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Gizmag: The name McIntosh Labs has been synonymous with outstanding audio quality for more than 60 years and its iconic MC275 tube amp certainly left its mark on me when I first encountered one many moons ago. Hot on the heels of the MX121 audio/video control center featuring Apple’s AirPlay wireless technology released earlier this year, the company has launched the McAire free-standing personal music system that allows a new generation of discriminating consumers to stream audio from an iTunes library on a Mac or PC – or music from an iDevice – over an existing home network. (more…)

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Engadget: Apple and HTC might be at each other’s throats in court, but they’re living in peace and harmony in Pioneer’s world. The fresh new SMA wireless speaker line supports both Apple’s AirPlay format and HTC Connect-certified DLNA to take audio over WiFi no matter whether it’s coming from an iPhone or a One S. (more…)

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Akihabara News: Now you can control and enjoy music, navigation and other smartphone apps safely while on the move. With the first MirrorLink™ compatible in-car AV centre head unit from Sony, you’re always in touch with your digital world while you’re behind the wheel. (more…)

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Gizmodo: iHome is bringing a handful of new clock docks to CES 2012, including the new iW4 complete with built-in Wi-fi and even an ethernet port, allowing you to wake up to your music streamed over AirPlay. (more…)

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DVICE: Apple completely overhauled its iPod line while also showing off coming updates to iOS, promising impressive new features for iPhones and iPod Touches. Besides completely redesigned versions of the iPod Shuffle and Nano, Apple unveiled iOS 4.1, which introduces a Game Center, a new system that will tie iOS users together in a network similar to Xbox Live. But wait, there’s more!

iOS 4.1: With Game Center, you have two lists: a list of games that go through Game Center, and a list of friends that you can play said games with. If you’ve used Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network, the features here will be familiar. You can invite people to play games with you, and you earn achievements for accomplishments in-game. Developers will be able to build Game Center into their games, so don’t be surprised if most big games from now on use it. Luckily, it’s free. Look for the iOS 4.1 update to drop next week.

The update will (hopefully) fix some proximity sensor problems on the iPhone 4 and add some HDR photo support, and — this is really cool — the ability to upload HD video wirelessly. That’ll come in handy for the iPod Touch’s new HD video camera (which you can read about down below). Sorry, iPad users — this ain’t for you. Keep reading to see what you’re getting.

iOS 4.2 Apple also offered a glimpse of iOS 4.2, which will land in November and be geared toward the iPad and improving AirTunes. AirTunes will now be AirPlay, and will allow you to stream music, videos, photos and what-have-you right to your iOS device.

We may hear more as we get closer to its release, but right now the only other exciting addition will be wireless printing. That’s right: you’ll now be able to print from, say, an iPad using Pages, over your home network.

iPod Shuffle: The other big tidbit that Apple has dropped is the announcement of a super cheap, ultra compact iPod Shuffle. For only $50, you’ll get 4GB worth of music storage and a clickwheel much like on the Shuffle’s larger cousins, though no screen. It’s nice to see that the clickwheel is back — the previous Shuffle felt a little bit like a shot in the dark without any real controls.

iPod Nano: The Nano has been my iPod of choice since it came out, and it’s looking good with the latest refresh. Its new stamp-like body is all display and no body thanks to the addition of a multi-touch screen. So for $150 you get a touchscreen Nano with with 8GB of storage ($180 for 16GB) in any of four colors and a sleek new interface.

iPod Touch: There’s also a new, slimmer iPod Touch on the way. It’s still mostly the Touch you know and/or love, though now it’s got a rear camera for HD video recording and a front-facing cam that can make FaceTime calls between other iPod Touches and iPhone 4s over Wi-Fi. There are three models: $230 gets you 8GB, 32GB for $300 and a 64GB unit for $400.

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Electronista: Fans of the iPod Touch who felt left out due to last week’s launch of the iPhone 3G S, take heart: there’s a new device on the way. In the BlueTool initialization script in the iPhone 3.0 firmware there are mentions of a new iPod Touch called “iPod3,1.”

Given that the current generation is referred to as “iPod2,1″ it would seem to indicate that Apple has a new version in the works. It’s too soon to say what the new iPod Touch will look like or what its feature will be, but rumours point to a camera that takes video as being a likely addition. Other rumours indicate a larger screen, new wireless features, a digital compass, and GPS.

While fans would love to see more iPhone-like functionality in the new device, Apple has to make sure it doesn’t give too much away: make the iPod too much similar to the iPhone and it removes much of the reason to buy an iPhone. Apple’s last upgrade to the Touch line came last September, thus it would seem reasonable to assume that the next one would be this coming September. You can be sure more info will slowly come out in the months to come.

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BBC: Apple has unveiled what it calls a “major update” to the operating system that drives the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Some of the 100 new features included in the update replicate those already offered by other smart phones.

The new functions include cut, copy and paste, long demanded by iPhone users, picture messaging and an in-phone search feature, but not Flash video.

“The upgrade is a big big deal and will help persuade consumers to stay with Apple,” said Gartner analyst Van Baker. “While things like copy and paste and multi-media messaging (MMS) are things they have needed to do for a while, other features will in essence stop consumers buying other smartphones and raise the amount of money people spend on the iPhone, ” he said.

Analyst Gene Munster from Piper Jaffray agreed that the upgrade was a major step forward. “We believe Apple addressed key issues that were leading some consumers to competing devices for multimedia messaging and enterprise email.”

Some of the other main features Apple highlighted for consumers include a voice memo and stereo Bluetooth. A new search tool called Spotlight to allow users to search files and applications on the iPhone or iPod Touch.

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TrustedReviews: So the iPhone 3G is out and endless rumours of a new model can be put to bed for now, which means I’m not at all surprised to see the iPod speculation has begun in full force.

Talk of both a new iPod Touch and iPod Nano are gathering momentum with the former showing up in the latest firmware 2.1 beta courtesy of a code reference to “iPod2,1″. Obviously the touch is the only model which can share the iPhone firmware so the conclusion seems pretty solid.

What could we reasonably expect? GPS would be most likely along with possibly a 64GB version and reduced RRPs to counter the iPhone 3G’s new subsidised pricing.

Next iLounge claims to have info from that most infamous of sources ‘the reliable insider’ who claims the new nano will have a larger screen with an iPhone/iPod touch matching widescreen aspect ratio. The decision will mean the nano looks slimmer and more stretched this time around and closer to its original form.

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HiddenWires: SpeakerCraft, America’s original manufacturer of in-wall speakers is pleased to announce the release of a new interface for its award-winning MODE multi-room A/V control system. It allows the Apple iPhone or iPod Touch to be used as a wireless remote with control of all sources and routing accessed on the touch screen through an intuitive GUI.

The system operates through the home’s wireless data network via a wired port on the user’s wireless router. “The connection is very easy to set up and there is little or no additional programming required by the installer,” says Jason Craze, SpeakerCraft’s Director of Engineering. “A person can literally walk through their front door, press a single virtual button on the iPhone touch screen and have access to all of their system’s control functions.”

“You can have an unlimited number of iPhones operating your system and even have two simultaneously operating in multiple zones,” said Jeremy Burkhardt, SpeakerCraft’s president. “This is an amazing mass market opportunity for the CEDIA channel.”

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MacNN: Contour Design recently unveiled the iSee for the third generation iPod nano and the iPod touch, a clear plastic case that offers additional dock connector protection.

The iSee features a hinged dock port cover, and a removable, rotating belt clip that has a plug to cover up the mounting holes when the clip is not in use. The iSee for the third generation Nano offers a clear protective film for the touchwheel, and both cases have a second rear case piece so it can have a smooth backing.

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The Register: Audio company Griffin has started shipping its Evolve wireless sound system for iPods, letting users wirelessly wander their homes with miniature ghetto-blaster speakers at their sides.

Evolve consists of a base station, with built-in docking stations for two cube-shaped wireless speakers and a dock for a range of iPod models, including the Touch and 3rd generation Nano.

Music’s broadcast to the speakers over the 900MHz band – the same used by mobile phones in the UK – but Griffin told us it will adapt the product accordingly for the UK, so as not to fall foul of Ofcom’s regulations.

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PMP Today: If you’re hesitant about getting the iPod Touch because it may have problems with the screen, that isn’t just you being paranoid. Apple admitted that some of the early units did go out with defective screens. This piece of information came from a review of the gadget by Walt Mossberg, who says that according to Apple, the problem affects a “small number of units” but that it is being remedied.

No news on the exact number of units affected and how Apple intends to fix this. That’s not surprising really, since a lot of consumers would think twice about getting an iTouch if Apple releases an exact figure of defective units. Similarly, there have been some unconfirmed complaints about dim screens on the iPhones released after the price cut.

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