All about Apple product.(iPod Video, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, iMac, Macbook, iPhone etc..): 5/20/07

Saturday, May 26, 2007

What's in an iPod - And Why Is It So Popular?

Not only is the iPod popular because of its reception from the public, but also because it was Apple's first and successful attempt at branching out from its iMac products and a reputation of being strictly "computer". Unlike the iPod nano and the iPod shuffle which use flash memory, the iPod is designed around a central scroll wheel, with the full-sized models storing media on their internal hard-drive. The iPod is also used as an external data storage device, with its internal hardware and software design originally based on a reference design by another company, PortalPlayer. Apple had decided to focus on technical capability, wanting the iPod to focus on the development on the iPod's simple user interface, along with its ease of use. The iPod's software for the iPod development was not developed in-house for this, but contracted PortalPlayer, who already had the reference design based on 2 ARM cores. Apple then contracted another company, Pixo, to create and refine the user interface, under CEO Steve Jobs.
Currently the best-selling digital audio player, with over 50 million sold and over 1 billion legal downloaded songs from its iTunes online music store, Apple's iPod player is the most popular consumer brand in the mainstream of a growing market of digital devices. Whenever the iPod is connected to the host computer, the itune will automatically synchronize musical playlists or entire musical libraries. The iPod can play several different formats: MP3, M4A/AAC, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible audiobook, and Apple Lossless audio file formats. The newer iPods can also play MPEG-4 (H.264MPEG-4AVC), .mp4, .m4v, and Quick Time video file formats. It does not support Microsoft's WMA format - as other media players do - but there is a converter available for non-DRM WMA files with the Windows version of iTunes. MIDI files cannot be played, but can be converted to audio files using the iTunes Advanced menu.
The Apple iPod can be used as a boot disk for a Mac computer, if it is formatted as HFS Plus,

allowing one to have a portable operating system installed. If the iPod is formatted on a Mac OS X computer, it uses the HFS Plus file system format; if it is formatted on Windows, the FAT32 is used because Windows cannot access HFS file systems. A compatible third-party software must be used, as simply copying files to the drive will not allow the iPod to properly access them. As of now there are four basic iPod models that you can find on major shopping websites: the iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod photo, and the brand new iPod video. The iPod photo plays all the songs you wish to download to it, but also displays color photos (album cover art, etc.) on the mini-screen to please the eyes in addition to the already pleased ears.
The photo feature is a favorite of most users who purchased this version of the iPod, but like all electronic gadgets, it has its downfalls. The pictures are hard for some to see on the mini screen and some were upset that you MUST purchase a separate plug-in to view pictures on your television screen. When you do buy the extra connection, you will be more than pleased with the clarity of the pictures on screen. All iPod models come with ear bud headphones, an AC Adaptor, and a 2.0 USB cable in addition to the actual hardware itself. Battery life is usually strong in the iPod with anywhere between 12-15 hour battery life (15 hours on the iPod Photo). Various hard drives are available for different versions of the iPod Photo, but a basic rule of thumb to remember with MP3 players is 2,500 songs per 10 GB.

iPhone Promising To Deliver Several Communication and Entertainment Devices.

Chances are high that you have heard about the iPhone coming out this June before you read this first sentence. If you weren't aware yet, Apple is releasing their own multi-functional mobile device that includes the functions of a cell phone with texting, video iPod, PDA with web browser and the ability to check Emails, as well as a digital camera. The iPhone also has other unique features such as the 3.5 inch touch screen pad that is advanced enough to distinguish the difference between a human finger, and a human face or body pressure like when in a pocket.
Many business owners, small and large are equipping their staff with the essential business tools to help them in the event of an issue, or to prevent them all together by allowing everyone to communicate and complete work with ease. Many have the dilemma or investing in either laptops or PDA's which are personal digital assistants, similar to a hand-held computer. These small devices have a full range of features and functions such as a calendar, clock, web browser, calculator, word processor, video camera, the ability to send and receive emails, and some have a global positioning system (GPS) on them.
If you want this device to be fully functional like a laptop, with the portability of a PDA, and the functions of a cell phone then the obvious choice is to get in line for the new iPhone. You get all of the necessary functions that you need, as well as a few new features that are designed to make the device more user-friendly. This includes the much-hyped new touch pad that the iPhone features. When you need to make a phone call, the numbers come up digitally on the 3.5 inch screen. When you need to send an Email, text message, or any other typing you can select the virtual keypad for faster and easier typing. There is also a spell checker on the new iPhone, as well as Safari web browser.

Apple decided to give their iPhone an OS X operating system which is something that is different from any other phone out right now. This allows you to use note taking applications which are important to many professionals and students. When you turn the screen sideways you get an aspect ratio of 16:9 which is similar to those in many movie and TV programs. This also gives you the ability to browse the Internet and view other video in wide-screen format.
Apple sat back and waited to see which features and functions were most popular and combined them into one sleek device. With all of the different features and technologies it is easy to see why the iPhone is getting such great reviews from those who were lucky enough to get their hands on one before they were released.
When the Apple iPhones hit retail stores they will be sold with two year service contracts with specific mobile service providers. The 4GB version of the iPhone will start at $499. For double the memory you can pay one hundred dollar more for the 8GB iPhone which costs you $599. You will be able to purchase protective accessories with your iPhone eventually such as hard cases, screen protectors, and skin cases.

An introduction to iPod Mini.

Ipod Mini was first released on February 20, 2004 and it delighted many. Being a smaller edition of Apple Computer's Ipod first generation moveable audio player, it's variety in colors (comes with limited colors, silver, gold, blue, pink, and green) appealed to the broader market. The Ipod Mini could be operated with both Macintosh and Windows PCs.
The iPod mini's quality was the click wheel, where four buttons were placed above the wheel. To use one of the buttons, a user had to drive the wheel edge inner over one of the labels. The click wheel system is now normally used in the fourth and fifth generation iPods and it is as well been used in the iPod nano. Above the wheel was the monochrome display, which offers the menus or information of the presently selected track. The new generation of ipods normally has a colored screen display.
The battery life of its first generation iPod mini was 8 hours, which led to some quarrel on its small duration. This problem was later solved with the second -generation models that had a battery life of 18 hours. Like the larger iPod, the iPod Mini as well supported a crowd of file formats like MP3, WAV, AIFF and other MP4 features. It maintained its perfect integration with the iTunes Music Store and the files being downloaded there. Software wise, the iPod Mini was as consistent as the innovative iPod units.
Besides if there was something high-quality to be said about this amazing iPod mini, it's the choice it gave the consumers when getting a digital audio player. The Ipod mini struggled directly with most renowned players like Creative's Zen Micro and the Digital Networks Rio Carbon. The smaller display was actually one line smaller than the last models, thus warning it's on-screen track information show to title and artist only, taking the album information off.
As the Ipod family started to grow, the Ipod mini was laid to rest when Apple launched the opening of the iPod nano. The iPod mini did not then exist in the market and stopped its production. Though it looks the iPod Mini only stayed for a while, its sway as the initiate of the click wheel would always be remembered.

Tips For Longer Lasting iPod Battery.

Listening to music all day on your iPod is possible with the large storage capacity that enables you to listen and relax to an endless supply of music. But what if the battery does not last as long? This situation can often happen. To prevent this tragedy, here are some tips to help your iPod battery last longer:
1. Always keep the battery at room temperature. This is very important because if the battery is too hot or too cold, it will not be able to function at its full potential. Normal room temperature, about 20 degrees Celsius, provides the best atmosphere. Try to store the battery at this temperature before and during use.
2. Utilize the hold mechanism on your iPod. This is a great function that helps your battery last longer. If you won't be using your iPod for a while, turn it off and switch on the hold button. You will be saving some of your battery life by preventing your iPod from being accidentally turned on while on your pocket.
3. It is important to wait for the battery to empty before recharging it. This will guarantee a better and longer life for your battery. Often iPods use the battery even while in sleep mode, so the battery will drain when you are not using your device. The best time to charge your battery is when it is completely empty.
4. If you are not using the iPod, just put it in sleep mode. To put your iPod in sleep mode, just hold the play button for several seconds. You can also use the pause button if you need to stop listening for a while. This will help prevent the battery from being wasted while you are not actually listening.
5. Watch how often you use the backlight. This function is only necessary in dark areas, and can be altered to save power. Make sure that it is set to a low time or turned off the majority of the time. This backlight can quickly drain your power if it is on too often. The same thing applies to the equalizer. Turning these off will lengthen your battery life.
6. Another thing that can shorten your battery life is changing tracks with the use of the previous and next buttons. When you use these buttons, the hard drive needs to be opened, which uses a lot of your battery life.
By taking note of these tips you can prolong the life of your iPod's battery and provide a more enjoyable music experience.

iPod Video.

iPod Video: Portable Entertainment Right at the Palm of Your Hands

Undoubtedly, iPod is one of the most popular gadgets today. Giving you’re the ability to play your favorite mp3s, you will definitely enjoy having an iPod everywhere you go. Today, the latest craze in iPod is the fifth generation iPod. This particular iPod was introduced during the late 2005 where people are definitely getting crazy about up until today.Not only that this iPod is capable of playing your favorite mp3s, but it is even capable of playing your favorite videos. Imagine, a full color screen with maximum clarity and sound, and all this in a small package, you will definitely enjoy iPod videos. Another great feature of this iPod is that it has video playback capabilities that will enhance your viewing experience.The iPod video is also designed slimmer and more stunning than its predecessors. It can support up to 150 hours of music videos with a 2.5 inch clear video display that will definitely give you maximum entertainment. The iPod video is also integrated with a state-of-the-art battery back that can have up to 20 hours of battery life. As you can see, it has a five hour increase in battery life than the previous iPod model.The iPod video also has a 60 GB model, which means you can definitely store a lot of music in it. Its smaller size may deceive you but you can definitely be sure that with this iPod, great packages really come in small things.If you are a person who loves to watch music videos, TV shows, and store and view photos, the iPod video can definitely give a lot of benefit to you. Another great thing about iPod video is that it is also integrated with the Apple Click Wheel for navigation. The buttons consist of menu, previous, next, play and pause. As you can see, there are no complicated set up and using it is very easy. Even your 12 year old child can use iPod video.If you like to move your mp3 and video collection in a single device, you can do so with an iPod video. You can simply hook it up with your computer through the USB port, and you can move files to and from the iPod. As you can see, the iPod video is also great for file sharing. You can easily click and drag your favorite mp3s and videos to your iPod and share it with your friends.If you are interested in video output, you can purchase the iPod video accessory called the AV cables. This particular tool will enable you to plug your iPod in your TV and watch the videos stored in it comes to life in your TV. You can also share the sound by purchasing a dock for your iPod video. Other accessories include a remote and a wall charger to add more convenience when using your iPod video.So, the next time you want something that will provide you with great quality entertainment in your pocket, you can consider getting an iPod video. Not only that this fifth generation iPod can provide you with music, but it can also enable you to play your favorite videos.iPod is the latest thing in the market today. It can provide you with entertainment as well as convenience.

About iPod.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The correct title of this article is iPod. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

iPod (fifth generation) in Apple Universal Dock, iPod nano (second generation) and iPod shuffle (second generation)
iPod is a brand of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple and launched in October 2001. Devices in the iPod range are primarily digital audio players, designed around a central click wheel — with exception to the iPod Shuffle, which uses buttons because of its size. As of October 2005, the line-up consists of the video-capable fifth generation iPod, the smaller iPod nano, and the display-less iPod shuffle. The full-sized model stores media on an internal hard drive, while the smaller iPod nano and iPod shuffle use flash memory. Like many digital music players, iPods can also serve as external data storage devices. In January 2007, Apple announced the iPhone, a device that combined the features of the video-capable iPod with mobile phone and mobile Internet capabilities. Apple's iTunes software is used to transfer music to the devices. As a free jukebox application, iTunes stores an entire music library on the user's computer and can play, burn, and rip music from a CD. It can also transfer photos, videos, games, and calendars to the models that support them.
Apple focused its development on the iPod's unique user interface and its ease of use, rather than on technical capability. As of October 2004, the iPod is the world's best-selling range of digital audio players and its worldwide mainstream adoption made it one of the most popular consumer brands. Some of Apple's design choices and proprietary actions have, however, led to criticism and legal battles.
On Monday, April 9, 2007, Apple announced that over 100 million iPods had been sold worldwide.[1] This makes the iPod the best-selling music player in history.

History and design

iPod came from Apple's digital hub strategy,[2] when the company began creating software for the growing market of digital devices being purchased by consumers. Digital cameras, camcorders and organizers had well-established mainstream markets, but the company found existing digital music players "big and clunky or small and useless" with user interfaces that were "unbelievably awful",[2] so Apple decided to develop its own. Apple's hardware engineering chief, Jon Rubinstein, assembled a team of engineers to design it, including Tony Fadell, hardware engineer Michael Dhuey, and design engineer Jonathan Ive, with Stan Ng as the marketing manager. The product was developed in less than a year and unveiled on 23 October 2001. CEO Steve Jobs announced it as a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive that put "1000 songs in your pocket."
Uncharacteristically, Apple did not develop iPod's software entirely in-house. Apple instead used PortalPlayer's reference platform which was based on 2 ARM cores. The platform had rudimentary software running on a commercial microkernel embedded operating system. PortalPlayer had previously been working on an IBM-branded MP3 player with Bluetooth headphones.[3] Apple contracted another company, Pixo, to help design and implement the user interface, under the direct supervision of Steve Jobs.[2] Once established, Apple continued to refine the software's look and feel. Starting with the iPod mini, the Chicago font was replaced with Espy Sans. Later iPods switched fonts again to Podium Sans — a font similar to Apple's corporate font Myriad. iPods with color displays then adopted some Mac OS X themes like Aqua progress bars, and brushed metal in the lock interface.
The name iPod was proposed by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter, who (with others) was called by Apple to figure out how to introduce the new player to the public. After Chieco saw a prototype, he thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the phrase "Open the pod bay door, Hal!", which refers to the white EVA Pods of the Discovery One spaceship. Apple had previously registered the name "iPod" for Internet kiosks, but never put it to use.[2]

Software

iPod can play MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible audiobook, and Apple Lossless audio file formats. iPod photo introduced the ability to display JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG image file formats. Fifth generation iPods can additionally play MPEG-4 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC) and QuickTime video formats, with restrictions on video dimensions, encoding techniques and data-rates. Unlike most other media players, Apple does not support Microsoft's WMA audio format — but a converter for non-Digital Rights Management (DRM) WMA files is provided with the Windows version of iTunes. MIDI files also cannot be played, but can be converted to audio files using the "Advanced" menu in iTunes. Alternative open-source audio formats such as Ogg Vorbis and FLAC are not supported. Each time iPod connects to its host computer, iTunes will synchronize entire music libraries or music playlists and the user can choose for automatic or manual synchronization. Song ratings can be set on iPod and synchronized later to the iTunes library, however only one host computer is allowed.

User interface

iPods with color displays use anti-aliased graphics and text, with sliding animations. These iPods have five buttons and the later generations have the buttons integrated into the click wheel — an innovation which gives an uncluttered, minimalist interface. The buttons are:
Menu: to traverse backwards through the menus, and toggle the backlight on older iPods
Center: to select a menu item
Play / Pause: this doubles as an off switch when held
Skip Forward / Fast Forward
Skip Backwards / Fast Reverse
Other operations such as scrolling through menu items and controlling the volume are performed by using the click wheel in a rotational manner, while an additional Hold switch helps prevent accidental button presses. iPod shuffle does not have a click wheel and instead has five buttons positioned differently to the larger models: It has a Play / Pause button in the center, surrounded by four buttons: Volume Up / Down and Skip Forward / Backwards. The later models automatically pause playback when the headphones are unplugged from the headphone jack, but playback does not resume upon re-insertion. An iPod that has crashed or frozen can be reset by switching Hold on then off, then pressing Menu and Center (Menu and Play on the third generation iPod) for 6 seconds.[4]

Operating system and firmware

iPod's operating system is stored on its dedicated storage medium. An additional NOR flash ROM chip (either 1 MB or 512 KB) contains a bootloader program that tells the device to load its OS from the storage medium. Each iPod also has 32 MB of RAM, although the 60 and 80 GB fifth generation have 64 MB. A portion of the RAM is used to hold the iPod OS loaded from firmware, but the majority of it serves to cache songs from the storage medium. For example, iPod could spin its hard disk up once and copy approximately 30 MB of upcoming songs into RAM, thus save power by not requiring the drive to spin up for each song. Rockbox and iPodLinux offer open-source alternatives to the standard firmware and operating system, respectively.

Hardware

Chipsets and electronics

Microcontroller
- iPod first to third generations — Two ARM 7TDMI-derived CPUs running at 90 MHz.
- iPod fourth and fifth generations, iPod mini, iPod nano first generation — Variable-speed ARM 7TDMI CPUs, running at a peak of 80 MHz to save battery life.
- iPod nano second generation — Samsung System-On-Chip, based around an ARM processor.[10]
- iPod shuffle first generation — SigmaTel STMP3550 chip that handles both the music decoding and the audio circuitry.[11]

Audio chip
- All iPods (except the shuffle) use audio codecs developed by Wolfson Microelectronics.

Storage medium
- iPod first to fifth generation — 1.8 inch hard drives (ATA, 4200 rpm with proprietary connectors) made by Toshiba
- iPod mini — 1 inch Microdrives manufactured by Hitachi and Seagate
- iPod nano — Flash memory from Samsung, Toshiba, and others.
- iPod shuffle — Flash memory

Batteries
- iPod first and second generation, nano, shuffle — Internal lithium polymer batteries
- iPod third to fifth generation — Internal lithium-ion batteries

Connectivity

Originally, a FireWire connection to the host computer was used to update songs or recharge the battery. The battery could also be charged with a power adapter that was included with the first 4 generations. The third generation began including a dock connector, allowing for FireWire or USB connectivity. This provided better compatibility with PCs, as most of them did not have FireWire ports at the time. However, the device could not be charged over USB, so the FireWire cables were nonetheless needed to connect to the AC adapter. The dock connector also brought opportunities to exchange data, sound and power with an iPod, which ultimately created a large market of accessories, manufactured by third parties such as Belkin and Griffin. The second generation iPod shuffle uses a single 3.5 mm jack which acts as both a headphone jack and a data port for the dock.
The iPod mini and the fourth generation iPod allowed recharging via USB and eventually Apple began shipping iPods with USB cables instead of FireWire, although the latter was available separately. As of the fifth generation iPod, Apple discontinued using FireWire for data transfer and made a full transition to USB 2.0, due to its widespread adoption. FireWire was then usable for recharging only.

Accessories
Many companies, including Apple, produce accessories designed for iPods. This market is sometimes described as the iPod ecosystem.[12] Some accessories add extra features that other music players have, such as sound recorders, FM radio tuners, wired remote controls,

and audio/visual cables for TV connections. Other accessories offer more unique features like the Nike+iPod pedometer and the iPod Camera Connector. Other notable accessories include external speakers, wireless remote controls, protective cases/films and wireless earphones.[13] Among the first accessory manufacturers were Griffin Technology, Belkin, JBL, Bose, Monster Cable, and SendStation.

Two designs of iPod earbuds. The revised version is shown on the right.
The white earphones (or "earbuds") that ship with all iPods have become symbolic of the brand. Advertisements feature them prominently, often contrasting the white earphones (and cords) with people shown as dark silhouettes. The earphones have been revised twice: The first type came with the first and second generations, and the second type appeared on all iPods up to the second generation nanos.
In 2005, New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority placed adverts on the subways warning passengers that "Earphones are a giveaway. Protect your device",[14] after iPod thefts on the subway rose from zero in 2004 to 50 in the first three months of 2005.[15]
BMW released the first iPod automobile interface,[16] allowing drivers of newer BMW vehicles to control their iPod using either the built-in steering wheel controls or the radio head-unit buttons. Apple announced in 2005 that similar systems would be available for other vehicle brands, including Mercedes-Benz,[17] Volvo,[18] Nissan, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari,[19] Acura, Audi, Honda,[20] Renault and Volkswagen.[21] Scion offers standard iPod connectivity on all their cars.
Some independent stereo manufacturers including JVC, Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, and Harman Kardon also have iPod-specific integration solutions. Alternative connection methods include adaptor kits (that use the cassette deck or the CD changer port), audio input jacks, and FM transmitters such as the iTrip — although personal FM transmitters are illegal in some countries. Many car manufacturers have added audio input jacks as standard.[22]
Beginning in mid-2007, four major airlines, United, Continental, Delta, and Emirates reached agreements to install iPod seat connections. The free service will allow passengers to power and charge their iPod, and view their video and music libraries on individual seat-back displays.[23] Originally KLM and Air France were reported to be part of the deal with Apple, but they later released statements explaining that they were only contemplating the possibility of incorporating such systems.[24]

Criticisms

Battery issues
The advertised battery life on most models is different from the real-world achievable life. For example, the fifth generation 30 GB iPod is advertised as having up to 14 hours of music playback. An MP3.com report stated that this was virtually unachievable under real-life usage conditions, with a writer for MP3.com getting on average less than 8 hours from his or her iPod.[28] In 2003, class action lawsuits were brought against Apple complaining that the battery charges lasted for shorter lengths of time than stated and that the battery degraded over time.[29] The lawsuits were settled by offering individuals either US$50 store credit or a free battery replacement.[30] Despite its own criticisms, Apple later complained that its competitor, Sony, had misled consumers in its advertising for Sony's music player. Apple complained that Sony had not considered real-world usage.[31]
iPod batteries are not designed to be removed or replaced by the user, although some users have been able to open the case themselves, usually following instructions from third-party vendors of iPod replacement batteries. Compounding the problem, Apple initially would not replace worn-out batteries. The official policy was that the customer should buy a refurbished replacement iPod, at a cost almost equivalent to a brand new one. All lithium-ion batteries eventually lose capacity during their lifetime[32] (guidelines are available for prolonging life-span) and this situation led to a small market for third-party battery replacement kits.
Apple announced a battery replacement program on 2003-11-14, a week before[33] a high publicity stunt and website by the Neistat Brothers.[34] The initial cost was US$99,[35] and it was lowered to US$59 in 2005. One week later, Apple offered an extended iPod warranty for US$59.[36] Third-party companies offer cheaper battery replacement kits that often use higher capacity batteries. For the iPod nano, soldering tools are needed because the battery is soldered onto the main board. Fifth generation iPods have their battery attached to the backplate with adhesive.[37][38]

Bass response
The third generation iPod had a weak bass response, as shown in audio tests.[39][40] The combination of the undersized DC-blocking capacitors and the typical low-impedance of most consumer headphones from a high-pass filter, which attenuates the low-frequency bass output by up to 10 dB. Similar capacitors were used in the fourth generation iPods.[41] The problem is reduced when using high-impedance headphones and is completely masked when driving high-impedance (line level) loads. The first generation iPod shuffle uses a dual-transistor output stage rather than a single capacitor-coupled output, and does not exhibit reduced bass response for any load.

Equalizer
If the sound is enhanced with the iPod's software equalizer (EQ), some EQ settings — like R&B, Rock, Acoustic, and Bass Booster — can cause bass distortion too easily.[42][43] The equalizer amplifies the digital audio level beyond the software's limit, causing distortion (clipping) on songs that have a bass drum or use a bassy instrument, even when the amplifier level is low. One possible workaround is to reduce the volume level of the recorded MP3 by modifying the audio files. However this cannot be done with DRM-encrypted music, and different tools are needed for each different file format.

Reliability and durability
iPods have been criticized for their short life-span, fragile hard drives, and planned obsolescence.[44][45] A 2005 survey conducted on the MacInTouch website found that the iPod had an average failure rate of 13.7%. It concluded that some models were more durable than others.[46] In particular failure rates for iPods employing hard drives was usually above 20% while flash memory ones below 10%, indicating poor hard drive durability. Some users recommended "hold and slap" technique [47], meaning "Simply hold it in one hand, and smack it with your other hand", which surprisingly works in a large number of cases. In late 2005, many users complained.[48] that the surface of the 1st generation iPod nano can become scratched easily, rendering the screen unusable.[49] A class action lawsuit was also filed.[50] Apple initially considered the issue a minor defect, but later began shipping these iPods with protective sleeves.

Allegations of worker exploitation
On 11 June 2006, the British newspaper Mail on Sunday reported that iPods are mainly manufactured by workers who earn no more than US$50 per month and work 15-hour shifts.[51] Apple investigated the case with independent auditors and found that, while some of the plant's labor practices met Apple's Code of Conduct, others did not: Employees worked over 60 hours a week for 35% of the time, and worked more than six consecutive days for 25% of the time.[52] Apple's manufacturer — which initially denied the abuses[53] — promised to disallow working more hours than the Code allowed. Apple hired a workplace standards auditing company, Verité, and joined the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct Implementation Group to oversee the measures. On 31 December 2006, workers at the Taiwanese factory (owned by Foxconn) formed a union. The union is affiliated with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.[54]

Patent disputes

In 2005, Apple Computer faced two lawsuits claiming patent infringement by the iPod and its associated technologies:[55] Advanced Audio Devices claimed the iPod breached its patent on a "music jukebox",[56] while a Hong Kong-based IP portfolio company called Pat-rights filed a suit claiming that Apple's FairPlay technology breached a patent[57] issued to inventor Ho Keung Tse. The latter case also includes the online music stores of Sony, RealNetworks, Napster, and Musicmatch as defendants.[58]
Apple's application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent on "rotational user inputs",[59] as used on the iPod's interface, received a third "non-final rejection" (NFR) in August 2005. Also in August 2005, Creative Technology, one of Apple's main rivals in the MP3 player market, announced that it held a patent[60] on part of the music selection interface used by the iPod, which Creative dubbed the "Zen Patent", granted on 2005-08-09.[61] On 15 May 2006, Creative filed another suit against Apple with the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Creative also asked the United States International Trade Commission to investigate whether Apple was breaching U.S. trade laws by importing iPods into the United States.[62]
On 24 August 2006, Apple and Creative announced a broad settlement to end their legal disputes. Apple will pay Creative US$100 million for a paid-up license, to use Creative's awarded patent in all Apple products. Apple also negotiated a scheme where it can recoup part of its payment, if Creative is successful in licensing the patent. Creative then announced its intention to produce iPod accessories by joining the Made for iPod program.[63]

Industry impact

iPods have won several awards ranging from engineering excellence,[70] to most innovative audio product,[71] to fourth best computer product of 2006.[72] iPods often receive favorable reviews; scoring on looks, clean design and ease of use. PC World says that iPods have "altered the landscape for portable audio players".
Several industries are modifying their products to work better with both the iPod and the AAC audio format. Examples include CD copy-protection schemes,[73] and mobile phones from Sony Ericsson and Nokia that play AAC files rather than WMA. Microsoft's Zune device also supports AAC and it has adopted a similar closed DRM model used by iPods and the iTunes Store, despite Microsoft previously marketing the benefits of choice with their PlaysForSure initiative. Podcasts and download charts have also had mainstream adoption.