Apparently, it costs a ton of money to operate iTunes. We know that there are 15 billion songs downloaded on iTunes, 130 million books downloaded, and 14 billion apps downloaded along with $2.5 bill paid out to developers.

Along with that data, market intelligence firm Asymco took some other figures, worked the numbers, and came up with what it thinks iTunes costs to operate. The number is a whopping $1.3 billion each year. That works out to about $113 million monthly! That is a lot of money no matter how you slice it.

In working through their estimates, Asymco figured out the what Apple gets to keep after paying content owners (shown in the graph above), then assumed that they operate at break-even, since Apple has stated that they really make their money on the hardware business, and they have alluded to the iTunes store operating “a bit over break even” on several occasions.

It doesn’t seem like offering digital goods where you don’t have a physical store should cost that much.

On top of letting you take notes, the app lets you draw freehand in it as well. This means that after typing something, you can go over your text with a pen to underline it, draw a picture or an additional diagram. Users report that the drawing feature isn’t as smooth as it should be, but that will no doubt be fixed in a future update.

All in all, for a free app, it’s pretty cool. The handwriting recognition could also be a bit better, but otherwise it’s a nice addition to the app family. The app is available for via iTunes now. And no, this isn’t how it works…

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Moleskine]

Davis answered the phone and when the Apple rep on the line started telling her she had won, she hung up. Davis said, “I thought it was a prank call. I said, ‘Thank you very much, I’m not interested’ and I hung up.”

Apparently, Davis’ kids then came and told her the call wasn’t a prank. The woman tried to call the Apple Help line and wasn’t able to get assistance. Luckily, for her and the kids an Apple person called back again. Davis said, “The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was a genuine call. The girls were getting quite tense. They never would have forgiven me. They would have held it against me for all eternity.”

[via Cult of Mac]

Now you can link whatever it is you want to link, whether it’s available on iTunes or not, thanks to the guys at Get The Sh** Done and their Now on iTunes generator. Just enter a name, a picture, and if you want, a link and voila!

The generator also comes up with a permalink for the page you made, so go do your worst and share the links with us in the comments.

[via Mikropikol]

Created by AssistiveWare, Proloquo2Go provides users who have difficulties speaking with a mobile text-to-speech system (known as an augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC solution) which allows individuals to quickly verbalize thoughts by pressing on icons on the iPhone’s touchscreen. The system is loaded with a vocabulary of over 7000 words and phrases, and provides an easy-to-use visual interface for finding words.

Proloquo2go features a human-sounding text-to-speech (TTS) engine which provides North American male, female, boy and girl voices. You can also download an update which allows these voices to be swapped out for British ones. There’s also a simple TTS typing interface if you want (and are able) to type words. You can even retrieve recently used phrases at any time and play them back without having to recreate them over and over again. This is a really thoughtful touch.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While many of you might think $189.99 (USD) is a lot to pay for an app, I can only imagine what a bargain that might seem like if I had difficulty speaking. Especially knowing that traditional AAC devices cost thousands of dollars and are a huge pain to lug around. It’s nice to know that our fun and disposable gadgets can occasionally serve a meaningful purpose. Kudos to AssistiveWare for making a difference.

You can find Proloquo2Go on the iTunes App Store.

Produced by Solid Alliance and Appare Japan, Finger Olympics 100m lets you “run” a 100-meter dash using only your fingertips. Just place your index and middle finger on the touch screen of your iPhone or iPod touch, and start twiddling them as fast as you can.

It’s sort of like a modern take on the classic Konami Track and Field arcade game. You know, the one where you had to mash on the buttons so hard that your fingers bled if you wanted to be assured of a gold medal. There’s no guarantee that playing Finger Olympics might not leave you with blisters on your fingers either.

And the Finger Olympics are truly and international event since you can share your best run times with your neighbors across the planet thanks to a world high score board.

Finger Olympics 100m is available now over at the iTunes App Store for $1.99 (USD). Appare plans on releasing additional olympic events in the near future. One can only hope that shotput event doesn’t involve spinning around as fast as you can and throwing your iPhone across the room.

In Sway, you move your character using your fingertips to control their hands as they grab onto objects and swing and sway through a maze of worlds, charged with the (not-so-innovative, but still fun) task of collecting stars before the clock runs out. And with character names like Lizzie, The Friendly Ninja, Benny the Bear and Recyclable Man, what’s not to like.

The gameplay mechanic sort of reminds me of a modern day take on the classic arcade game Crazy Climber, but instead of climbing up a building, you’re climbing up, down, left and right across the landscape. Be sure to check out the video clip below to see the game in action.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Sway is the latest creation out of Illusion Labs, the same guys who gave us the addictive multitouch skateboarding game, Touch Grind. Expect the game to hit the iTunes App Store any day now.

Software Engineer Michael Lauer recently released SID Player, which emulates the 6581 SID audio circuit from the C64. Of course, what’s a sound chip emulator without tunes? SID Player has you covered, providing on-the-go access to a collection of over 33,000 C64 music tracks by linking up with HVSC – the High Voltage SID Collection.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Enjoy classics like Commando, Arkanoid and Yie Ar Kung Fu, along with thousands of original chiptunes by over 1,100 contributors. Each SID sound file only takes up a few K of your memory, and the files are tiny enough to be quickly downloaded over an EDGE or 3G connection, so fill ‘er up!

SID Player is available now from the iTunes App Store for $2.99 (USD), which according to my math, works out to be way, way, way less than a penny a tune.

[via electrobeans]

There are currently 74 tracks available in the collection, and at 99 cents each, you’re looking at a whopping $73.26 to pick up the entire set. It’s the perfect way to memorize all the tunes while you’re riding the bus to work so you can defeat your online foes in a blaze of glory over the weekend.

Keep in mind that the iTunes track list isn’t an exact match for the game. For instance, tracks which are cover versions in the game are done by the original artist on iTunes (too bad they’re not that way in the game). There are a handful of other disparities too, but not enough to take away from the sheer awesomeness of the one-stop-shop library.

If you happen to have iTunes installed, you can check out the entire collection here.

[via X3F via TUAW]

Using a technology called “iTunes Tagging”, you can flag songs that you’ve heard on HD Radio broadcasts and queue them up for purchase via the iTunes store. The integration automatically sends the list of tracks to the docked iPod, then iTunes will automatically mark them for purchase when you sync up with your computer. (Hopefully they’ll update this to work with the new iTunes Wi-Fi store on the iPhone and iPod Touch once that’s live too.)

The $499 I-Sonic ES2 will be available from retailers, including the Apple Store and PolkAudio.com starting this October.

• Downloadable ringtones for iPhone from iTunes:
  • Choose from about 500,000 tracks
  • Ringtones just 99 cents each
  • Any segment up to 30 seconds can made into a ringtone
  • Can’t convert full songs purchased into ringtones

Entire iPod line getting “refreshed” for 2007 holiday season…

• iPod Shuffle
  • New colors: Purple, Silver, Cyan, Green and Red (benefits RED)
  • Ships: Today (9/5/2007)
  • Prices: $79 for 1GB

• iPod Nano
  • Even tinier than before (measures 2.75″ x 2.06″ x 0.26″)
  • Short, squat design with large screen and tiny scroll wheel
  • Brighter display than 2G Nano
  • Plays games and videos
  • QVGA (320×240) resolution on 2-inch screen (wow!)
  • New user interface:
    • High res album artwork
    • Cover flow view of albums
  • Includes three free games (Vortex, iQuiz and Klondike)
  • Anodized aluminum case
  • Colors: Black, Silver, Cyan, Green and Red (benefits RED)
  • Battery life: 24 hours for audio /5 hours for video
  • Ships: Today (9/5/2007)
  • Prices: $199 for 8GB / $149 for 4GB

• iPod Classic (replaces 5.5G iPod)
  • Two models: 80GB and 160GB (huge!)
  • Hard drive based
  • 160GB model can hold a whopping 40,000 tunes
  • Thinner than the previous (5.5G) iPods
    (80GB is .41″ thick / 160GB is .53″ thick)
  • Includes three free games (Vortex, iQuiz and Klondike)
  • Anodized aluminum case
  • Colors: Black, White
  • Battery life: 40 hours for audio / 7 hours for video
  • Prices: $249 for 80GB / $349 for 160GB
  • Ships: This Week (9/5/2007)

• iPod Touch
  • Literally an iPhone without the phone
  • Exactly same multi-touch screen interface as iPhone
  • Includes calendar, clock, contacts, just no phone
  • Looks like no Google Maps either
  • Still includes Wi-fi, Safari and YouTube too
  • Unlike iPhone, no speakers or microphone
  • Battery life: 22 hours for audio / 5 hours for video
  • Prices: $299 for 8GB / $399 for 16GB
  • Ships: Late September (9/28/2007)
  • Available worldwide, unlike iPhone

• and one more thing… the iTunes Wi-Fi Store
  • Purchase and download tracks directly to iPod Touch
    (and iPhone after a software update due later this month)
  • Ability to search the entire store from the iPod via Wi-Fi
    (EDGE support not revealed at this point)
  • Song previews available before purchase
  • Can reverse-sync purchases into iTunes
  • Just as fast as the desktop version thanks to Wi-Fi
  • Available in all 22 countries where there’s iTunes
  • Starbucks partnership to allow instant purchase of tracks you hear (or any of the last 10 tracks played) when you’re grabbing your coffee (yawn)

• and one more, one more thing… iPhone Price Cut
  • 8GB model cut to $399 from $599
  • 4GB model : Discontinued
    (although if you can find one quick, they’re supposedly just $299!)
  • Since there will be a 16GB iPod Touch, I’d lay odds on a 16GB iPhone by the end of the year for $499

All in all, I’m excited about the new iPod Nanos and the iPod Touch, as they have been designed around new hardware. The Shuffle is just getting color changes and the Classic, just a bit more storage and battery life. All the iPods with screens are also getting a spanking new interface, which is cool too. The iPod Touch and iPhone price cut are sure to anger those of us who just spent $600 on the iPhone. I suppose that’s the price you pay for being an early adopter.

I couldn’t care less about the ringtones and Starbucks announcements, but I’m sure some of you will at least enjoy the designer ringtones. Corporate types always get jazzed about business deals between big brand names, but I’m not convinced that there will be armies of minions lined up with their iPods downloading tunes while ordering up their double-tall-extra-hot-no-foam-half-caf-lattes. At least you won’t have to pay for Wi-fi access while downloading tracks in store.

The iTunes wireless store has been anticipated for a long time, and I’m glad that Apple finally bit the bullet and will be offering this useful feature.

[some images via Engadget]

You see, Apple’s invitations for the event is titled “The Beat Goes On”. For weeks, people have been trying to decode what it meant. Was it a reference to the old Sonny & Cher song, was the Beat indicative that Apple had secured the elusive Beatles catalog or was it something else altogether? Well, I’m sorry to disappoint those speculators out there, but it looks like that title could be a reference to an entirely different Lady Madonna than Beatles fans had in mind.

Yep, it turns out that Madonna’s upcoming album (which was recently leaked onto the Web) also happens to be titled “The Beat Goes On.” Methinks I smell more than a small coincidence here. So instead of a huge catalog of classic tracks from John, Paul, George and Ringo, we’ll probably be getting some cheezy new pop songs from the original Material Girl? Only time will tell, but I’m definitely leaning in that direction. If that’s the case, all I can say is “yawn.”

Thank goodness we’ll have some hot new iPods to keep us distracted.

[via MacDailyNews]

MacDailyNews claims that a reliable (single) source says that new iPods will be including Wi-Fi capabilities, and that Apple could possibly roll out their oft-rumored wireless iTunes store. It seems to me that with the recent launch of the iPhone, and its built in wireless capabilities, it’s only a matter of time before other iPods get wireless too. I’m sure Apple would like to find a way for us to spend money on music and videos wherever we go too. Heck, it’s even a distinct possibility that we’ll see an iPhone-lite, that basically does everything the iPhone does, except make calls.

I guess we’ll all just have to wait until next Wednesday to see what Jobs and friends have in store.

[via Engadget]

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I’ve always thought that voice-driven song selection would be perfect for those times when you just can’t dig into your pocket or backpack to grab your iPod. Hopefully if Apple and AT&T ever opens up the iPhone for developers, VoiceSignal can commercialize this desirable feature.

[via MobileWhack]

First off, my purchasing experience was surprisingly painless. I arrived around 5:20pm on launch day at the AT&T store that’s by Harlem and Irving Park Avenues, just Northwest of Chicago.

There were about 30 people in front of me in line, so I figured that would be okay. Surely, an AT&T store would have at least 30 of these prized possessions for launch? Well, from what I can tell, they had just barely more than that. I was the second to last one to get an 8GB model, while just 5 or 6 more people scored a 4GB.

The staff in the store was surprisingly organized, and things flowed smoothly. Given the fact that I was in an AT&T store, and not an Apple store, this was a surprise based on my past experiences. They started letting in about 10 people at 6:00pm sharp, then let us in one at a time as people left with their purchases. I was in the store by 6:25pm and done with my purchase within 10 minutes, tops.

Unfortunately, at least 25 people behind me in line went home without an iPhone. However, the store claimed that they were the fastest way to get one shipped, citing that it would be faster than the Apple Store if they took an order for those who didn’t get one.

Once I got my phone home, I unpacked it as an eager child would at Christmas time. Inside the small box, there’s the iPhone in a nice acrylic tray, a dock (which isn’t quite the same size as the one I use for my 5G iPod,) a USB to dock-connector cable, a travel power adapter, stereo earbuds with a microphone on the cord, and a guidebook called “Finger Tips”. There’s no comprehensive manual in the box though, so you’ll have to rely on the documentation on the Apple site if want to learn everything there is to know. (FYI, you can download the full user manual here.)

Once you put an iPhone in your hands, you’ll understand much of the hype. Simply put, the phone’s industrial design is stunning. The back of the case is made of a solid matte-finish metal that looks quite durable. A small black door which conceals the phone’s SIM card holder, but all the phones come with a new SIM card pre-installed anyhow. The front features a smoked glass touchscreen with just a single button used for requesting the iPhone’s main menu. Plus, it all comes in a package that’s almost as thin as (and actually slightly lighter than) a 5G iPod.

Activation was pretty painless overall. Earlier in the day, I had upgraded to iTunes 7.3, so as soon as I plugged in the iPhone, it was recognized in about 20 seconds, and the activation process started. Since I was an already current subscriber to AT&T, all I needed to do was enter a few key pieces of information such as my current phone number and last 4 digits of social security number to link up the accounts.

Once I selected a rate plan, I encountered a small glitch. iTunes kept reporting a network error, so I had to retry about 5 times before it would go through. I chock this up to how busy the servers must have been on launch day.

After activation was complete, the iPhone came to life within just a couple of minutes, and I was able to set up music, video, photo calendar and contact sync settings. So far, I’ve only tested syncing of media content, since I plan on using my work computer for calendar and contact syncing through Outlook. Hopefully, that’ll come off without a hitch too.

While in iTunes, I noticed how much space you really get on an 8GB iPhone. According to the software, there’s 7.24GB of available space before you sync up any music, movies or other data. I’m guessing the “missing” 0.76GB is used for pre-loaded data such as wallpapers, ringtones and call history information.

Phone call quality is about average. While it’s a little tinny, it’s no worse than any other mobile phone I’ve had before. The phone’s contact management features are some of the easiest to use I’ve seen, and the phone keeps a great history of all the inbound and outbound calls so you can easily turn them into entries in your contact list. Visual Voicemail is a true marvel. The ability to look at all your voice messages at a glance, listen to them in any order, and fast forward/rewind on screen is a true breakthrough. No more “press 7 to delete,” thank goodness.

It only took me about 2 minutes to get used to the on-screen keyboard, and I already feel like an old pro. The key to using the touch screen is to press with the middle of your fingertip, not with your fingernail. It seems like it can sense the approximate shape of a finger to figure out where the center point is. I’d say I’m at about 95% accuracy with the keyboard now, but it can be a more bit challenging to hit the mark if you’re in a moving vehicle. That said, you shouldn’t be surfing the web and driving at the same time anyhow.

E-mail setup was a breeze for me. We have an IMAP server at work, and I was up and checking messages within a couple of minutes. By default, the phone grabs the most recent 50 messages, but can be set to fetch more or less. You can configure an automatic mail checking interval (every 15, 30 or 60 minutes,) or just check messages on demand. The E-mail application is every bit as good as any wireless device I’ve used. However it doesn’t offer features like message rules. But for quickly reading or jotting off a message, I even think it beats the BlackBerry for ease of use and intuitiveness. And I just love that you can open .DOC, .XLS and PDF attachments right on screen (although landscape mode doesn’t appear to be supported for the document viewer.)

I’ve only played with the other applications a little bit, but I’m pleased with the handy weather and stock widgets, which will grab and update data instantly, whether on a Wi-fi or EDGE network. The Safari browser is very nice, and works well with most websites. I do have to say that zooming in to view sections of the page you want to read takes a little adjustment, especially when your used to having a 24-inch widescreen monitor on your desk. It’s totally serviceable, and miles better than any wimpy WAP browser, though.

Surprisingly, connectivity on EDGE wasn’t bad at all. I was even able to stream YouTube videos when I was on the road in the Chicago area earlier today. I encountered a little audio sync problem on the low speed connection when compared to my Wi-fi network, but that’s about all. An average web page (CNN.com) loaded in about 6 seconds on a Wi-fi connection and about 10 seconds on EDGE for me, YMMV. I’m really beginning to think there is some truth to the rumors that AT&T made some improvements to their 2.5G network in the last week. Certainly the speeds are totally usable for things like checking e-mail and pulling down Google Maps and directions. Speaking of which, Google Maps load smoothly and being able to search for live business information and immediately generate a map and directions is very handy.

Music and video playback really does live up to the “best iPod ever” tagline. The interface is totally intuitive, and cover flow mode is really well implemented. It’s smooth as butta, and lets you quickly flip between albums and tracks, while looking super cool. Most of the video content I’ve watch so far was via YouTube, which doesn’t deliver the quality that iTunes downloads do, but for watching that Dramatic Chipmunk video, it’s fine. Plus, this is the first iPod you can listen to without headphones or an external speaker. Sound quality is still much better through headphones or a stereo, but in a pinch, the iPhone works in standalone audio mode just fine.

One interesting thing I noticed was that you can’t install any of the iPod games on the iPhone. So in this one area, 5G+ iPods actually beat out the iPhone. A rumored partnership between Apple and Nintendo to release games for the iPhone hasn’t come to fruition yet, but I’m still holding out hope.

I really only have a couple of minor gripes with the iPhone, and they’re both pretty superficial. First off, it’s a massive fingerprint magnet. The iSmudginator that I showed you the other day really isn’t far from the truth in terms of the volume of greasy prints you’ll have on the device in just minutes. That said, Apple does include a nice microfiber cleaning cloth in the box. I’m also not overly impressed with “multi-touch” portion of the interface at this early juncture. Really, it’s only used to zoom in and out of the screen, and I actually prefer the alternative method of just tapping twice to zoom in. Sure, the “pinch” effect we’ve all seen to enlarge and reduce photos is nifty, but from a usability perspective, it really does nothing for me.

One other issue will probably be solved by case manufacturers. The initial supply of protective cases (that fit well) is very limited. Every case I’ve seen offers little or no protection for the front of the phone. I picked up the Belkin acrylic case which protects the back of the phone, but not the screen, then clips on your belt loop. However, if you’re used to throwing your phone in a pocket or a briefcase, these kind of cases won’t offer sufficient protection. Sure, there are plenty of people saying that the glass screen is extremely durable, but I’d hate to be the one who proves them wrong.

Overall, I’m pretty impressed with my iPhone so far. I’m not saying that it’s perfect. Having no tactile input can take a little getting used to, and I wish that it did have true 3G network support. I also wish that Apple included a memory card slot. I really hate that my crappy old $100 phone can be expanded to have more memory than the iPhone has. Its high-end design glass and metal design is gorgeous, but I’m used to having a phone you can “trash around” in your pocket. That said, I’m concerned that over time it it might not hold up to real-world (ab)use. Here’s hoping I’m proven wrong on that front.

There’s no denying that the iPhone is one cool gadget. I was able to do things with it that I could never do effectively with my old phone. Sending and receiving e-mail is as easy as using any desktop application, and the Google Maps and instant weather features are totally awesome if you travel a lot like me. I also appreciate being able to go to any website I want, without the barriers that most mobile phone browsers put in the way. Plus, I’m able to get rid of three devices in my briefcase now. Before this weekend, I had an iPod, a Pocket PC and a mobile/data phone. Now, I’m down to one.

Technabob Review Scores
Functionality:
8 out of 10

Design:
10 out of 10

Build Quality:
9 out of 10

Ease of Use:
9 out of 10

Value:
7 out of 10

Overall Score:
8.5 out of 10

The new advertisements also show off some new interactions with the user interface in glorious high definition detail. It’s especially cool to see the device smoothly transition between audio player, video player, photo viewer and mobile phone all with just a couple of finger movements across the device’s multi-touch screen. The commercials also show off the iPhone’s e-mail and web browsing capabilities.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

As is already widely known, the iPhone will be exclusively available from AT&T (formerly Cingular), and will require a two-year service agreement for purchase. Even with a firm release date now, it’s expected that Apple won’t be able to produce enough units to meet early demand, so you’ll probably be waiting a while for yours.

Regency TR-1
Back in 1954, I.D.E.A. released the very first portable transistor radio. The Regency TR-1 radio measured 3″ x 5″ x 1.25″ and featured an analog AM tuner. In a strange prediction of things to come (I’m talking to you iPod), the Regency came out in a variety of colors over the years, ranging from a simple bone white to pearlescent lavender and lime colors.

The TR-1 tuned stations by a simple gold dial and played through a low-fidelity monophonic speaker. It retailed for $49.95 back in the day, which would make it cost around $325 in today’s dollars.

KLH Model 11 Portable
With the companies he founded still making an impact on today’s audio scene, Henry Kloss developed the very first portable stereo back in 1962 when he released the KLH Model 11.

The Model 11 was the first transistorized stereo system, and featured a record player, amplifier and two speakers which all folded neatly into a “suitcase” for easy transportation. While the stereo only ran on A/C power, not batteries, it still was a milestone in the development of portable music players.

Philips Compact Cassette and the Norelco Carry-Corder 150
In 1965, Philips released the first ever compact cassette tape. Originally designed for recording dictations and other boring stuff, the cassette recorded up 45 minutes of sound on single 1/8-inch tape.

To compliment Philps’ innovation in recording media, they released the battery-powered Carry-Corder 150 cassette recorder. It ran on 5 flashlight batteries and weighed in at over 3 pounds (fully loaded). Later, Mercury Records would release a selection of music on Philips cassettes for about $6 a piece. Cassette and 8-track tapes would dominate the portable music world for the next 20 years.

Sony Walkman TPS-L2
Back in the 1970′s and 1980′s Sony was the king of miniaturization, and in 1979, they released the first truly self-contained portable music system, the TPS-L2 Walkman cassette player.

The Walkman’s real innovation was its size, measuring only slightly larger than a cassette tape itself. Featuring a pair of portable, lightweight headphones and operating on AA batteries, it ushered in a new era of portability. The original Walkman retailed for 33,000 Japanese Yen, which would be around $274 US dollars today. The Walkman went on to sell millions of units and spawned numerous variations and imitators for many years after its initial release.

Sony Discman D-50
As CDs overtook cassette tapes in both sound quality and popularity, Sony saw the need to update its popular Walkman line for a new generation.

In 1984, on the one year anniversary of the introduction of compact discs, Sony introduced their D-50 portable CD player, the first ever portable digital music player. The D-50 was actually my own first foray into portable music players, and it truly was a marvel. Just slightly larger than a CD case, the player offered all of the great audio quality that digital recordings had to offer.

SaeHan / Eiger Labs MPMan F10
The very first solid state commercial music player didn’t come from Apple, Diamond or Creative as many think. In fact, it came from a Korean company called SaeHan Information Systems, and was imported to the U.S. by Eiger Labs. The MPMan was the very first MP3 player of all time. It featured a whopping 32MB of RAM (expandable to 64MB by sending the player back to Eiger for an upgrade,) and held about 8 average length tracks (around 32 minutes of music.)

The MPMan appeared on shelves in the summer of 1998, and ran on a rechargeable NiMH battery pack. Since the player used solid state memory, it actually had about 9 hours of battery life, which is still better than many hard drive based players today.

Apple iPod and iTunes
Leave it to Apple to stand back, look at what other companies were doing wrong, and to vastly improve upon their mistakes. The original iPod, released in 2001 combined a 5GB hard drive with a rechargeable battery pack and a paradigm breaking user interface. Marketed by Steve Jobs as “1000 songs in your pocket,” the iPod didn’t necessarily do that much differently under the hood from other MP3 players, but it had a sleek design (by 2001 standards), a unique and simple navigational system, and the Apple brand name to back it all up.

Initially, the iPod only supported Macintosh computers, and the only way to get music tracks was to record from your own CDs or from (often illegal) downloads on the Internet. In 2003, Apple released iTunes and opened their iTunes store, which made it easy to purchase legal music downloads for just 99 cents a track. Shortly afterwards, they introduced a Windows-compatible version of their software.

With their one-two punch of form and function, Apple continues to dominates the portable music player market today. Over the years Apple has continued to release a plethora of new iPod models, including the recent addition of video playback, and the forthcoming iPhone.

Only time will tell how portable media players will evolve. With innovations like touchscreens, high definition video playback, wireless streaming, low cost solid state memory and more on the horizon, the first 50 years were just the beginning.

Now if you could only figure out a way to get those DRM locked tunes from iTunes to the Zune, you’d be all set.

[via MacRumors via Gizmodo]

Like the earlier silver model, the new iPod Shuffles feature 1GB of flash memory (holding about 240 tracks,) a super compact design and a built-in clip to attach it just about anywhere. Word on the street is that the headphones have also been updated to improve quality over the earlier models. The new Shuffles are available for purchase immediately from the Apple Store for $79.

That all said, if you’re willing to forego the iPod name, you might also want to check out the Sansa Express player which offers a bit more bang for the buck.

The story claims that Apple may be getting ready to announce that they will offer licensing of its proprietary Fairplay digital rights management to Made for iPod licensees. If this really happens, streaming media devices other than Airport Express and the forthcoming Apple TV could be enabled to play purchased iTunes media.

There are a handful of devices that do provide streaming of iTunes tracks to non-Apple devices, such as the Logitech Wireless DJ and Netgear’s recently announced EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD media streamer. However, it’s my understanding that these devices don’t directly access tracks, but instead piggyback onto iTunes to let it do the DRM authorization.

I’m hoping that this story does turn out to be true, as it’s one of my biggest frustrations with iTunes purchased media. I personally don’t care for Apple’s current streaming solutions, and would love to be able to use my purchased iTunes tracks on other media devices such as a Slim Devices Squeezebox, or (wishful thinking here) my Xbox 360.

[via Reg Hardware]