iPhone

[metro]

Anyone see the sneak preview of the iPhone today? Amazing. I mean I definitely knew we had the technology for years, I'm just glad it's finally arrived in production. The sad thing is it won't be available until June. If you haven't seen this phone you need to google it. It has no buttons, can play streaming movies, internet and more. Nice large screen, pretty much the whole phone is a screen. Very nice. Retail is expected around $600

[BailJumper]

Ohhhh Yeahhhhh! Major Mac fan here. Love their toys mixed with technology.

I'm certainly in on the 2nd or third generation.

I'm typing on my Imac now as I listen to my iPod.

[Martin]

depending on how big it is... i want one. i hate big cell phones. -M

[BailJumper]

I like small, but I want it to feel significant. I don't want to feel like I have to treat it like an egg.

I just hope it isn't like the video iPods that seem to self destruct about a year and a half after buying them.

What I really hate are those Trek'y looking goofs walking around with their blinking blue tooth headsets. Then they start talking to themselves. I think they are pod people - wait, no Ipod People!

[PUGalicious]

I saw that yesterday and began drooling. That thing is WAY cool. I instantly wanted one, until I realize I just bought a Blackberry a few months ago and this...

I just hope it isn't like the video iPods that seem to self destruct about a year and a half after buying them.

...which is one reason why I'll wait for a year or more until they get all the kinks worked out... and the price comes down just a bit...

[metro]

iPhone takes center stage

By Rachel Konrad
AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple Computer Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs on Tuesday unveiled a new mobile phone that downloads and plays music, as well as a set-top box that allows people to stream video from their computers to their televisions.
Jobs said Apple's iPhone would "reinvent” the telecommunications sector and "leapfrog” past the current generation of hard-to-use smart phones.

"Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything,” he said during his keynote address at the annual Macworld Conference and Expo.

"It's very fortunate if you can work on just one of these in your career. ... Apple's been very fortunate in that it's introduced a few of these.”

Apple shares jumped 5 percent on the announcements.

Jobs demonstrated the phone's music capabilities by playing "Lovely Rita,” from the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

IPhone uses a patented touch-screen technology Apple is calling "multi-touch.”

"We're going to use a pointing device that we're all born with,” Jobs said. "It works like magic. ... It's far more accurate than any touch display ever shipped. It ignores unintended touches. It's super smart.”

The phone automatically synchs your media — movies, music, photos — through Apple's iTunes digital content store. The device also synchs e-mail content, Web bookmarks and nearly any type of digital content stored on your computer.

"It's just like an iPod,” Jobs said, "charge and synch.”

IPhone is less than a half-inch thin — less than almost any phone on the market today.

It comes with a 2-megapixel digital camera built into the back, as well as a slot for headphones and a SIM card. Jobs did not immediately provide details on price or availability.

Jobs also said the company will begin taking orders Tuesday for $299 video box, called Apple TV. It will be available in February.

The gadget is designed to bridge computers and television sets so users can more easily watch their downloaded movies on a big screen.

A prototype of the gadget was displayed by Jobs in September when Apple announced it would sell TV shows and movies through its iTunes online store.

The product could be as revolutionary to digital movies as Apple's iPod music player was to digital music.

Both devices liberate media from the computer, allowing people to enjoy digital files without being chained to a desktop or laptop.

"It's really, really easy to use,” Jobs told the crowd at San Francisco's Moscone Center before demonstrating the system with a video clip of "The Good Shepherd.” "It's got the processing horsepower to do the kinds of things we like to do.”

Apple TV will come with a 40-gigabyte hard drive that stores up to 50 hours of video. It features an Intel Corp. microprocessor and can handle videos, photos and music streamed from up to five computers within the wireless range.

Jobs also said Apple has sold more than 2 billion songs on its popular iTunes music download service, catapulting the company into the top ranks of music sellers worldwide.

Apple, which sells 58 songs per second, or 5 million songs a day, sells more songs than Amazon.com and ranks behind only Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Target as a music retailer.

"We couldn't be happier with the growth rate of iTunes,” Jobs said.

He said Apple will sell digital movies from Paramount. Apple has partnered with Disney for several months, offering about 100 movies on iTunes.

With Paramount's selection, it will have 250 movies available for downloading on the site.

With Tuesday's launches, it remains to be seen whether the leading seller of digital music players can colonize an entirely new category of gadgets.

Apple could use a megahit along the lines of its iconic iPod to divert investors' attention from the stock options-backdating scandal that has tainted its reputation.

[MadMonk]

So, what cellphone network are they going to use or are they making a version available to all of them?

[PUGalicious]

It seem like I heard something about Apple partnering with Cingular, but that may not be finalized.

[metro]

111, it is finalized, only Cingular will be selling this phone. At least for awhile, I'm sure they have something in the contract after X amount of time other providers can sell it, it's too lucrative not to.

[BailJumper]

Too bad. They lost me as long as Cingular is required. I dropped them for Sprint after I went over on my minutes to the tune of $600. The same on Sprint would have only been about $50.

[Martin]

my employer pays my cell phone tab... we used to have cingular and switched to sprint. i miss my old phone and i miss the old service... i prefer cingular over sprint any day... they have fewer phone model choices and the choices they do have are generally stripped down versions so that you're tied to sprint's proprietary data services. but then again, i didn't go over my minutes... a $600 bill would get my attention.

the main thing worrying me about this phone is durability. as stated, a phone should be solid. with the whole side being one big screen, i don't see me slipping this thing in my pocket without scratching or damaging it. -M

[MadMonk]

Sweet. I'm with Cingular and I'm due for a phone upgrade. Perfect timing.

[BailJumper]

I have to admit, Cingular did have better service. But I need cheaper overage minutes as opposed to Cingulars Rollover minutes. I NEVER rollover and average over 2,000 minutes a month (non-prime).

Cingular was like $.50 a minute overage and Sprint sold it in block at $5 each or something like that.

[roboticbrad]

Although the IPhone looks cool. I'm never going to buy that thing after all the problems I have had with Apple products (Ex. my Video Ipod just stopped working after 2 months). Plus, I have had numerous problems with Apples customer service.

[Luke]

I'm interested in checking out the iPhone once it actually comes out. I'm on Sprint now, so we'll have to see exactly how it'll work out this summer.

[metro]

I'd never go to Sprint, even if my overage was $600, in fact, I went over on Sprint one time by about $800 and gone over at Cingular and T-Mobile a few hundred dollars as well before. Overage is where these companies make their money. They all charge about the same in the long run, it's just which company your with at the time leaves the bad taste in your mouth and how they handle it (or don't IMO). I'm with T-mobile now, the coverage is a little less than Cingular but the prices are much lower to make up for that. With a national plan you can use another companies towers and roam for free anyways. I don't understand why Sprint uses TDMA and CDMA technology still. Their phones aren't compatible with the industry standard GSM which pretty much everyone else uses. Anything other than GSM right now just doesn't make sense.

roboticbrad, do you have a warranty on your video iPod? If so I might be interested in buying it from you.

[Martin]

well... looks like cisco systems has something to say about apple using the name, iphone. -M

[MadMonk]

I was under the impression that they had that issue worked out.

[MadMonk]

I'd never go to Sprint, even if my overage was $600, in fact, I went over on Sprint one time by about $800 and gone over at Cingular and T-Mobile a few hundred dollars as well before. Overage is where these companies make their money.

I don't know if this is still the case, but when I was with Southwestern Bell Wireless/Cingular you used to be able to call in and have them do a rate analysis on your account to figure out the best plan. It was a completely automated deal. Based upon the last three months of activity it would give a list of plans and how much it would have saved you over those three months. The thing is that it would usually be initiated by someone complaining about their bill instead of more proactively by the company for ensuring the best value for the customer.

[moose]

It doesn't get ANY better than Apple customer service. Check their ratings on consumer reports. They absolutely blow any other manufacturer out of the water. 99% satisfaction.

[MadMonk]

I remember when the iPods were fairly new and it became widely known that the batteries were non-replaceable. They were telling people that they could send them in to get the battery replaced (at an exorbitant price). They really screwed up with their customer service there. But, they seemed to learn their lesson. When they began having issues with the iPod Nano's screens and cases (they broke very easily), they didn't give too much of a problem for people to get them fixed and/or replaced.

[BailJumper]

Moose - I am an Apple fan, but I hate their customer service. I own Ipods (2), 2 apple laptops and a new Imac (my favorite). I have had to call CS 2-3 times and each time was a nightmare.

On the other hand, I also own a Toshiba 17" widescreen notebook and bought their no-fault extended warranty with express depot. I've had to send it in twice and the second time they just sent me a brand new laptop. The best part, it was my fault the laptop no longer worked as I had dropped it and broke the screen. Also, the depot gets me a repaired item or replacement within 48-hrs!

On the flip side, Apple never wants to work with me and they had my powerbook for a month before returning it.

[Mandy]

I'm really excited about the iPhone. I can't wait to get it. Will they be hard to get here? Was the PS3 hard to get here? Will the iPhone be like the PS3 anyway?

I just hope I get it the day it comes out. My friend went to Cingular to get a phone when we moved here and he had to take a number and wait two hours. It was Christmas, but still.

[BailJumper]

The iPhone will be like any other new gadget. It will be in short supply initially. But, the PS3 is a good example. You can find them at Sam's and even Target TODAY while just a few weeks ago people were raping each other over the price.

[MadMonk]