Apple Makes It Official: iPhone 3G

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At today's WWDC 2008 in San Francisco, Apple made it official. They announced the new iPhone 3G which will be available July 11th. It is now thinner, lighter, faster, and less expensive. It now has 3G for faster online access, GPS, much improved audio quality, version 2.0 of the operating system allowing 3rd party applications, half the price, and now available in black and white. For more details, check out the Apple iPhone 3G site.
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Apple Releases New, Faster iMacs

The updated all-in-one iMac introduced today offers the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and the most powerful graphics ever available in an iMac. The ultimate all-in-one desktop computer includes faster processors with 6MB L2 cache, a faster 1066 MHz front-side bus across the entire line, and 2GB of memory standard in most models. And the 24-inch iMac now offers a 3.06 GHz Intel processor and the high-performance NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS graphics as options. Available immediately, the new iMac starts at just $1,199.
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Rumor: Apple's Mac mini still has legs...

AppleInsider is reporting that the Apple Mac mini will soon be upgraded to the new Penryn-3M-based Intel chip.  It may receive the Core 2 Duo mobile processor starting at 2.1GHz, 800MHz front-side bus, and stepped-up Intel graphics processor comparable to the one found in the MacBook.
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Apple Releases AirPort Express 802.11n

Its not Tuesday, but Apple released a new wireless base station today.  The AirPort Express is now available in the "n" flavor.  You can share a printer wirelessly via USB, stream audio wirelessly via the audio mini jack (both analog and optical), setup a WiFi network when traveling, or extend the range of your existing wireless network.   All at the faster 802.11n speeds.  For more details, check out AirPort Express at Apple's site...

Apple AirPort Express
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Apple's iPhone Firmware v2.0 is on its way!

Today Apple announced the availability of their iPhone SDK.  Now anyone can develop applications for the iPhone and iPod touch.  If you watch the iPhone Event, it will amaze you.  The iPhone truely is a Macintosh just in mini form.  The operating system and core libraries are those of OS X.  The v2.0 firmware should be released to the public in late June at no cost to iPhone owners.  For more details about this event, below are links to the Event, SDK download, and Enterprise Beta program:

March 6 Event
iPhone Developer Program (SDK)
iPhone Enterprise Beta Program
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Starbucks QuickOrder via iPhone

Genoco has developed an iPhone app that could change the way we buy our Starbucks coffee, if not all future purchases. If this does get picked up by Starbucks, I'll be spending much more on my coffee fix! Starbucks iPhone App
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Steve Jobs Makes Good

As you all have heard by now, the iPhone 8gb price has dropped by $200 just 60 days since its release. Many Apple customers are upset including myself. I was just about to contact my store and demand a credit. If that didn't work, then you still can return the iPhone for up to 90 days from the date of purchase and pay the 10% restocking fee. Then you could purchase a new iPhone at the lower cost and still be ahead. Only problem there is having to possibly be without a phone for a short while.

Now, Steve Jobs released this statement on the Apple web site about offering a $100 credit to early adopters of the iPhone. I think its fair:

To all iPhone customers:

I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple dropping the price of iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.

First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to 'go for it' this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone 'tent'. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.

Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you'll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.

Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.

Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned.

We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.

Steve Jobs
Apple CEO
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Apple Releases New iPods & More

Today, Apple upgraded it's entire iPod line from top to bottom. You now get many more features for much less than before along with new design points. The entry line of iPods, the shuffle, now comes in 5 new colors. The iPod nano now is smaller and a bit wider but supports video and games. The original iPod is now the iPod classic and is thinner along with capacities up to 160gb. That's up to 40,000 songs in your pocket.

The hot new announcement today is the iPod touch. Its basically an iPhone in every way but without the phone functionality. And with capacities up to 16gb. It also supports WiFi access now and sports the Safari web browser, YouTube access, syncs with yout contacts and calendar, and more.

The iPhone, along with the iPod touch, now have a new feature, WiFi iTunes Store. You can now browse the iTunes Store, preview music, purchase, and download songs directly to your iPod touch and/or iPhone. The iPhone, via an upgraded version of iTunes software (being released tonight), now supports Ringtones and you can create your own ringtones as well from the purchased music downloads.

Apple is now partnering with Starbucks Coffee to offer free WiFi access to the iTunes Store from the Starbucks coffee shops. Now, when you enter a Starbucks, your iPod touch or iPhone will sense the Starbucks WiFi network, automatically login, and present you with a Starbucks icon on your iPod function. It will display the current playing song in the store and the previous 10 songs played. You can preview those songs and if you like it, you can purchase and download it directly from within Starbucks. Apple also surprised everyone by dropping the 4gb version of the iPhone and reducing the price of the 8gb iPhone from $599 to $399!

You can see all the lateset iPods and iPhone at the Apple iPod+iTunes site.
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Complicated iPhone/AT&T activation that went brilliantly!

Apple iPhone
Today I purchased my two Apple iPhones and could not wait to get it up and running. With all the horror stories about activation with AT&T, I did my homework and with tips found at The Apple Phone Show website, my experience was flawless. Now my setup was a bit complicated considering I am activating two iPhones, on an AT&T Family Plan, and porting two of my four Verizon Wireless phones over to AT&T.

1) two iPhones to activate
2) utilizing an AT&T Family Plan
3) porting two of my four Verizon Wireless phones
4) maintain my BlackBerry and EVDO card on Verizon Wireless

The first thing I did was find the iPhones so I called around and found them locally here in Portland, OR so I also saved the sales tax (cool!). I purchased the last two 8gb iPhones they had in stock. I then went over to the AT&T store just around the corner and explained my situation and concerns about porting from Verizon Wireless. Mike, the AT&T sales consultant hooked me up. We first created two new AT&T accounts on a family plan. He assigned them to two temporary SIMs. Then while he was doing that, I called Verizon Wireless and informed them what I wanted to do about keeping my BlackBerry and EVDO card. The Verizon rep noted my account about porting the two main cell numbers and kept the other two devices on their data plans. Then Mike called his activation center and started the porting process to move my Verizon numbers to the two new temporary SIMs. Then he gave me the breakdown on the AT&T family plan and told me the phones would be ported at a specific time (about 2 hours from when he started).

So then we shook hands and were on our way home. When we arrived at home, it was time to prepare for the iPhone activations. I made sure both MacBook Pros had the latest iTunes (v7.3) and latest software updates. I then unboxed the first iPhone. It was minutes away from the porting process. I turned off the two old Motorola Razrs. Then I connected the first iPhone to my first MacBook Pro and started the setup. I selected that I had an existing AT&T account and wanted to activate this phone on the account. Three minutes later, DONE. I then unboxed the second iPhone, connected it to the MacBook Pro and did the same process. Three minutes later, DONE!

That was it! No issues. No hassles. Everything worked, EDGE, phone calls, etc. I then setup the items to sync and I was all setup. I love these iPhones and the best part is that all my contacts, calendars, bookmarks, mail accounts, and music syncs beautifully.
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Apple announces iPhone battery replacement program

Apple iPhone
Apple announced that the iPhone out-of-warranty batteries can be replaced for a small fee. So when a year goes by and your iPhone battery charge diminishes, you can send it in to Apple for a replacement for $79.00.

Announcement
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AT&T gives WiFi access free to customers

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Today AT&T announced that it will provide higher speed broadband customers free access to the nation's largest WiFi network.

Announcement
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We picked up two new iPhones

Apple iPhone
One simple word... AWESOME! This new iPhone is fantastic!
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Apple posts new finger tips video for the iPhone

Apple iPhone

Apple released a new finger tips video for the iPhone.
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AT&T launches new iPhone store locator

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Today AT&T published a store locator for the new iPhone. You can now search for only the stores that will have the iPhone available.

iPhone Store Locator
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Apple releases new How-To video for the iPhone keyboard

Apple iPhone

Apple released a new How-To video for the iPhone keyboard.
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Apple and AT&T announce new iPhone service plans

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Today AT&T and Apple announced new iPhone service plans. Syncing and phone activation is done through iTunes. Apple posted videos on syncing and activation. All iPhone service plans include Visual Voicemail and unlimited data (Internet and email).

AT&T Service Plans
Apple Syncing and Activation
AT&T Coverage Viewer
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Walt Mossberg inteviews Apple CEO Steve Jobs

Walt asks Steve a few questions about the soon to be released iPhone and the deal with YouTube to watch videos downloaded directly to your AppleTV.

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Tech Titans Take The Stage: Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at All Things Digital D5

From the joint interview between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at the D5 conference. They are back after two decades.

Prologue


Part 1
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates discuss their contributions to the technology industry, the qualities they most respect in one another, and former Apple CEO Gil Amelio’s seamanship.


Part 2
Steve and Bill talk about the 1997 agreement between Apple and Microsoft; whether they think their companies are rivals today; the “Get a Mac” commericals; and iPods, Zunes and music.


Part 3
Steve and Bill talk about their biggest regrets; what excites and surprises them in technology today; mobile devices; and what they feel computing will be like in five years.


Part 4
Gates and Jobs continue their discussion about the future of technology, covering such topics as mobile phones, flexible displays, Internet services and the nimbleness of large companies versus small start-ups.


Part 5
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs’ discussion with Walt and Kara turns to the entertainment industry, the transition facing Hollywood companies today and the future of computing interfaces.


Part 6
Steve and Bill reveal the greatest misunderstanding about their relationship, joke with Walt and Kara and receive a standing ovation from the crowd as they conclude their fireside chat.


Part 7
In the final segment of their joint interview, Bill and Steve field questions from the audience at D5.


Highlight Reel
A selection of rip-roaring laughs and jokes from the joint interview between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates at the D5 conference.
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Possible rebates coming from Apple and/or AT&T for the iPhone?


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AppleInsider is reporting that Apple and/or AT&T is considering an iPhone rebate to help with the cost of the phone to the consumer.
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Apple iPhone Photos

We attended Macworld 2007 in San Francisco and captured these photos of Apple's new iPhone. Encased in a glass cylinder and protected by guards, this announcement was the biggest of the event!

To see the photos, follow this
link.
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Apple Inc. announces the iPhone, Apple TV, and changes their name to Apple Inc.

This week we are at MacWorld 2007 for the 30th anniversary of the Macintosh. Besides changing their name from Apple Computers, Inc. to Apple, Inc., this morning during Steve Jobs' keynote presentation, Apple announced the iPhone and the Apple TV. For more details including demos and photos of these wonderful devices, please follow these links:

Apple iPhone
Apple TV
Apple AirPort Extreme

Apple iPhone
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