the company's computers, then later, one of … Read more

Apple has created a series of new clock faces for people who wear their iPod Nanos as watches.

The mini music player can double as a watch thanks to special bands designed by iWatchZ, Lunatik, and other vendors. iWatchZ offers a variety of iPod Nano watch bands ranging in price from $25 to $90, while Lunatik's bands run from $40 to $100.

To kick off the 2011 iPod Nano revealed … Read more

Apple's latest iPod Nano goes on sale today with a new, lower price $129 (8GB), $149 (8GB), and a few extra software tweaks. Nothing about the iPod's design or hardware features has changed from last year's model, including the seven available colors.

Really, the difference comes down to the software, which is available as a free update to anyone who purchased the 2010 iPod Nano. The new touch-screen software offers 16 new clock face designs, improving its appeal as a high-tech timepiece, as well as a new navigation interface with larger touch-screen icons. Those who prefer the … Read more

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of the hard drive-based iPod that started it all. During today's iPhone press event, Apple mentioned the iPod milestone, but neglected to say a single thing about its direct descendent, the iPod Classic. The omission led to speculation that the age of the hard-drive iPod was finally at an end.

Not so. After Apple's iPhone 4S event, CNET's Josh Lowensohn confirmed with Apple representatives … Read more

On October 12, Apple will have a new version of the iPod Touch to sell, priced at $199 (8GB), $299 (32GB), and $399 (64GB).

The bad news is that the 2011 hardware is seemingly identical to last year's iPod Touch. You get the same front (VGA) and rear (720p) camera, same processor, and same 3.5-inch Retina display. Aside from a new white color option, the iPod Touch hardware is essentially unchanged.

The good news? Well, the iPod Touch is the least expensive (contract-free) way to get iOS 5. The base iPod Touch model (8GB) has dropped from $229 down to $199. … Read more