ipod

A new study has found that iPods and pacemakers can be a harmful mixture. The idea for such a connection did not initially come from a Cardiovascualar doctor, but from a Michigan teenager. 17-year-old Jay Thaker, whose father wears a pacemaker, ... approached Dr. Krit Jongnarangsin from the University of Michigan to run some tests on the possibility of pacemaker interference from iPods. (Source: dailytech.com ) "We took patients from a pacemaker clinic, got consent, and we put the pacemaker programmer on them to view what was going on inside the pacemaker on a screen," Thaker explained. "And then ... (view more)

When a company as powerful and influential as Electronic Arts (EA) gives its seal of approval, people stand back and take notice. As previously reported on Infopackets, Apple recently added video games to the growing list of media that can be ... downloaded for the iPod from the iTunes web store. Now EA is putting its full weight behind Apple's portable unit. "Consumers have an appetite for a diversionary-type game experience -- a snack where they can play for five minutes," stated Mitch Lasky, the leader of EA's mobile gaming division. The iPod is not in competition with standalone portable ... (view more)

Pop sales took off when people were able to put some change into a vending machine and get a nice cold drink. Apple has decided that if it worked for pop, it could also work for iPods. iPod vending machines first started popping up a couple of years ... ago in airports. Although intuitively the idea of selling a big ticket item in a vending machine seems odd, the concept has actually proven successful. iPod vending machines now exist in airports, universities, military bases and department stores. (Source: ajc.com ) Mark Mullins, Executive Vice President of Zoom (a company that makes the vending ... (view more)

Microsoft eagerly entered the digital music player industry earlier this month by releasing the much anticipated Zune. However, the product's place in the company is not yet a perfect fit; in fact, Microsoft's whole strategy with the device seems a ... bit puzzling. The Microsoft Zune, similar to Apple's iPod, exists within an ecosystem that unites music player and music content into a closed system. Clearly, Microsoft's decision to create a closed system reflects the company's aim to mimic Apple's success. However, the move seems to be inconsistent with Microsoft's strategy of encouraging ... (view more)

"iTunes is really good, but they don't have everything I want to put on my machine. I'm frustrated because I'm kind of locked in." Those are the words of a 24-year-old CompUSA worker who has reached the end of his rope with the restrictions Apple ... has placed on the iPod and its iTunes music store. As it stands right now, music downloaded from iTunes will only play on the iPod. And if you grab your music from another online source other than iTunes, it won't work on the iPod, either. It's limiting, frustrating, and just a plain headache. But an avenging angel may have arrived in the unlikely ... (view more)

Many iPod users and airline passengers will no longer have to worry about re-charging their iPod before they board the plane, or worry about having enough battery power to last the duration of their trip. Earlier this week, Apple announced a deal ... with six major carriers that would outfit airlines with iPod seat connections. The iPod seat connections will be available to passengers by mid-2007 on Air France, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, KLM, and United Airlines planes. (Source: news.com ) The seat connections will enable passengers to power and charge their iPods while in ... (view more)

With Microsoft's entry into the digital music industry scheduled to launch before the holidays, many are wondering how Apple's iPod will fare against the new threat. In a recent interview with Newsweek, Apple CEO Steve Jobs left nothing unclear when ... expressing his lack of concern. Mircosoft's Zune, he says, does not measure up to his company's widely popular iPod. When asked point blank if he was worried about Zune, Jobs simply replied "In a word, no." (Source: news.com ) Jobs went on to dismiss Zune's capability for sharing music wirelessly, a feature that Microsoft has touted as a key ... (view more)

If you're the owner of a fifth generation video iPod, you can now turn your music machine into a bona fide pocket arcade, as Apple has officially added video games to the iTunes store. Leading the charge is the ultimate gaming classic: the ... dot-chomping, ghost-busting Pac-Man. The world famous Tetris and Internet favorites Bejeweled and Zuma are also on the lineup, along with several original titles. Each game can be downloaded for a very reasonable $4.99. However, they're only playable on an iPod -- not on a PC or Mac like regular iTunes video downloads. (Source: gamespot.com ) These are the ... (view more)

Recently, CNET News produced a story examining the stalled popularity of the iPod. According to the article's author, a lack of hardware updates to the iPod has led to a current state of tech purgatory, a place where Apple might see its digital ... music fanbase slowly decline. Has the iPod bottomed out? We'll look at a few angles in determining the answer to that here. The iPod has seen a few different versions, from the original massive-capacity player, to the half-gig shuffle, to the most recent "Nano." The Nano did revitalize the iPod name, despite CNET News' brushing off of the product. ... (view more)

Recently, Infopackets brought you a few details on the Zune, along with some visuals of the new portable player. And just a few days ago, those wonderful and mischievous sneaks responsible for the underground Zune images are whispering in-depth ... details about the device's appearance, controls, and features. We've made it pretty clear in our recent coverage of the Zune that it is Microsoft's upcoming rival to the immensely popular iPod. The Zune has gone through a number of stages, from gaming peripheral with the power to run Xbox software to its current state as a WiFi music player. Still ... (view more)