Do you wonder why Apple always wins in any “war?” This sign found in a local store should clear the air for you. The iPod is a specific brand of MP3 player. EVER. OTHER. device has been lumped together – as far as this store is concerned – as simply “mp3.” The merchant obviously feels nothing else will make them money like the iPod will.

This happens quite often in stores all around Seattle and other cities I have traveled to. Are you seeing the same types of favoritism towards Apple products where you live?

This is Why Apple Wins EVERY TIME

Unicorn Disco is a Dance Jukebox Visualizer that lets you build lifelike characters which will dance to the music on your iPhone or iPod touch. You can customize your little person to look the way you do – or the way you wish you did.

Give the characters a face using your camera or photo library… or choose from the app’s Face Gallery of Cuddly Animals, Icons and Creepy Monsters. Dress them up in some cool styles and pick out the perfect hairdo. Play your music or post your dance scene to Facebook with the tap of a finger.

I have to admit – there’s something a little addictive about dressing yourself up in a silly outfit and dancing around like a crazy person… not that I would know, or anything.

Unicorn Disco Lets You Dance Inside Your iPhone or iPod touch

Line Art has thousands upon thousands of little particles which respond to your touch. As they move around, they leave behind colorful lines. Over time, they change color as well as how they react to your touch. This keeps things interesting, and allows you to create an unlimited number of designs.

When you leave the app alone, the particles begin to move all by themselves… just as if they were alive! The app features VGA out support, is universal (working on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad), has ten different interaction modes and boasts stunning and smooth graphics.

How many millions of ways can you come up with to create works of art on your Apple device?

Line Art Drawing App for iPhone and iPad

If you’re already a Netflix member, you know how great it is to be able to watch the shows and movies YOU want to see anytime you want to see them. Now you can get that same service on your Apple mobile devices, as well. The Netflix App allows you to instantly stream the programs to your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

The app itself won’t cost you anything. Use it in conjunction with your current Netflix subscription. If you aren’t a member just yet, you can check out a free trial. Watch your favorites as often as you want, and even resume where you left off when having to get up from the television or computer. Browse movies and manage your instant queue right from your device.

This could come in very handy. Let’s say you’re watching a movie that has you completely sucked in. You’re comfy on the couch when suddenly your power goes out! Psh – no big deal. Bring Netflix up on your iPad or phone and continue. Maybe you have to head out and ride in a cab… a train… you get the picture. Watch your content any time from any place you choose.

Bring Netflix to Your Apple Device

The Flickr Photo Map will drop photos onto your map instantly as you zoom and pan to your location. You can explore the world like you never have before. Check out your photos from anywhere on Earth. Scan through the sands of the deserts or hop across the various islands found in the Caribbean.

The app is simple to use. You can search through photos by Tag, Flickr Username, Text Description or Place. View your current location to see pictures others have taken nearby, or zoom to the country you’ve always wanted to visit. You’ll be able to imagine yourself relaxing at the places you wish you could be in. Pinch and scroll your way across any continent… any state… any city or remote location.

The Flickr Photo Map is optimized for the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone. Once you buy it, it will work on all of your devices. The photo stream is refreshed constantly, the moment you check out somewhere new. You can choose between road view, satellite view and hybrid! Checking out new locations has never been this much fun.

Create a Flickr Photo Map on Your Apple Device

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Yes, I posted the still photos to my Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc. last week. You may have seen them already if you were following me off-network. However, this screencast sums up the differences quite nicely, I believe.

The iPod touch’s camera, in a word, sucks.

Video comparison between the two devices is not as much of a dramatic differences as the still images are. Photos taken with the iPhone 4 are very sharp and detailed, even without flash or HDR turned on. The images taken with this phone are simply stunning. Seriously.

Pictures taken with the 4th gen iPod Touch are just… uhm… pictures. The saved resolution is absolute crap. You’d get a better quality image by taking a video and then capturing an image from the video.

There is honestly no comparison to be made. Look at the photos, and judge for yourself.

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<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/W0hFLAGfOLY"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/W0hFLAGfOLY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

iPod touch Camera vs. iPhone 4 Still Photography

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If you are under the belief that the new iPod touch 4th gen is made of the same material as the iPhone 4, you’d better think again. The iPod touch does not have an oleophobic screen. While the iPhone will certainly get a few little smudges on its screen at the end of the day, the iPod touch is just “ewwww” after only a few moments.

An oleophobic screen is one that resists fingerprints and smudging. I cannot stand to see things show up on my device screens, which is why I normally use a screen protector. Using my iPhone 4 for an entire day without a screen protector of any type resulted in far fewer prints than I expected. The iPod touch was a different story.

I dare you to try and clean the iPod touch with a soft cloth like you would your phone. Go ahead, I’ll wait while you “clean” it… and make it worse than it was to begin with.

Not easy to do, is it? The screen on the iPod is ridiculous in my opinion. I cannot begin to think of any word to describe it other than “icky.”

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The iPod touch Screen Needs a Cleaner

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Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a fantastic movie. Johnny Depp is such a phenomenal actor, no matter what the part calls for. He is funny. He is diabolical. He is a pure genius.

However, it’s not only Depp who can figure out who (or what?!) his friends are. At the end of the day, all I need is my iPhone, my iPod touch and my iPad. With these by my side, I shall never be alone!

Is Sweeney Todd a Geek Musical?

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Yes, I had it sitting there on my desk for a few days. Had to let the thing ripen, ya know? Anyway, this morning, in front of the live virtual audience (were you there?), I opened ‘er for the first time and copped a feel.

Initial impressions? Generally good, although I’m a bit disappointed there’s no LED flash and no ability to view actual battery usage percentage… but it shoots damn nice video. I will likely give this new iPod away at some point, as I have with older models. Stay tuned for details on that in the near future.

I’ve had iPod-like capabilities with my iPhone 4. This model interested me for one specific reason – the cameras. I’m often out and about, and need to record or capture something. If I want to record something that is on my iPhone, I can’t use the camera that is on the iPhone! The iPod touch will work perfectly for this, don’t you think?

I have to say that the little Finger Tips booklet that comes with my Apple products is cool as hell. The name is great and the tips inside are usually great, as well.

It was easy to tell that this is the 64GB model. It weighs approximately 32GB more than the 32GB model, and about 48GB more than the 16GB model. Thankfully, there’s a math app floating around in iTunes somewhere. It took a lot of fingers and toes to figure that out.

The first thing I noticed when taking the new iPod touch out of its box for the first time is how slim this little baby is. I was actually surprised by the thinness, even though I had read the specs for myself. Knowing the thickness of a new gadget doesn’t really give you a feel for what it’s like in the hand… until it’s IN your hand!

I will definitely need a good case for this, and a screen protector. Fingerprints drive me completely batshit! I also like to have good protection, so let me know what cases you recommend for this newest iteration of the iPod touch.

The nice thing about already having an iPhone and more than 800 apps is that I can sync everything right to this new iPod touch. As soon as I sync it with my iTunes account, all of my apps and data will be automagically placed onto the device.

My next question for you is: what should I do now with the iPod? Is there something I’m missing? Is there more to it than this?

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iPod touch Myself

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Why the hell are people still buying iPod shuffles, anyway? If anything, the new iPod nano should replace all use cases for an iPod shuffle – minus price, which is relatively negligible. I’m not kidding when I ask why anyone is using them, folks. Take a good look at all of the new iPod models, and tell me WHY someone would feel the need to buy this particular device.

Sure, they’re only about fifty bucks. And yes, they come in several cute colors. Whoa… you can even put a couple of songs on one of these babies and clip it to your belt. Oh, wait! You can get it engraved! Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my judgment.

Nah.

In the age of the touch screen, who would want click controls? The only function I can find on the official Apple Store page beyond playing music is having an annoying pre-recorded voice announce the title or artist of the song you’re listening to… in any of 25 languages.

If you’re going to spend money for a music player, save some extra pennies and choose the nano instead.

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Why Should You Buy an iPod shuffle?

Look, I’m a tolerant man. When Pixie wakes me up and asks for a trip to the little doggy’s room at 3am, I don’t yell at her. If Wicket throws up on my MacBook Pro, I forgive him. Eventually.

But seriously, I am out of forgiveness for people who can’t figure out the name of Apple’s iPod Touch.

According to the Apple press event yesterday, it’s the most popular iPod and the #1 game player in the world. It’s been used for over 1.5 billion game and entertainment downloads. It’s cute. It’s thin. It even has an HD video camera and video editing now.

Yet people still get its name wrong. So let me explain it for you in a nice, simple way. There are even pictures to help you out.

iPod Touch

This is a cool Apple device that you can use to play games, listen to music, and watch videos.

You can even use it with FaceTime and Game Center to connect to friends who have iPods or iPhones.

What you can’t do is call it the iTouch. That is not its name. Please call it the iPod Touch.

I touch.

This is a simple sentence. It’s made up of the pronoun I and the verb touch.

You can also use those words in more complex sentences like "I touch the base whenever I hit a home run," or "When I think about you, I touch myself."

Although on second thought, if you’re touching yourself, just keep that between you and your naughty little hands. The rest of us really don’t need to know.

Eye Touch

Stop that. What the heck is wrong with you? Why would you stick your finger in my eye?

Jeepers. You do have naughty hands, don’t you?

Seriously, dude, eye touching is completely inappropriate.

Now, enough of that. Don’t make me call Wicket. He’ll throw up on your computer.

Are we clear now? The little music/video device is an iPod Touch, not an iTouch.

I won’t be responsible for my actions if you call it an iTouch one more time. In fact, I’ll take suggestions. How should I punish people who call it the iTouch?

Please Call It the iPod Touch

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The family that gets geeky together stays together. That’s how the saying goes, isn’t it? It doesn’t matter, I suppose. I happen to know that it’s very true.

My parents – Joe and Judy Pirillo – and my brother Adam were all here to help with the Gnomedex conference. While hanging around at the house late one night after the event had ended for the day, I noticed that everyone was playing with some type of gadget.

Here you see Dad shooting things on the iPad while Mom is griping at a game on her iPod Touch. Adam, of course, couldn’t resist stepping in to help Dad get his game on.

Does your family get geeky together?

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Family Technology Trends

Apple sent out invitations to the press this morning, asking them to attend a special event on September 1st. There’s zero information in the invitation on the nature of the event, and the only hint is the photo of the guitar with the Apple-logo shaped cut out.

There has been much speculation floating around in recent weeks, with everyone trying to figure out what may be coming out of Cupertino. Some rumors claim we will see the unveiling of a new television episode rental service through iTunes. Others say there will be a new version of Apple TV and a refreshed iPod Touch model. A small percentage of people who haven’t moved beyond Antennagate yet insist that Jobs will discuss some miracle cure they have found for the death grip issue.

Your guess is as good as ours at this point. We are all going to have to wait until Wednesday to find out what glorious new things Steve and his team have for us this time around.

Apple Special Announcement Event on September 1st

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If you’re looking for a way to create unique wallpapers for your iPhone, you need look no further than Meritum Paint. The app is free in iTunes (or 99 cents for an upgraded version), and is one of the coolest ways to create wallpapers. Tap or drag your finger around the screen until you have a design you love and then shake your phone to save it. That’s all there is to it!

Send your creations to Facebook, Twitter or Flickr directly from your app, or email them to a friend. Fingerpaint to your heart’s content and save whatever you love. Quickly get rid of the pictures that aren’t quite up to snuff with the tap of a finger on the screen.

It’s simple, it’s addictive and it’s creative. What more could you ask for?

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How to Make New iPhone Wallpapers for Free

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I had a caller the other night who is trying to decide between buying the iPod Touch or the iPad. He isn’t sure which would be right for him, and hoped I would throw some advice his way. I asked the kid what he plans to use such a device for, so that I could make a better recommendation. However… he doesn’t know what he wants to do with it. If you aren’t sure what you need a device to do, why do you need it at all? DON’T buy anything yet simply because you “can” or want it. Buy it because you actually need and will use it!

If you want something that will play music and games and be easy to take with you anywhere, you’ll probably want an iPod Touch. But if you want to watch movies, play games and stay mostly at home, then you’ll likely get an iPad.

Neither one have a camera at this point in time. The iPad has the screen real estate going for it, but again… it depends on what you want to do with the device. You have to know what will suit your needs and lifestyle the best before you rush out to make a purchase. Each of these products will do different types of things. I really can’t begin to tell you which would work for you, as I don’t know what your needs are.

I have to admit it, though: I will not be giving up my iPad for an iPod touch anytime soon!

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iPod or iPad?