In this episode of the Apple Universe Podcast we travel to Simplify Media in Redwood City, Calif. to learn about the music sharing application.

News:

This week we travel to Simplify Media and talk to Bill Bradford, CEO of Simplify Media. Simplify Media is an early stage startup dedicated to making it easier for people to access and enjoy their digital music, photos and videos with close friends and family. Our software connects people directly from within their favorite desktop applications, without having to upload and download files via a website or learn a new user interface. Simplify Media lets you listen to your home music from any computer or browse and play your friends’ music over the Internet. Simplify Media integrates with iTunes, Front Row, Winamp, Windows Media Player and Rhythmbox and runs on Mac, Windows and Linux computers, as well as the iPhone and iPod touch.

To be part of the beta process for Simplify Media, email . Also, here are 10 codes for Simplify Media iPhone version:

MA37WFHATHYN
KJ3TMAR37T9X
EKNWKYNNKF34
J6XPWA3TN7NY
EMKM3YE3NWJX
LYAP73PTEH7H
3TEELFYMKR6T
HK76JWPPNREP
F7NTKRA7MJER
FH3PX3HMHF9F

Note: these codes will expire in two weeks. Use them now! Only available in the US App Store.

Host/Executive Producer: Daniel Brusilovsky (@danielbru)
Length: 27:16

Sponsors:

• shinywhitebox – Great software for Mac. The makers of iShowU, Stomp and now Chatter!

If you would like to sponsor Apple Universe, contact the Sales team at .

Theme Music is provided by Daphna Kalfon. Apple Universe is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network and the Teen Podcasters Network.

In this episode of the Apple Universe Podcast, Sam Levin (@samlevin) from the Cool Mac Picks show joins us to talk about some Apple news!

News:

• Apple Announces New iPod shuffle
• Apple to Preview iPhone OS 3.0 on March 17th
• Apple Netbook Touchscreen Rumors Continue
• ‘Premium’ App Store Rumors Revived
• iTunes 8.1 Now Available
• Final Cut Studio Update Due in Late April?

Sam’s Cool Mac/App Pick of the week:

• LaCie iamaKey USB Flash Drive
• AirPhones (iTunes Link)

Review: MiMo Displays
A single USB connection from your computer gets you an instant secondary (tertiary, quaternary, quinary…) display. This awesome display is perfect for your IM client, your email, a spreadsheet, or your Photoshop tools. Not only do these displays enhance productivity, but they look great. The single USB connection combined with a weight of 1.3 pounds means these displays are ultra-portable. Overall, for the size and power, the MiMo is great for a IM window, or Twitter, but with a 24″ monitor at home in my case, I found it not very useful after the different compared to the 24″ monitor.

Don’t forget about Speck’s MacBook Air SeeThru discount!

Host/Executive Producer: Daniel Brusilovsky (@danielbru)
Associate Producer: Sam Levin (@samlevin)
Length: 30:09

Sponsors:

• shinywhitebox – Great software for Mac. The makers of iShowU, Stomp and now Chatter!

If you would like to sponsor Apple Universe, contact the Sales team at .

Theme Music is provided by Daphna Kalfon. Apple Universe is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network and the Teen Podcasters Network.

USA — February 24, 2009 — Universal Electronic Accessories (“Uniea”), a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative electronic accessories, announced today that Barnes & Noble, one of the largest online retailers of consumer products of all kinds, is now offering Uniea’s full product line to customers through its far-reaching website. Uniea’s cases and accessories are available through the Barnes & Noble website at books.com, and are featured in both the home and gift sections under the “electronics” categories. To date, this strategic partnership between the two companies has been highly successful, netting impressive U.S. sales results for Uniea in the first quarter of 2009.

The addition of Barnes & Noble as a key sales partner for Uniea follows the company’s steady and impressive efforts in recent months to significantly expand its exposure to various markets globally and forge new distribution alliances with key vendors. Earlier in the year, Uniea announced new ties with both Navarre and Tech Data, two of the largest distributors of consumer electronic products, as well as with the Japanese distributor Focal Point (site in Japanese).

Given the fact that Barnes & Noble remains one of the most popular and successful online retail stores, sales in the U.S. are expected to climb throughout the fiscal year 2009, according to a Uniea spokesperson.

In this episode of the Apple Universe Podcast, Daniel talks about what got announced at the Apple Media Only “Lets Rock” event.

• iPhone 2.1 Firmware Now Available
• iPhone 2.1 Jailbroken
• PwnageTool and QuickPwn for 2.1 iPhone’s released
• iPhone app sales growing at twice the rate of iTunes music
• iTunes 8 causes Windows Vista BSOD
• Analyst trims Apple estimates, says Air seeing decreased demand
• 2nd Generation iPod Touch Does Work With Microphone
• iTunes 8: HD TV Shows, Grid View, Genius Playlists, NBC
• iPhone Dev Team Portal

This week, Daniel reviewed Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac. Parallels received 4 out of 5 starts on the Apple Universe Podcast!

Sponsors:

• shinywhitebox – Great software for Mac. The makers of iShowU, Stomp and now Chatter!
• Skitch – The best screen capture program for the Mac!

If you would like to sponsor Apple Universe, contact the Sales team at .

Theme Music is provided by Daphna Kalfon. Apple Universe is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network and the Teen Podcasters Network.

In this episode of the Apple Universe Podcast, Daniel talks about the rumors that may be either proved legit or be busted at Apple’s iPod-focused event this Tuesday.

• Patent applications hint to a future beyond multi-touch: voice, gaze, facial expression recognition – MacRumors
• Most likely no subscription plans from iTunes – CNet
• Imagination Technologies licenses PowerVR graphics cores to Apple or other unknown company – MacRumors
• Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Microsoft Founder Bill Gates star in “Shoe Circus” TV ad spot
  
• Apple continues to seed OS X 10.5.5 developer releases – MacRumors
• Engadget leaks photo of 4th-gen iPod Nano in packaging – MacRumors
• iTunes 8.0 and iPhone/iPod Touch 2.1 firmware coming September 9th? – MacRumors
• Let’s Rock event banners displayed at Yerba Buena Center – MacRumors

This week, Daniel reviewed the Davis & Sanford Provista W/75MM C BALL FM18 head pro video tripod made by Tiffen. Daniel gave the Davis & Sanford tripod 5 out of 5, a Apple Universe Podcast first!

Sponsors:

• shinywhitebox – Great software for Mac. The makers of iShowU, Stomp and now Chatter!
• Skitch – The best screen capture program for the Mac!

If you would like to sponsor Apple Universe, contact the Sales team at .

Theme Music is provided by Daphna Kalfon. Apple Universe is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network and the Teen Podcasters Network.

According to numerous Apple-themed sites, including MacRumors, Gizmodo, ArsTechnica and Kevin Rose are reporting that on September 9, Apple will hold an event to announce some new products. MacRumors is reporting saying that upcoming 4th Gen iPod Nano’s and 2nd Generation iPod Touch’s and iTunes 8 will be announced.

There also has been a new post reporting that the iPod Nano and iPod touch are expected to see revisions, and long standing MacBook and MacBook Pro rumors point to revised case designs (MacBook, MacBook Pro) that adopt an aluminum/tapered look.

Whether or not this is true is unknown, but we will be keeping up-to date following MacRumors, AppleInsider, and other sites.

UPDATE: Apple is scheduled to have a media event, called “Let’s Rock,” on Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco. For SMS coverage, head over to MacRumors.

Apple Universe #105 Topics:

On February 25th, Apple released new MacBook and MacBook Pro’s. The new MacBook Pro’s incorporate the MacBook Air multi-touch trackpad.

Apple has released the 1.1.4 Firmware update for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Notes:
- No Flash support
- iToner 1.0.6 still works
- ZiPhone may work, but the developer warns not to upgrade as it hasn’t been tested.
- Text message ordering fixed, according to one report
- Camera works better for some
- Fixes Bluetooth connectivity

On Monday February 25, Adobe released Adobe AIR and Flex 3. Adobe AIR, a new platform for building rich internet applications across different platforms, including Mac OS X.

Apple announced that iTunes had become the number 2 music retailer in the U.S., behind only Wal-Mart.

Sponsors:

•GoToMeeting – www.gotomeeting.com/techpodcasts – web conferencing solution that will revolutionize how you communicate with your business associates, family and friends.

If you would like to sponsor Apple Universe, contact the Sales team at .

Theme Music is provided by Daphna Kalfon.

Apple Universe is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network.