iPod’s battery life is an issue to most iPod users.  Users say that an iPod battery degrades over time and is irreplaceable. Users’ contention have certain bearing since (1) the iPod battery is lithium-based, its recharge cycles last roughly around 300 to 500 times and it really does degrade over time, and (2) apple’s design of an iPod battery is done in such a way that users cannot easily replace the internal lithium ion battery with a new one.

So, many ask, are iPods made to be a disposable digital audio player.

The answer is no.

Apple designed iPods to last a long time. But since an iPod battery is lithium based, we cannot expect it to last longer than two years. 300 to 500 complete charges and discharges wears down the power of a lithium battery. Apple, nevertheless, published guidelines about iPod battery on its website and gave tips on how to maximize the life of an iPod battery.

An iPod battery cannot be removed or be replaced the way a user does with a digital celfone by just clicking the open button at the back of the unit to remove and replace the battery when it wears down. The iPod battery is integrated in the circuitry.

You will ask now, why did Apple engineered the iPod this way?

Apple integrated its iPod battery with the main circuitry to achieve the ultra thin and ultra sleek design that it boasts. If the iPod battery is removable, the iPods will be as bulky as regular digital celfones.

Previously, Apple does not accept replacement of a worn-out iPod battery. Under their official policy customer should buy a refurbished replacement worth as much as a brand new iPod.

Because of this situation, third-party manufacturers offered battery replacement kits, with instructions on how to disassemble, remove and replace the iPod battery and then reassemble your iPod.

It was only on November 14, 2003 that Apple had announced a cheaper battery replacement program. The battery replacement program which costs $99 had been trimmed down to $59.

Some tips to maximize your iPod battery’s power.

Keep your iPod at room temp.

An iPod battery works at its best when the iPod is at room temperature, between 0° to 35° C (or 32° to 95° F).

If your iPod has stayed in the cold for many hours, let it warm up first before turning it on. Otherwise, a low-battery warning will appear and the iPod won’t turn on unless you recharge it. But you wouldn’t want to recharge it because it will deduct a recharge cycle to its 300 to 500 recharging cycle, right? So use it at room temperature and don’t forget it! If after warming up your iPod remains asleep, do this: connect the iPod to the power adapter. Press the Menu + Play or Pause buttons. Do this repeatedly until the Apple logo appears.

* Do not leave your iPod inside a car, especially during at noontime.
* Do not expose your iPod to direct sunlight.

Extra tips

*When charging

An iPod battery can be fast-charged in an hour with eight percent (80) of its capacity. But it would be better if you charge it for four (4) hours fully recharge the iPod battery to 100%. This will save you discharge and recharge cycles by 20% for every recharging.

An iPod battery slowly empties even when the iPod unit is not in use. The iPod uses, even when asleep, a small wattage of current. So, store your iPod in room temperature to maximize the battery and slow down the draining of power. If you do this your iPod batter can last from 16 to 28 days.

Important!

* Empty the iPod battery fully before you recharge it.
* iPod skins and iPod covers look good on your iPod, but please do not charge your iPod while it is still dressed with iPod skin or cover.

When unattended, Press the Pause

Pause your iPod if you will leave it on a table to pee, or do anything else. iPod will continue to play if left playing until the iPod battery drains out. Always turn off your iPod when not in use to save battery life.

Backlighting

When the room is well lit, you do not need backlighting. Backlighting can use use up a lot of your reserved battery power. Turn off backlighting when you do not need it. Select: Settings > Backlight Timer > Off.

Modern society keeps creating new and better ways of fulfilling a need. Living in the digital age has never been more exciting and for anyone who can afford these gadgets, life is indeed sweeter. One of the most influential devices ever created is the ipod. These nifty portable audio players created by Apple Computers has redefined our understanding of personal freedom and customization. For anyone who loves music and multimedia, ipod is the best media player out there in the market.

Before the ipod, MP3 players were the best portable players around. Primarily a flash drive, these devices had limited features. The screen size was small and only text is allowed. The colored screen was optional  and the memory size only went up to 1 GB. But with the introduction of the ipod and its succeeding generations, music lovers were transported to another realm. A world where they can only listen to all the songs that they want to hear. Once they put on their ipod, they have total control over what tunes should fill their heads. Call it listening to their daily-personalized soundtrack.

Is all this ipod play list personalization good for its users? Apparently some detractors don’t think so. They argue that too much personalization limits the listener to the new genres of music. Constantly listening to Eminem or Christina Aguilera on your ipod can deny you the pleasure of discovering new artists like Ne-yo or new music styles like trip hop. Ipod users become islands of their own, trapped in a floating music bubble of their own making.

Not only that, frequent users have become oblivious to their surroundings making discovery of new sounds very difficult. It can be of grave concern especially for those emergency cases when one is not able to hear a call for help because the other person is too distracted by their ipod. Such cases may seem extreme but turn to Hollywood movies and you’ll see how prevalent such instances are.

Ipod fans say otherwise. They say they can be as entertaining as the FM radio that has more content and users are exposed to more styles and artists on a regular basis. Plus there are some trivia and entertainment news that you cannot get from this device without buying accessories. Because of this, a new trend was born through the ipod called podcasting. Podcasting is a radio-style program that can be shared to other people through the Internet and played back in their ipod. You can create your own program and broadcast it to the World Wide Web.

Ipod users and fans have come up with ingenious ways of making their toy into more than just a digital audio player. Some have opened up it up and tinkered with its hardware and software. The result? An ipod that has an organizer function that stores addresses and calendar events in its memory. While it does need some getting used to, fans are thrilled at the devices’ limitless possibilities. Apple Computers then gave us the fourth generation of ipod more commonly known as the ipod photo.

This generation boasts of a colored display and photo transfer capabilities. As the company realized the need for something more innovative, the fifth generation was released. This ipod series is currently the hottest model because of the video function. Ipod video can play MPEG-4 and H.264 video with resolutions of up to 480 x 480 and 320 x 240. Its potential as a marketing and advertising tool is so huge that even Apple is overwhelmed with the idea. One possible product for this is the selling of video formats like music video clips and television show reruns.

The personalization of ipod is not a big issue among its many patrons. It is this quality that makes the device so appealing to them. Our age today holds value to the importance of self-expression. Ipod can deliver that self-expression through personalized covers, skins, accessories and a host of other complimentary software. It becomes an extension of one’s taste in music and other multimedia formats. The only real dilemma for any ipod junkie nowadays is getting the money to buy all those accessories.

The ipod is the ultimate symbol of the digital age and if you haven’t heard about it, then you’ve been in cave for a very long time. The iPod is today’s coolest gadget. Having one elevates you to the status of the ipod people – audiophiles in love with their ipods. And what self-respecting ipod person would you be if you didn’t dress up your ipod with ipod accessories? Luckily there are hundreds of companies who offerthe best and amazing hardware and software ipod accessories to compliment and personalize your “baby.”

Let’s start with the basics of ipod accessories: ipod skins. The first, second and third generation ipods often has to content itself with the ipod accessories of cases in leather, rubber, aluminum or fabric to protect the ipod from scratches, dust and moisture. Depending on your needs, there are covers that allow you to carry your ipod in all your activity. From water-resistant cases to sweat proof sleeves, these ipod accessories define the meaning of portable.

The skins can also serve a fashionable function. DecalGirl.com has a vast array of ipod skins, from your loud colors to your favorite anime characters, anything you can think of is possible. You can even satisfy the abstract lover in you with graphic designs printed on your ipod skin. Just make sure that the ipod accessories you get have a guarantee, in case of an inferior product.

The next basic ipod accessories you need are the headphones or earphones. Although the ipod box set comes with earphones, there are but a few who prefer an all-surround sound experience. Other ipod accessories for headphones include the retractable headphones, which is great to use on the outdoors. And then there are the ipod accessories of headphones with speakers, the infrared wireless earphones and water resistant earphones for those times when you can’t even take a bath without listening to your ipod.

Aside from this basic earpiece, external speakers and the carry case ipod accessories are quite popular. The iBoom iPod player has a dock for your ipod player with speakers on the side. It fits perfectly for those picnics and beach outings where music is a must to liven up the party. Another brand called the iBag ipod player with FM stereo tote carrying bag adds more fun since you have the option to surf through local radio stations for more hopping beats.

More ipod accessories are available to the ipod junkie via the Internet. A lot of websites do product reviews of these ipod accessories and you can get a preview of the items you want to buy through them. Among these sites are welovemacs.com, and connectingpoint.net. They have a wide range of ipod accessories for all the generations of iPods. They not only give you the price, features and product compatibility details but they also give you the pros and cons of each ipod accessory.

Other ipod accessories that is a must have for any iPod warrior is the Belkin Voice Recorder that lets you record reminders, meeting and notes into your iPod. Then there’s the hands free accessory called the iPod remote and earphones. You don’t have to worry about fumbling over the iPod controls as you drive or make that last 2-mile run. A stationary version of this remote is available. Called the NaviPod IR Remote, it allows you to control your iPod’s audio from across a room. Another one of the essential ipod accessories is the iPod Dock that charges iPod at work or at home.

For the car lovers, ipod accessories have been created to accommodate your music players. First of these is the Belkin TuneDok Car Holder that hold your iPod in place. Another one of these nifty ipod accessories is the Sony Car Cassette Adapter that connects your iPod to the car stereo. And not to forget is another one of those wonderful ipod accessories, the Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter. Your ipod can now play your music through the FM radio of your car. All it needs is the iPod dock connector to work. It draws a small amount of power from your iPod and doesn’t need any batteries.

You can really personalize your iPod in more ways than one. These ipod accessories not only enhance your iPod but it is also the number one status symbol for any true iPod lover.

Since iPod’s initial release in 2001, manufacturers of iPod accessories has grown so big and is continuously growing that financial analysts now call the market of iPod accessories as “iPod ecosystems.”

Engineers and stylist are not running out of ideas on how to accessorize an iPod from generations one to five, including the nano and shuffle lines. Even the established corporations such as the Altec Lansing and Bose joins the crowd of iPod accessories retailers. This shows how iPod has etched its name as the leading brand for digital audio player market.

But beware. There are many iPod accessories out there that are expensive but useless. So as for you to save time and energy in finding the most useful and least expensive iPod accessories, we have scouted the net and listed the five (5) topmost iPod accessories worth saving money for.

1. SPEAKERS.

Companies such as Altec Lansing, JBL, Bose and Kessington jumped into the iPod accessories bandwagon and started manufacturing speakers that are designed to work with iPods, using the iPod’s dock connectors.

Speakers come in the usual “Apple white” color, and sleek, lightweight design to complement other iPod accessories. Although these speakers are smaller in size compared to the usual speakers bundled with audio component systems, iPod speakes’ sound remain crisp, there is no cracking sound, and the bass booms in that thick, pumping sound.

We rated Altec Lansing inMotion iPod speakers as No. 1, for staying cheap while remaitaining its high quality. It is priced for only $149.

Why speakers?

Although iPod does have a small, built-in speaker, it is not working to emit sounds from audio files. The small, built-in speaker’s use is for warning tones only.

A separate speaker will allow you to play your favorite song outside of the earphones. The rich and crisp sound of iPod speakers are good enough to play for small parties.

2. FM TRANSMITTER.

Companies such as Monster Cable and Griffin Technologies introduced to the iPod accessories community the FM transmitter. With this iPod accessory, you can play not just the songs from your playlist but also music played over the radio.

3. iPOD CASES AND iPOD SKINS

These iPod accessories are designed, primarily, to protect iPods from dirt and scratches. iPod skins and iPod cases manufacturers, so as to increase sales, came up with stylish and innovative iPod skins. Known manufactureres of fashionable iPod cases are iSkin, Kate Spade, Incase, Xtreme Iconz, Chums, and Speck.

www.iLounge.com offers the best iPod skins in the market at low prices. These iPod accessories are a must have for your iPods to last longer. Choose the silicone types than the leather ones since silicone skins are much cheaper than leather skins and offers better insulation from heat.

4. ARMBANDS

You can enjoy your iPods while running or jogging with iPod armbands.

iPod armband is one of the most innovative iPod accessories there is. It allows you to do your daily workouts while listening to your iPod Abs Workout Music. You can even do the most difficult Yoga position and still keep your iPod, playing a soothing crystal and waves sound, in place.

These iPod accessories keeps your iPod in place and screen scratch free with Screen Protector.

5. SOUND ISOLATION EARPHONES

These iPod accessories are best for those who works as a transcriptionist, is a musician or a student reviewing for the bar exams.

Etymotic Research ER-6i sound isolating earphones offer high accuracy in emitting sound treble and bass, and keep all the noise at bay. It is  lightweight and portable and comes in the usual “Apple white” color.

SOME UNIQUE IPOD ACCESSORIES

1. CAR INTEGRATION ACCESSORIES

BMW is the first automotive company to release an iPod releated accessory for itsautomobiles. BMW introduced iPod automobile interface sometime in 2005. An iPod control was integrated into the built-in steering wheel, alongside the control and radio head buttons. The iPod unit is safely confined inside the glove compartment, and is attached to a cable harness to keep it in place everytime the car speeds up or is traversing rocky and bumpy roads.

The iPod steering wheel control allows the driver to create and shuffle five (5) “BMW playlist.” The playlist is displayed through the small LCD of the vehicle’s radio head.

2. iTalK VOICE RECORDER FOR iPod

Tired of listening to your iPod everyday? With this iPod accessory, your iPod can now listening to you.

Apple has sold about 250 million tunes from its iTunes Music Store and 10 million iPods. With the release of updated iPod models, Apple has launched a new iPod ad campaign in different national and international magazines, billboards and in the Internet. The new set of iPod ad features a variety of vibrant colors and design schemes with a black silhouetted figure of a person dancing with or simply enjoying an iPod. Cropped versions of these iPod ads can also be seen in updated Apple iPod web pages.

The new style is very different and colorful compared to the usual simple, white advertising they are popular of in the past. The colorful and silhouetted iPod ad campaign of Apple makes the white iPod earphones very recognizable.

An iPod ad is being run by 3 a mobile operator in the United Kingdom. It is the first ever 3G mobile video ad campaign for the Apple iPod. The iPod ad runs for 14 seconds that features the ever famous silhouetted dancers from the brand’s campaign concept.

iPod ad has become very popular indeed that in the Simpsons episode entitled “Thank God, It’s Doomsday,” Homer Simpson noticed in the Gospel for Less shop this iPod type of ad.

On the other hand, the copying of the idea has gone wild as Apple threatens to sue Music Channel Fuse over their new ad campaign that looks just like the iPod ad campaigns. Music Channel Fuse and its owner Cablevision’s Rainbow Media are threatened by Apple’s lawyers with a lawsuit unless the music channel stops the campaign.

In the similar campaign, figures of people in silhouette are watching while television with the colorful background. The campaign may mirror iPod ad campaign but Fuse takes the idea to a very different direction with one of their ad versions showed a man apparently masturbating while one showed a man doing a beer bong.

Rapper Eminem and Music group Black Eyed Peas also rode with the sucess of iPod ad campaign’s bandwagon, as the former was featured in a version of an iPod ad rapping and appearing on screen.

Also, the latter and their song “Hey Mama” from the album “Elephunk” became more popular after the song was used in another iPod ad campaign. The song was selected for the iPod television ad campaign by Apple and the creative team at TWBA Chiat Day. They thought the song was appealing and would definitely attract the attention of the viewers.

Apple ad is also reported lately to be included within iTunes soon. The testing advertisements are sure to lure advertisers interested in reaching million of iTunes users. But, many users are not excited about this because they have been used to an Apple ad free iTunes. As much as the Apple ad will appear only on the lower left corner of the iTunes Library, this can still prove to be risky.

iPod ad in iPod pages, posters, magazines, and billboards have been popping up all over key cities around the world. This also proves that Apple is aggressive with this new iPod ad push.

As a matter of fact, Business 2.0 has included the U2 silhouette iPod ad campaign in its 2005 Smart List. The annual tip of the hat to the brightest minds in business of this magazine has given their nods to Apple in its unique idea of advertising iPod.

The iPod ad was a collaboration of lead singer Bono of U2 and Apple CEO Steve Jobs. They happen to be long time friends who worked closely for this iPod ad campaign. They both contributed to the ad campaign and their efforts in advertising iPod paid of quite well. At the same time, Apple’s iTunes Music Store made the exclusive release of U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

With the success of the iPod campaign, the album also hit the charts for weeks after its debut in November 2005.

Apple iPods were promised to be the greatest breakthrough in the music industry. Somehow, it did not disappoint the fans and more; it has added various capabilities to the iPod that made it famous to people worldwide.

Aside from playing various kinds of music files (which includes MP3, WAV, AAC, MP3 VBR, AIFF), the Apple iPod can play and record video, can store data files, and can download various free iPod games from the Internet.

Free iPod games are available in the Internet. Through the years, the number of Internet hits on thesse websites offering free iPod games for download, increased suggesting that the popularity of the Apple iPod extend not only to music lovers but for gamers as well.

The iPodArcade Website

The Internet website that offers free iPod games is iPodArcade.com. It was was created in the year 1979 by two brilliant people who realized that a demand for ipod games is imminent and would soon increase as time passes by.

By the year 2005, the two creators of iPodArcade believed that the iPod world is finally ready for the free iPod games. They released their creation and iPodArcade.com was born.

After more than a year since its creation, Apple iPod users of every age started talking about the latest website catering to Apple iPod lovers. This website specially catered to the younger generation. Kids of any age just can not stop chatting about iPodArcade.Com.

iPodArcade.com reported that peering into any locker available in every high school or college universities in America would make you realize that iPodArcade is a hit. You will hear all the smatterings and murmurs about iPodArcade website and the free iPod games. All the brilliant free iPod games that it offers. But all of these are claims by iPodArcade.

The Real Score

An internet site such as iPodArcade.com can cater to most need of the iPod gamers. It is a one-stop storage for all popular iPod Games. All of these iPod games are completely free, no hidden charges and are readily available for download.

iPodArcade also offer different types of iPod Games. You can choose from a variety of options that includes strategy, memory games, trivia, and even jokes.

As of March 6, 2006, iPodArcade is beginning their development of redesigning the iPodArcade design. The interface would be cleaned up, features would be added, as well as other improvements.

This website offering free iPod games supports the following iPod products: 3G Apple iPod, 4G Apple iPod, Apple iPod Mini, Apple iPod Nano, and Apple iPod Video.

Previously, iPodArchive discontinued their support to Podzilla, another source for free iPod games. This is because Podzilla is only capable of supporting the first few generations of Apple iPod. Many of the Apple iPod users of today have newer iPods and needs to download the latest free iPod games. iPodArcade discontinued their business arrangement with Podzilla.

Apple iPod users can remove the installed Podzilla from their iPod by using Apple’s Firmware Restore Utility. This would reinstall Apple’s iPod Operating System. Reinstalling this would remove Podzilla and make the Apple iPod work as if it was newly bought.

However, the stored music on your iPod might be lost so be sure to have a back-up when reinstalling Apple’s iPod Operating System.

Currently, note games are also available for download at iPodArcade. This array of note games is only possible for Apple iPods with the Notes feature. These includes the Apple iPod Mini, the Third and Fourth Generation Apple iPod, Apple iPod Photo, and the Apple iPod Video.

The best thing about the iPod Notes feature is that it lets Apple iPod users have a feature to let you create Note Games. Apple even has an iPod Note Reader User Guide in PDF file that will give you information regarding the iPod notes.

This gives power to the Apple iPod user to make a game and entices them to sent it to Apple. Some of the free iPod games available at iPodArcade are created by Apple iPod users out of fun.

Another program that can let you create your own free iPod games is iPodSoft’s iStory Creator. Using iStory Creator, no coding experience is needed. Also, you can create any type of note game from quizzes to adventure story games.