June 26 - 11:40am EDT   Samsung may be triggering a sudden crunch in supplies of 1.8-inch hard drives through a strategic decision, Taiwan-area notebook builders reportedly said today. They claim that the Korean company has stopped development of the ultra-mobile disks in favor of solid-state drives, cutting the number of suppliers in half. Only Toshiba is left, DigiTimes says, and it's feared that prices might go up as the remaining producer tries to control demand. [full story]

May 11 - 6:40pm EDT   In airing a new video, Microsoft has expanded its ad competition with Apple to encompass music support. The ad specifically targets the iTunes Store, and relies on a financial speaker named Wes Moss to criticize the value of buying tracks outright instead of subscribing to a service like the Zune Pass. At 120GB, claims Moss, the full-sized version of the iPod classic would cost roughly $30,000 to fill when using the iTunes Store. [full story]

April 9 - 3:15pm EDT   Apple may be exploring the concept of a unibody iPod, a freshly-exposed patent application implies. Apple began incorporating unibody designs into its products in October of last year, with the introduction of new MacBooks and MacBook Pros. The production technology is said to make hardware lighter, thinner and sturdier, as a result of using tougher material and fewer parts. [full story]

April 8 - 10:50am EDT   The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a collection of new patents, all revolving around the company's portable devices. Unusual amongst these is a patent for solar power circuitry, which could in theory be used to power iPods, iPhones and MacBooks when away from a wall socket. The patent was applied for in 2006 however, and has not been used in any commercial products. [full story]

December 19 - 5:50pm EST   Today's DealNN deals include a wide selection of items from GPS units to iPods. For today only (12/19/09) Newegg.com has reduced the price on the Garmin StreetPilot c330 GPS unit from $199.99 to $79.99. The 120GB iPod classic is priced at $219.97 with free shipping at Amazon.com. Two deals on Transcend memory products are currently featured at TigerDirect.com: the 8GB JetFlash flash drive is $14.99 and the 4GB Micro SDHC memory card is priced at $8.99. Get a free 12 month subscription to Mac|Life magazine with the purchase of Office 2008 for $159.98 at MacMall.com. J&R.com has reduced the price on the Polk Audio miDock iPod speaker system from $79.95 to $39.95. [full story]

November 24 - 11:15am EST   Accessory maker Griffin has introduced a new version of its RoadTrip with SmartScan FM transmitter, tailored to the iPhone 3G. The device plugs into a car's 12V power socket, and broadcasts audio from an iPhone or iPod to a frequency set on the car's radio. The SmartScan feature identifies the three clearest frequencies in a given region, and assigns these to available preset buttons. [full story]

November 12 - 3:10pm EST   Mirroring a similar update for the fourth-generation Nano, Apple has issued a v2.0.1 firmware update for the 120GB iPod classic. The change list is in fact similar to that for the Nano, primarily introducing support for Apple's in-ear headphones equipped with a mic and remote. Also corrected is a bug in saving Genius playlists, and an unspecified number of minor problems. The update is presently available only through iTunes, and is incompatible with 80 or 160GB Classics. [full story]

October 15 - 3:20pm EDT   Griffin has announced that its Wave case has been updated and redesigned for the new iPod nano 4G, Touch 2G and Classic. The new version features the same wave-shaped contours of the original iPhone version, but has been modified with a double-helix design on the front and back. The iPod cases also feature Griffin's EasyDock design, which lets users simply slip off the case bottom in order to charge and sync. [full story]

October 2 - 3:05pm EDT   PDO has announced that it will be releasing cases for the new iPod models in mid-October, and is now shipping the Sleek Crystal Case for the iPhone 3G. The Sleek Crystal Case will also be available for the Touch 2G and Nano 4G, and is a hard shell that encapsulates a device and protects it from bumps and scratches. The case leaves all important controls accessible, and comes bundled with film to protect screens and/or clickwheels. The Touch model will sell for $25, while the Nano model will sell for $20. The iPhone version is $25. [full story]

September 18 - 12:35pm EDT   XtremeMac today announced a variety of cases intended for Apple's latest iPods, as well as the iPhone. All models are shipping in September, and begin with the Tuffshield ($15), which is actually a screen protector for iPhones and Touch 2Gs. The Tuffshield differs from most through the use of four layers, and an option of clear or anti-glare versions. The Microshield ($20) is a thin plastic shell case for the latest Nanos, Touches and iPhone, and comes bundled with two Tuffshields. [full story]

September 17 - 3:30pm EDT   Griffin has introduced several new cases to go with Apple's newest iPod models. The AeroSport is a brand new product from Griffin, designed mainly to fit comfortably on an arm. The case encloses the entirety of an iPod within a protective cover, while providing full access to all controls. The case can be clipped to the provided armband, a belt, or removed for carrying around in a pocket. The armband features a cord-wrap system, and has reflective accents to help with visibility at dusk or dawn. The AeroSport is going to be available for the Nano 4G, Touch 2G, and Classic. [full story]

September 11 - 1:25pm EDT   USBfever and Case-mate have both announced new protection options to coincide with the new iPod releases. USBfever is now offering a new silicone case that has been molded to fit the fourth-generation iPod nano. It is said to protect an iPod's body against bumps and scratches, while not inhibiting the use of any of its controls. It is being sold for $10, and is available in 10 different colors, including: pink, solid white, smokey black, purple, green, red, blue, light blue, light green and solid black. [full story]

September 10 - 12:10pm EDT   Following the release of new iPod nano, touch and classic models yesterday, Belkin has announced a series of new accessories for each player. The Sports Armband and Sport Armband Plus were made to allow users to quickly attach an iPod to their arm. The Plus version features a FastFit system, which allows one-handed fastening. Both products are compatible with Nike+, and are available for the Nano 4G, Touch 2G and Classic 2G at a price of $30. [full story]

September 9 - 4:55pm EDT   Apple's fresh iPod-related announcements -- including iTunes 8, along with new Nanos, Touches and Classics -- were a "necessary and appropriate strategy," according to UBS analyst Maynard Um. Rather than pushing any special innovation, Um suggests that the changes were needed to maintain Apple's controlling position in the media player world, where it is faced with competition such as Microsoft's new Zunes. [full story]

September 9 - 10:00am EDT   Currently Apple's online store has a wide selection of refurbished iPods from the previous generation 2GB iPod nano in silver ($79) to the current generation 1GB iPod shuffle ($39) in silver, blue, green and purple. Current generation 8GB iPod nanos ($149) are also available in silver, blue, green, black or pink. The iPod classic is available in two configurations 80GB ($179) or 160GB ($279) with two colors to chose from, black or silver. Three iPod touch configurations complete the collection: 8GB (199), 16GB ($299), and 32GB ($399). [full story]