Apple

Star Wars rocks your iPod

We've mentioned Iconz iPod cases before, but thought this limited edition video iPod case warranted another mention, especially given our readers Star Wars inclinations.

The "Star Wars Rocks" case sells for $29.95 and features artwork by Hugh Fleming that was originally made for a fan club poster in the 1990s.

Originally posted at News Blog

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Analyst: Lower-priced models boost iPod demand

American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu is raising his March quarter estimates for Apple Computer due to better than expected demand for iPods, which he says is driven by Shuffle price cuts and the introduction of the lower-priced 1GB Nano.

In a March 10 report, he also notes that the new iPod Hi-Fi speaker system is "seeing strong initial sales and video iPod demand continues to be strong, well above seasonal trends and down modestly from very high December quarter levels."

For the March quarter, his new estimates are $4.43 billion, 43 cents and 8.8 million … Read more

Unconscious jogger identified through iPod

Various San Francisco-based news outlets reported this week that police identified an unconscious jogger, who was an apparent hit-run-victim, by contacting Apple Computer and getting information from the iPod she was carrying.

The 27-year-old woman was jogging early Thursday morning near the Presidio when she was apparently struck and thrown off the side of the road, according to news reports.

Apple declined to comment on or even confirm the story Friday, but NBC11 and others reported that the woman was carrying no identification, so investigators took her iPod to the Apple store, which contacted headquarters. Apple helped identify the woman, … Read more

Tom DeLay ally finds home at Apple

Apple doesn't seem to be the first company you'd think of if you were looking for Republican lawyers well versed in redrawing congressional districts, but the job market makes for novel combinations.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based computer maker now employs Joby Fortson, a former aide to Representative Joe Barton, a Texas Republican, according to the New Yorker Magazine. In 2003, DeLay helped push through a state bill that redrew the congressional districts in the state. The plan helped add Republicans to the House of Representatives.

Fortson wrote a memo at the time, according to the magazine, that outlined … Read more

Originally posted at News Blog

By Michael Kanellos

WinTel machines less dull in the UK?

When Apple announced the first Intel Macs in January, it promised in ads that the Intel chips were finally freed from residing in "dull little boxes, dutifully performing dull little tasks."

But when the ad got around to the UK, Apple apparently dropped the word "dull," according to a report on British tech site The Register.

In the British version, Intel chips were "dutifully doing all the things PCs were built to do," but there was no overt mention of dullness in describing the duties. Apple did not give a reason for the switch, … Read more

The pope gets an iPod

Pope Benedict XVI got an iPod on Friday, thanks to a group of workers at Vatican Radio.

According to a Catholic News Service story, the pontiff got a 2GB white Nano, loaded with, among other things, the radio station's programming in English, Italian and German, as well as classical tunes from Mozart, Chopin and Stravinsky.

The Nano was given to the Pope following a visit to Vatican Radio, CNS reported.

How to dress like Steve Jobs

You can't be Steve Jobs, but this gallery will at least help you at dress like him. (Assuming you didn't get your fill of mockery with the " Steve Jobs Dress-up Game")

In true Apple fashion, at the bottom of the site there's a "Click here to sue, please" link.

Apple bitten by own words

With the old G4 version of the Mac Mini, Apple made a lot out of the fact the diminuitive desktop had a standalone graphics card.

Rather than just tout its own graphics power, Apple took a swipe at many low-end Windows PCs, which use integrated graphics chips that share memory and processor power with the rest of the PC.

"Go ahead, just try to play Halo on a budget PC," Apple said. "Most say they're good for 2D games only. That's because an 'integrated Intel graphics' chip steals power from the CPU and siphons off … Read more

Apple releases iTunes update

Apple today posted a new version of its digital music software, iTunes 6.0.4, which "addresses stability and performance issues related to Front Row," the company said.

Apple has made several tweaks to iTunes 6 since it was first released in October. Its most recent version, iTunes 6.0.3, was launched in mid-February to fix bugs and make performance improvements.

Left brain, right brain battle

Listen to music, or enhance your knowledge base? iPod users can now choose.

Encyclopodia, a free software project, is offering iPod users the ability to download the popular and ever-expanding Wikipedia onto their device.

The folks with Encyclopodia note that the software has been "successfully tested on a third-generation iPod and on an iPod mini" and that they believe it should also work on other versions of the iPod.