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Posts with tag IpodTouch

iPhone 2.0 Software Brings Next-Gen Features to Current iPhone Owners

by Will Safer, posted Jun 9th 2008 at 4:34PMBreaking News

Start counting down to early July for the release of the new iPhone 2.0 software update, which Steve Jobs and company today announced at the keynote speech for the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference). This upcoming version of the operating system will enable new features that includes a redesigned calendar application and input capability for Japanese and Chinese characters. This new software will be built-in to the new iPhone 3G that was announced today, but will also be available for free as a downloadable upgrade for all current iPhone owners.

With iPhone 2.0, instant messaging becomes much more "instant," with constant updates coming across the network in a way that promises not to drain the device's battery. This is vital for iPhone users who are (like many) addicted to constant messaging but have complained of the current iPhone's battery life.

The biggest improvement appears to be the ease with which developers can create new applications for the iPhone. Demonstrations included medical teaching applications and games from SEGA, which apparently needed only two weeks to prepare its game sample for previewing at the conference. (That's speedy, and means it's much easier for developers of all stripes to make games and other applications for iPhone 2.0. More applications means users of all kinds will be able to find functionality that works for them. In Apple's effort to compete with other smartphone makers, this is very important.) Some of the applications that will be available were also previewed. These included apps from eBay, Loopt, MLB.com, Associated Press, and Typepad.

While current iPhone users will be able to upgrade to iPhone 2.0 for free, iPod Touch users will have to fork over $9.99 to get the new software.

New applications will be available via the App Store, and will be downloaded wirelessly. Developers will be able to post their creations to the store, so reaching users will not be difficult. Whenever an application is updated or improved by the developer, consumers will be able to download the new software wirelessly as well, for free.

For more information on the new Apple announcements, make sure to go to Engadget Classic's extensive, up-to-the-minute coverage of the WWDC.
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NBC Offering 'The Office' and '30 Rock' for Free on iPhone and Touch

by Terrence O'Brien, posted May 8th 2008 at 5:34PMBreaking News

NBC Offering 'The Office' and '30 Rock' for Free on iPhones and iPod Touches
You might remember that last summer NBC announced that it would be pulling its shows off iTunes because it wanted to saddle its videos with more restrictive Digital Rights Management (DRM) and be able to jack up its prices. Regardless of its motives, fans of NBC, Sci-Fi Channel, or Bravo shows who also had iPods and iPhones were out of luck.

But five months after the official end of the iTunes and NBC partnership, there is some hope on the horizon for the fans of at least two of NBC's Thursday-night comedies. The network has launched an iPhone and iPod Touch friendly version of its Web site featuring full episodes of two of its most popular shows, 'The Office' and '30 Rock,' with more to follow, we're sure.

Best of all, the episodes are free, unhindered by DRM, and completely lacking commercial interruption. Just don't exit Safari or you'll be forced to download the videos all over again. [Source: Silicon Alley Insider, Via: Geeksugar]
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More iTunes Fitness Apps and Gadgets Due From Apple

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Apr 7th 2008 at 6:33AM

Patents
Apple seems to think you're all a bunch of fat asses who need to get more exercise. Frankly, we're inclined to agree, you have been looking a little soft around the middle lately.

Apple has already teamed with Nike on iPod and running shoe packages, and unveiled a plan to put iPod docks in treadmills for saving workout data, now a new patent reveals the boys in Cupertino may be working on a full fledged fitness program and accompanying hardware.

Sensors will record heart rate and other physiological information to be loaded into an accompanying iTunes like fitness software platform. You'll be able to set goals, track achievements, even create custom work out routines based on your goals and interests.

The software will "interview" users to gather information such whether you want to lose weight, or just tone up, if you wish to be very active, or only moderately active, and what activities you'll enjoy (such as martial arts, yoga, or marathon running). The app will work with your iPod Touch or iPhone to give you work out plans and collect data while your at the gym.

Check out AppleInsider for all the mock ups of what will likely be known as iFit.

From AppleInsider

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David Beckham Gets Gold-Plated iPod for 100th Game

by Will Safer, posted Apr 3rd 2008 at 12:45PM

Gold-plated iPod Touch for Beckham.

When you really want to let someone know you care, what's the gift that says it all? How about an iPod? How about a personally inscribed iPod? How about a gold-plated, personally inscribed iPod?

That's what English soccer great and current Los Angeles Galaxy player David Beckham received from his mates on the English national soccer team after participating in his 100th game with the club following a friendly match with the blokes from the French national team in Paris.

It's a mark of honor, really, to do a hundred of anything, and the gadget hounds at Switched applaud the squad from England for pooling together to get the 32-year-old Beckham this special iPod Touch, valued at 600 British pounds, which comes out to about $1,196 in U.S. hard currency.

From The Unofficial Apple Weblog via Engadget via The Telegraph.


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Games and Apps Coming to iPhone, Including AIM and Spore

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Mar 6th 2008 at 2:48PM

Piles of Games and Apps Coming to iPhone
Today Apple officially unveiled its anticipated iPhone / iPod Touch SDK (software development kit) that will allow third parties to create applications that take full advantage of those devices' capabilities without all the hacking. A whole host of applications and games will be available via the "App Store" either on your iPod Touch or iPhone or in iTunes when it launches in June as part of the iPhone 2.0 software update.

On the productivity side, Salesforce.com and AOL are working on applications for the devices. Salesforce will be offering an iPhone-specific interface for its customer relationship manager and sales tracking software for the mobile professionals, and AOL will offer a version of its ubiquitous AIM instant messaging application.

But if AIM wasn't enough to excite you, then check out the games. Apple developers threw together a quick demo called 'Touch Fighter,' a fully 3D space fighter game. Your craft is controlled by turning and tilting the handheld and you fire weapons by touching the screen. Sega is also getting in on the accelerometer-controlled gaming with a version of the popular (and quite addictive) 'Super Monkey Ball.'

But most exciting is the announcement of a version of the highly anticipated EA title 'Spore' from god-game guru Will Wright, creator of 'The Sims' and 'Sim City.'

Apps and games will vary in price, set by the developer. The software update to unlock these features will hit in June for free on the iPhone, and for a "nominal charge" on the Touch.

From Engadget

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University Lets Students Trade Windows Laptops for MacBooks

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Mar 3rd 2008 at 1:20PM

Oklahoma Christian University Will Let Students Trade in Windows Laptops for MacBooks
Oklahoma Christian University (OC) is the latest in a long line of schools to get on the Apple bandwagon. Handing out new MacBooks to incoming students is hardly unique, but this new exchange program is.

Most of these programs are for new students only, but OC will offer current students an opportunity to trade in their Windows laptops for brand new Apple machines. And if that isn't enough, students will also be offered an iPhone or iPod touch.

OC's Apple hocking programs and campus-wide Wi-Fi put the university at the cutting edge of technology and education, so we're big fans.

From TUAW

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Apple Releases New iPhone and iPod Touch

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Feb 5th 2008 at 11:34AM

Apple Updates iPhone and iPod Touch with More Storage
Ever since Apple discontinued the 4-gigabyte iPhone and subsequently introduced the 16-gigabyte iPod Touch, we've been waiting with baited breath for the Cupertino crew to give some 16-gig love to their flagship handset. As of this morning, the wait is over and for a cool $499 the multi-touch gadget du-jour with a robust 16-gigabytes of video and music storage can be yours.

The surprise this morning though is that the iPod Touch got an upgrade too, and for the same five Benjamins you can get a phone-less 32-gigabyte monster that will hold up to 7,000 songs or 40 hours of video. The iPod Touch update is particularly nice since now those of us with sizable music collections might actually consider buying one. Engadget has additional coverage of this story.

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Software Updates for iPhone and iPod Touch

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jan 15th 2008 at 3:54PM


As if the plethora of other announcements out of the boys in Cupertino weren't enough today, Apple is also unleashing a software update for the iPhone and iPod Touch. As we mentioned in December, the iPhone update to 1.1.3 adds a whole host of new features, including an update to the Google Maps app with location, which pinpoints your... well, location, using cell phone tower triangulation. The update also allows the customization of the home screen, and gives you up to 9 home screens to customize. Add web clips (glorified home screen bookmarks), text message several people at once (finally!), and now your iPod media will have subtitles, chapters, and lyrics.

The iPod touch picks up all the same feature s (minus the SMS and Location), and finally gets Mail, Maps, Stocks, Notes and Weather just like the iPhone. The downside? The iPod touch update will cost $20, which is pretty surprising to us. The update will be installed on all iPod Touches shipping from this point on so we're kind of confused as to why Apple would charge for the update. Our advice -- wait it out. The complaints are bound to pile up until Apple changes course, just like with the Airport Extreme N update, or iPhone price drop.

From Engadget

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Students Would Give Up Voting Rights for an iPod

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Nov 15th 2007 at 1:10PM

Students Vote in NYC - Chelsea Clinton
A recent survey of 3,000 undergraduate students at New York University shows that most kids are willing to sacrifice their right to vote for an iPod, among other things.

Sixty-six percent said they would be willing to give up their right to vote in the next presidential election for a year's tuition. But don't start shaking your head just yet -- it gets worse: Twenty percent said their right to vote next year could be bought for an iPod Touch. That's right, 600 of those surveyed said they would sit out the historic 2008 election for a $300 media player. For $1 Million, says the poll, half would give up their votes... forever.

The most bizarre part of the survey? 70.5 percent said that they believed that one vote could make a difference, including 70 percent of those who said they would sacrifice their right to vote. How these contradictory ideas could be held in one privileged child's head, we're not sure.

We understand that technology can drive people to do ridiculous things, but giving up the right to vote for an iPod is a new low. Check out this list of other insane things people have done for or because of technology:

From Politico (via Washington Square News)

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Apple's New iPod Touch: Should You Get It?

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Sep 5th 2007 at 2:14PM

Apple iPod Touch
As many people hoped, prayed, and figured, Apple announced the new iPod Touch today. If you're wondering what all the fuss is about, check out our quick answers to your questions below. [For coverage of Apple's other announcements, check out our posts on the new iPod Classic, the Nano "Fatty," red Shuffle, and the iTunes downloadable ringtone store for iPod. Happy Apple-lusting!]

So What Is the iPod Touch?
This touch-screen iPod is, for all intents and purposes, an iPhone without the phone. Like that recently-announced iconic gadget, the new iPod Touch features the multi-touch screen, the Cover Flow interface that lets your finger flip through virtual 3-D album art, and a feature that lets you pinch your fingers on the screen to resize images. It also includes the motion sensors that automatically readjust the screen to landscape or portrait mode, depending on how you're holding the device. In fact, it looks exactly like an iPhone without the microphone and ear speaker. It's also thinner, coming in at just 8mm.

What's New?
Aside from the touch screen, this thing has built-in Wi-Fi, or wireless connectivity, just like the iPhone. That feature might makes sense on a smart phone, but how does it work on an iPod? Essentially, it means that you'll be able to get online with this new iPod and even browse with the superb mobile version of Apple's Safari Web browser. You can also get on YouTube to watch videos, just like an iPhone. But the really cool and new (for Apple) use of Wi-Fi on the the new iPod Touch (and the iPhone) is that you'll be able to buy music right from the iTunes Wi-Fi music store and download it right to your iPhone -- on the fly.

What Does It Cost?
The new iPod Touch comes in both 8- and 16-gigabyte versions for $299 and $399 respectively. For those concerned about battery life, don't be: Apple is promising 22 hours of audio and 5 hours of video playback.

Should You Get It?
Maybe. With the exception of the phone capabilities, the new iPod Touch gives you everything the iPhone has but in a thinner package that contains twice the memory. Ask yourself whether or not you need to carry only one device. For city dwellers or those who travel a lot, having a phone and iPod in one package is a nice luxury, especially during the summer months when nobody wants to carry around a bunch of expensive gadgets. Plus, 16-gigabytes of memory isn't exactly the 40-80-gigabytes we've come to know and love, so you might want to wait for the next generation of this thing, which will likely have the capacity for more of your media. That said, $100 is a pretty steep price jump if you're happy with your current carrier and phone (and that's the type of person that would be happiest with the new iPod Touch). Besides, with that $100 you could get a nice, functional phone and never look back.

From Engadget's Live Coverage

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What Will Apple Announce Tomorrow?

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Sep 4th 2007 at 11:37AM

Apple Rumor Roundup

In less than 24 hours -- tomorrow, September 5, to be exact -- Apple will be holding an event and making what will hopefully be some exciting announcements regarding new iPods and perhaps some new iTunes features. Apple is notoriously tight lipped about everything, so all we have to go on until tomorrow is hearsay and conjecture, which we thrive on.

Engadget has done a quick round up of all the information making its way through the rumor mill ahead of tomorrow's event. Wide, touchscreen Wi-Fi enabled iPods? Check. Newer, bigger, more-music-holding Nano "Phatty?" Why not. Beatles on iTunes? Sure!

Our money, like that of most Apple-watchers, is on the wide, touchscreen-enabled iPods and bigger-memory Nanos. After all, it's been almost two years since the last major iPod update, so it's just got to happen this time. We know it'll be music-related, since the artwork used on the invite (above) is an image of Apple's Cover Flow feature on iTunes and the iPhone.

Some other intriguing rumors, about a downloadable ringtones store for the iPhone, would be welcome, since the iPhone currently has about the worst selection of ringtones on earth (a measly couple dozen or so).

Even with less than a day to go, new stories are still popping up. Shiny Shiny is reporting a possibility that the iPods may incorporate an FM tuner, finally, with a click-to-buy feature that will allow you to wirelessly download a song you're listening to on the radio via iTunes.

Check out the link for a few more rumors, and we'll see tomorrow how much of it pans out.

From Engadget

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