apple | Procrastinating in the Heat

Posts Tagged ‘ apple ’

Weeks away from Macworld

Apple, Fox join hands in iTunes movie rental deal – Engadget

It has leaked outside that iTunes movie rentals will be announced at Macworld in San Francisco this January. This joins the news of an updated iPhone (3G for Asia?) and the ultra portable mac book.

If the rumors are to be believed, and if I understand it correctly, people who buy FOX studio movies will be able to download without added cost the digital version off the iTunes store. Or as the headline says, will be able to download the latest video releases from FOX.

In any case both of these features are interesting but we will have to wait until January 15 for any of these stories to be confirmed.

2007: 12/27
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
iphone
iTunes
mac book
macworld
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I finally got one

I couldn’t resist it while I was looking at it in the store. It was just calling out to me. Begging me to set it free from it’s black box with the Macy Gray album on the cover. Yes, I made the jump and paid for a brand new iPod Touch.

Despite many websites citing the obvious flaws of the device, I must say that it’s still something to enjoy. Unlike most of the western world who will get their hands on localized versions of the iPhone in their country before the end of the year, the rest of the world has to wait another year for it and I’m not willing to hack an iPhone in order to get one. SMS messaging on it is archaic by Asian standards and surfing on the EDGE network is just so last gen especially in places such as Asia.

So let’s cut to the chase, the iPod touch delivers on what it promises to be, an iPod. It’s still a great music player (debatable sound quality tho) and video player. Watching videos with subtitles is definitely much easier with the bigger screen. I’m a big video fan of the iPod and the ability to load up at least 6 movies into it and watch it is a joy. Cover flow on it needs some work such as the ability to control the volume and part of the track you want to listen to other than just play-pause buttons on it. Viewing in coverflow shows you all your albums even if it’s not in the playlist you’re listening to.

16GB is just right since my opinion of the iPod is that what’s the point of carrying 3 months worth of music in your pocket if it doesn’t have the battery life to play it. Although 8 might be short for people into tv shows and movies.

Buying music on the iTunes store is smooth. I have two accounts, one on the Japan iTunes store and another on the US store and it syncs with the store to whichever is currently logged in the iTunes in your computer. So I can view both stores on it regardless of my current location. I bought a song just to test it and it downloads fast and is placed into a separate folder in my iTunes as Purchased Music from (insert name of iPod).

The Safari and You Tube experience is something to behold. I’ve gone through a lot of devices (Palm, O2, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and so on) and none of them was able to deliver on the internet experience similar to a PC. Apple delivers in their device. It works as advertised and more. Google Gmail has designed their website just for the Apple devices plus many more.

By default, the iPod Touch is gimped. You are unable to edit calendars, no To-do list, no notes. But with a simple hacking method (so simple that a caveman can do it) these are possible. Thus making the iPod Touch a PDA.

With these in mind, the iPod Touch delivers my needs. Other people have different requirements for the device but all in all I am pretty happy with the device. The only thing I hate, the shiny iPod back that is now pretty scratched up in my jacket pocket. They really need to get into the brushed metal finish. I really really really hate that shiny finish.

2007: 11/06
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
ipod touch
iTunes
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As the World Turns

NBC Universal wanted cut of Apple hardware sales

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I’ve been neglecting my regular posts here and I know I have to post on a lot of things.

A cut of anyone’s hardware sales is ridiculous and I can probably guess how Apple reacted when they heard that from NBC Universal. Just because that Microsoft and Zune said yes to the $1 “tax” doesn’t mean that the rest of the industry will follow suit. Why don’t they do the same on the content they “rent” on the Xbox Marketplace since Microsoft recently announced that fir the first time, their gaming unit is finally earning some money. Plus the reasoning that the reason for the “tax” is because people bought the iPod so they can but their shows off the iTunes store. But take note, their shows are only sold in the USA and not in the rest of the world. Don’t tell me they also wanted a cut of the iPod sales in Japan??

Then if they weren’t getting enough money off iTunes, then sell it everywhere. Why alienate the Mac users whose only way of getting legal downloads of their shows that would play on they iPods? There is a lot of potential and a lot of places where they can sell their content. I prefer to sell everywhere than nowhere. It’s not as if it costs them a lot more to sell or convert in other drm filled formats.

So where does this bring NBC Universal, one word, HULU!!

Who what? Apparently NBC has also pulled all their content off You Tube and placed it into their own ad filled video site called HULU! Currently in private beta (which means most of us cannot get into), it promises many things (other than having a “creative” name). But it still remains to be seen if NBC decisions will either separate them from Apple (as they have vowed to do) or will they come running back.

2007: 11/06
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
ipod
iTunes
nbc
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Happy Birthday iPod

It’s kinda hard to imagine that six years ago Apple went into the digital music player business which at the time was a perceived as late comer to the game. Now Six billion tunes and millions of iPods later including a phone, the iPod is the unprecedented leader of the digital music player market. From zero market share to almost every popular music player out there it shows that anything can happen in this business.

Congratulations to Apple and the iPod.

2007: 10/24
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
ipod
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What kind of Apple are we expecting?

Truce: iPhone 1.1.1ers | 9 to 5 Mac

When Apple released their 1.1.1 iPhone update, it basically removed all third party applications and reverted any iPhone to it’s original state. Thus any sim unlocking method use will require a valid AT&T sim card to re-activate the device or in some cases completely make the phone inoperable.

Now this has enraged a lot of people who bought the phone and loaded with another sim card. I myself am surprised by the actions that Apple has made in their decision not only to lockout those who are not on the AT&T service but remove the 3rd party applications as well.

It is understandable for Apple to lock the phones that are not running AT&T service since it is well known that they are getting a share of the airtime as well. They are bound by contract. But the 3rd party apps?

It is impossible to totally shut out 3rd party apps especially if you announced application development for the iPhone and SDK kit. There was already enough brouhaha regarding the ringtones which was supposed to be free but then the RIAA got wind of it and demanded that users pay for it. It doesn’t make sense that you just paid 99¢ for a song and now you have to pay another 99¢ for a third of the song in order for it to be a ringtone. That’s already the price of a TV show on the same store.

Apple needs to fix these issues with their iPhone. It may only be now that they realize that the telecom industry is a lot more complicated that selling songs and iPods. There is no lost love for the iPhone, it’s just we don’t like it and users will take their money elsewhere.

2007: 10/03
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
iphone
iTunes
RIAA
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Amazon dives into the online music industry

Ten Sentences on AmazonMP3, the Music Download Store | iLounge

After slipping to be the number 4 reseller of music, digital or otherwise the expected Amazon Music store is now online. It is currently restricted to U.S. customers but it boasts 2 million songs. With the recent closure of Virgin Music and Sony’s Connect store, the legal online music downloads is about to begin.

iTunes has dominated online music retail business while it’s competitors have closed shop. DRM or digital rights management drives the digital music industry and long struggled with P2P networks and the move to a digital format. Apple did it’s AAC format and Microsoft with WMA and here comes Amazon with their ZERO DRM MP3 at 256k.

Yes you heard it right. ZERO DRM MP3. Well MP3 doesn’t actually have DRM so there. EMI and Vivendi-Universal Music had announced earlier that they would be selling DRM-free music and it seems that they’ve kept their word.

There are gaping holes in the 2 million catalogue of songs they have but it Amazon redirects you to purchase the actual CD if you really want it. Songs are priced competitively at $0.89 and $0.99 as well as the albums which should really give iTunes for a run for it’s money for the next few months.

Amazon has done it right but for how long? The same could be said of the iTunes store when it started and now after all the money that has been spent on the store we can now see the greedy arm of the music industry coming into play. How long can Amazon keep their DRM-free music as well as the rest of the industry to jump in.

It’s very hard to discuss the future of online music when it’s only been less than week. But we cannot deny that it is welcomed.

What I would want Amazon to would be to tear down the walls of restriction between countries. I’d gladly purchase music from Japan or France but due to the music industry’s restrictions we’ll have to wait on how they will tackle this.

The music industry is sadly lagging so far behind on the digital curve and if they don’t adapt the music industry will be doomed. They attribute their losses to music piracy, but what would lead honest people to pirate their music. Unavailability. By denying or even delaying music releases in other countries and people want to hear it now, would lead people to get their music elsewhere if they cannot get it legally. Those advocating subscriptions for music are out of their minds.

So until I’ve actually bought music off the store, I’ll post again on this topic.

2007: 09/27
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: amazon
apple
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Slimmer Macbooks Comiing

Slim Aluminum MacBooks Coming Soon from Apple | 9 to 5 Mac

In an entry in 9to5mac.com says that thinner and smaller mac book pros are on the way. These could land as early as this Christmas season.

My take on this is that it’s about time. One thing that prevented me from cashing in the intel portables was that I found a lot of it to be too cumbersome. I mean, you would have to be in business class in order for the mac book pro (15″) to fit on your tray table on airplanes. It weighs a ton when you’re lugging your things all over Europe and the battery life is not something to write home about.

So yes, I am going to buy this when this comes out just as long as it’s not a gimped mac book. For my needs, the mac book just cant cut it for me anymore. With that kind of chipset I might as well hang on to my trusty 12″ powerbook that I’ve had like forever.

And also I don’t want all my 12″ accessories to go to waste like my crumpler bag.

2007: 09/25
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
christmas
crumpler
mac book pro
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It still wont play on my iPod fool!

NBC to offer free “NBC Direct” download service, iTunes competitor – Engadget

NBC counters iTunes in this round by offering their shows for free via their website which should eventually lead to a paid service in the future.

What part does NBC doesn’t understand? TV is inherently free. The said “free” shows are only viewable on your PC and only have a license for 5 days. These cannot be transferred to your portable device and is only compatible with PCs.

NBC joins other networks such as CBS and ABC who also put their shows online. But unlike ABC, it is not mac compatible. All have ads on their website in order for them to show it for free. NBC promises that a paid service will be available (other than their deal with Amazon Unbox).

Sure NBC can charge and bundle whatever they want on their website but one thing remains. It still wont play on my iPod. That is what matters to me. The consumer. My needs. If it doesn’t satisfy my need. Why should I even pay for it? Are they deliberately ignoring the millions of iPod users and mac users with this move? Why don’t they get it that I’ll just TiVO the show, or join others that live on torrents.

We’ll see where this goes.

2007: 09/20
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: Uncategorized
TAGS: amazon
apple
ipod
iTunes
nbc
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Would I really want one?

Apple – iPod touch

It had to happen sooner or later. Apple ships to stores the iPod touch. To put it simply, it’s an iPhone without a phone and an additional 8GB of drive space. But would I want one?

Reviews published on the internet are mixed at best. There’s no bluetooth, no email application, no camera, no external speaker. Why should I fork out my money for this one? For places such as Asia where the iPhone has not yet been announced it is an attractive option. But with the unlocking hacks popping all over the internet, will it really matter?

The limited battery life and storage capacity on the iPod Touch doesn’t make it a must have device. Especially when you can get one with phone capabilities for the same price. With the largest capacity at 16GB, it’s not exactly impressive by today’s standards. Now the question begs, should Apple have released the iPod Touch earlier than the iPhone?

Judging by how the the iPod touch was constructed it would seem that it was easier to make than the iPhone. I would have bought a “wide screen” iPod than a new phone. The last phone I bought was two years ago. The phone could’ve come later. But with Apple entering the crowded mobile phone market with the iPhone, is it all driven by revenues? Even if Apple only captures 1% of the market. It’s worth a lot more than the portable music market which they currently dominate.

Just today Apple and O2 announced their partnership in an event in London which slowly brings the iPhone out of North America and into Europe. When asked of the lack of 3G into the phone, Steve Jobs replied that current 3G chips are “power hogs” That would significantly affect the performance of the iPhone as a phone.

It seems that Apple is waiting for HSDPA to come into it’s own as it is faster than both EDGE and 3G and most networks are currently upgrading their services to support this system. I guess we’ll have to wait until Macworld in January for any new announcement.

So with all of this happening, should one still buy an iPod touch? In my opinion. Yes. If you want the touch screen and widescreen fancy iPod, then by all means run to the Apple store and cash in. Yes if you already have a phone that you’re happy with. Yes if you can’t wait. Yes because it seems that Apple is willing to wait for newer technology that would make their phones more efficient. And video output is possible on the iPod Touch but not the iPhone.

Now why shouldn’t you buy an iPod Touch.
1. The iPhone is better.
2. It’s like saying, “I can’t afford an iPhone so I got an iPod Touch”
3. The iPhone is now unlocked, no reason to deny yourself the phone.
4. It could be better. (Battery life, storage, among other things)

So until I get my hands on either one. I may hold out for this one. But I still want one. And now I can’t decide.

2007: 09/18
POSTED BY: mdelamerced
CATEGORY: gadgets
TAGS: apple
ipod touch
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Seriously???

MacNN | Adobe: Mac OS X Leopard could break AdobeCS3

It’s just so odd that a major developer such as Adobe could miss this. It took them forever to get their software into Universal Binary and Leopard development kits have been around for over a year now and the latest builds are always posted to the Apple Developer Community. Heck even qualified and accredited students can get their hands on it. Why can’t Adobe?

Sure we understand all the bugs and problems that come along with software development and particular with a new OS. Let’s hope that Adobe wont make us users wait 15 months for the Leopard build. Is the tardiness of the software because Apple released some apps that compete with their Premiere, Lightroom and Image Ready apps? Now that is just petty.

Let’s all wait and see.