TechWire

iPod Touch to sink iPhone in Europe?

Is it me or has Apple lessened the reason to buy an iPhone, with the launch of its new iPod Touch? The new gadget has the same touchscreen system as the iPhone, has wi-fi and also has more memory for music.
Tomorrow, we'll find out about Apple's plans for its "UK" iPhone launch. O2 is expected to be the operator unveiled as the "UK" partner. Surely it'll feel a little miffed that half the iPhone's functionality is now available to the wide world on the new iPod? Why bother signing an expensive contract with O2?

10 second review: Jivo Utune FM transmitter

We all know the iTrip. Quite a few rival gadgets have come on stream that play your MP3 player's music in your car stereo or radio by synchronising radio frequencies. Jivo's Utune is toward the budget end of the market (€35 from 3G stores). Apart from its price, its pluses include a very simple set-up and operation. It's especially friendly to iPods, coming with a cable to charge up the iPod while connected to the device. As for the quality of the sound, it varies from 6 to 7 out of 10. I noticed a slight hum at times, though it must be said that any MP3 transmitter I've ever used has such a hum occasionally. The Utune also required a little more volume to reach the same level as you'd normally get on your radio.

Napster comes to O2, but 12-song maximum applies

O2 i-mode phones will now be able to download songs from Napster directly over the air. The songs will cost €3.50 for two tracks, €6 for four or €8.50 for six. However, there is a maximum download limit of 12 songs per month, which seems daft. From March, the service will also offer dual downloads to computers, with a code that can be redeemed for a PC download. As usual, this service won't work for those with iMac or iBook computers.

Take a Loox At Me Now

Get ready for a spate of Our-PDA-Is-Actually-Fun type marketing pitches from big manufacturers in the post-summer season. First up is Fujitsu-Siemens with its new Loox N110, which "can play MP3s at the same time as navigating" with its on-board Navigon MobileNavigator 6 GPS device. It holds 20 hours of music and costs €370.

How to make your mobile an iPod

Want to give your mobile or PDA iTunes functionality? Now you can, thanks to a free program called SyncTunes. The E61 blog gives a step-by-step guide to installing the program. Although the blog is focused on Nokia's E-Series phones, the program also works with higher-end Sony Ericsson mobiles, PDAs and even Sony PSPs. A memory card is also required and the process is configured for Macs only. Thanks for the tip, E61.

iTrips to become legal in Ireland, says Comreg

People using iTrips, the small radio-transmitting gadgets used for connecting iPods to car stereos, will soon be law-abiding citizens. Comreg, the telecoms regulator, has revealed to this blog that it is to soon decriminalise the use of such short-distance transmitters. The only catch is that the items will have to have the 'CE' mark, indicating that they conform with EU standards (meaning that models imported from the US will remain illegal). iTrips were sold in Irish shops for a short while until Comreg clamped down on retailers, pointing out the rather anachronous broadcasting legislation.

MP3 players that don't need computers

Researching a feature on MP3 players, a colleague asked a simple question: is a computer always necessary to get music onto an MP3 player? I had barely thought about it. The answer, though, is no. Creative's Zen Nano Plus (50 songs), for example, can record music directly onto it from a CD player.

UCC's doomed podcasting plan

UCC is rumoured to be trialling video podcasts of lecturers' presentations. There is no possible way it can succeed. Here's how it will fail.

1. Podcasts are introduced
2. Half students don't bother turning up for lectures
3. Some students fail exams
4. Parents of failing students go on Liveline to say it's college's fault that kids didn't go to lectures
5. Podcasts are withdrawn

When I was in college, we weren't allowed even bring a laptop into the lecture hall. The stated reason was that it would be too easy to distribute the notes and would act as a disincentive to other students to attend. And that's not to speak of the 'intellectual property rights' of self-important lecturers and their prepared lectures.

iPods and battery life

A personal observation about the battery length of iPods: I bought one of the last 'first generation' models in mid-2003. Today, I still get a full three to four hours from a single charge. Why? I think it's because I don't let it recharge overnight. I'll never recharge it for more than 45 minutes to an hour, whereas others I know simply plug it in when they get home and leave it there. The same principle applies to laptops or mobile phones: don't overcharge it. You'll deplete the battery early. If, however, you can't manage this, iLuv's new i604 battery back-up -- which offers up to 50 extra hours playing time -- might be a solution.

Burton Motorola MP3 jacket: a review (almost)

So I finally got to review Burton’s Motorola MP3 snowboarding jacket. Okay, so it was just for the evening. Well, actually just for a walk around the Mansion House during a Motorola expo, followed by goons with earpieces and revolvers. Okay, so there weren’t any goons or guns, but there was a very cross 5 foot 3 PR lady. Plus a guy from Carphone Warehouse wanting a go. Point is, I finally got to try it out. For those unacquainted with the garment, it’s a fully waterproof, ultra-warm snowboarding jacket with a battery pack, iPod connector, mobile connector, control panel and hood speakers built in. I was using an iPod Nano and the sound was pretty good, though obviously not as good as a proper set of headphones. The control panel, situated on the sleeve, has a waterproof Velcro cover and can be operated through this. Some people may think this is geek overkill but I loved it -- the jacket is actually pretty nice. Matt from Motorola, whose jacket it is, couldn’t say for sure how much it would be. I suggested €500 to €600 (fearing the worst) but he said it will be cheaper than that. I’m betting around the €350 mark. In the US, it sells for between $320 and $500 (there's more than one model, apparently).