Apple Ipod Iphone

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noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:30:00 +0000

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iPhone Will Receive A SlingPlayer Feature

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:45:00 +0000

Apple’s World Wide Developers’ Conference, also known as the WWDC, brings its first set of news, as Sling Media which produced the Slingbox, is currently developing a SlingPlayer Mobile version which will be used by the iPhone for streaming media.

The Slingbox is a TV streaming device controller that uses the Internet to offer its users complete access to their TV sets from any location. The device can display through the Internet any live or prerecorded TV program. Users control the channels with the help of an on-screen remote found at the bottom of the screen.

The announcement didn’t come as a big surprise as several versions of the SlingPlayer Mobile have been already introduced for Macs, PCs, WinMob, Palm and Symbian.

During the WWDC, visitors will get a glimpse of the new service in development with some live demonstrations made by the SlingPlayer Mobile on the iPhone and on the iPod Touch. Apple’s products will be connected to several Slingboxes through a Wi–Fi network and play back videos.

According to Sling’s executives, the iPhone offers a large screen of very good quality and it also, for now, features the best graphics and processor specs on the smart phone market, turning it into one of the best platform options for their development process.

The new software will be developed and distributed through the iTunes App Store. An official release date has not yet been announced, but more information is expected to follow over the next few months.

AT&T is Selling 3G iPhone Only in $199

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:34:00 +0000

No doubt about it. The iPhone's been a major success for Apple, in spite of its steep price tag. If recent reports are correct, however, the upcoming next-generation 3G iPhone may cost AT&T customers less than half of the original.

Today, you must pay full price for an iPhone, as AT&T does not subsidize the purchase of the device, as it does with many of its other smartphones. That's $400 for the 8GB model and $500 for an iPhone with 16GB of storage.

The 3G iPhone, with much faster cellular-wireless data networking, is due to ship this summer for the same prices and storage capacities as today's models. However, according to Fortune, the carrier plans to subsidize the cost of buying the new and improved iPhone considerably

Sign on the dotted line for two years of service and you'll be able to get an 8GB 3G iPhone for only $200 and a 16GB edition for $300.

At those prices, the iPhone should do even better than it has already, as those who've held off from getting one because of the steep price tag may finally take the plunge and buy one.

Fortune also reports that the new iPhone should integrate GPS to better support location-based services than today's iPhone's cell-phone-tower triangulation method. And, in spite of the addition of 3G and GPS, the new iPhone models will be a little thinner than the original, dropping to only 9.2mm thick from 11.7mm.

Not bad.

Apple sold over 4 million iPhones in 2007, shipped 1.7 million the first quarter of 2008, and is on track to reach its goal of selling 10 million units this year. The company extended the iPhone's reach to Austria and Ireland during that time period as well.

In June, Apple will release iPhone software update 2.0, which, in all likelihood will be included in the next-gen iPhone. This upgrade will feature the iPhone App Store, where users will finally be able to wirelessly download official native software directly to their iPhone, over a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. You'll also be able to side-load programs through iTunes.

The new iPhone firmware, which will cost iPod touch users a nominal fee, will also introduce a host of additional new features, including a number to make the iPhone more enterprise friendly; such as the integration of Microsoft ActiveSync technology to support push e-mail calendaring, and contacts, as well as global address lists and remote wipe in an enterprise environment.

The iPhone continues to be a boon for AT&T. Apple's U.S. partner netted 1.3 million new subscribers to reach a total of 71.4 billion wireless customers and grew profits by 22 percent to $3.46 billion last quarter.

iPod survey is open

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:30:00 +0000

The iPod survey is back up and running, please take a minute or two to share your thoughts on the iPod if you haven't already.

Due to an overwhelming response yesterday in just a few hours, we had to close our iPod survey before we could upgrade to a larger account that permits more responses. We got nearly 1,000 responses in 3 hours, which was far more than I anticipated when I signed up for the basic account. Thanks to PollDaddy.com for helping us get back up and running this morning.

The idea is to gather some information on how News.com readers are currently using their iPods, or any MP3 players, in preparation for a story next week about the future of the iPod. We've spent a lot of time over the past six months talking about the iPhone and the Mac, so it's high time we take a look at the device that is perhaps most responsible for Apple's success this decade.

Apple Riding a 51% Jump in Mac Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:02:00 +0000

Signs of a consumer slowdown abound in the United States, but Apple customers appear not to have noticed.

Buoyed by unusually strong Macintosh sales, the company grew notably faster than the rest of the computer market worldwide in the first three months of the year. Revenue increased 43 percent from the same period a year ago, the company reported. Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, characterized the quarter as the strongest in Apple’s history.

He attributed the growth to higher traffic in the company’s 181 stores in the United States. The company reported that it had 33.7 million visitors to its stores in the United States, up 57 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Mr. Jobs said that belied the gloom that was being expressed about the American economy.

“We’re not economists, so we don’t have any more insight than everyone else, but there were sure a lot of people in our stores last quarter,” Mr. Jobs said in an interview.

Despite new products like the iPhone, variations of the iPod and the Apple TV set-top box, this was a Macintosh quarter. Apple shipped 2.3 million Mac computers in the quarter, 51 percent more than in the quarter a year ago. Revenue on those computers increased 54 percent.

But it also said it sold 10.6 million iPods during the quarter, flat with the year-ago quarter. Analysts said iPod sales were within their expectations and that it was a sign that the product category was maturing,

“The big question was, would Apple really feel the pinch from a weakening U.S. consumer? And the somewhat unequivocal answer was, no, not yet,” said A. M. Saggonaghi Jr., a senior analyst at Bernstein Research

Apple said that net income in its second quarter rose 36 percent from the year-ago quarter, to $1.05 billion or $1.16 a share, on revenue of $7.51 billion.

The results far exceeded the expectations of Wall Street analysts. They had expected $1.07 cents a share and revenue of $6.96 billion, according to a survey of analysts by Bloomberg.

The company, based in Cupertino, Calif., also forecast strong sales in the coming months. Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s chief financial officer, said the company expected third-quarter revenue of about $7.2 billion and earnings of about $1 a share.

Apple’s stock has declined 17.9 percent since the beginning of January when it peaked near $200 a share. After drifting below $120 a share, the stock has begun to recover since March. Shares on Wednesday closed up, rising $2.69 to $162.89, but then declined 26 cents, to $162.63 in after-hours trading over concerns that Apple’s profit margins were weaker than analysts expected.

If there is a weak spot in the company’s battle plan, it may be the iPhone smartphone, which has had stellar sales in the United States, but has showed weakness in Europe. Apple said it sold 1.7 million iPhones for the quarter. “In my mind iPhone sales were soft,” said Charles Wolf, a financial analyst at Needham & Company. “It’s a question of the distribution model and of the price. The price clearly has to come down.”

Apple’s executives said the sales of iPhones exceeded internal company projections during the quarter.

Analysts and the industry are expecting Apple to introduce a higher performing version of the iPhone within the next two months, made for faster 3G data-oriented cellular networks. Mr. Jobs is under pressure to meet his 10 million iPhone sales forecast by the end of 2008. To meet that goal the company needs a second-generation iPhone, and it may also need to push the price of the existing $399 iPhone down significantly or introduce a stripped-down model.

Analysts have said that as the second quarter progressed, demand for Apple’s iPhone increased and that the computer maker was unable to keep up with demand. The supply issue could have been affected by the limited availability of 16-gigabyte flash memory chips, Mr. Wolf speculated.

He said that the more interesting story for the quarter may be the gains that Apple is making in PC market share, predominantly in the laptop computer segment.

International Data Corporation’s survey this month showed Apple with a 6 percent share of the American market in the first quarter, compared with 4.9 percent a year ago. Apple’s strong Macintosh growth comes as Microsoft struggles with its Windows Vista operating system, which was released last year to largely critical reviews. “I think people are really noticing the difference between Mac OS X and Windows to a greater degree than ever before,” Mr. Jobs said. “The more people understand that there is an alternative, the more people are choosing a Mac.”

On Wednesday, Apple confirmed that it had acquired PA Semi, a Silicon Valley chip company with expertise in low-power microprocessors, an essential technology for future iPhones. Forbes.com first reported the acquisition, which it said was for $278 million in cash. Neither company disclosed the amount of the deal.

The chip maker had originally hoped to supply Apple with chips intended for a microprocessor used in earlier Macintosh computers and by I.B.M. However, when Apple began using Intel microprocessors for the Macintosh, PA Semi was left without a major customer.

The decision to buy PA Semi is likely to be a blow to Intel, which recently introduced a new low-power chip called Atom.

Fring WiFi VoIP Enabled Iphone - Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:10:00 +0000

Apple iPhone can now be used for VoIP by using Fring's Mobile WiFi application.
iPhone users can discover the VoIP freedom of being able to take their Fring contacts and buddies from other favorite communities on their mobile devices. They can also make free and low cost mobile cell phone calls over WiFi.

Fringland Ltd announced on Wednesday that it has launched the world's first mobile VoIP application to be made publicly available for the Apple iPhone.

The new application will allow users to talk, chat and interact with other Fring users, known as Fringsters, and participate in online social communities by using their Apple iPhone WiFi connection.

A pre-release is available, developed in conjunction with Holon Institute of Technology academic research labs in Israel. The pre-release version is designed to allow users to learn about the Fring experience and to offer initial feedback before the full release. The full version is scheduled to be launched later this year.

Apple iPhone users can discover the freedom of being able to take their Fring contacts and buddies from other favorite communities on their iPhones. They can also make free and low cost mobile cell phone calls over WiFi. Fring also provides a live instant message chat with user online contacts.

Since early 2008, Fring has been experiencing growth in excess of 100,000 new users per month across more than 180 countries worldwide. Fring aimes to spread its application to as many mobile cell phone users as possible.
Source: newsoxy.com

Fring was first launched in February 2007 and actively allows users to knowingly communicate with each other and with contacts from Skype, MSN, Google Talk, ICQ, Twitter, Yahoo and AOL AIM.

Formal talks over iPhone launch in China mobile market

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:57:00 +0000

China, one of the world's fastest-growing cell phone market, was expected to have nearly 600 million people using mobile phones this year.

China Mobile has not started formal negotiations with Apple Inc. over the iPhone, despite the intention of both sides to cooperate.

Details about issues such as business models and commercialization have prevented the companies from entering formal talks. No time frame was available either at the moment, China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou said on the sidelines of 2008 conference of the Boao Forum for Asia on Saturday in China's southern Hainan Province.

"Our door will remain open as long as there is customer demand," said the head the country's largest cell phone carrier during a panel discussion on the sustained growth and development of the telecom industry.

Apple launched its iPhone -- a hand-held device that combines a mobile phone, a wide-screen iPod and an Internet device into one -- in the United States in January 2007. It planned to launch it into the Asian market this year.

Wang said China Mobile subscribers currently totaled more than 380 million, nearly 30 percent of the country's total population. The number had been expanding six to seven million per month, mostly fueled by consumers in the rural areas, he added.

He foresaw a robust future for the telecom industry, both at home and globally, as mobile communications were a "consumption of low energy" and a stimulus for other products such as mobile music.

More than 200 million China Mobile users have used their phones to download music or songs, he said.

China, one of the world's fastest-growing cell phone market, was expected to have nearly 600 million people using mobile phones this year.
Source: mathaba.net

iHome iH12 / iH12BR Clock Radio for iPod

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:23:00 +0000

As the most iconic members of the "Dream Machine" line of digital clock radios, Sony's iconic cube-shaped, LCD-screened mini speaker systems have became softer and less boxy as the years have passed, but they've never gained iPod docks. Unsurprisingly, iHome -- maker of more iPod clock radios than any other company -- saw this as an opportunity, and the result is iH12 ($80), a 5.25" cube dual alarm clock with an iPod dock on top. Like virtually all of the company's other products, iH12 is a good new offering at a reasonable price point, limited only by a few issues.

Worth noting up front is iH12’s name, which in iHome tradition is augmented in the product reviewed here by two additional letters: this is the iH12BR version, “B” for black in color, and “R” for packaged with a remote. iHome has historically released its products in multiple versions, including silver, white, and other colored cases, and sometimes in packages lacking the remote control, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see an iH12SR or iH12WR in the future.

With two exceptions, the black version of iH12 is entirely black, from its front fabric grille to its glossy plastic enclosure, which has been given distinctive curves on its top left and bottom right corners, as well as right angles on its top right and bottom left corners. The exceptions are a bright blue LCD screen that’s framed to match the system’s shape, and text that appears on iH12’s body, primarily on its top in front of the iPod dock. Most of the text is high-contrast white, with the iHome name in silver on the system’s bottom left corner. The screen can be toggled through four levels of brightness, two very bright and two extremely dim or off, for light-sensitive sleepers.

In addition to a color-matched 10-button Infrared remote control, iH12 includes four plastic iPod dock adapters, an external AM antenna, a wall power adapter, and two AA batteries that come pre-installed to keep the clock running even when there’s a power outage. Inside the cabinet are stereo speakers, a “passive subwoofer,” and a simplified dual-alarm AM/FM clock radio borrowed from other iHome systems.

Shape aside, what’s most interesting about iH12 from a design standpoint is that iHome is obviously learning a lot about streamlining its controls. Sixteen buttons on the system’s top are extremely easy to understand as alarm, preset, track, volume, input selection and snooze/dimmer controls, while the remote adds a “3D on/off” button and pares down the system’s four separate radio preset buttons into a single toggle. Similarly, the system’s screen is straightforward, with a top line for iPod and alarm icons, including information on what type of alarm—increasingly loud radio, iPod, or a progressively more annoying buzzer—you want to hear, a middle section for the clock, and a bottom line that alternates between the date, volume levels, and going blank. As with most low-end clock radios, the iPod or radio starts playing wherever you left off rather than offering programmability, and there aren’t separate weekday, weekend, or all-week settings for the two alarms. They’re either on or off, which is just fine for the price.

The only confusing part of iH12’s interface is something that you learn within the first half hour of use. Plug an iPod into the system’s top and it stays silent; try using the “radio/auxiliary input” toggle button and the iPod never comes up as a choice. You’ll need to hit the play or power button to start hearing your iPod’s sound, a trivial but initially confusing difference from most of the clock radios we’ve tested recently. iH12 ramps up softly in sound from silence, which is nice. The remote also performs just as expected, working reliably under normal lighting from 30-foot distances, assuming you’re on a direct line of sight from the system.

Sonically, iH12 performs as expected, which is to say that it sounds pretty good for a small $80 clock radio, but won’t blow anyone away. There are two different audio modes, “3D off” and “3D on,” and our system was pre-set to 3D on—generally a good thing given that the system sounds a bit flat and boring without it. “3D on” provides a welcome treble boost that counterbalances the system’s natural bass leanings, and makes the sound more dynamic, if not in any way more 3D. Oddly, though there is a hint of stereo separation when the system is in standard, non-3D audio mode, it actually disappeared in our traditional test song when 3D mode was turned on. This is the first time this has ever happened in our testing, and we suspect that it’s a bug in implementation, potentially correctable in later units.

In any case, it doesn’t matter much, as we don’t expect a full stereo soundstage from a small nightstand clock like this one; the overall balance is more important, and fine here. Detail and midrange aren’t phenomenal, and there’s a fair bit of amplifier hiss that’s evident during silences, but this is par for the course with small, inexpensive systems. For its price, we’d call iH12 above average overall in sound.

iH12’s radio performance is good, but not great. With the AM antenna attached, it doesn’t have a problem tuning in AM stations, and FM tuning is similar, albeit saddled with an low but audible base level of static. The single biggest issue is that the “3D on” speaker mode, which benefits iPod audio playback, encumbers FM radio playback by accentuating the static hiss and overboosting the treble; unfortunately, the 3D mode can’t be separately set to remain off when toggling between modes. If you’re a frequent radio user, you might find that keeping the 3D mode off is a better compromise, though there’s no way to produce optimal results in both iPod and radio modes without toggling the feature on and off manually.

On one hand, issues like this seem somewhat trivial given the big picture appeal of iH12, which strikes us as a nice-looking system with generally good sound and a very attractive price. Had everything worked perfectly, it would be worthy of a stronger general recommendation, but the collection of issues take it down a notch to our flat B level. Make no mistake: if you’re on a budget and like the modern update of the classic Sony cube clock style, you’ll find iH12 to be a very satisfactory speaker for the price, but if you desire better audio performance or more clock adjustability, and don’t mind sparing an extra $20 and more surface area, you’ll find options such as the company’s iH9 to be smarter buys for the dollar.

Source:ilounge.com

Is Apple launching 3G iPhone?

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:21:00 +0000

It is being rumored that Apple is all set to launch a 3G iPhone. The 3G version would be able to make live video-calls which seems quite interesting.

The pictures of the 3G iPhone have already been leaked out on the internet. The phone has dropped its standard nickel color back panel and shows off its glossy black panel. The phone also does not feature the black plastic end to cover its antenna.

The black iPhone is expected to continue with an 8GB memory and will retain all other features as the previous models. The iPhone, one of the most prized possessions has gained popularity all throughout the world with its crystal clear touch-screen and delivers the best music clarity to the ears.

Guess it’s time to invite the newer and advanced iPhones which crave to add on more and more features on to them. Apple has been constantly bringing in technical advancements in their products, however how true this rumor is only time can tell.
Source: mobiletor.com

Samsung launches 3G Instinct

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:46:00 +0000

The Samsung Instinct will get heads turning, not least because of its close resemblance to Apple's iConic mobile phone; they look like twins separated at birth.

The Korean manufacturer's phone however it slightly thinner than the iPhone; Gizmodo and Product-reviews call it the first decent iPhone competitor and it is easy to see why.

First it is a 3G mobile phone, which means that you can now surf the internet at neck breaking speeds, something that the iPhone is conspicuously incapable of at the moment; perhaps the Instinct will provide with the proverbial kick.

It has a much larger touchscreen (3.1 inch, 240x432 pixels) compared to its other non-iPhone competitors and it features an Apples-que Tilt Navigation control.

Then it costs only $300 (that's £150) which is nearly half the price of the iPhone and it will be available worldwide; two more cookie points for the Apple Phone competitor.

Although the iPhone comes with a much higher storage capacity, the Instinct supports EV-DO Rev A and true GPS and offers a 2.0MP camera with recorder.

But the two finger zoom-in, zoom-out won't work on the phone and you can't use more than one finger to input data on there... Ouch.

The phone is currently available in the US on the Sprint Network for a monthly $100 monthly subscription fee.

Source:itproportal.com

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:17:00 +0000

Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) plans to offer software for the iPhone, saying in a recent interview that developers are considering a variety of possibilities that include offering Office functionality on Apple's smart phone.

Microsoft's focus on the iPhone stems from Apple's release of a software development kit this month. The iPhone SDK, released in beta, gives developers access to the same tools Apple developers use for building applications that run on the iPhone's Max OS X-based operating system.

In an interview with Fortune magazine, published online Tuesday, Tom Gibbons, corporate VP of Microsoft's Specialized Devices and Applications Group, said the software maker was looking closely at the SDK and considering its options.

"It's really important for us to understand what we can bring to the iPhone," Gibbons told the magazine. "To the extent that Mac Office customers have functionality that they need in that environment, we're actually in the process of trying to understand that now."

With the exception of Apple, Microsoft makes more software for the Mac than any other vendor. Among its most popular offerings is its Office suite for the Mac.

"We do have experience with that environment, and that gives us confidence to be able to do something," Gibbons told Fortune. "The key question is, what is the value that we need to bring? We're still getting comfortable with the SDK, right? It's just come out. So we had a guess as to what feasibility would be like, now we'll really get our head wrapped around that,"

Apple plans to release the final version of SDK in June, along with new versions of the iPhone and iPod Touch operating systems. The latter gadget contains the same platform as the iPhone, minus the cellular component. AT&T (NYSE: T) is the exclusive cellular provider of the iPhone.

One element of the iPhone upgrade that should prove helpful to Microsoft is support for the software maker's Exchange e-mail server. Earlier this year, Apple said it licensed Microsoft's ActiveSync protocol for connecting the iPhone's e-mail client directly to an Exchange server. As a result, e-mail, calendaring and contact items can be pushed directly to the smart phone.

Apple Offering unlimited Music on Ipod

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:06:00 +0000

Apple is in discussions with the big music companies about a radical new business model that would give customers free access to its entire iTunes music library in exchange for paying a premium for its iPod and iPhone devices.

The “all you can eat” model, a replica of Nokia’s “comes with music” deal with Universal Music last December, could provide the struggling recorded music industry with a much-needed fillip, and drive demand for a new generation of Apple’s hardware.

Apple would not comment on the plan, but executives familiar with the negotiations said they hinged on a dispute over the price the computer maker would be willing to pay for access to the labels’ libraries.

Nokia is understood to be offering almost $80 per handset to music industry partners, to be divided according to their share of the market. However, Apple has so far offered only about $20 per device, two executives said. “It’s who blinks first, and whether or not anyone does blink,” one executive said.

Detailed market research has shown strong appetite among consumers for deals bundling music in with the cost of the device, or in exchange for a monthly subscription, executives said.

One executive said the research had shown that consumers would pay a premium of up to $100 for unlimited access to music for the lifetime of the device, or a monthly fee of $7-$8 for a subscription model.

Apple, which is thought to make relatively little money from the iTunes store compared with its hardware sales, is also understood to be examining a subscription model.

Subscriptions would work only for its iPhone devices, where it has a monthly billing relationship with customers through the mobile phone operators offering the device, while the “comes with music” model would work with iPhones and with iPods.

The subscription models under discussion in the music industry include the provision for customers to keep up to 40 or 50 tracks a year, which they would retain even if they changed their device or their subscription lapses.

Other music groups are understood to be in talks with Nokia, which is keen to sign up as many of the major labels as possible before launching its first “comes with music” devices in the second half of this year.

Source: ft.com

iPhone ll support corporate e-mails

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 13:37:00 +0000

Apple is likely to introduce better support for corporate e-mail solutions such as Lotus Notes and Exchange next week, an analyst said Thursday.

American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu made the prediction in his latest note to clients Thursday.

“Even before the iPhone was launched, our concern was its mediocre corporate email support even though it had strong consumer email capability (Yahoo Mail, Gmail, .Mac, AOL mail). Our concern stemmed partially from Exchange’s lukewarm support of Macs (understandably so as Microsoft needs to defend its Windows franchise),” the analyst notes.

The analyst cites his own industry and developer sources, who suggest that after “months of beta testing” this weakness will be addressed with improvements in iPhone’s ability to work with Exchange server and IBM’s Lotus Notes.

“What isn’t as clear to us is how Apple will accomplish this, whether this is from internal development (most likely), third-parties including MSFT (next likely) with its ActiveSync technology, or RIM Blackberry Connect (possible but less likely), or a combination of two or more.”

The analyst also predicts Apple will also deliver improved security, better support of Virtual Private Networks, and enterprise applications such as Customer Relationship Management systems.

“We still have high conviction that Apple will ship 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008. To a degree, what gives us confidence is the large number of hacked phones signaling strong intrinsic demand,” Wu wrote.

Source: Macworld

Tannoy i30 iPod dock

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:41:00 +0000

We first saw Tannoy’s i30 iPod dock back in January at CES and now we’ve been able to play with it for an extended period of time. Yeah, I know you’re thinking it’s just another iPod dock among the sea of thousands of iPod docks available now, but this UK-engineered dock is much different. It’s leaps and bounds above the rest. Miley Cyrus never sounded so good.

We compared the i30 to Bose’s SoundDock and it beat out the Bose hands down. The SoundDock was more akin to a cheap $20 iPod dock than the grandiose experience people are expected to have with Bose products. The i30’s sound was crisp, unmuffled and undistorted on all levels. It hit lows, mids, and highs with nary an issue. Even with the volume mid-way the sound resonating from the two 4-inch iCT drivers caused others to come over and tell me to turn the volume down. To them I stuck out my tongue and cranked it up.

The sound quality is fantastic. A few peers have told me they’ve put it up against that Zeppelin doodad and they’ve enjoyed the Tannoy much better. It’s a simple design that isn’t so brash and out there. It’s very unassuming until you turn it on. You can plug in other devices including your computer in case you want better speakers. There’s also a video output so that you can watch your iPod videos on a larger screen. A USB port allows you to sync with iTunes from the dock and the included IR remote lets you control everything from the couch or kitchen or wherever you might be.

I’m sad to have to part ways with the i30 because the music on my iPod never sounded so good. The price may deter some of you, but it’s not worth it to be cheap if you don’t have a booming audio system to begin with. I need a smaller setup because of my living situation and the i30 is ideal. I don’t have CDs or any mp3 files on my computer anymore. Everything resides on my iPod and sometimes I like to crank it up and rock out in my apartment. The i30 lets me do that without any distortion or craptastic audio once the volume is turned up. You will want this dock and nothing else. Trust me.

iPod, MacBook Air hard drives can be faster

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:34:00 +0000

Hard drives as used in the iPod classic, laptops and mobile devices are set to get faster, matching the capability of full-size computer drives.

Toshiba is set to unveil a line of micro-Serial ATA 1.8-in. disk drives that can operate at spin speeds of 5,400 rpm.

Toshiba said the 80GB MK8016GSG and 120GB MK1216GSG drives are slated to ship to mobile manufacturers and partners in April. The drives weigh about 62 grams, according to the company.

The company plans to show off the drives Tuesday at the Intel Mobility Summit in Shanghai. Patty Kim, product marketing manager at the Toshiba Storage Device Division, who declined to disclose the company's pricing plans for the new drives.

Kim said the devices are based on the 3Gbit/sec. SATA interface architecture of the company's 2.5-in. hard drive systems. She also said the new disk drives support the SATA 2.6 specification and incorporate the micro-SATA connector to allow integration with Toshiba's full line of SATA disk drives. The connector also allows the new drive to be linked to small-design storage devices manufactured by other storage vendors, Kim added.

John Rydning, an analyst at Framingham, Mass.-based IDC, said Toshiba is the first hard drive manufacturer to enable 5,400-rpm speeds in a 1.8-in. device. That capability answers a growing frustration among mobile computer users that they must sacrifice hard drive performance when using ultrathin notebook or laptop computers, he said.

Rydning said that, theoretically, the drive's 5,400-rpm spindle speed and 80GB and 120GB capacity options put performance and reliability of the 1.8-in. device on par with its 160GB 2.5-in. cousin. However, he also noted that IDC has yet to test the device.

"What this means for ultramobile PC makers and users is that they'll have more storage options for the small, thin and light PCs," said Rydning. "It will be a noticeable difference."

Rydning said he expects that other drive makers will unveil similar tools in the coming months. "Demand for capacity on notebook computers has just been amazing," he said. "The trend is pretty clear: Portable computer users really don't want to give up capacity as they switch to notebooks from desktop computers."

Macs is growing AAPL

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:45:00 +0000

Apple's Macintosh computers will play a bigger role in the company's growth than the iPhone and iPod, according to industry analysts. CNN Money reports that BMO Capital Markets analyst Keith Bachman today cut Apple's stock target from $160 to $140 per share. Bachman says that the iPhone's growth is slowing and he remains skeptical on Apple's target of 10 million units sold; his own forecast sees Apple moving around 8.5 million iPhones.

Bachman sees the Mac increasing marketshare, and raised his estimate of 8.2 million units sold to 9.4 million. He also raised quarterly estimates from 1.87 million to 2.06 million.

The iPod shows signs of stagnation due to a likely saturated market, noting that the 22 million iPods sold during the January quarter is only five percent higher than the year ago quarter. This is short of forecasts all throughout the industry, and Bachman has lowered expected sales from 54.6 million iPods sold to 51.1 million.

Bachman says that Apple could recover some ground on the iPhone by introducing less expensive models, as well as opening the device to more carriers.

Legal silences iTunes

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:40:00 +0000

Apple has fired a cease and desist order against the developers behind the open-source Hymn Project.

Hymn develops software that strips Apple's FairPlay digital rights management (DRM) technology from user's iTunes purchases, allowing music fans to play their music on devices other than those from Apple.

iTunes customers can legitimately lose FairPlay DRM in order to play their music on other devices by burning a CD of their songs, and ripping that CD into a different format.

Hymn has complied with Apple's legal letter, removing download links to its software from its website and warning forum users not to post links to alternate download sources within its forums, or risk a ban.

The Hymn forum moderator wrote: "In no way has this site ever promoted piracy. Those of you who've attempted to discuss such topics know that we take a very heavy handed approach. This was partly to protect us but also because we feel that artists should be compensated for their work. We truly believe that people should be able to free the music they've legally purchased from the shackles of DRM. So, we've attempted through the years to keep a balance of fair use.

"We've complied with the cease and desist and removed all DRM breaking software from the site. But they can't force us to purchase DRM'd music from their store," he added.

iPod News

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:06:00 +0000

Griffin Technology Inc., maker of all things iPod, today announced their Reflect(TM) and Courier(TM) carrying cases for iPod are now available for iPhone.

Designed with protection, style and convenience in mind, the newly available cases are now shipping.

Reflect for iPhone
Like polished chrome, Reflect presents a sleek, metallic finish that covers the perimeter of the Multi Touch display. Reflect provides protection for your iPhone as only a hard shell of polycarbonate can while complementing the device's sleek design. A matte black rubberized case back seals your iPhone inside, and provides a sure grip. Reflect is protection for your iPhone that reflects well on you.

Courier

Redesigned with a slimmer look and abrasion-resistant durability, Griffin's updated Courier provides practical transportation and protection for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPod classic. Designed to wrap onto a backpack or shoulder bag strap, Courier securely carries your iPhone and accessories with a heavy-duty hook-and-loop closure and carabiner clip. Courier includes two detachable cases for iPhone/iPod touch and iPod classic/iPod with video and features a hidden zippered pocket for money, keys, or ID.

Pricing & Availability
Griffin's new Reflect for iPhone, $24.99; and Courier, $34.99, are now shipping and available at major retailers nationwide.

iPods in a War Zone

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:31:00 +0000

As they prepare for their daily patrols around Baghdad, soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division sync up their iPods, not with songs and movies, but with a laundry list of missions and audio files containing pre-recorded phrases in Iraqi Arabic or Kurdish.

Loaded with special software, the music players help them communicate with the populace and learn the local culture, and they occasionally serve as handy tools in their tactical missions, such as searching for persons of interest. The gadgets have been so useful that troops are now finding new ways to employ the technology.

The Army so far has purchased 300 of the Vcommunicator Mobile LC devices. Since last fall, squad leaders from the 10th Mountain Division's 1st and 4th Brigades have been using the product in Iraq.

Little Training Needed

The simplicity that has made the iPod, manufactured by Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) , so successful as a music player also relates to its combat applications. Solthers simply scroll through as they search for mission data or for spoken phrases. The display shows the sentence phonetically and in script, and the user can play the corresponding audio clip, which also can be synced to an avatar, or computerized character, that gestures according to customs.

Connected to a speaker or megaphone, the device functions as a one-way language translator. Prior to having these devices, troops had to wait for an interpreter before they could engage local residents during patrols.

"We had very little training for the systems, because they're so easy to operate," said Cory Youmans, director for acquisition support at the Army's program executive office for simulation, training and instrumentation, or PEO STRI. "The vast majority of soldiers intuitively know how to operate an iPod."

That was one of the selling points for the product, he added. Soldiers in general are looking for lightweight equipment that is simple to operate and requires little maintenance and power, Youmans said in an interview.

More Than a Translator

The creator of the VCommunicator software -- Orlando-based Vcom3D -- originally designed it to teach soldiers basic Iraqi Arabic phrases. However, now troops are finding new tactical applications for the device, said Ernie Bright, product manager at Vcom3D.

Troops also are uploading maps and other images and content onto the video iPods to assist them at vehide checkpoints and door-to-door searches, said Bright.

If soldiers are looking for a particular individual, they can load a photo of their target and correlate it to Arabic script that asks, "Do you recognize this person?"

Troops also can store sound clips and other pertinent information that they need to conduct mission briefs for small units, said Bright.

Going Nano

The most recent version of the Vcommunicator comes on the new iPod nano, which troops are strapping to their wrists or wearing on lanyards around their necks.

The nano units are much faster, much smaller and more user-friendly, said Youmans. "That's one of the benefits of using commercial off-the-shelf -- the technology advances really quickly," he told National Defense in a phone interview.

The nano variants were completed in time for the 4th Brigade's deployment last fall, he said.

The devices also come in languages that are suitable for operations in Afghanistan. In October, during a training exercise at Fort Polk, La., soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division tested iPod nanos programmed with the Dari and Pashto languages. Youmans said he expects the unit will request the devices for future deployments.

In the latest version, Vcom3D added a "vocabulary list" feature and expanded sections on basic conversation, winning the hearts and minds, intelligence gathering, detainee processing, medical care, training, crowd control and improvised explosive device sweeping.

"Having key phrases in there, a simple thing like, 'Would you like to play a game of soccer,' or 'Can I give your children these gifts,'" helps to build rapport, said Bright.

The vocabulary list is broken down into categories that include Army supplies, medical intervention, directions and colors. An entry for the word pistol, for example, brings up an image of the object. The next screen gives the phonetic pronunciation of the word in the selected language, and then the word written out in script.

Making Life a Little Easier and Safer

The Army awarded Vcom3D a contract for the iPod translator following a request by the 10th Mountain Division for a multifunctional, multimedia language and cultural learning device that was based on the iPod or a Windows Mobile PDA.

The division wanted a system that provided one-way language translation, a mission-specific vocabulary trainer, a multimedia cultural awareness tool, and an authoring tool that would allow units to build or modify phrases into existing missions. The system also needed to be flexible enough so that soldiers could make modifications as needed, said Youmans.

"We found out that the only vendor out there that had a device that met all the requirements was Vcom3D," he said.

As an Army reservist, Youmans deployed twice to Iraq and Kuwait. On his rotation there in 2004, he commanded the 375th Transportation Group.

"I can tell you it would have been nice for my soldiers to have had such a device, because we did not have the luxury of having translators available to support our convoys going up into Iraq. If we had a device like this, it sure would have made life easier for our soldiers going into harm's way," he said.

"As the convoys ran up the main supply routes, sometimes they would get stopped and the local people would come out to see what was going on. Many times, they would get very dose to the trucks and soldiers. Sometimes kids would climb on the trucks ... If we had had the ability to communicate to them in their language, 'please get off the truck, please stay away, we don't want you to get hurt,' we could have avoided an unhappy situation," he added.

Expanding Functionality

PEO STRI plans to deploy a team to Iraq to evaluate how the devices are performing in the inhospitable environment and weather conditions.

"The nice thing is, because they're commercial, they're cheap to replace," he said. Each device costs US$200 to $300.

Soldiers who are operating the iPods already have been inquiring about how to adapt the devices for other applications. One group in particular asked if it would be possible to connect the iPods to a plasma or LCD display at vehicle checkpoints so the images can be seen more clearly, said Youmans.

Bright said the company already is supplying the accessories to make that possible

This year Vcom3D plans to offer a commercial version of its software geared toward travelers, said Carol Wideman, president of the company. She said the company's long-term goal is to make it available on the mobile device of choice.

Apple brand benefits from Idol deal

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:17:00 +0000

Apple’s iPod enjoys a sizable share of the market for digital-music players. Its iTunes Store enjoys an equally formidable share of the online music market. And its brand remains one of the most recognizable in the world. So what can aligning its iPod and iTunes offerings with a television program do for Apple, even when the program in question is as popular as the Fox Network’s American Idol?

Plenty, analysts say.

“Apple’s involvement with American Idol brings a number of benefits, including more exclusives to iTunes, closer association with TV and music (particularly emerging artists), and exposure on one of the top-rated shows on television,” said Ross Rubin, director of analysis at market-research firm NPD.

Earlier this week, Apple and Fox unveiled a partnership that links their respective iTunes and Idol franchises. Under the terms of the deal, performances by American Idol contestants will appear on the iTunes Store the day after they’re broadcast on television. American Idol fans can also pre-order performances from their favorite contestants from the iTunes Store, which will be automatically downloaded the day after the show airs. And the store will have the music tracks of the top 24 semifinalists available for purchase for 99 cents per song.

Fox’s American Idol figures to become a common sight at the iTunes Store now that Apple has inked a deal with the reality TV show.

Having the exclusive songs and videos with Fox is certainly a coup for Apple, but that is only a small piece of the puzzle. When it comes down to the real benefits for Apple, it’s all about the brand.

As first reported by Variety, the iPod will become the TV show’s official digital music player while the iPhone becomes its official handset; those products are likely to be integrated into future episodes, similar to products from other American Idol sponsors such as Coke, AT&T, and Ford.

“The Idol stuff shows the ability of Apple place itself along other strong brands and overall reinforcing the coolness of the Apple experience,” said Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at JupiterResearch. “By making the placements in different venues, it reinforces the message that Apple products cross demographic boundaries and have appeal to multiple market segments.”

The deal certainly represents the union of two very recognizable brands. Apple’s iPod enjoys a 67 percent share of the market for digital-music players, according to the most recent figures from NPD. The iTunes Store remains a popular retail destination for online music, even with growing competition from rivals like Amazon.com’s Amazon MP3 service—just last month, Apple reported that iTunes had sold its 4 billionth song. As for American Idol, it’s one of the most-watched programs on network television—just this week, the show powered Fox to three consecutive nights of ratings wins, according to entertainment news site Zap2it.

But how much overlap already exists between Apple’s music products and the Idol audience? Given the iPod’s ubiquity, isn’t placing that product on American Idol little more than preaching to the choir?

Not so, says Tim Deal, senior analyst at market research form, Pike & Fischer. “With more than 30 million viewers, American Idol represents an opportunity for Apple to continue to build on a solid foundation of brand recognition,” Deal said. “Apple’s brand strategy cannot remain static simply because it is currently a well-known brand. The company must continually develop ways to reach new demographics, new customers and maintain a high-position in consumer mind-share.”

And that’s important to Apple. While the company continues to sell a large amount of handheld devices—more than 22 million iPods and 2 million iPhones during its fiscal first quarter—the growth of iPod sales has slowed, especially compared to booming growth enjoyed in past years. Keeping the music player at the forefront of people’s minds by placing it on a TV show they’re likely to watch could be part of Apple’s efforts to make sure that its products continue to rule the digital music roost.

Apple's iPod Growth Curve

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:22:00 +0000

Steve Jobs' recent price cut on his cheapest iPod -- the iPod shuffle -- could help the company accelerate unit sales growth for the first time in more than a year. But how about revenue?

iPod revenue growth doesn't move in lockstep with iPod unit growth. Last quarter, Apple sold 22.1 million iPods, just 5% more than it did the previous December quarter. But the same quarter, iPod revenue growth increased 17% year-over-year. Why? The new, high-end iPod touch jacked up the average revenue/unit 11% y/y from $163 to $181.

This quarter, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster expects Apple to sell 11.3 million iPods, up 7% y/y and an acceleration over last quarter's 5% y/y growth. But he expects the cheaper iPod shuffles to lower Apple's average sales price, reducing y/y iPod revenue growth to 12%. That's better than the lousy y/y iPod revenue growth Apple saw most of 2007, but a deceleration from last quarter.

Going forward, Munster expects Apple's iPod growth to come from cheaper, wi-fi-enabled, touchscreen iPods. That could bring the average unit price down even more -- bottoming around $157 later this year, he estimates. But he expects higher unit sales to boost revenue growth for the next few quarters.

Apple iPod Finally Gets Stereo Bluetooth!

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:13:00 +0000

Although the iPod has been absolutely dominating the MP3 market for several years now, there is at least one feature that has been notably missing from the glossy Cupertino-powered device. If you've been wanting to cut the wires on your music player, this is definitely the iPod for you, because it comes equipped with fully functional Bluetooth A2DP. That's stereo, folks.

The bad news is that this functionality is not coming directly from Steve Jobs. Instead, Ed Hernandez had to hack and slash his way through a iPod Video 5G, modifying it in such a way as to provide wireless connectivity. The Bluetooth module was a little too beefy to fit in the OEM housing, so there was actually a little more to this mod.

In addition to the $50 Bluetooth module, Ed invested in a $30 clear faceplate (so the blue LED could shine through), a $35 Flash adapter, and a $30-$120 CompactFlash card. The hard drive had to be replaced with CF in order to make room for the BT module. Sounds neat, but Apple needs to seriously include some stereo Bluetooth in the next iPod... or iPhone.

Apple TV Nails It the Second Time Around

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:22:00 +0000

The new Apple TV is fantastic!

Downloading and watching recent movies -- in high-definition, from the comfort of your living room -- is a stupendous experience. It could become habit-forming (exactly what Apple probably has in mind.)

First, a little history.

I've had a test unit for months. Because of Apple's (AAPL - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) long history of innovation, I figured this would be a killer video device that every person on the planet would want to own. You know, like iPods and iPhones.

When I originally received the device I couldn't wait to try it. It handled music very well. But videos that had been downloaded to play on an iPod looked absolutely dreadful when played on my HDTV screen. I was highly unimpressed.

Despite its shortcomings, I thought Apple TV had lots of potential -- but not in that original form. Video playback would have to be improved. Obviously, Mr. Jobs had the same thought.

So, when Apple sent me an email and told me they had just published a major software update for my Apple TV box,,I couldn't wait to try Apple TV 2.0

You already know that I now like what I see (and hear), but first some hardware details.

Apple TV is a very small, single-purpose computer (7.7 by 7.7 by 1.1 inches, 2.4 pounds). It will connect your wide-screen TV via a component or HDMI cable (sold separately) and also to your high-speed Internet connection at home via Wi-Fi (802.11g/n) or Ethernet (10/100BASE-T). Audio is handled by analog RCA jacks or the optical digital port. There's also a USB 2.0 port and IR receiver inside.

The device must be electronically "linked" to either a Mac (Mac OS 10.3.9, 10.4.9 or later) or PC (Windows XP, Service Pack 2 or Vista) desktop or laptop. Your computer's copy of iTunes is the conduit for buying and charging music and video content.

It also comes with a cute little remote to handle music and video choices from across the room. Be careful what you press and where you aim -- the remote also controls any nearby Mac computers.

There are two Apple TV configurations available now. There's a 40 GB model ($229) and the 160 GB ($329) model. Obviously, the larger hard drive is capable of storing up to four times as many audio and video files. Duh!

In a previous life, Apple TV had to connect to your computer to get all of its content. Now, Apple TV connects directly to your iTunes account. That allows you to download and receive content directly to your box. So you know: You can download, watch and listen on your computer or your Apple TV box (the subject of this review).

ITunes' available content pool is growing. In addition to all those music files, you can now rent movies via iTunes. It costs $3.99 for a standard definition movie and $4.99 for a high-definition movie. The rental period is 24 hours. You can watch the movie as many times as you can stand to during that period. After 24 hours, the download disappears.

Once you set up your iTunes account (which means inputting your credit card information), you're all set. Choose a movie, press the button agreeing to the rental, and the movie begins to download. Amazingly, after about 45 seconds or so, Apple TV is ready to let you begin watching.

Appropriately, I chose the fabulous Disney/Pixar feature Ratatouille to test the system. All I can say is wow! Apple TV video quality is spectacular. The audio is pretty special, too. All in all, video rental has never been this quick and easy.

Did I find anything to complain about? If I want to be picky, I could argue that the Apple TV hardware gets very warm to the touch when it's been on for a while. Big deal!
Do I think Apple is on the right track?
You bet.
By adding video rentals to the super-popular iTunes store, Apple is working overtime to control online video rentals just like it does the music download market. The Apple TV box should help the company reach that goal.
This overhaul is so good -- I'm wondering what Mr. Jobs has in mind for Apple TV 3.
I'm sure everyone will want to own one of those devices, too.

Apple special event

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:25:00 +0000

Is Apple planning a special event in New York?

Apple seems set to host a special event in New York in the coming weeks, or at the very least to stage an iTunes Live gig there, featuring Linkin' Park.

The band reportedly let slip to fans of plans to perform at an Apple event in New York earlier this week, but warned these plans to be "secret".

Whether it's wishful thinking is unclear, but with Apple expected to introduce its iPhone Software Development Kit this month it's not beyond the boundaries of possibility to speculate on a special event to mark the launch and introduce the first shipping applications from third party developers.

Speculation is gathering such force that even the New York Times is mulling the possibility.

A second report hints that developers are already applying the finishing touches to new software for the iPhone and iPod touch. PocketGamer reports Gameloft CEO Michel Guillemot illustrated his keynote speech on games and mobiles with a slide showing one of his titles running on an iPhone.

"What we do know is that Apple hasn't yet announced its plans for official iPhone downloadable games. But judging by its work with iPod games already, Gameloft is likely to be one of the launch partners," the report claims.

Finally, the BBC today promised iPlayer streaming television would be made available to iPhone and iPod touch owners, "within weeks". Could this indicate the debut of Adobe Flash Player on the iPhone?

The Apple TV update

noreply@blogger.com (Charlotte) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:04:00 +0000

Apple continued its product-a-week pace for 2008 earlier this week by releasing the Apple TV software update promised at Macworld Expo. And so, in this Macworld Video, I dive right into the new software, giving you an overview of what to expect as well as a tour of the new interface.

The feature highlight of this software update is the addition of the ability to buy media and rent movies from the iTunes Store directly from the Apple TV. Rest assured, we explore that aspect, too.

Download Macworld Video #38

• Format: MPEG-4/H.264

• Resolution: 320 x 240 (iPhone & iPod compatible)

• Size: 14.1 MB

• Length: 7 minutes, 30 seconds

Show Notes

I wrote down some initial impressions of the Apple TV update earlier this week. And if you’d like to continue our full-court multimedia press, Apple TV was among the subjects discussed on this week’s podcast.

To subscribe to the Macworld Video Podcast using iTunes 5 or later, click here.

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