Apple will kill off its iPod shuffle and iPod classic lines to instead focus on the iPod touch and iPod nano, TUAW reported recently. The rumor follows early speculation by CNET, which noted just 8% of Apple’s fourth quarter 2010 revenue was from iPod sales. Typically, Apple unveils its new iPod family in the fall of each year. However, an invitation to Apple’s October 4th press conference suggests the iPhone will be the star of this year’s show. In addition, we have heard numerous reports t...

According to new projections issued by market research firm NPD Group, Apple is poised to break its previous quarterly sales record. For the first time, Apple’s Mac unit sales are set to surpass the 4 million mark, with fourth quarter totals expected to fall in the range of 4.1 to 4.3 million. Apple’s new MacBook Air will apparently play a big role in Apple’s record-breaking quarter, and early demand for the sleek laptop makes solid sales a foregone conclusion. NPD’s numbers, if met, w...

Apple has made changes to its internal screening process pertaining to iPod liquid damage, a source told BGR. Apple builds a series of Liquid Contact Indicators (LCI) into its iPod line of devices. When these LCIs come in contact with moisture, they become activated. In the event of a warranty claim or other repair, the LCIs indicate to Apple that the device in question may have been affected by a liquid. Employees of Apple Stores and AppleCare Repair Centers then have specific guidelines used in the event li...

According to an iLounge source, the upcoming fourth generation iPod touch will be changing shapes once again. If true, it is said to be more flat than curved, with a flat surface and curved edges; much like the top of your MacBook Pro. Additionally, the back is rumored to not be modeled after the iPhone 4′s all glass surface; so we’re guessing stainless steel or aluminum. There is that much-awaited rear camera, though what’s not clear at this point is a LED flash next to it or a second micro...

The folks over at iLounge stumbled upon some curious info regarding the new iPod Shuffle that has us scratching our heads. We all know the controls for the new Shuffle are on the headphones, but apparently Cupertino decided to make it even more difficult for headphone makers to get in on some Shuffle action. Control of playback and adjustment of volume will not be permitted unless the headphones used are equipped with an Apple authentication chip. D’oh! To further complicate matters, headphones with thi...

Talk about a sneak attack. It’s a little hard to get excited about a new iPod Shuffle but hey, new toys are new toys. The third-generation Shuffle features a completely new design, 4GB of storage and perhaps most notably, the controls have been moved off of the device and onto the headset cord. Cool, yes, but have fun trying to use your current headset with this little guy. The new Shuffle also sports Apple’s “VoiceOver” technology, which essentially is little more than a text-to-speec...