New iPod/Phone Does It All, Jobs Says
Device Adds Unheard-Of Features
Quote:
Apple announced a mobile phone Tuesday that fulfills several types of rumors: it's a widescreen, touchscreen iPod and a smartphone that runs the company's OS X operating system and offers a whole new way to manage voicemail.
The company also announced a new way to move digital content around the home.
CEO Steve Jobs said that the phone is revolutionary device on several fronts -- including that proximity sensors know when it's near your ear, so it can shut off music and switch into phone mode.
Because of the "multitouch" screen, it only has one "home" button on the front. That leaves room for a 3.5-inch screen that includes all controls, as they're needed.
It will even change how calls are made and managed, the company said. Most often, users will scroll through contacts and hit a button to dial. There is also a on-screen keyboard.
Users will also get "visual voicemail" -- a listing of messages that you can listen to in any order you want, like e-mail.
With the operating system, Jobs said, it will be able to run full versions of software, including Apple's Safari Web browser. It also can connect to various kinda of e-mail servers. Jobs announced a deal with Yahoo that will allow it to "push" Yahoo e-mail to the phone, turning it into a Blackberry-like device.
Despite all the functions packed inside, Jobs said it is only eleven-sixteenths of an inch thick -- smaller than smartphones such as the Motorola Q or the Blackjack.
It also can sense its position and align the screen accordingly, Jobs said. It contains a 2 megapixel camera as well.
The phone operates on GSM and EDGE networks and also uses WiFi and Bluetooth networking.
Patents Seen In Device
Rumor sites and technology blogs had been interested for months in Apple patents for the "multitouch" screens, which allow for using more than one finger at once.
In the photo organization tool on the new phone, a user can "pinch" an image with two fingers and move them in or out to resize the picture.
The same gestures can be used to control the display of other elements, such as Web pages.
Apple TV Comes On Time
Jobs also unveiled the Apple TV at the MacWorld show in San Francisco.
The device lets people stream video -- including movies and TV shows purchased at the iTunes Music Store -- wirelessly to their televisions.
The $299 box comes with a 40 GB hard drive for storing shows and music, can output high-definition video and accept streams from up to five computers, and also allow those computers to share content with each other.
In September, Jobs had said a device along those lines would be available this year.
Industry analysts said before the address that another well-designed product from Apple could seriously threaten major tech companies such as Motorola, Nokia, Samsung Electronics, Verizon Wireless and TiVo.
Cingular launched an Apple-related phone and MP3 player, called ROKR, in 2005. But the product was widely considered a flop because it could only hold 100 songs and required users to buy songs through a computer and download the songs to the phone.
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_________________ Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear, Like criminals, they have choked the breath of conscience and good cheer. The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way To ease the pain of idleness and the memory of decay.
This is the reason why I called my broker today. Apple will definitely be one of the best performing companies of 2007.
I don't know about that. I think this phone could be a big bust. Why would anyone switch carriers (if you aren't already a Cingular customer), and pay $400 or $500 for a phone, when they could just keep the phone they have and buy an iPod for less money. And if it's as durable as the iPod, people are going to be pretty pissed when it breaks the first time they drop it. And the Apple TV doesn't really do anything for me either.
I also think the options investigation could be bigger than Apple is letting on. There are a lot of unanswered questions they tried to just gloss over in their internal investigation.
That is the greatest advertising campaign in the history of the world.
The bit where he's staring at the camera, in his safety goggles and lab coat, goofy smile and all, while the iPod get smashed in his blender is more hilarious than he intended it to be.
Back to the iPhone. I've seen the presentation on this thing, and I think it's absolutely gorgeous. Apple holds all the cards when it comes to innovation with personal entertainment, in my opinion.
My problem is that I like a nice sleek phone that I can hardly feel in my pocket. This thing is the size of an iPod, if not bigger, and I don't feel like having it clunk around in my pocket with my car keys.
That, and it would take three of them to hold the collection of music I have in my trusty old 2g black-and-white iPod. I'll probably be holding on to my Razr ... or going for whatever beauty Motorola comes up with to draw business from Apple.
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