The rumors regarding Apple’s plan to connect computers to TVs were true. Steve Jobs today unveiled a product, code-named iTV, (click on thumbnail of picture from Engadget’s live coverage of Apple’s event) that will wirelessly connect the PC or Mac to the TV. The unit will sell for $299 and become available in Q1 07.
Apple has long been working on what was called a “set-top” project, and it’s clear that this iTV is probably that “set-top.” With the introduction of the iTV device, Apple’s video delivery system takes a giant leap into the territory, namely the living room, ordinarily controlled by cable, satellite or phone companies. As Jobs said at the event, “Apple is in your den. Apple is in your living room. Apple is in your car. Apple is in your pocket.”
Oh yeah, Apple also announced that it will sell movies via iTunes, with new releases priced at $14.99 each and older titles priced at $9.99 each. The quality of the films is supposed to be near-DVD levels, which is a good thing given that iTunes will be selling films on the same day they are released via DVD. Disney and its affiliated studios (Miramax, Pixar and Touchstone) are the only companies signed up to sell movies on iTunes…but don’t expect Disney to be the sole studio selling films via iTunes for long.
Despite expectations (at least my expectations), Apple didn’t unveil its big-screen iPod. But Jobs did announce new iPod models, including one with a bigger screen and 80-gigs of storage, which will sell for $349. Jobs also announced a slimmer version of the iPod nano and a matchbook-sized version of the iPod shuffle, which will sell for $79.
Posted by Cynthia Brumfield at 4:40 PM | Print | Comments (1)There are times when the real world — i.e. the physical world outside my computer and phone — is a real drag and today I’m particularly irked about having to shut down my laptop and turn off my cell phone. I’m headed to VON (which is in full swing already) this morning, facing a three hour sojourn just to get on the airplane — mind you, the airport is only 45 minutes from our house. It’s the last-mile, known as airport security, that’s the killer.
From there it’s an hour and a half to Boston in the air, and another hour, at least, to get to the hotel. That’s six wasted hours on a day when the Internet, entertainment and communications worlds are booming with big things.
First off the bat, AT&T announced it will offer 20 channels of live video…on the PC. It’s the telecom giant’s answer, of sorts, to Slingbox and presumably is a perk to lure more customers to its DSL service. The option, called (I think inelegantly) AT&T Broadband TV, costs $19.99/month, an expensive add-on for some but chump change, really, for folks who really want to watch TV on the road, in spare bedrooms where no TV exists, etc.
This is a huge deal — no wonder AT&T is fighting so hard against net neutrality. And the cable guys, who are all congregated in New York City for cable’s annual “Hell Week” (so-named because there are lots and lots of events and meetings) have got to be freaking out. Cable has its own plans, gestated through CableLabs, to do the same thing.
Meanwhile, Merrill Lynch is hosting its annual Media and Entertainment Conference in Pasadena, starting today.
Of course, the biggest thing on the radar screen is Apple’s big announcement, however multifacted that may be.
So, on a day when a lot is happening, I’ll be out of touch for a good chunk of time. Yup, the real world beckons.
Posted by Cynthia Brumfield at 7:25 AM | Print | Comments (0)
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