Apple TV & iPhone

[ericl]

Apple released two hotly anticipated products at Macworld yesterday, the iPhone and it's Apple TV device.

The iPhone looks like a killer device, mixing a complete iPod, telephone, and handheld computer ala a Blackberry, but with the added twist of a sophisticated new touch screen technology that handles multiple changes button configurations depending on the function you're using. If you're in phone mode, you see a standard phone key pad. If you're text messaging or emailing, you get a full qwerty key pad. Or they completely disappear when watching movies on the unit's 3.5" widescreen display. It also runs Mac OS X, making a solid platform for all kinds of computing tasks.

The Apple TV is media server device that bridges your tv and your home wireless network. Connect it to your TV and Home Theater system and you can play music, movies and photos from all the computers on your network. It supports a 720p Output via component or HDMI output. It also features analog and optical audio outputs, a usb port and 40gb hard drive for downloading content directly from the iTunes store.

[icarus]

With the release of the iphone, Cisco Systems has filed a lawsuit against apple for the use of the name iphone which was patented several years ago

[ericl]

With the release of the iphone, Cisco Systems has filed a lawsuit against apple for the use of the name iphone which was patented several years ago

I saw that.. I found it amusing that even though the name "iPhone" has been copyrighted for years, Apple ahead and named it that anyway.

[Dusty Chalk]

Doh! I just bought a Treo...

[noddin0ff]

Well Apple's no stranger to trademark infringement. The name 'Apple' has given them trouble ever since they started to become a multimedia company and Apple Corp. (distributor for The Beattles) sued...

http://www.macobserver.com/article/2006/03/27.2.shtml

[Feanor]

Apple released two hotly anticipated products at Macworld yesterday, the iPhone and it's Apple TV device.

The iPhone looks like a killer device, mixing a complete iPod, telephone, and handheld computer ala a Blackberry, but with the added twist of a sophisticated new touch screen technology that handles multiple changes button configurations depending on the function you're using. If you're in phone mode, you see a standard phone key pad. If you're text messaging or emailing, you get a full qwerty key pad. Or they completely disappear when watching movies on the unit's 3.5" widescreen display. It also runs Mac OS X, making a solid platform for all kinds of computing tasks.
....

As usual, Apple has aced the user interface.

[ericl]

As usual, Apple has aced the user interface.

It does look sweet indeed. It will no doubt revolutionize things. But I'm wondering how it will work in the real world. Will it scratch easy? What will the battery life be like? how responsive and fast will this mini version OS X be?

[Feanor]

It does look sweet indeed. It will no doubt revolutionize things. But I'm wondering how it will work in the real world. Will it scratch easy? What will the battery life be like? how responsive and fast will this mini version OS X be?

An Achilles heel of the iPod ...

[paul_pci]

It does look sweet indeed. It will no doubt revolutionize things. But I'm wondering how it will work in the real world. Will it scratch easy? What will the battery life be like? how responsive and fast will this mini version OS X be?

A friend of mine was at the MacExpo yesterday in SF and said the guys there claimed it was scratch resistant and refused to identify the material it's made out of. To me, the iPhone looks like one of the most awesome gadgets in recent memory.

[nightflier]

A few questions/thoughts:

- ericl, you stated that the Apple TV "supports a 720p Output via component." I thought component was limited to 480p? It looks like apple may have another lawsuit on its hands as well.

- Regarding the iPhone name, I think that much of the validity of the copyright depends on what a company does with the name. If Apple's iPhone becomes the best selling gadget/phone in the industry, I don't know if Cisco will be able to convince the courts of its exclusive rights to the name. Anyhow, it should be interesting to follow. And as Nod noted, Apple's not afraid of the law - despite the Beatles suit, Apple is still called Apple.

- Battery life is going to be the biggest problem. As a new owner of the new Motorola Q, I can tell you that something has to happen on the battery research front before these technologies can actually become useful. Imagine how pissed all former iPod owners will be when their iPhone craps out after three phone calls and 25 songs. And I'm sure that fancy new colorful interface and the Max OS will suck even more juice out that little battery. Battery technology research is hopelessly behind the rest of the technology.