It’s no secret that the iPod Touch is capable of more than Apple lets on – or rather, more than Apple will let the device do.
Last month a ‘teardown’ of the third-gen iPod Touch by iFixit revealed the presence of a Broadcom wireless chip which packs an FM receiver and FM transmitter (along with 5GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi). A refresh of the iPod Nano, released at the same time as the new Touch, added an FM radio along with support for ‘live pause’ and iTunes Tagging.
* Widely expected to unveil refreshed iPod line
* Shares down 1.4 percent (Adds information on Beatles launch)
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said on Monday that it would host a media event next week, when the company is widely expected to unveil an updated line of iPod media players.
Apple declined to say what products would be featured at the Sept. 9 event, which was announced in an invitation emailed to members of the media.
The invitation featured an iPod and the tagline: “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it,” a reference to a Rolling Stones song.
I generally don’t comment on rumors, but, well, let’s face it, Apple is the most important company in consumer electronics today, and my phone’s been ringing continually lately with press, analysts, clients, and assorted others looking for insight on what Apple is doing with regard to a tablet PC or similar product. Officially, I have no idea what Apple is doing here. But, in what appears on its way to becoming yet another worst-kept secret in tech, there are plenty of folks who seem to be hinting that they know all about this unannounced product which, again let’s face it, would clearly be an important direction for the company. But there is really only one question that matters here, and it’s not whether Apple is developing a tablet. Of course they are, and, if they’re not, heads should be rolling in the marketing department at One Infinite Loop. Rather, the question is whether such a device should be a big iPod Touch (or even an iPhone), or a highly-mobile “netbook” Mac
Isn’t it great when exclusive product details leak before the manufacturer is ready? Well I doubt Apple will being sharing my point of view this week as exclusive details of the new iPod Touch and Nano have made it in to the mainstream.
Plans for the next–gen iPod touch and iPod nano have been rumoured for a few weeks now. But the latest batch of shots of new cases from China throw up some interesting tidbits about Apple’s latest efforts, due for an official airing in September.
What’s Apple trying to hide? Apparently, when it comes to the notion that Apple’s iPods are potentially lethal weapons capable of overheating and bursting into flame at a moment’s notice, a lot. There’s some 800 pages of documents from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) detailing how iPods have been seen to smoke, catch fire and sometimes burn their owners.
Of course, Apple’s lawyers didn’t want you to know that. That’s what a consumer affairs reporter from KIRO 7 TV, a Seattle-based TV station, found out when she tried to follow up on a complaint from an Arlington, Wash.-based iPod Shuffle owner who’d told KIRO she’d suffered a burn on her chest following her iPod overheating while she was jogging.
If you’ve read the stories on Apple’s latest earnings, you may have noticed that Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer took the time to break out the sales of each model in the iPod franchise, which is seeing year-over-year declines for the first time in its history. In her piece, our own Erica Ogg wrote:
“During the third quarter, Apple sold 10.2 million iPods, compared with 11 million a year ago. It turns out that the shifting appeal of the Shuffle, Nano, and Classic model iPods are to blame. But Apple apparently saw this coming.” She then goes on to quote Oppenheimer, who says those declining sales are “the reason we developed the iPod Touch. We expect our traditional MP3 players to decline over time as we cannibalize ourselves with iPod Touch and iPhone.”
Rumors have swirled about Apple readying a new version of the iPod Touch with a camera and microphone, which, combined with a Skype account, would pretty much obviate the need for a home phone line once and for all.
A well-connected source tells us those rumors are on the money, and that Apple’s factories in China are already manufacturing iPod Touch models with integrated cameras and microphones. An Apple spokesman declined to comment when reached by phone.
Apple may be planning to add a camera to its iPods. Several Web sites have reported that the iPod touch and iPod nano may get the additions.
Currently, only all three models of Apple’s iPhones have a still camera. The iPhone 3GS also allows video recording and editing and makes it easy to upload videos to YouTube, but it doesn’t have a flash module for low-light situations.
One Web site, citing sources in Asia, said Apple has placed a “massive” order for camera modules for the iPod touch. Another site said new case designs said to be for the iPod touch and iPod nano have a hole for the camera.
Where can I locate the MAC address for the wireless network device in my iPod Touch?
Tap Settings > General > About then scroll down to Wi-Fi Address
