iPod Shuffle: Taste The Rainbow
January 31, 2007
Nintendo Wii may only come in white, but Apple’s iPod Shuffle now comes in a veritable rainbow of colors: blue, pink, green, orange and the original silver. Oy…like Sophie’s Choice this decision is going to be!
The details from Apple follow.
Apple today announced that the world’s most wearable digital music player is now available in five brilliant colors: blue, pink, green, orange and the original silver. A hit with customers since its initial shipment three months ago, iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a stunning aluminum design with a built-in clip, making it the most wearable iPod ever. Based on Apple’s pioneering shuffle feature which lets music fans enjoy a continuous mix of their favorite songs anywhere they go, iPod shuffle contains one gigabyte of flash memory, holds up to 240 songs and is available in all five colors for just $79.
“iPod shuffle is the world’s most wearable digital music player,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. “Music fans can now choose iPod shuffle in one of five brilliant colors, or they can buy one of each.”
iPod shuffle features up to 12 hours of battery life* and lets users shuffle their songs to listen to them in a random order or simply flip a switch to listen to their songs in order, such as when listening to a new album.
Users connect iPod shuffle to their PC or Mac with the included dock, and iTunes’ innovative AutoFill feature automatically syncs the perfect number of songs from their music library. Seamless integration with iTunes 7 and the iTunes Store (http://www.itunes.com/) allows customers to choose from a selection of over four million songs from the world’s most popular digital music store.
With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod and groundbreaking personal use rights, the iTunes Store is the best way for PC and Mac users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.
Pricing & Availability
The new iPod shuffle is available immediately worldwide through the Apple Store (http://www.apple.com/), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for $79 (US). iPod shuffle includes an iPod shuffle dock and earbuds.
iPod shuffle requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port and Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 7.0.2 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000 (Service Pack 4), Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) and iTunes 7.0.2 or later. Internet access is required and a broadband connection is recommended.
*Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; actual capacity varies by content.
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 desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online store.
Nintendo Wii Virtual Console Gets Fo’ Mo’
January 30, 2007
Every Monday the Wii Virtual Console gets fatter, and the latest Monday was no different. Well…it was slightly different because it slipped my mind until I bowled for a couple of minutes on my Nintendo Wii this morning.
But now, without further adieu, the latest four titles to hit the VC:
Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64, 1-4 players, 1,000 Wii Points): Put the pedal to the metal in this worthy successor to the Super NES® classic, Super Mario Kart®. Mario Kart 64 boasts great graphics, tons of unique power-ups and a stunning 3-D version of the legendary Battle Mode. With improved courses and a revolutionary head-to-head four-player mode, Mario Kart 64 is sure to win the heart of any race-driving fan. The game includes 20 different courses filled with dips, valleys, jumps, tunnels and bridges. Smooth, precise control – a trademark of all games from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto – will bring players back time and time again for freewheeling fun.Contra III: The Alien Wars (Super NES®, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): In the year 2636, the Alien War continues, and it’s up to two soldiers, Jimbo and Scully, to put a stop to the alien invasion. The aliens have ravaged the Earth with their powerful organic and technological weapons. Players can join with a partner and battle through six stages of nonstop run-and-gun action. Collect power-ups, including bombs, flamethrowers, spread shots, lasers and machine guns to take out the aliens. Control Jimbo and Scully as they travel through war-torn cities, race on air bikes, ride missiles and ultimately break into the alien base to defeat the alien boss once and for all.
Bonanza Bros. (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): Mobo and Robo Bonanza are enjoying their favorite television show when the picture crackles and the shadowy figure of a mysterious stranger appears on the screen. This figure asks them to collect certain items that he has placed inside various buildings to test his security force. If they return the items successfully, Mobo and Robo will be rewarded. The two of them state that they will get the job done in just three minutes. However, little do they know that each building is packed with security guards who will raise the alarm if they are caught red-handed. Fortunately both Mobo and Robo are equipped with bullets that can knock the guards unconscious for a few seconds. A huge reward will be given out if Mobo and Robo are apprehended. Help the infamous Bonanza Bros. infiltrate a number of different locations ranging from banks to mansions to casinos, and don’t get caught.
Comix Zone (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Sketch Turner is an artist in New York City. One day while Sketch is drawing, a huge thunderstorm strikes the city. A bolt of lightning hits Sketch’s image and brings it to life. That image is Mortus, a megalomaniacal mutant who wants to become real and rule the earth. Mortus magically transports Sketch into the pages of his comic book so that he can end his creator’s life and become real. Inside the comic book, Sketch meets General Alissa Cyan, who believes he is a superhero that came to save their post-apocalyptic world from the evil brought by Mortus’s hand. Now that he’s a comic book superhero, Sketch can really put the hurt on the bad guys. Instantly, Sketch can fight like a one-man mercenary platoon.
Nintendo Wii News: Just The Facts, Ma’am
January 30, 2007
Sure, it’s much faster and a thousand times more diverse to find news on the net, but there’s something about surfing for news on the Wii that makes it feel an altogether new experience. What was old is new again on Nintendo Wii — there’s a slogan that could sell a few more consoles.
Not that the company has any problems in the sales department these days. Here’s the latest fact sheet on the nifty little free feature, courtesy of Nintendo:
Every Wii console includes a series of on-screen “channels” that make up the Wii Menu. This Wii Menu is the starting point for all of the console’s functions and offers a gateway to a rich variety of entertainment options. When connected to a TV, the Wii Menu provides a simple interface letting users pick games to play, receive weather reports, view and send photos or even create playable caricatures of themselves to use in actual games. Additional functions allow users to download classic games via Wii’s Virtual Console.
Launching on 26th January 2007, the News Channel is free to Wii owners and provides instant on-demand news at the press of a button. The simple interface of the News Channel gives users a brief news update for their current location and allows them to select and navigate a 3D Globe to check the latest headlines anywhere in the world. Wii’s “always on” system functionality, WiiConnect24, means that stories will be updated every hour. Keeping up-to-date with the latest news has never been so simple.
Choose the News that Matters to You
Users no longer need to sift through page after page of undesired news to find the stories that matter most to them. Wii’s News Channel allows users to easily access the news that they are interested in either by selecting national, regional or international news or by selecting an area of interest such as Sport, Business or Arts & Entertainment.
Download it to try it
The first version of the News Channel is available from 26th January with news by Associated Press. Later in the year a second version of the News Channel, including more extensive European news, will be made available for free in Europe.
Updating Your Wii to Receive News Channel
The News Channel is a free service available to all Wii users. However, it requires a high speed Internet connection. To upgrade Wii to receive the service, users must connect it to the Internet as instructed in the manual and select “System Update” from the Wii Settings. The News Channel will be installed once the download is complete. To stay up-to-date, the Wii will need to remain connected to the Internet while the News Channel is used.