MacMegasite

David Alison walks through installing and using the latest version of iTunes 8 on his Macs and finds that the Genius is pretty cool, with one minor exception.

SAN FRANCISCO–September 9, 2008–Apple today introduced the second generation iPod touch featuring an amazingly thin contoured metal design, a gorgeous 3.5-inch widescreen glass display, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi wireless networking, integrated volume control buttons, a built-in speaker for casual listening, a built-in accelerometer and other advanced sensors, and Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface. iPod touch, now available for just $229 for the 8GB model, is perfect for playing music, movies and games, with millions of songs, thousands of Hollywood movies and hundreds of games available on the iTunes Store.

“iPod touch is the funnest iPod we’ve ever created,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Users can listen to millions of songs, watch thousands of Hollywood movies and now, thanks to the App Store, download and play hundreds of great games on their iPod touch.”

The new iPod touch is smaller and lighter than the original, with a sleek new design that features a contoured metal enclosure with integrated volume control buttons and a brilliant 3.5-inch widescreen glass display. With its rounded edges, flush display and curved, more compact design, the new iPod touch is more comfortable to hold and more portable than ever.

iPod touch users can choose from hundreds of exciting game titles such as “Spore Origins” and “Scrabble” from Electronic Arts, and “Real Football 2009″ from Gameloft available on iTunes or directly through the App Store application on the iPod touch. The revolutionary App Store works over Wi-Fi, enabling users to browse, purchase and wirelessly download applications directly onto their iPod touch and start using them instantly. The App Store features an incredible array of applications in a wide variety of categories, including games, travel, entertainment, social networking, sports and much more.

iPod touch works seamlessly with iTunes so you can import, manage, and then easily auto-sync your favorite content. With up to 36 hours of music playback or six hours of video playback on a single charge, the new iPod touch is the ultra-portable way to enjoy your favorite music, TV shows, movies and games on the go. The 32GB model holds up to 7,000 songs, 25,000 photos or 40 hours of video; the 16GB model holds up to 3,500 songs, 20,000 photos or 20 hours of video, and the 8GB model holds up to 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos and 10 hours of video.*

The new iPod touch works with the new iTunes 8 Genius feature, allowing customers to automatically create playlists while on the go. Users can preview the playlist Genius creates, refresh the list to choose different songs and save Genius playlists to enjoy again later.

The new iPod touch also features built-in Nike + iPod support making it an incredible workout companion. Users simply place the optional Nike + iPod sensor ($19 US) in their Nike + shoe to seamlessly connect with the new iPod touch to track miles run or sync with the latest generation gym equipment.

The iPod is the world’s most popular family of digital music players with over 160 million sold. Apple’s incredible new lineup includes the iPod shuffle in four vivid new colors starting at just $49; the iPod classic in one slimline model with 50 percent more capacity for the same great price–120GB of storage for just $249; the fourth generation iPod nano featuring a gorgeous curved metal and curved glass enclosure, in nine vibrant colors starting at $149; and the second generation iPod touch now starting at just $229. iPod owners can choose from a vast ecosystem of accessories with over 5,000 products made specifically for the iPod including speaker systems, fitness accessories, fashionable cases and iPod connectivity available in over 90 percent of new car models sold in the US.

[B]Pricing & Availability[/B]

The new iPod touch is available immediately for a suggested price of $229 (US) for the 8GB model, $299 (US) for the 16GB and $399 (US) for the 32 GB model through the Apple Store ([URL]http://www.apple.com[/URL]), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod touch requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later and iTunes 8; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 8. Existing iPod touch users can update to the latest 2.1 software for just $9.95 to add the new Genius feature. iPod touch owners who already have the 2.0 software get the 2.1 software update for free. Simply download the latest version of iTunes onto your Mac or PC, and purchase the 2.1 software update via iTunes.

SAN FRANCISCO–September 9, 2008–Apple today introduced the new fourth generation iPod nano, the thinnest iPod ever featuring a sleek new design with a curved aluminum and glass enclosure, in nine vibrant colors. The new iPod nano incorporates Apple’s breakthrough Genius technology which automatically creates playlists from songs in your music library that go great together, with just one click. The new iPod nano also features a refined user interface, a high resolution portrait display and a built-in accelerometer which automatically switches to Cover Flow when rotated and automatically goes into Shuffle mode when lightly shaken. The new iPod nano gives users up to 24 hours of music playback or four hours of video playback and is available worldwide immediately in an 8GB model for just $149 and a 16GB model for just $199. Both models come in silver, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, pink, (PRODUCT) RED and black.

“The iPod nano is the world’s most popular music player and we’ve made it even better for this holiday season,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think users are going to love the amazing new design, the automatic Genius playlist creation, as well as automatically going into Cover Flow with just a turn of the wrist.”

The new iPod nano–the thinnest iPod ever–features an elegant new design that beautifully blends a brilliant two-inch display with a gorgeous curved aluminum and glass enclosure. The new contoured design fits even more comfortably in your hand.

iPod nano works seamlessly with iTunes so you can import, manage and then easily auto-sync your favorite content. You can buy music, video and games for your iPod nano from the iTunes Store with more than 8.5 million songs available for preview and one-click purchase. With up to 24 hours of music playback or four hours of video playback on a single charge, the new iPod nano is the ultra-portable way to enjoy your favorite music, TV shows, movies and games on the go. The 16GB model holds up to 4,000 songs, 14,000 photos and 16 hours of video, and the 8GB model holds up to 2,000 songs, 7,000 photos and eight hours of video.*

The new iPod nano works with the new iTunes 8 Genius feature, allowing customers to automatically create playlists while on-the-go with their iPod nano. Users can preview the playlist Genius creates, refresh the list to choose different songs and save Genius playlists to enjoy again later.

The iPod is the world’s most popular family of digital music players with over 160 million sold. Apple’s incredible new lineup includes the iPod shuffle in four vivid new colors starting at just $49; the iPod classic in one slimline model with 50 percent more capacity for the same great price–120GB of storage for just $249; the fourth generation iPod nano featuring a gorgeous curved aluminum and curved glass enclosure, in nine vibrant colors starting at $149; and the second generation iPod touch now starting at just $229. iPod owners can choose from a vast ecosystem of accessories with over 5,000 products made specifically for the iPod including speaker systems, fitness accessories, fashionable cases and iPod connectivity available in over 90 percent of new car models sold in the US.

Pricing & Availability

The new iPod nano is available immediately for a suggested price of $149 (US) for the 8GB model and $199 (US) for the 16GB model through the Apple Store (http://www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Both capacities come in silver, blue, purple, green, orange, yellow, pink, (PRODUCT) RED and black. iPod nano requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later and iTunes 8; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 3) or later and iTunes 8.

SAN FRANCISCO–September 9, 2008–Apple today announced iTunes 8, the next major release of Apple’s ubiquitous music and video player for Macs and PCs which is seamlessly integrated with the most popular online content store in the world ([URL]http://www.itunes.com[/URL]). iTunes 8 includes the new breakthrough Genius feature, which lets you automatically create playlists from songs in your music library that go great together–with just one click. Genius helps music fans rediscover favorite songs in their existing music library and suggests related music on the iTunes Store they might want to add to their music collection. iTunes 8 features new ways of viewing your music and video libraries, and adds television programs in stunning high definition for sale on the iTunes Store.

Using Apple’s breakthrough Genius feature is easy–select any song, click the Genius button, and iTunes instantly creates a playlist of songs that go great together from your own library. You can preview the playlist Genius creates, refresh the list to choose different songs and save Genius playlists to enjoy again later. You can even create Genius Playlists on-the-go with the new iPod classic, iPod touch, iPod nano and iPhone. The Genius sidebar appears right in iTunes and recommends music from the iTunes Store that you don’t already have, based on the songs you select.

When you turn on iTunes 8’s new Genius feature, information about your music library is anonymously sent to the iTunes Store, where it is combined with the anonymously-gathered knowledge from millions of other iTunes users and processed through Apple-developed algorithms. The Genius results, specifically tailored to your personal music library, are sent back to your computer to enable users to automatically create Genius playlists in iTunes and on your iPods, even when they are not connected to the Internet.

iTunes 8’s new visual browsing interface displays your music and video libraries using your album and video covers, and also provides a great way to navigate your movies, TV shows, iPhone apps, podcasts and audiobooks.

The iTunes Store has become the world’s most popular online TV store and features an incredible selection of over 30,000 episodes from ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC and over 70 cable networks including Bravo, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, ESPN, FX, HBO, MTV, Nickelodeon, Sci Fi, Showtime and USA. With iTunes 8, television fans can now watch their favorite programs from ABC, NBC and Showtime in stunning HD for just $2.99 per episode, perfect for viewing on their Mac or PC, or on their widescreen TV with Apple TV.

The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of 8.5 million songs, over 30,000 TV episodes and over 2,500 films including 600 in stunning high definition video. With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

[B]Pricing & Availability[/B]

iTunes 8 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Store and is available as a free download from [URL]http://www.itunes.com[/URL]. Purchase and download of songs and videos from the iTunes Store requires a valid credit card from a financial institution in the country of purchase. Video availability varies by country.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – August 29, 2008 — Lava Software is now shipping Kenbushi v7.4, free digital media jukebox software which puts your library of movies, TV shows and music at your fingertips for easy browsing, fast searching and instant playback. Kenbushi can be used to manage and play media on a Mac or PC, sync media to all non-Apple portable media players, and convert any computer into a media center with InternetTV which connects directly to an existing TV or home theatre system. It includes a secure data backup system and easy file-sharing over LAN or Internet. Versions are available for Windows and MacOS X (Linux version coming soon).

This new version can help you quickly and easily load your MP3 player, multimedia player, mobile phone, USB stick, SD card (for playback on a PSP) or portable hard disk with media from the Kenbushi media library. ‘Media Space Limits’ can be set for each playlist list to ensure only a portion of the available storage space is used for media files. Multiple playlist lists can be set for any media storage device. Media types supported by a particular media storage device can be specified, ensuring only those types are loaded on during synchronization. Media storage devices are automatically detected when they are connected.

The ‘Kenbushi Setup Wizard’ has also been significantly improved, making setup very simple and intuitive - all Internet TV programs, music and movies are scanned and added to the Kenbushi media library, including full cover artwork and metadata downloaded from the Internet.

Media player manufacturers and distributors are now being offered the unique opportunity to bundle the free Kenbushi software with their products. However, additional methods of value-adding are also now available, including the option of a ‘Quick Player Setup’ profile for each media player model, a firmware upgrade service customized to each media player model, and even custom rebranding.

Kenbushi v7.4 can be downloaded now from http://www.lavasoftware.com

About the Company

Lava Software Pty. Ltd., a company incorporated in the State of South Australia in 1997, offers software products across a range of key application areas for all popular computer platforms. More information is available from http://www.lavasoftware.com.

The new software update for the iPod Touch provides access to the App Store, a wonderful addition to the Touch device. The only hangup David Alison experienced was a new connectivity error that has been introduced as well.

Apple has released iTunes 7.7, which is required for the 3G iPhone and iPhone 2.0 Software. A new item called Applications now appears in the Library list. If you have older iPod games, they will now appear in the Applications screen. Clicking ‘get more applications’ will bring you to Apple’s iTunes Store.

Click for full size - [color=#A7A7A7]Uploaded with plasq’s Skitch[/color]

RingtoneFeeder has announced a new and innovative way of packaging and distributing music. The objective is to add value to the audience beyond the time of purchasing the album. RingtoneFeeder has named the model “Dynamic Albums” which provides updates to the album, delivered via RSS, for 12 months after the release date (July 1st 2008).

The updates include karaoke versions, video clips, exclusive invitations to private USTREAM concerts, special tracks and of course unique ringtones - 26 updates in total. The first album to be sold this way is the latest release by Geoff Smith, who is also a partner in RingtoneFeeder, titled “Ones and 0s”.

For several years now, Geoff has been writing, recording, producing and releasing music that has found a voice in the world of new media and podcasting. “Ones and 0s” is an album that has a very obvious geek culture theme and hence ideal for this new distribution model.

Some of these songs have already found big audiences on the web, such as when “Digg the Code” was written in response to the Digg.com / HDDVD controversy and “I’m a TWiT” which has already become the theme song to Leo Laporte’s TWiT live show.

“One and 0s”, the title track, is Geoff’s ernest attempt to explain that we all need perspective when dealing with blogs, comments, chat rooms and message boards. In the end a little kindness goes a long way on the internet.

It is a very light hearted record, packed with tongue and cheek songs like “Quit My Day Job”, or just plain raucous and silly like “Love Everybody” the straight up loud guitar power pop of “Set the Music Free”, or The Beatles influenced “Hello Hello” and “Talk Like a Man”, but the over all theme really only accentuates the already well crafted pop rock songs that Geoff has come to be known for.

Whether you know how to script PHP, or don’t know how to program your mobile phone address book, this collection of power pop is for everybody.

“We do not subscribe to the idea of continuously reducing the price of music which eventually will hurt the industry, instead we believe in adding value to the audience and make use of the global reach to get closer to the audience using the technologies available already today” said Geoff Smith, Partner and Producer at RingtoneFeeder.

RingtoneFeeder is a new and innovative approach to ringtones offering a subscription model which automatically installs two new original ringtones on the iPhone via iTunes every week. The earlier a subscription to the service is made the bigger collection the subscriber will have. When a ringtone has been released it will not appear in the weekly updates ever again. The 10 latest ringtones are delivered when subscribing and then an additional two new ringtones every week.

There is also a free demo feed available so the service can be tried out with no obligations. The free feed contains a few sample ringtones as well as an introduction video and a PDF guide to managing ringtones via iTunes.

Geoff Smith has been producing and playing music most of his life and is mostly known online from his jingles heard on Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code Podcast, GeekBrief.tv, Tips from The Top Floor, ScreenCasts Online, the successful iYule project and recently the theme song for TWiT Live. Geoff began composing jingles and theme songs for podcasters back in 2005 and has literally written hundreds.

[B]Links:[/B]
[list]
[*] iPhone ringtones
[*] Dynamic Album
[*] Geoff Smith
[*] Buy album “Ones and 0’s”
[*] Free iTunes Demo Feed
[*] RingtoneFeeder blog
[/list]

RingtoneFeeder.com was launched on April 29th 2008 and is a weekly automated delivery of original ringtones exclusively produced and optimized to sound great on the iPhone. The majority of the ringtones are written and performed by Geoff Smith who has been producing and playing music most of his life and is mostly known online from his jingles heard on Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code Podcast, GeekBrief.tv, Tips from The Top Floor, the successful iYule project and recently the theme song for TWiT Live. (C) 2008 RingtoneFeeder All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo and iPhone, are registered trademarks of Apple Inc in the U.S. and/or other countries.

David Alison pulled of getting a free iPod Touch from Apple because of the back to school promotional program Apple is running through September 2008. Though the iPod Touch was free, that doesn’t mean it’s not one cool device, as David discovers as he tries it out.

How could anyone improve a book that readers have already dubbed “the iPod Bible” and downloaded millions of times? Popular web site iLounge answers that question and many more in The Free iPod + iPhone Book 4, a brand-new, 268-page encyclopedia of all things iPod, iPhone, and iTunes. Packed with tons of new information - including some life-changing news about its creators - the redesigned and streamlined fourth-edition is iLounge’s best publication yet, guaranteed to help readers make the most of Apple’s popular digital media products. It is available for immediate download from the main page of iLounge.

“As fantastic as they are, iPods and iPhones no longer include detailed manuals or software,” explained Jeremy Horwitz, Editor of the Book and iLounge, “so we created a one-stop, comprehensive guide to virtually everything you can do with them. Whether you’re looking for help, free music or videos, the latest accessories, or the resale value of your used iPod or iPhone, the Book has what you need, and much more.”

Building on its acclaimed predecessors, The Free iPod + iPhone Book 4 now features ratings of over 1,800 iPod and iPhone-related products and services, plus in-depth guides to each of Apple’s media products, including iTunes and Apple TV. New to this year’s edition are “iDesign Retrospective,” a look at how talented designers created the world’s most impressive iPod accessories, and “iPhone Baby,” a modern maternity and paternity article where two expectant parents explain how Apple’s breakthrough cell phone transformed the way they share baby news, shop, and relax. Other sections include:

[list]
[*] [B]Sneak Peeks[/B]: The Book includes exclusive world premieres of over 20 new iPod and iPhone accessories, including new speakers from iHome, earphones from Etymotic and Scosche, in-car accessories from Monster Cable and Griffin Technology, and cases from some of the world’s top designers.

[*] [B]All Things iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV[/B]: Split into 16 sections that cover the full lifespans of Apple’s media devices - from purchase and initial connection to use, repair, and eventual sale - this massive guide also helps users learn how to fill, customize, and accessorize these devices. With newly expanded parts on choosing earphones, finding iPhone-compatible car accessories, and creating device-optimized videos, the All Things guide now also contains direct links to the iLounge.com website for additional, personalized assistance.

[*] [B]150 iTunes Answers[/B]: Completely reorganized and updated for the latest version of Apple’s iTunes digital media software, 150 iTunes Answers now offers a full 100 pages of helpful tips and pictures. Starting with how to transfer an iPod’s or iPhone’s contents back to your computer, then including special sections on the iTunes Store, maximizing sound quality, and much more, 150 iTunes Answers now can be read from front to back or as individual tips from a master index.

[*] [B]The Next-Generation iPhone and Photo Galleries[/B]: Beautiful photographs and images submitted by iLounge readers depict the past, present, and future of Apple’s iPhone family, as well as the latest globe-trotting iPods.
[/list]

“The Free iPod + iPhone Book 4 is a necessary read for users of Apple’s media players,” said Dennis Lloyd, Publisher of the Book and iLounge. “We’ve overhauled every single page of last year’s edition for easier viewing on desktop, laptop, or pocket-sized screens - you can even read this Book on your iPhone or iPod touch. By making this incredible publication available as a hassle-free download, we continue our mission of providing the world’s iPod and iPhone owners with the best possible information, free of charge.”

Downloads of The Free iPod + iPhone Book 4 in the popular Adobe PDF format are available now from the ilounge. iLounge’s famous 2008 Buyers’ Guide and past editions of The Free iPod Book can also be downloaded for free.

[B]Links:[/B]
[list]
[*] iLounge Website
[*] iPod + iPhone Book 4
[*] Library
[/list]