Macenstein

Apple’s most ironically named event, ever

Well, Apple’s “It’s only Rock ‘n Roll, but I like it” event has come to a close, and it had virtually nothing to do with Rock ‘n Roll, or even music in general. Sure, just about every announcement made today had something to do with the iPod, iPhone, or iTunes, yet it was all about apps, video cameras, price drops, and pedometers. So, what did Apple announce? Well, new iPod touches with more capacity, faster processors (presumably matching... Read More

Not a good sign?

The new iPod shuffle has been one of the most polarizing products Apple has ever released. And whether you hate it, or are just pretending to love it because of an over developed sense of brand loyalty, one thing is for sure, it was a risky move on Apple’s part to simplify its most simplified iPod to the point of making it complicated. Well, it looks like even Apple may not have drunk its own Kool-Aid this time, as it is still selling the 2nd Gen iPod shuffle on its site. ... Read More

New iPod Shuffle is a double threat

Revision3’s Veronica Belmont and gdgt‘s Ryan Block found an interesting use for the new iPod Shuffle, and they didn’t even have to click the inline remote 30 times to do it. Thanks to faithful Macenstein reader John for the tip!  Read More

Looks like someone over at Apple forgot to update one of their iWeb templates

Apple DOES use iWeb, right? Check out this “Welcome to your new Shuffle” e-mail faithful Macenstein reader Harry Mylonadis received after placing his order for the new iPod Shuffle. As if owning the new Shuffle wasn’t bad enough… to be reminded of the older, more reasonable model in your confirmation e-mail… that’s just cold. (I kid, Harry! I’m sure it’s awesome).  Read More

Did Jobs fake a health illness to avoid announcing the new Shuffle?

Wow. Today’s announcement of the new iPod shuffle was really something, wasn’t it? Just push a button 10 times, and your iPod will speak a list of playlists. Press 11 times, hold once, then press again, and you can turn it off. It sounds a little too much like this parody of the Mactini by Peter Serafinowicz. I remember more than once I had a report to give in school that I knew was going to be lame, and trying to convince my parents I was too sick to go to school... Read More

Celebrity Mac Chick Sighting: Kelly Ripa

Kelly Ripa and her shuffle went jogging the other day, or were they doing Elaine’s dance from Seinfeld? Read More  Read More

iPods and iPhones that can heal themselves… We’re one step closer to the robot uprising

We’ve all seen it in movies a thousand times… A snail-loving scientist wonders if there is a way to bond protein to various elements in the periodic table and grow new materials, one thing leads to another, and then BAM! Skynet becomes self aware on August 29th 1997 2:14 am Eastern Time. Well, if the trade-off for our eventual enslavement by robots is an iPod that can heal itself of scratches, then I for one would like to welcome our new robot overlords. According... Read More

Review: Audioengine AW1 Premium Wireless Audio Adapter – It just works

The idea of wirelessly streaming music from a remote home media server to a living room audio system has long been the “Holy Grail” for husbands who have been forced by their wives to move their bulky computers into the basement, and who have been told they cannot drill holes in walls and run wires throughout the house. While in theory I agree that a house looks nicer without a giant CPU tower sitting next to the TV with wires spilling all over the floor, the available... Read More

Is the shuffle really an iPod?

I caught a little flack yesterday when I mentioned I don’t consider the iPod shuffle to be a “real” iPod. Many people correctly pointed out the term “iPod” is Apple’s to do with as they please, and they alone should be able to decide what does and does not qualify as an iPod. If they want to call an Xserve an “iPod”, then it’s an iPod. I’ll not argue that. What I am reacting to is Apple referring to the shuffle as an... Read More

Apple announces it will keep stringing us along on the new MacBook Pros

Well, once again, a Tuesday morning has started with Apple’s “We’ll be back soon” Post-It note on their store, and ended without new MacBooks. The “big” news today was a new 2 GB shuffle, a price drop on the 1 GB model, and a new Xsan. Kind of an odd combination of updates, assuming the lower shuffle price isn’t meant to encourage you to buy a bunch of shuffles and set them up in a RAID array. Hmmm… One thing I always find funny... Read More