Apple Event 9/9/9

[wakka]

New stuff:

iTunes:

• Home sharing: This feature is just awesome, and I've been waiting years for it. You can sync your iTunes libraries on your home network; everything from music to TV shows and movies to apps. You can choose to view what other computers on the LAN have that you don't, or just what you have, and you can transfer stuff back and forth as much as you want.
• Revamped iTunes Store: Slightly redesigned to make things easier, with a Genius function to recommend apps to you based on what you already have.
• iPhone/iPod touch app arrangement: You can now view the screen of your iPhone in iTunes and drag and rearrange apps as you wish. You can also just click on a sidebar of all the apps on the computer to sync any to the iPhone instantly.
• LPs: Basically iTunes Store albums with additional content. Big, specially designed artwork on the front, videos and liner notes and lyrics and stuff on the inside.

iPod:

• iPod classic: Same slim body, hard drive bumped to 160GB. I was totally wrong here, but I think this is sick because it's the best move possible. No fluff, just a slim, even higher capacity traditional iPod.
• iPod shuffle: Slight price drop, and now available in several different primary colours plus a stainless steel SE. Available in 2GB and 4GB. New headphones with the vital Shuffle control function are going to be available - they showed Dre Beats headphones with it.
• iPod touch: Slight price drop and a bump for the top iPod to 64GB. Sick. This means we should have 64GB iPhones by next June for sure. It's a crazy amount of storage for a flash music player.
• iPod nano: Now includes a video camera functioning, which looks like it probably takes VGA quality 30 fps footage. There's also the voice recorder and stuff from the iPhone built in, plus Nike+ functionality and a pedometer come as part of the firmware. They showed a calorie counting element working as you walked. There's also an FM radio built in now, too.

There's also iPhone firmware 3.1, which adds support for new $1.29 ringtones (great ¬.&#172 and the apps Genius function.

[davidcotton]

New stuff:

iTunes:

• Home sharing: This feature is just awesome, and I've been waiting years for it. You can sync your iTunes libraries on your home network; everything from music to TV shows and movies to apps. You can choose to view what other computers on the LAN have that you don't, or just what you have, and you can transfer stuff back and forth as much as you want.
• Revamped iTunes Store: Slightly redesigned to make things easier, with a Genius function to recommend apps to you based on what you already have.
• iPhone/iPod touch app arrangement: You can now view the screen of your iPhone in iTunes and drag and rearrange apps as you wish. You can also just click on a sidebar of all the apps on the computer to sync any to the iPhone instantly.
• LPs: Basically iTunes Store albums with additional content. Big, specially designed artwork on the front, videos and liner notes and lyrics and stuff on the inside.

iPod:

• iPod classic: Same slim body, hard drive bumped to 160GB. I was totally wrong here, but I think this is sick because it's the best move possible. No fluff, just a slim, even higher capacity traditional iPod.
• iPod shuffle: Slight price drop, and now available in several different primary colours plus a stainless steel SE. Available in 2GB and 4GB. New headphones with the vital Shuffle control function are going to be available - they showed Dre Beats headphones with it.
• iPod touch: Slight price drop and a bump for the top iPod to 64GB. Sick. This means we should have 64GB iPhones by next June for sure. It's a crazy amount of storage for a flash music player.
• iPod nano: Now includes a video camera functioning, which looks like it probably takes VGA quality 30 fps footage. There's also the voice recorder and stuff from the iPhone built in, plus Nike+ functionality and a pedometer come as part of the firmware. They showed a calorie counting element working as you walked. There's also an FM radio built in now, too.

There's also iPhone firmware 3.1, which adds support for new $1.29 ringtones (great ?.?) and the apps Genius function.

Got to admit being tempted by the new classic. It's either that or wait to see if theres any refurbs for the 120 soon...

[Dogg Thang]

I was waiting for the 64GB Touch before upgrading but I'm unsure now. It's a good price I think but I can't help wondering about that camera. The rumours were so sure for so long, right down to pictures.

And then came the rumour that there was a problem with the iPod Touch camera and it wouldn't be ready for the event. And, sure enough, there is no camera on the Touch.

And, if they intended to add it, I can't see them waiting a year before putting it in. It could be just a few months.

But, still, I think it's a great price for a 64GB Touch with upgraded specs too. That Nano's pretty nice too. Overall, though, no real surprises except a lack of certain things - Beatles and the Touch camera.

[JP]

?189.00

I can't explain just how tempted I am to get one of these! It's not cheap but Apple are one of the companies I get a staff discount from which makes it a bit easier.

Not interested in stuff like the films but the extra capacity would be really useful.

[Dogg Thang]

Didn't they have a 160GB version in the previous gen? It's not really extra capacity. It's like when they shrink Curly Wurlys so they can add more and say they're giving you extra (I don't know if they actually do that - I just think Curly Wurlys get smaller).

[davidcotton]

?189.00

I can't explain just how tempted I am to get one of these! It's not cheap but Apple are one of the companies I get a staff discount from which makes it a bit easier.

Not interested in stuff like the films but the extra capacity would be really useful.

Amazon have the 120 in for ?161 atm if that makes a difference.

[wakka]

Yeah, 160GB was in the first version of the Classic. You had a choice between an 80GB model at the current 160GB dimensions, and a thicker 160GB version. It was a bit more expensive though, iirc.

[JP]

Didn't they have a 160GB version in the previous gen? It's not really extra capacity. It's like when they shrink Curly Wurlys so they can add more and say they're giving you extra (I don't know if they actually do that - I just think Curly Wurlys get smaller).

They did for a while but they they discontinued them, 120GB has been the maximum for just over a year.

[Extra Terrestrial]

I just don't get the iPod nano price scheme.

The 8GB is $149/?115 and the 16GB is $179/?135

Not only the iPod nano is now dearer (I believe it used to be oddly priced at ?107 on the Apple store or ?99 in most online and high street stores), the US has kept the same price with the newly improved features.

Hey, what gives Apple?



The best news of the conference for me is iTunes 9.

There were no rumoured Beatles content to be seen either, which comes as a slight surprise.

The 'one more thing...' was the worse one ever though. It was just terrible.

[Dogg Thang]

I'm just using iTunes 9 now and it's nice. Seems to run smoother on my crappy Vista laptop too, which is good.

Edit: Except I can't seem to find genres in the iTunes store.

[Resonance]

I was hoping for a 32 gig nano. No dice for me.

Bit surprised about the radio. Do people still use those? Really?

[phillai]

I'm very disapointed about the ipod touches with no camera as I was looking forward to an upgrade from my 1st gen 32gb ipod touch.

Still, I'm a sucka for ipods and I think I will buy a 64gb ipod touch tomorrow.

[CMcK]

The 2007 iPod classic was available in 80GB and 160GB versions. Then last years model range was consolidated to 120GB only. I think I'll buy one of the new 160GB models for the car.

[CMcK]

I was hoping for a 32 gig nano. No dice for me.

Bit surprised about the radio. Do people still use those? Really?

Only to check the footie scores if you don't have a browser on your phone.

[dvdmike]

I cannot get 3.1 down at all, it keeps timing out been trying all night