Tag: music

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Apple Gift Cards (2022)

This set of Apple Gift Cards each features a different design. According to Apple, gift cards can be used for:

“Products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more. This gift card does it all. And then some.”

Beginning in 2021, this style of Apple Gift Card was sold with an included “collectible sticker.” According to an Apple Support article:

“The front of your Apple Gift Card shows a colorful Apple logo on a white background. The gift card is inside a sleeve, and the Apple logo is a collectible sticker. The pattern might look different from the image that you see here, because Apple Gift Cards are available with a range of designs. Use your Apple Gift Card at an Apple Store to buy products and accessories. Or redeem it in the App Store and use it for apps, subscriptions like Apple Music or iCloud+, purchases from apple.com, and more.”

In the early 2020s, Apple Gift Card scams were somewhat common. In 2022, 9to5Mac described a common pattern for such a scam:

“A victim receives a phone call from someone claiming to work for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They are told that there is a problem with their tax filing, and that unless the matter is resolved immediately, they face arrest. When asked how to arrange payment, victims are asked to buy Apple gift cards…and then pass the details to the caller.”

As of March 2023, Apple’s Gift Card website includes multiple references to potential scams. Apple also had a page describing gift card scams: “Be aware of scams involving Apple Gift Cards, App Store & iTunes Gift Cards, and Apple Store Gift Cards.” Further, each printed gift card includes the warning: “Beware of gift card scams. Do not share your code.”

Source: Apple (gift cards, support, scams), 9to5Mac

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Apple iPod from HP (iPod Generation 4, 20GB, 2004)

On January 9, 2004, HP’s then-CEO, Carly Fiorina, announced an “iPod+HP” partnership between Apple and HP. The first iPod+HP device was this Generation 4 iPod, available with 20GB and 40GB of storage. Three more iPod+HP models were added during the partnership, including iPod mini, iPod photo, and iPod shuffle.

During her speech at the Consumer Electronics Show, Fiorina announced the partnership and held up an example Generation 4 iPod+HP device, reporting that the Apple iPod from HP would be sold in a custom “HP blue” color, a powdery shade of blue resembling the color of faded denim. Based upon the demo unit she held, the iPod front and scroll wheel were blue, while the back remained polished chrome. When the iPod+HP device was released, it was not offered in blue, but remained white. However, the back of the device was engraved with the Apple logo, the word “iPod,” and the “HP invent” logo.

According to the Stories of Apple website, “this was the first (and only) iPod license ever allowed: Apple would manufacture a version of the iPod for HP and the iTunes software would be pre-installed on all HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario computers.” The partnership was not successful and was terminated after 18 months.

Regarding the iPod+HP design and functionality, the device was very similar to the Apple iPod Generation 4 sold by Apple at the time. According to EveryMac: “There is extremely little difference between Windows-compatible Apple iPods and the corresponding models that were offered from Hewlett-Packard. Each are identicial except HP added an HP logo below the Apple logo on the back of each player and shipped their models in a box that matched the design of other HP products.”

This model originally contained a 20GB or 40GB 4200RPM ATA-66 hard drive that could hold 5,000 or 10,000 songs. It uses a ClickWheel for navigation and has a 2-inch grayscale screen at 160×128 resolution. Its battery supported up to 12 hours of continuous music playback with features including Shuffle, voice record, games, and an alarm clock.

Perhaps to make up for the inexplicably non-blue iPod color offering, HP used its extensive printer and printing accessory experience to sell “HP printable tattoos” for the iPod. An HP press release reported, “Digital music enthusiasts can now personalize the look of their Apple iPod from HP as easily as they customize their playlists with the launch of HP Printable Tattoos.” The stickers were butterfly-shaped and included both pre-printed designs and blank sheets so “digital music enthusiasts” could design their own iPod skins.

This iPod+HP model originally contained a 20GB hard drive; however, this device has been retrofitted with a new battery and flash memory storage.

My collection also includes this same model with the original hard drive intact. This iPod is in slightly worse condition than the example shown here. I acquired the non-retrofitted iPod in late 2023.

Sources: EveryMac (FAQ, specifications), Wikipedia, iLounge, HP, Stories of Apple

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Let them learn by doing. Introducing iLife ’08 and iWork ’08. Apple Education brochure (2007)

This large, full-color brochure measures 11×17 inches and folds out into a 2-up layout with a total measurement of 22×17 inches. The brochure was provided to Apple Education customers and explains how iWork ’08 and iLife ’08 could be used in the classroom.

The cover includes three students using white MacBook notebooks with USB science probes in a classroom. Upon opening the brochure, the first spread is a striking photo of a teacher working with a student with an all-black facing page with white text (in the then-current Apple Myriad font). The text reads:

“There has never been a more exciting time to be an educator, because there have never been so many creative ways to connect with students. When you bring movies, music, and photography into the classroom, amazing things happen. Core subjects come to life; students are more inspired to communicate and collaborate; and without even realizing it, they get an enormous head start with 21st-century skills. We believe that creativity is the key to unlocking every child’s genius, and that media-rich learning is the key to greater creativity. The time has come to reimagine what’s possible, and to redefine our expectations. Rethink.”

The center, 2-page spread is on an all-white background and outlines six features of iLife ’08 pictured along with a white MacBook. The text reads:

“Grab their attention, and don’t let go: Introducing iLife ’08. Incredibly easy tools for incredibly amazing schoolwork. Meet iLife ’08, a fully integrated suite of digital authoring tools—iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb and iDVD. Together, they let students create amazing projects such as photo books, slideshows, documentary movies, podcasts, music, and more. The tools all work together beautifully and couldn’t be more intuitive: learn just one, and you’ll soon master them all. iLife ’08 is simple enough to build confidence in kindergartners, yet powerful enough to engage the most media-savvy high schoolers—not to mention teachers and parents…”

The third and final spread, also on an all-white background, features iWork ’08 and a photo of a silver iMac. Its text reads:

“Productivity has a new best friend: Introducing iWork ’08. Simple, powerful tools that teach students real-world skills. Meet Keynote, Pages, and Numbers- otherwise known as iWork ’08. Whether you want to create cinema-quality presentations, exciting reports, or visually compelling spreadsheets, iWork ’08 themes give you a giant head start. Even the most dynamic features-from charts to movies to animation-can be added to projects in a flash, and you can easily import from and export to Microsoft Office and AppleWorks…”

The back of the brochure uses the headline “Inspiration enclosed.” It features product boxes of iWork ’08 and iLife ’08 and includes Site License pricing and contact information.

Source: Apple

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iPod shuffle (Generation 2, light blue, Late 2007)

This Generation 2 iPod shuffle released in Late 2007 was identical to the previous Early 2007 Generation 2 iPod shuffle, except they were available in silver and four new colors: light blue, light green, purple, and Special Edition (PRODUCT) RED. This example is light blue.

The Generation 2 iPod shuffle (Late 2007) model also added a new 2 GB model.

This iPod shuffle measured 1.07 inches tall, 0.98 inches wide, and 0.33 inches deep and included a built-in clip for easily attaching the iPod to clothing. All iPod shuffle models lack a display. This model incuded 1 GB of flash memory to hold approximately 240 songs.

A small USB dock shipped with this iPod shuffle that used the headphone jack to connect to power and synchronize music. Its battery lasted for about 12 hours.

Source: Everymac

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iPod shuffle (Generation 2, orange, Early 2007)

The Generation 2 iPod shuffle released in Early 2007 was identical to the previous silver Generation 2 iPod shuffle, except four colors were added: orange, green, blue, and pink. This example is orange. The The Generation 2 iPod shuffle (Early 2007) also shipped with revised earbuds that no longer included foam ear caps.

This iPod shuffle measured close to a square inch at 1.07 inches tall, 0.98 inches wide, and 0.33 inches deep. It included a built-in clip for easily attaching the iPod to clothing. All iPod shuffle models lack a display. This model incuded 1 GB of flash memory to hold approximately 240 songs.

A small USB dock shipped with this iPod shuffle that used the headphone jack to connect to power and synchronize music. Its battery lasted for about 12 hours.

Source: Everymac

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iPod shuffle (original, 512 MB, 2005)

The original iPod shuffle featured 512 MB or 1.0 GB of flash memory in a 3.3 by 0.98 by 0.33-inch case with an integrated USB connector. Like all iPod shuffle models, it lacked a display. The name of the iPod refers to its ability to shuffle among the 120 or 240 songs its capable of storing.

Like other iPod models, the shuffle can be used to store files other than music files, a feature that worked particularly well on the original shuffle with its integrated USB port.

The original iPod shuffle shipped with a white lanyard and a cap.

Source: EveryMac.com