Under pressure from several gay rights groups, including Truth Wins Out, Apple has removed a controversial app from its App Store called "Exodus International."
Created by an organization of the same name, the app was billed as something for people looking to cure themselves or someone else of homosexuality. The app claimed to provide a chance of "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus” and released last month.
Now, Exodus has been exodus-ed.
Truth Wins Out had started a petition that had reached 150,000 signatures denouncing the application. Truth Wins Out claimed the app used bad science and research as it claimed that homosexuality was curable.
Exodus International president Alan Chambers tweeted, "It’s official, the @ExodusInl App is no longer in the @AppStore. Incredibly disappointing. Watch out, it could happen to you."
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Details on next iPhone (iPhone 5) and iPad (iPad 2) leak
Engadget reports some big rumors on the expected iPhone 5 and iPad 2 due later this year:
First the iPad 2:
-- Engadget sources say the iPad 2 will come out around April and will be thinner with a new screen technology that is a lot like iPhone 4's excellent "Retina" display.
Sources say the size will remain the same, around 10 inches, and front and rear cameras will be added along with a dedicated SD slot built in (but no USB port).
The device will also feature a new chipset that features the technologies that power AT&T and Verizon wireless products (GSM for AT&T; CDMA for Verizon). The new chipset, the blog reports, will be made by Qualcomm.
This will allow Apple to make one iPad that will work for Verizon and AT&T (and possibly Sprint, too, since Sprint and Verizon both use CDMA).
Now the iPhone 5
-- For all of you who are anxiously waiting to buy the current iPhone 4 in a few weeks on Verizon, just know there's a strong possibility Apple will deliver a new phone in June. Engadget says to expect a completely redesigned model, one that's being secretly tested by senior staff at Apple.
The new device will use a multi-core chip that will double its processing power. It will also run multiple wireless technologies but there was no word on whether it would work with Verizon and AT&T's new 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks.
-- Engadget also reported its sources saying a new Apple TV will process 1080p video easily, something the current model won't do.
First the iPad 2:
-- Engadget sources say the iPad 2 will come out around April and will be thinner with a new screen technology that is a lot like iPhone 4's excellent "Retina" display.
Sources say the size will remain the same, around 10 inches, and front and rear cameras will be added along with a dedicated SD slot built in (but no USB port).
The device will also feature a new chipset that features the technologies that power AT&T and Verizon wireless products (GSM for AT&T; CDMA for Verizon). The new chipset, the blog reports, will be made by Qualcomm.
This will allow Apple to make one iPad that will work for Verizon and AT&T (and possibly Sprint, too, since Sprint and Verizon both use CDMA).
Now the iPhone 5
-- For all of you who are anxiously waiting to buy the current iPhone 4 in a few weeks on Verizon, just know there's a strong possibility Apple will deliver a new phone in June. Engadget says to expect a completely redesigned model, one that's being secretly tested by senior staff at Apple.
The new device will use a multi-core chip that will double its processing power. It will also run multiple wireless technologies but there was no word on whether it would work with Verizon and AT&T's new 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks.
-- Engadget also reported its sources saying a new Apple TV will process 1080p video easily, something the current model won't do.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Should you buy the Verizon iPhone right away?
I have a friend, Andre, who has been a Verizon wireless customer since, well, forever. He's been through a series of Androids and Blackberrys and what he really has always wanted was an iPhone. Only he didn't want to switch to AT&T to get it.
Today, Andre got his wish. In three weeks, he can pre-order iPhone 4 on Verizon.
But should he?
The iPhone 4 released today works with Verizon Wireless' existing 3G network. It's quite reliable, but as someone who has tested smartphones on it for the past 18 months on a regular basis, it's not the fastest thing in the world. I regularly get download speeds in town of about 1 MB with Verizon smartphones. AT&T's iPhone (which is pretty reliable locally, too) regularly pulls down 2-3 times that in my tests.
This means webpages via Verizon will load slower, YouTube videos will buffer longer, etc, and maybe that isn't much of a big deal in exchange for better call reliability -- and reception in gyms and hotels and buildings -- especially when traveling to smaller towns where AT&T's 3G reach isn't too great.
Also, remember Apple is widely expected to stick to its annual release date for an iPhone 5 in June. Apple and Verizon wouldn't comment on future release dates at their New York news conference Monday, so we don't know if Verizon will get iPhone 5 in June, when AT&T customers are expected to get it, or whether Verizon customers wouldn't see a new revision until 2012.
With AT&T and Verizon rolling out next generation LTE 4G networks, many industry analysts expect Apple to deliver an LTE iPhone which would deliver the type speeds home broadband users get -- up to 10 MB down and perhaps faster -- on mobile devices.
What if the Verizon LTE iPhone comes in June?
So does Andre want to sign a contract in three weeks with Verizon for two years and then have to watch iPhone 5 users get to use Verizon's new 4G network in a few months? Verizon is allowing customers to purchase the iPhone at full price ($599) and not sign a long term contract.
I'm not sure what the right answer is. Verizon's 4G network will be available to smart phone users in Charlotte as soon as the handsets are available. I've tested Sprint's version of Wi-Max 4G here and found the speeds remarkable, but Sprint charges $10 per month to access 4G and I'm sure Verizon will do the same.
A new iPhone will add some features but I don't think it will be a major leap from iPhone 4, so if you're happy with the speed you get now from Verizon and don't care to pay the extra money for more, well, have at it, because I do think the best phone on the Verizon network is coming early next month and there's so much pent-up demand that people are going to buy it, and Andre will probably be one of them.
Today, Andre got his wish. In three weeks, he can pre-order iPhone 4 on Verizon.
But should he?
The iPhone 4 released today works with Verizon Wireless' existing 3G network. It's quite reliable, but as someone who has tested smartphones on it for the past 18 months on a regular basis, it's not the fastest thing in the world. I regularly get download speeds in town of about 1 MB with Verizon smartphones. AT&T's iPhone (which is pretty reliable locally, too) regularly pulls down 2-3 times that in my tests.
This means webpages via Verizon will load slower, YouTube videos will buffer longer, etc, and maybe that isn't much of a big deal in exchange for better call reliability -- and reception in gyms and hotels and buildings -- especially when traveling to smaller towns where AT&T's 3G reach isn't too great.
Also, remember Apple is widely expected to stick to its annual release date for an iPhone 5 in June. Apple and Verizon wouldn't comment on future release dates at their New York news conference Monday, so we don't know if Verizon will get iPhone 5 in June, when AT&T customers are expected to get it, or whether Verizon customers wouldn't see a new revision until 2012.
With AT&T and Verizon rolling out next generation LTE 4G networks, many industry analysts expect Apple to deliver an LTE iPhone which would deliver the type speeds home broadband users get -- up to 10 MB down and perhaps faster -- on mobile devices.
What if the Verizon LTE iPhone comes in June?
So does Andre want to sign a contract in three weeks with Verizon for two years and then have to watch iPhone 5 users get to use Verizon's new 4G network in a few months? Verizon is allowing customers to purchase the iPhone at full price ($599) and not sign a long term contract.
I'm not sure what the right answer is. Verizon's 4G network will be available to smart phone users in Charlotte as soon as the handsets are available. I've tested Sprint's version of Wi-Max 4G here and found the speeds remarkable, but Sprint charges $10 per month to access 4G and I'm sure Verizon will do the same.
A new iPhone will add some features but I don't think it will be a major leap from iPhone 4, so if you're happy with the speed you get now from Verizon and don't care to pay the extra money for more, well, have at it, because I do think the best phone on the Verizon network is coming early next month and there's so much pent-up demand that people are going to buy it, and Andre will probably be one of them.
It's official: iPhone to Verizon
Lowell McAdam, President and CEO Verizon Wireless, and Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook took the stage at a New York press conference Monday to announce news that the tech world had been waiting for: Apple's iPhone is coming to Verizon.
The Verizon iPhone goes on sale Feb. 10. Existing Verizon customers can pre-order starting Feb. 3. The phone will be $199 for 16 GB and $299 for 32 GB. It will act as a WiFi hotspot for up to five devices. The phone will be available at the Apple store, alongside the AT&T version, and well as at Verizon Wireless locations. Verizon said it will also sell iPhone via indirect sales channels, but not at launch.
Verizon did not announce monthly pricing plans.
McAdam said his company's relationship with Apple has developed over the past few years, and that in 2008, the two companies talked about bringing iPhone to Verizon's 3G network. He said Verizon has spent a year testing the iPhone. Apple and Verizon have a multi-year non-exclusive agreement for the Verizon version, which uses a wireless technology called CDMA, which differs from AT&T, which uses a wireless technology called GSM.
The non-exclusive agreement could pave the way for an iPhone on Sprint, which also uses CDMA.
The new iPhone will only work on Verizon's existing 3G network and not its new 4G network which promises higher speeds. Cook said making this phone LTE capable would force design compromises Apple was not willing to make and that customers wanted the phone now. Most companies who are making phones to work with Verizon's 4G network plan to release them in summer.
AT&T executives, whose company has had an iPhone exclusive for three years, have already begun to criticize the competition saying that its 3G network is faster than Verizon's, a fact backed up by many studies.
Expect Verizon to strike back, emphasizing that its network has been more reliable. AT&T has finished last in several reliability surveys and iPhone customers have complained so much about connection issues and dropped calls that AT&T has added huge public WiFi hotspots in cities like New York, San Francisco and Charlotte to try to alleviate the problems.
At Monday's news conference, Verizon officials stressed its network was ready to handle new waves of data hungry iPhone customers.
Apple's Cook said the phone was optimized to work on Verizon's network and asked if any changes had been made to iPhone 4's oft-critized antenna, he said "it's going to work great."
One caveat: Verizon's CDMA network does not allow voice calls at the same time as data. So you cannot surf the internet and make calls like on AT&T's version. Cook said "I think people place different emphasis on things. I can tell you that the number one question I've gotten is when will the iPhone work on Verizon. I couldn't be happier to tell people that. They will make these sorts of tradeoffs."
MORE COVERAGE CLICK BELOW
Should you buy Verizon iPhone right now or wait?
Fight: AT&T vs. Verizon iPhone
Next iPad to Verizon compatible, too
The Verizon iPhone goes on sale Feb. 10. Existing Verizon customers can pre-order starting Feb. 3. The phone will be $199 for 16 GB and $299 for 32 GB. It will act as a WiFi hotspot for up to five devices. The phone will be available at the Apple store, alongside the AT&T version, and well as at Verizon Wireless locations. Verizon said it will also sell iPhone via indirect sales channels, but not at launch.
Verizon did not announce monthly pricing plans.
McAdam said his company's relationship with Apple has developed over the past few years, and that in 2008, the two companies talked about bringing iPhone to Verizon's 3G network. He said Verizon has spent a year testing the iPhone. Apple and Verizon have a multi-year non-exclusive agreement for the Verizon version, which uses a wireless technology called CDMA, which differs from AT&T, which uses a wireless technology called GSM.
The non-exclusive agreement could pave the way for an iPhone on Sprint, which also uses CDMA.
The new iPhone will only work on Verizon's existing 3G network and not its new 4G network which promises higher speeds. Cook said making this phone LTE capable would force design compromises Apple was not willing to make and that customers wanted the phone now. Most companies who are making phones to work with Verizon's 4G network plan to release them in summer.
AT&T executives, whose company has had an iPhone exclusive for three years, have already begun to criticize the competition saying that its 3G network is faster than Verizon's, a fact backed up by many studies.
Expect Verizon to strike back, emphasizing that its network has been more reliable. AT&T has finished last in several reliability surveys and iPhone customers have complained so much about connection issues and dropped calls that AT&T has added huge public WiFi hotspots in cities like New York, San Francisco and Charlotte to try to alleviate the problems.
At Monday's news conference, Verizon officials stressed its network was ready to handle new waves of data hungry iPhone customers.
Apple's Cook said the phone was optimized to work on Verizon's network and asked if any changes had been made to iPhone 4's oft-critized antenna, he said "it's going to work great."
One caveat: Verizon's CDMA network does not allow voice calls at the same time as data. So you cannot surf the internet and make calls like on AT&T's version. Cook said "I think people place different emphasis on things. I can tell you that the number one question I've gotten is when will the iPhone work on Verizon. I couldn't be happier to tell people that. They will make these sorts of tradeoffs."
MORE COVERAGE CLICK BELOW
Should you buy Verizon iPhone right now or wait?
Fight: AT&T vs. Verizon iPhone
Next iPad to Verizon compatible, too
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Verizon will launch high speed wireless LTE network Dec. 5
Get ready Charlotte-area Verizon wireless customers: more speed is coming.
Verizon Wireless announced today it is lighting up its 4G LTE network Sunday and Charlotte is one of the initial 38 markets. The network, the company says, will be up to 10 times faster than the current 3G network and will be available to business users first.
Along with the launch, the company will introduce new 4G LTE mobile broadband data plans. They will start at $50 monthly for 5 GB, and there will be one USB modem available at launch.
To get 10 GB data, it will cost $80. Both plans have a $10/GB overage charge. The modem will be $99.99 after a $50 rebate for a two-year agreement.
Verizon officials said, at launch, the 4G LTE network will touch 1/3 of all Americans and will cover its existing 3G network in its entirety in about two years.
So how fast is this? Verizon said customers should expect download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second, as fast or faster as many high-speed cable or DSL modem speeds
Of course, you'll want to know about using cell phones on this new network. Looks like you'll have to wait until the middle of next year, so if your contract is up soon, best choose to wait. And this also makes me wonder if all the iPhone to Verizon in January talk will cool now.
Looks like a safe bet that iPhone 5 will take advantage of this network, which will also allow talking and surfing at the same time (something you can't do on Verizon's current 3G network). That makes me think the regular June iPhone launch date might be safe.
Last point on Verizon 4G. It's also launching in 38 metro areas and 60 airports. Click here to see if you're covered.
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Major Metropolitan Area Deployment (Dec. 5, 2010)
Akron, Ohio
Athens, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Baltimore, Maryland
Boston, Massachusetts
Charlotte, North Carolina
Chicago, Illinois
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Houston, Texas
Jacksonville, Florida
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Miami, Florida
Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota
Nashville, Tennessee
New Orleans, Louisiana
New York, New York
Oakland, California
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Orlando, Florida
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix, Arizona
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Rochester, New York
San Antonio, Texas
San Diego, California
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
St. Louis, Missouri
Tampa, Florida
Washington, D.C.
West Lafayette, Indiana
West Palm Beach, Florida
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Commercial Airport Deployment (Airport Name, City, State) Dec. 5, 2010
Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland
Bob Hope, Burbank, California
Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington
Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina
Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois
Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky
Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio
Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas
Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas
DenverInternational, Denver, Colorado
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas
Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia
Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii
Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida
John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York
John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California
Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri
La Guardia, New York, New York
Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri
Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts
LongBeach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California
Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana
McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada
Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee
Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California
Miami International, Miami, Florida
Minneapolis-St.Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee
New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware
Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California
North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Orlando International, Orlando, Florida
Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida
Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida
Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona
Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio
Portland International, Portland, Oregon
Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio
Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia
Sacramento International, Sacramento, California
Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah
San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas
SanDiego International, San Diego, California
SanFrancisco International, San Francisco, California
Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington
St. Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida
Tampa International, Tampa, Florida
Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey
Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey
Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
WilliamP. Hobby, Houston, Texas
Verizon Wireless announced today it is lighting up its 4G LTE network Sunday and Charlotte is one of the initial 38 markets. The network, the company says, will be up to 10 times faster than the current 3G network and will be available to business users first.
Along with the launch, the company will introduce new 4G LTE mobile broadband data plans. They will start at $50 monthly for 5 GB, and there will be one USB modem available at launch.
To get 10 GB data, it will cost $80. Both plans have a $10/GB overage charge. The modem will be $99.99 after a $50 rebate for a two-year agreement.
Verizon officials said, at launch, the 4G LTE network will touch 1/3 of all Americans and will cover its existing 3G network in its entirety in about two years.
So how fast is this? Verizon said customers should expect download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second, as fast or faster as many high-speed cable or DSL modem speeds
Of course, you'll want to know about using cell phones on this new network. Looks like you'll have to wait until the middle of next year, so if your contract is up soon, best choose to wait. And this also makes me wonder if all the iPhone to Verizon in January talk will cool now.
Looks like a safe bet that iPhone 5 will take advantage of this network, which will also allow talking and surfing at the same time (something you can't do on Verizon's current 3G network). That makes me think the regular June iPhone launch date might be safe.
Last point on Verizon 4G. It's also launching in 38 metro areas and 60 airports. Click here to see if you're covered.
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Major Metropolitan Area Deployment (Dec. 5, 2010)
Akron, Ohio
Athens, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Baltimore, Maryland
Boston, Massachusetts
Charlotte, North Carolina
Chicago, Illinois
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Houston, Texas
Jacksonville, Florida
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Miami, Florida
Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota
Nashville, Tennessee
New Orleans, Louisiana
New York, New York
Oakland, California
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Orlando, Florida
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix, Arizona
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Rochester, New York
San Antonio, Texas
San Diego, California
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
St. Louis, Missouri
Tampa, Florida
Washington, D.C.
West Lafayette, Indiana
West Palm Beach, Florida
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Commercial Airport Deployment (Airport Name, City, State) Dec. 5, 2010
Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland
Bob Hope, Burbank, California
Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington
Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina
Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois
Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky
Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio
Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas
Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas
DenverInternational, Denver, Colorado
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas
Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia
Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii
Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida
John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York
John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California
Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri
La Guardia, New York, New York
Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri
Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts
LongBeach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California
Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana
McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada
Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee
Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California
Miami International, Miami, Florida
Minneapolis-St.Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee
New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware
Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California
North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Orlando International, Orlando, Florida
Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida
Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida
Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona
Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio
Portland International, Portland, Oregon
Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio
Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia
Sacramento International, Sacramento, California
Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah
San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas
SanDiego International, San Diego, California
SanFrancisco International, San Francisco, California
Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington
St. Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida
Tampa International, Tampa, Florida
Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey
Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey
Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
WilliamP. Hobby, Houston, Texas
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The best protection money can buy....for your handheld device
Some of you will be buying those cute little handheld electronics games and cellphones for your loved ones this holiday season. I must pass along a story I got from a reader in Kings Mountain.
She bought a new Sprint HTC EVO phone for her son and was going to surprise him with it on Christmas Eve. She got it last week. Curious to see what all the fuss was about, she cracked open the case, and started fiddling around with it. She was cooking while she was talking on it, turned too quickly, and the EVO slipped from her hand and fell to her hardwood floor.
The EVO, which costs about $200 with a phone service contract, was ruined. It was cracked and bent and wasn't anything she could give to her 16-year-old anymore.
So she e-mailed me Sunday night and asked what could she get to protect her (second) investment in Sprint cellphone technology.
I've seen lots of protective covers and cases, but I think the King of Protection has to be the OtterBox series (otterbox.com). You can go with the Defender Series ($25-$50), which is like putting your device in a heavy, near-impenetrable shell, or the Commuter Series ($18-35), which is lighter and less protective but still able to survive the odd drop. Or two.
The Defender series is rugged and comes in different colors to fit BlackBerrys, iDevices and other handheld goodies. It's actually two cases in one. The first is a hard plastic shell that includes a clear screen protector. It's built into the case and sits well on your device. Once you slide your phone into the plastic shell, you put a silicone wrap around it.
Even though it adds heft, the Defender feels comfortable in your hand and allows access to all buttons and ports, which have covered access. Slight drawback: It can feel like a brick in your pocket at first.
I felt the only thing that could really, well, brick my phone with this case on it was dropping it in water. I wrapped one around one of my personal devices and climbed on a ladder and dropped it on my driveway. I said a quiet prayer as it fell. Nothing happened.
The alternative is the Commuter Series, which uses the same plastic-shell-wrapped -by-silicone-case tech, but everything is lighter and thinner, and you have the alternative peel-off screen protector. And where the Defender covers a portion of the front of the device at top and bottom, creating a bumper effect for drops, Commuter leaves the front more exposed. A face-front landing with Commuter might not be a good thing, but for everyday protection, it's a lighter alternative.
So the moral to my story is this: If you're buying handheld gadgets for the holidays, think about a good case to go with it.
She bought a new Sprint HTC EVO phone for her son and was going to surprise him with it on Christmas Eve. She got it last week. Curious to see what all the fuss was about, she cracked open the case, and started fiddling around with it. She was cooking while she was talking on it, turned too quickly, and the EVO slipped from her hand and fell to her hardwood floor.
The EVO, which costs about $200 with a phone service contract, was ruined. It was cracked and bent and wasn't anything she could give to her 16-year-old anymore.
So she e-mailed me Sunday night and asked what could she get to protect her (second) investment in Sprint cellphone technology.
I've seen lots of protective covers and cases, but I think the King of Protection has to be the OtterBox series (otterbox.com). You can go with the Defender Series ($25-$50), which is like putting your device in a heavy, near-impenetrable shell, or the Commuter Series ($18-35), which is lighter and less protective but still able to survive the odd drop. Or two.
The Defender series is rugged and comes in different colors to fit BlackBerrys, iDevices and other handheld goodies. It's actually two cases in one. The first is a hard plastic shell that includes a clear screen protector. It's built into the case and sits well on your device. Once you slide your phone into the plastic shell, you put a silicone wrap around it.
Even though it adds heft, the Defender feels comfortable in your hand and allows access to all buttons and ports, which have covered access. Slight drawback: It can feel like a brick in your pocket at first.
I felt the only thing that could really, well, brick my phone with this case on it was dropping it in water. I wrapped one around one of my personal devices and climbed on a ladder and dropped it on my driveway. I said a quiet prayer as it fell. Nothing happened.
The alternative is the Commuter Series, which uses the same plastic-shell-wrapped -by-silicone-case tech, but everything is lighter and thinner, and you have the alternative peel-off screen protector. And where the Defender covers a portion of the front of the device at top and bottom, creating a bumper effect for drops, Commuter leaves the front more exposed. A face-front landing with Commuter might not be a good thing, but for everyday protection, it's a lighter alternative.
So the moral to my story is this: If you're buying handheld gadgets for the holidays, think about a good case to go with it.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Obama signs autograph on iPad
On Thursday, at a rally in Seattle, Sylvester Cann IV had a novel idea. Instead of asking President Obama to sign a piece of paper, why not ask him to sign an iPad instead?
Using the Adobe Ideas app, Cann created a big place for Obama to write in his John Hancock. Cann created a website to showcase the moment.
Obama, looking amused, used his finger to write his name.
See video below.
Monday, October 18, 2010
7-inch iPad from Apple? Not likely
Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a surprise appearance at an earnings conference call today, and perhaps all CEOs would be giddy to talk about Apple's money take.
The Cupertino, CA, company did incredible business for the third quarter. It posted revenue of $20.34 billion and a net profit of $4 billion.
Apple shipped almost 4 million Mac computers, up 27 percent from a year ago.
Quarterly iPhone sales were up 91 percent from the same quarter a year ago (thanks iPhone 4). Apple sold 14.1 million iPhones, and sold 9.05 million iPods. That was an 11 percent decline for iPod.
Now, the iPad. Apple sold 4.19 million of those during the recent quarter and Jobs was asked if the company was readying a heavily rumored 7-inch version. Competitors, including Samsung, are about to release 7-inch tablets. Samsung's, which is due in a few weeks, will run the Android operating system.
Jobs said you can hold an iPad in portrait view and draw a horizontal line halfdown down.
"What's left," he said, "is a seven inch screen. That's too small. There are clear limits to how close elements can be on the screen before users can't touch accurately. We believe 10-inch screen is (the) minimum necessary."
And so, the 7-inch iPad thing should now go away.
The Cupertino, CA, company did incredible business for the third quarter. It posted revenue of $20.34 billion and a net profit of $4 billion.
Apple shipped almost 4 million Mac computers, up 27 percent from a year ago.
Quarterly iPhone sales were up 91 percent from the same quarter a year ago (thanks iPhone 4). Apple sold 14.1 million iPhones, and sold 9.05 million iPods. That was an 11 percent decline for iPod.
Now, the iPad. Apple sold 4.19 million of those during the recent quarter and Jobs was asked if the company was readying a heavily rumored 7-inch version. Competitors, including Samsung, are about to release 7-inch tablets. Samsung's, which is due in a few weeks, will run the Android operating system.
Jobs said you can hold an iPad in portrait view and draw a horizontal line halfdown down.
"What's left," he said, "is a seven inch screen. That's too small. There are clear limits to how close elements can be on the screen before users can't touch accurately. We believe 10-inch screen is (the) minimum necessary."
And so, the 7-inch iPad thing should now go away.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Sony unveils Google TV
Google TV is here.
At a big news conference in New York late Tuesday afternoon, Sony unveiled a line of TV sets featuring integrated Google TV, which will allow users to surf the internet on their TV as well as watch traditional TV programming.
Sets go on sale Oct. 16, with prices running from $600 to $1,400. Set sizes, for now, range from 24 to 46 inches. If you already have an HDTV, you can buy a Blu-Ray DVD enabled set top box for $399.
Sony is aiming this at people who are already watching TV programming on their computers, such as early broadcasts of sporting events and YouTube videos.
Google TV uses the same Android operating system that has become uber-popular among cell phone users. Google TV comes with a Chrome Web browser. Several partners are already on line to provide content including Amazon, Netflix, NBC Universal, the NBA, Time Warner and USA Today.
The Google TV comes with a remote that has a full QWERTY keyboard.
At a big news conference in New York late Tuesday afternoon, Sony unveiled a line of TV sets featuring integrated Google TV, which will allow users to surf the internet on their TV as well as watch traditional TV programming.
Sets go on sale Oct. 16, with prices running from $600 to $1,400. Set sizes, for now, range from 24 to 46 inches. If you already have an HDTV, you can buy a Blu-Ray DVD enabled set top box for $399.
Sony is aiming this at people who are already watching TV programming on their computers, such as early broadcasts of sporting events and YouTube videos.
Google TV uses the same Android operating system that has become uber-popular among cell phone users. Google TV comes with a Chrome Web browser. Several partners are already on line to provide content including Amazon, Netflix, NBC Universal, the NBA, Time Warner and USA Today.
The Google TV comes with a remote that has a full QWERTY keyboard.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Microsoft launches Windows Phone 7, hopes to boost sales
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introduced his company's latest offering into the smartphone industry, Windows Phone 7, Monday morning in New York.
Microsoft is going the Google/Android route by developing software and allowing hardware manufacturers to create the handsets. Customers will get touchscreen thin handsets as well as QWERTY keyboard devices.
Ballmer describes the new phones, which will be GSM only for now (read: no Verizon) as "different" and "more modern" in design and usage.
He said the new phone focuses on how real people want to use their handsets.
The device will use something called Windows Phone Hubs, which appear as large box-shaped tile displays on the phone. They react in real time. Get a new email or a voicemail or even Twitter or Facebook updates, and the "hub" changes on your home screen.
The phone ships with six hubs: People, Pictures, Music/Video, Games Hub, Office and the Market (for apps).
The phone also can connect to Xbox Live. And the hubs are totally customizable.
There's a hard button to snap a photo with the camera which also helps access on board photos. Microsoft said uploading photos to the cloud is a snap.
Microsoft Office is also included here with a mobile version of Outlook and office document support. Users can also edit Office files from the phone, but until early next year the phone cannot copy and paste (ugh).
This could be huge for business users.
Is this going to be the device to get Microsoft on the field with Apple and Google and RIM? The devices out so far look slick and more and more customers are trying smartphones. The market is expected to grow to nearly 300 million sold devices next year from about 190 million expected this year.
The phone will be available in several versions from AT&T and T-Mobile for $199 with a two-year contract.
Microsoft is going the Google/Android route by developing software and allowing hardware manufacturers to create the handsets. Customers will get touchscreen thin handsets as well as QWERTY keyboard devices.
Ballmer describes the new phones, which will be GSM only for now (read: no Verizon) as "different" and "more modern" in design and usage.
He said the new phone focuses on how real people want to use their handsets.
The device will use something called Windows Phone Hubs, which appear as large box-shaped tile displays on the phone. They react in real time. Get a new email or a voicemail or even Twitter or Facebook updates, and the "hub" changes on your home screen.
The phone ships with six hubs: People, Pictures, Music/Video, Games Hub, Office and the Market (for apps).
The phone also can connect to Xbox Live. And the hubs are totally customizable.
There's a hard button to snap a photo with the camera which also helps access on board photos. Microsoft said uploading photos to the cloud is a snap.
Microsoft Office is also included here with a mobile version of Outlook and office document support. Users can also edit Office files from the phone, but until early next year the phone cannot copy and paste (ugh).
This could be huge for business users.
Is this going to be the device to get Microsoft on the field with Apple and Google and RIM? The devices out so far look slick and more and more customers are trying smartphones. The market is expected to grow to nearly 300 million sold devices next year from about 190 million expected this year.
The phone will be available in several versions from AT&T and T-Mobile for $199 with a two-year contract.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Apple releases new iPhone software with features, bug fixes
Apple today has released its iOS 4.1 software for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Users can download the release by connecting their iPhone to their computer and visiting iTunes.
The new iPod Touch units, recently redesigned, are shipping with the new hardware.
iOS 4.1 fixes promixity sensor bugs, bluetooth issues and a problem where the old 3G iPhone slowed down with the new operating system. Users will be able to upload HD video over WiFI, rent TV shows and Apple's Game Center debuts for supported devices (no iPhone 3G here guys).
A new feature is High Dynamic Range Photos. Users tap a button and the camera takes three photos in rapid succession. One will be shot in normal exposure plus one that is underdeveloped and one over exposed. It then combines the three to produce an "HDR" photo. The normal and HDR photos are both kept in the camera roll.
GameCenter is used for multi-player games and allows you to challenge friends or auto-match you with players. Gamers can compare scores and see popular games.
The new iPod Touch units, recently redesigned, are shipping with the new hardware.
iOS 4.1 fixes promixity sensor bugs, bluetooth issues and a problem where the old 3G iPhone slowed down with the new operating system. Users will be able to upload HD video over WiFI, rent TV shows and Apple's Game Center debuts for supported devices (no iPhone 3G here guys).
A new feature is High Dynamic Range Photos. Users tap a button and the camera takes three photos in rapid succession. One will be shot in normal exposure plus one that is underdeveloped and one over exposed. It then combines the three to produce an "HDR" photo. The normal and HDR photos are both kept in the camera roll.
GameCenter is used for multi-player games and allows you to challenge friends or auto-match you with players. Gamers can compare scores and see popular games.
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Apple introduces Apple TV, new iPods, fixes iPhone issues
Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a new line of iPods Wednesday and a new $99 Apple TV. He also introduced a new operating system for Apple's mobile devices that will correct issues with iPhone 4 and with older iPhones running slowly when using the new operating system.
The new iPod Touch will add all the popular features on iPhone 4, including the "Retina" display and FaceTime video conferencing. Apple TV will let users rent movies and TV shows and stream content from Netflix and YouTube.
Also a new version of iTunes will be launched with a Facebook-like social intergration app.
A quick rundown of the day.
New iPods Launched
Jobs said the company has sold 275 million iPods in its history.
Every iPod is being redesigned and will be available next week. Pre-orders will be taken today.
The new iPod Touch is now the most popular iPod.
"A lot of people call it an iPhone without the phone," Jobs said.
The new iPod Touch is even thinner than the old version, has the Retina Display and runs the Apple A4 chip, just like the iPhone 4. It has 3-axis Gyro plus a front facing camera with FaceTime over WiFi. A rear camera has also been added with HD video recording.
The new touch will have 40 hours of music playback. It's $229 for 8 gigs, $299 for 32 gigs and $399 for the 64 gig version.
More than 1.5 billion games and entertainment titles have been downloaded to the Touch.
-- The new iPod Shuffle is smaller than last year and has buttons, voiceover and playlists. It's about the size of the palm of your hand. It'll speak through your playlists, Genius mixes and the Voice over will tell you song and artist and even let you know when the battery needs charging. The shuffle is good for 15 hours per charge, Jobs said, and comes in five colors. Price is $49.
The new iPod Nano is 46 percent smaller and 42 percent lighter and loses its click wheel. It's square shaped instead of rectangular. It uses the same multi-touch as iPhone. It has a clip on it to attach to your clothes. It's got FM radio, the Nike pedometer and 24 hour audio battery life. This comes in six colors. Price is $149 for 8 gigs; $179 for gigs.
NEW ITUNES RELEASED
Jobs said 11.7 billion songs have been downloaded from iTunes, more than 100 million movies, 450 million TV episodes and 35 million books.
Jobs announced iTunes 10, the latest version, Wednesday with a new logo. It launches today.
What's new?
The interface has changed and Apple has added "Ping" to iTunes, a social network for music. Ping is available on computer, iPhone and iPod Touch.
"It's sort of like Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes," Jobs said. "It's a social network all about music and its' built right into iTunes."
Users can follow favorite artists and friends and find out what's popular. Simply click the Ping link in iTunes. A top 10 chart of songs and albums is customized for each user based on what their friends and favorites are downloading.
NEW APPLE TV LAUNCHES
The old Apple TV was $229. The new one is $99. It'll launch in four weeks with pre-ordering starting today.
Introduced in September 2006, Jobs said Apple has not sold a lot of its Apple TV hardware, but the users who use them tell Apple they love them. Jobs said users said they wanted Hollywood movies and TV shows.
"They don't want amateur hour," Jobs said. "And they want everything in HD."
Jobs said consumers don't want a computer attached to the TV or to have to manage storage. "Your hard disc starts to fill up, what are you gonna do?" Jobs said.
The new Apple TV is about 1/4th the size of the current Apple TV. You can hold it in your hand. It's a small black box. It has a power cord, HDMI, and an ethernet cable. WiFi is built-in. It comes with a remote.
Users will rent all their content and not purchase anything. The device will stream content from your computer with no synching required.
First run movies will cost $4.99, on the day and date they are released on DVD. Renting HD TV shows will be 99 cents. These shows will be commercial free. Only ABC and Fox are on board first. Jobs said he expected the other major studios to come on board soon.
Netflix subscribers can stream content on Apple TV, Flickr, mobileme or YouTube.
NOTES:
-- Apple released its new operating system, iOS 4.1 that fixes promixity sensor bugs, bluetooth issues and a problem where the old 3G iPhone slowed down with the new operating system. Users will be able to upload HD video over WiFI, rent TV shows and Apple's Game Center will debut. The new system debuts next week and is a free download via iTunes for iPod Touch and iPhone.
A new feature is High Dynamic Range Photos. Users tap a button and the camera takes three photos in rapid succession. One will be shot in normal exposure plus one that is underdeveloped and one over exposed. It then combines the three to produce an "HDR" photo. The normal and HDR photos are both kept in the camera roll.
GameCenter is used for multi-player games and allows you to challenge friends or auto-match you with players. Gamers can compare scores and see popular games.
-- Jobs offered a sneak peek at iOS 4.2 for iPad that will come out November, as a free update for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. "It's bringing everything to iPad," Jobs said including folders, GameCenter, HDR photos and wireless printing, a much requested app.
A new feature, AirPlay, will also debut. It'll allow users to stream audio, video and photo to other devices. Users with an iPad or iPhone can stream content to Apple TV.
You can watch a movie or look at photos on iPhone or iPad and watch the rest on your flatscreen via Apple TV.
-- Apple has shipped 120 million iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch products in four years, Jobs said. He said Apple is activating about 230,000 new iOS devices every day. That figure doesn't include upgrades.
-- There are 200 apps per second are being downloaded from Apple's App Store, and more than six billion total in its history. There are more than 250,000 apps currently in the store, 25,000 are iPad exclusive.
-- Jobs said Apple Stores draw more than one million visitors several days per month. He said more than half the people buying Mac computers are new users.
Link: Apple set to introduce new hardware Wednesday
The new iPod Touch will add all the popular features on iPhone 4, including the "Retina" display and FaceTime video conferencing. Apple TV will let users rent movies and TV shows and stream content from Netflix and YouTube.
Also a new version of iTunes will be launched with a Facebook-like social intergration app.
A quick rundown of the day.
New iPods Launched
Jobs said the company has sold 275 million iPods in its history.
Every iPod is being redesigned and will be available next week. Pre-orders will be taken today.
The new iPod Touch is now the most popular iPod.
"A lot of people call it an iPhone without the phone," Jobs said.
The new iPod Touch is even thinner than the old version, has the Retina Display and runs the Apple A4 chip, just like the iPhone 4. It has 3-axis Gyro plus a front facing camera with FaceTime over WiFi. A rear camera has also been added with HD video recording.
The new touch will have 40 hours of music playback. It's $229 for 8 gigs, $299 for 32 gigs and $399 for the 64 gig version.
More than 1.5 billion games and entertainment titles have been downloaded to the Touch.
-- The new iPod Shuffle is smaller than last year and has buttons, voiceover and playlists. It's about the size of the palm of your hand. It'll speak through your playlists, Genius mixes and the Voice over will tell you song and artist and even let you know when the battery needs charging. The shuffle is good for 15 hours per charge, Jobs said, and comes in five colors. Price is $49.
The new iPod Nano is 46 percent smaller and 42 percent lighter and loses its click wheel. It's square shaped instead of rectangular. It uses the same multi-touch as iPhone. It has a clip on it to attach to your clothes. It's got FM radio, the Nike pedometer and 24 hour audio battery life. This comes in six colors. Price is $149 for 8 gigs; $179 for gigs.
NEW ITUNES RELEASED
Jobs said 11.7 billion songs have been downloaded from iTunes, more than 100 million movies, 450 million TV episodes and 35 million books.
Jobs announced iTunes 10, the latest version, Wednesday with a new logo. It launches today.
What's new?
The interface has changed and Apple has added "Ping" to iTunes, a social network for music. Ping is available on computer, iPhone and iPod Touch.
"It's sort of like Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes," Jobs said. "It's a social network all about music and its' built right into iTunes."
Users can follow favorite artists and friends and find out what's popular. Simply click the Ping link in iTunes. A top 10 chart of songs and albums is customized for each user based on what their friends and favorites are downloading.
NEW APPLE TV LAUNCHES
The old Apple TV was $229. The new one is $99. It'll launch in four weeks with pre-ordering starting today.
Introduced in September 2006, Jobs said Apple has not sold a lot of its Apple TV hardware, but the users who use them tell Apple they love them. Jobs said users said they wanted Hollywood movies and TV shows.
"They don't want amateur hour," Jobs said. "And they want everything in HD."
Jobs said consumers don't want a computer attached to the TV or to have to manage storage. "Your hard disc starts to fill up, what are you gonna do?" Jobs said.
The new Apple TV is about 1/4th the size of the current Apple TV. You can hold it in your hand. It's a small black box. It has a power cord, HDMI, and an ethernet cable. WiFi is built-in. It comes with a remote.
Users will rent all their content and not purchase anything. The device will stream content from your computer with no synching required.
First run movies will cost $4.99, on the day and date they are released on DVD. Renting HD TV shows will be 99 cents. These shows will be commercial free. Only ABC and Fox are on board first. Jobs said he expected the other major studios to come on board soon.
Netflix subscribers can stream content on Apple TV, Flickr, mobileme or YouTube.
NOTES:
-- Apple released its new operating system, iOS 4.1 that fixes promixity sensor bugs, bluetooth issues and a problem where the old 3G iPhone slowed down with the new operating system. Users will be able to upload HD video over WiFI, rent TV shows and Apple's Game Center will debut. The new system debuts next week and is a free download via iTunes for iPod Touch and iPhone.
A new feature is High Dynamic Range Photos. Users tap a button and the camera takes three photos in rapid succession. One will be shot in normal exposure plus one that is underdeveloped and one over exposed. It then combines the three to produce an "HDR" photo. The normal and HDR photos are both kept in the camera roll.
GameCenter is used for multi-player games and allows you to challenge friends or auto-match you with players. Gamers can compare scores and see popular games.
-- Jobs offered a sneak peek at iOS 4.2 for iPad that will come out November, as a free update for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. "It's bringing everything to iPad," Jobs said including folders, GameCenter, HDR photos and wireless printing, a much requested app.
A new feature, AirPlay, will also debut. It'll allow users to stream audio, video and photo to other devices. Users with an iPad or iPhone can stream content to Apple TV.
You can watch a movie or look at photos on iPhone or iPad and watch the rest on your flatscreen via Apple TV.
-- Apple has shipped 120 million iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch products in four years, Jobs said. He said Apple is activating about 230,000 new iOS devices every day. That figure doesn't include upgrades.
-- There are 200 apps per second are being downloaded from Apple's App Store, and more than six billion total in its history. There are more than 250,000 apps currently in the store, 25,000 are iPad exclusive.
-- Jobs said Apple Stores draw more than one million visitors several days per month. He said more than half the people buying Mac computers are new users.
Link: Apple set to introduce new hardware Wednesday
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Apple expected to introduce new iPod touch, iTV today
Apple, Inc, will hold its annual fall media conference Wednesday at 10 a.m. PST, and Steve Jobs is expected to announce a revamped Apple TV set-top box as well as introduce a new iPod Touch that will rival iPhone in screen resolution and other features.
The event will be streamed at apple.com and requires a Mac computer running the OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system and the Safari web browser, an iPod Touch or iPhone running the iOS 3.0 operating system or higher or an iPad.
Businessweek has reported that Jobs will introduce a new $99 Apple TV product that will stream movies and other content from Netflix. The current Apple TV costs more than twice that and is basically a movie and TV rental service that allows users to get content from iTunes and watch on their TV.
Other published reports have speculated that the new Apple TV will also allow users to download TV series for 99 cents per episode shortly after they air.
I think we can expect to see a new iPod Touch that will look a lot like the squarish iPhone 4. I think the new Touch will feature Apple's "Retina" display, front and back cameras and include FaceTime video chat. It will be interesting to see if Apple allows 3G over the device, which may include a microphone and would then allow users to make calls via services like Skype.
A new smaller iPod nano with a touch screen is also expected to debut.
Speculation is running wild about Apple TV and a new iPad 4.0 operating system that will bring features like folders to iPad. Apple may also debut a new iLife suite, which includes Apple's photo software (iPhoto), website creation tool (iWeb) and DVD creator (iDVD).
The wildest rumors claim we'll hear about the white iPhone 4 and the Verizon iPhone at the conference. Meanwhile, a Mexican carrier is claiming that we'll see a new iPhone 4 released at the end of September that has been redesigned to thwart the antenna issue that has caused some users to lose signal.
We'll have a full report tomorrow on what Apple does -- and does not -- do. As usual, the guys in Cupertino sure do know how to get the tech masses into a lather.
The event will be streamed at apple.com and requires a Mac computer running the OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system and the Safari web browser, an iPod Touch or iPhone running the iOS 3.0 operating system or higher or an iPad.
Businessweek has reported that Jobs will introduce a new $99 Apple TV product that will stream movies and other content from Netflix. The current Apple TV costs more than twice that and is basically a movie and TV rental service that allows users to get content from iTunes and watch on their TV.
Other published reports have speculated that the new Apple TV will also allow users to download TV series for 99 cents per episode shortly after they air.
I think we can expect to see a new iPod Touch that will look a lot like the squarish iPhone 4. I think the new Touch will feature Apple's "Retina" display, front and back cameras and include FaceTime video chat. It will be interesting to see if Apple allows 3G over the device, which may include a microphone and would then allow users to make calls via services like Skype.
A new smaller iPod nano with a touch screen is also expected to debut.
Speculation is running wild about Apple TV and a new iPad 4.0 operating system that will bring features like folders to iPad. Apple may also debut a new iLife suite, which includes Apple's photo software (iPhoto), website creation tool (iWeb) and DVD creator (iDVD).
The wildest rumors claim we'll hear about the white iPhone 4 and the Verizon iPhone at the conference. Meanwhile, a Mexican carrier is claiming that we'll see a new iPhone 4 released at the end of September that has been redesigned to thwart the antenna issue that has caused some users to lose signal.
We'll have a full report tomorrow on what Apple does -- and does not -- do. As usual, the guys in Cupertino sure do know how to get the tech masses into a lather.
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