Altec Lansing inMotion Air iMW725

Altec Lansing In Motion Air IMW725

At first glance, the Altec Lansing inMotion Air iMW725 wireless speaker unit ($199.95 direct) looks like an iPod dock, minus the dock. Altec Lansing decided to forgo the dock in favor of a USB dongle that streams audio wirelessly from your computer, as well as built-in Bluetooth functionality that allows for streaming from any mobile device with stereo Bluetooth or A2DP streaming capabilities. This means owners of the iPod touch and iPhone are in luck, but non-Bluetooth iPods won't work wirelessly with the speakers. A remote control is included, which can control iTunes and other media players on your computer. While it's certainly versatile, the inMotion Air distorts at high volumes and falls a bit shy of the audio quality expected from a $200 speaker system.

Design

Measuring 3.8 by 13.2 by 5.5 inches, the simple and sleek inMotion Air is portable and comes with a rechargeable battery. Most of its slanted, rectangular contour is covered in a very dark gray, rubberized material, while the front face is comprised of a gray plastic, semi-transparent grille hiding two 3-inch speaker drivers. An array of narrow silver-colored buttons along the top left of the unit includes controls for Power, Bluetooth and USB dongle pairing, Volume, Track navigation and Playback. The back panel has a recessed handle for carrying the device, and there is a slide-in storage slot for the remote control, behind which is an On/Off power switch for "long-term storage"—or whenever you don't want the battery to be used.

The remote, which measures roughly 3.8 by 1.2 by 0.3 inches, has controls for selecting the Source, Power, Volume, Track Forward/Backward, Ess (which is a stereo-enhancing sound effect I recommend leaving off), Play/Pause, Mute, and Launch, which opens up iTunes (or whatever your default player is) on your USB dongle-connected computer. Although the remote can control iTunes on your computer as well as most paired Bluetooth devices, including the iPod touch and iPhone, it's unreliable. Sometimes, it takes multiple presses to pause or skip a track, or the action is delayed a second or two—frustrating, but forgivable considering it is more or less a highly specialized, miniature universal remote.

Altec Lansing InMotion Air Wireless Speaker System.

The 'InMotion Air' (iMW725) is a wireless speaker system which uses Bluetooth, making for an unfashionable product from Altec Lansing, itself similarly unfashionable in recent years. The good news is Altec (one of the oldest audio equipment makers in the world) is in the midst of a welcome revival and it is products like the InMotion Air which are driving it.

Take the Air out of the box and there is little sign of the delights to come. It is pleasantly compact and weighs just 450g, but the retro styling is a love or hate it affair. Arguably what is more important, however, is build quality is good and Altec has eschewed the fad for glossy plastics with a hardwearing matt finish that is immune to fingerprints. Sticking to its theme the Air also forgoes touch sensitive controls for clearly labelled physical buttons. You'll find power, source/pairing, volume up, volume down, skip back and forward and pause/play along the front edge and each gives a reassuring clack when pressed.

As previously mentioned the Air isn't a dock so there's no port to charge your device, but it does mean no Apple favouritism or 'Made for iPod' licensing and more time spent focusing on the clever technologies lying inside. For those doing a double take I did just say 'clever' and I am going to talk about Bluetooth audio. You see what Altec claims is its proprietary technology transforms Bluetooth wireless audio from the mediocre, short range mess we all know into something comparable with lossless. Big talk.

To do this it uses Waves' Maxx audio algorithms to enhance the quality of the speaker output and its own 'aptX' codec which "reproduces robust sound that’s true-to-life, providing CD quality audio, regardless of file compression encoding." Obviously this latter quote is marketing fluff of the highest order, but happily it does work. No there isn't CD quality audio regardless of file compression, that's ridiculous, but the Air produces by far the best quality Bluetooth audio we've heard.

  

Altec Lansing inMotion Air (IMW725)

Seven metal (and, of course, angled) buttons run along an angled edge near the top of the inMotion Air: Power, Bluetooth/Source, Volume Down, Volume Up, Previous, Next, and Play/Pause. On the back of the unit, there’s a cozy slide-in storage area for the remote. With the remote removed, you can access a tiny On/Off switch. While this may seem like an inconvenient location, you’re meant to leave the switch in the On position unless you won’t be using the inMotion Air for an extended period of time—the system won’t even charge unless the switch is in the On position. (For everyday use, you use the aforementioned Power button on top of the unit to turn the system on and off.)

Also on the rear of the device are a port for the included AC adapter and a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) line-in jack for connecting another audio source. You can listen to only one source—Bluetooth or line-in—at a time, and you switch between the two using the aforementioned Source button. The Launch button is meant to launch the default music player on your computer. I found that it did nothing, whether paired with my Mac (via Bluetooth or the USB dongle) or my iOS devices.

The USB dongle sports a unique feature that makes it even more useful: a 3.5mm audio-out jack that lets you stream music to the inMotion Air while simultaneously listening through speakers—say, your normal computer speakers—connected to the jack. On the other hand—perhaps because of this additional input—the dongle is so large that on my MacBook Pro, it blocks the second USB port when inserted in the first.

Canon Power Shot A3300 IS (Red)

Canon  Power Shot A3300 is (red)

 Canon's A-series Power Shot lineup for 2011 consists of four models priced from $89.99 up to $179.99. Unlike with the 2010 A-series cameras, the feature mix is much better, giving you solid reasons to pick one model over another. The A3300 IS, for example, is the only model with optical image stabilization, a 5x zoom lens, and a 3-inch LCD. (It's also the only one with a 16-megapixel resolution, but that's debatably useful.). The Canon Power Shot A3300 IS has a nice feature set for the money as well as excellent photo quality. The Canon Power Shot A3300 IS offers up nice features and excellent photos while staying simple and affordable.

   

 

Technical Details

• 16.0 megapixel, with a 5x wide-angle optical zoom (28mm wide) with optical image stabilizer
• Record movies with 720p HD video
• Large, clear 3.0-inch LCD
• Smart Auto intelligently selects settings from 32 predefined shooting situations
• Discreet Mode disables the sound, flash and AF beam for use in quiet areas
• 16.0 megapixel
• 3.0-Inch LCD
• 5x wide-angle optical zoom (28mm wide)
• High-definition 720p video
• Optical image stabilizer

Wrapped in a sleek metal body, the Power Shot A3300 IS captures everything in stunning 16 Mega pixel detail. Dynamic Image Stabilizer ensures that HD movies are sharp and steady. Pocket-sized and packed with features 16.0 Megapixels A very high resolution sensor produces stunning quality images, and allows printing of very large prints or cropping the image to achieve the desired composition.28mm wide, 5x zoom lens A 28mm wide-angle view provides greater scope for wide landscapes and indoor shots, while a 5x optical telephoto function allows the user to zoom in on details and frame more creatively.

Optical Image Stabilizer An optical Image Stabilizer makes this camera's performance really stand out. Compensating for camera shake in challenging conditions such as lower light or when shooting with the longer end of the zoom range, the Image Stabilizer helps you capture images in full detail and with less blur at all times.

7.5 cm (3.0") LCD A big screen makes viewing and sharing image …

HTC Droid Incredible 2 (Verizon Wireless)

HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. DROID Incredible is releasing the follow-up to the HTC DROID Incredible Thursday, April 28, the same day it unveils the Samsung DROID Charge, adding two new smartphones to its family. While the Charge – Verizon’s latest 4G phone – comes with a hefty price tag of $299.99, those who are satisfied with 3G speeds can pick up the Incredible 2 for $199.99, with a new, two-year service agreement. Other retail outlets are offering the phones at a discount price.

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).

You’ll need to sign up for a Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package if you buy the Incredible 2. Nationwide Talk starts at $39.99/month and the data package starts at $29.99. The Incredible 2 will run on Android 2.2 and feature a 4-inch display. It comes with a powerful 1GHz processor and a 3G mobile hotspot that connects up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. The smartphone offers advanced personalization options, consolidated email capability and unique camera effects and filters. It’s also global-ready, operable in more than 200 countries, 125 of those with 3G speeds. Other features include rear- and front-facing cameras and integrated noise-cancellation technology.

The original Incredible was one of the hottest selling Android devices to date when it went on sale on year ago. But with Verizon Wireless already offering the 4G HTC ThunderBolt – now on sale at some outlets for under $150 – and the Samsung Charge on the way, will the Incredible 2 get lost in the shuffle?  It will be surprising if many Verizon customers choose to go with 3G smartphones considering the prices of 4G phones are already falling to comparable levels. 

The follow up to the wildly popular Droid Incredible has everything you need in a modern smartphone and more (well, except for access to Verizon’s 4G LTE network). Coming in with a 4-inch Super LCD display, the Incredible 2 also boasts an 8MP rear-camera with dual-LED flash, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, SRS WOWHD surround sound, a “next-generation” 1GHz Snapdragon processor, Android 2.2, and world-phone capabilities.

You won’t have to wait long to get ahold of an Incredible 2, the phone will be launching on the 28th of this month (two days away) for $199.99 on a two-year contract.

The Next Generation Of Incredible: DROID Incredible 2 By HTC Delivers Style And Performance To Verizon WirelessBASKING RIDGE, NJ – Verizon Wireless and HTC today announced that DROID Incredible 2 by HTC, exclusively from Verizon Wireless, will be available beginning April 28 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

DROID Incredible 2 by HTC follows in the footsteps of the popular DROID Incredible by HTC and features the Android™ 2.2 platform, a crisp 4-inch super LCD display, next-generation 1 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon® processor and 3G Mobile Hotspot that can connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Equipped with the hallmark HTC Sense™ experience, DROID Incredible 2 by HTC offers advanced personalization options, consolidated email capability and unique camera effects and filters. With its sleek, all-black design, DROID Incredible 2 by HTC combines functionality and speed into one stylish package. DROID Incredible 2 by HTC is a global-ready Android smartphone, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, with more than 125 with 3G speeds.

Additional features include:

8.0-megapixel main camera with dual LED flash
1.3-megapixel front facing camera
720p HD video capture plus DLNA® to share multimedia content with a compatible TV
Adobe® Flash® Player
SRS WOWHD™ surround sound
Automatic face detection for more accurate pictures
Integrated noise-cancellation technology
Verizon Wireless customers that purchase DROID Incredible 2 by HTC will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access and an unlimited smartphone data plan is $29.99 for monthly access. Verizon Wireless customers traveling outside of the United States should contact Verizon Wireless’ global customer support team at 1-800-922-0204 before embarking on their trip to ensure their phones have the right features for global usage.

Logitech releases Keyboard Case for iPad 2 with Zagg

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI). The Logitech Keyboard Case for the iPad 2 does exactly what it promises, offering a highly portable Bluetooth keyboard for use with an iPad; however, it's a better keyboard than it is a case. The Keyboard Case for iPad 2 will be available sometime in April

 The Logitech Keyboard Case is made of precision-cut aircraft-grade aluminum and features military-grade, high-density padding. The protective case wraps around the iPad 2 to cover the screen and sides. So you can go from Face Time® to e-mail in no time, the Logitech Keyboard Case offers a flexible, folding hinge, which makes it easy to place your iPad 2 in either portrait or landscape mode. And for your convenience, the Logitech Keyboard Case uses Bluetooth® connectivity to pair the included wireless keyboard quickly and easily and the keyboard charges over USB, so you never need to worry about replacing batteries.

  Just lik ClamCase, Logitech now also brings a keyboard case for Apple’s tablet. However,  the latter works with iPad 2. This might be a new name for iPad 2 keyboard cases in the market but Logitech Keyboard case for iPad 2 is actually ZAGGmate for iPad 2 which is provided by Logitech too.

• Precision-cut aircraft-grade aluminum.
• Military-grade high density padding.
• Supports both portrait and landscape made.
• QWERTY keyboard.
• Connects with iPad 2 via bluetooth.
• Charges over USB.

 Logitech has recently introduced its new Keyboard Case that specially designed for Apple iPad 2. It comes with smart and sleek design that provides type-and-go convenience and style to use the iPad 2 at any time, any place.
 

The Logitech Keyboard Case utilizes the Bluetooth technology for quick connecting between the wireless keyboard and the iPad 2. Users can charge the keyboard over the USB cable, so they never worry about replacing the batteries. The Keyboard Cases is flexible enough to cover the iPad 2′s screen and allows to folding hinge, so users can make it easy to place their iPad 2 in portrait or landscape mode. Also the Keyboard Case is crafted from precision-cut, aircraft-grade aluminum, and inside edges are lined with high-density padding to protect the iPad 2 from scratch or drop.The Logitech Keyboard Case will be available in April 2011 for a suggested retail price of $99.99.

 

Logitech has collaborated with ZAGG to launch the new iPad 2 Keyboard Case. It is actually the re-branded and re-designed version of ZAGG’s ZAGGmate. The device doubles as a protective case for transport, but quickly converts to hold the iPad 2 either horizontally or vertically. Weighing 12.8 ounces, the iPad 2 Keyboard Case also incorporates a 510mAh battery, which is good for “several weeks” of normal use without charging. Each purchase comes equipped with a Quickstart guide, four optional rubber feet and a micoUSB cable for charging. The Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Case by ZAGG will be available in April for $100 a pop.

Still some people think that the biggest fault in an iPad is its ‘virtual keyboard’. While many iPad users do not find it difficult to use, but still a large number of people just prefer to press the real buttons when they type. Logitech has come up with a solution.

Logitech has come with a new case for the iPad 2. Logitech incorporates Bluetooth keyboard into the case itself. Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad have been around for a while now, but lugging one around in addition to your iPad and iPad case seems like a bit of a hassle. For those who prefer to type on real, three dimensional buttons, the Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2 ($100) combines the keyboard and case into one sleek aluminum attachment. The case won’t do much to protect the back of your iPad, but the soft padding inside will keep your screen protected and scratch-free.The Keyboard Case for iPad 2 will be available sometime in April.

 A new iPad keyboard case has been unveiled by Logitech made in collaboration with ZAGG. The smart, sleek, convenient and stylish keyboard is specifically designed for the iPad 2. The new keyboard case called the ZAGGmate is made of aircraft grade aluminum and has military grade and high-density padding. It also has a protective case that covers the screen as well as the sides. The device also offers a flexible, folding hinge, which makes it easy to place your iPad 2 in either landscape or portrait mode.
For the convenience of users, the Logitech Keyboard Case uses Bluetooth connectivity to pair the included wireless keyboard quickly and easily and the keyboard charges over USB, so replacing batteries would not be a concern any more. The case is priced at $99.99 and will be available in the United States from April 2011.

If your iPad stops responding to keyboard key presses in apps like Notes and Safari, you can use the steps below to try to resolve the issue. Test the keyboard between each step to see if functionality is restored.

Power your keyboard off, and then back on, using the power switch at the top left of the keyboard  Charge the Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad completely. Restart your iPad 2 by pressing and holding the Home and Lock buttons together until the screen goes blank. Then, wait for the iPad 2 to reboot.

Logitech is going to gladden all the Apple iPad 2 with its multi functional keyboard case. It is not just an attractive case for your iPad but with a keyboard placed inside. This new case does not only protect but also carries a stand along with a keyboard. This Logitech Zaggmate Keyboard Case does look like it is made of aluminum and lets you stand up the iPad 2 in two different modes: portrait and landscape. This Keyboard Case can be recharged via USB and can be connected to iPad via Bluetooth

 One more positive feature of the Keyboard Case is its thickness, reaching just .54 inches. Thus, it will not make your iPad 2 heavier or expand it in sizes. This rather useful device is a result of cooperation of two companies: Logitech and Zagg. Logitech takes the responsibility for marketing, production and distribution of the case, and Zagg, in its turn, produces a similar case (with or without the keyboard). Zagg is rather popular with its production of screen protectors for numerous gadgets. The price for its great device is $100 and we can state that at present it is the only device that carries out three functions at one time: case stand, and keyboard.

HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One C310a

Access customizable apps from an intuitive HP TouchSmart screen to print the web content you want. Produce impressive photos and documents, print and share wirelessly anywhere in your house and print from anywhere, anytime, using HP ePrint.

Save up to 50% on paper costs with automatic two-sided printing. Keep control of your energy costs too—and help to protect the environment—with this ENERGY STAR qualified all-in-one. Get up to three times more black printed pages and two-and-a-half times more color printed pages with optional high-capacity replacement ink cartridges.

Experience the freedom to print how you want, when you want. You can even print directly from your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, since the printer supports AirPrint—Apple’s next-generation Wi-Fi print architecture that dramatically simplifies printing by completely eliminating printer drivers. Enjoy complete connectivity with this advanced but easy-to-use all-in-one. View, edit and print photos—scan prints and make quick color copies too—via the large HP TouchSmart screen; intuitive touch controls guide you all the way. Connect wirelessly or via Ethernet, print from your iPhone or iPad, and even access Snapfish.com directly from the HP TouchSmart screen.

 

Setup of this printer is incredibly simple. Without looking at the instructions or quick-start document, opened the box, took out the printer, removed all of the tape and plastic that protects the printer during shipment, installed the print cartridges, popped paper into the main paper tray and photo paper into the photo tray, and then turned on the printer. There's a first-time configuration, which the printer runs automatically, that takes about 6 minutes to complete. After following simple prompts on the bright, built-in touchscreen display, finally got to the point where needed to enter my network passphrase. The printer joined the network, and  ready to rock and roll.

 put together a short video that shows the printer in action,  won't go into too much detail about what it can do other than summarize it here. First, there are a number of Print Apps that can be downloaded and installed directly on the printer. With the Print Apps, you don't have to even start up your computer or iOS device getting a map, recipe, news or weather report is as simple as calling up the Print App on the touchscreen, and then tapping a print button when you need a hard copy.

The next cool feature is the zero-configuration printing capability. On a Mac, you still need to add the printer using the Print & Fax System Preference, but there's no need to install drivers or software unless you want additional functionality like scanning, copying and the like.  love to see Apple add the capability for these printers to be automatically added to the list of available printers on the Mac. On iOS devices, the printer just shows up in the list of available printers. Since sharing an old HP Deskjet 6840 printer from my Mac using three existing "printers" on iOS -- the Deskjet 6840, PDF to Dropbox and PDF to my Mac. The new Photosmart printer just showed up in the list of printers on the network available to my iPad and iPhone, with no configuration required.

The final big feature is the ability to print from virtually anywhere. Each ePrint-enabled HP printer has its own email address. Once you register the printer online, any Word, Excel, PowerPoint, text, PDF or image (JPG, PNG and other formats) file can be emailed to the unique email address, and within a short amount of time, it will print on your printer.  could see where this could be useful for someone like my mother, who refuses to use a computer of any type.  could send emails to her with pictures, recipes or just a nice message, and they'd show up on her printer for her to pick up and read.

About the only thing you can't currently print from email are web pages, but HP says that they're working on dedicated solutions to support printing web pages from mobile devices. There is a maximum attachment size for the print from email feature -- currently that's 5MB per email.

impressed with how the iPhone and iPad worked with this printer. When  printed from Pages, for example, the printer "knew" that I wanted to print it out on standard 8-1/2 x 11-inch paper. Printing a photo from the Photo Library, the printer grabbed photo paper from the photo tray. Very cool.  plan on being very sneaky and showing my wife how to print photos and other documents from her iPad and iPhone, so maybe she'll decide we need to get an ePrint printer for Christmas.

While  tested just the C310a e-All-in-One printer, there are 10 other Deskjet and Officejet printers that support the same functionality, and HP says that they will be announcing more ePrint printers in the future. The D110a is a bit slower than the C310 I tested, but for $69 after mail-in rebate, just about anyone can afford the power of printing from any device and any location.

Take a look at the video for other comments and to see how the HP Photosmart Premium e-All-in-One C310a printer works.  for those watching from iPad / iPhone / iPod touch.)

Get wireless access to the web and customizable apps—the intuitive HP TouchSmart screen makes it easy. Print from anywhere, any time, with any device, using HP ePrint.

Apple i pod 32 gb mp3 player

 

The third generation of Apple's iPod Touch is still the king. 

The third generation of Apple's iPod Touch is still the king of the hill when it comes to portable, Wi-Fi-wielding media players. New additions such as Voice Control, graphics enhancements, improved accessibility, higher capacity, and a faster processor help to refine an already excellent product. iPod touch is a great iPod, a great pocket computer, and a great portable game player. Listen to a mix of songs automatically put together by the new Genius Mixes feature. Watch a movie. Surf the web. Download countless apps. to jump down the page and learn all about apps.) View rich HTML email. Find your location and get directions with Google Maps. Discover games and apps you're sure to love with new Genius recommendations for apps. And since iPod touch now comes with the latest 3.1 software already installed, you can start using fun, convenient features right out of the box.

 

Technical Details

Capacity: 32 GB

• IMPORTANT: To get started using your iPod, charge your player using the USB cable for at least 2 hours
• 32 GB capacity for 7,000 songs, 40,000 photos, or 40 hours of video
• Up to 30 hours of music playback or 6 hours of video playback when fully charged
• 3.5-inch widescreen Multi-Touch display with 480 x 320 pixel resolution
• Supports AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV audio formats; H.264 and MPEG-4 video formats; JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF
• NOTE: The iPod touch comes with the Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic; to activate Voice Control using the headphones, just press and hold the center area of the Apple headphone remote
• One-year limited warranty with single incident of complimentary telephone technical support

Cover Flow : What a song does for your ears, Cover Flow on iPod touch does for your eyes and fingers. It's a virtual party for the senses. Turn iPod touch on its side and glide through your music by album art with the flick of your finger. Tap an album cover to flip it over and display a track list. Tap again to start the music.

Genius Mixes : Now the Genius feature is even more powerful. Introducing Genius Mixes. All you do is sync iPod touch to iTunes, and Genius automatically searches your library to find songs that sound great together. Then it creates multiple mixes you'll love. These mixes are like channels programmed entirely with your music.

Genius Playlists : Say you're listening to a song you really like and want to hear other tracks that go great with it. The Genius feature finds other songs on your iPod touch that sound great with the one you were listening to and makes a Genius playlist for you. Listen to the playlist right away, save it for later, or even refresh it and give it another go. Count on Genius to create a mix you wouldn't have thought of yourself.

Shake to Shuffle : Shake things up a bit. Musically speaking, that is. The next time you're listening to your tunes, turn on Shake to Shuffle, then give iPod touch a shake to shuffle to a different song in your music library.

Bluetooth : Look, no cables. iPod touch includes the iPhone 3.1 software, so you can pair Bluetooth stereo headphones with it. Keep your iPod in your bag or charging on your desk across the room and still listen to your music. 

Movies + TV shows : A feature film. A video podcast. Your favorite TV show. Now appearing on a subway train or a plane near you.

Widescreen Viewing : Carry hours of video with you and watch it on the crisp 3.5-inch color widescreen display. Shop the iTunes Store and choose from thousands of movies, TV shows, and video podcasts to load up your iPod touch. From Hollywood blockbusters to independent favorites, there's something for everyone. Download and watch movies with a few taps. Prefer TV shows? Get a single episode or an entire season's worth all at once.

Onscreen Controls : While watching your video, tap the display to bring up the onscreen controls. You can play or pause, view by chapter, and adjust the volume. You can also use the volume controls on the left side of iPod touch. Want to switch between widescreen and full screen? Simply tap the display twice.

Genius Recommendations, Download & Update for Apps : There are tens of thousands of apps in the App Store, with more added every day. A new feature of iPod touch makes finding cool new apps even easier. It's Genius for apps, and it works just like Genius for your music. Tap the Genius icon and get recommendations for apps that you might like based on apps you and others have downloaded.

When you find an app you want, buy and download it wirelessly to your iPod touch from anywhere over Wi-Fi, and start using it right away.iPod touch tells you whenever an app update is available, so you'll always have the latest versions of your favorite apps.

Shop Anytime, Anywhere : The built-in Wi-Fi capability in iPod touch gives you access to the iTunes Store, where you can choose from millions of high-quality iTunes Plus songs and thousands of movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and free podcasts and iTunes U lectures. Browse New Releases, Top Tens, and Genres. Or find exactly what you're looking for by typing in a quick search. Play a preview of any song or video, then tap once to buy it. Not sure if that movie is worth owning? Just rent it. Everything you buy on iPod touch is the same price you pay on the iTunes Store on your computer.

Sync with iTunes : When you connect iPod touch to your computer, the music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and podcasts you downloaded on the go sync to your iTunes library on your Mac or PC. If you've partially downloaded something on iPod touch, your computer completes the download automatically.

Voice Control : Voice Control on the new 32 GB and 64 GB iPod touch gives you the ability to control music playback with spoken commands. You say it. iPod touch plays it. And shuffles it, pauses it, or names it.

Say and Play : Voice Control knows the music in your iPod touch. Want to hear something specific? All you have to do is ask. For instance, say "Play artist Bob Dylan," and iPod touch does just that. Ask what song is playing and hear iPod touch answer. Tell it to play your favorite album, artist, or playlist. Speak simple commands such as "shuffle," "next song," and "pause." Even have iPod touch play more songs like the one you're listening to

Language Support : Voice Control features support for the following languages: Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (China), Chinese (Taiwan), Dutch, English (UK), English (US), Finnish, French (Canada), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Spain), Swedish

Photos : With storage for up to 90,000 of your favorite photos, iPod touch lets you flick through and share all those remember-that-day moments.

Share Photos : Show thousands of photos from the palm of your hand. Flick to scroll through thumbnails. Tap to view full screen. Play slideshows, complete with music and transitions. Email a photo to a friend or share it in a MobileMe Gallery.

Save Photos : If you receive a great image in an email, save it to your photo library on iPod touch. Once there, it acts just like any other photo. You can set it as your wallpaper, share it on the web, or pass it on.

Home Screen : Maybe you want Maps as the first app in the second row. Or Mail down in the Dock. Whatever the arrangement, make iPod touch your own with customized Home screens.

Customize Your Home Screen : Arrange the icons on your Home screen any way you want right on iPod touch or from your computer using iTunes 9. Move an app one row up, two apps over, or even to another Home screen. Create up to 11 Home screens for quick access to the games and applications you download from the App Store and to your Safari web clips.

Home Button: No matter where you are on iPod touch, one press of the Home button at the bottom of iPod touch takes you to the main Home screen. You can also take a shortcut from any Home screen back to your main Home screen by pressing the Home button.

Spotlight Search: Looking for something? Search the entire contents of your iPod touch, all from one place. On your main Home screen, just swipe to the right to bring up Spotlight. Once you start typing, Spotlight begins searching all of your music, videos, contacts, email, calendars, notes, and even your audiobooks and podcasts.

Browse Anywhere : iPod touch is the only iPod with built-in wireless access to the web. Whenever you're connected via Wi-Fi, you can access your favorite websites to read news, check scores, pay bills, and go shopping. And if you're using the new 32 GB or 64 GB iPod touch, you'll notice that web pages load even faster than before.

Search the Web : iPod touch syncs your bookmarks from your PC or Mac, so you can access your favorite sites quickly. It has Google and Yahoo! search built in, so it's easy to find what you're looking for on the web.

Web Clips : If you check a website frequently--a favorite newspaper, blog, or sports site--why not create a Home screen icon, or web clip, for it? Make web clips with Safari, and your favorite sites are always just a tap away.

Zoom :Get a closer look at any web page by zooming in and out with a tap or a pinch of the Multi-Touch display. View websites in portrait or landscape. Rotate iPod touch 90 degrees a Hardware

Physically, the new (64GB) Touch is identical to it's 2nd generation brethren. It's polished crome backplate is slightly curved, making it fit your palm perfectly. As before, the fact that it's made from polished chrome will guarantee that it attracts fingerprints and scratches almost magically. I'm no friend of any kind of protective covers, and my last (32GB) Touch had to live in my pocket with my keys, coins, and other stuff I threw in with it. After a year, the backplate did pick up a lot of scratches, and I expect that the 64GB to fare no better. Personally, I would have preferred a brushed finish for the backplate. This may have caused problems with the readability of the customized engraving that Apple applies to the Touch on the backplate for no additional charge (a nice 'touch' that becomes increasingly important as the Touch becomes more ubiquitious). This custom engraving you can only get if you order the Touch through Apple (it's also not available in the Apple Stores).

The front plate is made from one of the most impressive glass enhancements I've ever seen. After a year of heavy abuse, my old Touch's glass front has not a single scratch - not one. I don't know how Apple does it, but this is really impressive. Remember, I don't use any protective covers or films. The screen itself is brilliant, bright, and can easily be read outside, wich is a feat in itself. The Touch has an ambient light sensor, so it can dim the screen when the surroundings are darker.

This time around, the screen's color temperature has remained unchanged (the 2G shifted all colors from a blueish to a more golden tinge). Movie playback is simply astonishing. The image is crisp, and the on-screen controls natural. Again, there are niceties such as double-tapping the screen to change aspect ratio, or placing bookmarks etc. You still can't set a movie's contrast, but beyond that small issue, movie playback is perfect. Viewing movies on the Touch simply works great, but personally I think that the screen is too small to watch a full movie. Last week, I tried watching a TV episode while on a plane enroute to Hamburg (a 75 minute flight), but quickly decided against it, opting instead to play a game of 'Luxor'. Somehow I prefer a larger screen for consuming video, while I have no problems doing something interactive on it. Still, video plays great on the Touch.

Button and interface lay-out has remained the same from the last generation: volume controls on the left side, top holds the 'exit/on' button, buttom has dock and phones connectors, and the front holds the single home button. There is one thing that can be improved here: I would have preferred the audio connector to be on top (or either side), as the current configuration precludes the use of many applications (e.g. News- and eBook readers) when you want to place it upright -- for example in the Gym. Some apps do use the accelerometers and can be used positioning the Touch upside down, though.

The built-in speaker is unchanged from the last version. It's weak, tinny, mono, produces horrible sound, has no volume to speak of -- and yet it's one of the best additions to the Touch (the original didn't have it, the 2nd gen did). It simply makes casual gaming so much more fun. I don't care about the bad sound quality, I just love the fact that it's there.

The signatory white earphones that Apple sells with the Touch may look good, but I don't like them. In my ears they are too uncomfortable. Since I'm no audiophile, I can't comment on their audio quality other than that it's good enough for me. Anyway, I replaced them with my favorite non-Apple version. The hitch here is that Apple now delivers the 64 GB (and 32 GB) with earphones that sport a built-in mic and remote. And my head phones don't have that. While the remote is nothing much to write home about (the way it works is just too complex), the mic works well, and has just the right fidelity to pick out voice over the background noise. So, for now, I keep the white buds with me in case I want to use the IP-telephony capabilities.

Battery life appears to have been reduced somewhat from the 2nd gen - at least on paper. During the past few days the new 3rd gen Touch certainly performed as well as or even better than my 2nd gen - but then again, that one's battery is already one year old. One fact that I've become very fond of is the quick-charge ability, which works really well.

The built-in wireless connectivity is really nice, with astonishingly well executed integration. The touch does all it's wireless networking over WiFi and Bluetooth. WiFi works really well (especially here in Switzerland where Hotspots are particularely dense), and Bluetooth integration (which I tried on the 3rd gen for the first time) is flawless. WiFi reception (range) lags somewhat behind that of a Wintel laptop (no doubt due to the metal backplate) and is pretty much on par with that of a 15" Macbook Pro (which is also somewhat lacking in WiFi reception range). WiFi is still the 'g' variant though [interestingly enough, the built-in hardware does support 11n, but so far Apple has chosen not to activate it, presumably to conserve battery. This is interesting also from the fact that in the 2G Touch, Apple initially included Bluetooth capabilities, but only activated it with a later OS release. Perhaps the same can be expected for 11n]. Bluetooth now also works with headphones and BT-based car integration kits (works well in mine). I would have loved to try out BT-based printing from the Calender or Addressbook app, but hit a snag: it appears no Touch app supports printing...