Everyone got bewitched by the iPod’s magic. The newest company in branch is Memorex. They are due to release a new speaker system compatible with the iPod. The device is called Mi1111. Funny name, I could say!

The system which is expected in June, according to iLounge, has many other functions than an docking station. It features a CD player, digital radio and audio line-in. For your comfort, Memorex will ship a wireless remote too. The price could go under $100, so as I see it, Memorex Mi1111 will be a serious competitor. - MIHNEA BOIANGIU

Altec Lansing has unveiled today the inMotion iMV712 iPod Video Portable Cinema. The system has a 8.5 inch LCD screen in the middle and two Altec Lansing stereo speakers to give you the best sounds. A built-in four-inch subwoofer delivers the lows completing the two other speakers.
The iMV712 has a dock for the popular iPod. In this way you can transform your iPod in a powerful entertainment system. Altec Lansing uses the SFX (Stereo Field Expander) that boost the sound field and give the user the impression the speakers are sound further apart than they really are.

Altec Lansing inMotion iMV712 supports other connections with multimedia players via the Aux input jack. Furthermore you can connect your camcorder using the RCA input. Besides, the inMotion iMV712 features a wireless remote for speakers and iPod.

The device will be available this month for $349.95 in retail stores and online at Altec’s website. - MIHNEA BOIANGIU

[via Altec Lansing]

Apple iTunes is not going to open its gates to renting music, any time soon, and that is because Steve Jobs announced that there is no real interest in renting music : “People want to own their music”, he said. There seems to be lots of calls from the major music companies trying to convince Apple into renting music online, so they could rack more money from recurring income, but since Jobs said there’s little interest, I don’t think they will give in no matter what money they will see in the contracts.

Also, if we think that Apple is putting pressure on the big recording companies to drop the digital rights management (DRM) copy-protection, I don’t think they are interesting in renting right now. Apple has a deal with Emi Group Plc (3rd largest company in the business) to sell music without copy-protection which puts Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Vivendi’s Universal Music Group in a tough position if they won’t accept the new waves.

“We’ve said by the end of this year, over half of the songs we offer on iTunes we believe will be in DRM-free versions,” Jobs said. Let’s see what will happen next! - ALEX ION

[Source : Yahoo!News]

As a teacher controlling the kids during the exam is a pretty hard thing to do. They are very creative in finding new ways of hiding their notes, that school teachers may not be aware of. Remember banning the baseball caps, because the answers where written under the brim, it looks like the new phenomenon includes media players like iPods or Zunes as a cheating method. If you are familiar with them you will understand that it’s very easy to slip it into your pants and hide the wire under your shirt, the only thing that could give you in being the earbud.

Cheating the exams will NEVER stop, trust me, because even naked the students will find a way to hide their valuable informations. However media players are easy to cheat with. You record your lesson and name it like a popular song on your PMP and then you go to school where you need only a few minutes to start writing from the audio file. Too bad that when I did school we only had to find places to hide our crib notes. Not easy at all.

Mountain View High School was the first to ban the media players in school, when the school’s officials realized students were putting formulas onto their devices. If you think that many teachers from the older generations have a problem with technology (they don’t think of it as useful) it looks like a great way for them to protect the test’s accuracy. The Mountain View HS will not be the only one to take this kind of measures. Schools in Seattle, Wash also have a problem with media players. Similar cases can be found outside the United States, like Canada’s St. Mary’s College where cellphones and PMPs were banned this year or Australia’s University of Tasmania where iPods, electronic dictionary, CD players and spell-checking devices are all prohibited.

Cases at the Duke University in North Carolina that offered free iPods three years ago, part of an experiment to enhance learning, might be reasons for people not trying to cheat, with cheating incidents declining the last 10 years. “As teachers are thinking about how technology has corrupted, they’re also thinking about ways it can be used productively” said Tim Dodd, executive director of The Center for Academic Integrity at Duke University. - ALEX ION

For those of you that didn’t know of the Amosu creations I am telling you these guys turn your common mobile phone into a gold mobile phone or into a diamond mobile phone so that you own the best luxury product in town. It looks like, now they can make your iPod look better …

Recently they’ve created the 24 carat gold iPod with hardened mirror case. I bet no one is interested on specifications, because you no longer carry just an iPod, you have the 24 carat gold iPod that not even the fashion gadgets like LG Prada or other could beat. The 8GB Nano and the 30GB video iPod sells for £299 while the 80GB video iPod sells for £399.

However, my main concern is, if I am scared to carry my $700 mobile phone in town how would I feel with one worth $2,000 or $40,000, and I also wonder how appealing would an iPod be to the thieves in my town? If you still want to buy one you can do it on Amosu. - ALEX ION

The X-FI Sound System i600 makes the tracks from your iPod to sound better. Creative designed a home audio system able to expand the little iPod into a mini Hi-Fi system. All you need to do is to plug in the iPod and the show begins. The i600 audio system is composed from two speakers, a subwoofer, a docking station and a remote control.

The high performance speakers develop 35 Watts RMS per channel (2 channels), while the subwoofer goes to 130 Watts RMS. The Creative X-FI Sound System i600 uses the X-Fi’s audio technology with built-in X-Fi audio processing. That means you will experience high quality music, even your tracks suffered from MP3 conversion. The idea of shipping a remote control was great I could say. The remote is very convenient, because you can access both speakers and the player too.-MIHNEA BOIANGIU

[Product page]

It’s the first time we tell you about an iPod in flames because we didn’t give much attention last time but it’s time to do it now. An Australian forum member reported that his iPod started burning and he has the proof for it. The battery was powerful enough to propel it from the PC, down on the floor, while charging. It was a first generation of iPod nano that went on fire and for the unlucky owner that had his gadget out of warranty couldn’t get anything from the store he bought it.

Pictures were taken and sent to Apple but I don’t think they will do much about it. Should we feel unsafe when listening to our older iPod nano now? - ALEX ION

Source - forum post

Belkin, a well known company on the accessories market for computers and other electronic devices, announced today a new series of products. The company released information on their latest accessories, the in-desk hubs meant to connect several peripherals to your computer.

Featuring an elegant and discrete design the new USB hubs are targeted at eliminating the mess of wires on your desk by providing the needed USB connection trough your desk’s grommet hole. For iPod owners there is also an iPod dock available compatible with the latest versions of Apple’s famous mp3 player.

The products are expected to hit the market this May with a $39.99 price tag.

[More info at Belkin]

A Japanese manufacturer is producing the iWalk headphones for iPod Nano. They have no wires, but not because of using some wireless technology. They have a special slot for the iPod. The iWalk headphones are compatible with the two generations of Nanos: LP-IP001 and LP-IP002.

Their users could access the scroll wheel without taking off the headphones. However you must remove the headphones to check the playlist. The iWalk devices are recommended for running as they weight only 150g. These headphones can be folded to save space when not in use. The iWalk comes in black or white and cost around $58. I would rather prefer the earbuds, because you don’t look so stupid like wearing these ones.

Logitec, yes not Logitech, has a new gadget for those geeks and iPod addicted fans, and that’s actually a docking system that looks like a clock. It is an LDS-iALARM, an alarm sound system for iPod with 2 speakers (2×6W) that will scream and play hard-rock when you should go to work. It’s not really a music hall with the two speakers but it gets the job done. I think I need one that would play church songs in the morning to be sure I get up, but then I should worry about cracking it up, but I am sure I get up like this.
[Source AkihabaraNews]