Mark Papermaster, who left IBM to join Apple, has countersued IBM after they hit him with a non compete clause in his contract prohibiting him from working for a competitor. Apple had hoped to resolve the problem as they don’t believe they’re a competitor for IBM, as Papermaster was to work on the iPod and iPhone range.

Papermaster joined Apple in the beginning of the month, as the senior vice president of devices hardware engineering. IBM immediately sued saying that Papermaster wasn’t allowed to work for Apple because it breached a contract he had signed in 2006.

The court has ruled that Papermaster had to stop work until the case could be resolved. Papermaster claims that IBM has no case because they are under New York law, and Papermaster isn’t based in NY.

The filing from Papermaster stated:

Mr Papermaster has no substantial relationship to New York, in that he has resided and worked in Texas for the past 17 years, and he is going to work for Apple, which is a California corporation. Both states hold that such non-competition agreements are unenforceable as a matter of public policy.

With thefts of iPods, iPhones and other technological gadgets escalating worldwide, Apple might have an answer to help curb those thefts in the shape of a ‘kill switch’. This would allow Apple to disable an iPod remotely so that it couldn’t be used, meaning the appeal for thieves to steal them wouldn’t be so strong.

Currently Apple requests private information from the user whenever they purchase something through iTunes, so that they can tie an iPod to an individual. This has obvious data protection problems, with Apple knowing an awful lot of information about the iPod user, but the advantages could be worth the risks.

With many iPods reported stolen every year, Apple could block the iPods from buying or updating their music from iTunes if they were supplied with the serial number. Apple would, in theory, also be able to track the location of the stolen iPod by identifying the IP address of the computer that was accessing iTunes.

Apple refused to comment on whether they had this technology available to them at present. However, Apple supremo, Steve Jobs, announced the ‘kill switch’ technology with the last version of the iPod, which allows any malicious or harmful application on an iPod to be ‘terminated’ if deemed harmful.

Many experts argue that if Apple has this technology, they should be able to kill the iPod as well, if it is reported stolen.

The real problem may be the cost of such an exercise though, as there have been over 100 million iPods sold since 2001.

Josh Martin is a consumer electronics analyst:

“This type of security is probably not the top priority for Apple. While securing data is important, the fear of theft is ever-present. While Apple has done a bit on the ‘remote kill’ side on the iPhone, it was not done with the intention of securing data if a device is lost or stolen. I don’t see Apple, or anyone for that matter, being able to create a solution to someone looking to steal.”

If you’re a Nintendo fan (and they have a lot of hardcore Nintendo Fanboys) you’ll be interested to know that Nintendo is embarking on a UK tour to promote the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in the run up to Christmas. The tour will allow fans, and people thinking of getting a Wii or DS, to play some upcoming Nintendo games that are due out towards Christmas.

The new games Wii Music and Animal Crossing will be demoed by Wii professionals, plus you’ll be able to play some classic games such as Mario Kart, the Wii Fit and Nintendogs.

Don’t fret if you’re already a DS Lite owner as you’ll also find something from the tour for you. DS owners can download exclusive games from the tour.

There are also prizes on offer, including holidays and indoor skiing days. The dates for the tour are:

The Wii Christmas Tour 2008:

Derby: 30th October-2nd November
Toys For Big Boys, Dublin: 6th-9th November
Lakeside, Thurrock: 13th-16th November
Manchester, Arndale: 20th-23rd November
Braehead, Glasgow: 27th-30th November
MetroCentre, Gateshead: 4th-7th December
Highcross, Leicester: 11th-14th December
Westquay, Southampton: 18th-21st December

The Nintendo DS Christmas Tour 2008

Ilac, Dublin: 23rd-26th October
St. Davids, Cardiff: 30th October-2nd November
Westfields, London: 6th-9th November
Braehead, Glasgow: 13th-16th November
MetroCentre, Gateshead: 20th-23rd November
Meadowhall, Sheffield: 27th-30th November
Bluewater, Kent: 3rd-7th December
Churchill Square, Brighton: 11th-14th December
Highcross, Leicester: 18th-21st December

With crimes against teens for their mobile phones and MP3 players on the up in the UK, the USA is also experiencing a similar rise. iPods in particular are a sought after loot as they are small, recognisable and easy to pass on for a decent price.

Anyone that steals an iPod won’t have any problems in selling it later.

Earlier this week in San Diego, two men threatened to shoot a teenager in order to steal his iPod from him, such was their desire to make some quick cash from the robbery. The teen in question was 16, and was on his way home from school at 3pm in Carlsbad, North County.

Two men drove up to the teen as he made his way home, listing to his iPod, and jumped out of the car demanding he hand over his music player. The teenager cried for help, prompting the men to threaten to shoot him.

Luckily for the teen, the men fled leaving him unharmed. Police later caught the two men, identified as Robby Leverton, 27, and Michael Leone, 23.

This again shows the dangers of listening to your iPod in public. You need to be wary of who is around you and what is happening. Don’t flash your latest MP3 player around like a status symbol because you could be attracted some unwanted attention.

One of the leading manufacturers of mp3 players SanDisk recently announced that the company will promote DRM-free music from more than 50 new and emerging artists on a microSD card. It is a U.S.-based program and is the first of its kind to use microSD cards. It helps launch the new 8GB (gigabyte) Sansa Fuze MP3 player. The “Sansa Sessions” microSD card comprises of a collection of rock, pop, and hip hop songs, music videos, and photos from more than 30 labels. It includes artists like All Time Low, Ladytron, Magnet, Nada Surf, Of Montreal and The Coup.
It is an innovative medium for music distribution and great exposure for artists, said Matt Lunsford, the co-president of Polyvinyl Record Co. He also added saying that such a promotion benefits everybody who is involved, aligning the interests of the musician, label and consumer. The Sansa Sessions music card gives users a simple way to enjoy, manage, and discover new music. The company is of view that artists usually want to give their fans an easy and legal way to experience and share their music, while labels are looking for a form of physical distribution with more usability than the CD. This session promotion is a great opportunity for them to explore this new format and gives both artists and labels a glimpse of the potential for music distribution in this medium.

Independent film studios are all geared up to provide exclusive content to a discerning customer base across the globe. And in similar attempts Lionsgate just announced their recent deal with Apple. The independent film studio is working out a deal with Apple. Copies of the DVD will be available for iPod and iPhone users. The best part of this venture is that the copies can be legitimately imported into iTunes for playback on a Mac, PC, iPod, iPhone or even an Apple TV.

Lionsgate plans on releasing the latest Rambo flick for the debut. The debut will be the special edition DVD and Blu-ray version set for US release in May. According to sources, even The Eye is scheduled for a summer release. But this is just the start of a new revolution. Apple will deliver numerous additional Lionsgate films on DVD in the coming months. This sets a new benchmark for the combination of packaged media and new digital technology. With over 12,000 titles Lionsgate has found the perfect way to market and sell its products. Well if you are wondering how it works, it’s really simple. All you, as a customer need to do is insert the CD, enter a unique code into iTunes, and the movie is automatically copied to their iTunes library. Its that simple, all you need is an iTunes account!

Telecast has announced the release of its latest portable media player named M25. This 7.9-millimeter thick body sports a 2.4-inch QVGA screen that displays pictures and videos at 320 x 240 high resolutions.

Available in 2GB, 4GB and 8 GB storage capacity, this PMP supports various audio and video formats including MP3, APE, FLAC, AAC, WAV, AVI, RM and RMVB.

Telecast’s latest portable media player includes built-in FM tuner that allows listeners to stay in touch with the latest news and listen to their favourite shows on radio.

The built-in recorder allows users to create high quality recording, plus the text viewer enables them to view their document on the go. Available in black and white versions, this media player boasts PlayFX sound enhancement, producing high quality audio output.

We have recently introduced some new Nintendo DS packs and accessories to our online store. The latest accessories include screen protectors and desktop charging cradles. These products are ideal for Nintendo DS lovers who spend lots of time playing the loveable handheld console. If you are interested in any of these products why not take a look at our toys and games page.