9to5 Staff

As predicted (after finding out about Labor Day), the iPod event is going to be held on Wednesday 09/09/09….that’s according to AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski

And according to sources close to the company, the date is Wednesday Sept. 9. The event will be held in San Francisco — most likely at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where it has occurred in years past — and is expected to showcase upgrades to the iPod line and an update to iTunes that may involve some sort of social element. Our sources insist it will not involve any discussion whatsoever of the tablet that Apple is reportedly developing.

His sources neglected to mention whether or not Apple CEO Steve Jobs would be making an appearance or even keynoting the event.  They did stress that there would be absolutely no tablet whatsoever.

The event is likely to bring us new iPods with GPS and camera capabilities.  We’re also expecting to see the 16/32/64GB iPod Touch varieties with $199/$299/$399 price points.  Depending on the nature of the event, we’ll also try to bring you a stream of the event, live as it unfolds.

All sorts of caveats apply here.  All iPhones are counted as one model, while Canon’s DSLRs are separated into different model categories.  Flicker is focused in US,  iPhone has Flickr upload apps, etc, etc.  Still it is impressive that the iPhone is now the number one camera on Flickr.  This has been in the works for awhile.

It is also destroying all of the other cameraphones, naturally.  One has to wonder how a camera-focused iPod touch will do comparatively.

Four months ago Brian X. Chen wrote a little tale called Why the Japanese Hate the iPhone.  It went a little something like this:

Apple’s iPhone has wowed most of the globe — but not Japan, where the handset is selling so poorly it’s being offered for free.

What’s wrong with the iPhone, from a Japanese perspective? Almost everything: the high monthly data plans that go with it, its paucity of features, the low-quality camera, the unfashionable design and the fact that it’s not Japanese.

Fast forward a mere five months and let’s have a little look at Japan’s top 10 phones (right).  Imagine if the Japanese actually liked the iPhone?

Via Apple 2.0

Apple’s new data center in North Carolina is amongst the biggest being built in the world right now.  At over 500,000 square feet it is bigger than both Microsoft and Google’s latest data centers and five times its current data center in Newark California (109,000 sq. ft).

The obvious question is: What will Apple do with this new space?  Cult of Mac spent a few moments with a data center guru to get some answers. 

It seems Apple could follow a couple of different courses:

• Apple currently hosts most of their users’ MobileMe data.  If MobileMe should grow in scope (bigger email boxes, more pictures and videos) it is going to need more space = bigger data center.
• Most of Apple’s web and media content isn’t hosted by them.  It is hosted by 3rd parties like Akamai and 7digital.  Apple could be trying to bring in some of this capability to reduce costs and gain flexibility
• Apple could be working on new Cloud tools that require not just bandwidth but also some databases and CPU cycles.  We’ve heard that Apple is working on their own version of Google’s Grand Central to bring to its iPods, iPhones tablets and other mediums via iChat.
• We’ve also heard that Apple is experimenting with moving iTunes libraries into the cloud as part of MobileMe.  On one hand having everyone’s music collection in the cloud would be incredibly complex.  However, the most popular iTunes songs are on millions of different iTunes libraries. If Apple’s system is capable of recognizing duplicates, it could save petabytes of space by indexing the music and pointing everyone’s reference to one copy.  In fact, Apple already stores most of the world’s available music and videos in its iTunes library.  Making symbolic links to purchased music would be easy.  Apple also does a similar thing with iPhone apps.  If you lose your iPhone, you can just redownload your whole application library.  Fortunately, they control the rights to the iPhone apps.  Media companies might not be so willing to let people redownload their music/videos.  Also, users might not like to give Apple all of their music.

Some fun facts:

• Apple’s existing Newark, CA., Data Center is around 109,000 square feet–the new one is over 500,000. That represents either a ridiculously big scaling-up of business or a whole new thing
• 500,000 square feet is among the largest centers being built in the world on a single site. Microsoft’s new one in Chicago is around 400,000, in comparison
• "The companies that are building the biggest data centers tend to also have the biggest cloud ambitions"
• The choice of site location depends on cheap electricity and/or fast broadband pipes to the World. Rural North Carolina was chosen probably more for tax breaks and low-cost running rather than fast connectivity

Search for Facebook on the iPhone App Store and you may or may not get the following graphic.  It comes and goes.  That screenshot below is the Facebook 3.0 interface.  The app was submitted yesterday according to a Tweet by developer Joel Hewitt.

What its appearance on the mobile app store means is that Facebook 3.0 is coming to the iPhone…soon…like any minute now.

We’ve heard the app is coming, but it – for better or worse – won’t include Push Notfications.  Thanks Jason!

 As I pointed out last month, the TomTom kit has a GPS unit on it and therefore could turn a garden variety iPod touch into a TomTom.  Today we learn it has.

You’ll, of course, need the kit for it to be worth a hill of beans…unless that new camera toting iPod coming next month has a GPS unit inside – you know, to tag those photos with GPS coordinates?  Yep.

Google Machine translated:

We wanted to learn more and offer a small interview with Yann Lafargue, public relations manager at Tomtom, answering our questions. And good news, support GPS expected soon, which loads its own good chip will work with the iPod Touch and even with the Tomtom software competitors. 

TomTom, now for iPod touch (App store link)

I hate mine, I bet you hate yours, too – I’m talking about my TV remote control. It’s rubbish, complex and clunky and takes an age to navigate to what I want it to do. Plus each TV has a different remote – not to mention the stereo and DVD player. If only life were that little bit simpler. If only I had a simple remote control that worked…well, now that integrated vision’s taken a step forward with i.TV’s introduction of the i.TV Remote Control Framework.

This is one of those small but big deals. I’ve been hoping someone would begin to get this together for a very long time. What i.TV’s framework does is  make it possible for you to turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a universal remote control for televisions, DVRs, AV receivers and other home entertainment devices – and TiVO is the first company to introduce an integrated remote control for their subscribers who use i.TV.

A quick feature list:

Remote Control: i.TV now combines the TV guide and the remote control on an iPhone or iPod touch. Remote controls are powered by the i.TV Remote Control Framework, which allows third parties to develop remote controls for use on the i.TV platform.

TiVo remote: TiVo is the first to introduce a soft remote on i.TV. You can now change the channel, fast forward, record and most importantly play your favorite shows and movies, with just a tap on your iPhone or iPod touch.

New look: i.TV now has a simplified and streamlined user interface.

iTunes: From within i.TV, discover related TV and movie content and then tap to download from iTunes.

Push notifications: Set alerts for when your favorite TV shows air. Never miss a show again.

While the i.TV 2.0 software isn’t quite available yet, it has been submitted to the App Store.

We’re hoping electronics manufacturers will see the light and share their remote control codes with i.TV, as we’d very much like a remote control for our devices that was so integrated and easy to use…

You are bound to grab some attention when you say stuff like this:

"We just met with Apple executives at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, CA, including Peter Oppenheimer, Greg Joswiak, and Eddy Cue."

Last week, (flew under our radar) Barclays Analyst, 
Ben Reitzes used the above heading to postulate on all things Apple products.  Though most of what he said, you’ll find familiar, he did talk about a low end MacBook and gaming updates to AppleTV which piqued our interest.  Here’s what he  had to say:

• New iPods with cameras (likely September). He expects a launch, possibly before the end of August, of iPod touches with cameras and video capabilities and perhaps even an iPod nano with a still camera — prompting another round of iPod upgrades. "We believe that imaging ties in well with Apple’s strengths in software and can help drive more Mac sales over time."
• A new tablet computer (likely in first half 2010, but possibly before the end of the year). He sees it priced between $399 and $999, and eventually becoming the fourth leg of Apple’s business model. "We believe this type of product would open Apple up to more opportunities in mobile gaming, navigation services and other content related growth – which could all be distributed through iTunes."
• New low-end MacBooks (Q4 2009) He believes the MacBook line needs to be revamped (there is only one MacBook available now, an old white model). He expects to see new MacBooks before the end of the year that are priced below the low-end MacBook Pro.
• An upgrade for Apple TV (Q1 2010). "We believe Apple TV can eventually become a platform that integrates gaming and other new features."
• An iPhone for China (by year end). But as early as this September, according to his sources, with China Unicom as the most likely partner.
• A new iPhone upgrade cycle (2010) "We believe more can be done with product width, battery life, speakers, gaming controls and more. Also, many developers realize that Apps may need to be recompiled for new screen sizes and Apple may be taking steps behind the scenes to ease any transition."

Dell’s iPhone-class contender has made a quiet debut in China, with images of the new device emerging just days since news of the computer maker’s plan came to light.

Not a great deal is known about Dell’s iPhone in China launch spoiler, bar that it has a higher resolution screen than an iPhone: a 3.5-inch touchscreen with 360×640 resolution, compared to the iPhone’s 3.5-inch screen with 320×480 resolution.  It most likely runs a version of Google’s Android OS.

It’s also known to feature a 3.2MP camera, Bluetooth, a 950mAh battery, a mini USB port and a microSD card slot, said MobileCrunch. There’s no WiFi or 3G support, though – which is par for the course in China.

Yet more trouble for Apple as European Commission consumer watchdogs have asked the company to provide information on its iPhone following several widely-publicised instances in which the screen has cracked.

What sparked this investigation off was the case of a young French customer who was slightly injured when the iPhone screen spontaneously cracked and a shard hit them in the eye.

Ton Van Lierop, EC spokesman for industry and enterprise, said Europe’s taking up the problem in the interests of consumer protection, health and industry. He revealed Apple had been invited to comment on the above incident, but hasn’t done so at this time.

The EC is also seeking information from France and the UK, where an iPod reportedly exploded, as well as from the US government entity in charge of product security.

Regional daily La Provence, which first reported on the case in Aix, has since made two additional claims that iPhone screens have spontaneously fissured. Though with several million sold it’s not unlikely some units will have faults.

Apple’s battle to keep the private life of the company’s incredibly secretive CEO continues, with The Times this morning publishing a profile of the rock-star CEO.

It seems Apple’s PR people attempted to prevent publication of this report, despite that it contains little that isn’t already widely known. And while it makes an attempt at balance by discussing the “bad” and “good” sides of the famously mercurial Jobsian character, it concedes the remarkable impact of the man and all his achievements.

In the opinion of this commentator, that the report fails to examine any of the personal reflections Jobs shared during his famed Stanford University speech is a shame. Jobs came his closest yet to true self revelation during that speech. (We’ve posted the speech below so you can remind yourself of it before taking a look at The Times’ report).

The report carries a statement from Bryan Appleyard, who characterises what many tech industry watchers believe on Jobs, saying: “I don’t want Jobs to die because my computers and iPhone are, indeed, “insanely great” compared with the dismal competition but, more importantly, because he is an extraordinary figure. I don’t use the word “genius” about businesspeople, but in Steve Jobs’s case I’m prepared to make an exception.”

Why did Apple attempt to spike this report?

We’re hoping it was for fear of a negative slanted account, a fear the report fails to realise. We’re also hoping that Jobs has used some of his time during his recent health-focused months away from the company to get some work done toward publishing his own, fully-authorised bio.  You’ll also note that they speculate that an Apple-Google merger is in the works as well as about 300 references to Jobs’ narcissism.

We’re of the opinion that – wherever you sit on the love/hate Apple fence – Jobs has proved himself a remarkable man, and as such he should make available his viewpoint on his life’s story. We think it could be an inspiration to the next agent of disruptive change.
 

It’s a Monday morning and while it looks like we covered most of the big news across the weekend, we came across these three videos each captured at the opening of one of three new Apple retail stores this last weekend.

Apple opened for business in three all-new North American locations last weekend, in Mississauga, Ont., Naperville, Ill., and Reston, Va.

Naturally, huge queues formed for each opening with the customary Apple opening T-shirts flying out the door.

Main Place, Naperville, Ill.

Square One Shopping Centre, Mississauga, Ont.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5QMFkXNs-g&hl=en&fs=1&]
Reston, Va., Town Center

Via: CNN/Fortune

The only downside when buying a Mac in some Apple retail stores is the wait to get your hands on a demo unit – see, the Apple stores also do double duty as the world’s biggest network of free Internet cafe’s, but there’s always someone who’ll take it one step further: step forward YouTube freestyle hip-hop wannabe, nicholifavs, who uses Apple retail as his personal A/V studio.

The young man has shot dozens of lip sync videos of the proto-hip hopulist styling away to his favourite tracks, including in this case the Black Eyed Peas, “Boom Boom Pow”.

We wonder how long it will be until some Mac users abandon their office space and try to run a business from within Apple’s retail outlets?

VIA: Boing Boing

UPDATE: Also amusing on our irregular morning round-up of unusual clips captured inside Apple retail stores, here’s footage of a "Hula Hit and Run" which took place at Apple’s San Francisco store last weekend: The “N? Lei Hulu I Ka W?kiu Dancers” had been performing in SF, theu got to Apple’s store, spread across the place and went for it, only to disappear when their dance was done. Quite amusing.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8nB9yJqOOw&hl=en&fs=1&]

It looks like Tom Tom is finally available for the iPhone.  Australia and New Zealand have gone live and we’re anticipating rollouts to stores globally throughout the night at around Midnight.   The prices shown below are in New Zealand dollars.  It will probably be just south of US$100 for the US.

App Store Links below:

Australia 
New Zealand
Western Europe
United States+ Canada
UK and Ireland

Update: Europe and North America now live.  Video with a thereIfixedit.com mount below. 

Expect more on this this later as Changewave Research goes public with detail of its findings, but at this stage in the game Apple’s iPhone seems ahead of Palm’s Pre, though both devices are experiencing warm reception.

These graphs compare and contrast customer likes and dislikes on both smartphones, and while Apple is ahead, the Pre has clearly touched a nerve – though with 50 million iPhones set for sale next year, we’re not convinced its going to live up to its potential.

More graphs after the jump. (Sorry about the image quality, BTW, one of those things, but figured people might be interested)

Ben Charny has some pretty famous miscues to his name.  The most recent was his assertion that Apple was going to be at this year’s CES.  Keep that in mind when reading this.  He asserts that there is a new way to upload apps to the iPhone without jailbreaking and without going through the App Store.  The first application to be able to do this is apparently ‘iHypno’.  It doesn’t look (ahem) like the type of application we’d buy but if it does do some sort of magic install, it is noteworthy.

The magician turned App developer has begun selling his $4.99 "iHypno" mind- reading application for Apple iPhones and iPod Touches directly from his Web site. That means consumers can buy the program without visiting the App Store, the official software bazaar that operates under Apple’s iTunes store.

"It’s based on technology encouraged by Apple," Sheraton said during an email interview. "It’s totally legal and possibly the way you’ll see other apps delivered in a year or so."

Sheraton’s action is the latest – and possibly most extreme – example of the frustration some iPhone software developers feel as they grapple with Apple’s notoriously difficult iPhone vetting process.

He also mentions in passing that another developer has gotten a direct email from "Mr. Public Relations", Phil Schiller.

Meanwhile, another magic app purveyor, theory11.com LLC, had a "rising card" trick application rejected by Apple, which said it created "consumer confusion," according to Chief Executive Jonathan Bayme.

Wednesday, Apple’s Schiller emailed theory11.com developer Chris Kenner, who wrote the app and also works with magician David Copperfield, saying he would look into the situation, according to Bayme. Kenner and Schiller are expected to discuss the matter Thursday.

It would appear from these leaked images of Snow Leopard printed discs and packaging that the release would likely be before the September timetable set at WWDC.  Even sitting on these for two weeks until the "talked-about" August 28th date might be hard to do.  With hundreds of thousand of people unable to wait until the official launch and downloading the Torrent, perhaps Apple will push the launch up even further.

Nowhereelse.fr has the 2006 version of the Apple tablet.  After this, we are going on a self-imposed tablet mockup hiatus…that is until a good one comes of course.

Another milestone toppled.  Mad Men, the wildly popular TV Show about the Madison Avenue advertising industry in the early 60’s is entering its third season in the US on AMC.  In Canada however, the show has decided to forgo the traditional broadcast medium and has agreed to only be distributed via iTunes.

Previously, the series was carried in Canada by CTV, which ran season one amid much acclaim in 2008. Season two aired on its secondary A network.

The network says seasons one and two will continue to be streamed on its website. There was no immediate word from CTV on how the network and Mad Men parted company.

This is the latest big deal for iTunes Canada, which in recent months has acquired big shows including both Sex and the City and The Wire from HBO, and Dr. Who from the BBC.

Almost one-in-ten iPhones may have been jailbroken, new data from analytics company, Pinch Media, suggests.

The company claims an estimated 8.6% of iPhones are jailbroken – up from 8.43% one month ago. Pinch Media adds that of the nearly 1 million new iPhones they recorded with their analytic software last week, 17.1% were jailbroken.

We expected an increase in frequency of jailbreaking following the release of the iPhone 3GS. We think the carriers must carry the can for their part in this – it’s not all Apple’s problem.

Why?

Apple’s network partners failed to offer a subsidy to existing iPhone users in order to facilitate their upgrade to the 3GS, causing many upgraders to sell or to give away their older iPhone, putting millions of them potentially into the arms of jailbreakers.

Last year O2 in the UK allowed customers with the first-generation iPhone to break their contracts and upgrade to the iPhone 3G on the day of release. However, to get the new iPhone 3GS, existing customers were asked to buy themselves out of their existing contracts, (very expensive), or invited to purchase the new model on Pay & Go.

In the UK, once a Pay & Go iPhone 3GS was purchased, O2 recommended customers should “give your existing iPhone 3G to someone you know”, after having swapped across the SIM card in order to retain their existing number.

Naturally, this generated growth in the second user market for older iPhones. A swift eBay search reveals a healthy trade in these.

There also appears to be some hesitancy when it comes to installing iPhone Software 3.0.1. Pinch Media reports there are now 56.4% users and 57.2% sessions on 3.0, and 18.0% users and 17.1% sessions on 3.0.1, for a total of 74.4% users and 74.3% sessions on OS 3.0 or higher.

Apple meanwhile warns that phone networks could suffer “potentially catastrophic” cyberattacks by iPhone-wielding hackers at home and abroad if iPhone owners are permitted to jailbreak their devices.

That’s against the background of the US Copyright Office which is mulling over a  request by the EFF to legalise jailbreaking. Apple warns that opening the platform in this way could see national communications toppled, and may even give the street drugs industry a boost by enabling criminals to hack into the iPhone to make free and anonymous calls. A set of arguments which underline the intensity with which Apple wants to oppose jailbreaking.

As with file-sharing, however, the cat’s out the bag, and we think the frequency of jailbreaking will only increase as the second-user iPhone market grows.

Pinch Media’s statistics indicate this is what is happening.

Mac|Life found a curious question on a survey sent around by Borders.  They asked if:

Curious because if Apple was building a tablet eBook reading device, Borders would be one of the first to know…but could obviously be speculation as well.  Do you plan on buying an iPAD this year?