The Icon Bar: News and features: Apple announce the iPhone
Posted by Phil Mellor on 19:01, 9/1/2007
| Mobile computing, Mac
 Steve Jobs has just completed his keynote speech at the Macworld Expo show in San Francisco, where he had something rather special to show us... Say hello to the iPhone. It's gorgeous. The iPhoneThe iPhone doesn't look or behave much like a phone, nor an iPod for that matter, and it's all down to the interface.
These days mobiles are used for many other tasks besides phone calls but the numeric button interface is not suitable for the majority of applications. Jobs says that "it doesn't work, because the buttons and controls can't change ... How do you solve this? Turns out we have solved it; we solved it in computers 20 years ago. A bitmap screen, and a pointing device; we solved it with a mouse."
The iPhone only has one moving part - the Home button. Everything else is performed using a special high resolution (160dpi) multitouch screen: "You don't need a stylus, and it is far more accurate than any pointing device that's shipped."
But there's more to the iPhone than the clever hardware - it also runs OS X. "Why do you need such a sophisticated OS on a mobile device? Because it's got everything we need. It's got power management, the mobile multitasking that has let us create desktop class applications, not the crippled stuff you find on most phones."
The applications are impressive. It has the Safari web browser. It has Dashboard gadgets. It does SMS texting properly. You have visual voicemail, that behaves like an email client. Naturally the iPhone is also an iPod, and has some clever features, such as a proximity sensor that pauses the music when you lift the phone to your face for a call. Users will be able to synchronise all their data in the same manner as the iPod.
Subject to FCC approval, the iPhone will be available in the US in June, priced between $499 (£260) and $599 (£310) for the 4GB and 8GB models respectively, with an exclusive Cingular contract. The European release will be some time in the fourth quarter of the year. Apple TV Also announced at the keynote, although rather overshadowed by the iPhone, was Apple TV. It looks like a Mac Mini that Steve Ballmer sat on, and lets you watch porncontent downloaded from the internet, on your TV. It can stream video over the internet via a Mac or PC to the TV, or sync with the music, videos, TV shows and movies stored in your iTunes collection. You can also use it to show photos. Apple TV has a 40GB hard drive, and supports 720p hi-def video and 802.11n Wi-Fi.
LinksApple iPhone
Apple TV
Engadget's live coverage of the keynote
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Apple announce the iPhone |
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ad (21:35 9/1/2007)
andypoole (21:45 9/1/2007)
adamlloyd (10:08 14/1/2007)
richcheng (11:11 15/1/2007)
adamr (12:39 10/1/2007)
monkeyson2 (12:41 10/1/2007)
rich (12:58 10/1/2007)
mr-mac (14:02 10/1/2007)
monkeyson2 (14:12 10/1/2007)
ksattic (15:33 10/1/2007)
pvigay (17:26 10/1/2007)
EasyKees (12:22 20/1/2007)
ad (13:17 20/1/2007)
filecore (20:03 21/1/2007)
rich (13:36 11/1/2007)
Matthew (01:10 12/1/2007)
rich (19:44 13/1/2007)
guestx (21:52 13/1/2007)
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Andrew Duffell |
Message #96913, posted by ad at 21:35, 9/1/2007 |
Posts: 3262
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That phone looks awesome. A large screen, without the loss of button space. 
Most phones these days have large screens, and small buttons, or large buttons and small screens. Nokia solved this with the Nokia 7600, but they never produced a follow up. The iPhone is solving this problem too, but from a different angle. |
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Andrew Poole |
Message #96915, posted by andypoole at 21:45, 9/1/2007, in reply to message #96913 |
Posts: 5558
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Of course, one should probably note that historically when Apple release things in the UK, they're much more expensive than they are in the US, so expect it to be a little bit more than 260 of your earth pounds when the time comes...
It's also wirth noting that the iPhone comes with a 2 year contract for Cingular... Hopefully you can get network-free ones... |
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Adam |
Message #96938, posted by adamr at 12:39, 10/1/2007, in reply to message #96913 |
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Posts: 112
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That phone looks awesome. C'mon. It looks like a brick. And it costs a fortune. Who on earth is going to buy it? |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #96939, posted by monkeyson2 at 12:41, 10/1/2007, in reply to message #96938 |
 Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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That phone looks awesome. C'mon. It looks like a brick. And it costs a fortune. Who on earth is going to buy it?
People with deep pockets? |
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Richard Goodwin |
Message #96940, posted by rich at 12:58, 10/1/2007, in reply to message #96939 |
 Dictator for life
Posts: 6828
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I don't know about deep pockets, but God help me, it looks like I'm finally being drawn to the Apple gravity field.
I don't even really need a new 'phone. And my camera does MP3 playing, so there's two other things I don't really need. However, a nice, touch-sensitive, widescreen PDA with full wi-fi and browser capabilities that can also do away with all my other devices, for about 300 quid... hmm...
Looking at the demos, the SMS "chat" stylings, list of voicemails, the MP3 interface, widgets, picture email integration... it looks so nice! And if you happened to be working a show that had wi-fi, emailing pics back to the server so we could get the auto-generated web page thing working again...
________
 Cheers,
Rich.
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John |
Message #96942, posted by mr-mac at 14:02, 10/1/2007, in reply to message #96940 |
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Posts: 148
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I don't know about deep pockets, but God help me, it looks like I'm finally being drawn to the Apple gravity field.
I don't even really need a new 'phone. And my camera does MP3 playing, so there's two other things I don't really need. However, a nice, touch-sensitive, widescreen PDA with full wi-fi and browser capabilities that can also do away with all my other devices, for about 300 quid... hmm...
Looking at the demos, the SMS "chat" stylings, list of voicemails, the MP3 interface, widgets, picture email integration... it looks so nice! And if you happened to be working a show that had wi-fi, emailing pics back to the server so we could get the auto-generated web page thing working again... Yeah it looks superb..... I have resisted ipods so far and tbh I like a phone to be a phone first and foremost but I can really see the draw of somthing like this and think it looks great...
Now if only they would do the same with a nice keyboard i'd be happy for years to come... Somthing like a mini 5MX would be my ideal. But if they make a compact and useable clip on keyboard that holds it in landscape mode I think I may just have to buy one....
For that mater if someone could have got RISC OS to work on a jornada 720 and make it work with irda so I could use with my mobile I would have been equally happy - infact I still would... |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #96943, posted by monkeyson2 at 14:12, 10/1/2007, in reply to message #96942 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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I wonder if this uses an ARM processor?  |
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Simon Wilson |
Message #96944, posted by ksattic at 15:33, 10/1/2007, in reply to message #96943 |
 Finally, an avatar!
Posts: 1291
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I wonder if this uses an ARM processor? I think with the battery life they are quoting, the ARM would be the only contender I can think of. It must have a GPU though to do all those fancy graphics effects (like the 3D album cover shuffle). The ARM could probably do it, but I can't imagine *they* know that.  |
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Paul Vigay |
Message #96947, posted by pvigay at 17:26, 10/1/2007, in reply to message #96944 |
Posts: 200
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Seriously awesome little gadget, but I was a bit concerned that most of the software was "fun" stuff. I didn't spot any serious stuff on it, like a decent mini word processor or database, or RSS reader, PDF viewer, notes etc.
I do like Steve's keynote presentations though. His enthusiasm is really quite infectious!
[Edited by pvigay at 17:48, 10/1/2007] |
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Richard Goodwin |
Message #97005, posted by rich at 13:36, 11/1/2007, in reply to message #96913 |
Dictator for life
Posts: 6828
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<inevitable>Cisco Sues Apple for Trademark Infringement</inevitable>
________
Cheers,
Rich.
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Matthew Somerville |
Message #97015, posted by Matthew at 01:10, 12/1/2007, in reply to message #97005 |
Posts: 520
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<inevitable>Cisco Sues Apple for Trademark Infringement</inevitable> From Cisco's blog (obviously not biased ), it sounds like they were close to an agreement Monday evening, then Apple went ahead anyway and announced it on the Tuesday, which if true would understandably piss Cisco off. They're probably just trying to force Apple to settle more on their terms, whatever they are. |
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Richard Goodwin |
Message #97105, posted by rich at 19:44, 13/1/2007, in reply to message #97015 |
Dictator for life
Posts: 6828
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http://blogs.zdnet.com/Burnette/?p=236
Sounds like Cisco might have to blink first...
________
Cheers,
Rich.
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GuestX |
Message #97122, posted by guestx at 21:52, 13/1/2007, in reply to message #97105 |
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Posts: 102
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Sounds like Cisco might have to blink first... All we might learn from any eventual Apple triumph in this case (which might not be as certain as the fanboys believe) is that, if similar rules applied in the UK, Castle would be a bit late rebranding the Iyonix as an Acorn machine. Caveats all round, everyone! |
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Adam Lloyd |
Message #97136, posted by adamlloyd at 10:08, 14/1/2007, in reply to message #96915 |
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Posts: 155
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dude the phone is ausome and the tv but why is it so expesive in the uk |
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richard cheng |
Message #97175, posted by richcheng at 11:11, 15/1/2007, in reply to message #97136 |
Posts: 655
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dude the phone is ausome and the tv but why is it so expesive in the uk For the same reason that everything is expensive in the UK. If people will still buy them at that price, then why would they make them cheaper? |
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Kees Meijer |
Message #97492, posted by EasyKees at 12:22, 20/1/2007, in reply to message #96943 |
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I wonder if this uses an ARM processor? http://tweakers.net/nieuws/46003/iPhone-gebruikt-Xscale-processor.html
Dutch only - but the I-phone is powered by an Xscale processor. |
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Andrew Duffell |
Message #97495, posted by ad at 13:17, 20/1/2007, in reply to message #97492 |
Posts: 3262
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The translation |
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Jason Togneri |
Message #97513, posted by filecore at 20:03, 21/1/2007, in reply to message #96940 |
Posts: 3868
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I don't even really need a new 'phone. And my camera does MP3 playing Now that's a bit funny. My MP3 player plays MP3s, and my camera... um... well, it takes pictures, basically. I can understand why it's nice having them mixed together, but I wouldn't really want to take my camera on the commute to work every day, nor take my MP3 player when I'm out with my wife (she complains, see, so I can't use it). Besides which, if it gets lost/stolen/broken/batteries die, then *all* of your devices are affected.
What model/make is it? |
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The Icon Bar: News and features: Apple announce the iPhone |
Steve Jobs has just completed his keynote speech at the Macworld Expo show in San Francisco, where he had something rather special to show us...
