Apple

iBook fire report continues to sizzle

A chilling story of an 11-year-old's iBook catching fire last month reignited this week after more news outlets reported the story.

According to WCCO, 11-year-old Nick Brown left his laptop running and unattended and returned to find it melting the carpet. His parents carried the laptop outside and minutes later it caught fire, which they then caught on tape.

An Apple Computer representative refused to say whether the incident was isolated or widespread and declined to say whether the iBook in question was part of a replacement program that the company put in place amid reports that the batteries … Read more

'Back to the Future' iPod speaker

Here's a must-buy should you decide to take a "Back to the Future"-type trip the 1950s and want to bring your iPod along: Speck Products, maker of the iGuy, has announced its new SpeckTone Retro tabletop iPod speaker system. It comes in a high-gloss lacquered wood cabinet that makes you want to put on your saddle shoes and hit a sock hop.

SpeckTone Retro ships June 15, costs $149.95 and comes in green, white or black. It has analog circuitry "for rich, deep tone," a 4-inch subwoofer and 28-watt output. It also comes … Read more

Trapped in the Big Apple store

Some New York City tourists apparently became trapped in the glass elevator at the new Apple store around 9 p.m. Thursday.

The elevator was stuck at street level, not below ground, so the young women were on display for Fifth Avenue passersby for about 45 minutes.

A friend of the trapped first reported the incident and included pictures on her blog.

While the actual elevator door intermittently opened and closed, the door to the elevator shaft remained shut, preventing anyone from exiting the glass tube. According to the blogger, the trapped tourists were more amused by the incident than … Read more

Is it a Mac or a lightsaber?

Mac addicts and "Star Wars" aficionados are some of the most loyal fans alive, so it was probably inevitable that someone would invent something to bring the two forces together. MacSaber is a piece of software that promises to "turn your Mac into a Jedi weapon" by using the computer's motion sensor to create lightsaber sound effects.

Just say no to the iPod

White earbuds are, like, so 2001, according to the folks behind the iPod-skewering IDon't Web page. Of course, those folks have a vested interest in reversing the iPod craze.

IDont.com is the latest in a so-called "viral marketing" campaign, in which corporations aim to come off as anything but corporate through a cheeky Web site designed to look like a grass-roots uprising. As little white-earbud clad sheep saunter on the home page, IDont.com declares, "The time has come to rise up against the iTatorship. There is an alternative."

Interestingly, however, the only alternative … Read more

Smack that Apple screen for a whole new view

I always found it somewhat satisfying to smack an old television in hopes of getting a clearer picture. It didn't always work, but at least I felt like I was getting my point across.

A Mac developer has figured out a way to bring back that method of hands-on picture adjustment. Erling Ellingsen, who works for a software company called Medallia, posted details on how to set up a MacBook Pro to switch between two desktop environments with a gentle slap.

Many people these days like to use two displays at their workstations to keep more information at their … Read more

Waterproof iPod case makes a splash

Your beach bag might already be packed with protection for yourself, such as sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. But what about your poor iPod or other digital music player?

Allsop is the latest to offer a waterproof iPod case, which the company also notes will protect any electronic gadget from "sand, pudding, or anything else nature can throw at it." Unlike those made by OtterBox, Allsop's Splash Pack DriPod is a soft case, much like souped-up Ziplock bag, that allows constant access to click wheel while the iPod is sealed and protected. The company says it's … Read more

iTunes offers world's tiniest hockey puck

I love hockey. These days I practically choose hotel rooms based on whether they get OLN (that's the Outdoor Life Network, the semi-obscure cable offering that has the rights to most NHL play-off games).

That said, Apple Computer's deal to offer game highlights via iTunes is only somewhat comforting. First of all, I'm somewhat dubious of how easy it is to follow hockey--even for a big fan--on the iPod's tiny screen. Second, as with some of Apple's other sports deals, this one involves 15 to 20 minutes of "expanded highlights," not the full … Read more

Plaintiff in iPod Nano scratch lawsuit says suit wasn't his idea

Jason Tomczak, listed as the lead plaintiff in the class-action suit filed on behalf of iPod Nano owners, posted a letter on his Web site Monday claiming he never authorized two law firms to file suit on his behalf against Apple Computer.

In October 2005, attorneys from Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro and David P. Meyer and Associates filed a class-action suit alleging that Apple's iPod Nano was prone to scratches and that the company defrauded consumers by not admitting design problems with the unit. Before the suit was filed, Tomczak was contacted by lawyers from Meyer and Associates after … Read more