Apple

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It's Time For Microsoft To Up Their Game

Posted Sat, 10/30/2010 - 16:09 by awakenedvoice

There are major changes afoot in the world of computer operating systems. Since the original iPhone was released in 2007 many people and companies have altered their expectations about their mobile device experiences. For many years cell phone operating systems were expected to be just utilitarian enough to easily manage a few basic tasks such as making calls, sending text messages, snapping a quick photo, or listening to an MP3 file. The added features of the the smartphone were usually centered around a bigger screen, a better keyboard, and improved contact and appointment management. The non-cell phone mobile devices in play were MP3 players which also offered the basic functionality required to play music. As we all know the iPhone forever redefined expectations and changed the mobile industry.

We now expect that our mobile experiences will be much more robust with access to the full web (less Flash in some cases), video chat, high quality cameras, media sharing, games, both local and internet streamed video content and more. Performance of these devices (which include smartphones and tablets) has greatly improved too. The user interfaces have improved to the point where full touch screens are not only acceptable, but preferred by many people. These capabilities are now available via a range of platforms in addition to the iPhone including Android, HP Web OS and the newer Blackberry OS. In a few days Microsoft will officially get into the game with their Windows 7 Phone platform.

Is it too little too late for Microsoft? Can they catch up to the formidable competition in this space? I have been pondering these questions because I'm also pondering future computing purchases. For years my house has been a Windows house but Apple products have slowly been creeping into our lives. It all started with the 1st Gen iPod Touch, and now I'm the owner of both an iPhone 4 and an iPad. We have two year-old HP desktops in the house that run Windows 7. My wife and I are very happy with our Windows 7 desktops. The experience is much better than it was with Windows XP. I credit Microsoft with really coming through on Windows 7 but having spent six months with an iPad, and having seen the coming upgrades to Mac OS X, I'm starting to think differently. Pun intended! 

At the moment the only computer that my kids interact with is the iPad. They absolutely love it. The touch interface is very simple for them to navigate. Closing a program with the press of a button and opening another by tapping a graphical icon have been simple tasks for them to master. They also love double tapping photos to zoom in, and have fun flicking through photos with a light touch of their finger. My children are 5+ and 2+ and until the iPad came along I thought it would be a few more years before they would be able to interact with a real computer on their own. The combination of the mouse and the QWERTY keyboard, while definitely useful for adults, presents a real barrier to kids with small hands who can’t read too well yet. The touch interface of the iPad has removed those barriers though. So when it comes time for a more advanced computer experience you can bet that they will expect a comparable experience. The upgrades to Mac OS X, combined with some new hardware like the new MacBook Air appear to provide that experience.

At the present time the new MacBook Air supports multi-touch via Apple's trackpad technology. Once OS X Lion is released next summer users will be able to swipe the pad left and right to move from screen to screen of applications as part of a new feature called Launchpad. An app store like the iOS app store but for Macs is coming in a few months. The changes are not merely software related though. With their newest hardware Apple has shown that you can have a computer that is thin and light but also performs like a full size laptop. Beyond performing like a laptop you can have a computer that also acts like a tablet if you use solid state storage which they have in the MacBook Air. That means you can boot the computer in seconds and wake the computer from sleep mode in an instant. These are all features that people love right now and will continue to expect in the future. These are also the kind of features that I believe will entice people to switch from Microsoft powered laptops and desktops to Macs.

Since Microsoft is different from Apple I don't expect them to make a 180-degree turn and start producing their own hardware. But I do hope that Microsoft starts producing software that can support the right hardware for the next generation of computing devices. Consideration of touch interfaces, solid state storage and downloadable apps should be at the forefront of the next generation Windows design. The processor and memory are a large part of the equation when it comes to performance. So I think that Microsoft will have to work even more closely with both the hardware manufacturers and the chip makers to bring products to market that can compete with Apple, Samsung, RIM and the other companies that are likely to expand on their tablet offerings. 

Based on what I've seen recently it is going to be a serious uphill climb for Microsoft. Windows 7 appears to be way behind iOS and Android in terms of features and applications. And there are indications that Windows 8 (which I assume would contain the necessary upgrades) could be two years away. That's a long time in the world of technology. Perhaps too long for Microsoft to be able to hold onto their commanding lead in computer OS market share. Just like Firefox and Chrome have helped to chip away at Microsoft's commanding lead in web browser market share, Apple's future operating systems, Android, and perhaps others will chip away at Microsoft's OS market share. Given Steve Ballmer's recent comments and Microsoft's progress on Windows Phone 7 I think that's likely to occur.

Apple TV Is About The Ecosystem

Posted Sun, 09/05/2010 - 10:39 by awakenedvoice

New Apple TVYou may have heard that Apple announced a new Apple TV box this past week. Apple TV has been around for a few years but the previous model didn't do so well in terms of sales so many people predicted that this new model would eventually appear. The main differences between the old and the new one comes down to size and general approach to the experience. The old box was big whereas this one is very small. The old box had a hard drive whereas the new Apple TV does not. There have been a lot of questions about what this new approach means for content and the possibilities for cutting the cord with cable. Of course I have my own opinions.

First of all I think that the move towards a box without a hard drive recognizes the challenges related to local storage on these boxes. A local hard drive basically means that the box is a mini-computer with all of the power and processor needs of a mini-computer. The previous Apple TV was considered to be under-powered and thus it did not perform well. By removing the hard drive and adding a new processing chip Apple is leaving the heavy lifting to their servers or your home computer. It's an approach that makes sense because it allows you to get more out of your existing technology while also saving you money. You see the new Apple TV box only costs $99. The old Apple TV with all the bells and whistles cost $250. I think that Apple is right to think that if you're going to add this type of box to your television you probably have the computing power on other boxes to stream content to the new Apple TV.

Unlike the old box the new box is connected to Netflix which means that you have access to the Netflix streaming video library. This is Apple taking a pragmatic approach to this product. The fact is that if you want to sell a TV connected box it better have Netflix as an option. Without Netflix you're done. So this is another win for Netflix, but it also doesn't hurt Apple other video streaming option which is iTunes. Why not? The Netflix streaming catalog is severely limited and while there is a lot of good content on there you won't find a lot of new content. On the other hand iTunes has first run videos to rent or buy even before Netflix has the DVDs available. So Netflix and iTunes are complimentary, not competing with each other. Apple knows that content access is key and with the Netflix/iTunes combo they have a strong proposition. They have made the proposition even stronger by offering ninety-nine cent "HD" video rentals from ABC and Fox. Here's where the real future potential exists. If they can convince other TV networks to join this rental scheme then it could change the economics of TV in a way that the cable companies will not like. That's a big "if" though because the cable companies have their own plans.

The final aspect of this new Apple TV that really means something involves what Apple is now calling AirPlay. This creates real synergy with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. It allows you to beam content from those devices to your television via Apple TV at the tap of a button. That is a big deal and it is meant to make this box a must have for people who have one or more of those other iOS devices. It makes the new Apple TV the cherry on top if you will. And a lot of people have iOS devices now. So once that functionality goes live (sometime in November 2010)  the whole package makes a lot more sense.

So I think that this box is not about trying to create a knockout standalone device. The new Apple TV is about closing the loop on an ecosystem that places Apple devices in every aspect of your life and every room of your house. It's more important for Apple to find a place in your living room via this low cost, low profile device than to sell you a complicated box that does it all. Apple has that advantage over the other internet connected set top box makers. 

While I think that Apple is making yet another smart move with this new Apple TV I do think that there are worthy competitors out there. I'm the owner of a WD TV Live Plus HD box and I have to say that I am very happy with it. It does just about everything the Apple TV box does except integrate with iOS devices or offer iTunes access. Apple TV does have built in wi-fi which the WD TV box doesn't but that can be added to the WD TV box with a $30 USB wi-fi adapter. I'm surprised that other websites have ignored a comparison between the WD TV product and the Apple TV. Instead they have focused on comparisons with the Roku and Boxee boxes. Unlike the Roku or Apple TV the WD TV box allows local storage to be connected via a USB port. Unlike the Boxee box, the WD TV box is actually for sale! Oh and Google has their own play in this space via the forthcoming Logitech Revue which is powered by Google TV software.

As you can see this is a very competitive space right now. I haven't even discussed the fact that Samsung and Sony among others are building applications right into HD television sets. As competitive as it is Apple is the only company that will soon have real synergy across the many devices that people all ready have. That's why I think their strategy will probably be the one that wins out in the end.

The iPad From A Developer / Media Creator Perspective

Posted Sat, 01/30/2010 - 08:28 by awakenedvoice

Apple iPad

In my previous post I offered up some personal thoughts on the iPad as a technology buyer. Although I opined that there's a lot not to like about the iPad that doesn't mean there aren't new opportunities to be exploited or at least considered. Most of the issues I've been thinking about relate to the increased screen size and beefed up processor contained in the device.

Some iPhone apps will now be obsolete. There are quite a few iPhone apps that exist merely because the screen is too small for efficient navigation and content creation. The larger screen on the iPad means that apps like those for systems such as WordPress and Squarespace won't be necessary since people should be able to create content with few limitations in the Safari browser. It remains to be seen whether or not the browser will be able to access the file system on the device so people can upload photos so that may be a limitation. Another limitation will be the lack of Adobe Flash in the Safari browser. You may be able to embed a video in a blog post but you won't be able to preview how it looks unless it's from YouTube. Also, all of the apps meant to offer up the content of blogs and news websites should be obsolete as well. Once again these are apps that exist merely due to the iPhone screen size limitations. That doesn't mean that news organizations won't build custom (and probably paid) apps to take advantage of the touch features of the device.

YouTube will be more important than ever. The larger screen and faster processor will help to create a much better video experience on the iPad. YouTube is the video site that is best integrated with the device. Both embeds and links to videos should work as they do on the iPhone. The limited storage on the device is also likely to spur users to seek more entertainment in the cloud. So if serious media creators want to be present on the iPad without the hassle of having to figure out the right video codec necessary to support it then they will likely have an outpost on YouTube. Video creators will also want to think about size. Some are optimizing the video size for the iPhone dimensions of 480x320. That size will need to be adjusted up in order to look good on the iPad.

Education apps will become more prominent. Don't underestimate the value of the iPad as an educational device. I can easily imagine kids having this in their backpack instead of multi-subject notebooks. Apple is already on top of this with their mobile iWork suite. That doesn't mean that there won't be a demand for unique and useful apps created by independent developers. The iPad can also be a blockbuster kids learning device as well. A parent who already likes the idea of the iPad could be convinced to buy if they think it can also be used as an education tool for their children. Based on my kids love of my iPod touch I'd say the iPad will be used by many small children.

Interactive books will become a much more attractive class of content. I'm not just talking abut the e-books that Apple will sell in their iBook store. I'm talking about web based books that have links to other sites and embedded videos or audio. The size of the device lends itself to a more involved content experience. I could imagine someone sitting in a chair and getting really absorbed in something. The touch also allows more scrolling which isn't a good option on the iPhone.

The cloud will become infinitely more important. Many of the limitations of the iPad are no longer limitations when paired with robust cloud services and 3G connectivity. Take the issue of document creation. You could pay $30 for the mobile iWork suite or you could use Google Docs via the browser for free. Using the cloud rather than a local app solves the issue of multi-tasking as well. Pandora need not worry about folks not using their service on the iPad due to multi-tasking issues. If they figure out how to allow streaming via the Safari browser then the problem is solved. In my previous post I complained about the dearth of storage and the lock in to iTunes for media playback. But with media stored in the cloud you can have access to an infinite amount of entertainment.

Apps should take advantage of touch and motion capabilities. With the iPad, an app as an alternate visual representation of a website won't do. I think developers will need to consider innovative ways to take advantage of the touch and motion capabilities of the iPad if they want to capture the imagination of users and stand out from the crowd of hundreds of thousands of apps. I think that Apple is counting on develpers to make this happen. It's probably the reason why the iPad is so much like the iPod Touch, just bigger. A larger interface with touch and motion capabilities really opens open the possibilities. And since apps are what really set the iPhone apart then why shouldn't apps set the iPad apart from the competition that will surely come.

This may not sound like the post of someone who doesn't find the iPad highly desirable in its current form. I may not be the target market after all. This is a device that on first glance I think many non-techy, non-Mac loving people will find attractive and appealing. They won't stress about things like card slots and video formats. They'll just think, "That's the most amazing thing I've seen." After all, you don't need perfect functionality for a device to appeal to a mass market. You need to generate a feeling in the mind of the customer. Apple has been very good over the last few years at creating devices that people want without knowing exactly why they want it. They just want them. That's a powerful force. So I think that many people will buy this product. That's why I also think that web developers and media creators should figure out ways to make things that appeal to the many people who will be using the iPad just a few short months from now.

The iPad And Me

Posted Fri, 01/29/2010 - 12:36 by awakenedvoice

I have quite a few thoughts about Apple's new iPad device that Steve Jobs recently showed off. Some of those thoughts are my personal feelings as a consumer and some are the thoughts of someone who observes (and sometimes participates) in the world of online media. I'll lead with my personal thoughts in this post and follow up with a post that considers the wider implications of the device.

The iPad is quite disappointing and not something I would buy. For all it can do you're still getting a device in the iPad that is very limiting. The max memory you can get is 64GB. That's a lot of memory for an iPhone but for a multimedia device like the iPad it's paltry. My personal music collection is over 20GB at this time so that even rules out the entry level. I'll also want to load the thing up with high res photos (several GB at least) and movies too. My movie library at present takes up over 100GB of space an it grows weekly as I burn DVDs from my collection. The space issue is also a convenience issue. It's a real hassle to deal with managing what I can or cannot have on the device to consume at any given time. I want to be able to access everything I have. That kind of access makes the iPad experience a carefree one.

There are a few of ways that Apple could address the space issue. First they could offer larger storage options. They may be technically limited with respect to the amount of memory supported on a flash chip. Perhaps Apple could add a second chip or work with memory makers to innovate and develop larger chips. Apple also has the option of adding an SD card slot. This seems like a no brainer feature that would allow the user more freedom and take away storage anxiety issues. Apple hasn't given access as of yet to the file system on the iPhone so perhaps that's why no SD card slot. This is a new device though and should (we would hope) be free from some of the more annoying limitations of the iPhone. Another possible remedy with the SD card would have iTunes be able to recognize media on the card and allow you to browse it on the device while the card in plugged in.

The iPad screen concerns me as well. You would think that a device meant to make a visual impact would support HD video content. But the screen only has a resolution of 1024x768 which is a fading standard at best. So how will those 1280x720 (or even 1680x1020) videos that YouTube now supports look on the iPad? Scrunched up I would imagine. Another issue with the screen is the orientation when docked. Since the iPhone is pretty useless when standing up in a dock then vertical orientation is no problem. But the iPad has a special keyboard dock which looks like an awesome accessory. But you're stuck with a vertical orientation. Sure I could live with that my preference is horizontal. Why not have two docking ports?

Then there's the multitasking issue. It's really unbelievable that a person can't run Pandora and view their photos or have a Twitter client open and work on a document. Yes, you can listen to your hearts content via iTunes while doing something else. And I think that's Apple's point. They want you using iTunes as much as possible. Which also explains no flash support for the iPad browser. No flash support in the browser means no Hulu or Netflix streaming which would be perfect for the device but also cut into the use of iTunes as a media player. Which brings me to a point about video.

Apple is very restrictive with respect to the video formats that they allow for playback on their devices. So unless you have an Apple TV or use iTunes as the place where you buy movies then it's unlikely that you'll have a wide array of content that will play on this device.This further locks the user into iTunes which in case you haven't noticed is very expensive to either buy or rent movies. I've thought about how great it would be for Hulu or Netflix to create an app for the iPad but it's not a given that Apple would approve it. The other option for Hulu and Netflix would be to encode videos into the correct (H.264 I believe) format for playback on the iPad. I gather that it would be an expensive endeavor to make that happen. So it's likely that Netflix and Hulu place their energies elsewhere.

Another question I have about the iPad is this. Where's the cloud? Seriously. This is a device that screams, CLOUD! Access to some sort of a media storage and delivery service (iTunes?) in the cloud would solve many of the storage problems and make the device infinitely more attractive. Imagine having access to your movies, music and photos anywhere you have an internet connection? That would be great and it would create a whole new business for Apple. Apple has already dipped their toe into the cloud with their MobileMe service which syncs email contacts and photos across devices. I have no doubt that adding music and movies to that mix would be tricky. The various studios and record companies have previously litigated against companies that let people upload music and movies for streaming, even for personal use. This is Apple we're talking about though. They already have a relationship with the entertainment industry, albeit a tenuous one.

Finally, I think the price of the iPad is too high. I know that $499 seams reasonable for a blown up iPod Touch given all the enhanced possibilities. That only gets you 16GB of storage though. And the accessories like the keyboard dock and the stand will cost you (no pricing on these yet) extra money. It's likely that the stand and keyboard will bump the cost up to $600. Add in the three iWork apps shown in the demo and then you're up to $630 before taxes which in New York would be about $50. So now you're closer to $700. Seems expensive to me given the limitations.

So what do I think the iPad is good for? It looks nicer as an e-book reader to me than the Amazon Kindle. That attractiveness may go away if the cost of the e-books (which is unknown at this time) ends up being more than $9.99. If it's as fast as people say it is then the iPad will be a great gaming device. The drawing features shown in the demo look nice too. I think that the use of touch is the most intuitive way to learn. My kids, both under 5, love my iPod Touch and immediately start interacting with the touch screen. I know that my wife would love to have her hands on this so she could surf the web while relaxing on the couch. E-books, web surfing, listening to music, gaming, fun and learning for the kids.

Those are some big pluses in favor of the iPad. But are they big enough to justify paying $550 (with tax and without accessories) for a device that has limited storage, no multitasking of apps and relies on iTunes for media playback? If I didn't already have two computers in the house, plus a netbook and an iPod Touch I'd say that price is right. Given all that I do have I say it's not a prudent expenditure. In the end discerning the value to me and the thus the right price point depends upon may assessment of where the iPad might fit into the digital lifestyle of my family. That's something I'll be pondering over the next few months.

In my next post I plan to touch on some of the opportunities that the iPad presents for app developers, media publishers and web community builders.

iPhone App Store Presents A Rewarding Opportunity

Posted Wed, 06/11/2008 - 19:51 by awakenedvoice

Apple has just tossed a huge bone to high traffic social media sites. But will they pick it up?

Sites like Twitter, FriendFeed and yes even the mighty Facebook are grappling with the issue of exactly how they can earn enough revenue to continue to support their services without the need for future rounds of funding. They should look no further than the iPhone App Store for their first big opportunity.

Take a lesson from Apple folks. If you make something really good then people will pay for it. The iPhone App Store offers social web services the opportunity to make applications that work really well on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Any web service that desires greater traffic and greater revenue should consider creating their own "for pay" application.

Take the MLB iPhone App as an example if you will. This thing looks great. It even includes the ability to stream in-game video updates. This application will have features that the user won't be able to get anywhere else. And I know that MLB will have no problem with charging a fee for this application.

Social web services should consider adopting a mindset similar to that of Major League Baseball by charging for enhanced services. A sweet iPhone app could (and should) easily be the first enhanced offering that all social web services introduce to their user base.

I know that some people are thinking, "No dude! Make it free and support it with advertising!" Forget that model when it comes to the iPhone. Do you really want to put advertisements on a screen that small? I say, "No." Ads will ruin the experience and make people less enamored of your application.

The bone is out there on the ground. From July 11th on we'll see how many social web services pick it up and run.

The Power Of Remarkability

Posted Mon, 01/28/2008 - 02:41 by awakenedvoice

MacBook Air

When I read the book Free Prize Inside by Seth Godin I was reminded about how remarkable products make marketing simple. So many companies marketing web services make average products then try a variety of marketing tricks in order to get people to take notice and talk about their services. Smart marketers figure out what types of things will make the market take notice. Then they help their company get those products and services to market. A very precious few web service companies take this approach. Those that do are highly successful.

This popped back into my head upon seeing the YouTube video showing the gang at the Today show talking about the MacBook Air. Not only does the Today show crew talk about the new MacBook. They also show a part of the commercial. How much is that worth?

I know that many Mac faithful think that the Air is lacking for a variety reasons. That's not the point. It's something different and interesting. It's something that challenges convention and gets people talking. Last year the iPhone was the most talked about product. I really believe that Apple saves themselves a lot of money on their marketing budget by spending that money of design and development.

A lot of web companies can learn from Seth's advice and Apple's approach. Maybe you can too.

For whatever its worth I did a Google Blog Search on "Macbook Air" and less than two weeks after launch there are over 96,000 posts with that phrase. Conversely a search for the much less remarkable "Apple TV" yields about 35,000 posts. And that product was announced a year ago. This seems to indicate that remarkable gets people talking.

Three Months With The iPod Touch

Posted Mon, 01/07/2008 - 00:37 by awakenedvoice

iPod TouchIn late September of 2007 my brand new iPod Touch arrived. This was my first iPod ever and also my first ever purchase of an Apple product. I wanted to share my thoughts about the device but I also know that first look reviews aren't very useful. People are usually excited to get something new so they overlook certain issues. Plus time really tells on how useful a device can be in a person's life. It's been a little over three months now so I'm definitely ready to give a more informed opinion.

General Thoughts

The iPod Touch is great. It is the best portable media device I've ever owned. I haven't owned many but it is light years ahead of my iRiver H320 or my Samsung Blackjack, which were my two previous portable media workhorses. The iPod Touch looks good, has a perfect form factor and has features that address the realities of a digital lifestyle. I'm definitely glad I made this purchase. Specifics follow.

What I Like

  • The touch screen is awesome. It makes the device so easy to use that my 2.5 year old can flick through photos and really enjoy it. This is a much better option than the chiclet sized buttons and controls that most devices have. The screen seems pretty durable too as I've put it in my pocket and jacket a lot and it hasn't scratched.
  • Videos look amazing. This is a real leap forward in portable video. Playback is smooth and sharp. Both video podcasts and commercial TV episodes look excellent.
  • Web browsing is fantastic. Another leap forward in the experience for mobile devices. The experience with the mobile Safari browser is a close as I could expect to real web browsing. No problem with logging on to regular versions of websites. Expansion of the view of a page by flicking my fingers on the touch screen works well. Scrolling is silent. No annoying clicking when you're surfing with others in the room.
  • The iTunes and YouTube apps are fun to use. I didn't think I would be interested in these apps but I have been. I've enjoyed being able to sample tracks via iTunes while on the go. I've even purchased a few. All were seamlessly transported over to my desktop based version of iTunes. Every so often I'll cruise YouTube for interesting videos and have used the bookmarking feature which works well.
  • Integration with television is pretty easy. If you go out and spend the money on a dock and cables you should be able to get this hooked up to any recently manufactured television or stereo system. I've connected the iPod Touch to both my television and stereo. I watch downloaded movies, tv shows and podcasts. I've also run a couple of photo slideshows on my tv as well. One cable to the aux in of my stereo and I can play my favorite music for everyone to hear.

There's more that I like about the iPod Touch but these are some of the key differentiators. To keep it balanced I also want to note some of my pet peeves with the device.

What I Don't Like

  • The touch screen does not work with gloves on. This is a minor issue. But when I plug it into the car in the morning I start with a long podcast because my gloves need to come off so I can queue up a new show.
  • You can't use the browser when streaming media. If you're connected to wifi and stream media (it will play mp3 or Quicktime files) through the browser you cannot open another Safari window. At least I haven't found a way to do that.
  • Contacts and calendar will only sync with Outlook. I use a combination of Google Calendar and Thunderbird to manage my info. For the moment I am out of luck.
  • The 16GB hard drive is small. I've still got about 6GB of space left but that won't hold my entire music collection. So I've had to be picky about the music I put on the device. I also delete videos after I've watched them a couple of times.

What I'm Looking Forward To

First off, the next official update from Apple can only make this thing better. Next comes the software development kit. Because the iPod Touch has the touch screen you can create some amazing apps. Developers are not constrained by hard wired buttons. I'm looking forward to some awesome apps that will extend the functionality of this device. Three things I'd like to see are: Google Calendar sync, Flickr integration and a Google Maps application. I'm also excited about the possibility of movie rentals via iTunes.

Necessary Accessories

I have purchased some accessories over the last few months that I think are necessary if you really want to enjoy the iPod Touch.

The Real Cost Of The iPod Touch

It is more expensive than I thought. Here's how it breaks down for me.

  • iPod Touch - $399
  • Apple Care Protection - $59
  • Universal Dock - $49
  • Component Cables - $49
  • USB Charger - $29
  • Belkin Tunebase - $89

That adds up to a grand total of $674 plus tax. Ouch!

My Bottom Line

No device is perfect, so even with the costs and certain drawbacks I am still very happy with the iPod Touch. Frankly, I can't imagine why anyone would want to go out and by a Zune while the iPod Touch is on the market. Sure, you can get more hard drive space with the Zune. But you don't get the web browsing with WiFi. And you don't get the great touch screen, mobile iTunes or YouTube support.

I'm pretty sure that new iPod releases in 2008 will also include a larger hard drive as well. So if you can wait a little longer you might get a nice surprise. Most of the operational and feature related flaws are fixable. That's why the new firmware updates and SDK release should be the icing on the cake for Apple in the quest for the ideal portable media device.

New York City Apple Store - 14th Street

Posted Mon, 12/24/2007 - 05:52 by awakenedvoice

I stopped by the Apple store today on 14th Street. This is a very new location. I ended up buying a Belkin Tune Base FM for my iPod Touch. I tried it on the way home and it worked real well in my Honda Civic. I'll definitely be a lot safer when manipulating my iPod in the car. Highly recommended.

NYC 14th Street Apple Store from Rob Safuto on Vimeo.