By Sherri L. Smith, BlackWeb20.com

Just when I thought Apple had done everything it could possibly do with an iPod, they go and cook up the 5G Nano. Looking at specs for the latest Nano, Steve Jobs apparently has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. And when I saw the first screenshots of the techie goodness,  I had never been so happy to be wrong.

The fifth generation in the iPod Nano series, is serious about its entertainment value. Realizing the tech game has become one filled with touchscreens and apps, the humble Nano rose to the occasion and got some work done. Like the last Nano, the 5G is still a wee thing at 3.6 x 1.5 x .24 inches and weighs in at a slight 1.28 ounces. The exterior is done in polished anodized aluminum that is super easy on the eyes, but don’t sleep, this little beauty is packing some big features, including a larger screen, avideo camera, and FM radio just to name a few.

The 5G is rocking a 2.2 inch display with a 240 x 376 pixel resolution which is great for checking out all that video you’ll be taking. The video camera clocks in at with a standard 640 x 480 pixels and a framerate of 30 fps. In addition, there’s a built in microphone and speakers to make sure you’re not making silent movies. The camera also has 15 special effects like X-Ray, Themal, and Motion blur.

Another cool feature is VoiceOver. The new addition announces the song currently playing on your iPod. The information is gathered via iTunes and then the VoiceOver Kit generates the announcements. Just sync up your Nano and boom, you’ve got talking tech. The FM radio has some cool new features as well including the ability to pause and rewind it back 15 minutes. The genius tagging feature all but eliminates the problem of hearing a song you like on the radio, but having no idea of who sings it or what the song is called. And for all you health nuts that need a soundtrack to sweat to, the Nano has a built in pedometer and is compatible with the popular Nike + iPod sport package.

The 5G Nano is available with 8 or 16GB of storage and comes in nine bright candy paint colors. The 8GB version is retailing for $149 while the 16GB is a mere 30 bucks more. So the question remains, just how long are the folks at Apple going to let that elephant in the room, the iPod Classic, stink up the joint? I love the fact that the 5G version is a pack mule with 160GB of storage space, but if that’s all it’s giving me, I’ll take the Nano or the Touch please.

BlackWeb20.com covers website and application launches; culturally relevant Internet industry news; and mainstream Internet industry news from an African-American perspective.  They also analyze emerging web trends and how they apply to web properties that target African-Americans or African-American culture.

For every great invention, there’s at least one person out there attempting to piggyback off that great idea and create something better. And if that isn’t successful they want something that can be used in tandem with the original creation that either enhances or compliments the invention, much to the inventor’s chagrin. Apple’s iconic iPod has launched an entire industry bent on getting a piece of Apple’s pie. Over the years, we’ve seen iPod cases, alarm clocks, portable speakers. Hell, there’s even a line of iPod-assisted adult toys…crickets. But nothing has been as so simple, genius, and wickedly subversive (in a good way!) as the new miShare.

Courtesy of Gadgety News

The miShare allows users to swap files between two iPods, totally bypassing Apple’s wack one library at a time rule, well almost. If any of the files transferred are DRM-protected, you have to go the extra hoop of hooking up your iPod to your computer and typing in your friend’s username and password to unlock your new music. It’s a little bit of a hassle, but with the recent price changes in the iStore ($1.29 per song? WTH?) it doesn’t seem so bad. It also shields miShare creators Josh Hochman and Nathaniel Wise, from the combined fury of Steve Jobs’ and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the form of nasty, expensive litigation…at least for now.

To exchange files, simply hook up both iPods to the miShare, slide the switch to select which files you would like to transfer (music, video, or photo) and press the button. The miShare will transfer over the most recently used files to the receiving iPod. Hold the button for a few seconds and the miShare will transfer a collection of files. To use this function, just create an On-the-Go playlist on the host iPod and you’re all set. MiShare has a transfer rate of approximately 10 seconds per song depending on length and a home video can take up to half a minute.

The miShare is compatible with all iPod minis, nanos, 5th generation videos, 6th generation Classics as well as all 3rd and 4th generation models. Unfortunately owners of generations 1 and two along with iPod shuffle, iPhone, and iPod Touch owners get the short end of the stick since miShare only works with the standard 30-pin iPod dock connector. MiShare also comes with an AC adapter so it can be charged at all times to deal with any swapping emergency that may arise.

Retailing at $99, the miShare will definitely spark up the piracy debate as people begin swapping music in a sort of of “free love” frenzy. But for now, it’s simply a cool little gadget that makes one of your favorite gadgets even better.

BlackWeb20.com covers website and application launches; culturally relevant Internet industry news; and mainstream Internet industry news from an African-American perspective.  They also analyze emerging web trends and how they apply to web properties that target African-Americans or African-American culture.

 Apple’s chief executive, Steve Jobs, is taking a medical leave of absence from the company until the end of June to deal with personal health issues.  Jobs, 53, reported last week that doctors had recently diagnosed a “hormone imbalance” that was depleting proteins in his body and causing extreme weight loss over the last few months, The New York Times reports. Tim Cook, Apple’s longtime chief operating officer, will take on the responsibility for Apple’s day-to-day operations. “As C.E.O., I plan to remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out,” Mr. Jobs added in a letter to employees. “Our board of directors fully supports this plan.”