shuffling

Always On: Best of Season 3

Well, folks, it's about that time again. That time when we head out into the world to get our hands on today's hottest gadgets and to explore the promising technologies of the future. And, of course, we'll keep an eye out for some clever ways to destroy those hottest gadgets, too. But, in the meantime, we've mustered up our favorite segments of Season 3 to make the wait for Season 4 less grueling.

First up, we head back to Mount Shasta Ski Park to watch Molly rev a snowmobile over the poor Kindle Fire, Nokia Lumia 920, … Read more

When will Apple kill the iPod?

Physical music formats were so 20th century, so we put our music on computers. But even that was too much of a burden, so music is going up, up, and away, into the cloud and streaming. The iPod Classic is firmly rooted to the ground, and I like it that way.

I can live without Siri, iCloud, a camera, iOS 6, a Lightning connector, Bluetooth, AirPlay, or any of that jazz to keep the Classic's 160GB storage capability, and the Classic's "classic" 30-pin connector that still works with gazillions of docks and accessories. Is there another … Read more

Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch resigns, headed for Apple

Adobe Systems Chief Technology Officer Kevin Lynch announced plans today to leave the company and is headed for Apple to become its vice president of technologies.

Adobe says it's not replacing the CTO position, and instead is assigning those responsibilities to Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen and SVP Bryan Lamkin.

News of the resignation came inside of a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, though not the move to Apple, which was reported earlier by CNBC.

From Adobe:

Kevin Lynch, Adobe CTO, is leaving the company effective March 22 to take a position at Apple We will … Read more

Episode 29: Hot phones in cold Barcelona

Barcelona is the place to be, and not just for the cafe con leche, the jamon iberico, or the incredible melted-stone facades of such Gaudi creations as the Sagrada Familia or the Casa Mila. Forget all that nonsense. It's all about the phones.

Mobile World Congress just wrapped in Barcelona, and with it came a bevy of new product announcements, ranging from Ubuntu and Firefox operating systems to new Samsung tablets, new phablets from LG and ZTE, a new Wi-Fi coffee-maker from Qualcomm, and...well, no, no Samsung Galaxy S4. That's next week. But this week's episode … Read more

Get a 2GB iPod Shuffle clone for $11.94 shipped

I've always had a soft spot for the iPod Shuffle. Tiny, simple, elegant, and able to clip just about anywhere on your person, it's arguably the best MP3 player ever for the gym, the treadmill, or the open road.

It's also $49. If you don't mind a knockoff, MidnightBox has an iPod Shuffle-like clip-on MP3 player (2GB) for $7.95, plus $3.99 for shipping. That deal is good today only, and while supplies last.

Details about this no-brand, no-name player are slim, to say the least. It's available in your choice of eight colors, … Read more

Get an iPod Shuffle bundle for $39

iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches get all the attention, but let us not forget the humble iPod Shuffle, the tiny clip-on MP3 player that's hard to beat for hiking, biking, running, and the gym.

Apple sells the Shuffle for $49, but for a limited time, Walmart has the fourth-generation iPod Shuffle 2GB and accessory kit for $39, plus sales tax where applicable. Shipping adds about $3, but you can avoid that charge by choosing store pickup or padding your cart to at least $45.

I should note that three of the seven available color choices are already out of … Read more

Apple tells maps manager to get lost, report says

Apple has fired the manager in charge of its controversial mapping software, according to a new report.

Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg said Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue recently fired Richard Williamson, who was in charge of the company's maps software for iOS. Cue took over the maps product last month.

Williamson had been with Apple since 2001 and at Steve Jobs' NeXT Computer before that. His most recent role, according to his LinkedIn profile, was the senior director of Apple's iOS services team. He's also listed on numerous Apple patents, including one the company was granted … Read more

Apple's new iPod lineup pops up on Amazon

Unveiled last week, Apple's 2012 iPod lineup is now available for preorder through Amazon.

The fifth-generation iPod Touch offers the same 4-inch display found on the new iPhone 5 and includes a more powerful A5 processor and a 5-megapixel camera. The new Touch comes in both 32GB and 64GB versions and offers a choice of five different colors. Some models list an estimated ship date of two to five weeks; others three to five weeks. The 64GB pink version shows a wait time of one to two months.

The 32GB version sells for $299, while the 64GB model goes … Read more

iPod Touch vs. iPod Nano: Apple's 2012 iPods compared

Like clockwork, Apple never fails to refresh its iPod lineup every fall. In recent years, though, one can't help but notice that the ritualized iPod unveiling has lost some of its gusto compared with the fanfare surrounding the iPhone and iPad.

Still, Apple remains the top manufacturer of portable media players. Those of us old enough to remember the "iPod wars" that occurred nearly a decade ago can attest to the fact that Apple's tenacity in making the world's most popular MP3 player laid the groundwork for the success of the iPhone (pour one out for the Zune, friends). Apple may have moved on to bigger, better products, but maintaining its dominance in the diminishing world of MP3 players is just good housekeeping.

And so, the 2012 Apple iPod lineup offers a mix of new and old.… Read more