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Apple announces media event for Sept. 12
Apple is sending out invitations for a media event to take place in eight days, The Loop reports. It will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts at 10 AM PT. This is expected to be the long-awaited release of the next-generation iPhone (which the invitation indicates could be labeled the iPhone 5), a release date for iOS 6, an iPod refresh and other products that were speculated in rumor roundups.
It's Showtime now available for viewing
The page was up earlier, but now it is actually working (I'm watching it as I type this). Go forth and watch his Steveness strut on the stage in a black button up shirt (what happened to the turtle neck, Steve?).
Live "It's Showtime" coverage
That's right, we will be providing "live" coverage of the Apple "It's Showtime" event...sorta. None of the TUAW team is actually at the event, but we'll be using our quick refresh skillz and super-typing-speed to relay you the information from sources like MacRumors, iLounge, and our buddies at Engadget.Of course, if that broadcast does in fact turn out to be live, we will be providing our own, up-to-the-minute coverage, for you folks stuck at work or on a computer/connection not suited for streaming video.Click the "Continue reading..." link to see the updates, posted newest-at-the-top. Also check out Engadget for pictures and a build-up to The Big One.
TUAW Chatcast for It's Showtime special event
Here we go boys and girls with another TUAW chatcast for today's It's Showtime event. We'll be updating this post with a word-for-word transcript of our chatroom so you can peer into the minds of the TUAW bloggers in real time!Read on for the transcript, and we'll update it as quickly as we can.Begin TUAW chatcast: David Chartier: oh yea, typical disclaimer: keep it clean everyone, this is a family blogDan Lurie: thanks for the reminder dave Dan Lurie: any idea why paul is covering the event instead of ryan or peter? Dan Lurie: /me hugs macrumors live and the wonders of ajax page refreshing 10:55 AM David Chartier: bathroom break Scott McNulty: Dave is just so excited! Dan Lurie: ohhh Dan Lurie: thought Dan Lurie: maybe apple is streaming it Dan Lurie: AND it will be the first thing avialable for download on the movie store David Chartier: brb
Watch today's It's Showtime event live
Wow, it's been a while since Apple has offered a live stream of an event, or even a video or streaming link prior to the event itself. Nevertheless, here it is: Apple's official It's Showtime event page, which looks like it will offer a 'video-on-demand' of the event, though the word 'live' isn't explicitly used.Either way, stay tuned to TUAW and our sister blog Engadget for live coverage, especially since Apple's event streaming has been known to get a tad flaky during and right afterwards (with all this PR and hype, can you blame them?). Don't worry though, we've got you covered.Thanks to everyone who sent this in
The Apple Store is down
Ah, the delicate dance that is the few hours before a Stevenote. Apple's web elves are not only busy updating the iTunes Store, it would seem that are updating Apple's online store as well (and not just in the US, we have reports that the Apple store in several countries).This just builds the excitement, doesn't it?Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
iTunes to be rebranded as "Showtime?"
There might be more to the iTunes store being down than we originally thought. A little bird sent us a tip that belies the possibility that the 'Showtime' buzzword Apple's been using to promote their special event today could be the actual new name of the iTunes/Music/Movie Store and software. This link points to a phobos.apple.com/showtime page which echoes the same phrase we've been seeing elsewhere. Those phobos.apple links, if you haven't seen them before, are iTMS-specific links, allowing users to link directly to items inside the store. The fact that there's a /showtime/ after this one makes it all the more suspicious.Could this be a complete iTunes rebranding? Or Apple just covering their tracks by throwing off the scent?Or this just might be a temporary thing for today, either way stay tuned.
Movie links appear on German QuickTime page
The evidence continues to mount. Several eagle-eyed readers have spotted the images and links depicted at right on the Quicktime page of Apple's website for Germany. Of course, the links aren't working for me right now (clicking them just brings up the "It's Showtime" message), but they do begin with the familiar "phobos.apple.com..." address. Some of you have argued that these are for soundtracks, but the title of the column is "iTunes Videos." I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.If you're in a country that has not yet had television and/or videos in iTunes and you find such a link on your respective country's Apple site, please let us know!Thanks to everyone who sent this in
Apple iTunes Store is down. For now.
Folks, we woke up this morning to find that the Apple iTunes Music Store is down. You know what that means, don't you?T-minus 3 hours 45 min.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
The "iTunes Store" is down
As of approximately 8:30 AM Eastern in the US, the "iTunes Store" (note that the word "music" has been omitted) is unavailable. Like many of you, I got the message pictured at right when I went from the main page to the TV Shows page and back again. Is anyone outside the US experiencing the same outage and/or message? Ooh, the anticipation builds. And now we wait.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.Update: We're getting reports that the iTunes Store is unavailable in the UK, Norway, Italy, Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Portugal, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Spain...whew! Could this mean movies for all?
iPhone revealed finally?
A number of you have sent in this tip which points to an article in the French newspaper, iGeneration. A rough translation of the French text follows (French speakers: Feel free to "clean up" our translation!):"This morning, anyone with the current edition of '20 minute day' [which appears to be a french magazine] would have found a special 'Apple Expo' Booklet. What do we find in the middle of this booklet? A photograph of what would be the iPhone. It takes on the form of the iPod, and has a 20Gb Hard Drive. Fake or Scoop? We tend to side with the former, but who knows these days?""Fake or scoop" indeed. Reader Simon writes, "I've seen the paper, I live in France. They're covering the Apple Expo and it's a totally real newspaper." Time will tell (though I wish it had a lid, as I'm scratch-phobic).Thanks to everyone who sent this in.Update: False alarm, true believers. Apparantly the image of the phone is a mock-up that was used on the cover of the UK's MacUser magazine. Now I feel better about it not having a flip-lid.
Apple's agenda for the media event?
Ok, it's time for some last-minute rumor mongering. A little birdie just flew into TUAW headquarters (a little birdie who wishes to remain anonymous) and told us the following. Remember, this is all rumor, folks, but it sounds like it could be legit to us. Here we go."...Let's just say I have been informed by a little reliable birdy about Tomorrow's event. The line-up will follow this similar structure: Welcoming of Media Members Discussion on iTunes software, iTMS integration into iTunes, and iTMS sales and facts. Announcement of iTunes version 7.0 Announces better search feature for Music Store Announces Movie Store. Available Immediately will be movies from Disney and Pixar, among other studios. New iPod Nano Announcement (nice brushed casing, while it will have same features as first gen, only a longer battery life) New iPod Announcement (Widescreen, Bluetooth, and featuring virtual touchweel. Does not include Wi-Fi, or any other protocols) One More Thing....TubePort. A $99 2-piece set that includes a dongle that connects via USB to your mac, and another dongle that connects via included HD cables or regular Component cables to your TV. The movie is accessed on your Mac via an iDisk-like storage component hosted by Apple. Jobs will then explain the pricing structure of the Movie Store. Movies will be available as either a smaller iPod-format (which will cost $9.99 per movie), or as a larger, streamed movie to be streamed to your TV via TubePort. This cost $14.99 per movie. To purchase an iPod-formatted movie and a streamed version of the same movie, it will cost you $19.99."Do with that what you will (We agree that "TubePort" is a really lame-sounding name).
TUAW "It's Showtime!" predictions
It's that time ladies and gentlemen: the pre-event post where the TUAW team put it all on the line and offer up their predictions on what we'll be throwing down our credit cards for after tomorrow's It's Showtime special event. In all actuality, there isn't much on the line for us, but it's still fun to see how close we can come to predicting Apple's product roadmap. Without further adieu, here are our predictions, in no particular order:Scott McNulty plays it safe with predictions that echo the rest of the Apple-anxious internets: New iPod Movies in the iTunes Music Store iTunes 7 Dan Pourhadi is as excited for iPods as the rest of us, but is also hoping for something new along the lines of other video devices, including even some sort of an Apple TV: Movie download service Video streaming device (and possibly TVs to go with it) Some kind of new iPod (leaning towards metal nano) Dave Caolo is keeping it conservative as well: Movies in iTunes Updated iPod David Chartier (yours truly) - I don't feel the need to echo what's already been said, but I am also tossing my bet in with Dan Pourhadi on a video streaming device in the specific form of an updated AirPort Express, as it is probably the Apple product of all the potential new gadgets tomorrow that hasn't been touched, updated or so much as sneezed at for the longest time. Also, along with Scott's prediction of iTunes 7, I think the new version will usher in a new name for the store.I'll also take the liberty to throw down some non-predictions: I don't think tomorrow will have anything to do with Macs whatsoever, including these new rumors of a sub-Mac Pro tower and new chips in MacBook Pros. I think tomorrow is all about the entertainment, iPods and any related gadgets, baby!But don't take our word for it - we'll find out in about 16 hours whether we're one step closer to gaining 'magic 8-ball' status. Stay tuned!
Will we see iTunes 7 tomorrow?
The rumors are swirling, as they always do before his Steveness mounts a stage. Tomorrow, in case you aren't completely Apple obsessed, Apple is hosting a special event titled "Showtime" in San Francisco. The media has been invited, the rumormills are churning, and the Apple faithful are in a tizzy.We've heard a lot about movies in iTunes, and other rumors, but one thing that hasn't been mentioned is the possibility of iTunes 7. Apple launched iTunes 6 almost 11 months ago to the day of this event. Remember what the big feature of iTunes 6 was? That's right, TV shows in the iTunes Music Store.If I were a betting man I would put money on iTunes 7 making a debut tomorrow. Please note that I have no insider information, I'm just looking at the available facts and building a theory.So, if this does come to pass what features would you like to see in iTunes 7? I, personally, don't need any whizbang features, I would just like video playback to be improved.
Banner for September 12th event?
Here's the latest pic that is making the rounds in relation to the September 12th announcement. It purports to be a picture snapped by one of the employees at the venue that will house the announcement. I'm not buying it, but you know what they say, 'Don't shoot the messenger.'Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Recent Apple patents for phone, PDA, new cube?
Here we go with the Apple patent game again, and this time around it looks like we have blasts from the past and the future. Engadget first tracked down a patent filed by Apple yesterday (pictured right) for "A cubical computer housing assembly comprises first and second ends and four sides, which define an interior compartment for housing the various computer component." Could this be the comeback of the cube? Apple obviously hasn't let the concept go gently into that good night with their cubed New York store, but since this patent is so fresh, don't expected anything to come of it anytime soon - if ever.The next patent is a bit more interesting in part because AppleInsider has quite a few juicy details, but also because it was filed over a year ago and references a phone-like Apple device which has received almost constant speculation during that time.
TUAW Poll: Which new product would you most likely buy?
Ok, folks, it's wild speculation time. The rumors are flying around Apple's upcoming press event. Let's take a detour into fantasy land for just a moment and pretend that all of the supposed goodies come to pass: The new 23 inch iMac, the video-streaming Airport Express and the nanos with iPod mini-like enclosures. Cost aside, which tickles your fancy the most? Would you snap up one of those nanos and say, "Scratches be damned!" I, for one, would pounce on that Airport Express. What's your choice? Vote in our poll and check back tomorrow for the results. Which are you most likely to buy? 23" iMac New nano Video Airport Enough with the rumors! Free polls from Pollhost.com
Sept. 12th Event 'Showtime'
Our good friends at iLounge have confirmed that Apple will be holding a special event on September 12th. The invitation, which TUAW didn't get (clearly an oversight), says, 'It's Showtime.' The event is scheduled for 10a.m. Pacific at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.Given the title of the event, and the number of rumors, it seems a shoe in that Apple will be announcing movie downloads from iTunes, but you never know.
Apple to introduce iTunes Movie Store, new iMac, iPod nano, and video streaming device?
Wow, that's a long title. Blame it on AppleInsider, who believes most -- if not all -- of those yummy goodies will be delivered to us in a nice wrapped package by The Jobs himself at next week's supposed media event. According to the rumor peddler, at the yet-unconfirmed September 12th event Jobs will take the wraps off...drumroll please: An $9.99-a-pop movie download service with films from at least one major studio. The idea is that the rest will see how Freakin' Amazing it is and follow suit -- a la TV shows. A new 23" iMac that we reported on earlier. A new non-scratch metal iPod nano with "at least double the storage capacity of today's models." What they believe is a new Airport Express-like device designed to stream video content from your Mac to your TV/home entertainment system. AI says "it's arguably been one of the most closely guarded secrets at Apple since the evolution of the first iPod digital music player." That list makes this year's Macworld seem lacking. I'm most interested in that streaming device. This isn't in the article, but imagine: plug your Airport Express to a TV and be greeted by a Front Row-like interface that streams videos/music/photos directly from your Mac, controllable by the included Apple Remote. Pipe dream? Maybe. But I guess we'll find out next week. Check out the article for more in-depth information and AI's standard "it could be pushed back a little" disclaimer.
Jobs might deliver a keynote, updated MacBook Pros on September 12th?
Egads, the rumor engine has caught on fire and September 12th is to blame: HardMac cites anonymous sources (i.e. - take it with a grain of salt) that Steve Jobs still won't be present in Paris for the upcoming Apple Expo, but that doesn't mean he can't be on a stage somewhere: the rumor is that Jobs will still give a keynote, but it will be produced in Cupertino and relayed to London, Apple Europe's headquarters (where all the journalists have actually been invited to already). Let's hear it for the powers of iChat A/V.Next on the list of September 12th rumors is that, along with 23-inch Core 2 Duo iMacs, we could also see revised MacBook Pros, possibly even with Core 2 Duo shininess. For this one, HardMac cites a French student who tried to purchase a MacBook Pro online, but was given a 3-5 week shipping window - which typically happens to products in some regions when an update is imminent.Keep in mind none of this is confirmed, so if Sept. 12th turns out to be not much more than an Aperture update (after all, it is close to Photokina), keep your chin up. Apple's fall season is just getting started.
