BeamEcho

Do you wish a hive-mind collective could mold your cultural interests and guide you through the maelstrom that is the artistic soundscape? Doesn’t sound appealing, does it? It’s a little convoluted and arrogant. Well it would be if it wasn’t designed by Apple, introducing Genius!!

So what is the mysterious new feature of iTunes known as ‘Genius’? Beneath the slick and promising name, ‘Genius’ consists of two easily identifiable parts: The first, adds a window to the side of your iTunes library which is populated by music suggestions. These recommendations are based on music bought by listeners who have similar tastes to your own. This recommendation engine is akin to the suggestions you get when shopping Amazon and its purpose is to intelligently guide you through iTunes’ vast catalogue. The second, less intrusive part of Genius is its function of compiling a new playlist based on simple criteria. Simply choosing a song will generate an entire playlist of your locally stored music, the mantra being; “songs that go great together.” Rumors have it that this technology’s genesis is tied to Steve Jobs’ omniscient knowledge of the music industry on a qualitative level.

As the resident iTunes expert, I toyed around with the new ‘Genius’ feature moments after it’s release. Honestly, I was just shy of impressed. What caught my attention and still keeps me interested in the technology is the unique claim: Genius will get better over time, as more people use it. I love this as a concept. If “I” could experience people’s first impressions of me by making the promise that I would become more attractive and intelligent with every encounter. This would certainly land me that allusive “second date”.

I tried giving Genius a second, third, fifth chance to see if it really is better after multiple dates uses. My first experience with the suggestion bar prompted me with the message, ‘we don’t know this music, so here are the top selling songs at the store’. I cried a little for the human race when an American Idol album was recommended. In successive attempts I found suggestions seemed intelligent, still not genius. It’s recommendations had a logic too them yet I still noticed several flaws. For one,a song which was already in my library would be suggested to me. Really? Hey Steve, check out 30 seconds of this great song we know like it because you own it in 320kbps.

Another improvement that I would love to see is the ability to turn off certain bands from your results. Thanks for the suggestion but I tried them and they SUCK (Avenged Sevenfold, anyone?) Give me the ability to block them from my results much like I would an ex-girlfriend from Facebook. Let us give feedback. The toolbar is an improved version the iTunes store browser, a rebrand of the “mini-store” which is marketed as a ‘feature’.

I did have more success with the playlist feature. I selected a song and Genius actually spat back a decent list. I would, however, like to know what voodoo Apple conjured for this task. I have tried to research it, and if anyone can tell me WHY these songs go well together I would love to know. Is it based on other peoples playlists? Is is based on the volume and tempo of the songs? Did Steve Jobs personally make playlists for every combination imaginable? It seems kind of fishy to take songs that I already think ‘go great together’ (so much so that I PUT them together on my computer) and then tell me that it was their idea. Again I enjoy the feature but would like to hear what the science or logic is behind it.

So if you have an iTunes account and an internet connection you can have a semi-intelligent Genius make you playlists.

Currently at Beamecho buy any new apple computer with Applecare and receive a free Brother multi function printer!
No Mail in Rebates or other nonsence, and we even throw in the USB cable FREE!

Drobo: the world's first data storage robot. This revolutionary device is so affordable and easy to use that it is makes previous RAID systems outdated and obsolete.

A review of my favorite speakers we have: the Audioengine 5's. Come in and let us give you a demo of their incredible sound.

However, a specific release date, details regarding Rogers subsidizing the phone, and most importantly, information on whether this would bring about a reduction in Rogers expensive data plans, we're not discussed. "We can't tell you any more about it right now, but stay tuned.", the company went on to say.

BeamEcho has not heard from carrier regarding the means of distribution for the device, nor has Apple made any official statement regarding the distribution of the iPhone

BeamEcho has had a longtime expertise with the iPod line of Apple products, and that expertise continues with the iPhone. Our new Cumberland location features a wide selection of iPhone-compatible cases, headphones and dockable speakers. We also strongly believe that the best computer to use with an iPhone is a Mac, for email, contact, and calender syncing, and our wide selection of new and used Macs guarantee that we can find the best digital fit for you.

We have a wide selection of cases in-shop to add style and security to your iPhone

I have been spoiled. I was brought into the world of Mac computers a little over 5 years ago and life has been great. My laptop has been doing what I want when I want, without fighting virus after virus or having my computer slow to a crawl from spyware and adware. Not to mention an intuitive operation system that runs stable and is easy to use. I sometimes forget this is not the case for most computer owners.

Recently two of my friends were having trouble with their Dell computers and, as the resident geek of the group, the responsibility fell upon me to see if I could fix them. Fast forward a day and a half later and I am pulling my hair out and cursing my friendly offer to help. Both machines had so many issues and would crash half way through installing a virus scanner. Plus, if anyone has had the pleasure of calling up Microsoft for tech support you can probably sing their ‘on hold’ music from memory.

But people do not know any better. They are not aware of how seamless the jump from Windows to Mac can be. There is a reason why you see more creative people using Macs to make their music, movies or photography and I believe it is because the Apple platform shortens the distance between an idea and its realization, as opposed to fighting you every step of the way. Since when is ease of use a bad thing and why shouldn’t this philosophy be adopted in corporate environments as well?

Here at Beamecho we know Windows. This is what sets us apart from other Apple retail stores. We sold both Mac and PC for a number of years and know what it takes to make the change. Certainly we as a store see many individuals and creative professionals switching from Windows to Mac but the timing seems to be ripe for more business users to make the big jump as well. A recent article I read about IBM testing out Apple computers gives me hope that its not just me who can see the light and be happy with the alternative.

If you find yourself being frustrated with the windows environment and are thinking about Mac as an alternative I invite you to come in to talk with any of our staff. We can answer your questions and help ease the transition to a new platform, showing you just how much better life with Apple can be.

The iPod Touch, released September of 2007, was an impressive product at release. It was, essentially, an iPhone sans phone, that any Canadian could easily buy and get support for. For Americans, it offered many of them an opportunity to get many of the same features of the iPhone without having to change wireless service providers. However, at that time, Apple was not making the best use of the device's potential, through excluding the Weather, Stocks, Notes, Maps, and most importantly Mail applications from the initial product. These applications were later offered as a $20 download from the iTunes store.

What has recently gotten many of those in the know excited about the iPod Touch is something called the iPhone/iPod Touch SDK. At the Apple iPhone roadmap event last month, Steve Jobs introduced the tools available to developers looking to create rich programs for the iPod Touch. Demoed were Games and other applications that took full advantage of the iPod Touch's built-in accelerometer, multi-touch, and using the unit's WiFi capability.

As we speak, software developers are working away to create useful and rich iPod Touch applications that will significantly proliferate the the uses for the iPod. These new applications are set to be released to the public this coming June, some of them being free, and some of them having a price. Unlike previous installable applications for the iPod Touch, downloading and installing these coming applications will not involve any hacking of your iPod.

For more information, MacRumors has a great Frequently Asked Questions article about the Software Development kit.

iPod Touch prices:

8 GB: $299; 16 GB: $379

Maps, Mail, Weather, Notes, and Stocks applications are downloadable from iTunes for $20 CDN.

32 GB: $519, includes the Maps, Mail, Weather, Notes & Stocks applications

Watch where to change the iTunes settings for importing your music at a higher quality bit rate. You need this information if you care about the quality of you digital music library! Also I look at some alternative earphones for your iPod including the Etymotic 6i's which are no longer on sale and back at regular price of $129.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is now in stock. Watch us rock out!

What Steve would like to buy episode 2: the USB fridge.

Just what is Apple TV and whats new?

What Steve Would Like To Buy...

View the original article at The Globe and Mail Here...

"Some people might say we've gone Hollywood." That's Jim Hoskins talking, owner of the former CP Used. Until recently, the store's home was a rambling red-brick box on Dupont west of Bathurst, where he sold new and used Apple products and had a great Apple service centre - an irresistible draw for students and computer geeks.

Now that Apple has its own humming motherships, Mr. Hoskins decided to sell the main store and showroom, move east to glamorous Yorkville (26a Cumberland Ave., beside the Pilot Tavern) and change the store's name to BeamEcho.

"My wife found the name," he says. "It was Iceland's largest stereo chain in the eighties."

He likes the new tag because it's science-fictiony. (It also doesn't tie him down with the word "computer.") He didn't need the 24,000 square feet any more. Ten years ago, the store was selling computers with clunky CRT monitors. Now, 70 per cent of sales are laptops. Space is no longer a consideration. Walk-by traffic is.

It's official, our Bathurst and Dupont location is Now Closed. We are only open at our Yorkville Location (26a Cumberland street). But just how do I get there? Well I'm glad you asked.

View Larger Map

We are located on the north side of Cumberland Street just west of The Pilot Tavern on the second floor. Cumberland is a one way street so make sure you turn on to it from Bay. There is parking available at the Green P Parking just west of us on Cumberland or if you prefer Public transit we are minutes away from the Yonge and Bloor subway stop.

Apple inc. is unquestionably the star of Macworld's annual conference, taking the spotlight every year with its new and exciting products. However, there are many other companies who show up with their own contribution to the Mac & iPod platforms. This year included it's own fair share of terrible products not worthy to be mentioned, but also saw a few exciting new and updated products from established companies, as well as some notable rising stars. Here is the creme of the crop for non-Apple product at Macworld 2008.

Audioengine 5 Bamboo: Any customer who has come into Beam Echo in the past 6 months asking for high end speakers has probably been shown a staff favorite at the shop, the Audioengine 5 unit. The powered bookshelf speakers, which are made by a company comprised of some the original members of the design team for the iPod, have absolutely fantastic sound, and are rich in features, features including a USB port for iPod charging, and a regular sized power outlet for the Apple Airport express unit, to allow AirTunes wireless audio streaming. Macworld 2008 brought about the Bamboo version of the A5 unit, which takes the same high quality product, and replaces the white piano finish with a stunning bamboo finish, and as the gentleman at the Macworld booth claimed, it's not at all at the expense of sound's quality. BeamEcho hopes to have the Bamboo unit available by mid-to-late Febuary.

The Eye-Fi card: I'd say one the most exciting third party products at Macworld 2008 was the Eye-Fi card, the one and only product made by the Eye-Fi Company. The card is a 2 GB SD card, compatible with most non-Sony consumer level digital cameras, except it has a twist. Somehow, the company managed to fit a tiny WiFi module in the card. What this means is, a photo taken with the camera can be set to automatically upload to a computer, or upload to an online service such as Facebook or Flikr when the card is connected to a familiar WiFi network. And that's not all; Macworld '08 brought a direct-to-iPhoto upload, as well as Leopard compatibility to this unique device. The card is so new, it has yet to be approved for sale in Canada, meaning it might be awhile before Beam Echo can get our hands on the card. But I picked one up while I was down there, have been playing with it, and I have to say, it's REALLY cool.

Guitar Hero III for Mac: One of the biggest console games of 2007 was Guitar Hero III, the game that makes YOU the rockstar. And now, Intel Mac users will be lucky enough to have the rockin' rollercoaster right on their computer. The game, which includes the install disc, as well as a guitar controller, challenges the player to 'play' notes on his guitar in a certain progression, to match the notes that appear on the screen. In the game console world, the musical 'Guitar Hero III' has already established itself as a hit, to teens, college students, and even some adults, and we think it'll go over just as well on the Mac platform as it did on the consols. I had a chance to actually stand up an try the game, and instead of writing my thougts, I'll leave you with this picture, which captures my opinion more professionally than words ever could.

When i first moved to Toronto i worked for a movie theatre around the time the latest Star Wars film was being released. I remember laughing at the hundreds of fans who were lining up around the block days in advance. I think i promised myself that I would never get that excited over anything so insignificant. Fast forward to last Tuesday January 15th. Steve Jobs is giving his MacWorld speech and i am frantically refreshing my computer screen every second to see just what will be announced. When Steve brought out "the Thrilla in Manila!" (oh i wish i could take credit for that slogan:) I was cheering. Consider my promise broken.

But is the world's thinnest notebook right for you? With it being released around January 29th you still have some time to contemplate the answer. The Air does have it's advantages and disadvantages and a slightly higher price tag than any of the current MacBook models but is it worth it? In large part you are paying for the 'cool' factor, and it is very cool. Just take a look at this brilliant laptop case for it. In short, this laptop will be for people who value the weight of their laptop above ALL else. At 3lbs the Air is super easy to carry around. The design seems to be perfect for writers, or executives who travel a lot.

The trade off is that it is a bit slower than the other MacBooks (1.6 and 1.8 as opposed to 2.0 and 2.2GHz) with less hard drive space. Not so much an issue if its primary use is writing and surfing the internet, which it will do faster than its counterparts thanks to the 802.11N WiFi. Also if you decide to spring for the ultra elite solid state hard drive, it will use less power and be immune to shaking but add about a grand to the price. If you do decide that the Air is the perfect match for you, be prepared to invest in a few other accessories to enhance your purchase. Things like the external Superdrive or the new time capsule are perfect compliments. All and all if you do pick one up you will be the envy of everyone you know, myself included. I will let you know when they arrive.

Excitement ensued after Steve Jobs delivered his Macworld Keynote presentation, which has become an annual tradition in the City of San Francisco. It is a presentation which is much anticipated and speculated upon every year by the technology industry as a whole, not to mention all of us Mac geeks here at Beam Echo. To no one's surprise, the Apple CEO delivered - with his charisma, persuasion and enthusiasm, together referred to as his 'Reality Distortion Field'. At the event, Jobs introduced a couple of significant new product updates:

AppleTV: The Apple product that never really caught on in 2007 got a seriously needed revamping at yesterday's keynote, with a free software update. The update supports movie rentals, as well as purchasing iTunes content directly from the Internet, rather than through a PC or Mac on the same network. (Please note, movies aren't available on the Canadian iTunes store....yet...)

iPod Touch: Jobs also introduced an update to the iPod Touch firmware version 1.1.2, which adds to the iTouch much of the iPhone functionality which seemed to be missing from iPod Touch's operating system. The update, introduced with a price of $19.99 USD is also $19.99 Canadian. Jobs went on to say that future iPod Touch units would be shipped with the new firmware update.

Also introduced were two new products:

Time Capsule: The first product introduction is a companion to one of the exciting features of Apple's most recent operating system (Mac OS X 10.5,) called Time Machine. Until today, the only way to use Time Machine was to connect an external hard drive to your Mac, either using a USB 2.0 or Firewire cable, to automate the backing up of important files. Time Capsule uses the same automated backup concept, except it allows the backup to be done wirelessly. The unit is a wireless router, supporting the new high speed wireless N technology, and also includes either a 500 GB or 1TB built in hard drive.

The climax of the presentation, hands down, had to be the MacBook Air. And of course it's the size and weight of the machine that make it so incredible. At 3/4 of an inch thick (and that's at the thick end,) Jobs touted the machine as being the world's thinnest laptop. The laptop achieves its small size through the elimination of its internal CD/DVD drive (while an external SuperDrive is available for $99,) as well as its use of the same 1.8" hard disk drive that is found in the iPod Classic. The machine has eliminated all ports on the laptop except for one USB 2.0 port, one Micro-DVI port for analog and digital video out, an stereo minijack port, and of course, a Magsafe power adapter jack. the laptop does not include an Ethernet port; instead, it uses its built in high-speed wireless n capability, while a USB to ethernet adapter is also available for $39. The product is expected to be released in two weeks in the United States, and within three weeks in Canada, so remember to keep checking our site here at http://www.beamecho.com to see when we will be getting our hands on this new notebook.

(Patrick with the new MacBook Air)

There's something in the air.

That's what banners read at San Francisco's Moscone center, a day before the annual Macworld conference commences. What will 2008 have in store for Apple? That's the question on everyone's mind here at Macworld. Will it be a superthin notebook? Or perhaps an LED powered cinema display?

Stay tuned this week for official Macworld coverage from Toronto's best source for Apple product & digital media, Beam Echo.

Our award-winning Apple Authorized service department and expert sales staff are all life-long Apple devotees. Their passion for Mac based products and solutions has led them to be extremely knowledgeable about Apple computers. You can’t find a more well-regarded service department in Toronto, or sales staff that conduct business and convey advice at the Genius level.

Our service turnaround times are fast and our team of expert technicians is the best in the business. Just bring your computer in, on your schedule, and take advantage of our fast service. We're an Apple Authorized Service Centre and can repair all Mac’s under warranty or out of warranty. We also perform RAM upgrades while-you-wait and hard drive upgrades the same day.

See you at 26A Cumberland soon!

As part of our focus on the iPod Audiophile experience here's a 5:00 min BeamEcho QuickLook video that focuses on Sound Isolating Headphone technology. We compare and contrast standard ear buds, noise canceling headphones and sound isolating headphones. Buzzbee provides some tips and advice on the best way to approach, use and experience the pure joy of Sound Isolating Headphones – in the real world.

Additionally - since the latest generation of iPods have such large hard drive capacities (80Gb / 160GB in the case of the iPod Classic) it's easier than ever to convert your personal CD collection into high bitrate, audiophile quality content – so we've provided a few simple tips on how to tweak your iTunes encoding settings to produce very high quality MP3 and lossless music files. When you combine high quality CD encoding with high quality in-ear headphones the iPod delivers an authentic audiophile experience - at home or on the go.

NOTE: the BeamEcho seminar schedule mentioned in this video will commence in mid January 2008. Consult http://www.beamecho.com for exact dates, times and event descriptions.

Mac OS X Leopard is now available at BeamEcho. For a quick look at the key features OS X Leopard, check out our BeamEcho "What's Cool" chart and some of the short 2-3 minute video demos below!

OS X Leopard: New Finder (2:00 min video)

Leopard Finder from beamecho on Vimeo.

OS X Leopard: New Desktop and Stacks (2:00 min video)

Leopard Desktop and Stacks from beamecho on Vimeo.

OS X Leopard: Spaces (2:00 min)

Spaces from beamecho on Vimeo.

OS X Leopard: Time Machine (2:00 min)

Time Machine from beamecho on Vimeo.

OS X Leopard: Mail (3:00 min)

Leopard Mail from beamecho on Vimeo.

Video © 2007, Apple Inc.

TYPES OF HARD DRIVES

For you history buffs (or those of you old enough to remember paying $2,000 for a 20MB external hard drive! - “scuzzy” - seems like a logical place to kick off this BeamEcho storage primer!

SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)

SCSI was / is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards defined commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI was most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it could also connect a wide range of other devices, including scanners and optical drives (CD, DVD, etc.).

ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment)

ATA is a standard interface for connecting storage devices such as hard disks and CD-ROM drives inside personal computers (if you've ever popped the cover off of a standard PC the ATA connector is that wide gray ribbon cable connecting the hard drive to the system bus). Many synonyms and near-synonyms for ATA exist, including abbreviations such as IDE and ATAPI. Also, with the market introduction of Serial ATA in 2003, the original ATA was retroactively renamed Parallel ATA (PATA). Parallel ATA standards allow cable lengths up to only 46 centimetres (18 inches). Because of this length limit, the technology normally appears as an internal computer storage interface.

SATA (Serial ATA)

SATA is a modern standard that’s been primarily designed for fast transfer of data between a computer and a storage device or interface via a high-speed serial cable. The main benefits of SATA are that thinner serial cables let air cooling work more efficiently, enabling faster transfers, the ability to remove devices while operating (hot swapping), greater device reliability and operation with tighter data integrity checks. In short, SATA technology delivers a significant performance boost over current ATA hard drive technology. Since It was designed as a successor to the legacy Advanced Technology Attachment standard (ATA), it's expected to eventually replace the older technology (which has retroactively been renamed Parallel ATA or PATA).

TYPES OF HARD DRIVE INTERFACES

USB 2.0 - Universal Serial Bus

A major component in the legacy-free PC movement, USB was designed to allow peripherals to be connected using a single standardized interface socket, to improve plug-and-play capabilities by allowing devices to be connected and disconnected without rebooting the computer (hot swapping). Other convenient features include powering low-consumption devices without the need for an external power supply and allowing some devices to be used without requiring individual device drivers to be installed.

USB can connect computer peripherals such as mouse devices, keyboards, PDAs, gamepads and joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers and external memory card readers and hard disk storage devices. For many of those devices USB has become the standard connection method. USB was originally designed for personal computers, but it has become commonplace on other devices such as PDAs and video game consoles. In 2004, there were about 1 billion USB devices in the world.

FireWire

FireWire is Apple Inc.'s brand name for the IEEE 1394 interface. It’s a personal computer (and digital audio/digital video) serial bus interface standard, offering high-speed data communication capabilities.

Almost all modern digital camcorders have included this type of connector port since 1995 and many computers intended for home or professional audio/video use (including Apple’s system offerings) have built-in FireWire ports. Initially used with early models of the iPod, Apple later dropped FireWire in favor of USB connectors due to 1) space constraints and to 2) ensure wider compatibility with a broader ranges of Windows PC’s.

FireWire 400 (fast)

FireWire 400 can transfer data between devices at 100, 200, or 400 Mbit/s data rates.

Cable length is limited to 4.5 meters (about 15 ft) and the 6-pin connector is commonly found on Apple and other manufacturers computers. This type of interface can supply a connected device with power. Firewire 400 comes in 6 pin and 4 pin configuration and the 4 pin interface (the smaller of the two) is commonly found on consumer camcorders.

FireWire 800 (faster)

Apple's name for the 9-pin "S800 bilingual" version of the IEEE 1394b standard was introduced commercially by Apple in 2003. This newer 1394 specification (1394b) and corresponding products allow a transfer rate of 786.432 Mbit/s with backwards compatibility to the slower rates and 6-pin connectors of FireWire 400. However, while the IEEE 1394a and IEEE 1394b standards are compatible, FireWire 800's connector is different from FireWire 400's connector, making the physical male and female (both 4 and 6 pin) connectors and cables incompatible -- this is partly why Apple and companies like LaCie include both interfaces on their hardware.

eSATA (External SATA)

Standardized in mid-2004, eSATA defined separate cables, connectors, and revised electrical requirements for external applications: Maximum cable length for eSATA devices is 2 m (USB and FireWire allow slightly longer distances).

Aimed at the consumer market, eSATA enters an external storage market already served by the USB and FireWire interfaces. Most external hard disk drive cases with FireWire or USB interfaces use either ATA or SATA drives and "bridges" to translate between the drives' interfaces and the enclosures' external ports.

The LaCie “Quad” interface (with USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800 and eSATA connector ports) is a favorite at BeamEcho, combining reliability, dependability and high performance (SATA drives) along with all FOUR popular hard dive connection interfaces (see diagram above)!

The bottom line with Firewire is that, with introduction of Firewire 800, this interface standard is now substantially faster than Hi-Speed USB and whether internal or external SATA drives are increasingly more common and found in new computers from manufacturers like Apple due their excellent performance.

IN STOCK NOW!

• 8GB or 16GB
• Spectacular 3.5" (diagonal) Wide Screen Display
• New "Multi-Touch User Interface" (with CoverFlow) similar to the user interface found on the iPhone
• Wireless web browsing (Wi-Fi 802.11b/g) via built in Safari browser

What's Cool

• an absolutely stunning display, especially when viewing content that was originally captured or encoded in HDTV or DVD format, exported/converted to .m4v for import into iTunes then sync'd with this device.
• Apple's new "Multi-Touch User Interface" (great for interacting / browsing your portable media via CoverFlow) is simple, intuitive and fast – a real winner!
• although it has slight limitations (let's call it a "semi-walled garden" that doesn't currently support most of the popular free web mail services) the built in Safari Web Browser on the iPod touch is clear, crisp and useful for browsing web pages, entering text, bookmarking, etc.
• we think it's true what they say about the iPod touch keyboard... after a few hours, text entry is a breeze.

Good Stuff to Know

• iTunes CoverFlow technology on this device makes for an absolutely delightful (and fast) browsing, searching, finding and LISTENING experience!
• in the box: the iPod touch, Earphones, USB 2.0 cable, Dock adapter, Polishing cloth, Stand and Quick Start guide
• System Requirements: OS 10.4.10 and iTunes 7.4
• Apple has changed the "video out" option for the new iPods which requires new iPod dock hardware that supports composite and component video connections
• syncing iTunes content to a Compact Flash memory based device (like the iPod touch) takes a bit longer than with hard drive based iPod's so give yourself some extra time for syncing movies and video files.
• although there's been lots of talk of Adobe prepping an H.264 version of Flash video and YouTube apparently in the process of converting all their existing content to the H.264 standard, the iPod touch Safari Web Browser doesn't support Flash video. We'll stay on this issue and update you as we're able.
• and just so you know.... the iPod features on both the iPod touch and the iPhone are virtually identical, as is the revolutionary "Multi-Touch User Interface". iPhone's aren't available or supported in Canada yet but it's worth mentioning that once you start accessing the Network Features, Functions and Services of any phone company or wireless carriers it's a whole new ball game! We'll provide more comment and analysis on this subject in upcoming posts.
• BeamEcho's bottom line on the iPod touch is – this thing is awesome. Come in a take a look and listen for yourself!

Great Add-Ons

• once again the Turbo264 from Elgato really shines for encoding H.264 video so you can quickly create, import, sync and view a wide range of personal video content with your iPod touch via sync iTunes!
• Elgato (makers of H264 Turbo and EyeTV software) just released a free update to EyeTV that supports export of video content specifically to an iPod touch and iPhone format and it also supports WiFi streaming of video to these same devices. Very cool.
• a LaCie External Drive, to store your encoded personal video collection is probably a good idea.

QuickLook Video

Untitled from beamecho on Vimeo.

IN STOCK NOW!

• 80GB or 160GB
• New, thin, sleek, design with all metal construction (Black or White)
• New iPod User Interface (with Cover Flow and Search function built in!)

What's Cool

• it's now possible to sync and take your entire iTunes library (especially large ones) with you where ever you go!
• when disk mode is enabled in your iTunes client the NEW iPod classic becomes a serious Data Back-Up device for your critical work and personal files – e.g. special project folders and files, your entire email library, you name it! all safely backed-up and clipped to your hip!
• of all the new user interface features on the iPod classic we think Search is one of the coolest. It helps you quickly find songs, albums and artists you're looking for within big iTunes libraries or large iTunes play lists loaded on your iPod
• this is an excellent, all around awesome iPod for a first time buyer and/or a great one to move up to no matter what device you own today. It's particularly well suited to the hard-core music / movie / media fan who has lots of .m4v encoded movie files and a large iTunes library... and hey, if iPod's with massive hard disks are good enough for Peter Jackson & Frodo, this new iPod classic is more than good enough for us!

Good Stuff to Know

• VIDEO: This BeamEcho TechTidbit sort of falls into the category of encoding but you can use Quicktime Pro to convert almost any video file (e.g. .mov, .mpg, .mp4, .avi etc.) into the .m4v format which allows you to then import into iTunes, sync, and then view the video on your new iPod classic... and for you hard core Movie fans, you can use Handbrake or iSquint software to rip (convert) your own DVD's into the .m4v format, import them into your iTunes library and sync them to your new iPod classic – so you can watch all your favorite movies on the GO! You can also export your own favorite existing iMovie projects into the .m4v iPod video format for loading, syncing and viewing on your iPod classic!
• AUDIO: with such high capacity storage (80GB and 160GB) you can now encode your own CD music at much higher quality bit rates which dramatically improves your iPod listening experiences – especially on high quality home stereo equipment, portable speakers and/or high quality personal headphones / ear buds
• PHOTO: the new iPod classic can now hold up to 25,000 photos from your iPhoto library!

Great Add-Ons

We've been playing with Turbo264 from Elgato for a while and love it for encoding H.264 video so you can quickly create, import, sync and view a wide range of video on your iPod Classic!

Comparison Photos

Left – 5th Generation iPod 60GB | Right – NEW iPod classic 160GB

QuickLook Video

NEW iPod Classic from beamecho on Vimeo.

IN STOCK NOW!

• The nano now has VIDEO!
• 4GB or 8GB
• available in 4 new colours - silver, turquoise, green, black
• Brighter Display
• New Interface (with Cover Flow)

What's Cool

• this new product is way cool! You can now watch favorite videos on a nano!
• awesome quality screen, feels great to hold in one hand and easy to navigate the NEW iPod User Interface – in spite of its small foot print

Good Stuff to Know

• this BeamEcho TechTidbit sort of falls into the category of encoding but you can use Quicktime Pro to convert almost any video file (e.g. .mov, .mpg, .mp4, .avi etc.) into the .m4v format which allows you to then import and view ANY video on your new nano! and for you hard core Movie fans, you can use Handbrake or iSquint software to rip (convert) your own DVD's into the .m4v video format, import them into your iTunes library and then sync your iPod – so you can now watch all your favorite movies, videos and funny clips on your new iPod nano... on the go!
• and you can also export your favorite existing iMovie projects into the .m4v iPod video format for viewing on your video nano!

Great Add-Ons

We've been playing with Turbo264 from Elgato for a while and love it for encoding H.264 video so you can quickly create, import, sync and view a wide range of video on your iPod nano!

Comparison Photos

Left – 2nd Generation 4GB iPod nano | Right – New 4GB iPod nano with video support

QuickLook Video

NEW iPod Nano from beamecho on Vimeo.

IN STOCK NOW!

• 12 hour battery life
• Built-in Clip
• Shuffle Switch
• Power meter indicator (Green, Amber, Red)
• New dock – headphone jack does double-duty
• 1GB on board Flash memory can store 240 Songs in 128K AAC format
• 4 colours – silver, turquoise, blue, purple

What's Cool

• you can set up iTunes to randomly load up your iPod shuffle from your Main iTunes Library or any of your favorite playlists when it's syncs – so you can automatically always have fresh content on your shuffle!
• The new iPod shuffle battery life indicator is sweet! Now, at all times, you know where you stand power wise... and that's always a good thing.

Good Stuff to Know

• same audio specs and great audio quality as all other iPods
• charge up time to 100% = 4 hours / Quick Charge of 2 hours = 80%