SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD 2009

“Griffin Technology Inc., creator of all things iPhone and iPod, today announced the availability of its Navigate inline controller and iFM app for iPhone and iPod touch. Navigate delivers FM stereo radio and offers a remote control for any recent-generation iPod or iPhone model. The iFM app can be used as a companion to any FM radio to display song titles, program information, etc.’’

Navigate will retail for $59.00 and Griffin will be releasing an iPhone/iPod companion app, iFM, to the iTunes app store in March.

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Tags:accessories, app

Yesterday, Griffin Technology announced the availability of iTrip Auto for iPhone.

The iTrip Auto simply plugs into the dock connector of the iPhone and offers high-quality audio, intuitive controls and Griffin's trademark station-scanning feature, SmartScan. SmartScan makes setup and operation nearly automatic -- it seeks out the best FM frequencies available, then selects the best of the best for use in transmitting the music to the car's FM stereo.

iTrip Auto automatically optimizes output volume, and the user can select stereo or mono modes for best-quality audio. Listeners can control speaker volume from the car stereo controls, eliminating the need to look at the touchscreen to adjust volume level, and features a large, easy-to-read backlit LCD screen for quick, easy reference on the road.

Simple, one cable design combines easy-to-use FM transmitter and auto charger for iPhone

Plugs into the 12V auto power outlet and charges the iPhone as it plays

Power switch with 3-color charge indicator

Save frequencies to four presets; uses any FM frequency from 88.1 to 107.9

Compatible with: iPhone 3G, iPhone, iPod touch (2G), iPod touch, iPod nano (4G), iPod nano (3G), iPod classic, iPod nano (2G), iPod with video (5G), iPod nano (1G)

For more info see the full press release at Griffins website (although we pretty much copied and pasted the full text) or visit the iTrip Auto's web page. We've never used this type of auto audio adapter before so if you have any experience with these kind of set ups let us know. Either post a comment or fire off an email to AYAAW.

Tags:accessories, announcement

On Tuesday, Griffin Technology announced the availability iTalk voice recording app for iPhone and the iPod Touch. Griffin also announced the immediate availability of iTalk Sync, the desktop companion app to iTalk.

Griffin iTalk turns iPhone or iPod touch into an ultra-mobile, super-compact recording unit. This two-part app allows users to create high-quality recordings, and then transfer the recordings to a Mac or PC. Users will appreciate the one-touch recording controls, and the ability to pause/resume recordings and even append to previous recordings on the fly. iTalk is a two-part software application.

Download the iTalk app from the iTunes App Store and install it on your iPhone or iPod touch, for mobile recording and playback. Its companion program, iTalk Sync, runs on your computer to transfer recordings from iPod or iPhone for editing and sharing. iTalk Sync connects to your iPod touch or iPhone wirelessly via your local Wi-Fi network, and makes transfers a snap: just drag the recordings from iTalk Sync's list and drop them onto your desktop. Recordings are saved as high-quality AIFF files, playable in iTunes and most other media players.

High-quality handheld recording

Easy, convenient user interface and controls

Drag and drop file transfers wirelessly to your computer

User-selectable Good/Better/Best sample rate

Pause/resume and append to existing recordings on the fly

Recording on 2nd gen iPod touch works with the addition of Apple's iPhone headset, or with Griffin's updated TuneBuds Mobile and SmartTalk mic/control solutions

For more info see the full press release at Griffin's website.

For a limited time Griffin is giving both apps away free. They don't say how long the "limited time" is so if you want a pretty decent voice recording app combo for your iPhone or iPod Touch and you don't want to pay for it, download them both while you can. There is a small ad that displays across the bottom of two of iTalks 3 screens so perhaps Griffin is testing this as an ad supported app. The ad is very small and unobtrusive so don't let that stop you from trying it out.

Both apps are very intuitive and using them went without a hitch. Syncing via iTalk Sync was painless other than having to turn on Wi Fi on the iPhone. When the app store first opened I immediately purchased nFinity's QuickVoice and it's desktop companion app for the then special introductory price of $9.99 for both. QuickVoice has been a nice app and now nFinity is giving away the iPhone/iPod touch app. You still have to buy the companion app which is currently priced at $14.95 (nFInity's QuickVoice PC page says the regular price is $25). QuickVoice PC is certainly a more full featured app than iTalk Sync. In fact the only thing you can really do with iTalk Sync is wirelessly sync with your iPhone and then drag and drop your recordings to your Mac. iTalk and iTalk Sync are free, however, so they'll no doubt give the QuickVoice combo and all the rest of the voice recording apps on the iTunes app store a run for their money.

Oh and one more thing. Although the iPhone version of QuickVoice works well and has some pretty cool features (upside down mode for when you want to point the iPhone mic away from you) I can't get the desktop app to import any of my recordings. I go through the motions and it does import something but for the life of me I can't figure out where they go. Add to that the seriously ugly interface and OS X 2002 feel and the desktop app just seems like a bad port from a Windows version. I've filed a support request (there is a serious lack of documentation with the desktop app) so hopefully nFInity will be able to help me figure this thing out. We'll see....

In the mean time check out the iTalk & iTalk Sync screen shots below and the QuickVoice shots below that.

iTalk Sync

QuickVoice iPhone App

QuickVoice Desktop App

Tags:app, itunes

Kevin Rose was spot on with his predictions as Apple announced immediate availability of new Nanos and iTunes 8.

The new Nano is as Rose described and actually looks like a pretty decent upgrade. The screen is larger and they come in a lot more colors. The new iPod is also sporting an enhanced user interface and includes an accelerometer (like the iPhone and iPod Touch) that detects tilt. Shake the new Nano and your music gets shuffled. The 8GB model will set you back $149 and is available today at the Apple store. The 16GB model will list at $199 and should be available next week.

The iPod Touch also saw a refresh today and according to Jobs and Apple is "the funnest iPod ever". It sports external volume controls, Nike support, a built in speaker and the same curved back as the iPhone 3G. Battery life for the new touch is said to be 36 hours for music, 6 hours for video. The new Touch will set you back $229 for the 8GB model, $299 for the 16GB and $399 for the 32GB model.

iTunes (press release, download) is also pretty much as Rose described and includes the new grid view for browsing your music collection. You can view the grid by album, artist, genres or composer. iTunes 8 also includes the rumored "Genius" playlist. If you want to watch your TV shows in HD iTunes 8 has you covered there as well. HD TV shows will cost $2.99. The download weighs in at 55.9 MB's and requires Quicktime 7.5.5 which is available via Software Update.

Jobs also announced iPhone Firmware 2.1 but alas it won't be available until Friday sometime. Apple says the new firmware will significantly increase battery life, address dropped calls, make backups faster (Yeah!) and supposedly fix app crashes. Other bug fixes are included as well.

Lastly, Apple announced new in-ear headphones that sport a remote in the cord as well as a mic. The new earbuds list for $79 and are supposed to offer superior sound.

So there you have it kiddies. iTunes has uploaded my music info to Apple and I now have a Genius pane opened on the right side of iTunes. I'll post back with thoughts on this latter.

Joe Henry

Tags:announcement, new, accessories

Griffin Technology, creators of iPod and iPhone accessories like the iTrip AutoPilot and EarJams, today announced the availability of it’s newest iPod Touch/iPhone app Double Bonus Slots.

The slot machine simulation game features a large view in landscape mode, fast animation and graphics and will keep track of your winnings.

Check out Double Bonus Slots at the iTunes app store.

Joe Henry
AYAAW

Tags:app, announcement

Kevin Rose of Digg is claiming to have information on significant, soon to be released Apple products including the iPod Nano and iTunes 8.0. Rose claims the Nano will undergo a fairly radical form factor change and included a larger elongated screen. See a picture of the new Nano over at MacRumors.

As for iTunes 8.0, Rose says its a major update and includes new features. Could one of those new features be the rumored iTunes Unlimited subscription service? Although he doesn't go into detail Rose says the update is worthy of a full point. Sounds good to me but I have to say I have no interest in s subscription service.

Joe Henry

Tags:itunes, rumor

If you're considering the purchase of a swanky new iPod Touch or Nano you might want to wait a month. AppleInsider has information from some of its retail sources that current iPod Touch and Nano's are going from an in-stock inventory status to discontinued. AI's sources also claim to be in possession of iPod point-of-sale merchandising materials hinting at price cuts and possibly a redesign of the Nano.

Check out the original AppleInsider story for more details.

Hey, you can wait a month can't you?

Joe Henry

Tags:ipod, refresh