Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Wireless

Fresh off an extensive corporate decaffeination downsizing and a scaling back of its foray into music sales, it’s a fair question to ask: just how ironclad is Starbucks’ commitment to rolling out iTunes WiFi Music Store integration across its entire chain? We just happened to notice that the Starbucks page on Apple’s site is now stone-cold gone, redirecting to the standard iTunes 8 stuff. You might say “no big deal, Apple’s just playing down an agreement that’s now been in place for a full year,” but there’s some other weirdness, too — the company’s iTunes WiFi Music Store at Starbucks FAQ, for example, still references the dead link. The partnership was kinda ill-conceived to begin with; getting access to the store meant hooking up to AT&T WiFi, which you wouldn’t normally have configured unless you actually had an AT&T WiFi account. We haven’t heard any official word here that the deal is in danger, but really, would anyone be welling up if it fell apart?

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Filed under: Cellphones

While the DevTeam rightly asserts that Apple can’t undo the bug exploited by PwnageTool via firmware update alone, it’s still subject to the whims of iTunes connectivity. In fact, iTunes 8 seems to detect jailbroken devices jailbreaking attempts and then stomps its feet and refuses to play nice. While the DevTeam says that fixes are in the works, the growing list of useful applications in the AppStore coupled with the global retail availability of the iPhone (and lack of a 3G unlock) makes PwnageTool less and less relevant with each passing day.

Update: The problem seems to occur when you try to restore to an iPwned ipsw from a non-iPwned device. Syncing to an already Pwned device works fine.

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

We know it’s been a long day of Apple news, what with all those colorful new nanos, the thin-as-all-get-out touch, a fresh version of iTunes, and that forthcoming iPhone / touch update (and don’t forget about those new shuffle colors). It’s all a lot to take in, but as usual, we’re presenting it to you in one delicious, easy to digest roundup. Enjoy!

The liveblog:

Live from Apple’s ‘Let’s Rock’ event in San Francisco

Hands-on coverage:

iPod nano 4G hands-on
iPod touch 2G - first hands-on

Product announcements:

iPod classic refreshed, only comes in 120GB flavor now
Official: iPod nano reaches 4G, looks tall for its age
iPod touch updated — same screen, new case, Nike+ integration
Apple introduces $79 in-ear headphones
One more thing: New iPod shuffle colors

iTunes / iPhone / touch updates:

Apple launches iTunes 8, NBC comes back, TV shows at $1.99, Genius in the house
iPhone 2.1 software update announced (update: $10 for some iPod touch owners)
iPod touch 2.1 firmware update now available

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Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment, Laptops

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_launches_iTunes_8_NBC_comes_back_TV_shows_at_1_99′;
Just in time for couch season, Apple has busted out iTunes 8 with a slew of new features, like the Genius sidebar. Also, NBC is back on board with its lineup of TV shows. According to Jobs, “The Office is coming back, Monk, Battlestar Galactica, 30 Rock… and they’re coming back in HD.” HD versions of shows will run you $2.99 while SD versions run a reasonable $1.99 (when compared to, say, a full month’s cable access). Meanwhile, “Genius” is a new feature that Apple says will change the way you browse your media. “Old browsing wasn’t efficient,” said Jobs. “in iTunes 8 you can look by album cover, and this new bar at the top let’s you look at anything graphically in little tiles.” Basically, Genius is a contextual iTunes store recommendation tool that will, in essence, make it easier for you to spend money. It also makes custom playlists on the fly based on your habits, and shares them (anonymously, they promise) with other users. So what’s missing so far? None of the rumored subscription services, for one, and any mention of new hardware or iPhone functions, like, say disk mode. We’ll keep wishing. Apple says it is making iTunes 8 available immediately (which, to them, may mean “some time later”), so let the download races begin!

Update: We’ve got a gallery of iTunes 8 — check it out below.

Continue reading Apple launches iTunes 8, NBC comes back, TV shows at $1.99, Genius in the house

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_releasing_interactive_album_applications_next_month’; Looks like Apple is continuing to push the envelop of digital music with new “interactive album applications” set for imminent release. The first artist in the cue is Snow Patrol, scheduled to release their latest studio album next month. According to a Polydor production manager, the downloadable, “interactive” application (via AppStore or iTunes or the rumored iTunes version 8?) will offer additional content such as artwork, behind-the-scenes images, and lyrics for iPhone and iPod touch owners — “A digital booklet that will take you into the videos and content,” if you will. Now who says that digital music can’t be profitable?

[Via MacWord UK]

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

There’s been a lot of iPod chatter in the air lately and now MacRumors and Ars Technica say that we’ll be seeing El Steve boom-boom some new gear on September 9th. No specifics on what’s in store, but new nanos are obviously on the table, as is that rumored subscription service and possibly a new iPod touch at a lower price. Anything you guys hoping for?

Read - MacRumors
Read - Ars Technica

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Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Kevin Rose of Digg origins claims to have the scoop on the latest iPod nano. Mind you, this is the same Kevin Rose who notoriously claimed that a generation one iPhone would launch in both CDMA and GSM versions with a pair of batteries and slide-out keyboard. Uh hem. This time however, he backs up his claims with a picture of that skinnier, longer, and curvier nano pictured above — credible because it just happens to be consistent with other rumors we’ve seen floating around and certainly makes sense for an Apple obsessed with tapering edges and video playback. Kev also claims that the iPod lineup will undergo price cuts to avoid the market cannibalization assumed by the lower $199 iPhone 3G purchase price. The iPod touch, which currently starts at $299 for 8GB, will see some slight cosmetic changes as well as a new 2.1 firmware update (which will obviously make its way to the iPhone). Tagging along with the iPod refresh is a new iTunes 8.0 which, according to Rose’s sources, deserves the full point upgrade based on all the new features and functionality it brings. All this, “in the next 2-3 weeks.”

He then adds that OS X 10.5.6 is rumored to include Blu-ray support which could point to future Blu-ray options in Apple’s lineup of Macs — oh, and ponies, lots of ponies. Listen to the man say it in his own words in the video after the break.

[Thanks, Matt and Alexis F.]

Continue reading Kevin Rose unearths redesigned iPod nano, digs for more?

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Apple’s experimented with allowing iTunes to stream over the internet as well as your LAN in the past and quickly removed the feature (probably due to RIAA pressure), so we’re not placing too much stock in this, but AppleInsider’s unearthed a patent that seems to describe a way to stream music over the ‘net to your iPhone / iPod touch. The goal is to prevent you from having to selectively sync content to your device — instead, you’d sync just the metadata and stream whatever you wanted direct from your machine as though it was all stored locally. There are some obvious problems here — it wouldn’t work if you didn’t have service (or over EDGE, really), most home upstream connections aren’t that fast, etc., etc., — but it’s certainly interesting, and a welcome addition to local storage if it ever makes the scene. In the meantime, how about working in some of those new UI elements from the Remote app into the iPod app?

[Via Macrumors, thanks Mark]

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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

That’s right chicks and dudes, iTunes 7.7.1 is now available for your downloading pleasure. Does it snap the App Store liberties you’ve been taking? Will it enhance your audio? Is it spying on you and your loved ones? Only Apple knows for sure.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

It has been a solid tick since we’ve seen a good FairPlay hack, so it’s with great pleasure that we pass along El Tunes for Ubuntu 8.04 users everywhere. Tested to work on Hardy Heron using RhythmBox (but assumed to work on any modern Linux Distro with GStreamer and a media player that utilizes GStreamer), said plug-in enables open-source aficionados to play songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store. As for limitations, the current version has no Pause / Seek support and cannot de-authorize a machine for playback, but a future version should hopefully cure those two quirks and add support for purchased video content and audio streaming to an AirTunes device. Give it a shot and let us know how it treats ya.

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Filed under: Desktops

There’s no OS to speak of, no optical drive, just 4GB of flash storage and 256MB of RAM, and you’re limited to a 400MHz Freescale 5121E processor with integrated graphics under the hood. But the CherryPal desktop PC — just revealed with a $249 price tag — is definitely worth making a fuss over. About the size of a plastic paperback sporting a pair of USB ports and VGA-out, the mini PC plugs directly into the CherryPal Cloud via 802.11b/g WiFi or 10/100 Ethernet for 50GB of free Internet storage, automatic system updates, and access to a number of webified apps (which also reside locally) including iTunes, OpenOffice, and a CherryPal-branded instant messenger and media client (though we figured iTunes would have taken care of the media playback). Of course, the lack of traditional specifications results in just a fraction of the power consumption used by that electron gobbler sitting on your desk. Not bad if your PC’s primary function is to playback audio, surf the web, and occasionally edit an Office document. Oh, and that name, CherryPal? It originates from an early tester who declared it, “sweeter than an Apple.” We’ll see when the first CherryPal desktop ships at the end of this month — order today.

[Via Crave]

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Filed under: Cellphones

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iTunes_activation_servers_go_down_told_to_activate_at_home’; In a repeat of last year’s problems, it looks like the insane demand for the iPhone 3G has taken its toll on Apple’s iTunes activation servers — that’s a picture of iTunes locking up in the Chicago AT&T flagship earlier this morning. We’re hearing that the servers are now definitely down after being intermittently active for the past few hours, and that customers are either being turned away or sent home from both Apple and AT&T stores to activate at home using iTunes. That’s especially interesting since it suggests that AT&T was insisting on in-store activation to thwart unlockers, but for right now the real news is that lots of eager iPhone 3G buyers are stuck with two useless phones, since upgrading from a first-gen unit disables the SIM. Ouch. We’ll keep you updated.

Update: Apple has confirmed to us that activation is down, and that customers are being asked to take the phone home and activate via iTunes later. We’re not sure what good that’ll do, since the servers are down no matter where you are, but Apple says it’s “working on a solution.” In the meantime, it looks like the new SIM works in first-gen units, so at least upgraders aren’t totally phone-deprived. Oh, and remember that updating a first-gen iPhone to 2.0 requires hitting the server as well, so if you haven’t taken the plunge we’d say hold off until this all gets sorted.

Update 2: In related news, those updating their first-gen iPhone to 2.0 are also getting caught in the activation shuffle, leaving some with bricked iPhones. In our test case, the activation servers came back up after about 45 minutes just long enough to get 2.0 running on our first-gen iPhone, but not all have been so lucky. Is your first-gen iPhone stuck in activation limbo from the update? Let us know.

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless

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Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Who would’ve thought that rumored iControl app would not only turn out to be real, but survive the inevitable internal politics, delays, and feature cutbacks to make it all the way through to a summer release? Sure enough, iTunes 7.7 has been pushed out to developers in the past several hours, and the installer encourages iPhone and iPod touch owners to “use the new Remote application for iPhone or iPod touch to control iTunes playback from anywhere in your home — a free download from the App Store.” No further details are given — and it’s not clear whether the “iControl” name seen earlier has been scrapped altogether — but we can guess that it’ll use WiFi to hook up with your mainframe, which really makes the idea of an AirPort Express appealing all over again.

On another note, Apple has released Beta 8 of the iPhone SDK and is using the occasion to kick off acceptances of applications to the real, live App Store in preparation for its July 11 launch. It appears that Beta 8 is actually required to complete the process, so don’t go jumping the gun now — goodness knows the rest of the iPhone-toting world doesn’t want your half-baked apps in a couple weeks, you shady developer, you.

Read - iPhone / iTunes Remote app
Read - Applications to App Store now being accepted

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Filed under: Cellphones

Like many, you were probably planning on hanging back, sipping on Bacardi 151, and waiting for your new iPhone 3G to arrive in the mail following a timely pre-order. Unfortunately for your foot-kicked-onto-desk plans, Apple and AT&T have something else in mind. Word on the street is that you will not be able to purchase and / or activate a new device via any other method than in-store, thus doing a full 180 on the way the dream team was doing business last time around. So not only has Apple’s revenue sharing gone into that good night, but it appears the innovative DIY activation that was such a big deal this time last year is shuffling off as well. So what gives guys? And more importantly, why are you making us leave the house? Hear what AT&T reps had to say about it after the break.

Continue reading iPhone 3G purchase and activation will be in-store only

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var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_finally_takes_the_UK_out_to_the_movies’; Apple just announced that iTunes UK will finally make films available to British punters. Studios include 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), Sony Pictures Television International and Lionsgate UK. At kickoff, about 700 films will be available to purchase or rent. Films cost £6.99 for purchased library titles and £10.99 for new releases. Rentals start at £2.49 for library titles and £3.49 for new releases — “HD” titles for £4.49 without with an Apple TV prerequisite, apparently.

Update: Nope, after digging around the store it’s clear that an Apple TV is still required for HD rentals. Picture proof after the break.

Continue reading Apple finally takes the UK out to the movies

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Filed under: Cellphones

According to a churning rumor-mill, Apple desperately wants to make over-the-air downloads of iTunes content a reality on the 3G iPhone. Apparently, a record label executive “familiar with the discussions” states that the Cupertino gang is hoping for a “big launch in June” which includes OTA music downloads, ringtone sales, and ringback tones (the substitute music you hear instead of a ring when calling someone). There’s only one problem: the labels want a higher premium for those services than a typical MP3 download. Of course, Apple’s iTunes pricing has been a point of contention for some time, though its recent rule-bending for HBO could lead to upped charges for the new services. Something tells us Apple has the tenacity and bullheadedness to make this work — let’s just hope they can temper the labels’ greed with the end user’s economic realities.

[Via AppleInsider]

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var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Official_HBO_now_on_iTunes’; It’s official. HBO content just entered the digital halls of iTunes with variable pricing. Episodes of Rome and The Sopranos pop for $2.99 while The Wire and Sex and the City (yes the complete series) go for the iTunes “standard” pricing of $1.99. We just fired-up iTunes and confirmed it just like the rumor predicted. With Apple backing down from its strict, flat-rate pricing policy, don’t be surprised to see additional content from previously iTunes-shy providers arriving in succession.

[Thanks, Turki]

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Filed under: Portable Video

It looks like Apple might finally ready to give up its demands for straight up and down $1.99 TV show pricing on iTunes. If you’ll remember, Apple and NBC had quite the squabble over price flexibility and margins last year, and some other show providers have held off providing content until they can get a more favorable deal from Apple. It seems one of those content holders was HBO, with word on the street that Apple is finally going to bow to desires for flexible pricing, and has signed up HBO to kick things off. Apple has also in recent months added NBC Universal shows to its UK store with variable pricing, which might be a sign that a return to the US store isn’t far off.

[Via Silicon Valley Insider]

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