Gadgets

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios and Apple recently announced that MGM will now offer titles from its catalogue of feature films for purchase and download on the iTunes Store website. This deal will add to iTunes menu of over 500 movie titles ... available for purchase and download. (Source: reuters.com) Beginning Wednesday, MGM, which has the largest modern film library in the world (over 4000 films), launched 25 titles for download on iTunes. An Apple spokesperson noted that more of MGM's films would be added over the next several weeks. (Source: blogs.pcworld.com ) The iTunes online store ... (view more)

No one can deny that when it comes to design, Apple is the reigning champion. But although the company has mastered almost everything from MP3 players to GUI (graphical user interface) screens, it never produced a truly amazing mouse. But this may ... soon change -- Apple has filed a patent application for an innovative new touch-sensitive mouse. (Source: theinquirer.net ) In early December of 2006, iPhone interface designer Brian Huppi filed the patent application for the next-generation Apple mouse. The mouse is capable of switching between operational modes depending on how the device is held ... (view more)

It seems that no one can get enough of the iPod -- including Nike. Last week, Nike President and Chief Executive Mark Parker announced that the company plans to make all of its running shoes compatible with Apple's iPod Nano line by the end of this ... year. The news undoubtedly comes as a result of the smashing success of the Nike+iPod Sport Kits. The kits, which retail for about $30 each, allow runners to track their workout data -- such as distance, time and calories burned -- on an iPod Nano. The kit includes a wireless module that fits into Nike+ running shoe soles and a receiver that ... (view more)

With the vast majority of industry insiders expecting positive results once Apple releases their new iPhone to the public, many multimedia phone companies have recognized the Apple threat and are attempting to avoid any competition against the ... technological giant. Palm Inc., a hand-held computer making company, has announced their plans to challenge Apple in the hopes of putting an end to their stranglehold on the rest of the industry. While representatives at Palm were quick to decline extensive commentary on their retaliatory devices, the company did reveal that a former Apple computer ... (view more)

The One Laptop Per Child XO laptops will now include an anti-theft kill-switch to deter thieves from selling the low priced machines for a hefty profit in the black market. (Source: arstechnica.com ) The decision to add the kill-switch stems from ... requests from the OLPC project's main clients: governments. OLPC Director of Security Architecture Ivan Krstic wrote last month that "the OLPC project has received very strong requests from certain countries considering joining the program to provide a powerful anti-theft service that would act as a theft deterrent against most thieves." (Source: ... (view more)

Pop sales took off when people were able to put some change into a vending machine and get a nice cold drink. Apple has decided that if it worked for pop, it could also work for iPods. iPod vending machines first started popping up a couple of years ... ago in airports. Although intuitively the idea of selling a big ticket item in a vending machine seems odd, the concept has actually proven successful. iPod vending machines now exist in airports, universities, military bases and department stores. (Source: ajc.com ) Mark Mullins, Executive Vice President of Zoom (a company that makes the vending ... (view more)

Hype for the Apple iPhone has been increasing in anticipation for its expected January release. But, if you think that any Apple product with an "i" prefix is destined for success, think again. Many industry experts are forecasting that the iPhone ... will crash and burn. Below are some of the reasons why they may be right. No Gap for Apple to Fill The iPod's success wasn't a fluke; the MP3 players flew off the shelves because Apple created a device that solved a problem: space. The iPod differentiated itself from its competitors because it enabled users to carry their entire music library with ... (view more)

Recently, Microsoft publicly revealed their expectations for the new Zune music player. The company estimates that they are likely to sell one million devices through the first half of the new year. While many within the industry recognize that this ... figure is significantly less than the amount of iPods sold by Apple Computer Inc., those within Microsoft are viewing the estimate as a positive starting point. (Source: technology.canoe.ca ) Microsoft representatives agree that expectations will likely increase in the second half of the new year, once more models are introduced and devices become ... (view more)

Oops! The new product from Apple and Nike seems to do more than monitor athletes' workout information. As two University of Washington researchers discovered, the Nike + iPod Sport Kit can be harmful to the privacy and security of those who use it. ... The Nike + iPod Sport Kit is comprised of two parts: a chip which resides inside the running shoe and a receiver which attaches to an iPod. The receiver stores information obtained from the chip, and after a workout, users can upload information such as distance travelled and speed. (Source: theregister.co.uk ) Sounds like a great idea, and perhaps ... (view more)

Microsoft eagerly entered the digital music player industry earlier this month by releasing the much anticipated Zune. However, the product's place in the company is not yet a perfect fit; in fact, Microsoft's whole strategy with the device seems a ... bit puzzling. The Microsoft Zune, similar to Apple's iPod, exists within an ecosystem that unites music player and music content into a closed system. Clearly, Microsoft's decision to create a closed system reflects the company's aim to mimic Apple's success. However, the move seems to be inconsistent with Microsoft's strategy of encouraging ... (view more)