Digital Daily » iPod nano

Microsoft Zune Team Launches Latest Exercise in Futility

John Paczkowski — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:04:40 +0000

Microsoft brought it’s not-so-anxiously-awaited Zune HD to market today. With its touchscreen, Wi-Fi capability and high-definition video output, the device is intended as an answer to the iPod touch, though it lacks the application marketplace that helped make Apple’s device so popular.

And it’s not going to be getting one anytime soon, either, despite rumors that Microsoft is working on one and courting developers to port their iPhone apps over to it. Which is not to say that the company isn’t building an answer to Apple’s App Store–it is. Redmond is just building it for Windows Mobile, not Zune.

“We’re trying to get out of the business of building similar things in the company that don’t work together, and the Windows Mobile team is tackling the challenge of a mobile apps marketplace right now,” Zune marketing manager Brian Seitz told TechFlash. “We don’t necessarily line up perfectly with that, to take advantage of whatever ends up coming out of that from the Zune HD standpoint, but down the line if there’s a way that we can plug into what they’re doing, I’m sure we’ll look into whether that makes sense for the business.”

But by then, of course, it will be too late. Arguably, it’s too late already. As Apple gleefully noted during its annual music event last week, NPD pegs the company’s share of the portable media device market at nearly 74 percent. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s tops out at an estimated 1.1 percent.

Raising that share was already a Sisyphean task for Microsoft (MSFT), and it has only become more difficult now that Apple (AAPL) has introduced not just a new iPod nano with a built-in video camera and FM radio, but also a more inexpensive iPod touch.

Microsoft is pricing the 16GB Zune HD at $219.99 and the 32GB version at $289.99. But you can get a 32GB iPod touch for $299. And you can get an 8GB touch for $199. Now, granted, the touch offers only half the storage of the 16GB Zune HD, but it supports the iTunes App Store. And if you really want that extra 8GB, you can always buy an iPod nano, which shoots video and at $179.00, is $30 cheaper than the Zune HD.

Live from Apple's "Let's Rock" Event: iPod Updates, Games, Nano Video Cameras

John Paczkowski — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:33:38 +0000

Apple has sold some 225 million iPods to date, making it one of the most popular electronic devices ever. And it’s sure to sell even more after the updates the company announced at this morning’s event. Among them: Larger, cheaper iPod touches and nanos with cameras and FM radios.

Following introductory remarks by Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs, Phil Schiller offers details, noting that “the iPod has 73.8 percent market share. The next biggest category is ‘other,’ and after that, SanDisk and then Microsoft pulling up the rear.”

Schiller adds that Apple has sold 20 million iPod touches since the device debuted. He runs through a lengthy sales pitch for the iPod touch, touting it as a killer pocket computer and taking potshots at rivals like Dell (DELL) along the way.

Moving on to games, Schiller notes the discrepancy between the number of games on gaming platforms like the Nintendo DS and the iPod touch. The iPhone OS, he notes, has 21,178 games. The DS has just 3,680. Point taken.

Moving on to some new game demos now. First up: Ubisoft with Assassin’s Creed 2, which, we are told, is “all about visceral combat, brutal hand-to-hand combat and one-shot kills.” Behind the presenter, a warrior is mercilessly beaten into submission.

Schiller returns to the stage, “Boy, that looks like fun.”

Tapulous, the developer of Tap Tap Revenge, and Gameloft, follow, both introducing new games. Gameloft’s Nova–a first-person shooter with multiplayer option–seems a far more compelling effort than Tapulous’s Riddim Ribbon, which appears to be a Black Eyed Peas-heavy variation of Tap-Tap.

Up next, Electronic Arts, which is apparently headlining the games section of today’s event. EA’s Travis Boatman takes the stage to introduce Madden NFL 10. The game boasts both custom-kick and draw-a-play-on-screen features developed specifically for the iPhone OS. Madden NFL 10 is available today.

Schiller again returns to the stage. “The iPod touch is the most affordable gateway to the App Store,” he says, adding that $199 is a “magic price point” in the iPod market.

With that, he announces the iPod touch price cuts we heard about earlier this morning: An 8GB model for $199, 32GB for $299, and 64GB for $399. All three devices are significantly faster, says Schiller. Interestingly, none seem to feature that rumored camera.

Price drops as well for the nano, but we knew about these. Apple has dropped the price of the iPod shuffle as well: $59 and $79. And the company is offering them in a new selection of colors. Plus, there’s a special edition of the shuffle crafted from stainless steel.

Steve Jobs returns to the stage. So those are the iPods, but there is one more thing: A video camera. He talks about the exploding video market, mentions the Flip, etc. “We want to get in on this market as well and we’re doing it for free….Boy, this really is the new Apple,” he quips.

Yes, the iPod nano does indeed now feature a video camera. The video quality looks impressive. Whoa: Apple has also added FM radio, a voice recorder and a pedometer to the nano. New polished anodized aluminum colors. 8GB model for $149, 16GB model for $179.

After a few concluding remarks about the new iPod lineup, Jobs announces what has become an annual tradition at these events: A live performance. Today’s artist: Norah Jones.

The end of her set concludes today’s event. No iPlatform. No Beatles on iTunes. But lots of product refreshes, software intros, and price cuts. Plus: Steve Jobs is definitely back.

Live from Apple’s “Let’s Rock” Event

iPod Updates, Games, Nano Video Cameras

iTunes 9, iTunes LP, Home Sharing, Genius Mixes

Steve Jobs: “I’m Vertical, Back at Apple and Loving Every Day of It”

Event Photos by Adam Tow

Jobs: "I'm Vertical, Back at Apple and Loving Every Day of It"

John Paczkowski — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:52:33 +0000

Leave it to Steve Jobs to upstage his own products.

Rumored by some analysts to be a nonevent, Apple’s invitation-only music gathering today is already proving quite eventful. Audience members expecting Apple (AAPL) exec Phil Schiller to quarterback today’s proceedings were given a welcome surprise when CEO Steve Jobs took the stage in his first public appearance since his liver transplant surgery.

He was given a standing ovation.

So how does he look? Obviously, he’s still quite thin, but from where I sit–which is admittedly near the back of the hall–he appears healthy…but gaunt. And that Willy Wonka charisma of his is back in full force. Certainly, he looks reasonably good for someone who just underwent a liver transplant. And how long does it take to regain 60 pounds anyway? Job’s isn’t De Niro in Raging Bull….

[ See post to watch video ]

Anyway, it’s great to see Jobs onstage again. He speaks quietly and it’s hard to tell if his voice is scratchy or if he’s just humbled by what he’s about to say: “As some of you know, five months ago I had a liver transplant. I now have the liver of a mid-20s person who died in a car crash and was generous enough to donate their organs. I wouldn’t be here without such generosity, so I hope all of us can be as generous and elect to be organ donors. ..I’d like to take this moment to thank everyone in the Apple community for their support. Thanks as well to Tim Cook and everyone at Apple. They really ran the company very ably during that time. … So I’m vertical, back at Apple and loving every day of it….”

Jobs quickly moves on to the announcements of the day. First up: iPhone 3.1, which now offers a Bluetooth Voice control and Genius feature and supports ringtones sold via the iTunes Store for $1.29. 3.1 is available today as a free download.

Live from Apple’s “Let’s Rock” Event

iPod Updates, Games, Nano Video Cameras

iTunes 9, iTunes LP, Home Sharing, Genius Mixes

Steve Jobs: “I’m Vertical, Back at Apple and Loving Every Day of It”

Event Photos by Adam Tow

Apple Cuts iPod Prices Ahead of Event

John Paczkowski — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:54:03 +0000

Today’s Apple event isn’t even underway and already the company is making adjustments to its iPod line. Early this morning, with no fanfare whatsoever–not even a “Back Soon” note on the Apple Store–the company lowered the prices of all its iPods save one, the Shuffle.

Once $399, Apple’s (AAPL) 32GB iPod touch is now $279. Once $299, the 16GB iPod touch is now $249. And the price of the 8GB model has fallen from $229 to $189. The price of the 16GB nano is now $149, down from $189, and the price of its 8GB sibling is $129, down from $149. Finally, the price of the iPod classic, which is apparently not quite EOL yet, has been cut to $229 from $249.

Oh, One More Thing…Goldman Sachs, You're DEAD to Me

John Paczkowski — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:44:24 +0000

Apple may not have yet succumbed to the economic malaise that hangs heavy over consumer tech, but it will soon. According to Goldman Sachs, anyway. This morning Goldman Sachs analyst David Bailey downgraded Apple’s stock to neutral from a buy, claiming the company will suffer when consumers continue to rein in spending next year. “Although our checks in Asia for the December quarter were better for Apple than for the other PC and smartphone vendors, some nicks have started to emerge,” Bailey wrote. “Specifically, shipments of MacBooks, iPod nanos, and iPhone were all slightly lower than what was expected going into the quarter and Apple should face a tougher environment in the March and June quarters as consumer demand takes another leg down.”

A disheartening prediction. And to make matters worse, Bailey speculates that Apple (AAPL) won’t unveil any new product categories at MacWorld come January, and because of that won’t see the sort of near-term pop it typically experiences after the introduction of a compelling new product. Said Bailey, “[The] nearer-term outlook is less positive, as it now looks unlikely that Apple will launch a new product category at MacWorld in early January, taking away a potential catalyst for the shares and causing Apple to try to generate demand in a tough environment without the benefit of a new offering in the first part of 2009.”

Apple shares closed at $94.75, down 3.58 percent for the day on the news.

One–Make That Two–Words: Plastic Logic

John Paczkowski — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:00:07 +0000

[ See post to watch video ]

Apple's "Let’s Rock" Event More of an Easy-Listening Affair?

John Paczkowski — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:00:44 +0000

To hear tell from AmTech analyst Shaw Wu, Apple’s (AAPL) “Let’s Rock” media event tomorrow may be a bit less rockin’ than the Mac faithful would like to believe. In a research note to clients Friday, Wu said the event could prove a letdown for anyone hoping to see new hardware beyond a fourth-generation iPod nano and a slimmer second-generation iPod touch. Apparently Wu’s supply chain checks haven’t turned up any evidence of redesigned MacBooks, which means their debut at Tuesday’s event is unlikely. “While there is always room for surprise, it seems this event may be somewhat underwhelming versus previous expectations and events,” he wrote, adding that there is potential for a “wild card” announcement or two.

Wild cards, hmm? What sort of wild cards, exactly? According to Wu, “an advanced AppleTV with DVR and TV tuner capabilities” or “new touch form factors (iPod-Mac hybrid) with larger screens.” Perhaps even an iPhone 2.1 firmware update.

LIVE COVERAGE ALERT: Check back here Tuesday morning for live coverage of the event beginning at 10 AM P.S.T.

New from Apple: iPod Flamo

John Paczkowski — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:07:59 +0000

After being plugged in for somewhere between 5 to 10 minutes I heard a sizzling sound. I looked down on the iPod just in time to see it explode open and start shooting sparks and spewing smoke. I managed to unhook the iPod from my computer’s USB port immediately. I noticed that a small fire had started on the table I had the laptop and the iPod sitting on, and I managed to extinguish those flames quickly before any apparent damage could be done to my laptop. Unlike in other cases, I’ve read about, my iPod continued to spew smoke and spit sparks while throwing out some kind of sooty substance from the inside of the iPod for several minutes after removing the cable from the computer.”

– A Consumerist reader recounts his experiences with Apple’s iPod Flamo

What an ugly week for Apple. Voice and data reception issues plaguing iPhone 3G, MobileMe still not up to company standards and now reports of sparking iPod Nanos. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is investigating a possible battery defect in Apple’s older iPod Nano music players after receiving reports of minor fires caused by overheating devices. “There have been multiple cases of overheating and fire damage, in particular during recharging, so please use caution,” METI said in a statement on its Web site.

METI is working with Apple Japan to diagnose the problem, which is said to affect only Nanos sold in Japan between Sept. 2005 and Sept. 2006, although there have been reports of similar incidents in the states.

Another tough break for Apple (AAPL), which just can’t seem to shake this negative news cycle.

UPDATE: Apple just issued the following statement:

Apple today responded to statements reported by Japan’s METI regarding batteries in the first-generation iPod nanos. Apple has determined that in very rare cases, batteries in first-generation iPod nanos sold between Sept. 2005 and Dec. 2006 can overheat, causing failure and deformation of the iPod nano. Apple has received very few reports of such incidents (less than 0.001 percent of first-generation iPod nano units), which have been traced back to a single battery supplier. There have been no reports of serious injuries or property damage, and no reports of incidents for any other iPod nano model.

Any first-generation iPod nano customers who have experienced their battery overheating should contact AppleCare for a replacement. Any other customers who have concerns about their first-generation iPod nano battery should also contact AppleCare.

Apple Tops Customer Satisfaction Survey For Time Being

John Paczkowski — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:00:33 +0000

[ See post to watch video ]

Piper Jaffray Analyst Moonlighting at CrazyAppleRumors.com

John Paczkowski — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:30:08 +0000

As back-to-school days draw closer, it’s becoming more and more difficult to separate fan-site buzz from the speculation of analysts. Feeding grist into the Apple rumor mill today is, you guessed it, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who believes Apple will hold a special event next month to debut some new hardware. Observing that Apple (AAPL) held just such an event every September for the past three years, Munster speculates that the company will hold one this year as well. And he predicts it will see the debut of new iPod and MacBook models. Specifically, he’s looking for capacity changes to iPod shuffles and iPod nanos and a redesign of the iPod Touch at a new $199 price point. As for Apple’s MacBook, Munster believes we’ll see an overhaul of the entire line. “We note that the MacBook has had the same design since its launch over two years ago, and the MacBook Pro has had essentially the same design since its launch over two-and-a-half years ago, which was very similar in design to the PowerBook G4 released over five-and-a-half years ago,” he told clients. “To compare, the long-running iMac G5 design lasted three years.”

A fair point, and one that’s been made here and elsewhere a number of times already. Worth noting here as well, is Munster’s claim that a MacBook Touch, iTablet, iPad, or whatever you want to call it, is unlikely this year. While the analyst believes such a device exists, he thinks it’s more likely to debut in 2010. “… Ultimately, we expect Apple to develop a full touchscreen MacBook, although not until the technology has fully matured over the next two-to-three years,” he said. “We believe multi-touch is a core differentiator of Apple products, and Apple has adequately protected its innovations in order to maintain a leading edge.”