One More Tap

Phil Schiller’s keynote brought to us new products, ranging from new (and now cheaper) MacBook Pro family of notebooks, Snow Leopard features preview as well as what everyone’s been waiting for, the iPhone.

After many months of rumors across the internet, Apple has finally let the cat out of the bag yesterday, with the announcement of a new revised iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 3G S.

Just one year after the original iPhone 3G was announced and then released, the new updated iPhone 3G S boasts new features like larger storage capacity (32GB option), faster CPU translating to faster everything, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA modem for faster data over the network, digital compass that provides a much-welcomed assistance when using mapping applications, as well as an upgraded 3 mega pixel camera capable of recording video.

Some neat little additions worth mentioning include an auto-focus feature for the camera that works across both still and video modes – exactly like what the rumors speculated. Also, iPhone 3G S is your mobile iMovie in action. Any video clips taken can be edited right from the iPhone itself and then shared across email, MMS or even for uploading to YouTube. Both the auto-focus and video-editing feature set was not seen in any other smartphones so far.

Check out the specs for the new iPhone 3G S here: http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html. One nifty little feature I noticed is that the iPhone 3G S has got a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating for the multi-touch display, something that the original iPhone and iPhone 3G doesn’t have.

The new iPhone 3G S will start to be available this coming June 19. It will gradually roll out across the other countries where iPhones are available, starting July 9. Pricing for the iPhone 3G S starts at $199 for the 16GB model, and $299 for the 32GB model. Apple decided to maintain the original iPhone 3G at $99 for the 8GB model, thus opening up for a much higher adoption rate. Note that these prices are valid in the USA and comes with a contract with (urgh!) AT&T.

Apple has put up a 15-minute guided tour video of the new iPhone 3G S, spelling out its new features. Follow this link to whet your appetite: http://www.apple.com/iphone/guidedtour/.

You might also want to check out the WWDC 2009 Keynote Address, available in both standard and high-definition format streams here: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/keynote/.

written by xcool \\ tags: Apple, iPhone, MacBook Pro, Snow Leopard, WWDC

Yeah, the WWDC keynote by Phil Schiller starts in about 10 minutes.
If you came here looking for some updates, here are some sites that you could visit – many of which are ‘live’.

MacRumorsLive – http://www.macrumorslive.com
gdgt live – http://live.gdgt.com/2009/06/08/live-wwdc-2009-keynote-coverage/
The Apple Blog – http://theappleblog.com/live/
Engadget – http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/phil-schiller-keynote-live-from-wwdc-2009/

Also some Twitter feeds:

TUAW – http://twitter.com/tuaw_wwdc
Ars Technica @ WWDC – http://twitter.com/arswwdc

And if you must, old-style IRC chatrooms!

MacRumors – irc://irc2.teknohost.com/macrumors
MacRumorsChat – irc://irc2.teknohost.com/macrumorschat

Rumors has it that Steve Jobs may be making an appearance. Keep your eyes peeled!

written by xcool \\ tags: Apple, iPhone, iPod touch, Rumors, WWDC

Or, in plain simple English: what we already know so far.

With WWDC just about a week’s time away, rumors of new devices, especially new iPhone models continue to sweep the interwebs like it does come every other Apple season, the other being MacWorld.

Here’s one of the later pieces to appear. Spies have managed to capture, in clear view, this year’s banner for WWDC. It says: One year later. Light-years ahead.

If you look closely enough, it’s covered with the many iPhone application icons – which tells the obvious – the slogan describes the long road Apple and the iTunes App Store has covered since it opened its virtual doors almost a year ago in July 11, 2008. As of this writing, the App Store’s over 45,000 applications on offer, and 1 billion downloads later, is obviously the best success story for 2008, and if not one of the greatest software platform success stories ever. This banner alone tells us that there’s more beyond venturing into places where no iPhone has gone before. Keep your eyes peeled.

On the iPhone, there’s been a series of leaked blurry photos, displaying several of the rumored features, such as auto-focus camera and digital compass. Another set compared the quality of photos taken using existing hardware against the new rumored hardware – with signs of obvious significant improvement in image quality. One should take notice immediately of the nifty autofocus feature in the new hardware’s – move a little blue square with your finger to set camera focus. Apple 2.0 has all the details, check it out here.

There also seems to be rumors of the new iPhone having a matte backing instead of the current glossy, finger-print magnet. I find this a blessing, after having to deal with finger prints on my older iPods. What about the Apple logo? Yes, the groups of people who chose to remain anonymous has said that the logo might glow and act as camera flash. I am buying this rumor – it’ll look awesome, don’t you think?

Aside to these developments, one things quite sure is that iPhone OS 3.0 will most likely make its debut come WWDC. It was announced way back in March and is currently in the form of Beta 5. The recently-concluded Push Notification beta testing for iPhone 3.0 that Apple run with its developer sets this fact even further in stone.

Keep your calendars booked. WWDC 2009 starts next Monday, June 8 2009. Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing will be presenting the keynote for the event. Stay tuned.

P/S: For a limited time, Lonely Planet will be giving away their San Francisco City Guide iPhone application, a $15.99 value. If you are attending WWDC this year, make sure to grab a copy and plan out your trip to beautiful city of the Golden Gate. Here’s the iTunes link: Lonely Planet San Francisco City Guide

written by xcool \\ tags: Apple, iPhone, iPod touch, Rumors, WWDC

The wait is finally over. As previously announced, EA’s highly anticipated The Sims 3 is now available in all its glory via the iTunes Store. At an entry price of only $9.99, you can now have your Sims with you wherever you are. There’s no more excuse to go out of the room while still being able to play The Sims. Expect productivity to drop soon. *grin*

The Sims is the #1 best-selling personal computer game franchise of all time. Aside to the launch for both iPhone and iPod touch, The Sims 3 will also make its debut at retail stores nationwide as well as via digital download for both Macs and PCs. It will then make its way worldwide in 60 countries and 22 languages later this week.

Ben Bell, Executive Producer of The Sims 3 at Electronic Arts has this to say, “The day is here and we can’t wait to see what kind of stories the players will tell, movies they’ll make, homes they’ll build and everything they’ll share using The Sims 3. Now you can create any Sim you can imagine. For the first time ever, you can explore a seamless, open neighborhood and give your Sims real personality traits. Sims fans and new gamers alike will have something to love in The Sims 3.”

The Sims 3 will be the first Sims game experience for both the iPhone and iPod touch. Its full 3D Sims environments take unique advantage of the innovative multi-touch user interface and accelerometer in the devices to give players the opportunity to experience The Sims in a whole new way, anywhere, anytime. The Sims 3 will be available globally from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch. Get the game via this iTunes link: The Sims 3

written by xcool \\ tags: Electronic Arts, Games, iPhone, iPod touch, The Sims 3

Handmark sent us news that their futuristic Wipeout-like racer for both the iPhone and iPod touch – Phaze, has been approved and is now available in the Apple iTunes Store.

Unique to the iPhone and iPod touch, Phaze will offer players an exhilarating racing experience as they race around rollercoaster-like tracks in their chosen ship, complete with stomach-flipping twists and turns, velocity-increasing boost pads all while collecting powerups and avoiding weapons from their competitors.

The game features both single and championship play modes across 16 futuristic locations and four levels of difficulty: easy, normal, hard and extreme. Players start with a choice of three ships with different specs, while a further seven more are unlockable through wins in the Championship mode.

Phaze includes the following features:

• 4 difficulty levels – Easy through to Extreme
• 3 race craft to choose from (with 7 more unlockable)
• 16 futuristic tracks
• 6 types of weapon and defense powerup
• Enjoy the in-game music, or play your own soundtrack

Phaze is developed by Pazzazz Games, exclusively for the iPhone and iPod touch, and published by Astraware, a Handmark Studio. Other successful titles from Pazzazz include GTS World Racing and Hellfire (review, 4.0/5.0 Taps)

Get the game for your iPhone or iPod touch from the iTunes Store at only $4.99 a copy. Here’s a demo reel of the game in action. Check it out!

written by xcool \\ tags: Astraware, Games, Handmark, iPhone, iPod touch, Phaze