In a surprise announcement, Adobe Systems said Monday that Flash programmers now can bring their applications to Apple's iPhone, a domain of high interest that's been off limits for the programming technology.
Because of Apple restrictions, though, Flash isn't coming in the form in which most people experience it, a Web browser plug-in. Instead, programmers will be able to change Flash applications into native iPhone applications using Adobe's Flash Professional CS5 developer tool, currently in beta testing, then offer their programs as an Apple App Store download.
"This is a great first step in the right direction," said Heidi Voltmer, Adobe's product marketing manager for Flash.
The approach spotlights the tension between Apple, which controls the iPhone tightly in an effort to ensure a good user experience, and others, which want a place on the premier mobile device on the marketplace today.
Chroma Circuit is a Flash game now available as a native iPhone app.
(Credit: Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)Adobe's back-door approach still is a significant move for the company, though, which wants to ensure that Flash is a major foundation for Internet-based applications. Programmers familiar with Flash could find the Adobe method an easier way to bring their applications to the iPhone world if they're not experts in coding for the phone and its close cousin, the iPod Touch.
Apple didn't immediately comment for this story.
Some Flash Professional CS5 beta testers are taking advantage of the technique, including BlueskyNorth, Breakdesign, FlashGameLicense.com, Muchosmedia, PushButton Labs, and Bowler Hat Games.
"With the ability to create applications for iPhone in the Flash Professional CS5 beta, I don't need to learn a new programming language or the plethora of development tools that inevitably come with it," said Josh Tynjala, founder of Bowler Hat Games, in a statement. "Instead, I'm able to spend more time exploring ways to make my games like Chroma Circuit more fun on mobile devices like the iPhone and increase my business revenue."
Adobe's ultimate goal remains the same: to get Flash on the iPhone integrated with its Safari browser. "My view is there is only one Web," said Chief Technology Officer Kevin Lynch in an interview. Adobe demonstrated the Flash applications at its Max developer conference in Los Angeles Monday, where Lynch gave the keynote address.
Flash Player 10.1, due in beta form later this year and final form in the first half of 2010, is spreading to just about all the other smartphones out there: Google Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm WebOS, and Nokia Symbian.
Why not the iPhone, too? "The Apple iPhone SDK (software developer kit) license terms do not allow runtime interpreted code, so Adobe is not able to deliver Flash Player in Safari on the iPhone without support from Apple," Adobe said in a statement.
Voltmer didn't comment on the state of present discussions with Apple to build Flash Player directly into the iPhone. But she did say people visit Adobe's Web site looking for it.
It's not immediately clear how easily Flash applications translate to the iPhone, and most folks won't get a chance to try it until the beta is released publicly later this year. There are some limitations, Voltmer said.
For one thing, the Flash software must be written in ActionScript 3, not the earlier ActionScript 2. For another, they can't use video because of Apple restrictions, she said.
There also could be practical limits on memory, processing power, and graphics. Last year's PC running Flash Player has a lot more computing capability than a modern iPhone 3GS.
The iPhone and iPod Touch have some features that are well-suited to mobile gaming, though, and programmers will be able to use them. That includes the multitouch interface and accelerometer that detects device orientation, said Adrian Ludwig, a Flash team member at Adobe.
Updated at 1:48 p.m. PDT with further comment from Adobe and no comment from Apple.
Adobe developer tools let Flash programmers turn their applications into native iPhone software. This is a Flash game called Chroma Circuit.
(Credit: Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)Apple now has the support of a USB industry standards group in its battle to keep the Palm Pre from using the iTunes music service.
The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) said in a statement Tuesday that Apple can block the Pre from connecting to iTunes. The group issued a letter to both companies warning Palm that further attempts to use iTunes would violate the group's policy.
The voice of the USB-IF is strong in this case since the group is responsible for issuing Apple the hardware vendor ID that lets its devices connect to iTunes via USB. Palm has used this process to its advantage by simulating the same ID for the Palm Pre, tricking iTunes into thinking the Pre is an Apple device.
That scheme worked until the recent release of iTunes 9, which broke the Pre's access, prompting Palm to complain to the USB-IF that the vendor ID blocks competitors.
But the group supported Apple's stance and cautioned Palm by letter that any further attempts to use the code would be a violation of its rules.
In its initial complaint, Palm told the USB-IF that the latest update of its WebOS would restore iTunes functionality to the Pre. In response, the USB-IF quoted policy and reminded Palm that it may use only its own issued vendor IDs, not those of any other company. The group asked Palm to clarify its intentions within seven days.
Palm and Apple were not immediately available for comment.
Even before the Palm Pre was released in June, people discovered that the device could connect to iTunes. Since then, Palm and Apple have fought a tug-of-war over iTunes access. Apple has issued various iTunes updates to block non-Apple devices, triggering Palm to find a way past them. Despite not-so-subtle warnings from Apple, Palm has remained persistent.
Like products in the real world, iPhone apps often go on sale. But those deals are hard to find and usually don't last long.
Free iPhone app PandoraBox can help you track down the latest and greatest sales on iPhone software.
On the surface, PandoraBox is similar to the App Store. You can search for software by name or browse by selecting among categories. The New Apps section points you to the latest software, while the What's Hot and Wish List sections display cool and popular apps. You can keep tabs on an app by adding it to a Favorites menu. PandoraBox also provides most of the standard details about an app. You'll see the full description, screenshots, ratings, and stats. If you want to read the user reviews or download a program, PandoraBox will lead you straight to the App Store itself.
(Credit:
AppZap)
The real secret inside PandoraBox is its virtual sales bin. The On Sale section in PandoraBox uncovers all apps that have dropped in price or are now free. Updated several times a day, the On Sale page shows you the original price crossed out and the new sale price. You can even switch the list between paid and free apps as you browse the sales bin.
I've found a lot of great apps on sale through PandoraBox, both free and low cost. I just picked up one app called Battery Magic for free (normally 99 cents) to keep tabs on my battery power, and another one called iProRecorder Premier for $2.99 (normally $4.99) to record high-quality audio.
Compatible with both the iPhone and iPod Touch, PandoraBox was developed by a small German company called AppZap. Led by IT consultant Dmitriy Glebenok, the AppZap team is composed of young developers who have designed other iPhone apps.
Released in March, PandoraBox has captured around 70,000 downloads. The AppZap team has already updated the program since its debut and promises more changes in the near future.
If you were hoping for Apple to announce a subscription-based music service for the iPhone and the iPod Touch on Wednesday like I was, suppress your disappointment: early this morning, Apple approved Rhapsody for iPhone, and it's available in the iTunes Store.
It's the second such service Apple has approved, but the first, Spotify, is not available in the United States. (The Rhapsody application is not showing up in search results quite yet, but it is showing up within iTunes.)
(Credit:
Rhapsody)
Rhapsody was a pioneer in subscription-based music, and I'm a big fan of the service; in 2005, it was the first one to turn me on to the thrill of chasing your whims and surfing randomly among genres, which you can't do with per-download services like iTunes.
In my most recent trial late last year (in conjunction with the Sonos multiroom audio system), I wasn't able to find any significant gaps--if anything, there was too much music, including more versions of the novelty song "Kung Fu Fighting" than I ever imagined--and there is some excellent curation and editorial work, particularly for indie rock artists.
The iPhone app is pretty straightforward: you can search for songs, surf genres and chart-toppers, and create queues and playlists. If you're a fan of Pandora, you'll also appreciate the Rhapsody Radio feature, which creates tailor-made stations built around particular artists or genres. As long as you have an active Wi-Fi or 3G connection, the music should keep playing without interruption.
It's a free download, but to use it, you'll need a Rhapsody to Go subscription, which costs $14.99 a month. That's not quite as good a deal as Microsoft's Zune Pass, which costs the same and gives you 10 permanent MP3 downloads a month, but of course that service requires a Zune, which means that it applies only to about 1.1 percent of the MP3 player market (according to a statistic that Apple snarkily included in its presentation Wednesday) and exactly zero mobile phones.
Apple appears to have seen the light, as it is now allowing subscription-based music to come to the iPhone. It makes my phone's 8GB storage size seem a lot less limiting.
Follow Matt on Twitter.
A weigh-in between Cisco's Flip Video camera and Apple's new iPod Nano with video camera.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)One of the biggest revelations at Apple's music event Wednesday wasn't just that the iPod Nano now has a video camera, but that Apple has the popular Flip Video camera squarely in its sights.
With user-created video exploding, Apple CEO Steve Jobs uttered what is probably one of the more frightening things rival electronics industry execs can hear: "We want to get in on this."
Already having decimated the MP3 player market with the iPod, and putting pressure on fellow smartphone makers, Apple now hopes to take on the Flip in its own backyard: short, user-generated video clips. Cisco purchased Pure Digital, the maker of the popular flash-based camera, earlier this year for almost $600 million because it was clearly the leader in its field. The Flip Video set itself apart by making the process of creating, editing, and uploading short videos to sites like YouTube very uncomplicated. In two years the company said it sold 2 million devices.
Cisco wasn't the only major technology company that noticed. At Wednesday event, Jobs specifically referenced the Flip's success.
"Video has exploded in the last few years," he said. A lot of people are posting videos to sites like YouTube and much of them are coming from solid-state video cameras like the Flip, he said, showing the Flip Ultra model, which comes with 4GB of storage for $149.
Apple is attempting to one-up the Flip by inserting a video camera inside the iPod Nano, along with a microphone and internal speaker for video playback. Like the Flip, the Nano is supposed to have easy video uploading right to YouTube. Comparing them head to head, since the base model Nano now comes with 8GB of storage and costs $159, the value of the Nano with all the additions (media player, FM tuner, pedometer) certainly seems attractive. Of course until we actually use it, it's hard to say how much of a threat the Nano's new camera will be.
Flip of course isn't the only minicamcorder maker that could be worried about Apple's attempts to enter this market. The Flip begot several imitators, like the Sony Webby, the Kodak Zi8, and devices from RCA, Sanyo, and Creative.
But Flip is the de facto leader in minicams, and its Ultra and Mino models have several things going for them that the much more compact Nano doesn't, like the Flip's flip-out USB port that allows the camera to be plugged directly into a computer without need for a connector cable. The Flip also has user-replaceable batteries. Though the Nano overall has a smaller footprint, it was a bit unfair that when comparing the Flip to the Nano during its presentation Apple used the chunkiest model of Flip available (the Ultra), when the Mino is much slimmer and more compact.
Still, the fact that Apple wants to be in this market puts a lot of pressure on Cisco and its Flip camera. For its part, Cisco responded publicly using Twitter, posting a message after the Apple event that said, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
Our cameras were rolling Wednesday morning at Apple's San Francisco press conference as the company played up iTunes 9, iPod price cuts, games for the Touch, a video camera for the iPod Nano, and much more.
But the real spotlight was on Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who made his first public appearance since returning from medical leave after receiving a liver transplant earlier this year.
Here's a roundup of our video coverage, beginning with Jobs' standing ovation and opening speech.
... Read moreToday's Apple event contained a number of newsworthy announcements--a new digital-album format, precut ringtones at $1.29--but what's more striking is the way that the company really focused the improvements on the iPod Nano.
The Nano was the only Apple device that got a significant overhaul, with a video camera, FM radio, voice recorder, and pedometer. Somewhat surprisingly, the more expensive and higher-end iPod Touch isn't getting a refresh this time around. It still lacks a video camera and built-in FM radio.
Strategically, this makes sense: on stage, Steve Jobs claimed that the Nano has sold more than 100 million units, making it the most popular MP3 player in the world. It occupies the sweet spot in price, between $100 and $200 (the new 8GB version will be $149, while the new 16GB version will cost $179).
Last year, Apple hardly updated the Nano at all, besides introducing a few new colors. So to keep its firm hold on the midmarket, Apple was smart to add a few checklist features, particularly the video camera, which suddenly makes the Flip look overpriced.
At the low end, the Shuffle got a price cut to $59 for the 2GB version or $79 for the 4GB version, but this seems expensive, compared with SanDisk's Sansa Clip+, which costs $40 for a 2GB or $50 for 4GB, and includes an FM radio, small screen for navigating menus, and expandable memory via a microSD slot. Here, Apple seems to be relying on the iPod brand to carry it.
At the high end, the iPod Touch remains one of the most exciting devices on the market--it's basically redefining portable computing, thanks to its Wi-Fi connection and Apple's massive App Store. But as a pure MP3 player, I still think that there's room for competition.
Microsoft's forthcoming Zune HD might grab some hard-core music fanatics, thanks to its built-in HD radio (more stations), all-you-can-play subscription service, and (in my opinion) better navigation scheme that lets you get to more of your music more quickly. The Zune HD also looks like a better deal on a straight-memory basis--the 16GB version will cost $220 (only $21 more than an 8GB iPod Touch), and the 32GB will cost $290, which is $9 less than the equivalent iPod Touch.
If I were shopping for an MP3 player today and had less than $100 to spend, I'd buy a Clip+. If I had between $100 and $200, the iPod Nano is the obvious choice. If I had more than that, I'd have to weigh whether I'm more interested in a broad range of apps (iPod Touch) or music (which might sway me to the Zune HD).
Apple on Wednesday unveiled a refreshed lineup of iPods, as well as new iTunes, and iPhone/iPod Touch system software at an invite-only event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in downtown San Francisco.
While there were no tablet computers, or an updated version of the Apple TV (as rumors had suggested), Apple's CEO Steve Jobs surprised everyone by anchoring the keynote, making it his first public appearance since October 2008.
Read on to get a quick overview of what was announced, and why it matters.
Price cuts and new hardware
Apple introduced an updated version of the iPod Nano that sports a built-in video camera and microphone located on the lower left-hand side. It also features a slightly larger 2.2-inch display, up from 2 inches. There is still no Wi-Fi or built-in Web browser, so users will first have to sync the videos to their computers to access and edit the files. The upgraded device also has an FM tuner, a feature iPod users have been pining for, for a very long time.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs takes to the stage once again to demo the new camera and FM tuner-equipped iPod Nanos.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)The new iPod Nano will come in two versions, one 8GB ($149), and one 16GB ($179). That represents a $20 price cut on the high end. The system software also makes use of some of the added features in iTunes 9, like Genius Mixes. And it's inherited the VoiceOver control from its siblings, the iPod Shuffle and Touch.
The buttonless iPod Shuffle remains, though there are new colors, capacities and a lower entry price. The new 2GB flavor, which is available in five colors, runs $59, along with the same colors in a 4GB version that costs $79. There's also a $99, 4GB "special edition" that's made of polished stainless steel and currently available only at Apple's online and retail stores.
The low end of the iPod Touch line got price cuts, and the device got capacity bumps on the higher end. The 8GB model is now $199, down from $229. Meanwhile, the 16GB model has been shelved in favor of a 32GB version, which costs $299. At the high end, users can now get a 64GB model, which runs $399. Both the 32GB and 64GB models are packing faster internals, similar if not the same to the recently released iPhone 3GS, and are now capable of OpenGL ES 2.0 which boosts 3D performance.
The iPod Classic remains untouched in features and price, although the capacity has been bumped from 120GB to 160GB.
New software
iPhone/iPod OS 3.1
Apple announced the release Wednesday of OS 3.1, which will be a free update to both iPhone and iPod Touch owners.
With 3.1, users on both platforms can now get Genius recommendations for applications they've purchased. These show up in the App Store app, as well as in iTunes, and function in a similar fashion to Genius for music. It takes your purchase information and sends it to Apple, which will analyze it for similar purchases, and offer up recommendations. This may end up being a more precise system since there are fewer apps than music tracks.
3.1 also adds a new security feature for iPhone owners--the capability to lock down the device over the air using MobileMe. Previously, if your phone was lost or stolen, this feature would only be enabled if the user had set it that way.
iTunes 9
Apple introduced a new version of iTunes, which offers iPhone and iPod Touch users a way to better organize applications they have added to the device. Users can now drag and drop apps to multiple home screens at once, instead of doing so on the device itself.
iPhone and iPod Touch users can now rearrange apps on their home screen right in iTunes, instead of on the device itself.
(Credit: Apple)Another new feature in iTunes 9 that users in households are sure to enjoy is something called Home Sharing. This lets you automatically sync purchases across multiple computers within a household. This means they don't have to be redownloaded, or transferred from portable devices, which can save time if you're in a hurry.
The Genius feature and DJ feature have been mashed together to create something called Genius Mixes. The software can create multiple stations of music without the user having to pick a song for it to start from.
The software also has a new purchase-centric feature called iTunes LP, that adds a handful of digital pack-ins to purchased albums such as liner notes, photos, videos, lyrics, and links to online resources. This confirmed rumors Apple had been cooking up such a feature going back earlier this year.
In the same vein of iTunes LP, there's iTunes Extras--basically repackaged bonus features from movies and TV shows. This aims to add a little more value to rented and purchased video content, and steer customers toward Apple's store instead of some of the competition.
Other tidbits
• Apple is now offering 30,000 ready-made ringtones for $1.29 a pop. These come from all four major labels, and differ from the current system, which allows you to make your own ringtone from any song you've purchased from the store for a fee of 99 cents. The new system cuts out the need to even buy the song.
• Apple has sold 30 million iPhones since the launch of the device.
• More than 20 million iPod Touches have been sold.
• More than 100 million iPod Nanos have been sold.
• Users have downloaded 1.8 billion apps from a catalog of more than 75,000.
• Apple has 100 million registered iTunes users.
• Users have submitted more than 27 million music libraries to contribute to the Genius feature, totaling 54 billion songs.
• iPhone developer Tapulous demonstrated an upcoming title called Riddim Ribbon that lets players race on their own music tracks. Looks quite similar to PC title Audiosurf.
• EA demonstrated Madden 10 which uses virtual, onscreen controls.
• Gameloft has had 20 million game downloads. The company demonstrated a new first-person shooter game called Nova that's reminiscent of Halo.
Correction: This post initially included some incorrect pricing information. The OS 3.1 update only costs money for those who had not yet upgraded to 3.0 or higher. Also, the iPod Shuffle price cut refers to the 2GB model.
Related stories
Video: Jobs, new iPods take the Apple stage
Photos: Apple event high notes
Earlier Wednesday, we brought you live coverage of Apple's rock 'n' roll-themed event, which kicked off in San Francisco just after 10 a.m. Pacific time. The event has concluded, but for more iPod-related coverage, click here.
9:55 a.m. PDT: Good morning. We're inside and seated, just waiting for the event to begin. There's quite a crowd in here with some notable names already appearing. Greg Grunberg from TV's "Heroes" is sitting right behind us, and Herbie Hancock and Google's Eric Schmidt have also been spotted.
The crowd awaits Apple news inside the Yerba Buena center in San Francisco.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)9:59 a.m.: Now playing "It's Only Rock 'n Roll" by the Rolling Stones, also the title of the event per the invitation. It looks like we'll be starting momentarily.
10:01 a.m.: Steve Jobs walks out. Standing ovation.
10:02 a.m.: People are still clapping.
He encourages everyone to be an organ donor, and extends a heartfelt thanks to the Apple community. Also, on Tim Cook: "He ran the company very ably during that time." "I'm back at Apple, and loving every day of it," he says.
10:03 a.m.: "I'm very happy to be here today with you all," he says. "As you may know I had a liver transplant. I have the liver of a mid-20s person who died in a car crash. Without that, I wouldn't be here without that person's generosity."
10:04 a.m.: Today we're talking about music. Phil Schiller and Jeff Robbin will join him. First, iPhone stuff. "Thrilling to report that in two years we've sold 30 million iPhones."
10:05 a.m.: In the last year, the reason is the App Store, he says. There are 75,000 apps. 1.8 billion apps downloaded by users, he reports. That doesn't include updates, though.
10:06 a.m.: Today: iPhone OS 3.1. Some bug fixes and new features are coming. The Genius playlist technology is now going to work for apps in the App Store. It will recommend apps to you based on the apps you already own. The recommendations will get better as people say what they like and buy, he says.
Steve Jobs announces iPhone OS 3.1.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)10:07 a.m.: Also: as Greg Sandoval previously reported, there will be ringtones for sale for $1.29 each. You can buy them the way you'd buy music.
10:08 a.m.: iPhone OS 3.1 is free for iPhone and iPod Touch users who have 3.0. It will be made available today. Update 2:58 p.m.: Earlier, it was reported that it would cost iPod Touch users $4.95. The update only costs money to those who had not yet upgraded their iPod Touch to 3.0 or higher.
10:08 a.m.: Now on to iTunes: Steve says iTunes is the No. 1 seller of music in the world. 8.5 billion songs have been purchased and there are 100 million accounts.
Jobs says the iPhone is popular internationally.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland)10:09 a.m.: Today, iTunes 9 is out. A new look. Cleaner-looking, better navigation.
10:11 a.m.: In iTunes 9: Genius Mixes. Like Genius Playlists, Genius Mixes is like a DJ that plays mixes of songs that go together from your own library. Will make up to 12 mixes at a time.
Steve Jobs takes the stage.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)10:12 a.m.: He says syncing will be better now, too. When syncing playlists you can also sync particular genres or particular artists. Also specific photo albums or specific faces from iPhoto, and specific movies from iTunes. You can also manage your apps syncing in iTunes.
10:13 a.m.: Also something called Home Sharing. With it, you can copy songs, movies, TV shows to up to five authorized computers in your house. Can see what's in all the other authorized computers right from your iTunes account.
10:14 a.m.: The iTunes Store also gets a new look, along with improved artists, movies, and TV pages--a "cleaner" layout, Jobs says.
10:15 a.m.: Another new feature: iTunes LP. "Some of us here are old enough to have bought LPs," Steve says. You can get album art, videos, liner notes, credits, etc. This is clearly the "Cocktail" we've been hearing about. The artists and labels can now have access to adding extras to their albums now.
10:17 a.m.: Jeff Robbin, vice president of consumer applications and lead software designer for iTunes, is now demonstrating the new iTunes. He shows how to drag and drop apps in iTunes to rearrange how they appear on an iPod Touch or iPhone. You can check and uncheck which games or apps you want on the device.
10:19 a.m.: He also shows us how Home Sharing works. You can drag a song or series of songs from other authorized computers to your own library. Can sort by songs that others have that you do not, and can set it so that when others buy new content from iTunes it can be automatically transferred to your library.
10:21 a.m.: There's a new navigation bar in the iTunes Store: music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audio books, etc.
10:22 a.m.: Can also preview songs directly in the Top Charts section. When browsing the store, you can click an "i" button for a preview of the songs on the album which will allow a quick listen without going to the actual artist or album page. You can also Twitter info and post to Facebook about songs you find in the iTunes Store.
Album view in iTunes 9.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)10:24 a.m.: Now Jeff is showing us iTunes LP. He picks a Doors album. You can see all the songs, all the lyrics, and lots of photos.
10:25 a.m.: There are also videos that he says are exclusive to iTunes LP. For example, Ray Manzarek is talking about how they decided to name the band The Doors.
10:27 a.m.: There's also something called iTunes Extras. Using the movie "Wall-E," he shows there are extra features like short videos, and a way to navigate chapters in the movie.
You can see lyrics with the album view in iTunes 9. Shown here are Dave Matthews lyrics.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland)10:28 a.m.: Jobs is back on stage. He says iTunes 9 is free and ready to download today. Phil Schiller will come up to talk iPods now.
Twenty million of those sold are iPod Touch, he says.
Schiller mocks Dell's non-pocketable small PC.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)10:29 a.m.: First Schiller's going to talk sales numbers. 220 million iPods sold to date, he says. He says they have 73.8 percent of the market, "with Microsoft pulling up the rear with 1.1 percent." There are a few giggles.
10:33 a.m.: Now Schiller's talking up the computing aspect of the iPod Touch, with Wi-Fi, browsing the Internet on Safari, e-mail, etc. "It fits in your pocket. Not everybody can say that," he says. And he shows a picture on screen of a Dell Netbook. More giggles from the audience.
10:35 a.m.: He says the iPod Touch is a better gaming platform than the PSP or Nintendo DS. He points to $30 game titles on those devices and the buying experience as "too expensive" and "not a lot of fun." He says there are 21,178 "game and entertainment" titles on iPhone OS, compared to 3,600 on Nintendo, and 600 on Sony.
Phil Schiller brags about the iPhone as a gaming platform.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland)10:37 a.m.: A few developers of those games are going to come up on stage now. Ubisoft is up first. Ben Mattes from Ubisoft is talking about Assassin's Creed II and how it's coming to the App Store. It'll be out November 11.
10:42 a.m.: Now, Bart Decrem, founder of Tapulous (maker of Tap Tap Revolution) is up. Riddim Ribbon is their new game built "especially for iPhone and iPod Touch." It's a DJ game where you race down a rhythm of a song, Guitar Hero-style. You can remix the song by going different directions down the "ribbon."
10:44 a.m.: Mark Hickey from Gameloft, one of the more prolific App Store game makers, is up. He's showing a new first-person shooter called Nova, where you have to defend humanity against an alien attack in space.
10:47 a.m.: Only one more game developer, Schiller promises. It's Travis Boatman from Electronic Arts. He's talking Madden NFL 10, which is coming to the App Store for the first time.
10:49 a.m.: You can draw plays right on the screen, which draws lots of applause from the audience. Madden 10 is available today in the App Store, Boatman says.
Travis Boatman from Electronic Arts shows the new interface to control the Madden game.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)10:52 a.m.: "$199 is a magic price point in the iPod market," Schiller says. As of today, the iPod Touch is $199 for 8GB and $299 for 32GB. It now also comes in a 64GB model for $399.
10:53 a.m.: OpenGL ES 2.0 is also on the iPod Touch now, so games are faster--except for the $199 version, which will not have that.
Phil Schiller shows new prices and memory configurations for the iPod Touch.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)10:54 a.m.: Now Schiller is discussing the iPod Classic. Now it will be 160GB for $249, which is up from 120GB.
10:57 a.m.: The iPod Shuffle gets its turn. Now it will come in more colors. Pink, green, and blue in addition to the silver and black. It's also now $59 for 2GB and $79 for 4GB. There's also a special edition in stainless steel for $99.
Phil Schiller talks new iPod colors.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET )10:58 a.m.: Steve's back up. One more thing...a video camera.
10:59 a.m.: "Video has exploded in the last few years," he says. All those streams are coming from solid-state video cameras. He shows a picture of the Flip Video and its 4GB $149 price point. "We want to get in on this," he says. There will be a video camera in the back of every iPod Nano. There's also a mic and a speaker inside.
11:00 a.m.: He says it's just as thin as before, and shows a quick demo video from the device's camera. The videos will sync back to your iPhoto or to YouTube, with one click (another feature of the Flip Video camera).
11:02 a.m.: The voice-over feature from the iPod Shuffle will also be in the Nano, as well as Genius Mixes which were discussed earlier. The Nano will also have an FM radio, a voice recorder app, and pedometer. The pedometer will sync online with Nike Plus.
Jobs shows new iPods.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)11:04 a.m.: It will come in a variety of colors: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, silver, black. 8GB for $159 and 16GB for $179, both will be available today.
Jobs touted brilliant new iPod colors.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)11:04 a.m.: We're getting a preview of the new ad, which highlights the video feature and colors of the Nano--with a cutesy pop song as backing, of course.
... Read more
Apple wrapped the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts with its trademark iPod look Tuesday in preparation for Wednesday's music-related event at the San Francisco venue.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)After a long summer of swirling rumors, Apple's now-annual September music event is finally just around the corner.
It's happening Wednesday at 10 a.m. here in San Francisco, and CNET will have full, live-blogging coverage for you. I will be joined by CNET Reviews' Donald Bell, who will be offering his own commentary on all the music-related product announcements. What exactly that will be isn't a complete mystery, but Apple could have a few interesting surprises for us.
It looks like we won't be seeing a touch-screen tablet at this event, but there's plenty left to speculate about. The event, as per the invitation above, is obviously about iPods. Our money is on an updated iPod Touch with a camera, and ready-made ringtones. Plus, we've also heard that the new interactive album format--referred to as "Cocktail"--will also get a lot of play.
But what else? Some are saying there could be cameras in the iPod Nano as well, and even an update to the seemingly forgotten Apple TV. Then there's CEO Steve Jobs. Will he or won't he make an appearance? If he doesn't, the buzz about why he wasn't on hand, when he's been officially back at work since July, could threaten to get louder than whatever his stand-in does end up announcing.
We'll be there to chronicle it all, of course, so be sure to come back to CNET News Wednesday at 10 a.m. PDT.
