If you have been closely following the recent Apple keynote and the related news surrounding it you will surely find this to be down-right hilarious. Enjoy.
*Beware, there are expletives in the subtitles.
[Via Gizmodo]
Category Archives: Technology
Apple’s keynote in so many words
..Such as really nice, really well, great, great, really cool, better and better and better, and so on!
[Via Gizmodo]
Spawn Labs brings video games to the PC, Sling-style
Check out Engadget’s thourough hands-on with Spawn Labs’ HD-720 box. This device allows you to stream your Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Gamecube games from your console to your PC. It releases this November for $199.95.
[Via Engadget]
The Junk Dunk
Created by Gabriel Dishaw. It’s the Nike Dunks from the future!
This piece was a continuation of my previous piece JUNK DUNK (Right) I wanted to attempt this approach again, with a more refined and detailed outcome. I used very little wire and more glue to keep the piece more clean, and less bulky. I also added new details, a hinged tongue and nike logo’s on both the tongue and back of the shoe. On previous models I used a real nike sole to build of off. With this piece I started from scratch and build the sole from circuit boards.
[Via Gizmodo; GabrielDishaw]
Facebook lite
Facebook lite is basically a stripped down version of it’s more encompassing counterpart. Facebook says, “Facebook Lite is a faster, simpler way to keep in touch with your friends. If you like it, you may choose to use it instead of the regular Facebook.” By simplerthey mean dumbed down. The site is literally a bare-bones version of Facebook that will allow older folks and younger kids (why are they even registered on Facebook, anyway) to join in on the fun that is social networking and such. The site is easier to navigate with larger buttons and less clutter. However, features are missing from the standard Facebook website and it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth doing away with functionality for simplicity. Check it out for yourself at http://lite.facebook.com/.
[Via CSMonitor]
Apple Keynote [September 2009] roundup
Guess who’s back, back again? Steve Jobs graciously owned the stage in San Fransisco on Thursday during the latest Apple keynote presentation. There was lots of discussion and reveals on the iTunes and iPod front. Let’s not waste any time and get right to it. Read on for all the juicy details of the keynote.
- iPhone OS 3.1
- Genius will now “automatically make recommendations from the App Store based on the applications you own.” Think of it as iTunes Genius for your music, but now for your purchased apps.
- Ringtones – over 30,000 ringtones available to purchase at $1.29 each. All four major record labels are on-board.
- 3.1 firmware update is a free download available now for iPhone and iPod touch owners (there is a $5 upgrade price for those iPod touch users who have not upgraded to 3.0)
- iTunes 9
- Features a cleaner, easier-to-navigate UI with a redesigned store
- Genius Mixes – Think of this as your own personal DJ spinning your favorite songs continuously. Genius Mixes takes your current music library and groups songs/artists/genres together for you to listen to; it’s like listening to your preferred radio station.
- Improved syncing – Now you have the option to manually sync exactly what you want (for example, you can sync specific artists, genres, albums, etc.)
- App organization – You can arrange your apps in iTunes. Plug in your iPhone or iPod touch and you get a visual copy of your home screen and your multiple pages; you simply drag and drop 1 or more apps at a time. This couldn’t be any simpler.
- Home Sharing – Allows you to “manage your family’s iTunes collection between computers in your home.” You can copy songs, movies, TV shows, etc. with up to 5 computers. For example, say you have 5 family members each with their own computer and iTunes accounts. Now you can all easily share your iTunes content by dragging and dropping other family members’ songs into your library. The files copy right over and viola–you now have songs in your library that originally resided in your brother’s music library.
- iTunes LP – Tools are now given to record labels and artists to create and distribute many album extras in their digital music albums. These extras include behind-the-scenes videos, photos, liner notes, lyrics, chronology of albums, credits, animations, and more. Although digital downloads will never be the same as buying a physical CD or record in a retail store, iTunes LP is a step in the right direction for those who have switched to digital music and who miss receiving the entire “album experience” you get when you purchase your favorite artist’s latest album.
- iTunes Extras (for movies) – Think of the extras you would find on a DVD; they will now be included when you purchase a movie from the iTunes Store
- Facebook and Twitter integration – You now have the option to share your favorite songs and artists with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. There is an embedded option that allows you to link a song, artist, or album information to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.
- iTunes 9 is available today as a free download
- iPod
- iPod touch
- Lineup: $199 (8GB); $299 (32GB); $399 (64GB)
- cheaper and new storage capacity
- up to 50% faster; OpenGL|ES Version 2.0 (adds more realism in games)
- Publishers discuss upcoming games for the App Store – Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed II Discovery; Tapulous’s Riddim Ribbon (an awesome music game that incorporates racing and DJ control); Gameloft’s Nova; EA’s Madden NFL 10
- iPod classic
- Lineup: $250 (160GB) (holds 40,000 songs)
- Same price, capacity upgrade from 120GB
- iPod shuffle
- Lineup: $59 (2GB); $79 (4GB); $99 (4GB Special Edition in stainless steel, Apple Store exclusive)
- all new shiny colors: black, silver, pink, green, blue
- expand range of headphones with an adapter that will allow you to change volume/tracks
- new VoiceOver features ( reads statuses, like battery level)
- iPod nano
- Lineup: $149 (8GB) and $179 (16GB)
- all new colors in polished anodized aluminium: green, blue, purple, black, silver, pink, red, orange, yellow
- larger 2.2 inch display
- new included apps: FM radio, Voice Recorder, pedometer (syncs with Nike +)
- VIDEO CAMERA (the one more thing) – Integrated video camera; only shoots videos (no picture stills); VGA resolution (640×480); includes microphone and speaker
- iPod touch
Note: When asked why Apple did not include a video camera in the new iPod touch, Jobs responded: “Originally, we weren’t exactly sure how to market the Touch. Was it an iPhone without the phone? Was it a pocket computer? What happened was, what customers told us was, they started to see it as a game machine. We started to market it that way, and it just took off. And now what we really see is it’s the lowest-cost way to the App Store, and that’s the big draw. So what we were focused on is just reducing the price to $199. We don’t need to add new stuff. We need to get the price down where everyone can afford it.”
Check out the gallery below for some official press shots of the new products and services.
[Gallery images via Apple]
[9.9.09] is going to be a glorious day
Apple rumor roundup, predictions
Let’s do this, bullet-point style.
- New iPods: It is very likely that new iPod touches and nanos will be announced. This is a “music event,” afterall. Both the touch and the nano will have 3.2MP cameras, and the touch will receive a built-in mic. Also, both devices will receive a storage upgrade, possibly to 64GB or higher. Overall design should remain the same. Due to the recent rumor that claims Apple is having technical difficultieswith the camera mechanisms with the iPod touch there is a chance the product release may not be instantaneous with the announcement. Also, the death of the iPod classic may be imminent.
- iTunes 9: Last we heard about iTunes 9 was a BGR source stirring up the rumor mill with these claims: Blu-Ray support; Facebook, Twitter, last.fm integration; and the ability to organize purchases apps. Blu-Ray support only makes sense if Apple plans on releasing iMacs and Macbooks with Blu-Ray drives. Also on the table is “Project Cocktail.” Sources say that albums sold in the iTunes Store will not only come with digital PDF booklets; they will also come with “interactive album material.” The point of this is to entice customers to purchase entire albums instead of only the 99 cent singles.
- THE BEATLES: According to Yoko Ono herself the entire Beatles collection will finally be digitally distributed on the iTunes Store. EMI, the record company, told The Financial Times that this will not be announced tomorrow, though. [Via Engadget]
- Apple TV: Ah yes, the “hobby” that is the Apple TV. Jobs announced this product three years ago, and not much has changed since its release (besides a UI upgrade via a software upgrade). The latest rumors predict a new Apple TV device that supports DVR and CableCARD functionality. Today, though, these exact rumors were shot down by Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer. He said such capability does not match Apple’s service scheme. And this makes sense; why would Apple allow its customers to freely record TV shows or movies when they have the iTunes Store for those needs. I do not see an upgrade to the aging Apple TV at this event. [Via Engadget]
- Apple tablet: The tablet will not be announced at this event. The most recent rumors point to a 2010 (or beyond) release.
- Steve Jobs appearance: It has been way too long since we’ve seen Jobs appear on stage at the helm of an Apple event. Now that his health has rebounded and he is back at work on the Apple campus in Cupertino, I expect him to at least make an appearence if not host the event.
Be sure to check back here for all the Apple news once it is announced. It takes place tomorrow at 10AM PDT (1PM ET). Get pumped!
Beats for the everyday man (..or not)
Adding to yesterday’s news of Lady Gaga’s Heartbeats is today’s announcement of a smaller, cheaper version of the original Studio Beats headphones. This product finds its home between the Tour Beats ($149) and the Studio Beats ($299). The Beats Solo is smaller and lighter than its older brother and will cost a mere $220. They will be available in black and white this November. According to Monster, the Beats Solo have the same sound quality as the Studio Beats. If Dr. Dre and the team at Monster Cable found a way to create the original Beats in a tinier form factor then all the power to them. However, I’d play it safe and wait for initial reviews before going out to make a purchase.
HUGE multitouch display
This 18-foot wide HD multitouch display resides at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas.
Yeah, I want one.
[Via Gizmodo]
Lady Gaga creates her own Beats
Fashion and music maven Lady Gaga has teamed up with Dr. Dre and Monster Cable to create her own line of Beats headphones. Heartbeats is designed by Lady Gaga herself. They will be available in October in pink/white, silver, white, and black color variations and price will range from $99.95 to $149.95, depending on body type and jewel design. Included are multiple ear tips, a red travel case, and Monster’s tangle-resistant flat cable design, and Monster’s ControlTalk connection that allows you to swap between music and phone calls. For more information about the Heartbeats, see the press release after the break. Check out the gallery below for some product images and more.
[Via Engadget; ChipChick; Beatsbydre]
100 years of visual effects in 5 minutes
“A “5th-grader-friendly” collection of clips and making-of footage from notable visual effects films of the past century.”
It’s amazing how far we’ve come, huh? (FYI: The song is “Rods and Cones” by Blue Man Group.)
[Via Gizmodo]