Posted Thursday, October 16, 2003

Windows, Schmindows -- The Belkin iPod Media Reader Stole the Show

At a special event at San Francisco's Moscone Center, Apple today introduced iTunes for Windows as well as iTunes 4.1 for the Mac, a minor update that enables music synchronization between the Mac and Windows versions of iTunes, provides enhanced burning features, and a few more goodies. iTunes 4.1 is a 10MB download.

But that isn't what has my heart thumping and my charge card itching.

No, what's making me smile is the announcement of the Belkin iPod Media Reader for third-generation iPods. This compact, $99 add-on plugs into the bottom of the iPod and enables the little music player to download and store photos from all common digital camera memory cards. Connect the iPod to your Mac, and you can use iPhoto or Image Capture to import the images.

I've been longing for a device like this ever since I schlepped my PowerBook G4 on a trip to Hawaii just so I could have a method of downloading photos from my digital cameras.

Belkin also announced a voice recorder add-on for the iPod. That's swell for folks who need such beasts, but as for me, life is all about the Media Reader.

Note that the iPod Media Reader (and the voice recorder) require iPod Software 2.1 Updater, now available for downloading. According to Apple, the new iPod software also "includes faster browsing and accessing of large music libraries, the ability to sync On-The-Go playlists back to iTunes, and a new Music Quiz game which tests a player’s knowledge of their own iTunes music library."

Music Quiz? Hey, why not? The ability to sync On-The-Go playlists back to iTunes? Yessss. I've longed for this, too.

Stay tuned to this site for more information on iTunes 4.1. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an order to place.