Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Wearables

Some products are simply doomed to fail before they even hit the market, and the iSoundCap was surely one of those items. Unfortunately Amazingly, the start-up centered around a less-than-fashionable ballcap with an apparently appealing ability to tote your iPod is still alive and well, and is now kicking out yet another flavor with trainers (and higher revenue) in mind. The aptly-named Running Cap is “made with a breathable, lightweight mesh fabric, and places the iPod in protective neoprene” to keep any stray wires from flailing around your face. The new exercise-friendly version will supposedly be offered in pink, silver, green, black, red, and blue, which coincidentally matches the colors of the new rainbow nanos. Marketed as the “ultimate way” to carry your iPod while utilizing the Nike+iPod kit, the sweat-proof cap could indeed siphon a few extra dollars from the running crowd, but as of press time we aren’t exactly certain how much coinage these outlandish dome adornments will demand.

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

Filed under: Portable Audio

Gutted, splayed, dissected, nekkid — whatever you call it — the disassembly of gadget hotness is a tradition of incalculable weight and precedence. It’s also dang fun, and today we have the second generation iPod nano‘s internals all spread out for your viewing pleasure. iLounge did the honors here, so head on over for the full collection.

[Thanks, Ben]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Filed under: HDTV, Peripherals, Portable Video

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Portable Audio

Filed under: Portable Audio

So it’s starting to look like those leaked pictures we saw last month supposedly depicting an unannounced 8GB flash player from SanDisk are the real deal. You’ll recall that an Anything But iPod forum member claiming to be a SanDisk tester posted a shot of what’s generally referred to as the Sansa e280, and now the eagle-eyed editors over at ABi have discovered even more tantalizing clues on the company’s website. The most telling bit of evidence comes when you launch the 360-degree demos for either the 4GB e260 or 2GB e250, which instead of featuring the players’ respective capacities on the backside, show a model clearly adorned with an “8GB”  label — see the screenshot, right. Furthermore, the entire Sansa lineup is being hit with price cuts, which could be an indication that a product launch is imminent. If SanDisk is in fact able to get this model to market before Apple breaks us off with an 8GB nano — aluminum enclosure and all — it would seem to do more for the company’s market share than a negative advertising campaign ever could.

[Via Anything But iPod]

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Filed under: Portable Audio

With some iPod revisions just around the corner — at least according to the more optimistic rumor mongers among us — there are new whispers of Apple pulling another design revision reminiscent of their iPod mini to nano transition. This time, though, they’re taking it in reverse, and are supposedly outfitting their miniature player in aluminum to combat those scratches and durability problems that the nano was so given to. The aluminum is supposed to even come in various colors just like the mini did (pictured above), but the player is said to retain the same form factor as the nano, along with bumping the storage capacity to 8GB. These rumors are based on AppleInsider “sources,” so we really have no way to verify their accuracy, but it seems pretty reasonable that Apple will do something about their players to combat those scratches and the accompanying lawsuits.

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV

We can’t say it was love at first sight for us and carbon nanotube displays, with the first screen cap resembling a Lite-Brite a lot better than a next generation display technology. Well, now we’re ready to give this nano tech another chance, since Syscan Imaging has just managed to squeeze a 1920 x 1080 resolution onto a 0.7-inch LCoS microdisplay for use in projection TVs. It’s even at a lower cost than competing technologies, and should hopefully overcome some of the current problems with the low yields and color inconsistencies of LCoS. Carbon nanotube displays also run cooler and have zero ghosting, so we’re pretty stoked, but we’ll have to wait until 2007 for these to make it to shelves.

[Via HD Beat]

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Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio, Transportation

If you've been looking for a redundant iPod accessory that likely won't fit into 9 out of 10 cigarette lighters, this new radJupiter nano dock from Radius should fit the bill nicely. The little unit comes in white and black, and also has a shuffle version with a USB port instead of dock connector. Along with charging your iPod, the radJupiter contains an FM transmitter to get tunes to your stereo, and houses a stereo mini jack to get audio from other devices. You can get your rad on for about $50, but we're pretty sure that the rad-ness will be Japan only for the time being.

Filed under: Portable Audio

In a market already crowded with iBooms, iJams, and Hi-Fis, do we really need yet another iPod boombox to choose from? Memorex thinks so, as evidenced by their recent introduction of a 12-watt 'box -- called, unsurprisingly, the iMove -- which accepts fourth and fifth generation 'Pods along with nanos, the iPod photo, and even the good old Mini, plus anything else you can plug into its auxiliary port. Also sporting a remote, AM/FM tuner, and SRS WOW sound enhancement, the iMove can be powered from your car or boar's cigarette lighter, eight D batteries, or a regular wall outlet  -- and by using the latter option, you can simultaneously charge whatever iPod you have docked as well. No word yet on a release date, but as long as its cheaper than the Hi-Fi (it is, at around $100) and more polished than models like the Toolbox Player or iBoom (which it seems to be), it should probably be able to eke out some decent sales when it finally hits Wal-mart shelves.

[Via fosfor gadgets, thanks Mikael S.]

Filed under: Portable Audio

We’ve seen big iPod cases, small iPod cases, cheap ones and expensive ones. But at about $15,000, with seating for four, the Play edition of Mitsubishi’s i (eye) Car has to be one of the most expensive and biggest iPod cases we’ve ever seen. Eschewing the typical dock-based iPod/car integration scheme, the car includes a dash-based slot designed specifically for the iPod nano. And, if you want your case, er, car to truly match your nano, you can get it in white, for a mere $190 more. Considering that Apple wants about $150 to paint a MacBook black, that may not be such a bad deal. As long as it includes a scratch proof coating, that is.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Wearables

The designers at Thomas Pink must get their iPods jacked on a regular basis, because they’ve followed up on their nano-concealing tie with the “Commuter Shirt” that hides your DAP, cellphone, or PDA under even more clothing, and includes a second secret spot under one cuff for storing your credit cards. We’re assuming that the demand for this shirt stems from the fact that today’s mugger regularly reads Engadget, and is easily able to identify and snatch that signature pink tie right off the necks of unsuspecting businessmen. The less-flashy blue or white “Commuter Shirt” should help alleviate this problem somewhat by tucking that ‘Pod into an inner pocket by the wearer’s stomach, with built-in channeling to ensure snag-free movement. Now, if they can only figure out a way to hide that crease and lump in your shirt which muggers will soon be looking for on everyone not wearing a pink tie.

[Via GigaOm and TUAW]

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Filed under: Laptops, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Take the following information with the usual grain of salt; when it comes to speculation about Apple's intentions, nothing is ever certain until the esteemed Mr. Jobs is on stage, product in hand, delivering the pitch. This time around, we have word from AppleInsider that American Technology Research analysts are reporting that their most recent "checks" indicate impending capacity doubling for the iPod nano line-- to 4GB and 8GB -- as well as the addition of "basic video capabilities," in models to be released during the "September quarter."  If true, none of these developments would be all that shocking, as the current nanos already have sharp little color screens, and storage boosts are just a natural part of any digital audio player's lifecycle. ATR's Shaw Wu also seemingly contradicted earlier AppleInsider info when he cited an anticipated June/July release window for the as-yet-unannounced 13.3-inch Intel-powered Macbook laptop, which AI had previously suggested would be available sometime before June.

Filed under: Portable Audio

href="http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=SJEZRWCL2MVUUQSNDBESKHA?articleID=186701236"> vspace="16" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/02/ipod_nano_small.jpg" alt=""
/>Well, the other shoe has dropped. A week after href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/04/20/apple-snubbing-portalplayer-for-next-gen-ipods/">PortalPlayer revealed the
crushing news that the company wouldn’t be providing chips for the next version of the iPod nano, Samsung has revealed
that it has won the business from Apple. said Jon Kang, a Samsung exec, gloated that “I knew PortalPlayer would
take a dive, adding, modestly, “I knew that we would win this design." According to Samsung — which already
provides flash memory for the nano — the deal represents the company’s largest LSI chip deal so far. “It’s
a huge win for us," said Kang. Meanwhile, Apple has yet to comment on plans for the next-gen nanos, which are
expected to offer increased capacity, and may be less prone to href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/13/yet-another-apple-ipod-nano-lawsuit/">at-home engraving than current
models.

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Filed under: Portable Audio

align="absbottom" alt="" src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/04/fakeipodnano.jpg" />

After href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/23/keepin-it-real-fake-part-xxii-ipod-nano-mp4-player/">enduring href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/20/keepin-it-real-fake-part-xxi-the-tripod-hits-amazon-you-kn/">an href="http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/02/keepin-it-real-fake-part-vii-ipod-ripoff-says-it-loud-and/">onslaught href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/28/keepin-it-real-fake-part-xviii-another-day-another-ipod-shuf/">of href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/20/keepin-it-real-fake-part-xv-apple-ipod-mini-2/">bogus href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/15/keepin-it-real-fake-weekend-edition-most-blatant-nano-knockof/">iPods href="http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/07/keepin-it-real-fake-part-viii-the-i-bob-nano/">for href="http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/16/keepin-it-real-fake-part-ix-mscs-dino-a-nano/">years, Apple has apparently
finally had enough of the knockoffs and is calling in the big guns. Is the company siccing its battery of href="http://www.engadget.com/2005/06/07/apple-sends-cease-and-desist-order-to-makers-of-iped/">attack lawyers on
the shady manufacturers? No, this time Apple is unleashing a more fearsome force: the company is warning retailers to
stay away from the clones, and has provided them with a cheat sheet to help them identify counterfeits. Somehow, we
suspect that most dealers already know the difference between real and fake iPods (here’s a hint: the real ones don’t
arrive mysteriously at your back door in an unmarked box), and that this is really Apple’s way of sending them a
not-so-subtle message: if you want to sell the real ones, stop selling the fakes. Of course, retailers probably see
higher margins from the fakes, so they might be torn, but we’re betting that even a hint of the wrath of Steve will be
enough to get most of them to shut that back door forever.

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Filed under: Portable Audio

So as the story goes, eight year old Shea was learning to write letters in her third grade class; Shea also happened to be really into her iPod nano. So she decided to hit up Stevie J. with a list of her ideas on how to improve the nano -- you know, standard stuff like "slip a little chip" in there to add support for lyrics, movies, etc. (what, don't you want to officially play Doom, too, or at least Pac-Man?). After three months Shea received a reply from Cupertino... signed by Apple's Senior Counsel, Mark Aaker, who put the little girl in her place by stating "please do not send" suggestions, and letting her know Apple doesn't accept unsolicited ideas. Said Shea, who went running to her room, "It was kind of like they were saying, 'Oh, we don't want your idea -- it's not good or anything.'" (Hey, don't feel bad, whenever we write about improving Apple's products we tend to get harshed on too.) While the story didn't exactly end happily, at least Aaker called the little girl to personally apologize, but not before holding a meeting to change policies regarding responses to letters from children. And just for that, all of our staff's children will be swarming Apple with letters on such varied topics from Apple's potentially increased market share with Boot Camp, to the mysterious video iPod -- replete with backwards Es and Ss.

[Via Cult of Mac]

Filed under: Portable Audio

align="right" alt="" src="http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/04/pinkyepp.jpg" />Samsung’s nano-esque href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/27/samsung-taps-ipod-software-designer-for-yp-z5-interface/">YP-Z5 (you know,
the one designed by a former Apple employee) is barely out the door, and Samsung already has an upgrade in the works.
The YP-Z5F doesn’t break any major new ground, but it does add two features that were lacking in the earlier model but
are fairly standard in most other (non-Apple) audio players: an FM radio and voice recorder. It also comes in a
sort-of-pinkish color, if you’re into that. No word on pricing or release dates, though we’d like to see Samsung
finally get the 1GB Z5 out
the door first.

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