Its out...finally ! MacBook Air Now available for purchase [Link], According to the Press release :-
Apple® today announced that MacBook Air™, the world’s thinnest notebook, is now shipping. MacBook Air measures an unprecedented 0.16-inches at its thinnest point, while its maximum height of 0.76-inches is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks. Apple also announced that the new Apple TV® software update, which allows users to rent high definition movies directly from their widescreen TVs, is not quite finished. Apple now plans to make the free software download available to existing Apple TV customers in another week or two.
MacBook Air has a stunning 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, a full-size and backlit keyboard, a built-in iSight® video camera for video conferencing, and a spacious trackpad with multi-touch gesture support so users can pinch, rotate and swipe. MacBook Air is powered by a 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache, and includes as standard features 2GB of memory, an 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive, and the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and Bluetooth 2.1.
Apple TV’s software update will allow movie fans to rent movies on the iTunes® Store directly from their widescreen TV. With iTunes Movie Rentals and Apple TV, users can just click a button on their remote to effortlessly rent movies from a catalog of over 1,000 titles by the end of February, including over 100 titles in stunning high definition video with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound, with no computer required. DVD-quality iTunes Movie Rentals are $2.99 for library titles and $3.99 for new releases, and high definition versions are just one dollar more with library titles at $3.99 and new releases at $4.99. Purchases downloaded to Apple TV are automatically synced back to iTunes on the user’s computer for enjoyment on their computer, all current generation iPods* or iPhone™. Apple TV easily connects to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports.
Pricing & Availability
The new MacBook Air is now shipping and will be available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), and includes:
* 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with 1280x800 resolution;
* 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM;
* 80GB hard disk drive with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100;
* Micro-DVI port (includes Micro-DVI to VGA and Micro-DVI to DVI Adapters);
* built-in iSight video camera;
* built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
* one USB 2.0 port;
* one headphone port;
* multi-touch TrackPad with support for advanced multi-touch gestures including tap, scroll, pinch, rotate and swipe; and
* 45 Watt MagSafe® Power Adapter.
Build-to-order options and accessories for MacBook Air include the ability to upgrade to a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; 64GB solid state drive, MacBook Air SuperDrive®, Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple Remote and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include pre-installed copies of iWork™ ‘08, Logic® Express 8, Final Cut® Express 4 and Aperture™ 1.5.
The new Apple TV software will be available as a free automatic download to all Apple TV customers within two weeks. Apple TV, which includes the Apple Remote, is available from the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $229 (US) for the 40GB model and $329 (US) for the 160GB model (US and Canada). Apple TV requires an 802.11g/n wireless network or 10/100 Base-T Ethernet networking, a broadband Internet connection and a high definition widescreen TV. iPod® games will not play on Apple TV. iTunes Movie Rentals are available in the US only.
*Movie rentals work on iPod classic, iPod nano with video and iPod touch.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
January 30, 2008
MacBook Air Now Shipping...No details about Apple TV
November 1, 2007
iPhone the Invention of the Year... WTF ?
Apple didn't invent the touchscreen. Apple didn't even reinvent it (Apple probably acquired its much hyped multitouch technology when it snapped up a company called Fingerworks in 2005). But Apple knew what to do with it.
And yet it is the invention of the year !
Here are reasons why Apple's iPhone deserves the invention of the year (even though there are plenty phone that can do pretty much what iPhone can !)
1. The iPhone is pretty
2. It's touchy-feely
3. It will make other phones better
4. It's not a phone, it's a platform
5. It is but the ghost of iPhones yet to come
This is what I call classic WTF moment !
October 11, 2007
Search for Virus suggests Windows - Apple's Cheap shot
Apple takes a swing at the vulnerability of Windows, again but this time kinda bellow the belt.
To see it ... Go to www.Apple.com and in the search box type virus and the result suggests Windows.
Now Apple has been running a mostly sarcastic and sometimes funny ad campaign for Mac which mocks at windows indirectly.
Now to give apple taste of its own medicine here is the rip-off version :-
October 4, 2007
Microsoft Zune gets a upgrade - is it too little too late ?
After apple announced its line of ipods for the holiday season including the launch of ipod touch, it is the turn of Microsoft and zune, it announced that it will offer three new models of the Zune in November.
The price details so far is that 4GB and 8GB versions will sell for $149 and $199 respectively and the 80GB player equipped with a hard drive for $249.
The most interesting changes include wireless syncing and the new Zune Pad. It will allow for an automatic sync with your computer so that you always have the latest audio, great for podcasts !
Now that iPod offers wifi there is nothing to compare. The Media store of Apple is much more rich including Movies and Sitcoms. Microsoft says it will offer 1 million unprotected songs.
October 3, 2007
Nokia vs iPhone - Nokia takes advantage of the Anti-Apple mood
Nokia and its N-series phone N95 and N81 which pitted against the iphone took a swing at the latest round of locked iphone fiasco by an Nokia open to anything outdoor campaign in NY.
iPhone had left a bad taste with a saga no less than a bollywood film. First the locked iphone then the price cut, iphone unlocking hack finally the 1.1.1 which kills the third party apps and renders the unlocked iphone good for a door stop.
Third party apps such as Flickr upload, IM clients are so essential for using your mobile as device for vibrant social connectivity. That is why nokia seems to be on a logical bliss by encouraging third party apps. Facebook, Firefox as testament to the success that third party apps can bring yet some geniuses think they know better !
Well gotto say this ad campaign should go to the case study in Marketing. Nokia clearly saw an opportune moment to get their message of promoting creativity (third party apps) and offering their devices with no limits (lock/contracts) !
Its a tough time to be a Apple PR guy !
September 29, 2007
Apple, Steve Jobs, AT&T sued over iPhone price revision
Since Apple announced the price cut of iPhone made the moron of the early buyers by $200 a law suit was inevitable. It finally happened on Sept 24, a lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
It was filed by Dongmei Li who accuses Apple and others of price discrimination, underselling, discrimination in rebates, deceptive actions. Did anyone expect a $100 "Store Credit" will settle the humiliation of waiting hours outside the Apple store only to find price slashed by $200 and 4GB model discontinued, what do "genius" Steve Jobs thinks his customer are.... morons ?
May be Steve "I like to say Boom" Jobs doesn't give a damn for his customers which explains the 2-year "mandatory" agreements with AT&T, imposing hefty $175 termination fees then the price cut and joke of a Store Credit!
She cannot resell her iPhone at the same cost she bought, and the 4GB model will be discontinued !
Now guess how much is she asking for damages, $ 1 million ! What kind of lawsuit is if the damages are not at least a million dollars.
[Source]
September 24, 2007
Starbucks to offer 50 Million free iTunes downloads
According to appleinsider.com Starbucks plans to give away 50 million songs to customers of its U.S. coffee shops to promote its new iTunes wireless service that due to launch next month for FREE !
10K shops of Starbucks will give out "Song of the Day" cards redeemable on the iTunes Store starting from October 2nd to November 7th, customers then can redeem the song before the end of the year.
They also mention:The complimentary download cards will offer hand-picked songs from top artists including Bob Dylan, Joss Stone, Dave Matthews, Bebel Gilberto, John Mayer, KT Tunstall, John Legend, Annie Lennox, Joni Mitchell, Keith Urban and Paul McCartney plus music from up-and-coming artists such as Sia, Band of Horses, Hilary McRae, Frederico Aubele and Sara Bareilles.
September 18, 2007
iPhone to launch in UK on Nov 09 and selects O2 as Mobile carrier
Its the turn of the chaps across the atlantic to get their hands on the the latest gadget sensation...iPhone.
Apple has chosen O2 as the selected carrier for the 18 month contract that comes with the iPhone, which was on expected lines.
The Tech specification of the UK iphone are the same as the US one. Still no 3G for the moment only EDGE and WiFi!
Capacity
* 8GB flash drive
Display
* 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display
* 480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 ppi
* Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
GSM
* Quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz)
Wireless data
* Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
* EDGE
* Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Camera
* 2.0 megapixels
The only major difference seems to be the price which is $541, much higher than the $399 in US. Or is the genius Steve Jobs planning to give another store credit after 74 days ?
September 11, 2007
iPhone Sells its one millionth phone in 74 days
Apple has reported that it sold its one millionth phone on monday just 74 days after the much hyped product was launched. That is an incredible average of 13513.5 phones every day !
In the company website they say:Yesterday, just 74 days after its introduction on June 29, Apple sold the one millionth iPhone. “One million iPhones in 74 days—it took almost two years to achieve this milestone with iPod,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We can’t wait to get this revolutionary product into the hands of even more customers this holiday season.” [Sep 10, 2007]
September 6, 2007
Apple announce $100 lolly for Early Buyers of iPhone
Better sense prevailed and Apple has decided to offer $100 lolly of Store credit for the initial buyers who bought Apple iPhone at $599 only to be pissed to see the iPhone price slashed by $200.
Kinda like when you were a kid and doctor gives you a lolly after sticking a needle in your butt so that you can forget that numbing pain.
Now Steve Jobs is a intelligent man (I guess) when he says:-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.
Now my point simply is this people who buy new cutting edge technology are not a philanthropist he buys it because he wants to enjoy the fact that others don't and will not have until the price reduces or the improved model is announced. This kick of exclusivity and to see envy of others, is what drives him to buy a technology when it is at its costliest. If the period of that exclusivity is just 2 months "Why the F**K should he wait 2 days outside the apple store like a hobo and pay $200 extra"
Apple should admit their marketing "Geniuses" got the pricing wrong.
Apple iPhone price slashed for 8GB to $399
Apple reduced the price of it 8GB iphone from $599 to just $399 ahead of the holiday season. Making people who bought it at its earlier price look like a complete moron!
According to Steve Jobs,
The surveys are in and iPhone customer satisfaction scores are higher than we've ever seen for any Apple product, We've clearly got a breakthrough product and we want to make it affordable for even more customers as we enter this holiday season.
Price correction is normality but so drastic change within 2 months is unheard of. The early buyers/adopters of a technology is crucial for a company, they are the ones who pay for the technology to be made cheaper for others to buyer later. Making them look like a moron who overpaid for a gadget by $200 just 2 months ago is sure to backfire when they launch a new products.
It would be interesting to watch if this would scare away the early buyers breed(who are really pissed now) would rather wait and watch the next time a product is launched.
[Via AppleInsider]
