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Griffin Ships iTrip for new iPods in Black and Announces PowerBlock Charger for iPod

Griffin Technology Inc., today announced iTrip for the new iPods is now available in black, to match the new black iPods.Compatible with all full sized dock connector iPods, (but made especially with the newest 5th Generation black iPod with video in mind), the new iTrip follows in the tradition of Griffin’s iTrip line, with superior performance and innovative features that make the iTrip the most popular iPod FM transmitter in the world. And the most attractive.

The large, easy to read backlit LCD screen makes setting its digital tuner easy and intuitive. A convenient switch on the side of the iTrip makes it a breeze to select a broadcast frequency. But you won’t have to adjust the settings very often — iTrip remembers its settings for convenience. The compact, self-contained design makes controlling iTrip a snap, perfect for use in autos.

The Griffin iTrip is priced at $49.99 USD, and is available at at www.griffintechnology.com and most major retailers where iPod accessories are sold.

Griffin Technology Inc., creator of all things iPod, today announced PowerBlock, a universal charger for iPods. Use PowerBlock to power and charge almost any iPod from a wall outlet. iPod shuffle plugs directly into PowerBlock, and all other supported iPods use the included cable (itself, a $19.95 value).
PowerBlock accepts 120 or 240 Volt service for use with international plug adapters. And PowerBlock’s compact size makes it ideal for business, home, or mobile use — whenever an iPod can’t be conveniently connected to a computer for charging.

PowerBlock is priced at $29.99 USD, and is available at www.griffintechnology.com.

The Omni Group today announced the release of OmniGraffle and OmniGraffle Professional 4.1. This new version features a number of bug fixes, improved stability, updated localizations, and readies the application for compatibility with future Mac hardware based on Intel processors.

More information on OmniGraffle 4 is available at http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle.

Apple(R) today updated its Xserve(R) RAID storage system, a 3U high-availability, rack storage system to deliver a massive 7 terabytes (TB) of storage capacity at the industry\’s most aggressive price of just $1.86 per GB. Apple also upgraded its Xserve 1U rack optimized server with up to three 500GB drives, achieving a groundbreaking 1.5TB of storage. Prices for Xserve still start at just $2,999 and prices for Xserve RAID at just $5,999.

The new Xserve RAID is available today through the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com) and Apple Authorized Resellers. Xserve RAID comes in three standard configurations, or can be fully customized to meet specific customer requirements. Build-to-order options can include additional Apple Drive Modules and cache battery modules.

Apple(R) today introduced the iPod(R) nano, a revolutionary full-featured iPod that holds 1,000 songs yet is thinner than a standard #2 pencil and less than half the size of competitive players. The iPod nano features an ultra-portable, lightweight design with a gorgeous color screen, Apple\’s patent pending Click Wheel and the ability to hold 1,000 songs or 25,000 photos. iPod nano works seamlessly with the iTunes(R) Music Store, the world\’s number one digital music service. The iPod nano is available immediately in a 4GB model priced at just $249 and a 2GB model priced at just $199, with both models available in stunning white or black designs.

iPod nano is the perfect combination of innovative design, storage capacity and ease of use. Thinner than a standard #2 pencil and weighing only 1.5 ounces, iPod nano comes in two models — the 4GB iPod nano holds up to 1,000 songs and the 2GB iPod nano holds up to 500 songs. iPod nano features Apple\’s innovative Click Wheel for precise, one-handed navigation, and its ultra-portable design fits into even the smallest pocket making it easy to take iPod nano to the gym, in the car, traveling, commuting or anywhere you go.

The most fashionable and wearable iPod ever, the iPod nano features optional accessories including lanyard headphones, which integrate the headphone cables into the lanyard, so users can wear their iPod nano around their neck without dangling headphone cables. For customers looking to personalize their iPod nano with colors, an optional set of iPod nano Tubes in pink, purple, blue, green and clear offers fashionable protection in a sheer casing while enabling full operation of all functions including the Click Wheel. Optional armbands available in gray, pink, blue, red and green allow users to wear their iPod nano as the ultimate fashion and sports accessory.

Apple(R) today announced iTunes(R) 5, bringing new features and a refined look to the world\’s most popular digital music jukebox and online music store. iTunes 5 includes a new Search Bar to make it even easier for users to find what they\’re searching for; the ability to organize playlists into folders; Smart Shuffle, which lets the user change the \”randomness\” of shuffled songs; and the ability for Windows users to automatically sync contacts and calendars from Outlook onto their iPods. The iTunes Music Store has also added parental controls and album reviews, and now features a catalog of over two million songs, making it the largest online music catalog in the world.

iTunes 5\’s new Search Bar helps users find exactly what they are looking for within the catalog of two million songs, 15,000 Podcasts and 10,000 audiobooks on the iTunes Music Store, plus everything in their own iTunes music library. iTunes and the iTunes Music Store have a new refined look, as well as parental controls allowing parents to determine which music and Podcasts their children can access on the iTunes Music Store. Users can now do even more with playlists, including the ability to organize them into folders and have greater control over random playback with the new Smart Shuffle feature. Windows iPod users can now use iTunes to automatically sync calendars with Outlook or contacts with Outlook or Outlook Express.

Apple(R) today announced that the entire Harry Potter audiobook series is now available exclusively on the iTunes(R) Music Store, the world\’s number one online music service. For the first time ever, every audiobook in the series, including the latest release, \”Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,\” is available as a digital download from iTunes. Customers can either download individual audiobooks or the complete Harry Potter Digital Box Set which includes a full color digital booklet as well as previously unreleased readings from author J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter fans can also purchase the complete Harry Potter Digital Box Set together with a Collector\’s Edition 20GB iPod(R) engraved with the Hogwarts crest.

Apple(R) today announced that there are more than 1,000 accessories made specifically for iPod(R). The iPod economy has flourished with over 21 million iPods sold and a wide range of companies creating products ranging from high-end fashion cases to speaker systems to automobile integration kits for iPod. Apple also announced that there are more than 700 products bearing the Made for iPod logo on the market or in development, assuring customers that an electronic accessory has been designed specifically to connect to iPod and has been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards.

Apple(R) today announced it has teamed up with Acura, Audi, Honda and Volkswagen to deliver iPod(R) integration with their car stereos for 2006 model lines. Seamless integration of iPods in cars allows music lovers to enjoy high-quality sound through their car\’s stereo system, easily access their entire music library and take their music with them everywhere they go. There are now 15 car companies around the world offering iPod integration, and more than 5 million cars will ship with iPod support in the US in 2006.

\”We\’re thrilled to team up with Acura, Audi, Honda and Volkswagen to provide drivers with a seamless iPod experience,\” said Greg Joswiak, Apple\’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. \”Car companies are embracing the iPod, and over 30 percent of the cars sold in the US in 2006 will offer iPod integration.\”

The Honda and Acura Music Link iPod integrations will be the first to include text-to-speech capabilities or VoiceID, which is used to search for playlists, artist and album names or genre information. Acura and Honda will feature iPod integration in the majority of their lineup beginning later this year. Beginning in November, Audi will feature iPod integration in the A3, A4 and TT models and Volkswagen will offer iPod integration for the majority of their 2006 US lineup.

Motorola and Cingular Wireless today announced the availability of the world\\\’s first mobile phone with iTunes(R), enabling music lovers to transfer up to 100 of their favorite songs from the iTunes jukebox on their Mac(R) or PC to their mobile phone. Apple\\\’s iTunes software on the Motorola ROKR features easy to use menus, simple navigation and playback, and the ability to simply switch from phone to music and back again with the push of a dedicated music key. The new Motorola ROKR is available today at www.cingular.com and will be sold exclusively in all Cingular retail locations beginning tomorrow.

The new Motorola ROKR has a color display for viewing album art and features built-in dual-stereo speakers, as well as stereo headphones that also serve as a mobile headset with microphone. Music fans can randomly autofill or manually fill the mobile phone with playlists from their favorite music, audiobooks and Podcasts from their iTunes library via a USB connection. The Motorola ROKR pauses music automatically when users take a call and offers the ability to listen to music while messaging with friends or snapping a photo.

Pricing & Availability The new Motorola ROKR with iTunes pre-installed is available for $249.99 (US) with a two-year commitment at all Cingular stores nationwide and includes stereo headphones and a USB cable. iTunes for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is available as a free download from www.apple.com/itunes. Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store for Mac or Windows requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase.

http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=153

From Michelle Malkin

Jonathan Glater of the New York Times has a good article about Apple Computer’s effort to force three bloggers to reveal confidential sources.

The article quotes Eugene Volokh, who tells the Times he is “considering filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the case on the side of the bloggers, saying that the privilege should extend to them.” I hope other law bloggers will do the same.

The Times also quotes Jack Balkin, a professor at Yale Law School. Balkin proposes that journalistic privileges be extended to some bloggers but not others, based on whether the blogger regularly cultivates sources, gathers information and then organizes and presents it to the public the same way that print and television reporters do. He elaborates on his blog here.

The prospect of the government making such distinctions is unsettling. But Balkin deserves credit for coming up with a proposal that acknowledges the reality that some bloggers are engaged in journalism while others aren’t.

A class action lawsuit was filed against Apple this week on behalf of consumers and resellers of the company’s products. The suit, filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco, seeks to include in the consumer class any person in the U.S. who purchased Apple products or repair services since Jan. 1, 1995. “The plaintiffs allege that Apple failed to fully honor service contracts and warranties, didn’t get repair and service businesses properly licensed, stole trade secrets from its own resellers, and sold used computer equipment as new,” reports Forbes. “They are charging Apple with Unlawful Business Practices, Misappropriation of Trade Secrets, Breach of Contract, and violations of the Consumers Legal Remedies Act and the Song Beverly [Consumer Warranty] Act.”

Apple announced that  on Feb. 18th, their stock will split two-for-one. Recently Apple saw it’s stock hit a four year high and the last time it split was in 2000 when it was about $60. This time around it’s been near $80.

Apple releases Mac OS X v10.3.8

Apple on Wednesday posted Mac OS X v10.3.8. The new version of the operating system is available for download directly from Apple’s Web site as a 27.7MB file. As with all major updates, it would not hurt to wait for a few days to see if there are any bugs that need to be addressed first.

From MacSlash
 “Hey there, I’m here to inform you that there is a new iPod story games community site opening on this address: http://www.netcolony.com/istories_silver/ You can download or publish free user made iStories there. The website encourages quality artworks and talented hobby writers. A forum is also in the planning… Check it out!”