iPod

Fed agency dumps BlackBerry for iPhones

After eight years, the United States Immigration and Customers Enforcement agency has bought its last BlackBerry.

Saying that BlackBerry maker Research In Motion "can no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency," the agency said in a published document that it intends to buy iPhones for more than 17,600 employees. Although the $2.1 million amount of the purchases is relatively insignificant, it's the sort of publicity that RIM can do without.

"Of course, we are disappointed by this decision," Paul Lucier, VP, Government Solutions said in a statement. "I'm … Read more

Apple may spend $200 to make each iPad Mini, says analyst

The price of the iPad Mini to consumers remains a mystery, but one analyst believes that Apple spends around $200 apiece to make the entry-level model.

In a note to investors picked up by AppleInsider, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimated that the BOM (bill of materials) and manufacturing costs come to about $195 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model.

The priciest single part is the screen at $56.50. The logic board costs a fair amount -- $54 for the Wi-Fi version and $80 for the 4G LTE model, AppleInsider noted.

Of course, Kuo's component list is based on … Read more

Fanboi fruit: Real apples with Apple logos

It's such a delicious idea for a meme, I can't believe I haven't seen it before. An apple orchard in Japan has taken to "tan-tooing" its sweet fruit with Apple images and logos.

Apparently the fruit growers put stickers on the apples before they were fully ripe, allowing them to darken around the insignia of the company that has most definitely stolen the actual apple's thunder of late.… Read more

A look back: 36 years of Apple products

A little over 36 years ago, Apple launched the Apple I, a hobbyist 1MHz computer often remembered for the classic picture of it housed in a humble wooden computer case with a carved "Apple Computer" logo.

Apple's designs slowly evolved from bulky plastic towers to rounded and colorful products, then solidified themselves in a place where ultrathin components and catchy colors co-exist.

In the below gallery by our friends at CBSNews.com highlighting Apple designs over the years, you may be able to spot when the collaboration between Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive really kicked off. … Read more

Rumor Has It: Is Apple's next bright idea a colorful iPad Mini?

The best news about Apple sending out invites to a (probable) iPad Mini event next week, is that we can finally stop talking about iPad Mini rumors. Finally.

What we don't know yet, however, are any specifics. Will it be 7 inches? Will it come in a rainbow of colors? How much will it cost? All our questions will be answered next week.

Remember that we have a big bet riding on this one -- if Apple in fact announces the iPad Mini next week, Emily has to do something embarrassing! -- so leave us a comment and give … Read more

New iPod Nano not so easy to fix, finds iFixit

Apple's latest iPod Nano will pose challenges to anyone who needs to repair one.

Roaming around the innards of the new Nano, iFixit discovered that the battery, Lightning connector, button cable, and headphone jack are all soldered to the logic board. The battery is also attached to the back of the display assembly using a strong adhesive. All of that means a fair amount of work for anyone who needs to replace one of those components.

On the plus side, the DIY repair site found the case easy to pop open by loosening two standard Phillips screws and using … Read more

Bona fide high-end audio has never been this affordable

DENVER--The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, held in Denver, was a must-see event for audiophiles young and old. The biggest change this year was a bonanza of affordable high-end products -- mixed in with the usual crazy expensive gear -- along with a good helping of midpriced goodies.

Music Hall had a rather plain-looking little monitor speaker, the Marimba ($349 a pair), that sounded big and truly powerful. I have never heard that level of bass "slam" coming out of such a diminutive speaker; I can't wait to get it in for review.

Woo Audio's stunning new … Read more

Apple executive e-mail explains new iPod's missing light sensor

For those wondering why Apple did not include an ambient light sensor in its latest iPod Touch, a purported e-mail exchange between a top executive and a customer -- ahem -- shines some light on the subject.

Apple news site iDownloadBlog posts what it says is a back and forth between Apple Marketing Chief Phil Schiller and a customer talking about the lack of a sensor in Apple's recently released fifth-generation iPod model.

According to Schiller's message, which remains unconfirmed, the device is "just too thin" to fit one:

The ambient light sensor does just what … Read more

Friday Poll: Do you still carry a dedicated MP3 player?

With Apple's new round of iPods comes a fresh round of questions about the usefulness of dedicated MP3 players. Smartphones these days can all hold a decent amount of MP3s and we carry them with us wherever we go. Do we need a portable device just for music?

The excitement surrounding new iPods is a fraction of that surrounding new iPhones, but Apple keeps dutifully updating the line with new colors, shapes, and capabilities. There are still plenty of other MP3 players from other brands available, too.

I have an old-generation iPod Touch that sits in an alarm clock … Read more