The Gadget 411 – Gadget Reviews & Tech News

Apple announced a new iPod nano with a built-in camera on Wednesday at the “Rock and Roll” event in San Francisco. Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the new model by citing the popularity of pocket flash memory-based video cameras like those from Flip and Kodak. “This market’s really exploding,” said Jobs, “and we want to get in on this.”

The new iPod nano comes in 8GB and 16GB models, each of which incorporates a video camera and microphone on the back of the unit, as well as a built-in speaker. The video camera shoots H.264 VGA video—640 by 480 pixels—at up to 30 frames per second with AAC audio in either portrait or landscape modes. It also features 15 special effects that can be applied in real time: Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido, Motion Blur, Mirror, Light Tunnel, Dent, Stretch, and Twirl. The nano can display video or sync it back to your computer, where you can easily upload the clip to YouTube, Facebook, MobileMe, or share it via e-mail. The microphone can also be used with the nano’s voice recording feature.

In addition, the nano now has VoiceOver support, which provides audible navigation cues in 20 languages, and the new Genius Mixes feature, which creates up to 12 endless playlists of music based on your existing library. There’s also a built-in pedometer which can measure your steps and sync the information with the Nike+ service and, in a first for an iPod, an FM radio tuner. The radio tuner includes support for live pause, which allows users to pause a live program and resume it later, and iTunes Tagging, which lets listeners tag radio songs they like and then preview and optionally purchase the song next time they sync with iTunes.

Other than the camera, the physical form factor of the nano remains mostly unchanged, although it now features a larger 2.2-inch, 240-by-376-pixel, display and comes in nine colors: silver, black, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, (PRODUCT) RED and pink. The 8GB model runs for $149 and the 16GB for $179 (a discount from the previous nano, which cost $199). Both new models are shipping today.

The new nano requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later as well as iTunes 9. iPhoto 6.0.6 or later is recommended for Tiger users and iPhoto ’09 for Leopard or Snow Leopard users. Windows users need Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later as well as iTunes 9.

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The iPod nano will now feature a built-in camera, as Apple updated its iPod line as part of a music-focused press event in San Francisco on Wednesday

The new iPod comes in 8GB and 16GB models, priced at $149 and $179, respectively. The music players now feature a video camera and microphone on the back of the device along with a built-in speaker. The nano can display video or sync it back to your computer for uploading to YouTube.

According to Apple CEO Steve Jobs—making his first public appearance at an Apple event since returning from a six-month medical leave—the company added the camera to the nano line to capitalize on the popularity of pocket-sized flash-based video cameras.

Get more details on the new iPod nano

The nano was just one of the changes Apple introduced to its iPod line on Wednesday. The company also cut the price on its entry-level 8GB iPod touch to $199; previously, that model sold for $229. In addition, Apple boosted the capacity on the touch to 64GB. The 32GB and 64GB models are now 50-percent faster and feature support for the Open GL|ES 2.0 graphics API.

Despite speculation that Apple might discontinue the iPod classic—the last remaining hard drive-based device in its iPod line—that model remains with an expanded capacity. The iPod classic now features 160GB of storage at the same price as before, $249.

As for the iPod shuffle, it comes in new colors. The 2GB and 4GB models sell for $59 and $79, respectively; a special edition 4GB model made of stainless steel costs $99.

iPod talk dominated the second half of Apple’s Wednesday event, but the company also had software news. A new version of the iTunes is now available, featuring Genius Mixes for creating recommended playlists of music and movies.

Other features in iTunes 9 include Home Sharing, which brings iTunes synchronization to up to five authorized computers and a new interface for managing iPhone and iPod touch applications. iTunes 9 also introduces a number of improvements to Apple’s online iTunes Store, including new artist pages with more visual material added.

Finally, Apple released a minor update to its iPhone software. iPhone 3.1 rolls out some bug fixes in addition to extending the Genius media-recommendation algorithm to recommend iPhone apps to users. The update also beefs up the iPhone OS’s ringtone capabilities.

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Technical difficulties could delay the camera-equipped iPods widely expected at the Apple event on Wednesday, according to sources cited by AppleInsider. The unnamed source says that Apple is facing problems with the production of new iPods, more exactly with the camera hardware.

apple ipod camera
Apple’s iPod family
Apple is expected to introduce camera-equipped iPods at the special event, although, as usual, Apple did not disclose any information about what will be unveiled. However, photos of third-party iPod touch and nano cases sporting a camera hole have been doing the rounds online for a few months now — which led us to believe that Apple is indeed putting cameras into iPods.

But according to a report from AppleInsider, not everything is rosy in Apple land, because the Cupertino company is having technical problems putting cameras into iPods. Hardmac carries a similar report, which suggests the problem lies with the iPod touch camera module. Both publications say that this could mean the new iPods won’t hit the market this September.

If all the speculation about photo-equipped iPods is true, then we will most likely see 3.2-megapixel-camera-fitted iPods — basically the same image sensors found in the current generation iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 3GS’s camera features autofocus and video recording capabilities, but no flash is present. The software on the 3GS can also trim movies captured with the phone’s camera and upload them on YouTube.

The iPod classic, Apple’s only remaining hard-drive based music player, is not expected to get a camera upgrade. On the contrary, rumors suggest that Apple will drop the hard-drive based iPods, in favor of an all-flash memory lineup, just like Microsoft is doing with its current line of Zune players.

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A belated US Patent via an Australian filing mysteriously surfaced this month revealing a stunning nano-phone concept in development at Apple.(check pics out below) The design involves a very sophisticated yet complicated dual-surface user interface. The full face-side of this device will be nothing more than a display, much like the iPhone is today, while the back-side will be primarily dominated by a force-sensitive touch based surface. Your fingers, which act as a cursor, control the face-side UI by the back-side etched controls. The dramatic design will offer users a variety of interfaces or modes to work with including one for a phone,text messaging, a traditional iPod, a camera mode and more. The design may also, according to Apple, simply offer consumers with a dual-sided display option in lieu of a force sensitive controller surface. On one hand, the design appears to be nothing shy of being revolutionary once again. On the other, the concept seems to be overly complicated. I’m sure that once we see it, it’ll all make sense. Yet until that time it arrives, I think that Apple’s design could be hotly debated.

Thanks! BGR

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