Awesome iPod Nano Video Enlarger Plus Speaker

Think your iPod Nano's screen is too small? Then check out this do-it-yourself iPod Nano video enlarger. It's made out of an old 35mm slide viewer, hacked to include portable speakers. Very cool.

My Gadget Wishlist

Realistically speaking, I don't have enough money to buy all the gadgets I want. But if ever I did, I'll go ahead and buy these things. These are very simple and mainstream gadgets, nothing too fancy in here. And if I probably starved myself for a year I could buy these, but I just love food too much.

• Apple Macbook Pro - This one's a no-brainer. This laptop's simply unbeatable.



• iPod Touch 32 gb - I have the 16gb model but I want the newly released 32 gb! I'm frustrated.



• Bose iPod Dock - This is the prettiest iPod dock around.



• PS3 - Now that BluRay's the clear winner, I'd love to get the PS3 not only for games but for watching awesome movies as well.



• PSP - I used to have a PSP but it got sat on and the screen cracked. Now I'm thinking that I want one again.
  

MacBook Pro Mockups

The MacBook Pro is rumored to be updated any time soon. But while that's not happening yet, the time's just right for speculation and excitement. To up the speculation, Engadget challeged it's readers to create mockups of the next MBP. The gallery of submissions is now available at the site and while there were some pretty wacky submissions, some looked great. See my faves below...

Macworld 2008 Keynote

Check out Steve Jobs' keynote at Macworld 2008 here. I'm personally not blown away by any of the things he announced. However, I'm sure a number of people are or will be psyched about a certain practically-paper-thin laptop.

Anyway, I think it's better to watch any keynote without any knowledge about the content whatsoever. It makes everything sound better I guess. So I'll stop blabbing now.

Why Is The Zune 2 Better Than The iPod?

The PMP battle is now in progress and surprisingly, the new Zune is a worthy contender. I do hope the iPod is ready for some competition. Don't get me wrong, I love the iPod. However, I can't help realizing that Team Zune Luv from Zuneluv.com does have some valid points in their article 7 Ways Zune Beats iPod. Here are their two best points in my opinion...

Podcast as top-level entry. It always bugged me that Podcasts were a “category” in music (or video) in the iPod. That was just so wrong on so many levels that it is great to see that cleaned up. Don’t get me wrong, I have music and Podcasts on my Zune - there is just a time and place for everything (and now they both have their place).
Bonus – I can now shuffle music content and not worry that an episode of the Bitterest Pill will show up in the mix.

> I agree, I love podcasts and I think they should have their own top level menu entry. Lumping them in with Music and Videos just creates confusion.

Radio. I seldom listen to radio but found myself in the gym watching a news clip on the monitor that caught me eye. They do that broadcast the audio on FM thing so I switched over quickly, got my fix and went from there. 3 minutes of usage total – but it was nice to have.
Bonus – We live in crazy world where a radio nearby is never a bad thing. Usage will continue to plummet but having that option in the case of an emergency is a comfort.

> No matter how large our music library is, we do get bored with our music sometimes. For the freshest tunes, nothing beats the airwaves.

Paint Your iPhone Black

Mark Hoekstra disliked the bling factor of his iPhone. Yup, it was definitely a conversation starter, but not with the people he wants to talk to. So what's a guy to do? His solution is to paint his iPhone black. You might want to do the same, even for a different reason.

Of course you just can't cover the screen in masking tape and paint the thing black or you might just end up with a black brick. Painting your iPhone requires the talent of an artist and the skills of an electronics enthusiast. If you're missing both, Mark's got an in-depth walkthrough at his site which shows you everything you need to know.

The final product looks sweet. He even covered the button at the front with a retro Apple logo. I don't have an iPhone but if I had one and if it were up to me, I'd keep the retro logo but instead of black, I'd paint mine hot pink.

Apple's New Mac OS X Leopart Looks Great!

Apple just released a video tour of the new Mac OS X Leopard. It's a pretty long and detailed video but as it played, I found myself just staring in amazement. I'm not a Mac user but I've always wanted to buy a Mac. However, this new OS X release just makes me drool even more! This certainly makes Window's Vista look ugly and clunky. Apple also released a documentation of Leopard's 300 new features. Whew, way to go Apple!

Make Your Own Noise Eliminating Headphones

Have you ever tried using the stock iPod earbuds in an airplane? It's torture. Even with the volume up to maximum, I had to cover my ears with my hands just to understand what I'm watching. Not a great experience.

In this situation, I would have killed for a pair of noise eliminating headphones. But the cheapskate in me just can't spend more than a hundred of dollars just for a pair of headphones. This Kipkay hack blew me away. It makes me think, why didn't I think of this before? Check it out and you'll see what I mean.

Headphone Hack! Make You Own Noise Eliminating Headset! - Watch a funny movie here

New iPod Line Bogged Down With Flaws

Well well well, looks like quality control over at Apple is down lately. Have you gotten your new iPods? If so I hope you're not one of the unlucky ones who have recieved flawed items. They're not exactly defective, they're just less than perfect. And I know a lot of people expect perfection from Apple.

For instance, several iPod Nanos have been reported to have tilted screens. Of course these are just physical defects, but a lot of people can be nitpicky about their gadgets. My cousin got her Nano and I noticed it was slightly tilted. The bottom right side was about a millimeter higher than the bottom left side. I told her about it and she basically said she didn't care.

Good for her! I would have gone totally crazy and demanded a replacement from the Apple store. Unfortunately for Apple, there are a lot more people like me... check out this thread from the Apple support forums and this thread from MacRumors. Fortunately however, Apple is taking responsibility and replacing the units with tilted screens. The problem is, it seems like there are more units with tilted screens than ones with straight screens.

To add to that, the iPod Touch isn't even supposed to be out yet but people are already complaining about the poor lcd screen quality. I'm talking about the "negative black effect." To non geeks, it simply means that videos with dark scenes (like Buffy the Vampire Slayer perhaps... hey, I loved that show) will look like crap on your iPod Touch. And considering the fact that this iPod model was designed to play videos, it should have a damned great lcd screen.

And in a shocking twist, a few new iPhone owners are now complaining that their new iPhones are dispalying the same problem as the iPod Touch's screens. Go figure. Maybe they were cutting corners at the Apple factory? One thing's for sure though, if Apple keeps this up, it looks like they're going to be making more enemies than friends.

iPod Touch Goodness

I am officially crazy about the iPod Touch. I just love it. That's why I'm creating a new blog all about the iPod Touch. Yup, it's iPod Touch goodness all in one place! So if you're as crazy about it as me, bookmark this... [ipodtouch.gadgetmuse.com] and get your dose of iPod Touch news and reviews all in one place. See you there!

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Looking Back: The iPod Archives

Earlier today, I was looking for a discussion thread about the latest Steve Jobs Keynote. I've already read a lot of the comments at Engadget but I guess I'm not over it yet. Reading everyone's posts always makes my day. You can't get any more attacks and arguments anywhere else. Everyone has their own opinion, everyone thinks they're right and everyone wants to be heard.

After searching "ipod forums" in Google, I found a thread in the Macrumors.com forums. It was titled "Apple's New Thing (iPod)". I thought the title was a bit weird. I mean, it makes it sound as if the iPod was a newly launched product. After reading a couple of posts, lo and behold, I realize I was reading an archived thread started when the original iPod was announced almost 6 years ago! A lot of the posts amused me, they ranged from disappointed to delusional. A lot of the posters actually hated the iPod back then! Here are a rundown of my fave posts (my comments are in green)...

• WeezerX80 wrote: "I still can't believe this! All this hype for something so ridiculous! Who cares about an MP3 player? I want something new! I want them to think differently! Why oh why would they do this?! It's so wrong! It's so stupid!" [Perhaps he was expecting a jetpack backpack?]
  

• elitemacor wrote: "It's now at the online Apple Store! $400 for an Mp3 Player! I'd call it the Cube 2.0 as it wont sell, and be killed off in a short time...and it's not really functional. Uuhh Steve, can I have a PDA now?" [6 years later, MP3 players, particularly iPods, are one of the fastest selling gadgets around and PDAs are the ones practically extinct...]
  

• Guest wrote: "I have no use for an Mp3 player. My house has a CD player. My car has a CD player. My Mac has a CD player. I don't use headphones. The iPod requires me to change my lifestyle to meet it's needs... I need round holes, not square holes. For $99 I might buy the toy, for $399? Why? Doesn't a Mac with a CDR undermine the need for most of this? All that's left is the number of songs you can play and the ability to listen to all of them with headphones anywhere. Do I really need ALL my songs ALL the time?uhm, no. Won't last. Another Cube." [Of course I need all my songs all the time! I need all my podcasts and movies and tv shows with me everywhere I go as well! And Mr. Guest, no one is asking you to change your lifestyle. You can have your CDs if you love them so much. LOL.]
  

• Smelt wrote: "Lots of hype. Now I gripe. 400 bucks! Is Steve nuts? Digital hub??? What a flub! Stupid name. Who to blame? Come on folks-no more jokes..." [Uhm, your rhymes aren't great, you won't get paid... Ok, mine was worse... next...]
  

• myassmuh wrote: "i'm not expecting a $200 time machine, but damn, why can't i have a $200 ipod. or even better a $50 or $100 dollar product that can expand userbase and introduce people to the apple product line. want people in the stores? try offering a deal, steve." [Uh, he just did... and now people hate him...]

It just proves that techies are whiners through and through. Haha, I've whined a couple of times myself. Anyway, here's the link to the thread if you want to check it out yourself... [thread]. Enjoy!

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I'm a PS3... I'm a Wii

You've all probably seen the Mac vs. PC ads (I'm a Mac... I'm a PC...) by Apple. They're hillarious. (Just so you know, "I'm a PC" but I still get the humor of it all.)

Anyway, here's the PS3 vs. Wii version. Are you a PS3 or are you a Wii?

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Stop the iPhone Price-drop Drama

Obviously I'm not the only one tired of all the complaints iPhone owners have been voicing out these past few days since iPhone's price-cut. I can see a pattern with the arguments. There's the early adopters group that's so pissed off they're seeing red, the non-owners who are laughing in the face of the early adopters, and the people who are totally on Apple's side.

Everyone's taking it so personally that it's becoming such a bitter drama in my opinion. This article by Steven Pearlstein from WashingtonPost.com is brilliant. I love it so much that I'm quoting the article almost completely...

A bit of advice for all those who rushed out to be the first on their block with a new iPhone and are now bellyaching because Apple reduced the price:

Get a life.

What rock have you folks been living under? Have you bought an airline ticket recently? Or have you ever haggled with a rug salesman? Or bought a case of wine on sale at the local liquor store that sold for 20 percent more the week before?

As the generation that has grown up on eBay, Priceline and day-trading on Nasdaq, ou should have developed at least a rudimentary understanding of markets -- willing uyers and willing sellers and all that.

And fairness -- what's that have to do with anything? If Apple suddenly discovered that it was losing money on the new iPhones and suddenly raised the price, would you have volunteered to send a check?

I've got some news for you: Steve Jobs is not your friend. The reason he's a billionaire and you're not is that he's brilliant at selling you gadgets that make you feel so cool you're willing to pay way more than it costs to make them. His only mistake last week was letting you in on his little secret.

Credits: Steven Pearlstein

Very well said! Thanks Mr. Pearlstein for giving it to us (and the iPhone whiners) straight. You are very blunt but I couldn't agree with you more.

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Reviews on the iPod Nano (3G)

The moment the new iPod Nano was announced Apple lovers rushed to their nearest Apple stores and bought themselves their very own "nano fatty". And despite the uncertainty over it's new look when it was first leaked (read the replies), based on the numerous reviews just released, people are now loving it's squat look. I'm starting to think that everything Steve Jobs touches turnes to gold. I'd have to admit that even though I have no intentions to buy one myself (I've got my heart set on the iPod Touch), it looks pretty good to me.

But the Nano Fatty isn't just great in the looks department. The reviews are in and the new iPod Nano is officially a hit. Reviewers are raving about it's long battery life, relatively cheap price, and it's sharp screen. Here's a round-up of reviews from only the most trusted sources, brought to us by Engadget.

Read - PC Mag
Read - CNET
Read - ZDNet Australia
Read - iLounge

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The New iPod Touch

Ever since the iPhone was introduced to the public, I've secretly hoped for something exactly like it minus the phone part. The iPhone just wasn't practical for me. I don't want to have my music and video player in my phone, I'd much rather have a separate phone with less bells and whistles.

My hopes were answered by none other than Steve Jobs yesterday, with the introduction of the new iPod Touch. And let me just say, I have never wanted a gadget as much as I want this right now. I have the 5th gen iPod and I could say with confidence that I've used it to watch videos (mostly podcasts) more than I've used it to listen to songs. With the iPod Touch, I could watch my videos in widescreen glory. Here's a rundown of it's other features...

• Music, Video and Photos - Duh!

• Comes with 8 GB or 16 GB flash memory - 16 GB here I come!

• Built-in Wi-fi - Finally, a Wi-fi iPod!

• Built-in Safari and YouTube - This definitely adds plus points for me since I've been looking for a better way to read my RSS feeds than on my phone's puny screen.

• Built-in rechargeable, non-removable battery with up to 5 hours of video playback, and up to 22 hours of audio playback - The iPhone ran into a lot of problems with it's battery; I just hope the iPod Touch will be different.

So all in all, I can't wait to get my hands on one! I just can't!

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Steve Jobs Keynote

Whew, Steve Jobs latest keynote address surely gave me a lot of material to write about! But before anything else, I think it's best if you watch the actual address first. He talks about really exciting stuff like iTunes upgrades and of course new iPods! Go ahead, watch it from start to finish. If you're an Apple lover like me you'll probably end up drooling. No wonder he looks so smug in the picture. Here's the link to the stream, enjoy!

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Make Your iPhone Contacts Smooshed

Most phones, including the iPhone, allows you to take a picture of a person and assign it to a contact in your phonebook. It's not a new thing, this feature has probably been around for a couple of years now.

Stillframe thought of a fun twist to the usual contact photo you might take of your friend. It's easy too. Just stick your friend behind a pane of glass (maybe a glass door or glass window) and make them smoosh their face against it and click away to capture a "trapped in an iPhone" kinda look. This also makes great background pics for other phones.

Now I just have to persuade my friends to smoosh themselves against my glass door...

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The Prettiest iMac? (Photo History of the iMac)

Ever since Apple released the original bubble gum iMacs of the late 90s, iMacs have grown in popularity not only because of it's non-Windows (and therefore less crashy) OS, but also because that they're just so pretty. Now almost ten years later, we have the enth edition of the iMac, still looking as stylish as ever. I give my most sincere props to the iMac product designers for their continuously evolving and so-damn-cool designs.

Let me take you back in time to see the how the iMacs have progressed design-wise from the yummy candy colors to the sleek brushed aluminum...

1998

Announced in May 1998 and shipped in August, the brand-new iMac was Apple's computer for the new millennium. Next to the blah looking beige PCs of the nineties, the iMac looked so cool with it's colorful plastic exterior. They certainly caught the attention of kids, teenagers, even adults who never even used Apple computers before. And to be honest, I was one of them. Before this iMac came out, I didn't even know Apple computers existed (what an ignorant little teenager I was back then).

1999

New flavored iMacs were relased in 1999 which brought us brighter, more dazling new colors... blueberry, strawberry, lime, tangerine and grape (they even sound yummy). Personally, I love the strawberry. The iMacs also went from a tray type to a cooler looking slot loading CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

2000

In contrast to 1999's fruity and candy colors, the year 2000 brought us iMacs with shiny, almost jewel-like exteriors. Personally, I like the previous colors better, although I'm sure some guys would think otherwise. These colors look too masculine for my taste.

2001

In 2001, Apple chose to get rid of Sage and Ruby in favor of "Blue Dalmatian" and "Flower Power". According to Apple-History.com, these two new patterns were molded into the case using a technique which took Apple 18 months to perfect. However, I do think that they should have thought of nicer designs, maybe took on popular graphic designers to do the designs for them. I mean seeing that they spent a lot of time perfecting their technique they should have put a lot more thought into the designs themselves.

2002

Next to the latest design, this is my favorite iMac design. It's the first time Apple introduced a flat screen iMac and boy does it look fantastic. Steve Jobs proudly announced, when this new iMac was released, that "The CRT is officially dead." I completely agree. I love the combination of the thin monitor with the spherical cpu and speakers. Apple also went all white this time, which I think is certainly a breath of fresh air. Pretty, pretty, pretty.

2004

In 2004, Apple got rid of the extra lump at the bottom and completely integrated the processor and the rest of the computer's innards in the monitor casing, which they managed to keep just two inches thick. This streamlined new iMac is great and all, but I still prefer the 2002 design because of the screen's ability to rotate and change angle's easily. This two inch screen seemed too clunky in comparison to the last design.

2007

The latest iMac is a redesign of the 2004 model. They did a great job design-wise, if I may say so myself. The basic design is still the same except that everything is just so streamlined this time. The cpu and monitor is now so much thinner and is now made of anodized aluminum. Even the keyboard looks a whole lot better. This is my favorite design so far.

Apple iMacs have certainly made a lot of breakthroughs in the computer design department. They took risks, but all these (except maybe for a certain flower inspired iMac) certainly paid off. I no doubts that they will come up with more amazing designs in the future. But right now, I'd say their latest design is almost perfect. I say almost because let's face it, nothing is perfect. This one however, comes as close as it can posibly can.

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Guy Creates iPhone Replica

This guy just created his own iPhone from wood and metal. It's like taking shop class to a whole new level. It looks damn realistic too. Unfortunately, the whole site's in Japanese and I don't understand Japanese. However, the photos tend to explain every step. I want one!

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The New iMac

The new iMac is extra thin and extra yummy. I am a Windows user but I think this just might make me switch. I mean look at it. Ok, I can't think of anything else to say right now I'm just in awe. Here's some links for you...

• Official Apple site - get a load of all the iMac info here... I can't help but drool
• First iMac Unboxing - Engadget takes us through their first iMac unboxing. Read about their first impresions here.

Of course I'll post more info about the iMac when it becomes available to me. As for now, I still can't wait to get one. When my budget permits of course.

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