The latest iPod news concern an update to the fifth-generation iPod Classic firmware. Update 1.3 for fifth-generation iPods is currently available through iTunes. It promises to fix and squash several bugs, superseding all previous firmware versions.

The new release weighs in at about 6.3MB. As mentioned above, fifth-generation iPod owners can download the update via iTunes, which should resolve the issues they've encountered with the device so far, from a software point of view, of course, meaning that if your iPod's battery swells while it is recharging, this won't fix it.

Speaking of which, a Times Online report talks of a 1G iPod shooting out sparks while being recharged by its owner in Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, in January. The report informs that the respective iPod owner was not hurt. This is not the first time something like this has happened, and it's always Li-Ion batteries that malfunction.

The malfunctioning iPod comes from a batch of devices stamped with an MA099J/A serial number, which shipped between September 2005 and September 2006. If that's you, be careful recharging it. Our advice is to stick around the house while the device charges, even if you haven't experienced any issues with it or its battery thus far.

The same report mentions an October 2007 incident, when an airport worker from Georgia claimed that his iPod Nano caught fire in his pocket and then burned for 15 seconds. He had it for one year and a half. Imagine that...!

Apple is still looking into the case, according to the aforementioned source, which means that it isn't confirmed that the story is 100% accurate.

The 1G iPod has been discontinued, so most possible faulty Ipods have already been sold. A Japanese official said, however, that it was not clear how many 1G iPods had been sold.

Remember, you can update your fifth-gen iPod's software now, via iTunes. Version 1.3 contains "bug fixes" and supersedes all previous versions, coming in at around 6.3 MB. You can perform the update through your computer while running iTunes.