Gear Live has reportedly received a pre-release build of iPhone firmware version 1.1.3. The new firmware features the ability to reorganize home screen icons, the ability to add web links to the home screen, home screen pagination, the ability to send SMS messages to multiple recipients, the new “Locate Me” Google Maps feature which uses cellular triangulation to provide a rough estimate of the user’s current location, and Hybrid…

Our last poll, “Which likely 2008 Apple product are you most excited about?,” has closed. The results were interesting: with 3,957 votes taken, readers appeared to be more excited about more powerful touchscreen devices than anything else. A plurality (41%) voted for “a more powerful touchscreen iPod,” with 21% interested in a “3G iPhone” and 20% interested in a Mac tablet or sub-notebook. Only 11% registered interest…

On behalf of all of the Editors and staff of iLounge, Happy New Year! iLounge will be on a limited publishing schedule over the next two days as we celebrate the holiday. We recommend that you visit several great parts of the site during the break: Our 2008 iPod + iPhone Buyers’ Guide: All of our best iPod, iPhone, and accessory buying advice is summarized here in a completely free PDF file. Read it on your computer, iPhone, or iPod touch! The…

GearLive claims to have spent some time playing with the forthcoming iPhone 1.1.3 firmware update and indicates that this release will bring many new features to the iPhone (and presumably the iPod…

GearLive claims to have spent some time playing with the forthcoming iPhone 1.1.3 firmware update and indicates that this release will bring many new features to the iPhone (and presumably the iPod…

Basically, ActiveFit is a slight rethinking of Speck’s earlier ActiveSport armbands for iPods and nanos, and by slight, there’s really only one twist—literally. ActiveFit is the first iPod armband we can recall that actually mounts the nano on an off-axis angle rather than straight on, making a nice fashion statement in the process. The new design covers the entire nano save for its bottom headphone port, Hold switch, and part of…

There are many visitors out there who have recently become the proud, new owners of shiny, new iPhones and iPod touches over the holiday season. To all of you: welcome! It’s a wonderful sort of…

What a difference a little bit of extra time and thought can make. Nike has had some ups and downs with its iPod Sport Armbands, but the latest version—specific to the video-ready iPod nano—is dramatically improved from the prior Nike+ Sport Armband, which shipped without any ability to see the nano’s screen. The new version includes clear plastic screen and control access, nearly complete body protection, Nike + iPod Sport Kit compatibility,…

Of all of the armbands we look at today, the Sport Armbands are unquestionably the most generic. Rather than aggressively rethinking the nature or look of an iPod armband, Capdase has gone with an age-old design—a black neoprene enclosure with a non-detachable matching armband for use during workouts. A clear plastic face protector covers each iPod’s screen and controls completely, while the remaining neoprene has a large rear slit for…

Once in a while, something really cheap-looking shows up for testing, and we find it hard to assign a rating because it’s also really inexpensive. Such is the case with the Dual SlimSkin and Armband set, a budget-priced third-generation iPod nano rubber case with a detachable armband, cleaning cloth, and film screen protector. Sold in black and gray or two-toned pink, the cases’ matching adjustable armbands take inspiration from Apple’s…