Over 100,000 Apps Now Available on the App Store

Great news from Apple! 

iPhone® and iPod touch® customers in more than 70 countries can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories! 

The release of iPhone OS 3.0 made over 100 new features available to iPhone and iPod touch users!...landscape view for Mail, Text and Notes; stereo Bluetooth; shake to shuffle; parental controls; automatic login at Wi-Fi hot spots and Push Notifications.

Here's the complete press release from Apple:


Apple Announces Over 100,000 Apps Now Available on the App Store

CUPERTINO, California—November 4, 2009—Apple® today announced that developers have created over 100,000 apps for the revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. iPhone® and iPod touch® customers in 77 countries can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. App Store users have downloaded well over two billion apps, continuing to make it the world’s most popular applications store.

“The App Store, now with over 100,000 applications available, is clearly a major differentiator for millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers around the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The iPhone SDK created the first great platform for mobile applications and our customers are loving all of the amazing apps our developers are creating.”

“The App Store has forever changed the mobile gaming industry and continues to improve,” said Travis Boatman, vice president of Worldwide Studios, EA Mobile. “With a global reach of over 50 million iPhone and iPod touch users, the App Store has allowed us to develop high quality EA games that have been a huge success with customers.”

“With 10,000 downloads a day, worldwide customer response to our I Am T-Pain App has exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Jeff Smith, CEO of Smule. “The App Store has given us a unique opportunity to create and grow a very successful business, and we’re looking forward to an exciting future.”

Apple continues to improve search and discovery with new features including Genius for Apps, App Store Essentials selections, sub category listings and more valuable customer reviews. With the recently introduced iTunes® 9, it’s also now easier than ever to organize and sync your apps right in iTunes and they will automatically appear on your iPhone or iPod touch with the same layout.

The release of iPhone OS 3.0 this summer made over 100 new features available to iPhone and iPod touch users including Cut, Copy and Paste; MMS; landscape view for Mail, Text and Notes; stereo Bluetooth; shake to shuffle; parental controls; automatic login at Wi-Fi hot spots and Push Notifications. These new features have been incredibly popular with customers and there have already been more than two billion Push Notifications sent to apps available from the App Store. Additionally, the recently introduced In App Purchase feature for free apps means leading developers will now be able to offer customers the choice of buying content, subscriptions and digital services from directly inside their apps.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

SOURCE

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What I love here are the simple features like Cut, Copy and Paste!  I use those a lot! =)
Of course MMS and the landscape view for Mail, Text and Notes.

"Shake to shuffle!!!"  Alright!

What else?...hmmm...Oh yeah!  Automatic login at Wi-Fi hot spots! =)

Free iPod Music Downloads: Legal and Safe

Apple iPod is not only trendy but it also helps make music revolution in the new era. This new technology from Apple Computers has brought a new order of musical pleasure to many people. That is why it has spread widely and its music widely shared around the world. You can have a wide array of choices from the downloadable music in the Internet for your Ipod.

You can choose from millions of songs and download what you want and when you want it. Effortless free iPod music downloads are also available in the Internet of which music can be kept for as long as you want.

There are free iPod music downloads in the Internet where thousands of music tracks are stored for legal sharing. And if you find a song you like, you can download it effortlessly and legally. There are many questions still about the legality of free iPod music downloads.

International and domestic iPod music downloads are bombarded with questions of legality in accordance to the Recording Industry Association of America or RIAA. There are still a handful of websites that offer legal free iPod music downloads including:

3hive.com

Amazon.com

eMusic.com

Epitonic.com

Freekidsmusic.com

Garageband.com

IUMA.com

MFiles.co.uk

MP34U.com

MP3blogs.org

Music.download.com

PureVolume

Vitaminic

and iTunes Music Store

Free iPod music download websites above have great blog-style listings of free iPod compatible MP3 songs by record artists and labels, and mainstream and independent artists. Some will give you a free two-week trial period to check on the services provided by these websites that offer free iPod music downloads.

There are specialized websites too that give free iPod music downloads for young listeners. These are clean, professionally designed interface to give free iPod music downloads where you can download free iPod music across all major genres. There are more than hundreds of thousands of songs that are free for iPod music downloads.

If you find it hard to look for the songs you like, you can always go to iTunes Music Store. It is not as cheap as other iPod music download stores but it is completely safe and legal way to get access to one million songs.

Websites that offer free iPod music downloads can also update you to new cool accessories about your iPod and Apple computer that can help you and your gadgets achieve maximum performance. Accessories include car chargers, pocketdock firewire, pocketdock line out firewire, pocketdock combo, pocketdock line out USB, earbuddy and more. Websites that offer free iPod music downloads also feature not only songs but entire albums as well as updates on which songs and artists are becoming popular and hitting the charts.

From these featured free iPod music downloads in the Internet, you can easily locate the songs you want to have on your iPod. You can find the songs you like by browsing through the store's library by finding it by genre. Or you find too many results; you can make it easier by searching by artist, album or song title. For songs that are very popular for the moment, there are lists of songs that are topping charts around the world that will make the search easier.

Free iPod music downloads on different genres of music include alternative, indie and punk, Broadway, children's music, classical, country, dance and DJ, folk, international, jazz, Latin, miscellaneous, new age, Opera, pop, rap and hip-hop, rock, R&B and soul, and soundtracks.

There are many websites that offer free iPod music downloads but some people who have iPods do not know where to begin. The best way to search for these free iPod music downloads is through search engines like MSN, Google and Yahoo. Once you have found the websites you are looking for, you can click on them one by one and start by looking for the songs you wish to download for free.

After completing the downloading process of free iPod music, the songs you want are already stored in your computer which you can easily transfer to you iPod. Take note about where you saved the iPod music you downloaded for free for easy access later.

With free iPod music downloads, there is no need for you to break the law and join illegal files sharing communities in the Internet. If you cannot afford to buy new music downloads, you can maximize the use of free iPod music download websites today.

Guide to Good Software for Your iPod

New users of the ipod are having difficulty putting on songs on their device. Some complain about some of their play list getting lost after it has been uploaded from the computer. Some are really just not used to it and are having trouble with the very process itself. Addressing this problem, different companies have come up with softwares that will make the use of the ipod not that stressful.

Adding and uploading playlist, songs, videos and etc. will no longer have a hard time as it has been made easy for them. If you decide to use one of these softwares, you should not forget to read instructions first.

Also, you will still be doing most of the work so do not expect the computer, the ipod, and the software to do it all by themselves.

One thing that makes the apple iPod unique is the addition of different iPod software you can add to your gadget. These softwares make it easy for you and add a little more spice to your iPod. Ipod software will help you personalize your little gadget as you use it throughout the day and as you download music to it.

The software can be acquired through download and is very easy to install. Just connect your ipod to your personal computer and wait for it to be transferred. After that, enjoy the wonders of the software which is so positively sure that you will definitely enjoy.

There is a lot of ipod software out there and here is just a small list you can use on your gadget. But I have chosen to show you four softwares for a more easy and convenient use. It is now up to you to choose which Ipod software you need. On my list are the newest software released up to date.

First on my list is the Anapod Explorer 8. Anapod Explorer 8 was created by Windows for the sole purpose of serving Ipod users. The anapod is basically an alternate for itunes. It can copy your music and back to your personal computer and brings your ipod into the windows explorer.

This can be found as a device under my computer. It will give you a more familiar windows explorer interface and this will make it easier for you to transfer and manage your on-board music, play list and more. Transfer from your computer to your ipod or from your ipod to your computer does not get any easier than this.

There is also an add-on to this ipod software. It includes the AnapodSQL and the rare Anapod Xtreamer which is a web based streaming interface. Basically, anapod is a backup software for your easy use.

Another Ipod software is the PodUtil 2.5.1. PodUtil is an Ipod software that is so easy to use. It is for viewing the songs on your Ipod and transferring it to your computer for a more customizable an organized manner. Then, it will automatically add them to itunes and you will be able to rebuild your play list as you wish. Again, another ipod software that makes organizing and transferring music and play lists easier.

Aside from the two mentioned, there is also the gtkpod 0.88. gtkpod is a platform independent GUI for apple ipod that uses gtk2. This ipod software allows you to upload songs and play list to your ipod. It supports ID# tag editing, multiple charsets for ID3 tags, detects duplicate songs, and also allows offline modification of the database with later synchronization, and more.

Lastly, there is the ipod.itunes 3.0. This ipod software has the capability to add missing songs, videos, playlist, ratings, played dates, and play counts in both directions between ipod and itunes.

This software is designed to keep songs, videos, and playlists on different Macs and ipods up to date, and can perform a full restore of these items after a hard disk failure. Now, that is efficiency. The software updates foreign ipods not linked to your itunes library without deleting its content.

Now remember, these ipod softwares are add-ons to your gadget for easy use, but that does not mean that it will do everything for you. Of course, it is still you who will do all the work so that you will have a good time with your ipod.

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Finding the Perfect iPod Speakers For You

Nowadays, you can throw a party anywhere as long as you have an iPod and a set of iPod speakers. They are so tiny, yet they can boom the bass and shake up the place.

iPod speakers are either portable, which you can carry around, or home models, which you cannot carry around because of some restrictions like, it is bigger and heavier and is therefore not handy, and it is not battery operated and work only when plugged into an electrical outlet.

The portable models are battery operated and has a size just slightly larger than iPod Nano and some weighs only half an ounce! Although portable iPod speakers offer sound better than most computer speaker, it can't compete with the home only or standalone iPod speakers that can produce louder, crisper, and more booming sound, for these iPod speakers get their power directly from an electical outlet that gives much energy compared to a low voltage battery.

Below are the best in iPod speakers that could rock us out of our seat with their booming sound.

-iBlasting the Room with iBoom iPod speakers

iBoom is the newest iPod speaker from DLO. The iBoom iPod speakers sport an amorphous shape and has a slot in the front which serve as a hub for iPod or iPod mini. The four iPod speakers only need 20 watts per channel to start producing sound. iBoom iPod speakers also has a built-in handle, an AUX in port, and can run either on AC power or a with six "D" batteries. When plugged in to an AC power, the iBoom iPod speakers will charge the cradled iPod. Design wise, iBoom iPod speakers look pretty good with a white iPod cradled on it. 

The plus points for iBoom iPod speakers are (1) low wattage consumption but could still produce decent sound, (2) portable and (3) charge an iPod when it is running on A/C power.

- 'What's the new Black?'

For Altec Lansing, the answer is still black.

Altec Lansing's inMotion iM3 iPod speakers come in the usual Apple white and, now, in black. It weighs around 15 to 16 ounces only and is sized just a bit larger than the iPod.

Altec Lansing is known for creating sound system that could produce sounds in different ranges from the highest pitch to the lowest bass. And now that Altec Lansing has speakers for the iPod, expect that these iPod speakers would be of high quality. In fact, these iPod speakers has a class D amplifier to create rich, audible sounds.

It's quite unbelievable that these speakers could last 24 hours from four AA batteries. You can carry these iPod speakers anywhere, and play it on for an all night party even on a place where there's no power outlet, like the soccer field, basketball court, or the lakeside.

The black Altec Lansing iPod speakers has the same price as that of the Apple white version.

- Apple's Hi-Fi Shouts "Party!"

When iPod was released in 2001, the only way you could hear the playing songs is through headphones. There were no Apple-branded iPod speakers then, yet. Third party manufacturers and developers created their own iPod speakers to answer the growing demand for off-headphones music playing.

In 2006, Apple realized that it was time to create one of its own.  In February, Apple released the iPod Hi-Fi. Priced at $349, Apple's eye is set on the high-end market.

Hi-Fi iPod speakers, according to Apple, creates a large soundstage and has a wide frequency range. So, Hi-fi iPod speakers are not only portable speakers, they can be the only speaker for a small house or an apartment, replacing the bulky speakers with separate woofer and sub-woofers. With the sound of these Hi-Fi iPod speakers, you can shout "Party!" anytime you want.

Design wise, it looks cool. It bears the traditional Apple white color. It's size is bigger than most portable iPod speakers and is the heaviest, weighs 15 ounces, in the entire line of third party developed iPod speakers

Hi-Fi iPod speakers are powered in two ways, AC or DC (six D-cell batteries), comes with a small, white remote control, and built-in handles to bring it anywhere you go.

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The Ipod Video Converter

First, there came BetaMax. X-D It lasted for a long time, but had to end when the VCD was invented. VCD are discs, which, alone, is one of the reasons why it is more referred to than the hard tapes of the BetaMax.

The VCD still works but more and more people use the DVD compared to those who still watch films on VCD. DVD always has clear copies. The only problem is, you need to have a number of wires, to be connected to a medium, most usually a television set, before you can actually avail of the entertainment a certain movie can give you. This is not the same case with the ipod.

Ipod videos are now hitting the markets and are quite a trend. These said videos are videos that you can watch on your ipod. Neat, huh? But like any other good thing, there is always a bad side.

But the good side always wins, so there’s no reason to fret. However (the bad side), not all videos can be viewed. Reason, mainly, is that not all video files match the type that of the ipod videos. This leads you to the conclusion that a conversion is needed before you can attain the experience of watching box office films on your ipod. There has only been one converter, that has been invented, that can do something about this dillemma (this is another good side that overpowers the bad side).

You need an ipod video converter. Not just any ipod video converter, but the Xilisoft ipod video converter. The Xilisoft ipod video converter builds in a lot of codecs to be able to convert video files like AVI, MPEG, WMV, MOV, RM, RMVB, DivX, ASF, VOB, and 3GP. These different types of video files are not so easy to convert, but the Xilisoft ipod video converter does it all.

When it converts the videos into ipod MP4, the clarity and level of comprehension does not lessen. The Xilisoft ipod video converter connects audiso files too. The audio file types that are WAV, WMA, MP2, AC3, RA, and OCG, are converted by this said ipod video converter into ipod MP#, M4A, or AAC.

You do not have to worry about getting the file you downloaded tampered or, even worse, destroyed, for the Xilisoft ipod video converter doeas all these conversion processes in a very fast manner, at the same time, very easy to manage and handle. The quality of your files are in good hands, thus, well intact.

If you have a very high satisfaction level, and are not easily impressed with the settings of the Xilisoft, then you can just readjust the settings. The settings are very easy to adjust. You can change a file’s video size, if the file is either too big, or too small for you to view it on your ipod; bit rate; frame ratio; and many more adjustable settings.

The Xilisoft ipod video converter also supports batch conversion and multithreading, which allows you to convert a multiple number of files at the same time. This way, you save time and could allot the time left for doing something else that is constructive or helpful. You use the time left to look for other videos or video files or audio files for your Xilisoft ipod video converter to do what it does best. This way, you can get to enjoy more music and videos on your ipod.

This ipod video converter does a lot of things for you. This is so because it lets you see the preview of the files’ conversion first before actually converting them. Here, it acts like a fortune teller, wherein the future state of your ipod file is revealed to you, only that, in this case, you are given a chance to decide whether to proceed with the conversion or not.

This prevents you from downloading tracks or videos that do not really sound good once converted. It saves you time, space, and your patience as well.

The Xilisoft ipod video converter is indeed a thing to have, for with this kind of ipod video converter, you get to enjoy the comfort of your television sets, even if you’re far from home.

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How to turn an iPod into a Remote Control

iPod Hacks

Through the years, the Apple iPod has been modified by techies by using iPod hacks, bent on providing more power to the user in terms of customization and personalization of their Apple iPod.

Strictly speaking, iPod hacks are anything that gives changes to your iPod in terms of appearance, either in terms of software or hardware. Various firmwares that provides iPod hacks, are available on the Internet websites like the iPodWizard that is capable of changing the graphic and text of the Apple iPod.

Some users of the Apple iPod are already content with their iPod simplying playing music, however, some people use iPod hacks because they seem to want more.

Turning an iPod into a Universal Remote

Latest technology capabilities have provided a user power to modify his Apple iPod. These iPod hacks can even transform a normal Apple iPod into a universal remote.

The Apple ipod can be used to control any home electronic equipment in your house. It can control your television, DVD player, Media Center, even a robot. This is the power of iPod hacks.

Simply put, you can use a Pocket PC to possibly record the waves an infrared remote produces. Transfer these waves to your iPod and start changing your TV channels. You now have a new universal remote control.

The following are required before starting this example project of iPod hacks:

1. An Apple iPod
2. A Mac or Personal Computer with a sound recording software installed.
3. A Pocket PC, could be a Pocket PC 2002 or 2003.
4. A total remote software and IR device

The following procedure guides you through changing your iPod into a remote control using iPod hacks:

1. The most important element in this iPod hacks project is the sound or wave to infrared converter.

First, install the total remote software on the MAC or PC. This software is meant to extend the range of the Pocket PC to include consumer IR capabilities.

2. Record the infrared signal by using a sound-editing program that can modify sounds and remove channels. An example of such sound-editing program is the SoundForge.

Input the infrared signals from your remotes to the PC by using the software. Input all infrared signals of the home electronic equipment that you want to control.

You can observe if you have recorded the sound effectively if you'll hear weird beeps or pulses. This is basically what an infrared signal would sound like. Using the SoundForge, you can actually view the pulses and signals on a graphic representation of the wave.

Do not forget to increase the right channel. Then mute it. The process through the IR device would not function properly if you missed this important step.

3. Convert the signals into sound files (actually saved as WAV files).

4. On the Apple iPod, make a new playlist and add the WAV files to the playlist.

5. Now, you can test the new universal remote. Use the Apple iPod to play the sounds through the converter for remote controlling any home electronic equipment.

This basic example of iPod hacks is obviously very easy to understand. Softwares are already available that users can use to modify their Apple iPods.

iPod hacks are still, however, very risky with regards to its effects on your iPod device. Unless handled by a professional technician, the Apple iPod could malfunction if the modification is not right.

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