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Steve Jobs says iPod touch didn't get a camera because 'it's a great game machine'
Wondering why Apple chose to add a camera to the iPod nano, but not the revised iPod touch? You're not alone, but one Mr. Steven P. Jobs has an answer for you: it's because the touch is a game machine, you see. Seriously -- that's what El Steve told the inimitable David Pogue today after the Rock and Roll event. According to Steve, Apple wasn't "exactly sure how to market the touch" at first, but once they listened to their customers and started to focus on gaming, "it just took off." That certainly explains the "funnest iPod ever" tagline, but still, why no cam? "We don't need to add new stuff -- we need to get the price down to where everyone can afford it." And... that's all he said about it, and Poguey didn't pursue the blindingly obvious followup: that's great for the $199 8GB model, but does Apple really think customers paying $299 and $399 for the larger editions would be turned off by paying slightly more for a camera sensor? Something tell us we won't hear Jobs say one more word about it until he's ready to actually unveil a touch with a camera -- at which point it will be a revolution. P.S.- Make sure to hit the read link for the full interview -- it's short, but it's full of Steve saying things like "You notice Amazon never says how [many Kindles] they sell; usually if they sell a lot of something, you want to tell everybody."
iPod shuffle 2G is no more
Every highly-polished stainless steel lining has a cloud, it seems, and today's music player overhaul by Apple has been no different. Amidst all the excitement about moderate improvements and video cameras, we've also had to say goodbye to an old friend. Having been kept around for six months after the release of its successor, the second gen shuffle has finally succumbed, leaving the newly colorful 3G option all on its lonesome in the minimalist music lover space. Ah well, if you really have your heart set on the old rocker, refurb models are still available at Apple's online store, though probably not for long. [Via iLounge]
Video: iTunes 9 Home Sharing and iPhone app management
Sure, sure, the kids are all excited about iTunes LP and their fancy "lyrics" and "album art." You know what we're psyched about? Finally being able to manage our iPhone apps directly from iTunes 9. It works pretty much exactly as you'd expect, although we were able to make it do some minorly wonky things -- and we're psyched about the AutoFill-esque music sync feature that fills any remaining space on your phone with music.We're also pumped about the new Home Sharing feature in iTunes 9, which lets you transfer content between five different machines directly without screwing around with network shares or USB drives. We've seriously been waiting for a feature like this since iTunes sharing was first launched -- it also works exactly like you'd expect, and we think it'll make managing media across multiple machines much, much easier. Videos after the break!
Video: Steve Jobs returns to the Apple stage
At the start of the event today Steve Jobs received a standing ovation from the assembled crowd, and took a moment to thank everybody for their support and encourage us all to be as generous as the organ donor who saved his life. He's "vertical" now, and claims to be already at work coming up with some "incredible new products" for the future. We're just glad to have you back, Steve! Video is after the break.
Live from Apple's 'It's only rock and roll' event
8:53AM Well... we're here. It's still pretty early (just before 9AM here on the west coast), but we wanted to make sure no one snaked our sweet spot at Yerba Buena. We're holding tight in line right now, but we'll keep you updated on this breathtaking event as it happens. Stay tuned! Remember, the show starts at these times! 07:00AM - Hawaii 10:00AM - Pacific 11:00AM - Mountain 12:00PM - Central 01:00PM - Eastern 06:00PM - London 07:00PM - Paris 09:00PM - Moscow 02:00AM - Tokyo (September 10th)
Apple adds video camera, larger screen to new 5G iPod nano
Apple sure took long enough to get to this, but just as rumored, the iPod nano is seeing a hotly-anticipated refresh today. The big addition? A camera that just so happens to shoot live video (but not stills, apparently). On the lower left of the new fifth-generation nano, you'll find the camera as well as a speaker and microphone, but unfortunately you'll have to sync it with your computer before you upload clips to YouTube. The camera-laden nanos will be available starting today in a rainbow's worth of hues (nine, if we're being precise), with the 8GB model pegged at $149 and the 16GB edition at $179 -- though, we should mention that yellow and red are Apple Store exclusives. Oh, and oddly / tragically enough, the iPod nano is officially the only dedicated iPod with a camera, leaving the iPod touch -- and every human on the planet -- scratching their head in befuddlement. Meanwhile, iPhone 3G users are equally bewildered by the fact that a mid-range iPod can shoot video while a fully-capable smartphone cannot.As for other specs, you'll find a built-in FM tuner with Live Pause (!) and iTunes Tagging, a pedometer (you know, for that fancy Nike+ integration), VoiceOver, support for voice memos and a larger 2.2-inch display (up from 2.0-inches) with a 376 x 240 resolution. As for the camera, we're told that the video capture mode snags footage in VGA quality (640 x 480) H.264, with up to 30fps and AAC audio. If you're feeling fancy, there's also 15 real-time special effects including Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido and Motion Blur (among others). As for dimensions, the 5G nano remains identical to the 4G nano at 3.6- x 1.5- x 0.24-inches, though it somehow shaves a whopping 0.02 ounces as it climbs down from 1.3 to 1.28 ounces. Curious about battery life? Apple claims that the new nano can last up to 24 hours when playing back audio (same as 4G nano), while video playback should zap the rechargeable battery in just five hours (which is up an hour over its predecessor).Update: Check out our first hands-on live from the event!
Apple updates iPod touch line, drops prices, adds top-end 64GB model
Couldn't see this one coming, right? Apple just announced an update to the iPod touch line. It's not exactly a major overhaul to the player, but prices have fallen, and it appears that the new models use the same CPU as the iPhone 3GS, since they can run OpenGL 2.0. The big news is actually no news, however: there doesn't appear to be a camera, contrary to all the rumors. You'll just have to make do with 8GB of storage for $199, 32GB for $299, and 64GB for a whopping $399.
Last minute Apple rumor roundup: iPhone HD video out, no new iPod touch?
Okay, we're in the final countdown to Apple's Only Rock and Roll event, and some interesting bits of info have hit the wires while we're waiting. First, AppleInsider claims a "historically reliable source" has leaked the entire new lineup of iPods, complete with model numbers, and it's somewhat surprising if true: not only do capacities remain the same apart from a 160GB iPod classic, the iPod touch is absent from the list -- leading some to believe its upgrade has been delayed due to rumored technical issues with the camera module. AI also says the nano is getting "significant changes" to Nike+, but doesn't go into further detail. There's also been an interesting press release this morning from Harmon Kardon, which is touting that its new Bridge III iPod / iPhone dock and AVR 2600 and 3600 receivers can "play back HD video from iPod or iPhone products." Seeing as there's no (official) way to even get HD video onto an iPod or iPhone right now, that seems to indicate there's a change a-comin' -- and seeing as we've already gotten the iPhone 3GS to play back 1080p video, the addition of HD video support to at least some of the i-line seems like a no-brainer. We'll see what's true and what's just wishful thinking soon enough -- the liveblog starts in just a little bit!Update: And just in case you couldn't get enough sketchy cases, Cygnett has some listed on its site that seem to show a new nano screen size, as well as a new touch with a camera. Things are definitely heating up, stay tuned. Read - AppleInsider leaked list of new iPod models Read - Harmon Kardon says new dock can play back HD video from iPhone
