The JBL company recently launched a successor to the JBL OnBeat speaker dock. It’s called the JBL OnBeat Air, and this new speaker dock brings a few extra features beyond the previous generation speaker dock. The OnBeat Air, while acting as a charging station for your iOS devices (through its 30-pin connector), also works well with Apple’s AirPlay technology so you can stream music across the room with ease. With its AirPlay technology built-in, you can easily wirelessly stream your entire iTunes music library from any iPad, iPod or iPhone device running iOS 5.0.1 or later.

The OnBeat Air supports WiFi 802.11b/g, thus giving users the ability to stream from other sources via WiFi. It also has auxiliary input jack for non-iOS devices, USB port for syncing, and video output connector to send video content to your TV. This speaker dock comes with a IR remote control for controlling it across the living room, and has an dual amplifier with JBL Phoenix transducer along with a 7.5-watt per channel output.

The JBL OnBeat Air is now available to purchase online for $245.95.

Via [JBL.com]

Digital music revolutionized both distribution and listening habits, but analog purists have always panned the digital medium’s fidelity shortcomings. Nevertheless, for most users, the convenience of digital storage and playback far outweighs consequential diminishment of the high-fidelity prized by audiophiles.

However, there are ways to enhance the mediocre digital audio experience. One is the SRS iWOW 3D audio enhancing adapter dongle that plugs into an iPhone, iPod, or iPad—even the iPod nano—via the 30-pin Apple connector on these devices. The opposite end of the cable has a female 3.5 mm audio jack to plug in headphones or earbuds.

Once the iWOW’s free supporting software is downloaded and installed, SRS claims the touch of an on-screen button will enable the iWOW 3D to deliver much richer and more immersive sound with music, videos, movies, podcasts, and games. The iWOW supports both Macs and Windows PCs over headphones, desktop, laptop or monitor speakers, and promises to take the digital audio entertainment experience to another level. But does it deliver?

The top-of-the-line iWOW 3D HF package that I tested contains the iWOW 3D audio adapter, a set of high quality earbuds (you can also use your own earbuds or earphones if you prefer), five assorted color faceplate inserts for the audio adapter module, and even a nice little hard copy user’s manual with full-color illustrations, which is more documentation than came with my iPad 2.

I chose the light aqua blue faceplate insert. The inserts pop in or out easily, but still seem secure when snapped into place.

There is also a lower-priced base iWOW 3D model that comes with just the basic black iWOW 3D audio adapter.

SRS, which boasts a more than 20 year track record in the digital audio field, says the iWOW 3D utilizes patented proprietary technologies to restore audio cues that are buried in the original source material, thereby allowing users to experience greater clarity and detail in the music playback, although the technical details of how this is achieved are not elucidated.

Using the iWOW 3D is simple. The adapter plugs into any Apple device with a 30 pin connector. Plug the headphones into the audio jack pigtail on the iWOW adapter and you’re good to go. When you first connect, you’ll be prompted to download the free SRS iWow app from the App Store (more on this below). The software is not absolutely required, but getting it anyway is a good idea.

Press the iWOW adapter’s single white center button to turn SRS iWOW processing on and off. The button is illuminated when iWOW is on. When processing is off, audio is passed through to the headphones and bypasses any iWOW processing.

Once the iWOW app is launched, you will have access to custom settings for speaker configurations, as well as enhancements for bass, treble, and a widened surround sound stage.

On the iWOW modes screen, you can select speaker modes for headphones, external speaker (featuring boosted lower registers), or car stereo (in which the highs are boosted to better suit on-the-road acoustics). Click the Advanced Settings button to pull up the Advanced Settings Menu, from which you can further customize and tune the audio settings of your favorite tracks, toggling Wide Surround (gives the effect of being more in the middle of the music, rather than out in the audience), Deep Bass, and High Treble. Simply tap the appropriate button.

I have to admit that I was skeptical going in, but this thing really works. You only have to spend a short time switching the iWOW processing on and off while listening to a piece of music to be convinced that the difference is substantial, with punchier, less “muddy” base, crisper higher registers, and an overall brighter sound. The effect is most dramatic with low bit-rate MP3s, other lower-quality digital recordings, YouTube videos and movie sound tracks in which you’ll be able to hear stuff in the audio that you couldn’t hear (at least clearly) before.

If your music library is mostly in lower-fidelity digital formats, once you experience the enhanced effect, it will be hard to go back. On the other hand, if you have mostly higher-fidelity stuff, you’ll see less potential benefit, and on some recordings an introduced background hiss is audible when enhancement is on, and sibilance (hissing “S” word endings) can be annoyingly accentuated in some recordings such as choral vocals). In a nutshell, the more modest and pedestrian your recordings collection and audio hardware are, the more value and benefit you’ll probably derive from the iWOW 3D.

It would also be more desirable if the support software interface included graphic equalizer style slider adjustments instead of just simple all-or-nothing on/off alternatives.

At the currently discounted price of $79.95, it’s a bit pricy for this sort of accessory, but it’s still a lot cheaper that buying a high-end audio setup.

Appletell Rating:

Buy iWOW 3D

With over 300 million units sold to date, it is no secret the iPod has become a major success in the portable music player industry. The term “iPod” is almost universally recognized today, and for good reason; it has changed the way the world listens to music.

In honor of 10 years that the iPod has been around in its many forms—from the iPod Mini to the iPod Nano and iPod touch—Most Wanted has put together an iPod infographic to show just how far the iPod has come.

Read [Most Wanted]

Also see Apple removes click wheel iPod games from the iTunes Store.

Strangely, Apple has not removed its advertisements highlighting the ability to purchase and play these games from the iPod classic’s features page and the iTunes A to Z page. Right now, it is unclear what Apple is planning for the iPod Classic and Shuffle models, although no refreshes or news about either does suggest a discontinuation in the near future.

Steve Jobs confirmed through an email to a customer last year that Apple had no plans to discontinue the iPod Classic. The only thing is, Jobs isn’t CEO anymore, and this stance could have certainly changed since then. Time will tell what Apple decides to do with these two iPod models, but we wouldn’t count on them being around for much longer.

Via [MacRumors]

Apple’s Store was offline for a few hours earlier this week and, as always, people investigated for any changes or additions. They discovered that now you can share the configuration for the Mac Pro and iPod classic on Facebook and Twitter. You use the pop-up menu on the select button that you use to configure that model.

This is an interesting addition, although why it wasn’t added to all of the products and only on the two that are most in need of a refresh is a mystery. Furthermore you can only share the default configuration, so if you wanted to share your dream machine or show off the incredible computer you just bought you can’t do that.

It seems this makes this feature a bit less useful than it could be.

Via [MacRumors]

The rational side of ourselves knows an item like an iPad screen cleaner is basically a functional item, one that is designed to fulfill a specific purpose. Then, once it has done its job, it can be stowed back into its hidey hole. It does not have to be pretty, but when it is, that can become the deciding factor on which one to buy and which one stays on the shelf.

The Toddy Smart Cloth cloth is a solid option for cleaning not just your iPad, but a variety of screens. In order to create a thorough review of the pad, I tested it on TV screens, mirrors, various cell phones and just about anything else not nailed down. It does well on all kinds of screens with only water to back it up and lubricate the pad. Just be sure to put the water on the fluffy side and not onto the smooth buffing side of the cloth.

Speaking of the buffing side, it is really only good for the occasional smudge that you want to get off without cleaning the whole of the screen. Let’s say you want to say get your niece’s fingerprints off of your cell phone screen because, despite being warned, she touched it after eating a hamburger. It won’t get off big grease smears, but the occasional fingerprint here and there will be history.

The cloth is machine washable. Just do not put it in a load with your towels, despite how natural that act may seem, or it will come out covered in multi-colored towel lint. It actually cleans quite well with silky items.

On the whole, this pad is a great option. And since it comes in a variety of colors and patterns, you won’t be ashamed to be seen using it in public.

Appletell Rating:

Buy Toddy Smart Cloth

Apple Computer has been working on signing deals with Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and EMI. This is one big advantage over Amazon’s Cloud Drive and Google Music, which don’t have agreements. Record companies aren’t too pleased with them, and have even called the Cloud Drive potentially illegal. Having the record companies on Apple’s side means you’re not limited to using the iCloud just as a place to store the music you already own. You could buy songs and listen to them anywhere you have an internet connection without having to download them to your device’s hard drive. In addition, you won’t even have to upload songs you have to the iCloud because it will scan your hard drive for songs you already own and give you access instantly.

Keeping your songs in the iCloud means you don’t have to decide which ones you store on your device, especially if you want to save room for video recording, taking pictures, and downloading apps. You also won’t have to keep track of what songs you have on each of your portable devices because you’ll know they’ll have access to any song you own automatically. The downside is that Apple seems likely to charge a subscription fee to access the iCloud, although there’s no information available about how much it will cost.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Apple if this was all there is to it. Patently Apple has a great description of all of the features that the iCloud will have, as well as a picture of how you could access it through iTunes. One of the best features they describe is being able to keep part of the songs on your device so that you won’t have to wait for them to download before you can start listening. How much of the song is kept on the hard drive depends on the speed of the internet connection. There are also different ways described of how Apple will prevent unauthorized people from getting access to your songs and how this won’t work with just songs but with audio books as well.

Some are speculating that this will be announced (or at the very least mentioned) at the upcoming WWDC starting on June 6th. However, I don’t think Apple will talk about anything that’s not completely ready, and won’t feel pressured to release something that isn’t as close to perfection as possible. Currently Apple is scheduled to discuss the future of the iOS and Mac OS X platforms and their closer integration in future versions. Of course, with Apple, anything is possible, and Steve Jobs loves to surprise us.

Via [CNET and DailyTech]

Command your sleep/wake environment with this evolutionary alarm clock music system for iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Charge and play your Apple devices—even connect and control your bedside lamp. Expand your mastery of TimeCommand with the free Stem:Connect™ App from iTunes.

Features include:

• App-enhanced, customizable dual alarm clock
• Nap/Snooze/Sleep controls
• Bedside lamp control with dimming*
• Precisely tuned Stem:Sonic iQ acoustic system
• Unique curved LED display offers expansive viewing angles
• Display is fully dimmable and brightens to the touch of a button
• Pivoting dock connector accommodates devices in or out of protective cases
• Stem:SafeWake battery-backup feature wakes you when power is out

To enter:

1. Read the Stem TimeCommand giveaway contest rules.
2. Make sure you’re registered with Appletell and logged in (if you’re not registered and logged in, your entry will be void).
3. Leave us a comment below on this page, not on the contest rules page, by midnight, May 8th, 2011. If you had more command of your time, tell us what you’d do with it.

That’s all there is to it. Good luck, and remember; time may not give you time, and time may make lovers feel like they’ve got something real. But you and me? We know they’ve got nothing but time.

Product [TimeCommand]

The reason is that—a far cry from when it dived as low as 62 cents American in 2002—Canada’s “loonie” dollar has been trading at a higher value than the U.S. greenback all this year so far. And unlike with its brief upward spike in 2007-’08—during which time it briefly hit US$1.10—this time the Canuck-buck is forecast to remain above-par through 2012 as well, and perhaps beyond. So, why should Canadians be paying higher nominal dollar prices for Apple hardware (and most everything else) than Americans?

Here’s the current disparity in Canadian vs. U.S Apple Store pricing:

iPods and the Mac mini are the worst deals proportionate to price. The $500 nominal discrepancy in iPhone prices relates to an AT&T service plan subsidy in the U.S. that is not available from Canadian service providers.

So is Apple gouging Canucks? After all, while retail pricing can’t be expected to track floating exchange rates precisely, the Canadian loonie (so-named in reference to the Common Loon that appears on Canada’s $1.00 coin) has been at par or above for about four months now, and as noted, this time it’s not expected to be a temporary blip.

However, in defense of Apple and other retailers operating in Canada, it isn’t quite that simple. Wholesale unit cost is just one element of the pricing dynamic. Canadian businesses have to pay their staff, their rent, and in most instances all of their other overhead costs in Canadian dollars, the overall tax burden is substantially higher in Canada, and there are the negative economies of scale in serving a market roughly a tenth the size of the U.S.’s. Another factor is a less-competitive market environment north of 49. Some Canadian market watchers say Canadians are just simply unwilling to spend as much time comparison-shopping and rooting through bargain bins as Americans.

Nevertheless, if the loonie soars to U.S.$1.10 again or higher, as some are predicting, for any length of time, demanding at least nominal price parity wouldn’t seem too unreasonable an expectation.

1. In iTunes, click on “Edit” in the menu bar and choose “Select All” (command A) to highlight all of the songs in your playlist. Or, if you only want to equalize some songs then do so manually by clicking on them while holding the command key. Then, right click and choose “Get Info” (command I). If your Mac asks you if you are sure you want to change multiple files, select “Yes.”

2. Click on the tab labeled “Options,” as this will take you to the volume controls. For most songs, the default “Equalizer Preset” and “Volume Adjustment” should be none.
3. If you want to change the default volume on songs that are too soft or too loud, you can do that with the Volume Adjustment slider. iTunes will remember your choice for all selected songs.
4. There are numerous equalizer presets from which you can choose. There is no best setting for each song, you are going to have to try them out and see what works best for you.

[Editor's Note: Something to consider when you force an EQ and volume setting for your songs on your iPod or Phone in this manner is that it won't play nicely with settings speaker docks. For instance, if you jack up the bass in the song's EQ options and then dock the iPod with your car stereo system, your EQ there is going to jack up your already jacked up settings. It's therefore wise to leave at least one EQ flat, whether it be the song settings in your iDevice or on your speaker system.]