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Archive for the ‘Announcements’ Category

Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Apple TV and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab

September 3rd, 2010 |

This week’s episode of the Gadget Lab podcast is heavy on fruits. High on vitamin A, Dylan Tweney gushes over the pluot, a plum-apricot hybrid, while yours truly dishes out this week’s announcements of brand new Apple gear.

Apple’s iPod family all scored major upgrades. The iPod Nano has become a puny touchscreen badge with a built-in clip that should be ideal for athletes, and the iPod Touch is now up to par with the iPhone 4. The iPod Shuffle was refreshed as well — also a badge-like clippable form factor, but with the traditional click wheel rather than a touchscreen.

Apple also announced a brand new Apple TV that’s about a quarter of the size of its predecessor. It streams movie and television rentals, but it faces one major limitation: only two television networks (Fox and ABC) are on board to offer programs for the device. For now, it’s not an adequate replacement for cable TV.

However, in a future software update, iOS devices will be able to wirelessly stream their iTunes videos and music onto the Apple TV by using a feature called “AirPlay.” We ponder on the potential for Apple to reshape the TV industry if the company eventually allows you to beam content from third-party iOS apps (such as Hulu) onto the Apple TV. It’s wishful thinking, but not an impossibility.

Finally, Samsung has officially launched a tablet to compete with Apple’s iPad. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch touchscreen tablet powered by Android OS 2.2, meaning it supports Adobe Flash. We share our impressions of the device after some hands-on testing.

Oh, and those pluots? They come from Frog Hollow Farm, and they really are delicious.

Like the show? You can also get the Gadget Lab video podcast via iTunes, or if you don’t want to be distracted by our smiling faces, check out the Gadget Lab audio podcast. Prefer RSS? You can subscribe to the Gadget Lab video or audio podcast feeds

Or listen to the audio here:

Gadget Lab audio podcast #87

http://downloads.wired.com/podcasts/assets/gadgetlabaudio/GadgetLabAudio0087.mp3

Originally posted here:
Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Apple TV and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab

Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Apple TV and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab

September 3rd, 2010 |

Author: Laura Clark

This week’s episode of the Gadget Lab podcast is heavy on fruits. High on vitamin A, Dylan Tweney gushes over the pluot, a plum-apricot hybrid, while yours truly dishes out this week’s announcements of brand new Apple gear.

Apple’s iPod family all scored major upgrades. The iPod Nano has become a puny touchscreen badge with a built-in clip that should be ideal for athletes, and the iPod Touch is now up to par with the iPhone 4. The iPod Shuffle was refreshed as well — also a badge-like clippable form factor, but with the traditional click wheel rather than a touchscreen.

Apple also announced a brand new Apple TV that’s about a quarter of the size of its predecessor. It streams movie and television rentals, but it faces one major limitation: only two television networks (Fox and ABC) are on board to offer programs for the device. For now, it’s not an adequate replacement for cable TV.

However, in a future software update, iOS devices will be able to wirelessly stream their iTunes videos and music onto the Apple TV by using a feature called “AirPlay.” We ponder on the potential for Apple to reshape the TV industry if the company eventually allows you to beam content from third-party iOS apps (such as Hulu) onto the Apple TV. It’s wishful thinking, but not an impossibility.

Finally, Samsung has officially launched a tablet to compete with Apple’s iPad. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch touchscreen tablet powered by Android OS 2.2, meaning it supports Adobe Flash. We share our impressions of the device after some hands-on testing.

Oh, and those pluots? They come from Frog Hollow Farm, and they really are delicious.

Like the show? You can also get the Gadget Lab video podcast via iTunes, or if you don’t want to be distracted by our smiling faces, check out the Gadget Lab audio podcast. Prefer RSS? You can subscribe to the Gadget Lab video or audio podcast feeds

Or listen to the audio here:

Gadget Lab audio podcast #87

http://downloads.wired.com/podcasts/assets/gadgetlabaudio/GadgetLabAudio0087.mp3

Visit link:
Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Apple TV and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab

Steve Jobs: iTunes 10 Icon Does Not ‘Suck’

September 3rd, 2010 |

Author: Dave Adams

While winding down from Wednesday’s iPod announcements, Apple CEO Steve Jobs appears to have taken some time to respond to an e-mail criticizing the new look of the iTunes icon.

Joshua Kopac, who oversees design work for advertising firm ValuLeads, sent Jobs an e-mail blasting the new iTunes icon (right) — a blue bubble containing a music note, replacing the old icon of a music note floating above a compact disc.

Jobs said on Wednesday that iTunes was ditching its old icon (pictured above) because iTunes digital music was poised to outpace sales of physical CD albums by next year.

Kopac provided the e-mail exchange to Wired.com:

Steve,

Enjoyed the presentation today. But … this new iTunes logo really sucks. You’re taking 10+ years of instant product recognition and replacing it with an unknown. Let’s both cross our fingers on this….

Jobs’ reply, terse as usual, was such:

We disagree.

Sent from my iPhone

Jobs this past year has been exceptionally chatty with customers, many of whom have reported receiving e-mail responses from the famous CEO. Wired.com reviewed Kopac’s e-mail for its authenticity, and we believe it’s real.

“It’s hideous, don’t you think?” Kopac said of the new iTunes icon in a phone interview with Wired.com. “Essentially it’s just a music note. The CD previously showed what they were about — how they were connected to music.”

Kopac isn’t alone, as the new iTunes icon has already inspired a Twitter account dubbed @itunes10icon — a fake persona defending itself against critics who call it ugly.

“Everyone’s so quick to judge me,” iTunes10Icon tweeted early Friday. “I don’t judge you and that shitty, hipster music you listen to.”

See Also:

Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

See the article here:
Steve Jobs: iTunes 10 Icon Does Not ‘Suck’

Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

August 30th, 2010 |

Author: jos

Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone 4's videoconferencing feature FaceTime at WWDC 2010. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

Apple will hold a press conference Wednesday, where Steve Jobs is expected to announce the birth of new stars in his product galaxy, including (probably) new iPods and (possibly) a successor to Apple TV.

As is always the case, Apple has been careful to guard its announcements. The result has been the usual widespread guessing game among Apple worshippers and members of the press. But given the timing of the event, we can make some easy guesses: Apple’s annual September event has always revolved around iTunes and iPods.

Based on a handful of credible reports and some evidence, this time around we expect some interesting upgrades. A touchscreen iPod Nano and an iPod Touch with dual cameras are almost to be expected. It’s also possible that Apple will introduce a complete do-over of the Apple TV.

Wired.com will be attending the Apple event Wednesday, which begins 10 a.m. PT, so check back at Gadget Lab for live blog coverage. To stay plugged in 140 characters at a time, follow @bxchen or @gadgetlab on Twitter.

Meanwhile, if you’re eager to know what’s coming, here are our predictions for what’s likely (and unlikely) to debut at this week’s Apple presser.

New iPods

Let’s start with the obvious. Apple’s popular iPod Touch is due for its annual upgrade, and rumors suggest the next upgrade will gain most of the features of the iPhone 4 (minus the phone, of course): a high-resolution “retina” display, dual cameras and a faster A4 processor. Because it lacks phone hardware, we can expect it to be a wee bit smaller than the iPhone 4.

Additionally, the website iLounge, which has been spectacularly accurate with Apple rumors in the past, claims that the shape of the iPod Touch is changing: “Think of the top of a MacBook Pro, only smaller, which is to say flat rather than curved at the center—closer to the look of the first-generation iPod touch’s back, only with modifications.” In other words, it’ll be flat like an iPhone 4 instead of rounded like an earlier-generation iPhone.

And let’s not forget Apple sells other iPods, too. There’s been a flurry of rumors claiming the iPod Nano will gain a square-shaped body and a touch display to eliminate the traditional click wheel. Corroborating these rumors, a few photos of third-party cases designed for a square-shaped Nano have have been popping up on the web, and test files hidden in the latest iOS beta allude to an “unknown” device.

To us, a puny touchscreen is an odd design choice, and it’s difficult to imagine how it would make sense — or be very usable, given that the entire screen of a Nano is only a few times larger than the surface area of a typical fingerprint. But the iPod Nano has had somewhat of an identity crisis, as it’s gone through a myriad of major design changes in years past (with the latest model including a camera), so a major makeover is plausible. In light of the multiple reports and leaked case designs, we’ll file this under “probable.”

Oh, and remember the iPod Classic? Each year we wonder when Apple will discontinue this device, but because the current iPhone 4 maxes out at 32-GB of capacity, and the next iPod Nano will likely be sold in 32-GB and 64-GB models, there still seems to be a “need” for a massively capacious 160-GB iPod Classic. Apple still has to serve iTunes-addicted audiophiles, after all. We’re guessing the Classic is still sticking around , and if it gets an upgrade at all, it should only be a minor boost in hard-drive capacity.

Continue reading here:
Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

August 30th, 2010 |

Author: Antonio Pierce

Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone 4's videoconferencing feature FaceTime at WWDC 2010. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

Apple will hold a press conference Wednesday, where Steve Jobs is expected to announce the birth of new stars in his product galaxy, including (probably) new iPods and (possibly) a successor to Apple TV.

As is always the case, Apple has been careful to guard its announcements. The result has been the usual widespread guessing game among Apple worshippers and members of the press. But given the timing of the event, we can make some easy guesses: Apple’s annual September event has always revolved around iTunes and iPods.

Based on a handful of credible reports and some evidence, this time around we expect some interesting upgrades. A touchscreen iPod Nano and an iPod Touch with dual cameras are almost to be expected. It’s also possible that Apple will introduce a complete do-over of the Apple TV.

Wired.com will be attending the Apple event Wednesday, which begins 10 a.m. PT, so check back at Gadget Lab for live blog coverage. To stay plugged in 140 characters at a time, follow @bxchen or @gadgetlab on Twitter.

Meanwhile, if you’re eager to know what’s coming, here are our predictions for what’s likely (and unlikely) to debut at this week’s Apple presser.

New iPods

Let’s start with the obvious. Apple’s popular iPod Touch is due for its annual upgrade, and rumors suggest the next upgrade will gain most of the features of the iPhone 4 (minus the phone, of course): a high-resolution “retina” display, dual cameras and a faster A4 processor. Because it lacks phone hardware, we can expect it to be a wee bit smaller than the iPhone 4.

Additionally, the website iLounge, which has been spectacularly accurate with Apple rumors in the past, claims that the shape of the iPod Touch is changing: “Think of the top of a MacBook Pro, only smaller, which is to say flat rather than curved at the center—closer to the look of the first-generation iPod touch’s back, only with modifications.” In other words, it’ll be flat like an iPhone 4 instead of rounded like an earlier-generation iPhone.

And let’s not forget Apple sells other iPods, too. There’s been a flurry of rumors claiming the iPod Nano will gain a square-shaped body and a touch display to eliminate the traditional click wheel. Corroborating these rumors, a few photos of third-party cases designed for a square-shaped Nano have have been popping up on the web, and test files hidden in the latest iOS beta allude to an “unknown” device.

To us, a puny touchscreen is an odd design choice, and it’s difficult to imagine how it would make sense — or be very usable, given that the entire screen of a Nano is only a few times larger than the surface area of a typical fingerprint. But the iPod Nano has had somewhat of an identity crisis, as it’s gone through a myriad of major design changes in years past (with the latest model including a camera), so a major makeover is plausible. In light of the multiple reports and leaked case designs, we’ll file this under “probable.”

Oh, and remember the iPod Classic? Each year we wonder when Apple will discontinue this device, but because the current iPhone 4 maxes out at 32-GB of capacity, and the next iPod Nano will likely be sold in 32-GB and 64-GB models, there still seems to be a “need” for a massively capacious 160-GB iPod Classic. Apple still has to serve iTunes-addicted audiophiles, after all. We’re guessing the Classic is still sticking around , and if it gets an upgrade at all, it should only be a minor boost in hard-drive capacity.

The rest is here:
Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

August 30th, 2010 |

Author: Stacey Cook

Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone 4's videoconferencing feature FaceTime at WWDC 2010. Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

Apple will hold a press conference Wednesday, where Steve Jobs is expected to announce the birth of new stars in his product galaxy, including (probably) new iPods and (possibly) a successor to Apple TV.

As is always the case, Apple has been careful to guard its announcements. The result has been the usual widespread guessing game among Apple worshippers and members of the press. But given the timing of the event, we can make some easy guesses: Apple’s annual September event has always revolved around iTunes and iPods.

Based on a handful of credible reports and some evidence, this time around we expect some interesting upgrades. A touchscreen iPod Nano and an iPod Touch with dual cameras are almost to be expected. It’s also possible that Apple will introduce a complete do-over of the Apple TV.

Wired.com will be attending the Apple event Wednesday, which begins 10 a.m. PT, so check back at Gadget Lab for live blog coverage. To stay plugged in 140 characters at a time, follow @bxchen or @gadgetlab on Twitter.

Meanwhile, if you’re eager to know what’s coming, here are our predictions for what’s likely (and unlikely) to debut at this week’s Apple presser.

New iPods

Let’s start with the obvious. Apple’s popular iPod Touch is due for its annual upgrade, and rumors suggest the next upgrade will gain most of the features of the iPhone 4 (minus the phone, of course): a high-resolution “retina” display, dual cameras and a faster A4 processor. Because it lacks phone hardware, we can expect it to be a wee bit smaller than the iPhone 4.

Additionally, the website iLounge, which has been spectacularly accurate with Apple rumors in the past, claims that the shape of the iPod Touch is changing: “Think of the top of a MacBook Pro, only smaller, which is to say flat rather than curved at the center—closer to the look of the first-generation iPod touch’s back, only with modifications.” In other words, it’ll be flat like an iPhone 4 instead of rounded like an earlier-generation iPhone.

And let’s not forget Apple sells other iPods, too. There’s been a flurry of rumors claiming the iPod Nano will gain a square-shaped body and a touch display to eliminate the traditional click wheel. Corroborating these rumors, a few photos of third-party cases designed for a square-shaped Nano have have been popping up on the web, and test files hidden in the latest iOS beta allude to an “unknown” device.

To us, a puny touchscreen is an odd design choice, and it’s difficult to imagine how it would make sense — or be very usable, given that the entire screen of a Nano is only a few times larger than the surface area of a typical fingerprint. But the iPod Nano has had somewhat of an identity crisis, as it’s gone through a myriad of major design changes in years past (with the latest model including a camera), so a major makeover is plausible. In light of the multiple reports and leaked case designs, we’ll file this under “probable.”

Oh, and remember the iPod Classic? Each year we wonder when Apple will discontinue this device, but because the current iPhone 4 maxes out at 32-GB of capacity, and the next iPod Nano will likely be sold in 32-GB and 64-GB models, there still seems to be a “need” for a massively capacious 160-GB iPod Classic. Apple still has to serve iTunes-addicted audiophiles, after all. We’re guessing the Classic is still sticking around , and if it gets an upgrade at all, it should only be a minor boost in hard-drive capacity.

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Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

Canon S90 Adds 720p Video to Old Favorite

August 19th, 2010 |

Author: Troy Barnes

Not to be outdone by today’s announcements from Nikon, Canon also has a few new cameras out, and one of them is an update to a Wired.com favorite, the S90. The new model is called the S95, and is little more than an incremental upgrade to its low-light-shooting predecessor.

Thankfully, the S95 has kept all that was good about the S90. It has the same large-ish sensor, the same sharp, 3-inch (and 461,000-dot) LCD screen, the same ƒ2.0-4.9 28-105mm (equivalent) lens and the same control-wheel surrounding that lens.

The biggest new feature is 720p high-def video, up from the rather poor 640 x 480 resolution of old. That video is recorded at 24-fps in H.264 MOV format. It also gains “Hybrid IS”, an image stabilization system that works in more directions, and you can now pop in a high-capacity SDXC memory-card.

Apart from a few stylistic tweaks, that’s about it. If you, like many Wired staffers, already bought the S90 then you have no reason to upgrade. It’ll still take great shots, and still uses the big sensor found in the high-end G11. If you are in the market for a pocketable $400 compact, you should check this one out.

S95 press release [Canon]

See Also:

Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.

HTC Evo to Get Android 2.2 Upgrade Next Week

July 30th, 2010 |

Author: Jenny Zhao

HTC’s Evo 4G phone will become the first device (after Google’s Nexus One) to get an upgrade to Android 2.2 Froyo, the latest version of the Android operating system.

Sprint will begin pushing out the upgrade to Evo users starting Tuesday, August 3. All Evo users will have Android 2.2 by the middle of the month, says the wireless carrier.

The upgrade will offer features such as voice dialing over Bluetooth, the ability to store apps on the external memory card and browser improvements including a faster JavaScript engine and Flash support.

Sprint launched the Evo in June with version 2.1 of the Android OS. The phone has become a best seller for Sprint and HTC.

Sprint’s move is also likely to put pressure on Motorola and Verizon to get the Droid upgraded to Android 2.2 as soon as possible. Earlier reports have suggested that the Droid’s 2.2 upgrade is expected in “late summer.”

For Evo users, the upgrade will be pushed over-the-air to the device and automatically installed. Those who can’t wait will have the option to manually download it. Customers can access the update through their phone under the Settings Menu > System Updates > HTC Software Update.

Sprint says the change to the firmware will not wipe personal data such as contacts, apps, settings and photos — but it’s always a good idea to back up your device before performing a firmware upgrade, just in case.

See Also:

Photo: (Mike Saechang/Flickr)

More:
HTC Evo to Get Android 2.2 Upgrade Next Week

Video: iPhone 4 Native Support for Braille Displays

July 13th, 2010 |

Author: Stefanie Jenkins

Musician and geek Victor Tsaran is blind. He also runs the accessibility program at Yahoo, so you might say he knows something about using gadgets without actually seeing them. Victor has hooked up a Braille display/controller to the iPhone 4, and this video shows just what he can do with it.

The iPhone OS has a lot of accessibility built-in. Voice-over reads out what is on the screen, and you can control the handset and its apps via voice. Talking to a cellphone gets dorky fast, so Victor simply paired a Bluetooth Brailliant 32 display with the iPhone and he was off. It all just works.

The biggest takeaway (once you have managed to calm the nausea induced by the pitching, rolling camera) is just how much information there is on a screen. When presented one item at a time through voice instead of all at once on a screen, the items run together in an overwhelming rat-a-tat of announcements. The second thing you notice is just how well the Brailliant works with the iPhone, offering fast and easy access to everything without any hacks or drivers.

While the iPhone’s retina display is getting all the headlines, this kind of under-the-hood attention to detail will also sell a lot of phones. And that Braille display is pretty neat, too: the buttons consist of dots that pop up to spell out different letters. It’s kind of like an Art Lebedev Optimus Maximus for the blind.

There’s another big advantage of using the iPhone 4 like this: You don’t touch the big metal antenna, so you shouldn’t experience the iPhone Hand of Death.

Using iPhone 4 with a Braille Display [Victor Tsaran via Mac Stories, iSpazio and Recombu]

See Also:

Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.

The rest is here:
Video: iPhone 4 Native Support for Braille Displays

Video: iPhone 4 Native Support for Braille Displays

July 13th, 2010 |

Author: Tiffany Shoman

Musician and geek Victor Tsaran is blind. He also runs the accessibility program at Yahoo, so you might say he knows something about using gadgets without actually seeing them. Victor has hooked up a Braille display/controller to the iPhone 4, and this video shows just what he can do with it.

The iPhone OS has a lot of accessibility built-in. Voice-over reads out what is on the screen, and you can control the handset and its apps via voice. Talking to a cellphone gets dorky fast, so Victor simply paired a Bluetooth Brailliant 32 display with the iPhone and he was off. It all just works.

The biggest takeaway (once you have managed to calm the nausea induced by the pitching, rolling camera) is just how much information there is on a screen. When presented one item at a time through voice instead of all at once on a screen, the items run together in an overwhelming rat-a-tat of announcements. The second thing you notice is just how well the Brailliant works with the iPhone, offering fast and easy access to everything without any hacks or drivers.

While the iPhone’s retina display is getting all the headlines, this kind of under-the-hood attention to detail will also sell a lot of phones. And that Braille display is pretty neat, too: the buttons consist of dots that pop up to spell out different letters. It’s kind of like an Art Lebedev Optimus Maximus for the blind.

There’s another big advantage of using the iPhone 4 like this: You don’t touch the big metal antenna, so you shouldn’t experience the iPhone Hand of Death.

Using iPhone 4 with a Braille Display [Victor Tsaran via Mac Stories, iSpazio and Recombu]

See Also:

Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.

Continued here:
Video: iPhone 4 Native Support for Braille Displays

Archive for the ‘Announcements’ Category

Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Apple TV and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab

Related Posts:

Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Apple TV and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab

Related Posts:

Steve Jobs: iTunes 10 Icon Does Not ‘Suck’

Related Posts:

Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

New iPods

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Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

New iPods

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Prediction Roundup: New iPods, Apple TV Expected This Week

New iPods

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Canon S90 Adds 720p Video to Old Favorite

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HTC Evo to Get Android 2.2 Upgrade Next Week

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Video: iPhone 4 Native Support for Braille Displays

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Video: iPhone 4 Native Support for Braille Displays

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