Bites from the Apple: New Shuffle and Upcoming iPhone 3.0 OS Preview
While all sleek and cooly detached in its buttonlessness, the updated iPod shuffle has one thing going against it--the need to use the included Apple earbud headphones with an included in-line controller. I know many are satisfied with the earbuds they get in an iPod package, but Apple's earbuds have never fit my ears. Luckily, third party manufacturers like Klipsch and Scosche are starting to announce alternative headphones and adapters that include both controls and VoiceOver features. The new iPod shuffle (see below in this three iterations) has already been dissected and some new iPod shuffle owners have already discovered some alternative uses and DIY cases for the device. It's also been given the review treatment by Gizmodo and CNet, who both grumble about the operability of the inline controls, as well as Walt Mossberg and The Apple Blog (which includes sexy unboxing photos).
But, in the spirit of the SNL Steve Jobs, the new iPod shuffle is old news. The new new news is that Apple is holding a get-together at its campus town hall next week to preview the iPhone 3.0 operating system. There's not a whole lot of verifiable info on what's coming down the pike, but The Boy Genius Report has heard that there will be MMS messaging and tethering (i.e., using the iPhone as a modem for your laptop) via Bluetooth and USB. But what about the iPhone Holy Grail: copy and paste? Wired's Gadget Lab also suggests that the timing of this OS preview portends to the possibility of new hardware coming along with the release of the Software Developers' Kit (SDK) for the OS update. Check in next Tuesday (March 17) as we cover what gets announced (and what doesn't) after the event, which takes place at 10am PDT. In the meantime, use the comments to leave some of your biggest wishlist items for the iPhone 3.0 OS.
- Rumor Revue: Despite pooh-poohing the idea of a netbook, rumors surface this week from China that Apple is indeed working on something netbook-y with a touchscreen panel (for more on this, check out Ars Technica's case for and against an Apple netbook). MacNN also reports that Apple is on the verge of releasing a new version of Final Cut Studio, which should probably come out in conjunction with the National Association of Broadcasters expo in April.
- Chris Howard at Apple Matters wonders if Safari 4's new tab design (which places tabs up in the title bar) was a conscious decision based on plans for upcoming smaller devices.
- How do Apple rumors get started? Sometimes by playing very fast and loose with the hungry Apple fanboys/fangirls in order to manipulate the stock, as CNBC's Jim Cramer explains in his now wincingly infamous visit to John Stewart's Daily Show (clip posted over at Macworld).
- Also getting an update this week was iTunes, revving up to 8.1 with the new-and-improved iTunes DJ (replacing the Party Shuffle), which also enables an iPhone or iPod touch to wirelessly request a song using the Remote app (you must get the free upgrade to Remote 1.2 to make it happen). TidBITS also notes that the AutoFill feature, formerly available to just iPod shuffles, is now available for all iPods, and they helpfully guide you through the not-so-obvious method of making this happen. There had been talk of applying the iTunes Genius functionality to videos, but that's been delayed.
- Possibly the most fugly iPod accessory--Karl Lagerfeld's fur-lined motorcycle helmet.
- Another argument that the TCO (total cost of ownership) for Macs is lower than for Windows-based PCs. Jim Dalrymple at Macworld also ponders whether the new Mac mini is overpriced, but comes to the conclusion that it's a competitive system with its 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics--even if it's about $100 more than the competition.
- Remember the U2 Special Edition iPod? Well, the band has moved on and is now backed by BlackBerry maker Research in Motion for its upcoming tour. In another break from Apple, the venture capital firm Elevation Partners (of which Bono is a partner) has cast its lot with Palm. And Palm had to retract a statement from Roger McNamee, one of its board members (and co-founder of Elevation), who said that "not one" iPhone user will be using said device a month later, at which point the new Palm Pre will be released.
- The More You Know: If you're interested in learning more about the basics of jailbreaking your iPhone, check out this post over at The Apple Blog. The Make Use Of website also released its free downloadable Big Book of iTunes, which not only goes through the basics of the program but also offers some interesting tips and tricks such as making your own ringtones and utilizing some third-party enhancements to share your iTunes library over the Internet.
- And finally... this week Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak debuted his hoofing skills on ABC's Dancing with the Stars... and got some terrible reviews from the judges ("like a Teletubby going mad at a Gay Pride parade" was one remark). To add injury to insult, Woz also suffered a foot fracture, but he'll continue on while wearing "a removable cast except during practice." If you missed it, here's the number:
--Agen G.N. Schmitz
rizalhit on March 16, 2009 at 07:55 PM
amazing iphone woooooww... :0
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