Posts Tagged 'keynote'

WWDC: Ten things you should know

Published June 9, 2009 Lists , wwdc 2 Comments
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Now that Phil Schiller’s WWDC keynote is done with, here’s the ten things you should know in case you missed our liveblog coverage. – r.

1. There are now over 75 million Mac users worldwide

2. The unibody 13-inch MacBooks are now called MacBook Pros. They’ve got better batteries, better screens, Firewire, SD cards and they cost less, too.

3. The final copy of Safari 4 is out today, and you can download it here.

4. Snow Leopard is almost here. It gives you 6GB of storage BACK, it’s got OpenCL, 64-bit and Grand Central Dispatch. It’s also got Exchange support built-in at no extra cost.

5. QuickTime X has a new UI, it’s frameless and it’s beautiful. Built from scratch. It’s really fast and lets you do quick & easy editing.

6. Better yet, it’s only $29 (USD) to upgrade from Leopard when it arrives in September. Unfortunately, it’s an Intel only OS.

7. iPhone OS 3.0 arrives on June 17th. Previously unannounced features include: Buy movies, TV shows, music videos and audiobooks using iTunes on your device, multiple iTunes accounts, better Parental Controls and more language love. The really good news? Internet tethering via USB or Bluetooth. The bad news? AT&T won’t support it.

8. There’s a new iPhone arriving, also on June 17th (depending on your location), and it’s called iPhone 3GS. It’s got a 3 megapixel auto-focus, video recording camera (and you can edit, too). It also (finally) allows voice controls and commands and has a built-in compass. It looks and feels exactly the same as iPhone 3G does. You can browse the internet for up to nine hours on 3GS.

9. That iPhone is $199/$299 (AT&T prices) for 16/32GB capacities and sits along side the 8GB iPhone 3G (for just $99). There’s an ad here.

10. Overall (in my opinion), it was a better-than-average keynote from Phil Schiller and the team. The new iPhone is somewhat disappointing, but has some useful (and long needed) new features. Your average consumer is going to be a little disappointed with the backend-driven Snow Leopard OS, and everyone in the US now hates AT&T more than ever before for not supporting tethering or MMS at launch.

More WWDC coverage can be found here – r.

WWDC: Liveblog archive

Published June 9, 2009 Announcements , wwdc Leave a Comment
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WWDC coverage

Here’s the archive for our liveblog coverage of Phil Schiller’s WWDC 2009 keynote. All of our previous liveblogs and their archives can be found here. – r.

Continue reading ‘WWDC: Liveblog archive’

WWDC: The ultimate pre-keynote playlist

Published June 8, 2009 Music , wwdc Leave a Comment
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WWDC coverage

We’re approaching the ten hour countdown mark for WWDC 2009, so optimize your experience with TGR’s ultimate pre-keynote playlist. The full 17-track list is below…

1. Vida la Vida – Coldplay

Described by Gizmodo as “the official sountrack to the ‘running of the media’ event every single time”.

2. Around the Bend – The Asteroid’s Galaxy Tour

Used in the iPod touch (2G) ad, often playing at your local Apple Store.

3. La la la – The Bird and the Bee

Soundtrack to the original iPod touch spot at the 2007 iPod special event. Strangely, this one never made it to television.

4. Bruises – Chairlift

Very Apple. Used in the particularly creative iPod nano (3G) commercial.

5. Electric Feel – MGMT

A Phil Schiller favorite at Macworld 2009.

6. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. – Aretha Franklin

Best when used as your ringtone during the event…

7. Shut Up and Let Me Go – The Ting Tings

One of the better  iPod + iTunes ads.

8. Hey Mama – Black Eyed Peas

Another brilliant iTunes ad sountrack.

9. You’ve Got a Friend In Me – Randy Newman

This one’s dedicated to Steve and his executive-producing talents.

10. Stronger – Kanye West

Played at MWSF 2008. Ironically, the MacBook Air is the weakest notebook Apple’s ever shipped.

11. Hold on, I’m coming – Sam & Dave

Great track, also played often at the Apple Store. Particularly suitable for a pre-keynote playlist.

12. 15 Step – Radiohead

iPhone OS 3.0 special event. One of Greg’s (Joswiak) choices? We can only speculate.

13. Sleep Through the Static – Jack Johnson

Performed by the man himself at the 2008 “Let’s Rock” special event.

14. New Soul – Yael Naim

Manilla envelope. Enough said.

15. Waiting on the World to Change – John Mayer

Absolutely essential for any Apple playlist.

16. 1234 – Feist

Usually played right before the keynote.

And a bonus, post-keynote track:

17. I Left My Heart in San Francisco – Tony Bennett

Quite possibly the most heartfelt keynote performance ever.

Enjoy! – r.

WWDC 2009: 3rd generation iPhone graphical rumor round-up

Published June 1, 2009 Design , Gadgets , wwdc 149 Comments
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TGR WWDC 2009 iPhone graphic rumor round-up

Here’s a graphical representation I put together of the dozens of rumors that have been circulating over the past few months regarding the third generation iPhone that’s likely to be announced next week at WWDC 2009 (our keynote liveblog details can be found here). Click the image for a higher resolution version. There’s a few notes for this one:
* I’ve put some source numbers beside each arrow, these are the references for each rumor and are published at the bottom of this post.
* The rumors (such as release date and price) that don’t really match a particular part of the iPhone’s hardware/software have been placed at a random point on the back of the iPhone.
* The prediction key is based entirely on my own opinion, and is by no means accurate.
Of course, if anything else develops between now and Phil’s keynote, I’ll be listing them here, so be sure to check back before the day, and remember, we’ll be covering the keynote live right here on TGR, click here for the details. – r.

Update: It seems this has generated quite some interest around the internet with more than 10,000 people visiting per day – thanks for your views, tweets and pings!

Update 2: The great folks over at iPodizados.com have translated the graphic into Spanish. Check it out here!

Source list:

1: http://blog.gadgetlite.com/2009/04/10/gen-iphone-percentage-battery/

2: http://stuff.tv/News/iPhone-30-to-have-Nike-pre-installed/12418/

3: http://gizmodo.com/5261343/next+gen-iphone-specs-launch-date-rumor-looks-fishy-oled-screen-light+up-apple-logo

4: http://gizmodo.com/5200034/next-generation-iphone-may-have-fm-transmission-capabilities

5: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF8&langpair=de%7Cen&u=http://www.iphone-ticker.de/2009/05/28/die-nachste-generation-ersatzteil-sichtungen-in-hong-kong/ (Translated)

6: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/04/04/next_ipod_touch_iphone_to_support_low_power_802_11n_mode.html

7: http://www.macrumors.com/2009/05/07/digital-compass-magnetometer-confirmed-in-next-iphone/

8: http://www.macrumors.com/2009/04/07/iphone-video-recording-interface-digital-compass-voice-control-and-auto-focus-camera/

9: http://daringfireball.net/2009/05/the_next_iphone

10: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/05/29/apple_briefs_staff_on_wireless_iphone_movie_and_tv_downloads.html

11: http://www.allaboutiphone.net/2009/05/iphone-30-and-video-recording-now-with-youtube-uploading/

12: http://www.macrumors.com/2009/05/26/next-generation-iphone-case-to-have-matte-finish-enhanced-3g/

13: http://www.macrumors.com/2009/04/03/apple-ordering-3-2-and-5-megapixel-camera-sensors-for-iphone-and-future-product/

14: http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/31/adobe-and-apple-working-on-flash-for-iphone/

15: http://9to5mac.com/hong-kong-iphone-3

16: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/backstage/comments/ipod-nano-5g-next-gen-iphone-design-changes-revealed/

17: http://www.9to5mac.com/iphone-video-conferencing

18: http://www.9to5mac.com/broadcom-BCM4329-iphone-802.11n-FM

19: http://www.macrumors.com/2009/05/27/new-comparison-photo-of-matte-iphone-enclosure/

20: http://www.chinaontrade.com/iphone-4g-spare-parts-c-69.html

21: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.areamobile.de%2Fnews%2F11103-existenz-bestaetigt-iphone-32-gb-bei-t-mobile-in-kuerze-verfuegbar&sl=de&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 (Translated)

22: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/05/next-gen-iphone-specs-launch-date-revealed/

23: http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/15/apple-is-indeed-talking-about-opening-iphone-background-tasks/

24: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2009/04/making_movies_t.html

25: http://www.phonenews.com/apple-consolidating-av-cables-ahead-of-iphone-hd-launch-7648/

Macworld 2009: iWork ’09

Published January 7, 2009 Computing Leave a Comment
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Apple introduced the latest update to the iWork suite at Macworld San Francisco today. The $79 (USD) package includes Keynote – Apple’s slideshow editing software, Pages – Apple’s word processing software and Numbers – Apple’s spreadsheet editing software. The suite ships today and a 30-day trial can also be downloaded online.

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Apple announced several new features for the popular presentation software, including several new transitions, build in and build out effects and a variety of new themes. Perhaps more importantly, Keynote ’09 also features interstitial slideshows and “Magic Move” object transitions. Accompanying Keynote ’09 is the $0.99 Keynote Remote App (not released at time of writing) for iPhone and iPod touch, as shown in the screenshot above.

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Pages ’09 features a full-screen text editor that helps you “focus on your work”, Mail Merge with Numbers and EndNote and MathType integration and compatibility. It also includes the iWork-wide enhanced template chooser (shown above) and dynamic outlines.

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Sporting lots of nifty new features for accountants and the like, Numbers ’09 didn’t get heaps of attention but includes several key additions to the relatively young spreadsheet software.

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I believe the most significant announcement of the iWork ’09 update is iWork.com, a service that allows iWork users to upload their documents, spreadsheets and presentations to “the cloud”. While online, other users can (among other features) comment on portions of the documents and download a copy for themselves. With the purchase of iWork ’09, customers can sign up to the beta service which is free but will become a paid subscription when the beta tag is removed.

- r.

Offline iMovie and iWork will not be ditched at Macworld

Published January 2, 2009 Computing , Gadgets , Online Leave a Comment
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Yesterday, the people over at 9to5mac revealed some information on what they believe to be Apple’s plans to migrate iMovie and iWork over to the internet. This news generated quite a bit of anger on various online forums. Personally, I firmly believe Apple will ditch iMovie or iWork at Macworld 2009. While introducing an online version to part of Apple’s consumer software suites (possibly incorporated into MobileMe) would be a welcome move, halting further development of the “offline” Pages, Keynote, Numbers and iMovie would put Apple in serious danger of being compared to the likes of software giant Microsoft.

There are several reasons why I am almost certain this announcement will not take place at MWSF. Firstly, the internet is still excruciatingly slow and limited for many. Theoretical internet speeds in the United States are pretty good, especially when compared to the abysmal speeds in Australia, but let’s remember, these are maximums and many internet users do not experience anything like it. Furthermore, almost every internet plan has a download and upload limit. This is perhaps the largest problem for the rumored product, especially with an application like iMovie, where it would be nothing more than frustrating to spend hours uploading HD recorded video, only to edit it online, then spend even more time downloading your content again.

I imagine that if Apple were to announce an online-only  iMovie and iWork, such a service would be (as I discussed above) tied in with their push data subscription tools, MobileMe. Yes, it would drive up much needed sales of MobileMe, but it would greatly damage Apple’s reputation. This scheme forces consumers who have paid for Apple’s iWork already to pay again for what is essentially ”rental software”. By literally transferring all of Apple’s iWork and iMovie (part of iLife) users to the problematic MobileMe platform, Apple is risking its loyalty and support. 

It should also be noted that Apple’s suite of applications are extremely detailed and already require some skill to master. Despite the advanced interface of MobileMe (mentioned in the preceding paragraph), web apps still need further development before they become a replacement for sophisticated offline applications. Apple’s online service suffered from many glitches that plagued it for weeks, encouraging slow adoption.

What I’ve written in this post is based purely on speculation and what I’ve read on the internet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple announces iWork web apps at Macworld San Francisco 2009. I would be completely shocked if they get rid of their offline counterparts. – r.

The Green Room is providing liveblog coverage of Phil Schiller’s opening keynote at Macworld 2009. For more information, click here.

Is iWork going into the Mobile Me cloud at Macworld 2009?

Published January 1, 2009 Computing , Online Leave a Comment
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Please note: This article has been classified as a rumor. Information presented may be inaccurate.

Now with less than a week until Macworld 2009, the Apple rumor mill is finally gathering some momentum. The folks at 9to5Mac just received “a truckload of Macworld information” from their “best source”. As the day progresses, we’ll be covering whatever comes out from the popular rumor site.

While they haven’t released many details yet, the site claims that Mobile Me will not only be able to store iWork files (a highly requested missing feature) through iDisk, but Apple will also allow creation and modification of said files through the use of online web apps. That means you’ll be able to create Pages, Keynote and Numbers documents wherever you are with a Mobile Me account.

As 9to5Mac accurately points out, this isn’t a huge move as several other high-profile corporations (such as Google and Microsoft) have added similar functionality to their own online services. Despite that, it would certainly draw some much-needed attention and boost subscriber numbers to Mobile Me.

While many questions about the service and the reliability of the rumor remains, the site does leave us with this teaser: “Oh, and we’ve heard there is going to be some Magic involved.” – r.

[9to5Mac]

Phil Schiller to present opening keynote at Apple’s last Macworld

Published December 17, 2008 Announcements Leave a Comment
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Here’s some unexpected news for you: Steve Jobs won’t be announcing any new products and plans at this year’s Macworld Conference & Expo. Instead, Phil Schiller is taking the lead. As you might expect, the internet is running wild with endless rumors and theories, from politics to his pancreas to the recession to retirement. This is certainly very surprising news, and while TGR has confirmed with Apple that this is indeed true, we’ll leave it up to all of you to speculate as to the reasoning behind the decision by leaving a comment or contacting us. Hit ‘Read more’ for Apple’s press release. – r.

[Apple via MacRumors]

The Green Room is providing live coverage of Macworld San Francisco 2009. Further information can be found here.
Continue reading ‘Phil Schiller to present opening keynote at Apple’s last Macworld’

Macworld 2009: liveblog details

Published December 8, 2008 Announcements 6 Comments
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There’s less than a month to go until Macworld 2009, and TGR will be (as usual) liveblogging the entire event. Here’s what you need to know:

UPDATE: Thanks for viewing our live coverage. Click here to access our liveblog archive.

1. Liveblog 2.0: Previous liveblogs haven’t been quite as “live” as we’d like them. This time, you won’t be constantly refreshing the page for the latest updates. We’ve partnered with CoverItLive to bring you a much more enjoyable keynote experience.

2. Where is it? Navigating to our coverage is easy. You can click here to bookmark it right now or click ‘liveblogs’ at the top of our page.

3. Date & Time: The MWSF keynote begins on January 6th at 9:00 am (PST). Times listed on the liveblog itself are in AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time). International viewers can click here for local time information [external link].

4. Spoiler free stream: If you prefer to wait until Apple posts the official Quicktime stream on their site, TGR will post MacRumors’ link to the video when it arrives. 

5. Why so early? We’re posting this a little earlier than usual so we can sort out the liveblog itself in January, without worrying about details.

Any other questions? Leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. – r.

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