As our friends at The Unofficial Apple Weblog have reported Apple unveiled their latest iPhone and iPod models which included the sexy new iPod touch and a drop in the prices of iPhones. Around the world the iPhone is big news even in the places that isn't supposed to be yet. An Associated Press article says that the iPhone can be bought in China although Apple isn't selling it there yet. Early adopters hungry for the latest technology are willing to pay 8,800 yuan ($1,170) for the iPhone even though the gadget doesn't function completely. The iPhone in China can make calls and send text messages, but it can't receive calls and you don't even get voicemail. The iPhone isn't set to launch in Asia until next year which at the current rate could be three or four versions from now.

iJag? Jaguar is turning over a new leaf thanks to Apple, who helped the automaker shake the big slab of wood out of the cockpit and back onto the tree. The Ford-owned premium brand, known for the stodgy wood accents in the interior, tapped the iPod maker's design team for help in redesigning the XF's interior for a more current look.

Ian Callum, Jaguar's design chief, told Car Magazine that Apple is contributing to the XF's control interfaces in what will hopefully be an improvement on infotainment interfaces everywhere -- BMW's control interface has been under fire for years, just as an example.

Callum says that cool blue lighting and big control dial will do the trick. Besides reportedly being more intuitive, the new control system takes up less space and introduces a range of infotainment options.

[via Pocket Lint]

I don't quite get it, but we seem to be seeing the smallest of the iPods, the Shuffle, getting decked out more than any of the others. Now don't get me wrong, the Shuffle is cute as a button and the bling looks good on it, I just can't understand why people would bother to decorate a gadget that costs less than $100 and is the "lowest" member of its own family.

But if you're going to do it then do it all out, right? How about $40,000 worth of 'all out?' Because that's how much this pretty little diamond and gold coated iPod will run you. And for that price no detail is overlooked -- there's even diamonds and gold on the earbuds.

Those mad audiophile genius at Bowers & Wilkins are at it again, this time with a rather striking iPod speaker system. The Zeppelin is barely two feet wide and has a central docking station for your iPod. The tapered ends house the midrange and tweeter drivers, low frequencies are handled by a single five-inch "subwoofer" located in the center and the bass performance enhanced by the twin rear-firing ports. The stainless steel floating arm that holds the iPod allows for ease of use. It also comes with a mini remote and when docked, the iPod can accesses a special Zeppelin "Speaker" menu, with five-position bass EQ to tune response for system placement or individual preference. The Zeppelin will be available starting in September and sells for $599.

It's all about technology today, and everything needs a power cord or a battery pack -- except this beauty. It's the Phonofone II from Science + Sons, and it's designed to give you full and resonating modern sound but with a touch of nostalgic beauty. The Phonofone II works using only passive amplification techniques, which means no power source needed. All you have to do is connect the earbuds from your iPod or other mP3 player and you'll instantly get all the rich room-filling sound you could want. Handmade of white ceramic, $840.


Via Style.com

I love the iPod shuffle -- there's no doubt it's the cutest member of the iPod family simply because it's the smallest, and it has that handy little clip on the back. And even though they come in a variety of colors Apple has yet to offer shuffles in a genuine 18 karat gold finish. So for that kind of bling you're going to have to seek out after-market help, and XEXOO is where you want to go.

In truth they'll golden-up any iPod, be it shuffle, nano, or the video versions. Other benefits, besides the style factor, are 24 hour support and what is basically an iPod insurance policy: they'll replace it for you if anything happens (i.e. you drop it in the pool or run over it with your car).

People are serious about their iPods, there's no doubt about that, but are they $800 serious? The FACTRON Re-Nano case is betting on it, made of pure titanium (titanium!) and ending up quite industrial-looking. Priced at just over $800, of all the iPod designs it will only fit the nano -- which doesn't make much sense to me. Either make a version for all the iPods, or if you only want to make one at least make it for the biggest and baddest of the iPods, not the younger brother version.

I love my nano, but believe you me I'm not spending five times more on the case than I did on the gadget itself! Not unless it's a heck of a lot cuter than this anyway.

As cute as iPods are, they can always get cuter with the right iPod case -- not to mention more personalized to your style. So take a look at Coach's Signature Stripe iPod Case, what do you think? It looks exactly how I would have pictured a Coach iPod case to look, and that's not a bad thing. The only complaints I have, and they're pretty minor, are that the case is so small the print is kinda "lost" and looks a little like camouflage to me. Plus, I'm not a huge fan of brown. But overall the design is awesome, and hopefully they'll decide to come out with some other color choices soon. $88.

Cute or cheesy? I'm on the fence about this one. Crosley Radio, which specializes in retro-styled electronics that utilize modern technology, has created the iJuke. The iJuke is 18 inches tall and has the look of the classic jukebox but is also a place to dock your iPod. It has a dynamic full range stereo speakers, neon lighting, percolating bubble tubes, external speaker outputs and comes with a small remote. It sells for $199.95.

Just this weekend I was chatting with my mate over the demise of my gold iPod Mini. He insists that I need a new iPod, one with a color screen at the very least and that my gold Mini is a dinosaur. True enough, but I really love the now discontinued gold color. And then this morning, lo and behold everyone is buzzing about the iPod which is plated in 24 karat gold. My first thought is that 24K gold is far too soft for a device that gets banged about so much, but the company Amosu says that the iPods are plated in "unique hardened mirror gold." The 30GB and 80GB iPod sell for $600 and $800 with a white or black face and the Nanos are also $600.

[via Gearlog and Mobile Mag among many others]

Fat Duck, one of the world's finest restaurants, has added a new layer to their tasting menu experience by adding an iPod to the proceedings. The Sound of the Sea is a seafood dish that is served with an iPod so that you can listen to the sea while you eat the food. Chef Heston Blumenthal has created the dish which includes shellfish juice made into a foam served along side a mixture of tapioca, fried breadcrumbs, crushed fried baby eels, cod liver oil and langoustine oil topped with abalone, razor clams, shrimps and oysters and three kinds of edible seaweed. The dish comes inside a glass-topped wooden box containing sand and seashells and is served with a glass of seaweed extraction and mirin. The 17-course meal also includes offerings such as a silver rose bush with edible petals and afterdinner whiskey gums.

[via Wired News]

Can an iPod help you fly a plane? I found this article in General Aviation News fascinating. Apparently the LoPresti Fury, a fun little flyer we first wrote about way back in 2004, now has the iPod integrated into its systems. The iPod does more than just rock out your Top Gun playlist, it can be used as a digital data recorder with the ability to record some 500 hours of flight time and replay audio on demand. RJ Siegel, vice president at LoPresti is bullish on the iPod, calling it "the complete antithesis of aviation electronics: cheap, easy to replace and available on almost every street corner." He also says that prgrammers can develop all sorts of applications for the iPod.

Rockridge Sound is the place to look for a luxury speak dock for your iPod. The Japanese manufacturer's VTS-384 has "full analog" sound from a pair of 2x2W (8ohm) speakers, sound which Rockridge says is the best type for amplifying compressed audio files of the kind iPods play. On top of performance, the good-looking system comes with a remote and both RCA and USB jacks, should you want to use a non-iPod music source. The VTS-384 is being rolled out in Japan this month at around $780.

While still luxury items, these audiophile grade components are good ideas for college students or some one who digs quality sound but may not have the room or ability to take full advantage of Krell monoblocks. Blogger Sandy Greene posted a list of 'affordable' components on Josh Ray's SonicFlare that includes speakers, an amp, and even an iPod interfacing jack-of-all-trades. The permalink on their site doesn't work, so you'll just have to scroll down on the main page or try searching in the speaker category

Don't get stuck with the same boring iPod speakers that you can buy just about anywhere. Instead, opt for the Alligator iPod Speakers that Dunhill is offering this Christmas. The made-to-order speakers are covered in real chocolate-colored alligator skin, giving your speakers a luxurious look that you won't be able to find anywhere else. Prices start at £500 and, because it is a part of the Exotics collection, it is probably possible to get the speakers done in Ostrich or Shagreen, instead of Alligator, as well.

[via TUAW]