Archive for July, 2006

iTrips to be Legalized in Uk!

Monday, July 24th, 2006
From ZDNET: Ofcom is relaxing its regulation of low-power FM transmitters, in a boost for CB nuts and those who want to play their iPod through their car stereo.Ofcom has cut the ties on another section of the airwaves in a move that will free up iPod accessories and CB radios.
The communications watchdog has decided to deregulate low-power Worlds leading iPod Accessories Griffin iTripFM transmitters, which had previous been banned in the UK on the grounds they could interfere with broadcast systems.
An Ofcom spokesman said: “We’ve now looked at the interference possibility and have taken a practical view that the risk is fairly low and that legalising them is [OK] given the high market demand.”
Ofcom has been spurred into action by consumer fondness for devices such as the iTrip, which lets drivers play iPods through car stereos, when tuned in to the mini transmitters, and is now putting its head together with other European regulators to come up with a joint approach.

Posted in iTrips and FM Transmitters, iPod Nano, iPod Video / 5G, iPod Accessories, iPod Mini | 3 Comments »

iPod Sales Ahead of Analysts Predictions

Thursday, July 20th, 2006

From iPodNN: Apple’s music business posted another quarter of strong results, representing 45 percent of total company revenue. It increased 45 percent year-over-year, with iPod shipments

iPod Video

increasing 32 percent to just over 8.1 million. Though consistent with the company’s expectations, the numbers exceeded many estimates by analysts who believe that Apple would have a soft iPod quarter. The company said it ended the quarter with 4-6 of iPod channel inventory. Apple told investors that iPods comprise over 75 percent of all sales of MP3 players in the US, according to latest NPD numbers. iPod is also top selling MP3 player in many international markets, such as the Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Japan, according the latest data by NPD, GFK, and BCN.

Other Music Product revenue was $457 million, up 90 percent year-over-year due to continued strong sales from the iTunes Music Store and very solid performance from iPod accessories sales. iTunes accounts for 85 percent marketshare for legally purchased music in the US, according to Neilen Soundscan. iTunes has a catalog of over 3 million songs, 9,000 music videos, and 150 television programs for US market.

Posted in Apple News | No Comments »

Apple to release second generation iPod Nano in August

Tuesday, July 18th, 2006

Apple will roll out the second generation of its iPod nano music player at its Worldwide Apple first generation iPod NanoDevelopers Conference, insiders tell iAccessorise. The new nano is said to be very similar to the company’s current offering but will feature increased capacity and be available in multiple colors, some of which will feature a metal alloy enclosure.


Exact capacities are not known, but reasonable speculation suggests the line will top out at 6GB or 8GB. The announcement is expected to arrive alongside the release of movie rentals through the iTunes Music Store during CEO Steve Jobs’ keynote presentation on August 7. The iPod nano has not been updated since its introduction last September.        

Separate rumblings suggest that Apple has procured a large number of 40GB and 80GB 1.8-inch hard drives for use in an updated 5G iPod. While it’s not known when an exact announcement regarding the higher capacity iPods might take place, the new models are not expected at WWDC.

Apple introduced the 5G iPod with a 2.5-inch display and video playback capabilities last October. The company has since been hard at work on the sixth-generation iPod, which will feature a 3.5-inch touch-screen display. Apple was originally targeting an early-to-mid 2006 release of the new iPod and was hoping to launch the device alongside the new movie offerings at the iTunes Music Store, but the company has encountered technical obstacles that have since pushed the release back to early 2007.

In the interim, Apple apparently hopes to keep its iPod lineup fresh by increasing capacities. Price cuts, although unlikely, were also not ruled out by sources, who noted that component costs on the 5G iPod have dropped significantly since its introduction last year, particularly prices for the 1.8-inch hard drives used by the music player.

Posted in iPod Nano, iPod Video / 5G, Apple News | 3 Comments »

iTrips to become legal in Ireland, says Comreg

Tuesday, July 18th, 2006

People using iTrips, the small radio-transmitting gadgetsGriffin iTrip NAno used for connecting iPods to car and home stereos, will soon be law-abiding citizens. Comreg, the telecoms regulator, has revealed to this blog that it is to soon decriminalise the use of such short-distance transmitters. The only catch is that the items will have to have the ‘CE’ mark, indicating that they conform with EU standards (meaning that models imported from the US will remain illegal). iTrips were sold in Irish shops for a short while until Comreg clamped down on retailers, pointing out the rather anachronous broadcasting legislation.

 See a list of iTrips and FM Transmitters at iAccessorise.

Posted in iTrips and FM Transmitters, iPod Nano, iPod Video / 5G, iPod Accessories, iPod Mini | No Comments »