Consumer electronics maker Sony Corp. introduced a new U.S. version of its Sony Walkman that includes the ability to play digital video, the latest potential rival to Apple Inc.'s dominant iPod media player.

The Japanese company, one of the world's biggest electronics makers, said its NWZ-A810 and NWZ-S610 series of Walkman digital music players would be available in September.

The devices will support an open platform -- which means they will play a variety of music formats such as MP3 and Microsoft Corp's WMA, providing more choices for downloading and managing music and video collections online.

Sony added that it would pull the plug on its Connect Music Services, which distributes music in Sony's proprietary ATRAC audio format in North America and Europe. Specific timing will vary, but the move will not occur before March 2008.

Sony said the models' battery life allows up to eight hours of video playback for the NWZ-A810 series, which will sell for between $140 and $230. Battery life will be more than nine hours for the NWZ-S610 series, with prices ranging from $120 to $210.

The announcement comes amid speculation that Apple will next month introduce new versions of its ubiquitous line of iPod media players. Apple has distributed invitations to a September 5 event in San Francisco but did not specify what would occur at that time.

Apple rivals are lining up to take yet another shot at the iPod ahead of the holiday shopping season. Earlier this week, Nokia, the world's largest cell phone maker, unveiled an online music store, a gaming service and four new multimedia handsets. source

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Jflo asked me what I was dong for lunch today. Bottom line is that he was hungry, did not bring lunch and asked me to pick him up something if I was going out. I offered In-N-Out burgers and left. As I pulled up to the pick up window, the first diet coke was handed to me and the lid popped off in my hand. I saved the coke. Close call. I get back to the office and pick up the same cup and the lid popped off again. Only this time the coke spilled and poured onto my 20GB iPod that was in play mode on the passenger seat.

The iPod chirped and chirped. Now this iPod has no external speaker, but it chirped. The screen started flipping screens to and fro. I shut the power off and dried it off with my pants, then a napkin. My first thought was that this 20GB iPod served me very well over the past four years and this was a good excuse to buy a new one. My second thought was that a recent COLA (cost of living adjustment) raise would cover a new 6 generation iPod due out next week. The third though was to turn the iPod back on to confirm prior two thoughts.

Old faithful had sprung back to life. The contrast needed adjustment and I was back in business. I almost killed it. My traveling buddy faithfully playing thousands of hours during my commutes and time spend on the road for work. I am still contemplating the first and second thoughts.

KeynotePro announces Pavilion '08 update: "KeynotePro has announced the availability of the Pavilion '08 Themes. The versatile, classic vibe of the original Pavilion theme comes to Keynote 08 with expanded Master Slides, new layout options and HD themes -- along with an all-new iPhone optimized theme joining the new Pavilion '08 EP Edition..."

(Via MacMinute.)

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iPhone, Keynote, Macintosh, Software

Today was a flying visit to Dundee.

At least the time on the train allowed me to read a few reports I'd been trying to get my head round.

I was back in Glasgow later in the afternoon and with Queen Street station being so close to Buchanan Street, I could hardly not have a quick first look in the new Apple store there.

There's loads going on in the store, details at the link above.

The outside seems a bit incongruous, with the very "clean" Apple logo located on the ornate building facade. Inside, it's pure Apple. The design is very simple and functional, much like the products themselves (Steve, are you reading this?).

The feel is very reminiscent of the Apple store in Manhatten. Yes, I'm a name-dropper :-)

I already have a 30GB video iPod which is a permanent feature in the car, alongside the digital radio. I also have an iPod shuffle, which is great when on the move and running because it just clips to a pocket or clothing. There's also a mini iPod knocking around the house doing not a lot.

My gaze fell on the Bose Sound Dock, which I'd been looking at in Florida where it was priced at $299 (£150). Here, it's priced at £269. Today was when I wished I'd bought it and just put up with lugging the box back.

But no, I held myself in check and came out wallet intact.

Running - I did six miles near home this evening. My upper quads feel a bit tired and my achilles are telling me they were a bit stressed so I'm not in the best of running frames of mind.

Engadget  reported on a rumor that there might be a wireless version of the iTunes store coming down soon for use with the iPhone and the new "wireless" ipods.

Wild rumoring is of course inevitable with an Apple event on the horizon, and MacDailyNews is doing its part with this latest wireless iTunes doozy. Apparently alongside the oft-rumored wireless iPods, Wednesday will also bring "wireless iTunes Store sales" to the iPhone and said iPods. MacDaily's source also claims that the iPods will indeed be Mac OS X-based, and that we should "Prepare to be stunned [with] iPod's new capabilities." Of course, a wireless iPod is perfectly plausible, and a wireless iTunes store seems like something Apple's going to have to break down and build sooner or later, but there's really no telling that the cited source has any inside line on such a thing, so we're going to remain firmly skeptical on this one until we get a few hard facts -- like a wireless iTunes Store, for instance.

Of course, Engadget has been reporting on wireless ipods since late 2006, successful use of wi-fi in the iPhone might finally give them the excuse to give us wireless music players.

Fra i tanti lettori Mp3 esistenti in giro per il mondo, il più bello, il più interessante, il più figo è sicuramente l'iPod. Io non ho l'iPod ma un lettore sotto-sotto-marca che finora - 2 anni - funziona a meraviglia. Vorrei comprarne un altro più capiente visto che un giga mi sta un po strettino, e allora mi sono messo a fare una ricerca in rete per vedere se esiste un iPod per le mie esigenze: economiche visto che non voglio spendere un cifrone, ed estetiche perchè anche l'occhio vuole la sua parte.

Girovagando mi imbatto sul sito di un produttore di lettori cloni dell'iPod, dove noto un bellissimo lettore stile iPod ma senza la mela intorno, ed infatti lo slogan del lettore è: “Ciò che conta non è la Mela, ma il succo”.

Girando ancora in rete, leggo che su eBay se ne trovano anche a basso prezzo. Sarà, ma credo che opterò per comprarlo direttamente dal produttore, non che non mi fidi dei venditori di eBay, ma non si sa mai che ti affibbiano sull'elettronica di consumo.

Intanto ci penso su, casomai vi faccio sapere

Há muito tempo atrás circulava pela internet um e-mail com uma possível situação onde comparava-se os carros da GM – General Motors com os produtos da Microsoft, os presidentes das duas empresas discutiam (lógico que foi uma lenda criada para criar polêmica). 

Lí sobre algo parecido, mencionado no rodapé de uma revista alemã, onde dizia que o CEO da Volkswagen Martin Winterkorn recentemente esteve na Califórnia para uma sessão de brainstorming com Steve Jobs da Apple. 

A nota dizia que estariam em estágio de planejamento para iniciar uma parceria de cooperação para o desenvolvimento de uma nova geração de carros compactos da montadora alemã, o que incluiria vários utilitários da Apple. 

Pesquisei e atualmente a Apple trabalha com algumas montadoras pelo mundo, uma delas é a BMW que possue integração de seus carros com iPod e iPhone. Rumores, no mercado europeu também dizem que a Mercedes-Benz não quer ficar atrás e pretende desenvolver um novo painel de navegação já no próximo ano. 

A pergunta é : Você acha que o iCAR seria assim? 

Don't even think about buying an iPod between now and Sept. 5. Apple has invited the press to a "special event" next week in San Francisco.

 Já pensou poder controlar seu iPod que está no bolso quando sem ter que tocar nele?

A Timex pensou nisso e lança um relógio da série Ironman que inclui os controles básicos do iPod, as funções básicas serão: Play; pause; navegar nas listas e controle de volume, o que já é o máximo.

Estima-se que estará nas lojas em Setembro a um preço de US$ 125,00 doletas....

MacDailyNews reported today that they have received a pretty "reliable" source's update on next weeks events and it's releases. MDN cites that the reputable source claims that there will be in fact wireless iPods released but also that there will be a conjoining wireless iTunes store. Believable? Perhaps...but I'll give it till next Wednesday.

Tags: itunes, wireless, ipods, iphone, ipod nanos, apple, technology