There are plenty of digital music players available.So why is Apple’s iPod stand out?We used one and discovered that it has a lot more to offer than music.

Once in a while a technology occurs that promises to change our lifestyle.The Sony Walkman (launched in 1979), the recording cassette recorder (in the 1980s) and the internet (mid-1990s) are vivid examples.The most recent technology fascination is really a small digital music player called iPod.No larger than a pack of cards along with a slim as a cigarette lighter,the little wonder can holder up to 10,000 songs!that lets you carry your whole CD collection inside your back pocket!.

However the iPod is a lot more than a digital music player.In fact it has so much to offer that it’s fast getting the same status of the Walkman.Here are a few features that people discovered.you’ll find them underneath the ‘Extras’ menu on the iPod.

Feature 1 : A domain book

One of the iPod’s most unknown features is being able to store and display addresses,phone numbers and other text-based data.If you have a collection of phone numbers that you want to gain access to easily,it is possible to store textual information from website articles and e-books.How much data you store is limited only by the available space on the iPod’s hard drive.

If you’re a Mac OS X user,you’ll use two application to transfer this data for the iPod:

Address Book and iSync.Address Book installs with OS X and iSync is really a free download from the Apple website and can sync Mac,iPod,PDAs and Bluetooth devices.

In other os’s such as windows,you use any application which will export important computer data into the vCard format (for e-mail addresses).Then connect ipod and iphone to the PC,plus the software drag the vCard file in to the ‘Contacts’ folder from the iPod.

Now,suppose you want to make use of the iPod to store a big document.Although iPod technically doesn’t allow it,it is possible to work around the situation by simply typing the specific file first in places you would normally type the person.Having done that paste the written text file in to the ‘Notes’ or ‘Comments’ field of your address entry.Then,when it gets used in the iPod,your entry will arrive as merely another address entry and the text file will deployed underneath the ‘Notes’ section of the entry.

This can be a handy method to take important information and text files on the road with you.You can add driving directions,WAP stumbling logs,notes,just about anything that you can imagine.

Feature 2 : Calendar

Ipod and iphone can also function like a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) and you will store your daily schedule inside it.It has a calendar that can store your forthcoming events.

To access the calendar simply keep to the patch ‘Extras | Calendar’ and you may find your daily to do schedule.Travel through days using the scroll wheel or through months by pressing the ‘Forward’ and ‘Back’ buttons.Picking out a day will bring a list of all events scheduled to the day.Picking out a specific event brings up exact time information and a description of the appointment.

So how exactly does one start putting their calendar onto iPod?Luckily Apple has used the standard vCalendar format.Which means that one can export calendar information from application such as Microsoft Entourage or Palm Desktop and set it straight into the iPod within a Sync operation.

Apple is rolling out its own solution for adding vCalendar files via iCal.Unless you want to use iCal,then use the Palm Desktop or Entourage to export your calendar information.After you have exported it,simply drag it for the ‘Calendar’ folder on iPod.It will automatically be updated and recognized.

Feature 3 : Games

Ipod also including some simple games like Music Quiz,Solitaire,Brick and Parachute.There are web sites from where you can download more games and put these within your iPod.The games and set these within your iPod.The games would be the simple kind,so don’t expect as you will get on PCs or the latest phones.

Feature 4 : A secret storage device

Here’s a very important factor an iPod are capable of doing that a PDA or paper notebook can’t.Technology-not only as a hard drive.That might have certain advantages if you’re concerned about certain files or information being discovered on your pc.

With storage capacities which range from 5 GB to 30 GB,there are lots of possibilities to be used as an external storage device to your laptop when you are on the field.

If there are a few applications that you want to use,however for some reason you won’t want to install them on your own laptop,it is possible to run them off of the iPod.You may also use the iPod as a boot drive for those who have an OS placed on it and if your computer supports booting from a Firewire device.Modern day computers allow that.

A music player can be attached to any Firewire-equipped computer and stay used to share and swap files as required.On an iMac computer,ipod will automatically be visible on the desktop being an external drive.With any other system you’d need the Firewire drivers to be installed.

iPods connect to iMacs using Firewire cables.This,flexible Firewire cables have become available which are much better for field use,the standard thick cables that many Firewire devices ship with.For connecting an iPod towards the PC you’ll need an iPod Dock Connector to USB 2.0 + Firewire cable (see http://www.apple.com/ipod/accessories.html )

Feature 5 : Storing your photos while traveling

The new iPod photo allows you store your entire pictures around the contraption.The fact is it costs a bomb.Perhaps it’ll come down in few months.

Until then though,if you’re saddled with an earlier version with the iPod,fret not.If you can’t view pictures onto it yet,there’s nothing to stop you from storing them inside the device.

A 40 GB iPod can take up to 24,000 photos (captured on a 3 megapixel camera ).Desire to transfer pictures from your digital camera? Well,then some tips about what you could do.Get yourself a card reader that connects to your iPod.

The card reader will simply act as a bridge involving the digital camera and the iPod.It reads the photos on your camera and transfers these phones your iPod.Later on,when you get back home,you can pull out the pictures out of your iPod and transfers these phones your computer.However , you may have to spend some money to have this kind of capability.A card reader usually is cheaper than $100.

Belkin (www.belkin.com ) has a pretty decent card reader that does a great job.

The advantage of going in for a card reader for those who have an older version of the iPod is that you simply get full functionality for cheaper than what it would cost you to buy a brand new photo iPod.

Check out my other guide on ipod touch 4th generation , ipod classic 80gb and ipod touch apps

So, if you are an audio freak and you want to be abreast of the latest apparitions in this area, then you’ll be thankful for the news I’m about to break to you: there’s a mega gadget available for you right now to help you own only one gadget (a big one, that’s true).

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The device is a mixture between a turntable, a cassette player and a cassette recorder also, a CD player and a CD recorder, and last, but not least, a PLL synthesized AM/FM stereo tuner. Believe it or not, you’ll find all the devices I mentioned within the Teac LP-R550, which has just been announced by the manufacturer. More than that, it is said to become available for the Japanese customers sometime by the end of July (July 30th is the date, to be more precise).

The CD unit, for example, comes with CD/CD-R/CD-RW support. As for the turntable, which has 3 speeds, has 33 (LP)/45(EP)/78(SP) support and auto return. In addition, there are 3.5×2 inch speakers and a remote control. The price is expected to be $750.

(Source: Coolest-Gadgets)

Teac Japan announced the LP-R550 today [JP], a kind of Swiss Army knife for audio freaks. Buyers get a turntable, a cassette player/recorder, a CD player/recorder and a PLL synthesized AM/FM stereo tuner. Teac released a similar device on the Japanese market just a few months ago.

The CD unit supports CD/CD-R/CD-RW, while the 3-speed turntable supports 33(LP)/45(EP)/78(SP) and features auto return. The LP-R550 also has built-in 3.5W×2ch speakers and comes with a remote control. A USB port for easy PC connection, however, is missing.

The LP-R550 will drop into Japanese stores on July 30 (price: $750) and is Nippon-only at this point.