Three big announcements today in Steve Job’s keynote address at Macworld: Apple TV (formerly iTV) which was announced last year will go on sale next month; Apple has definitely moved beyond computers, so it’s changing it’s name to just Apple, Inc.; and the long anticipated iPhone.
UPDATE: Here’s Apple’s iPhone website.
Steve Jobs just dropped a bombshell on the audience attending his Macworld Keynote Address. Jobs at first announced the product as three separate products; a widescreen video iPod, a phone, and a mobile internet communicator. This was exciting enough, but I’m sure I’m not the only person who was a bit disappointed to think about carrying three devices. According to Laurie who is listening to the feed from the expo floor, the crowd went absolutely wild at this announcement.
The iPhone will use a revolutionary interface called MultiTouch, first seen in Apple patent filings over a year ago. The iPhone will run OS X, and be capable of running desktop-class applications.
The Nitty Gritty:
* Single front button.
* 3.5 inch widescreen display featuring the highest pixel density ever shipped in a portable device.
* 2 megapixel camera.
* iPod dock.
* Proximity sensor which switches between modes and screen orientation based on how a user holds it.
* 11.6 mm thick.
* Syncs with iTunes
* GSM/EDGE
* Wifi
* Bluetooth
* Cinglar only.
* Visual voicemail – shows a list of your voicemails like you see a list of emails.
* Error correcting on-screen keyboard.
* Gestural interface
* Mail.
* Safari.
* Google Maps.
* Widgets.
* Switches seamlessly between EDGE and WiFi.
* Free Yahoo! IMAP email to all iPhone customs.
* GPS
* 5 hour video battery life.
* 16 hour audio battery life.The 4GB costs $499 and the 8GB $599 (includes a 2 year contract). It is shipping in June.
Prediction, Cranky John C. Dvorak will hate this or at most give it a “meh”. After reading him for over…what…20 years now maybe…I think I can predict his reactions.
Me, I think it’s kinda neat. Though concerned about scratches…how tough is it. Also the price is kinda steep, but from what I understand that includes 2 years of phone service…but I could be wrong on that.
Is the world ready for this? Does the world want this?
I’ve already predicted this failing, and i’m gonna stay w/ that prediction
Is it actually going to be called the iPhone? I thought Linksys had grabbed that name.
Well if it will work with a bez server I would buy one. It is pricey but wow it is typical apple slick
I think the price point are WAYY OFF. also, with the small drive size, its gonna be a bit sucky. heck, i have way more then 8GB of music, and that doen’t include the Tv shows that i bought
It appears to be something like the utlimate convergence device, with everything we’ve been asking for; cellular, wifi, and bluetooth, and mass storage (though 16gb would be better for all of the programs I would like to have on the thing). A few, as yet, unanswered questions; how much of this space does the OS take up? If none, how extensively can the OS be flashed and upgraded? Are the widgets standard OSX widgets? And, of course, how long before it is down to $200, so the real revolution can begin.
The size of the thing boggles my mind, however, it looks no thicker and only slightly wider than a nano. And the fact that it can move between wifi and edge seamlessly means it should be a lot cheaper to opperate, particularly when it gets Skype!
My current work situation doesn’t need much of a phone/cellphone — and I gave away my PDA. But, if I was still back selling, roaming (locally or long distance), this critter would solve beaucoup questions.
Quality of standard for each of the 11 applications the critter offers meets or exceeds any business requirements. May not meet fanboy needs (or predictions}; but, that has little or nothing to do with technology, anyway. 🙂
I will, however, check out the AppleTV in a few weeks after I’ve had a chance to compare spec with the other 297 devices debuting at CES which pretend to answer the same questions.
The highest-ever pixel density along with patented touchscreeen tech seems to be based on screen tech which didn’t even show fingerprints by the end of the demo.
He played a Beatles song on it in the demo….changed the name to Apple, Inc…how far behind is the announcement that Apple Music and Apple (used to be Computer) are now happily married?
Apple iPhone: Greatest invention in the history of mankind.
Okay, maybe not that great, but still pretty cool. I’ll lay out the cash for two when they come out in June.
Apple TV: Much better than the existing home media extenders (including the 360 and PS3), and easier to use than anything else being shown at CES.
The only catch with the device is that it outputs at 720p. What about 1080p? I’ll wait to buy the device until someone comes up with a hack to get it running at 1080p.
They now need to make a widescreen iPod that’s NOT a phone, too. I can’t see paying $500 for only 4 GB of storage.
They really should have also introduced a similar $299 20 GB widescreen/touchscreen iPod for those of us who don’t want to carry a $500 phone with them all day.
I much prefer my $50 phone from Verizon, thank you.
God, it should come in suppository form so you can join both Apple and Cingular in fucking yourself up the ass.
All the Mac addicts will run out and buy one (or more). Then, about a year or so later, Apple will introduce a new version, and then all the addicts will run out and buy new ones. It is the same as the iPod model. It looks cool, I grant you, but that price is real steep. How many of the first few batches will be DOA that the Mac addicts will ignore and continue to bitch about Microsoft? Apple is just a company just like any other, get over it.
If the prices include the contract it’s not that bad of a deal really, $20 a month is pretty good for phone and data service. I doubt that’s the case though. My guess is what they mean is to get it for $499/$599 you need to also sign up for a two year contract. With Cingular or all people.
The question is, will Cingular nickel and dime the customers to death to “activate” the various features? extra $ for internet access, extra $ for wifi access, extra $ for ….
Right now, EDGE access through Cingular is $79 a month.
This is a cool device, but if Cingular tries to milk everyone who buys one for every dime they can, it won’t be much of an “Apple” experience.
Hey SN, let’s keep the language on at least the PG side.
But then again, what’s stopping someone from buying one of these things and bypassing Cingular altogether with Skype? It’s OSX running this thing right? Is it opened up to outside developers to develop apps and things for it? Or is it only for select few developers?
Again, I’m not jaded or cynical enough in my old age yet to not think this is kind of a neat thing. But with all you “been there, seen it all, yawn, I’m so much above all this” crowd, I guess nothing wows you anymore. How sad…
Not that I’m going out and buying one of these things mind you…
If the prices include the contract it’s not that bad of a deal really, $20 a month is pretty good for phone and data service. I doubt that’s the case though. My guess is what they mean is to get it for $499/$599 you need to also sign up for a two year contract….with Cingular or all people.
Is it actually going to be called the iPhone? I thought Linksys had grabbed that name
They’ve apparently worked something out as of last night. There was a brief mention of it on the engadget live feed, but it’s since been removed. (curious, eh?)
Just another example of a large company trying to overreaching its boundry. Such as when Cable Companies started selling phone services, then phone companies are now trying to get into the cable industry etc. This is just crazy. Know your role.
For people who can’t do anything without a computer in the middle of it, which is a lot of people. Buy a good Swiss Army knife instead. It will last a lifetime.
10
i wholly agree with you
Cripes!
Hmmmm.
The most interesting news of the Keynote was the name change.
This will mean a lot of things in the future.
Apple is gradually shifting it’s vocation away from computers, and into devices. Even the OSX/Mac is more and more resembling a gadget and less of a computer. Apple will replace Sony. I’ve said it before…
As of the phone…
weeeelllll…. Neat… and cool…
but I’ve been stung before by Apple, and I’m always looking for what wasn’t said.
First: Battery life. Phones can go for days, depending on usage. But this is the CrackBerry replacement gadget. It’s meant to play music all the time and do some processing, videos, photos…this has to have a killer battery. And wireless is a drain…
2nd : Real price… I mean… what if I don’t need or can’t get cingular, how much for unlocked one?
3rd : compatibility… will it work only with Macs or mac software?
The price (and exclusive ties to Cingular) are a little concerning and will be the real tipping point for this. Yes, many smartphones do a lot of this. But there are big beneifts above a smart phone.
1. User interface is AMAZING. Apple obviously put a lot of thought into this. Seriously amazing…seriously.
2. * Switches seamlessly between EDGE and WiFi. One of the big problems I’ve had with most smart phones is that you are tied to using the cell network and be subject to their fees. The ability to use WiFi is a big benefit for me.
3. Uses OS X without need to scale-down programs. Steve didn’t demo if this thing could do more than phone, internet, and media. Would be curious to see if you can use regular programs on it. The integration of OS X makes it seem as though this was the thought.
I’m not big on phones or apple, but if the performance and service is there – this thing WILL BE an absolute watershed in technology. This is technology from the land of flying cars, or at least a glimpse of that world.
What I dread is listening to Leo Laporte talk about how he saw Jesus at Macworld for the next 6 months.
It looks really pretty… But, the apple engineers have obviously never used a cell phone. Embarrasingly bad show on making a functional cell phone. No buttons? What were they thinkin.
I’m still waiting to hear about something Mac related from this year’s MacWorld.
20 – Its a well known fact that the more expensive the pocketknife, the quicker it gets lost – get an $8 knife, and that will last you a lifetime 🙂
And one thing – maybe I’m just a bit ignorant, but what’s so revolutionary about their “multitouch” screen – isn’t this just a standard touchscreen?
Amazing, people that haven’t even held the thing already bashing it. Then they have the gall to say it looks “snobby”, as if they’re already stereotyping the person that will find a use for this.
I picture half of you people sitting in a one room apartment with a mattress on the floor. A single, bare light-bulb hanging from the ceiling. A laptop from 1990 sitting on a folding card-table…3.5 disks scattered about. Ashtray full of candy wrappers and cigarette butts. Writing out your hatred for mankind in your new manifesto that will change the world. Once in a while splicing into your neighbors net connection to post all your negative, spiteful cynicism upon this forum.
Need a hug?
One question I’m wondering is how good the wifi integration is. i have a wifi mobile phone but it’s no good on protected networks which is a shame. Excellent for open networks though.
All the things he said it could do I’ve been doing for two months now.
Shame my phone doesn’t have 8 gigs.
Wow- comments are all over the place. Of course it looks great, but I really wish I had that Visual Voicemail! Nothing sucks more than getting off a long flight and listening thru all those United Alerts to get to something meaningful.