TheMacFeed

Apple’s September 1st Event, a Summary

Daniel — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:20:43 +0000

Today, Apple hosted its keynote to release some new products (including a new nano, shuffle, touch, and Apple TV). If you are not in the mood to watch the entire hour and a half video, or read the extended Engadget liveblog, we have a short, but sweet, summary just for you.

There has yet to be an Apple keynote yet that hasn’t started out with a broad view of the company and some updates through out its products. Today, began with updates of some new Apple Stores, including one in Paris, Shanghai, and London –London’s being the 300th.

Following the Apple Retail update came an iOS update. So far there have been 120 Million iOS devices shipped, 230,000 iOS activated a day (new activations), 6.5 Billion Apps downloaded (200 apps a second), 250,000 Apps in the store, 25,000 being iPad apps.

After the updates came iOS 4.1. In this update there are the expected fixes for bluetooth, the proximity sensor, and the performance on the iPhone 3G. In addition to big fixes are some new features including High Dynamic photos (HDR) which is basically a feature where the phone takes three pictures as opposed to one (very fast) and blends them to create pretty amazing pictures with more detail in the background. Also, there is the option to upload HD video over wi-fi, rent TV shows, and finally take use of Game Center.

Game Center is “all about multiplayer games.” You can challenge friends, compare scores, and even get achievements. If you want to play a game with a friend, you can invite him. And “if you don’t have any friends, it will auto match you with people.”

After the broad overview of Game Center, Steve introduced the president of Epic Games, Mike Capps to talk about a new game called Project Sword. He talked, and talked, then did a demo of the app with one of the games developers, then got off stage. Nothing big there. What is big is that iOS 4.1 will be a free update next week.

Following iOS 4.1 was a 4.2 sneak peak. The focal point of this update is that everything is coming to iPad, including HDR though I am not sure what use it will do until we have a camera equipped iPad. As for new features, there is wireless printing and Air Play – which was previously Air Tunes (keep reading for info in it).

The “entree today” was, of course, iPods, and a lot of them. Every iPod was updated except the classic. First up was the shuffle.

The new iPod shuffle is going back to the look of the second generation, with buttons, though a bit smaller. It will have voiceover, playlists, and a 15 hour battery. Jobs said that “it’s really cute.” A 2 gig version will run you just $49 and comes in 5 different colors. (Apple Store Link)

Next was the nano. It, like rumors have been suggesting, has lost its wheel and is now just a small multitouch screen with a clip. The nano is now 46% smaller 42% lighter which isn’t shocking because it has shed the wheel. It will have FM radio, a pedometer, Nike +, real volume buttons, a 24 hour battery, and comes in the same colors as the shuffle plus graphite and a Product RED version. It will run you $149 for the 8Gb version and $179 for the 16Gb. (Apple Store Link)

And lastly, of course, the iPod touch, which is now the most popular iPod. The iPod touch is the #1 portable game player and outsells Nintendo and Sony combined with 50+% of the US and worldwide market-share. The new version is even thinner, and has the retina display, an A4 chip, a 3 axis gyro, a front and rear facing camera with HD video recording, Facetime with other iPod touches and iPhones, and 40 hours of music playback. It comes in three sizes: 8Gb for $229, 32Gb for $299, and 64Gb for $399. (Apple Store Link)

Next up, iTunes 10, but first, an update on the iTunes store: 11.7 Billion songs downloaded, 450 Million TV episodes downloaded, 100 Million Movies downloaded, 35 Million books downloaded, and 160 Million accounts with credit cards. All of which makes iTunes the #1 online media store.

As for more about iTunes 10, it has a new logo and an even more simplistic design, not to mention Ping. Ping is Apple’s first social website which is a cross between Facebook and Twitter, but all about music. It is built into iTunes and can also be accessed from both the iPhone and iPod touch. From it you can post songs, follow artists, download songs, and even see what your friends are listening to and their favorite song. I hope this doesn’t come as a surprise, but there are even more features that I did not mention including friend charts and concert listings that you can learn more about on Ping (iTunes). It will be open to 160 million iTunes users in 23 countries, and more later. iTunes 10 is available today.

And last, but certainly not least, Apple TV, the hobby. Apple TV was introduced 4 years ago and has been at a standstill until today when Apple announced the all new Apple TV, not iTV. It is 1/4 the size of its predecessor and doesn’t require syncing as it streams everything. Rental prices have gone down a bit with first run HD movies (with tomato meter which shows critique ratings and whether or not it is a rotten tomato) costing $4.99 and HD TV shows costing $.99. Currently only ABC and FOX have partnered with Apple for the TV shows though they hope others will “see the light” soon.

Netflix, Youtube, MobileMe, and Flickr are also connected to the device. The best part about the all new Apple TV is the price. The previous Apple TV was $229, this one is $99 and will be available in four weeks though you can pre-order now. (Apple Store Link)

Going back to Air Play, in a nutshell, it is the option to stream content from iOS devices to Apple TV. Nothing more, nothing less.

As a conclusion, Coldplay’s Chris Martin preformed Yellow, Viva la Vida, and Wedding Bells. A perfect way to conclude an amazing keynote.

Review: Breo Natal

Charlie — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:00:56 +0000

When Breo sent me a pair of the de Janeiros to try, they also included a fire engine red pair of their cheaper Natals. Quite frankly, even after nearly two months, I’m not sure what to think. And that’s sort of it., my thoughts after the jump.

Out of the Box
Still no McDonald’s toys in the boxes. It’s the headphones, and only the headphones.

Design
Tiny cups house the relatively small drivers. The outside plastic has the Breo logo on it with no other markings. Thing metal wire connects the two on top while the 1.3 y-style cord connects to devices via a 1/8th inch gold-plated tip. The insides feature plush black leather pads. In all honesty, I like the looks, modern and minimalist.

Comfort
The headphones adjust by pulling the cups down from the wire… For once, even the largest setting seemed to small for me. Furthermore, they just sit awkward. There is a reason why I don’t like on-ear headphones and the Natals are the reason: they fall of my head. Sure, they don’t hurt, but they have trouble staying on. Given the thin wire and small size of the cups, the weight is predictably low.

Isolation
It’s bad. Tons of noise leakage in and out mean that the sound is rarely as rich as it should be. They are border-line airplane safe, although the reality is they are on par with standard Apple earbuds for noise leakage. However, I’m not sure how much sound quality is actually missing because of leakage.

Sound
The overall sound profile is rather dry. It’s a situation where two-thirds of the signature sounds good, and the final third is noticebly not present. It’s not a problem where the highs and mids are great and the lows are awful; rather the entire spectrum needs work.

Highs
At normal volumes, they never once becoming painful, but the highs struggle. Springsteen’s “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” is missing the extra pop that I would have liked to hear from the orchestra. Even at high volumes, the highs hold their own. Turning them up (volume-wise) to the limit of comfortable listening can produce some noticeable screeches on all vocals. Transition wise, like almost everything else, it’s not really present enough to nit-pick.

Mids
It’s not particularly better here. Dispatch’s “Bats in the Belfry” is just dull. Clarity is slightly above the middle point, but there is little life to the guitars, vocals and drums. The song that did it for me was Coldplay’s “Politik” – it’s not hard to listen to, it’s just not something you’d want to list to. Vocals sound distinguishably more crowded and the sound rolls of the tweeters with about as much excitement as what I’m writing this post with.

Lows
When the bass is challenged, it somewhat shows up. TheMacFeed barometer of “A Milli” revealed that it was capable of producing extreme low-ends at decent volume, however it’s not the cleanest of sounds. Kanye’s “Stronger” reminded me of Apple buds. Few songs managed to force the Natals to bring the bass to the forefront and when it was… it wasn’t as clear as the rest of the sound. The majority of time however, it was just lost in the back, barely noticeable.

In the End
Long Beach Dub Allstars’ “Sunny Hours”… that’s when I lost it. Drowned out lows, unclear highs and just crappy mids. The majority didn’t cause the Breos to sound this bad, but that song epotimized all that was wrong with the headphone: they weren’t fun. I’ve learned over the years and countless pairs of headphones, judging a book by its cover is just a bad idea. That being said, I had no expectation that the Natals were going to redefine accuracy, I also was hoping for a little more. The Breo Natals aren’t fun. That’s really the end of story and hence 2.0/5 stars, you can purchase the Natals for around $40 directly from Breo.

Hard Candy Debuts The First Line of iPod Touch 4G Cases

Daniel — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:53:26 +0000

Apparently some of Hard Candy’s sources have leaked the specs of the rumored iPod Touch that is expected to be released tomorrow. Based on pictures of their new case, the iPod Touch will have a camera and what looks like room for a flash. Though their sources might be wrong, it is pretty likely they weren’t. Their press release and images follows…

August 31, San Francisco, Ca. – Hard Candy Cases continues the tradition of bringing quality Apple-centric products to market first with protective accessories for the iTouch 4G currently in production. The new cases are set to ship prior to Apple’s expected launch date in September, allowing consumers to have quality protection as soon as the device becomes available.

“Our sources learned the specs for the newest iTouch 4G about 30 days ago, and we’re happy to announce that over the weekend, we finished the tooling process – which will allow us to be first to market with products that fit the new device and look great at the same time,” said Tim Hickman, founder of Hard Candy Cases. “This is the third launch that Hard Candy Cases has beat other manufacturers to market for Apple products – starting with the iPad and iPhone 4, and now the iTouch 4G. We look forward to continuing the tradition.”

The latest line of Hard Candy Cases Apple protective gear is the Street Skin for the iTouch 4G. Priced at $29.95, the cases feature a ruggedized, rubber (TPU) body and will begin shipping in mid-September, just prior to the expected iTouch launch. The popular Bubble Slider line will also be available for the iTouch 4G as well. The cases can be pre-ordered at http://www.hardcandycases.com/street-skin-ipod-touch-4g-case.html

Hard Candy Cases continues to create durable products for the newest Apple mobile devices with designer product lines for the MacBook, iPad, iPhone 4G and iTouch 4G available to view and order at www.HardCandyCases.com.

About Hard Candy Cases:

Founded in 2009, Danville, CA-based Hard Candy Cases is a startup from computer accessory veteran Tim Hickman, former GM of Speck Products. The company merges fashion and function to distinguish and protect mobile computers from the wear and tear of daily use. Hard Candy Cases is one of the fastest growing brands in the Apple accessories industry with distribution in the United States, Singapore, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, France, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Indonesia, Ireland, UK and Malaysia, among others. Additional information can be found at http://www.hardcandycases.com.

Charlie’s Editorial Thoughts: Posting something, even a press release that uses incorrect product names like ‘iTouch’ isn’t something we at TheMacFeed wish to be known as. The name has been used in public, but yes, I am that rude person who will correct my acquaintances in public when the refer to the device as the ‘iTouch’. In addition, there are actual products named ‘iTouch’

Daily News Recap (August 31, 2010)

Charlie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:30:30 +0000

One more day… and it’s September and some event. Latest rumors point to a 3G-enabled iPod touch and shipping delays for the new iPod nano. Mexican carrier, Telcel announced that there would be a revised iPhone 4 at the end of September. A host of new patents were granted to Apple. For the first time in sixteen years, AutoCAD is available natively on Mac OS X. Apple moved up in RESCUEcom scores.

To show just how lackluster the news is… here’s a pic of the new Office for Mac 2011 boxes. (via 7Bit, after the jump)

Daily News Recap (August 30, 2010)

Charlie — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:18:47 +0000

Something is going on September 1st… not really sure what. Rumors emerged regarding some Mini Display stuff at the event, we’ll see. There’s also some ramblings about iTunes Video Streaming and iTunes samples doubling. Anyways, if you’d like multiple SIMs on your iPhone 4, you have an answer. In other news, if you’d like an iPhone 4 in Mexico, you’re also in luck. And if the iPhone isn’t your thing, the iPad is now shipping within 24 hours.

Intel is buying Infineon, the people who make the iPhone’s chip. In other iPhone news, iOS 4.1 won’t be fixing the Proximity Sensor issues.

Review: Moshi iVisor XT

Daniel — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:49:32 +0000

Screen protectors – a necessity for some, a nuisance for others. I personally have never really been a big fan of screen protectors, the majority of them either make the screen frustrating to use or give off a strange blue and red look. Just recently, I caught wind of a bubble-free, crystal clear screen protector for the iPad from Moshi. I quickly jumped on it, and I am glad I did as it is one of the best screen protectors I have ever used.

Note: In side-by-side images, an iPad with no screen protector is on the left, an iPad with the iVisor is on the right

Application

Let me start off by saying that some screen protectors take liquid to apply or use harsh adhesive, the iVisor applied as easy as the GelaSkin did and left no residue behind. In less then five minutes, from package to iPad, the iVisor was applied, and the adhesive used on the iVisor allows for easy removal and adjustments.

Clarity

This is the part Moshi is pushing the most, the “100% bubble-free iPad screen protector.” There is even a guarantee! I am happy to say that it is truly a 100% bubble-free screen protector. I am also happy to say that it is quite clear, not flawless, but pretty close. The reason it is not perfect is due to two things: one, It is not perfectly clear, and gives the display a bit of a softer look. Two, at some angles, the plastic is visible and the screen blurs. However, these two issues are not substantial, I am just nitpicking.

Protection

It is difficult to say whether or not something like this offers great protection when I have not tested it with nails, pens, knifes, or other sharp objects. I will say that this will prevent scratches, dings, and other cosmetic issues to the front of the iPad. Do note that a screen protector will not turn your iPad into IronMan and the screen still can be scratched or broken with one installed, it just prevents it from happening.

Feel

The iVisor, like just about every other screen protector on the market, does not feel like glass when it is installed, but more like hard plastic. The iVisor possesses a bubbly feel where it actually has a bit of give when touched (like a touchscreen device that reads pressure). I won’t say I love it, I also won’t say I hate it. It is just something to get used to.

Conclusion

Overall, Moshi’s iVisor XT is pretty great. The easy application, clarity, and bubble-free design is what makes it one of the best iPad screen protectors around. I recommend the iVisor XT to anyone looking to get some added security for their iPad. It will run you $30 from Moshi’s website (Possible alternative: Zagg InvisibleShield at $29.99). I give Moshi’s iVisor XT a 4/5 stars.

Daily News Recap (August 27, 2010)

Charlie — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:19:24 +0000

Sorry for the delay, in all honesty you aren’t missing a whole lot. Apple began decorating the Yerba Buena Center for next Tuesday’s event. Speaking of the event, it won’t be time to say goodbye to the 30-pin dock connectors. In addition, more detailers emerged regarding Apple TV’s rental options. SurfaceInk is now a former Apple partner. Apple is vulnerable, according to the IBM security list. Paul Allen went nuts and sued pretty much everyone, including Apple. In patent news, pictures emerged of an in-line microphone. Apple is trying to pay developers faster, that’s probably a good idea.

Daily News Recap (August 26, 2010)

Charlie — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:30:27 +0000

Another day, another installment of the news. Apple’s first Spain store has an official opening date. In more solemn news about Apple Stores, one employee died and three more were injured when the driver of the car fell asleep at the wheel.

In other news, despite competition from outside sources, iSuppli believes Apple should dominate the tablet market through 2012. Turns out iAd may not be so profitable. Speaking of the App Store, Apple added Payments and Financial Reports module. Netflix added support for the iPhone and iPod touch. If you were hoping for a Jailbreak of 4.0.2, I wouldn’t hold your breadth. Qualcomm is looking for an iPhone Developer Guru, CDMA iPhone anyone? Apple seeded the latest build of Mac OS X 10.6.5 today. In addition, Apple also updated iWork to include support for ePub.

As for the September 1st Event… Seems social media sharing over streaming is the guess. In addition, cases for an alleged iPod touch 4(G) and iPod nano 6G have emerged. Or maybe they could launch iGuitar? (/sarcasm.) In patent news, patents related to the A4 chip surfaced. In addition, filings regarding video quality and advanced sensors emerged. And in a combo lawsuit/patent news, Apple was sued over patents.

And the bazaar story of the day, some developer is pissed at The Pirate Bay for the crack of their app. But it’s not that the app is being pirated, rather the developer is unhappy with the quality of the crack. If you’d like to crack TheMacFeed’s App, you are more than welcome to, although it’s free.

Review: Ziotek Flexicord Mini

Charlie — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:10:26 +0000

This will be without a doubt one of the simplest reviews I ever do on TheMacFeed. Michael over at Cyberguys sent me some samples of one of their newest products: the Ziotek Flexicord Mini. It’s one of those things that seems like a great a Secret Santa gift, or at least a practical one, which is a hell of a lot better than the USB drink cooler that got recalled recently. Anyways, my thoughts on the bendable iPod/iPhone cable after the jump.

Out of the Box
I’m not sure how environmentally friendly the box legitimately is, but it at least claims something when it comes to post-consumer recyclables and what not. The cable comes attached to the brown cardboard in a form that gives you somewhat of an idea of what you should be expecting. It’s a footlong iPod/iPhone cable with one catch, it’s bendable. The box claims something like 101 ways to use it… I struggle to say the least.

Using the Flexicord
Some things were easier than others… Coiling the cable… pretty easy. Making an iPhone stand… not so easy. I got the pen stand to work without much trouble, but questioned the use… But that seemed to be a common theme. The cable worked, which I guess is the only real question and despite putting it through a pretty vigorous series of tests involving wear and tear… I couldn’t figure out how to short the cable. In so many ways the Flexicord feels just like your normal iPod/iPhone cable.

In the End
Like I said earlier, it seemed like a great gift for Secret Santa. In case your coworker doesn’t own any iDevice, don’t worry because Ziotek makes them in all of your popular cable types (USB, CAT5, RCA, HDMI, etc) and most are under $20. While the Flexicord iPod is only a foot, perhaps some of the longer cables would be great for those looking for better cable management as it would allow you to bend them in just the right way. At $16.95, the Flexicord is slightly cheaper than Apple’s USB cable ($19), but also shorter and more expensive than a lot of generics. Still, it’s something that is definitely cause people to ask you what’s wrong with your cable… You can then smile and ask them if their cable holds their pen.

3.5/5 stars

Daily News Recap (August 25, 2010)

Charlie — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:30:27 +0000

So… the news is back and likely for a while… Anyways, the big news while the news went on break: iTV. It started with Kevin Rose. Then there was this. Then were rumors of an Apple 7th event. That was quashed as soon as Apple sent out invites for a September 1 event. One person not convinced of the importance: Steve Jobs. In other news, the touchscreen iMac rumors gained traction. In other patent news, Apple has filed for a patent that will allow unauthorized users to be remotely shut down, i.e. kill switch for jailbreak. Enterprise sales, not normally a Mac stronghold, surged in June. In other financial news, it’s expected that Antennagate is likely over, financially speaking. Speaking of Antennagate, China Unicom is planning on giving out free cases, when they launch on September 16th. As for the Verizon iPhone, seems there are plenty of details still to be worked out. Apple released a Mac security update.