Page 10
Lifestyles
The Clarion \ Sept. 12, 2008
This week on iTunes: new iPods for all!
by BJ Wanlund
Staff Writer
This week’s column is going to be a doozy,
folks! Along with ALL the new iPods AND
new features in iTunes 8.0 (yes Virginia,
they’re available now), AND 2 content
announcements all TV lovers will rejoice
over, PLUS all the new releases, you’ve got
one heck of a column!
As far as new iPods go, all iPods have
been updated. Most iPod models have
gotten a price drop, while some have gotten
a redesign of sorts.
iPod Nano models are the most
redesigned/changed. iPod Nanosnow look
more like the old iPod Minis if you had
those. The 7 new colors are (in no particular
order): silver, black, Barney purple, teal
blue, lime green, school bus yellow, orange,
red, and hot pink (for those who like that
sort of thing). The prices are 8GB for $149
and 16GBfor$199withNOcolorpreference
(I think that’s a first for Apple).
iPod Touch models aren’t as drastically
redesigned as the new Nanos are, but there
are a few nice “touch”-es if that matters to
you (i.e. if you’re in the market for a new
iPod, like me).
Firstly, there are now volume up/down
buttons on the left hand side, just like the
iPhone and iPhone 30. Second, there is no
longer a chrome back (yay!), but it is now
aluminum (not much better, but at least it’s
a start). Third is the Genius feature. And
finally, it’s compatible with the Nike + iPod
Sport Kit! Pricing is as follows: 8GB for
$229,16GB for $299, and 32GB for $399.
The iPod Classic also got a refresh,
though most everything is exactly the same
as the last iPod Classic, save for the models:
the only one is 120GB for $249, which is
more than you could get even yesterday.
And lastly in iPod updates, the iPod
Shuffle has also been updated, though the
update is purely cosmetic. Again, you can
get a 1GB Shuffle for $49 and a 2GB Shuffle
for $69.
The biggest update, however, is in
Apple’s iTunes software. iTunes is now
version8.0, and it is ABSOLUTELY worth
the full-point upgrade!
First, there are two content-related
aimouncements you should know about.
NBC Universal is back on iTunes, and —
this is a BIGGIE, folks — you can now buy
and view certain TV shows (including
some NBC shows) in glorious high
definition!
Apparently Apple is working a little mojo
for you to view these HD episodes on the
go in an iPod-capable format, as well.
That’s pretty cool.
Second, is the new Genius Playlists
feature. The Genius Playhsts feature is, well,
geniusl What happens is when you get
your iTunes library set up to work with
Genius (doesn’t take that long), you select
a song and it generates—get this— a
Genius Playhst based on every song in your
library depending on how many songs you
set!
Third, there is a new view, and thankfully,
it’s now onby default! It’s called Grid View,
and if you have used applications like
iPhoto, it’ll seem eerily familiar to you! I
happen to think it’s way better than List
View, which I’d been using previously. I
don’t know how I ever lived without this
new view!
And finally, there is a new iTunes
visualizer I can’t say “stunning” because
the term “trippy,” as was used by Kevin
Rose hits it right on the money!
All right! Finally, on to the new releases.
In music, the only two new releases I wish
to note are the new Dar Williams album
Promised Land and the release of the long-
awaited new Metallica album. Death
Magnetic.
In TV shows, as I said earlier, NBC is
finally back on iTunes! Not only do you
get such great NBC shows as Law &
Order: Special Victims Unit, LLeroes, 30
Rock, and The Office, you also get their
fantastic cable shows, like Battlestar
Galactica, Law & Order: Criminal Lntent,
Monk, and Psych.
In movies, if you liked Amy Poehler and
Tina Fey’s Baby Mama, that’s available
now. But the really good ones are available
for pre-order: Iron Man, Speed Racer, The
Love Guru, Forgetting Sarah Marshall
(written by and starring Jason Segal, who
is working on a new Muppets movie!), and
Leatherheads, the romantic comedy /
sports movie that was shot just over the
state line in Greenville, SC!
Okay folks, that ought to do it. Until next
time - and hopefully a shorter column - Stay
iTuned!
The Clarion
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BJ Wanlund
Zachary Porch
David Ulloa
Nina Willis
Ian Wilson
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