Hasta La Gadget!

This week at the iPhone 5 event that also played host to several iPod bumps in the line, Apple showed off EarPods, the newest in earbud technology from the company that’s also bringing a big iTunes refresh soon as well. These EarPods are made to “fit for everyone” and are, as Jony Ive says, “designed to direct sound into the ear.” This set of listening devices is set to be offered by Apple as a standalone product but will also be in the package whenever you purchase any of the new devices shown off this week.

The EarPods will be in the package with your new iPhone 5, your iPod touch (refreshed this week), and your iPod nano (also refreshed this week.) EarPods will be available this week as a standalone product and will be packaged with each of the devices named as they’re revealed in stores across the planet in the coming weeks. Check our Apple portal for more information on what was revealed this week and stay tuned to the SlashGear main news portal for more on all things Apple related and otherwise!

Also be sure to see a set of related posts in the timeline below that all have connections to the EarPods – they’re all getting this lovely audio boost – whose full details will be revealed sooner than later – as they pop up!

Apple EarPods introduced as full earbuds refresh is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Apple had a few hardware surprises up their sleeves today and one of those is the all new iPod Touch. Yup, Apple just announced another iPod which you can call the 5th generation iPod, or the new iPod Touch. The new and improved model is receiving plenty of love the iPhone 5 did with the same 4-inch Retina Display and brushed aluminum design. More details after the break.

Gone is the chrome finish that will get scratched up within days, and instead the all new iPod has a brushed aluminum finish just like the iPhone 5. Then they’ve added the same impressive 4-inch HD Retina display for stunning visuals while you enjoy all of the latest games. Here’s the rundown:

The brand new iPod Touch is looking rather impressive dressed in white. They’re rocking out to some Foo Fighters and we’re loving the new camera. This is the thinnest iPod Touch yet being just 6.1mm thick. It’s also the lightest weighing 88 grams while still managing to get improved in all areas. We have the larger 4-inch Retina 326 ppi display, dual-core A5 processor, and of course the camera. The new iPod Touch’s 5 megapixel camera (with flash) has tons of improvements, is 25% thinner, and will have most of the features like panoramic mode and dynamic low light modes just like the iPhone 5. Oh and the new Touch’s camera can now shoot full 1080p HD video. Then the 720p Facetime front shooter is clearly present.

Apple managed to fit all of this into a super sleek iPod Touch while still boosting battery life. You can expect over 40 hours of music and 8 hours of continuous video. Those might not be amazing results but with all the boosts this device received, we’ll welcome those usage results. Whoa! The new iPod Touch has Siri but more on that is coming shortly. Enjoy all the pictures below and continue on with us at live.slashgear.com

New iPod Touch confirmed with 4-inch Retina Display, dual-core A5 processor is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s been quite a while since the Shuffle has been updated, but we’re happy to say that Apple has shown the tiniest of its music players some much needed love. There’s only one change here, but it’s by far the most important — colors! Now the tiny PMPs will match their revamped “iTouch” brothers. Just, you know, with much less functionality. There’s even a soft and subtle pink model for all those ladies out there that love being pandered to and a Project (RED) version for the socially conscious. The latest generation of the shuffle should start shipping today.

Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2012 event hub!

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video

iPod shuffle updated with much-needed new hues originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple made a historic and much-needed step forward today; it’s finally putting its old, terrible headphones to rest. The new ones, dubbed “EarPods” mark a bit of a shift, but still retain their iconic, white, hey-look-at-me-I’ve-got-an-iPhone-in-my-pocket color. Unlike the previous ‘phones, these guys are the in-ear type, and will hopefully sound and fit a little better than the good old-fashioned kind. They’ll be coming bundled with iPhone 5, the iPod Touch, and the iPod nano, and are also available separately starting now, and cost $29. More »

Yes, finally — finally — Apple’s years-long headphone debacle may finally be at an end, with the introduction this morning of redesigned earbuds. Their new name: “EarPods.” Like so many things from today’s Apple press conference, the new earphones look an awful lot like a leak we saw earlier this month. Apple says the new earphones feature, “a breakthrough design for a more natural fit and increased durability, and an incredible acoustic quality typically reserved for higher-end earphones.” As seen above, they feature a main and secondary grill on each “pod,” and the iPhone version has an inline remote / microphone built-in along the wire. The set looks starkly different from past Apple earphone offerings — no rubber, distinctly less visible metal, and an all-plastic outer shell.

Rather than create a plugged-up seal as most in-ear headphones do, the pods rest at the edge of your ear canal with the main grill directed straight into it. A port on the back of each bud helps airflow to enhance the midrange, while dual ports on the bottom of each stem helps the bass response. Overall, the intention is to maximize airflow for optimal sound quality. Apple claims the design results in, “overall audio quality [that’s] so impressive, they rival high-end headphones that cost hundreds of dollars more.” They’re available today for purchase as a standalone, and will ship with the new iPod Touch, Nano, and iPhone 5. A standalone set with an inline remote / mic will cost you the same $29 price point of its predecessor — and they’re already available at the source link below.

Joe Pollicino contributed to this report.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Tablets, Mobile

Apple’s signature earbuds rebranded for iPhone 5 as ‘EarPods’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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