NBC iTunes Downloads Top 1 Million Since

Lots of great things were revealed at the Let’s Rock event this month. We received updated iPods, saw the unveiling of iTunes 8, and another highlight was Steve Jobs’ announcement that NBC would be returning to iTunes. Naturally, the news was received with much enthusiasm by NBC fans, and I quickly went to download some of the classic TV shows on my MacBook Pro, such as The A Team and Alfred Hitchcock. iTunes users flocked to the NBC offerings since the announcement, as NBC shows have been downloaded over one million times. Now, that’s impressive.

Taking the stage at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Steve Jobs announced the arrival of HD TV shows on the iTunes Store. Not surprisingly, the shows were priced at $2.99 a piece. "We're adding new content to iTunes. HD TV shows,” Jobs said. “You can buy them for $1.99 in SD, HD will be $2.99... and you can watch them on your computer." But Apple also revealed that NBC was returning to the iTunes Store with its most popular shows, some of them in HD.

Relations between Apple and NBC have been strained since 2007, following the duo's disagreement when trying to settle on the pricing for the TV shows. However, George Kliavkoff later emphasized that NBC was keen to get its content back up on iTunes. Therefore, Jeff Zucker, President and CEO at NBC Universal, announced the official return of their shows to Apple's iTunes Store on September 9.

World of Apple points out that, before NBC’s pull-out, the company's shows accounted for some 40 percent of all iTunes video sales. It seems NBC is just as popular now, as it was back in 2007, among iTunes users, with Hollywood Reporter stating that over 1 million NBC TV shows have been downloaded through Apple's iTunes Store, since the network's return on September 9.

It is worth noting that a good deal of the 1 million downloads can very well be HD giveaways such as Battlestar Galactica (Season 4), The Office (Season 4), Heroes (Season 2), In Plain Sight (Season 1), Monk (Season 7) and others.

Apple Calls In iPhone 3G Ultracompact USB Power Adapters

Apple has announced that, under certain conditions, the ultracompact Apple USB power adapter’s metal prongs can break off and remain in a power outlet, creating the risk of "electric shock". Therefore, the company has announced the “Ultracompact USB Power Adapter Exchange Program”. Apple will exchange every ultracompact power adapter for a new, redesigned adapter, free of charge, starting October 10.

Apple claims to have received reports of detached prongs involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold. While no injuries have been reported, Apple has determined that the new ultracompact Apple USB power adapters are faulty. Seemingly, the metal parts that go inside the outlet can break off, potentially spawning hazardous situations.

“We have received reports of detached blades involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported,” Apple states on the Support section of its web site. “Customer safety is always Apple’s top priority so [Apple] has voluntarily decided to exchange every ultracompact power adapter for a new redesigned adapter, free of charge,” says the company. According to Apple, the ultracompact USB power adapters were supplied with every iPhone 3G sold in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and several other Latin-American countries.

If you purchased an iPhone 3G in any of these countries, Apple says you're likely to own a faulty ultracompact USB adapter. Even if you have purchased the adapter as a standalone accessory, you may (and should) also use the Adapter Exchange Program. However, if you purchased an Apple Ultracompact USB Power Adapter as a standalone accessory and do not have an iPhone 3G, you will have to contact Apple Support or an Apple Retail Store for a replacement. Replacement adapters have a single green dot on the bottom .

The program kicks off Friday, October 10, 2008. To exchange your current ultracompact Apple USB power adapter for a new one, you can order your replacement unit here. Apple requires that you enter your iPhone 3G serial number. If you don't know where to get it, Apple will tell you how, on the same page. Alternately, you can visit your local Apple Retail Store with the adapter and iPhone 3G in hand to get the adapter replaced.

Source: Softpedia

Sonica Audio release HUSH-RT4 Workstation

Sonica Audio labs has introduced its latest workstation called the HUSH-RT4. The device has Intel Q9950 quad-core processor running at 2.83GHz. the machine also features Corsair memory and more. The system is tested for compatibility with professional audio software.

Tested apps include Pro Tools, Sonar, Live and many more. The workstation is inside a brushed aluminum case and can support dual 30-inch displays.

Maximun number of plug-ins: Available as 4U rack, the HUSH-RT8 is the most powerful audio optimized computer system to date. Record in real time at 32 buffers and run more plug-ins and VST instruments than ever before. Very high performance and EXTREME low latency: 10% CPU utilization, no clicks or pops @ 32 buffers / .7 ms latency / 44.1K / 24 bit audio, when running the THONEX audio benchmark. Capable of addressing up to 32 GB of high speed memory.

Audio Friendly 0 db (A) Graphics by ATI with support for 30" Displays : Ignite your imagination with the technology that makes distant worlds erupt with vibrant textures rendered in High-Definition clarity a reality. The HD3470 is Microsoft Windows XP and VISTA compatible, with awesome power of 40 stream processing units. Unified Video Decoder (UVD) for Blu-ray and HD DVD at full HD 1080p is included. DVI to VGA and HDMI adapters are also included.

Microsoft Windows XP Professional or VISTA tuned for Audio Production: Perfectly tuned for audio production with Microsoft's most stable operating system ever. Any services that are not necessary to the operation of recording, editing and mixing audio, have been either switched off or eliminated, while maintaining compatability with other Windows XP or Vista applications.

RF Wireless Desktop: The 2.4 ghz RF wireless cordless desktop is a perfect match for today's digital studio. Its innovative flatter keyboard design gives you a consistent desktop look as well as an amazingly high level of comfort.

Other features include a wireless keyboard, three 500Gb HDDs, ATI graphics, 4GB of RAM and much more. The OS is Windows XP Pro. The MSRP for the system is $2272.95.

E-ZCharge Dock Wrangles Charge Cords

E-ZCHARGE is a convenient, inexpensive way to cradle cell phones, iPods, and Bluetooths while they charge - with no more long, messy wires to deal with.

“Tangled wires and cords were everywhere in my house and the idea hit me one day when I tripped on one that was lying on the floor,” said Rick Shuster, inventor and founder of the E-ZCHARGE “I then started noticing that my kitchen countertop was neat except for all those wires. I knew I couldn’t be the only one bothered by this. So I asked around and I found a lot of other people had the same annoyance. There’s also a safety benefit to keep long wires away from children and pets who play with and gnaw on these wires.”

E-ZCHARGE is an innovative non-electrical plastic stand that, with commercial-grade heat-resistant, double-sided tape, affixes to the charging module of small personal electronic devices. The excess cord that is on charging devices gets wrapped around the post, and the end of the wire is held in place by a patented hook. It is small at 2”x 21/2”x1/2”, lightweight (1 oz.), travels well, and is inexpensive. It comes in black, white, and grey colors and retails for $9.99.