The Cloud - Cheap UK Wi-Fi for iPod Touch
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The Cloud has announced that it is giving Wi-Fi access to owners of Apple’s new iPod touch in thousands of hotspots across the UK. From Monday, users will be able to use their iPod touch to access the internet and Apple's online iTunes service in Wi-Fi hotspots provided by The Cloud.The new Wi-Fi service, called Cloud Unlimited Music, will be available from Monday 1st October 2007 for £3.99 per month, specifically for iPod touch, and is not subject to any minimum term contract.
Owen Geddes, Group Director of Business Development at The Cloud, commented; “We believe this is a significant step forward in making music, podcasts and video available when, and wherever, people really want it. iPhone users will soon be able to make the most of our Wi-Fi network with O2 and The Cloud when the iPhone is introduced in November and we want to make sure people who have the Wi-Fi enabled iPod touch are able benefit from our network of over 7,500 hotspots too.”
iPod Touch users need to sign-up for the service at www.thecloud.co.uk/ipod, where they can register their individual device for use on The Cloud’s network across the UK and pay for the service. Once a user has registered their device, they are able to connect to any The Cloud Wi-Fi network without complicated usernames and passwords. The service is being introduced in the UK first and will become available in other European markets shortly.
Labels: Apple iPhone
iPhone 1.1.1 Software Update Available
Thursday, September 27, 2007
If you plug your iPhone into iTunes today you will be offered the chance to update your software to version 1.1.1. The main part of the update brings access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, so you can preview, purchase and download your tunes whilst you are out and about. This is a nice feature and one that many users will be pleased to see (promised by Steve back when the iPod touch was announced).This new version adds a lot of new features and fixes including;
- Access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store
- Improved speakerphone and receiver volume
- Home Button double-click shortcut to phone favorites or music controls
- Space bar double-tap shortcut to intelligently insert period and space
- Mail attachments are viewable in portrait and landscape
- Stocks and cities in Stocks and Weather can be re-ordered
- Apple Bluetooth Headset battery status in the Status Bar
- Support for TV Out
- Preference to turn off EDGE/GPRS when roaming internationally
- New Passcode lock time intervals
- Adjustable alert volume
Apple have posted a video showing the new features here.
If you have third party applications installed, then the update is reported to restore your iPhone to its virgin state, removing all the extra apps. An unlocked iPhone seems to be returned right back to its pre-activation state, with no chance of using the various applications to hack again, so I guess it is just a waiting game for some.
Labels: Apple iPhone
New look Apple Store Online hits the UK
You may well have seen it covered elsewhere that the USA online Apple Store got a face lift the other day. Well the new look with rounded corners and blue highlights has now hit the UK. It looks very fresh and is very welcome.Labels: Apple News
Two great iPhone Videos
I stumbled upon these spoof iPhone videos on YouTube. You gotta love them for both their simplicity and unique take. Check them out below.
Labels: Apple iPhone
Apple Newton Revisited or Tablet Mac ?
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
AppleInsider report on a rumour that Apple may be working on a new PDA type device. Supposedly 1.5 times the size of the iPhone, with a high resolution 720x480dpi screen. This next gen device could appear in the first half of 2008 and may even be announced at MacWorld in January.So, could this really be the return of the Newton?
My take on this is that the iPhone is a very Newton-like device anyway. You can schedule calendars, make notes, text, transfer files via Wi-Fi, connect to it via BlueTooth, play music and videos, the list goes on. Of course I would like to see a device like this, and yes it would sell very well indeed, but I think we are more likely to see something a little different.
Another rumour doing the rounds is that of an ultra portable laptop, perhaps a 10-inch or 12-inch offering, very thin, still a clamshell type design, all aluminium and maybe sans hard drive. This may well come to fruition as a totally separate product, but if this Newtonesque device is true, it may well be born as somewhere between these two rumors. Let me explain...
One segment that Apple do not participate in is that of the Tablet PC. I think it unlikely for them to try a PDA device again (once bitten, twice shy), but I do think they would like to do the Tablet PC thing right. Remember the ModBook that generated so much interest, well surely this did not go under the radar of Steve Jobs. Personally, I think we will see a 10-inch, maybe 12-inch Tablet Mac, with a very thin aluminium lid to cover. Full touch screen interface like the iPhone and iPod Touch, but with a more fully fledged version of OS X. This device would allow many of us to travel around very lightly, but still have the power to complete real-world tasks. Solid state memory for storage, somewhere around the 32GB mark and maybe even a small 80GB or 160GB hard drive for saving files too, allowing the solid state to be emptied (apart from OS X of course). Maybe I am dreaming, but I think this is a lot more likely than a device that would be touted as a large iPhone.
Labels: Apple Rumour
iPhone Update - Day 2 usage
After having had and heavily used the iPhone for over 24 hours now, I wanted to bring you a small gallery of images below and an update.Throughout day one I played with the device off and on, pretty much all day, and this morning still had about two or three hours left. Because I was due to go out, I had to charge the battery for an hour. I did this off the mains charger, rather than my Macs USB port and for the first time I got a full charge. The iPhone can display the usage of your device and lets you know how long the battery has lasted since its last full charge. Strange this was that I had it plugged into my Mac for about six hours, and although the battery icon showed full, it did not register as full.
Anyway, that small discovery out of the way I headed out. During today I took a few calls and at lunchtime logged onto a wi-fi hotspot with no problem at all. As I mentioned in my last iPhone related post, EDGE is very slow, but my outside wi-fi experience was superb, nice and fast, just how it should be. I also used Meebo for the first time properly today. This is a web based chat client that uses your AIM, Yahoo, MSN, Google, ICQ or Jabber account, to enable you to do instant messaging. Nice thing is that you can use it on any computer, but it also has a really nice iPhone interface. You can see an image of how a chat looks below (with names private bits deleted). It works very well, and you can easily flick between various conversations.
Using Meebo also showed me just how good the on-screen iPhone keyboard is. Yes, you can hit the wrong keys every now and again, but you have to just trust it and every time (in my experience) it auto-corrected every time with the right word. It took me until today to get used to the keyboard, but trust me you will love it.
To finish off my day I took in a quick cartoon. Wow, the screen really does rock. Colours are bright and vivid, with nice crisp lines. As I headed back to the office to take the photos for the gallery below, I realised that I had used my iPhone for eight hours without the need to use headphones. The big satisfaction was that it had not let me down once, the only sad thing was that not one passer-by had asked me about it, even when I was laughing at a cartoon in the coffee shop.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Reviews
Intego releases FileGuard X4 - protect yourself!
Intego, the Macintosh security specialist, today released FileGuard X4, a data protection program that stores sensitive files in virtual safes. Using industry-standard, unbreakable encryption, FileGuard X4 allows Mac users to protect personal and confidential documents, and be sure that hackers or data-thieves will never be able to access them.FileGuard X4's safes are not only secure; they are also portable. Users can store safes on file servers or external disks, and can keep them on home or office Macs with no risk of anyone opening them. They can even send FileGuard X4 safes to friends, family or colleagues, who can access files contained in those safes, as long as they have the password, even if they don't have FileGuard X4 software. FileGuard X4 can create safes of any size, for any kind of document, and also create special safes to protect e-mail and instant messaging transcripts.
FileGuard X4's safes are accessible from the Finder, and open with a double-click. Safes act like folders; users can add files to them by simply dragging files to a safe’s icon. Safes have floating avatars, unique icons that display above other windows, so users can drag files to them regardless of which other windows are visible. Users can access safes from the Intego menu, located in the Mac OS X menu bar, and from standard Open and Save dialogs.
“Everyone has sensitive and confidential files on their Mac, whether personal or business documents,” said Laurent Marteau, CEO of Intego. “Securing these files is essential, especially for people who use laptops. FileGuard X4 provides the most flexible solution for protecting sensitive files on a Mac.”
Features of FileGuard X4 are numerous and include;
• Stores sensitive files in secure virtual safes
• Industry-standard encryption makes safes unbreakable
• Users can create as many safes as they need
• A different password can be set for each safe
• Safes can be created by drag-and-drop, or from the Intego menu
• Safes increase in capacity as more files are added
• Safes can be changed in size, or compressed to save space
• Safes can be opened by a simple double-click in the Finder
Intego FileGuard X4 is available now from Intego’s website, for £34.95, $49.95 or €41.76.
Labels: Mac Software
D-Link Add 500 Channels to DSM-520 Media Player
Today D-Link announced it has expanded the capabilities of digital media adapters (DMAs) by adding more than 200 channels of Internet TV to its best-selling MediaLounge(TM) Wireless HD Media Player (DSM-520), a wireless device that allows users to enjoy videos, music, photos and more from a PC on a TV using a simple remote control.More than 200 online channels serving millions of Internet videos are brought to the TV by the D-Link HD MediaLounge Player using active-TV technology, a new service that allows easy access to Internet video and entertainment sites with a remote control.
The active-TV line-up includes programming from 36 U.S. channels, offering movies and music videos, radio stations, sports, news entertainment and shopping. In addition to YouTube, some of the notable channels include: Comedy Central, AOL Video, CinemaNow, Google Video, Movielink, ROOtv Music Videos, Akimbo, MTV, Musicmatch, Napster, VH1, ESPN, FOX Sports, MSN TV Today, Reuters News, Yahoo! Sports and eBay.
The new Internet TV lineup also includes international programming from 14 countries, including the BBC and other networks from the United Kingdom, along with digital entertainment from Australia, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Poland and Taiwan.
The D-Link MediaLounge with expanded Internet programming is now shipping. Existing DSM-520 customers will receive a free upgrade to their products that will allow them to access the new channels. The upgrade is available now for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP and Windows Vista(TM) operating systems.
"Our MediaLounge Player has revolutionized the way people receive and watch digital entertainment. Now you can expand your viewing beyond the PC and bring a vast amount of Internet TV directly to your living room," said Steven Joe, President and CEO of D-Link Systems, Inc. "There are other media players out there, but they only provide limited programming. With D-Link's MediaLounge player, the channel line up is already far-reaching
and continually expanding."
To learn more about the D-Link DSM-520 MediaLounge Player and for a complete list of programming, please visit http://www.dlink.com/activetv.
Price and Availability
Firmware enabling active-TV technology is free of charge to existing DSM-520 customers and will be available Oct. 4, 2007 at http://www.dlink.com. The DSM-520, with an MSRP of $249.99, can be found throughout D-Link's network of retail outlets and at its online store http://www.dlinkshop.com.
Labels: PC Peripherals
Google Calendar now iPhone & iPod Touch Friendly
Monday, September 24, 2007
Google have updated both its Google Docs and Google Calendar applications. The calendar is of most interest here, in that it has been updated to fit the iPhone screen nicely. Of even more importance is that iPod touch users have been complaining about the inability to add events to iCal on the iPod touch. Well, with some syncing between Google Calendar and iCal, it is not pretty easy to add this functionality. On your iPhone or touch, point your browser here: http://calendar.google.comLabels: Apple iPhone, iPod Touch
iPhone Review - UK get ready, this is the dogs danglies
So I managed to get my hands on an iPhone, and in true Geek style wanted to bring you my first thoughts on the must-have-phone from Apple. Being so keen to bring you the details, you are getting this even before I have had time to take photos of the iPhone. This is the first Apple product that I have ever had that hasn't had photos taken first in its virgin, fingerprint free state. That should give you some idea of how excited I was after opening it.The iPhone form factor is superb, in fact a lot slimmer than I had expected. The actual screen real estate makes it comparable to the sleeker PDA's available today. The rounded corners make it feel smaller than it actually is. In the hand, it is weighted just right and feels (as Apple products normally do) like a really high quality product. The touch screen definitely needs a screen protector on, so if you are getting an iPhone on November 9th, be prepared and order some protection in plenty of time. The majority of the back is brushed silver aluminium, with a small portion at the base being black. This gives a very luxurious, yet slippery feel, but at least not a fingerprint magnet. The camera, also located on the back is tiny and recessed back into the unit, so again you would struggle to get a greasy finger on it.
Now, when you switch the iPhone on for the first time, make sure you are seated. The screen is just awesome, pin sharp, bright, vibrant, spot on. Only when I had dug a little deeper into the settings did I find it was set to half brightness, so bumping it up a couple of notches had those colours popping. On playback of some video podcasts and a few cartoon videos, I was wowed, for this alone, the device is worth its asking price. If the iPod Touch is anything like this, it will also be just as popular.
The internet worked just as I expected, but doing the double-tap to zoom in, as I had seen in the demo videos, was all the more satisfying. Email was also a very smooth experience, just like a mini Mail.app with all my account settings taken from my Mac and transferred onto the iPhone. Hopping into my car I tested making a few calls and the voice quality was again very good. Back onto Safari and the main let down was the speed on surfing the internet over EDGE. Not entirely Apples fault, but the network does not support lightning fast speeds, far from it. So, I hopped back on the road and headed to a local restaurant that has a Wi-Fi hotspot run by The Cloud. Logging on was really easy and made the internet, email and YouTube a joy to use. So my advice is that you will need to use Wi-Fi if you are a heavy data user, otherwise you will get frustrated. EDGE should be treated as a backup solution.
I have only really covered here my early experiences. My opinion of the iPhone so far is that it is superb. Most certainly one of the most exciting Apple products I have had the pleasure of using to date. When launched on November 9th, it will make a lot of people really happy. If you were having second thoughts, then don't, you will not be disappointed.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Reviews
Channel 4 On Demand - No Go for Mac
Sunday, September 23, 2007
We all know how the BBC iPlayer does not support the Mac platform. What a cheek, especially considering the use of 'i' in the name of their Windows only player. Well, I wanted to search out some content to play on my Mac and a lot of Channel 4 programmes make me laugh (the IT Crowd springs to mind). Well, guess what? The Channel 4 On Demand service is not Mac compatible either, so I emailed them asking for an explanation, here is their reply;
"Unfortunately we cannot say when the 4oD service will be available to users of other platforms, including Mac OS and Linux. The problem is, our content providers (e.g. the production companies who make our shows), insist on using a DRM licensing system.
The DRM (Digital Rights Management) system basically protects the video content from duplication and broadcast outside the UK & ROI. Currently they insist on using Microsoft's DRM, and because of this we can only support Microsoft operating systems.
Linux currently has no such DRM system available and so our content providers will not allow us to support the Linux operating system. Macintosh do have a solution, however the closed DRM system used by Apple is not currently available for licence by third parties and there is no other Mac-compatible DRM solution which meets the protection requirements of our
content owners. Unfortunately, we are therefore unable to offer 4oD and other video content to Mac users at this stage.
We are sorry to disappoint on this occasion and assure you that if changes throughout the industry happen, as we would like, we will ensure the support of other operating systems."
If you require further information, visit http://help.channel4.com/4oD/ - plus I urge you to email them too and ask for a Mac compatible player.
Labels: General News
Yet more Apple Store Touchwood Photos
Yes, I know, I know, enough already, but let me explain. I love attending Apple Store openings, and I was so disappointed that I could not attend The Touchwood Centre, Solihull that I had to track down some photos to bring to our readers. This time, thanks to pale_whites of eleganttechnology.co.uk - check out the rest of his Flickr set on the link above.
Labels: Apple News
More Apple Store Touchwood Photos
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Here are a few more photos of the Apple Store, Touchwood Centre Solihull opening. This time courtesy of PhotoCharlie! thanks Charlie.
Labels: Apple News
Apple Store Touchwood Centre Solihull Open Today
The latest of the UK Apple Stores opened today in The Touchwood Centre, Solihull. It looks like a good time was had by all, with free T-Shirts, a prize draw, and a first chance by many to see the new generation of iPods, including the latest and greatest iPod Touch.Many thanks go to wicker_man gave us kind permission to post a few of his pictures up on the website, you can catch the rest of his Apple Store Opening set of photos here.
Labels: Apple News
Updated version of iPod Touch + iPhone Test Movie
Thursday, September 20, 2007
We have now updated the movie that allows you to test the screen on your iPod Touch or iPhone. It plays black, white, red, green, blue, allowing you to check for dead pixels. You can then check for the 'negative black' issue that so many are reporting, along with a gamma/contrast test and a gradient screen to check for banding.The video can be downloaded here. Then drag it into iTunes or onto your device and touch play.
The new screens were supplied courtesy of http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/small/ - if you go to this website you can also download static versions of the images to load onto your device. There are also some additional test images on lagom.nl that we did not put onto the video, as the compression would have made them not suitable for testing.
Labels: Apple iPhone, iPod Touch
Latest EA Games - Now Shipping
If you want the latest and greatest games from Electronic Arts, then head on over to the Apple Store (US only at the moment, UK to follow) and you will find that some are now shipping in 24 hours. These include Command & Conquer 3, Battlefield 2142 and Need for Speed Carbon. Madden NFL 08 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 are featured, but still showing as pre-orders. Not too long to wait though, I fancy a round of golf.Labels: Mac Software
Apple Store Solihull UK - Opening Sat 22nd September
If you have never been to an Apple Store opening, I urge you to go to one. The atmosphere is great, you get the chance to get a free T-Shirt (first 1,000 through the door), plus you can enter a prize draw to win a Digital Lifestyle Collection, which includes a black MacBook and an iPod Nano. The store opens at 9:00am on Saturday 22nd September at The Touchwood Centre, Solihull. Full details can be found here.Labels: Apple News
Western Digital Revamp MyBook Hard Drives
Western Digital's MyBook range of hard drives have always been a favourite of mine, mainly due to their reliability, but also they are so damn quiet. Well, they have updated the MyBook range with three new versions, that look a lot sleeker than the old.The Home Edition offer up three interfaces. In addition to FireWire 400 and USB 2.0, you also get external SATA for mega performance gains.
The Office Edition is the first in the MyBook range to offer up its files online without the need for an Ethernet connection. When you turn on your Windows PCs, the MioNet software makes files and folders available online through USB, so long as your PC is online.
The Essential Edition 2.0 is the entry level of the range, with USB-only for users just needing to add extra storage to their systems.
Pricing
The 320GB Essential Edition 2.0 costs $130 disk and go up in price, all the way up to a 1TB version. The 320GB Home Edition will set you back $170, and again is available up to 1TB. King of the crop, the Office Edition, costs $170 for the 320GB version, right up to 1TB for $380. Available now in the US, but I have yet to track down UK pricing. A handy comparison table is available here.
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Crave have video of the UK iPhone Event
We all know by now that the iPhone hits UK stores on November 9th. The event held at Apples Regent Street store to make the announcement was a press only event. Crave took some video footage of the event and have just posted it online. It is well worth a look, so point your browser here.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
iPod Touch & iPhone Screen Test Movie
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
This is a very simple movie that tests the iPod Touch and iPhone screens. It plays black, white, red, green, blue and a nice scale at the end. Check if you have any dead pixels and it your blacks are the correct way around, not displaying the 'negative black' issue that so many are reporting.In our early findings, having seen six iPod Touch screens, none that we saw had any display issues. So this cannot be something that is effecting every Touch, it must just be certain ones.
The video can be downloaded here. Then drag it into iTunes or onto your device and touch play.
Labels: Apple iPhone, iPod Touch
Apple 3rd Gen iPod Nano Review + UK iPhone News
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
In our latest video installment we bring you more than just a review. We kick off with the news that Apple announced this morning, regarding the UK iPhone pricing, carrier and tariffs. Then onto the review of the 3rd generation iPod Nano. This tiny device arrived at Geekanoids on Monday and to say it is "impressive" is an understatement. How Apple pack so much technology into such a tiny device is amazing. Then squeezing the same number of pixels into the 2-inch screen as on the 5th gen iPod and iPod Classic makes for one of the best screens I have seen to date. Check out the video and enjoy!
Product: 8GB iPod Nano - 3rd generation
Price: £129.00
Note: 4GB model available for £99.00
Supplied by: Apple UK
Contact: 0800 039 1010
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, Reviews
Apple iPhone O2 Announced - Official Details
Apple and O2 announced today that O2, the leading wireless carrier in the UK, will be the exclusive UK carrier for Apple's revolutionary iPhone when it makes its debut in the UK on November 9. iPhone combines three devices into one—a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and the best mobile Internet device ever—all based on Apple’s revolutionary multi-touch interface and pioneering software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. Apple sold its one millionth iPhone just 74 days after it went on sale in the US on June 29."We're thrilled to be partnering with O2 to offer our revolutionary iPhone to UK customers," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "US iPhone customer satisfaction is off the charts, and we can't wait to let UK customers get their hands on it and learn what they think of it."
"Our strategy at O2 is to bring our customers the best products and experiences,” said Matthew Key, CEO, O2 UK. “The iPhone is a breakthrough that is changing the way people use their mobiles forever, and we're thrilled to have it exclusively for O2 customers in the UK."
iPhone users in the UK will be able to activate their new iPhones using Apple’s popular iTunes software running on a PC or Mac computer in the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while their phone is activated. Activating iPhone takes only minutes as iTunes guides the user through simple steps to choose their tariff, undertake a credit check and activate their iPhone. Once iPhone is activated, users can then easily sync all of their phone numbers and other contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks, music, photos, podcasts and TV shows just like they do when they sync their iPods with iTunes.
In addition to all the revolutionary features that made iPhone so popular in the US, iPhone users in the UK will have access to Apple's latest music offerings on iPhone including the recently launched iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. The iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store offers customers the ability to browse, search, preview, purchase and download songs and albums from iTunes over the built-in Wi-Fi on their iPhone. No computer is required and when the customer connects their iPhone back with their PC or Mac, their music automatically syncs back into their iTunes library.
Pricing & Availability
iPhone is scheduled to go on sale on November 9 and will be sold exclusively in the UK through Apple’s retail and online stores, O2 and The Carphone Warehouse's retail and online stores. iPhone will be available in an 8GB model for £269 (inc VAT) and will work with either a PC or Mac. Three new great value iPhone tariffs will be available from O2 starting at £35, which all include unlimited anytime, anywhere mobile data usage and, in a market first, free unlimited use of the UK’s largest single public Wi-Fi network, covering over 7,500 cafes, restaurants, airport lounges, pubs and other locations across the UK.
iPhone activation will require an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account or a major credit card; the latest version of iTunes available at www.itunes.com and a PC or Mac with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate Edition. iPhone requires a new 18-month contract with O2. Existing O2 customers will have the option of keeping their existing phone number and upgrading their account to work with iPhone while new customers can also simply and easily transfer their current mobile number to O2.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
Apple Event Regent Street London - Mum is no longer the word
The 'Mum is no longer the word event is due to start in London today at 10am. The likeliness is that we will see the launch of the iPhone in the UK, with carrier details, pricing, and possibly even stock. Steve Jobs is here too, so it must be a big thing. We will be bringing you news as it happens…Update 1 - The O2 Store is currently offline. This could be an early indication of something about to be added to their store. Strange the Apple Store UK is still online.
Update 2 - OK, Steve has stood right up and announced the iPhone is with O2. £269 gets you the 8GB iPhone, on sale November 9th.
Update 3 - New advert for the UK. Well, same one as the US, but with a British voiceover.
Update 4 - Matthew Key from O2 UK is now up on stage. He is really excited about the iPhone , quote "I knew it was a breakthrough product".
Update 5 - Available through Carphone Warehouse. Unlimited data on £35, £45 and £55 tariffs. Sad news is that there is no 3G.
Update 6 - The Apple Store UK (online) is not available. This happened why I was busy bringing you this news.
Update 7 - Steve back on stage for Q&A. Why no 3G? It is due to 3G chips using too much power. This would take the iPhone down to 2-3 hours, the iPhone currently gives 8 hours. 3G is something we think we'll see later next year.
Update 8 - Partnership to bring over 7,000 wi-fi hotspots to iPhone users in the UK. These are via Cloud and are FREE.
Update 9 - What about iTunes activation? Yes, this works the same, allows you to select your plan and then activate.
Update 10 - What is the contract length and is unlimited data really unlimited? 18 months contract. 1,400 internet pages per day limit, over this would break the deal as part of the fair usage agreement.
Update 11 - Big question; Is unlocking a concern? Steve; "It's a constant cat and mouse game, we have the same thing with the iPod and music." Steve is not sure if they are the cat or the mouse.
Update 12 - Matthew Key is asked if he was aware of the iPod Touch coming out when he was negotiating the iPhone deal. He completely dodges the question.
**BIG NEWS** 10:33am The O2 online store has been updated with the iPhone Coming Soon page. You get free voicemail on all tariffs and special roaming rates. The £35 tariff gets you 200 minutes of calls and 200 SMS, £45 gets you 600 minutes of calls and 500 SMS, and £55 gets you 1,200 minutes of calls and 500 SMS. Unlimited data and unlimited wi-fi (with conditions).
Here is a screen grab of the O2 iPhone Tarrifs;
There were a few more questions about if the 2-megapixel camera is good enough for the UK, to which Steve replied that the camera is great. Plus 1st October will see the unlimited data plans rolled out to all existing O2 UK customers. That's it, announcements over, now to get our hands on an iPhone as quickly as possible.
Apple Store UK (online) is now back up and running, just with a new page accessible from the main store to one showing the iPhone available November 9th, plus the chance to sign up for more info. The main Apple website also features this iPhone page. Carphone Warhouse also updated with an O2 graphic, details and pricing on this page.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News, Steve Jobs
Better Sound for your iPod Touch, Classic, Nano
Monday, September 17, 2007
It is often the case that anyone serious about their music listening pleasure normally ditch the earphones included with ANY MP3 player. With the iPod you get half decent earphones IMO, but if you want to really take things to a higher level, then we really like the look of these q-JAYS. With a tiny size of just 18.4 x 7.5 x 7.5 mm the q-JAYS are the smallest earphones on the market. Despite their size, the q-JAYS promise to deliver awesome sound, and can be yours, in black or white for just $179.00 which includes a nice set of accessories. We hope to bring you a review real soon.Labels: Apple iPod, iPod Touch
Cancom New Apple Premium Reseller in Cambridge
Cancom will officially open it's new store at 58 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1DP on 29th September. The new store will offer a fantastic destination for shoppers in Cambridge to try out and learn about Apple's innovative products and solutions. There will be a number of great offers and promotions available on the day.
Apple Premium Resellers are a great place to buy Apple products. They provide an exceptional shopping experience showcasing the full Apple product line of Macs and iPods in a customer friendly environment. They offer outstanding service and advice for both consumer and professional users, as well as a program of in-store demonstrations and expert training to help customers get the most out of their new purchases.
This is Cancom's third Apple Premium Reseller store and their knowledgeable sales people are available to help visitors learn about all the latest products from Apple. The hands-on experience provides visitors with a chance to test drive Apple's entire product line from the latest laptops, the MacBook and MacBook Pro, through to Apple's full line of desktop computers and iPods. Cancom are Europe's largest reseller of Apple computers with over 25 locations in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Our UK stores are in Brighton, Cambridge, Kensington and Guildford. We also operate a mail order service and our on-line shop at www.cancomuk.com.
Labels: General News
Review of new 3rd Gen iPod Nano - Next Week
Friday, September 14, 2007
Just a quick update for you all. We have our review unit of the new 3rd generation iPod Nano arriving next Monday. So, keep an eye on the Geekanoids website, as we hope to have our video review online by Wednesday at the latest. We are very excited about this, as we have had such a great response to our earlier review of the iPod Classic.**UPDATE** The iPod Nano has landed and this 3rd gen cutie is so so small and very thin. Initial impressions as you open it are wow, how can Apple fit all this technology into such a tiny package. The screen also looks so sharp with superb definition. Check back late tomorrow for a full video review.
Labels: Apple iPod
First iPod Touch Reviews Surfacing
Seems like some lucky guys and gals are getting their iPod Touch's today, where they hit US stores, way ahead of when the online orders are due to start shipping. Let us hope we all get emails soon saying our orders are shipping. Anyway, in the meantime, first look reviews have started surfacing, and you could do yourself a favour and head on over to Playlistmag or MacWorld and check out some video footage and editorial.Labels: Apple iPod, iPod Touch
Woz Sells Nissan on HotSwap to Benefit UC Berkeley
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Steve Wozniak has done a very generous and wonderful thing over on HotSwap, he has placed an advert with a very cool video (you must see the vid) for his Nissan 350Z Anniversary Edition. For just over $49,000 you can pick up the car, and who knows, you may even get to meet Woz when you pick it up. The proceeds of the sale are being donated to U.C. Berkeley.Quote from Woz on the sale information; "On a global scale we are seeing America losing it's competitiveness in engineering and technical skills. That is disappointing. All the profits from this sale will be donated to the IEEE lab at U.C. Berkeley for education and equipment."
Take a look, and Woz, you rock!
Labels: General News
Apple UK Special Event for 18th September - iPhone?
Macworld have broken the news of an invitation they have received from Apple UK. A special event is being held in London on September 18th. The invitation states "Mum is no longer the word". This sounds like we might finally get UK launch details for the iPhone, that they have been keeping under wraps over the past few months.
**UPDATE** A visual of the invite can be found here over at MacFormat.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple News
iXoundwear announce Sport Cap for 3G Nano
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
iXoundwear have announced that their new Sport Cap for the new 3rd generation iPod Nano will be available soon. They are being manufactured for high quality brushed cotton twill in colours that compliment the new Nano. There is a pocket on the right side of the cap to accommodate the Nano along with a cable tidy/management system. Keep an eye on their website, or sign up on this page for an email notification when the new caps are available. Also, check back on Geekanoids, we hope to bring you a review of one of these neat little caps when they are available.Labels: Apple iPod
Apple iPod Classic First Look & Video Review
The new iPod Classic from Apple landed in the Geekanoids office today, and being a big iPod fan I was eager to bring you this first look. We show you the 160GB silver version, including an unboxing to show exactly what you get for your money, the new user interface, and our overall impression of this new device. In case you are not quite up to speed, the new iPod Classic is available in black or silver, with 80GB and 160GB versions available.Just imagine having 160GB to store all your music, movies, TV shows, podcasts and photos. Sit back and enjoy the video !
Product: Apple iPod Classic 160GB
Price: £229.00
Available from: AppleStore UK
Labels: Apple iPod, Reviews
Belkin PocketTop Review - Lap up the goodness
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Working around the home needn't be boring. The Belkin PocketTop gives you the chance to work in style and comfort. This product is available in some great colours and offers some really nice features that enhance the way you work. Check out the video review to see exactly what we thought. *Update* The PocketTop is currently available in Orange, Silver and Green. Since the video review was made three new colours have been announced, Chocolate with Tourmaline, Dove with Tarragon and Steel with Burnt Orange, keep an eye out on Geekanoids when we have some images for you.Product: Belkin PocketTop
Model: F8N043eaORG
Price: £34.99
Supplied by: Belkin UK
Contact: +44 (0)1933 35 2000
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals, Reviews
imlikeinwithyou.com - social fun with icing
Monday, September 10, 2007
Well, well, well, just when you thought social networking sites were old news, along comes a new site on the scenes. imlikeinwithyou.com is a new website, still in beta and invite only, that is really quite different. The basis of the site is to create your profile and earn points. The points you earn can then be bid on users games. Some of the games are very inventive and some are like 'What's my favourite sandwich?' type questions. You can earn points by setting up games yourself, uploading pictures, and answering quick random questions.The site seems to lack any interactivity with other users, it would be nice to be able to add friends a little easier, but I suppose it is early days. You can ping them, which costs points and sends them a little emoticon. That said, this is not really what it is all about. Do we really need another site to send invites out to the local pub, NO. So iminlikewithyou.com gives you a chance to burn a little time, and have a laugh. The presentation really is superb, if you are into web design, you will love it.
At the moment, I am trying to win a game where you have to ask a young lady to paint her nails a particular colour/design. So I have gone the complete geek route and asked for white with red Apple logos. If I win, no doubt some pictures will make it over to the Geekanoids website.
If you are lucky enough to get an invite, at least try it out. Keep checking back here though, as we hope to bring you some more news and background on the people behind this new website.
Labels: General News
Belkin cases for the new iPod Nano, Classic & Touch
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Belkin have announced their line up of new cases for the 3G iPod Nano, iPod Classic, and iPod Touch. They are due to be available early October in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Pictured is the Sport Armband Plus, which in my opinion looks very very sporty and one of the best designs I have seen so far. At the time of going to press we had no UK prices **NOW UPDATED** , but the links below are to the relevant pages on the Belkin UK website wherever possible.- Breathable, water-wicking Coolmax material
- Slim and lightweight to minimize bulk on your arm during workouts
- Removable Cable Capsule helps manage and store earphones
- Hand-washable
- Included pocket for key or earbud storage
- Clear screen and navigation protector
- Adjustable hook-fastening system for universal fit
- Slim, lightweight, and stretchable neoprene material
- Included pocket for key or earbud storage
- Water-resistant and hand-washable
- Clear screen and navigation protector
- Adjustable VELCRO® closure for universal fit
- True-sense click wheel provides full protection and functionality
- Thin and compact
- Made of clear polycarbonate
- True-sense click wheel provides full protection and functionality
- Thin and compact
- Machine-etched with graphical pattern throughout durable, aluminum, protective face cabinet
- Available in silver, black, blue, and pink
- Unique one-seam design hugs your iPod, protecting it from everyday scratches and scuffs
- Soft, durable leather with soft-suede lining
- Secure VELCRO strap attachment
- Access to hold switch and dock connector
- Click-wheel and screen protector
- Available in 3 colors: black, chocolate, and cameo pink
- Sleek, portable design made of soft, durable leather with soft-suede lining
- Screen protector and magnetic closure
- Access to hold switch and dock connector
- Available in 3 colors: black/chocolate, pink/chocolate, persimmon/bone
- Form-fitting design that features a snug extra layer of rugged silicone
- Secures your iPod nano with durable silicone
- Available in 4 colors: black, pink, and blue
Labels: Apple iPod
Geekanoids to review new iPods
Well, we have some great news for you all. The new iPod Classic in 160GB form should be with us by Tuesday of next week, so Wednesday/Thursday we will bring you a full gallery of photos, followed by our review of the new UI and if it lives up to expectations. Then we have the new 3G Nano winging its way to us from Apple, so you shouldn't have to wait too long to hear what we think of this. Then early October, hopefully the 1st or 2nd, we have a 16GB iPod Touch landing.
We hope you like our coverage of these new iPod's, giving you the chance to make informative buying decisions in the run up to Christmas.
Labels: Apple iPod
Griffin Technology announce new iPod Cases
Friday, September 07, 2007
Griffin Technology Inc., creator of all things iPod, today continued its strong commitment to support Apple products with the announcement of a new line of cases designed specifically for the latest iPod models, just unveiled yesterday in San Francisco.Bearing Griffin's trademark blend of protection, style and convenience, this new case collection for the new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch will begin shipping next month:
iClear® for new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch
iClear is all-over armor for your iPod, that hides none of your iPod's good looks. Snap the durable, crystal-clear polycarbonate shell around your iPod. You still have access to the iPod screen, ports and control surfaces, but dirt and scratches are locked out. New, custom-fit iClear will be available for the new iPod nano, iPod classic and iPod touch.
Reflect for iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch
It's like magic. Reflect presents a sleek, mirrored face to the world -- until you activate your iPod and its screen shines through the metallic finish. Reflect provides protection for your iPod as only a hard shell of polycarbonate can. Reflect's design for the iPod touch is slightly different than the other Reflect models. To leave the touch screen accessible, Reflect for iPod touch surrounds the front edges of the iPod touch in the same chromed, reflective polycarbonate used in other Reflect models. A matte black rubberized case back seals your iPod inside, and provides a sure grip. Reflect is protection for your iPod that reflects well on you; available in sizes to fit the new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch.
Elan Convertible for new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch
A new Convertible leather flip-top case will join Griffin's Elan family of stylish cases, in sizes to fit all three new iPod models. The top-grain leather removable flipcover protects your iPod screen, and reverses to create a stand for hands-free use. The clear screen protector and soft microfiber lining provide all-over protection against scratches. Convertible's removable clip lets you attach your iPod to your belt or shoulder strap, and its sleek profile lets you slip it into your pocket without adding bulk. Elan Convertible will be available in sizes to fit the new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch.
Elan Form for new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch
Another new addition to Griffin's Elan family of cases is an elegant hard-shell leather case, shaped to perfectly fit your iPod. The shell's form-fitting design bonds top-grain leather to durable, protective polycarbonate, to encase your iPod in two layers of protection. The top-grain leather outer shell is crafted from hand-matched hides, while the polycarbonate inner shell surrounds your iPod with armor. All this protection still affords easy access to click wheel or touch screen, dock connector, headphone port and hold switch. Elan Form will be available in sizes to fit the new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch.
Streamline for new iPod nano, iPod classic/iPod touch
Griffin's already-popular Streamline is the ultimate sport armband, now updated for the new iPod models. At the gym, on the road, or hitting the trail, your iPod rides safely in the sport armband that lives up to its name. Streamline's screen cover protects your iPod's face from scratches and dust, but is sensitive enough to allow complete navigation of click wheel or touch screen interface. The one-piece, low-profile design keeps your iPod always handy, but never in the way. The washable, two-way adjustable band fits any arm with a breathable, comfortable fit that you can wear all day. Reflective trim is a safety feature that makes you more visible to traffic at dusk. Streamline will be available in two sizes: one for the new iPod nano, and one for iPod classic or iPod touch.
Courier for iPod classic and iPod touch
Griffin's updated Courier has been redesigned with a slimmer new look and abrasion-resistant durability, thanks to its compression-molded EVA outer casing. Designed to wrap onto a backpack or shoulderbag strap, Courier carries your iPod and accessories always at the ready, double-secured with heavy-duty hook-and-loop closure and carabiner clip. Courier features a hidden zippered pocket for money, keys, or ID, and a second flapped pocket for your sync cable, earphones, or other small accessories. Courier has been updated to fit both iPod classic and iPod touch.
Pricing & Availability
Griffin's new cases for the new iPod nano, iPod classic, and iPod touch, priced between $19.99 and $34.99, will be available at major retailers nationwide in October 2007. For more information, please visit www.griffintechnology.com.
Link to Griffin iPod Touch Cases
Link to Griffin iPod Classic Cases
Link to Griffin iPod Nano 3G Cases
Labels: Apple iPod
iPod Classic - the official details
Thursday, September 06, 2007
I watched with great anticipation when Apple made their announcements for the new iPods yesterday. The fresh smell of Apple product always excites me (and I am not embarrassed to say that), so when the iPod Classic was shown, I ooooohed and ahhhhhhhed with delight. This new generation looks very sexy, with some sleek curves and choice of black or silver metal fronts. All this sexiness coupled with upto 160GB of storage, makes for a real winner.Here are the full details from Apple's Official Press Release;
Apple today introduced the new iPod classic, featuring 80GB or 160GB of storage that holds your entire collection of music, photos, video, podcasts and games—up to 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video. Now in its sixth generation, the new iPod classic delivers all the features customers love about their iPods, plus an enhanced user interface featuring Cover Flow™ and a new all-metal enclosure. iPod classic is priced at just £159 (inc VAT) for the 80GB model and £229 (inc VAT) for the 160GB model.
“The first iPod put 1,000 songs in your pocket—this new iPod classic can put 40,000 songs in your pocket,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With a thinner, all-metal enclosure and an enhanced user interface, the iPod classic is ideal for people who want to hold everything on their iPod.”
The new iPod classic holds up to 160GB of storage in an all-metal anodised aluminium and polished stainless steel enclosure. iPod classic works seamlessly with iTunes so you can import, manage and then easily sync your favourite content. You can buy music, video and games for your iPod classic from the iTunes Store with more than six million songs available for preview and one-click purchase.
The new iPod classic features up to 40 hours of music playback and seven hours of video playback in the 160GB model, and up to 30 hours of music playback and five hours of video playback in the 80GB model on a single charge,* letting users enjoy their entire collections of music, audiobooks, audio and video podcasts, music videos, television shows and movies wherever they go.
The new iPod classic is perfect for playing iPod games and comes pre-loaded with iQuiz, the entertainment trivia game; Vortex, a fast-paced 360 degree brick-bashing game; and Klondike, the popular solitaire card game. Additional games will be available for purchase for the new iPod classic later this month from the iTunes Store, including Sudoku and Tetris from Electronic Arts and Ms. PAC-MAN from NAMCO.
The iPod is the world’s most popular family of digital music players with over 100 million sold. Today, Apple released its most exciting iPod lineup ever with the iPod shuffle in five new colours; iPod classic holding up to 40,000 songs; the incredible all new iPod nano with video playback; and the breakthrough iPod touch with a revolutionary multi-touch user interface. iPod owners can choose from a vast ecosystem of accessories with over 4,000 products made specifically for the iPod including cases, fitness accessories, speaker systems and iPod connectivity in over 70 percent of US cars.
Pricing & Availability:
Both iPod classic models are available immediately worldwide in silver and black. The 80GB iPod classic model is £159 (inc VAT) and the 160GB iPod classic is £229 (inc VAT).
iPod classic requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4.8 or later and iTunes 7.4; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 7.4. Internet access is required and a broadband connection is recommended, fees may apply. The iTunes Store is not available in all countries.
Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News
iPod Touch - the full details
We are very happy to bring you the full details from the Apple Press Release for the iPod Touch.Apple today introduced the new iPod touch featuring Apple’s revolutionary multi-touch user interface that enables users to find and enjoy all of their music, videos and more on its gorgeous widescreen display with just the touch of a finger. First introduced on iPhone, the multi-touch interface uses pioneering new software to present the perfect user interface for each application. The iPod touch also includes Wi-Fi wireless networking, the first on any iPod, and three amazing applications that use it—Safari, the most advanced browser on any mobile device, lets users wirelessly view web pages just as they look on their computer, and features Google Search or Yahoo! oneSearch; Apple’s YouTube application lets users wirelessly watch over 10 million free videos from the Internet’s most popular video website; and the new iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store lets users wirelessly browse, preview and buy songs and albums from the most popular online music store in the world. The iPod touch is an unbelievable 8 mm thin, and is priced starting at just £199 (inc VAT).
“The iPod touch is a landmark iPod, ushering in a whole new generation of features based on its revolutionary multi-touch interface and built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “People are going to be amazed at how thin it is and how much it does.” With its gorgeous 3.5-inch widescreen display, iPod touch is perfect for watching movies and TV shows, as well as viewing photos and album art. iPod touch has a built-in accelerometer that automatically senses when you rotate it into its landscape position. When you’re in music, it automatically switches to Cover Flow so you can browse your music collection by album cover artwork with just a flick of a finger. When in Photos, it automatically displays the photo in its landscape aspect ratio; and when in Safari it displays the web page horizontally. iPod touch also has a built-in ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the display’s brightness. iPod touch features up to 22 hours of audio playback and up to five hours of video playback.
Pricing & Availability
The new iPod touch is scheduled to be available later this month. The 8GB iPod touch model is £199 (inc VAT) and the 16GB iPod model is £269 (inc VAT). iPod touch requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later and iTunes 7.4; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) or later and iTunes 7.4. Internet access is required and a broadband connection is recommended, fees may apply. The iTunes Store is not available in all countries.
Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News
Which iPod are you?
Apple have published a rather nice page showing off all of the new iPod family. The table on this page shows you the capacity, prices, colours available, screen size and the battery life on offer. Check it out, it may well help you in your buying decision, or it may well just talk you into buying one of each.Labels: Apple iPod
Apple's New AV Component Cable for your iPod
Well, this is a turn up for the books, a new cable offering a component video connection.From the Apple website; "The Component AV Cable connects to your iPod or Universal Dock via the 30-pin dock connector and to your TV, home theater receiver, or stereo receiver via the component (Y, Pb, and Pr) video and red/white analog audio ports. The cable also features a USB connector that you can plug into a power source, such as a computer or the included USB Power Adapter." Of note, it also drew my attention to the fact that the iPod nano (third generation) and iPod classic output 480p or 576p resolution, and by iPod touch only does 480i or 576i resolution. So it seems that the Touch is only going to output a slightly inferior interlaced picture.
Labels: Apple iPod
New Apple iPod Universal Dock
New iPods mean new accessories, and one of those is a new Universal Dock.Taken from the Apple website; "The Apple Universal Dock serves as a convenient and elegant home base for charging, syncing, and more. Through the use of interchangeable inserts called Dock Adapters, it works with iPhone and all iPod models that have a dock connector. So even if you own more than one iPod or iPhone, you can keep just one Dock connected to your computer, stereo, or TV." It seems like these new docks only come with adapters for the newly released iPods. It costs £35 and is available to ship in 3-4 weeks, oh and it includes a mini Apple Remote.
Labels: Apple iPod
Apple iPod Nano - 3rd Gen Armband
Well, we all know that Apple launched a stack of new iPods yesterday, but they also launched some nice new accessories too. The new iPod Nano Armband compliments the new squat Nano perfectly and costs just £19.00. It is ready to ship now, so if you order it together with our new Nano they should both arrive together.Labels: Apple iPod
Apple Event - Wednesday 5th September
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Well, the Apple Event is just about to kick off (6pm GMT) today and we will try and scour the various news sites covering the event and bring you all the best bits. Keep updating your browser…
UPDATE 1
17:50GMT all Apple Stores are down, so in true Apple form (as if we didn't already know) we will be getting some new products today, and most likely available to order today too. Let's hope they ship today as well.
Well, why we are waiting for things to kick off, just a quick chance to keep my fingers crossed for a new touch widescreen iPod. I use my iPod everyday and would like to have the chance of a much bigger screen.
UPDATE 2
Steve takes to the stage and updates everyone with some iTunes facts and figures. 600 million copies of iTunes out there and 3 billion songs sold in the iTunes Store.
UPDATE 3
New version of iTunes will be available tonight, to support some new features including 'Ringtones'. There will be 500,000 participating tracks, and for an additional 99 cents you can also have this as an iPhone Ringtone. So in iTunes a little bell icon appears next to the available tracks, you select it, use the Ringtone Builder to select up to a 30 second portion of the track, do a fade in and fade out, get it how you want it before you click-to-buy. Then when you sync your iPhone it takes the ringtone over to your device. This new feature will be switched on in iTunes next week.
UPDATE 4
The complete range of iPods will get a refresh today, starting with new colour Shuffles (yawn).
UPDATE 5
Next up is the Nano. It is a new size, sort of squat, all metal design, widescreen, plays video. Comes in black, silver, blue, green and (product) red. 2-inch screen with 320x240 resolution (same as the current 5th gen iPod). Click wheel is still there, but this baby is really thin. Three games bundled with the new Nano, including Vortex. ou have also got Coverflow for videos and music. This thing looks great, sorta like all the features of the 5th gen full size iPod into the new sexy Nano, oh and by the way, the black version looks very cool indeed. It also seems like the new UI has a split screen, where you scroll through video titles on the left and get a snippet view on the right, very nice.
The battery will give you 24 hours of music and 5 hours of video playback.
Available in stores this weekend, shipping now, 4GB just $149, 8GB $199, fantastic.
UPDATE 6
Now the full size iPod, with a new name, iPod Classic. Full metal design, thinner, starting at 80GB, but with a massive 160GB version, that is still thinner than the 5th gen 80GB.
Battery life for the 80GB is 25 hours music, 5 hours video. The 160GB gives you 40 hours music and 7 hours video. Prices are very apealing with the 80GB costing $249, and the 160GB for $349. All new iPods available now, shipping today.
UPDATE 7
Wow, this is a good 'un. We get another brand new iPod. As we already guessed, based on the iPhone but even thinner. Yes, the touch screen iPod is finally a reality. Same 3.5-inch screen, same design, UI allows you to view photos and pinch them to zoom in and out. Coverflow and nice large album art. Wow, how many times can I say wow in this update.
Same user interface including a home screen (as on the iPhone).
It also has wifi, so this is great news, we may get internet features... yes, we get Safari on the iPod Touch, wow! this is fantastic news. Google, Yahoo and YouTube all built into this baby.
Steve also did a demo of FaceBook on the iPod Touch, this website looks fantastic on the device, I cannot wait.
Downer, seems like we only get 8GB ($299) or 16GB ($399) models that both ship this month, kinda cripples an iPod only device, this is OK for a mobile phone, but not an iPod, I hope Steve gives us more.
UPDATE 8
One more thing... iTunes WiFi Music Store. Hmmmmm. Same price structure, if you see a track you like, you can preview it, then buy it, download over WiFi and then when you next sync back at home the tune is copied over into your iTunes library. You get New Releases, Whats Hot, and Genres buttons across the top of the iPod Touch screen, or you can search for any artist/album. The new iTunes Wi-Fi features will also be rolled out to the iPhone as a software update.
UPDATE 9
Starbucks partnership.. when you are in a Starbucks a fifth button appears on the screen. If you like the song playing at the time, you can buy it with one click... cool. You can also browse the last ten tracks played and buy them too. You also get free iTunes Wi-Fi Store access when you are in a Starbucks without the need to log in with any sort of password (which seems pretty obvious if they want to sell tunes).
iPhone UPDATE
8GB model being reduced by $200 to $399. 4GB iPhone is gone.
So that's it and wow what an event. New iPods all round, new WiFi downloadable tunes, and some coffee... now where is my credit card?
Labels: Apple iPod, Apple News, Steve Jobs
Palm cancelling Foleo - version 2 to follow
When Palm announced the Foleo it looked (to me) like a very promising device. Being an Apple user and with past Palm experiences, it would have probably worked into my daily work very easily. So it comes as sad news that just before it was due to ship, the Foleo has been canceled.Here follows the statement sent to us by Ed Colligan, President and CEO; "As many of you are aware, we are in the process of building our next generation software platform. We are very excited about how this is coming together. It has a modern, flexible UI, instant performance, and an incredibly simple and elegant development environment. We are working hard on this platform and on the first smartphones that will take advantage of it.
In the course of the past several months, it has become clear that the right path for Palm is to offer a single, consistent user experience around this new platform design and a single focus for our platform development efforts. To that end, and after careful deliberation, I have decided to cancel the Foleo mobile companion product in its current configuration and focus all our energies on delivering our next generation platform and the first smartphones that will bring this platform to market. We will, of course, continue to deliver products in partnership with Microsoft on the Windows Mobile platform, but from our internal platform development perspective, we will focus on only one.
Because we were nearly at the point of shipping Foleo, this was a very tough decision. Yet I am convinced this is the right thing to do. Foleo is based on a second platform and a separate development environment, and we need to focus our efforts on one platform. Our own evaluation and early market feedback were telling us that we still have a number of improvements to make Foleo a world-class product, and we can not afford to make those improvements on a platform that is not central to our core focus. That would not be right for our customers or for our developer community.
Jeff Hawkins and I still believe that the market category defined by Foleo has enormous potential. When we do Foleo II it will be based on our new platform, and we think it will deliver on the promise of this new category. We’re not going to speculate now on timing for a next Foleo, we just know we need to get our core platform and smartphones done first.
I would like to thank our customers for their interest in Foleo. I know there will be disappointed folks who were looking forward to carrying a Foleo for all their mobile computing needs. I am certainly one of them. I would also like to thank the developers who have supported our Foleo efforts. They have been loyal to Palm and have worked hard to deliver some compelling solutions on the Foleo platform. I know that they will understand that the right thing to do for the long run is to focus on one platform that will live for years, rather than invest energy in a one-off solution. We will make every effort to make sure we bring our developers forward to our next generation platform.
This decision will require us to take a limited charge of less than $10 million dollars to our earnings. This is a lot of money, but it is a small price relative to the costs that would be required to support two platforms going forward. This decision is in the best interest of our customers, our team, our products and our shareholders. I hope this renewed focus at Palm will allow us to deliver more compelling solutions to our core smartphone market, and it will allow us to position ourselves for the long run around one Palm experience."
Labels: General News
iSlayer launch iStat Menus
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
I have used iSlayer's iStat Pro for a long time now, and have never been anything less than totally impressed. Now they take things one step further with the launch of iStat Menus, where you can monitor various aspects of your system in your Apple Menu Bar. Things like CPU and memory usage, network bandwidth, IP addresses, and fan speed, plus a whole lot more. The application is freeware and can be downloaded now.Labels: Mac Software
The Authors
Dave
Dave has been in the graphic design industry for 14 years. Long time reviewer of technology related products, he is Owner/Editor of Geekanoids.
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This site covers all the latest Macintosh, technology & gadget related news. We also bring our readers thorough, unbiased reviews of computer software, hardware & peripherals, with some alternative products thrown into the mix.
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