iPod Touch

Today, Apple announced the upgrade to the iPhone 4 at a much heralded event at its Cupertino campus. However, they did not announce the arrival of the new iPhone 5. Apple's stock tanked after the announcement completed.

CEO Tim Cook, replacing Steve Jobs and leading his first product event, gave us a glimpse of the iPhone 4S, which looks exactly like an iPhone 4, but has upgraded components including a better camera. It will be available Oct. 15 with pre-orders beginning Oct. 7.

The event also featured the unveiling of Siri, a new voice-recognition technology on the 4S that transcribes voice to text in any text field where there is a keyboard; Apple's new mobile operating system, iOS 5, available Oct. 12; the launch of iCloud, which will also be available Oct. 12; and new pricing for the updated 'white' iPod touch and the updated multi-touch iPod nano.

However, Cook and other Apple executives who took the stage did not announce an iPhone 5, which sent the company's stock price tumbling -- Apple's share price fell to a loss of more than 3 percent on the day immediately after the event ended without the standard announcement of "one more thing," which would have been a completely redesigned iPhone.Read more

Do you need new headphones? If so, here is an offer hard to resist. Able Planet and Apple have teamed up on an exclusive relationship that will offer consumers a gift of an 8GB iPod touch, 8GB iPod nano or 2GB iPod Shuffle, depending on the headphones you buy.

With the purchase of the Clear Harmony (NC1000 or NC1100) from the Able Planet website, you will receive an 8GB iPod touch free! With the purchase of the Sound Clarity (NC500) you will receive an 8GB iPod nano, and if you buy Able Planet's Extreme headphone (XNC230) you will receive a free 2 GB iPod shuffle.

This offer is only available through Able Planet's website and select retailers. Making it even better (as if that's not good enough!), the iPod comes with the headphones! You don't have to return a voucher or visit a store, it's all packaged together!

Visit www.ableplanet.com to get your new headphones or for more information.

Onkyo announced this week that they will launch a free iPhone/iPod touch-compatible Remote Control App for its Networked A/V receivers at the end of January 2011.

The Onkyo Remote Control App will turn any iPhone or iPod touch into a fully-functional remote control that will integrate seamlessly with Onkyo's upcoming next generation Networked A/V receivers (launching in 2011). The App will also control current 8 series A/V receivers (TX-NR708, 808, 1008, 3008, 5008, and PR-SC5508) and some older networked models.

The App will allow your iPhone or iPod touch to control the volume/balance/mute/input selection/listening modes etc. Gesture control will also be incorporated, and owners will be able to browse Internet Radio station lists as well as content held on NAS (Network Attached Storage). Owners of 7 series and older A/V receivers will be able to use the App to control basic receiver functions such as volume up/down, changing inputs etc.Read more

Do you have an iPad, iPod touch, Macbook or iMac on your shopping list this holiday season? You just might be able to snag a deal this Friday in Apple's "special one-day Apple shopping event" taking place at Apple retail stores and online at www.apple.com.

I say might because we don't know exactly what will be included in this "one-day Apple shopping event." Per Apple's website (and an email I received), the company teases us with this: "Come back to the Apple Online Store the day after Thanksgiving for a special one-day-only holiday shopping event. You'll find dozens of great iPad, iPod, and Mac gifts for everyone on your list."

The Apple sale starts this Black Friday (November 26, 2010) at 8am and will run all day.

Hulu Plus officially launched today, allowing you to stream full current seasons and a library of back seasons of hit TV shows from ABC, FOX, NBC, and more, in HD, to computers, internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, mobile phones, and tablets, for $7.99 per month. That's a drop of $2.00/month; subscribers using Hulu Plus during the preview period were paying $9.99 a month. Hulu is making it up to the preview subscribers though – they will receive a credit for the difference from the $9.99 preview price (applied automatically to their next billing cycle).

You can find Hulu Plus on the following devices:

• Connected TV and Blu-Ray players: Samsung, Sony BRAVIA HDTVs and connected Blu-ray Disc Players, and coming soon: LG Electronics, Panasonic, VIZIO
• Connected Set-top Boxes: Roku, Sony Network Media Player, and coming soon: TiVo Premiere DVRs, Western Digital's WD TV Live Hub Media Center and WD TV Live Plus Network Media Player
• Gaming Consoles: PlayStation 3, and coming soon: Xbox 360
• Mobile Devices: Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
• Other network appliances: Sony Dash

So, you want to buy one of Apple's newest iPods, but you just bought your iPod touch four months ago! What do you do? Give it to a friend….let it sit unused in a drawer? How about trade it in? Best Buy this week announced a new trade-in program that makes it easy to upgrade to one Apple's latest portable media players.

Here is what you do:

• Go to www.bestbuy.com/tradein to get an instant estimate of the value for a previous generation iPod (be sure to read up on any exclusions that might apply!)
• Bring the used iPod purchased at a Best Buy to a Geek Squad counter at any Best Buy retail location in the U.S. to receive an official price quote
• Instantly receive a Best Buy gift card based on their evaluation of the iPod's value

Easy!

Learn more about the new Apple iPod lineup at www.bestbuy.com/newipods

Epson and Thinxtream just announced a new mobile printing application that lets iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users print Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and JPEG files from their email to any Wi-Fi-enabled Epson all-in-one. Called PrintJinni for Epson, the app allows users to download, display, preview, and print e-mail attachments, and (unlike some mobile printing solutions) they stay properly formatted.

"PrintJinni for Epson enhances the printing experience for mobile device users by delivering superior performance where it counts, whether at home, in the office, or on the road," said Gregg Brunnick, group product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. "With the benefit to print to any Wi-Fi-enabled Epson all-in-one, this convenient app keeps iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users from being tied to one printer. PrintJinni for Epson offers the ultimate mobile printing freedom and superior print quality inherent in Epson's all-in-one solutions."

PrintJinni for Epson is available now in the U.S. and Canada on the Apple iTunes Store for an introductory price of $6.99. It is expected to be priced at $9.99 at a later date. The discount is for a limited time only and includes a one-year subscription to PrintJinni Cloud Services.