MacGears – Mac Accessories

As I was scouring the Net, I came across a number of articles that mentioned the Apple iPod Nano flaws. It was disheartening to learn that a very small percentage of iPod Nano devices are experiencing screen cracks. This matter has been reported on sites such as MacWorld, CNet and News.com.com. Apparently, Apple has acknowledge the flaw and have pinpointed the problem to a vendor’s quality problem. Apple claims that this problem occurs only in 1/10 of 1% of the totalled iPod Nano shipped. According to Phil Schiller, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing, customers can get in contact with AppleCare and get their iPod Nanos replaced.

Apart from the screen cracks, iPod Nano owners are also complaining of screens being easily scratched despite being careful compared to the previous iPod models. Hhhmm… gives me the next idea for MacGears blog..;)

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Do you fancy listening to your iPod 60 hours straight without the need to recharge? The future is now closer with Toshiba announcing the testing of their DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) prototype. Not only will fuel cells work with iPods, it can practically be made for any electronic equipment that runs on batteries.

Some of the obvious benefits of fuel cells are:

• Reduction in weight (fuel cells are lighter than traditional batteries)
• Longer electronic usage duration
• Reduced reliance on electricity
• Reduction in environment damage

It is expected that the fuel cells will be made available commercially in 2007. Till then, let’s hope and pray that the engineers have made this fuel cell safe enough to be held in our hands and pockets.

The iPod Nano is a beautifully designed pencil-thin iPod (that is, the thickness is as thick as a typical pencil) set to replace the iPod Mini. Contrary to the Mini which is a hard drive based device, the iPod Nano uses flash memory thereby making it lighter (1.5 ounces / 42 grams), energy efficient (longer battery life) and 1/3 the size of its predecessor.

On sale in 2 different storage sizes (4GB and 2GB), the iPod Nano is capable of storing approximately 1,000 songs or 25,000 photos. Not only do you use your iPod Nano for songs and photos, it comes loaded with games and calendar functions. The battery is expected to last 14 hours between recharge.

The new iPod Nano comes in either black or white and in 4GB or 2GB storage. The 4GB model retails at $249 while the 2GB model is priced at $199.

For more details on the iPod Nano and customer reviews, check out Amazon Store.

Sometimes our ears need a break from the earphones but we simply cannot leave our iPods alone. Or, we have that music which we want to share at a picnic, party or with friends. Logitech provides a simple yet elegant and ingenius solution with the MM22 portable speakers. Designed specifically for iPods, the MM22 is packed with a punch to deliver the excellent audio from it’s quad micro speakers.

The speakers operates on either 4 “AAA” batteries or with the included AC adapter. After you have finished using them, simply fold an pack the speakers into a deluxe, hard-shell travel case. The Logitech MM22 portable speakers is compatible with iPod 3G, 4G, mini, and Photo iPod.

The Logitech MM22 portable speakers is retailed at $59.99 but you can obtain from Amazon.com for under $40.00.

The world’s smallest Bluetooth headset is here. Weighing in at 10 grams (0.35 ounce), yes, it’s 10 grams, no typo error here, the Bluespoonâ„¢ AX can be fitted on both left and right ear. Attached to the headset is a soft spring that is used to have a firm grip onto the auricle of the outer ear. The spring can be shortened by cutting in order to have a comfortable fit using a normal pair of scissors.

At the top of the device, the mini USB port (Mac compatible) is present to allow battery charging. The battery is said to be good for up to six hours of talk time and more than 300 hours on standby mode. If you prefer, a car charger and a wall adapter can be bought separately. Charging takes up approximately 2 hours to complete.

The headset is virtually compatible with any device that supports Bluetooth headset profiles and is recommended for both Skype and iChat.

The Bluespoonâ„¢ AX retails at $99.00 and is available from Nextlink’s Webshop for $66.00.