Poke My Mon!

So, it’s official! At WWDC 10, Apple head honcho Steve Jobs announced the release of the iPhone 4 at the end of this month. It looks pretty much exactly the same as it did when it leaked a few weeks ago and sporting the same features (which are really exciting).

5 megapixel camera (not to mention both front and back cameras), insane new display screen (called the Retina Display, because it displays more pixels than the human retina can process or something), HD video recording, some iPhone-to-iPhone video chatting thing called FaceTime and, of course, the new iPhone OS4 (now renamed iOS4), which has just about every feature I’ve wanted corrected in iPhone OS 3 (portrait mode lock, multi-tasking, folders for icons etc.)

And just like what I mentioned in my above-linked post, it looks by far the best out of all the iPhones to me, probably cause it’s cased in a different material that is more fingerprint-proof, a big plus for me.

Unlike what I expected (a release date in Singapore a couple of months later), it’ll actually arrive in Singapore in July! Meaning that by the time my contract’s first year ends in August and I can upgrade my phone plan (albeit at a slightly higher price), it’ll be out!

ps. And my favourite non-iPhone announcement so far? That, unlike in previous generations, iOS4 will be a free download for iPod Touches as well! Last time, iTouch users had to pay a few USD to get the upgrade which iPhone users get for free. Glad to see they finally remember that iTouch users are also their customers.

This makes me irrationally want an iPad, even if I will never ever be able to play like that.

There’s been a lot of drama over the past few days over an alleged leak of an iPhone 4G prototype that was left in a bar by a (soon-to-be-ex?) employee of Apple and that has been making its rounds on the internet. Gizmodo posted the supposed full story of how the phone got lost (even including details and photos of the dude who lost the phone) and has also done a list of the new features they could see.

While I still don’t know enough (haven’t had time to read up on all the drama) to state any opinion on whether this is really the new phone from Apple (although indications seem to point to an affirmative), on whether it was all just a major free (orchestrated) publicity stunt by Apple, or on whether it was ethical for Gizmodo to publish the dude’s full details and kick him when he’s (and if he’s really) down, I am terribly excited about the actual product.

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A few weeks ago, I decided that, instead of debating between getting an iPhone and a Blackberry, I’d get both (well, sorta).

Since I’d be able to get the BB Bold 9700 for really cheap, I decided to get an iPod Touch (32gb). After all, it has almost all the functionality of the iPhone but it’s way cheaper and has more storage space (even if I had gotten the iPhone, I could only have afforded the 16gb one, which wouldn’t have solved the problem of my current Nano running out of space).

This way, I not only have the best of both worlds, but I wouldn’t be putting all my eggs in one basket and then getting screwed when the battery runs low or something. The only thing is that the iTouch has no camera and hence no fun camera apps.

But anyway, I decided to get my hands on one after my fortnight from hell (with the two full essays and one crazy mod term test) as a sort of celebration. Unfortunately, while my papers went okay, the test was a huge mess I’m doomed to fail so the iPod became more of a comfort, self-consoling buy instead.

Whatever the case, I now have my iPod and am actually typing this on it (and trying to get used to the touchscreen so please pardon any typos). Have also spent a decent bomb on paid apps (on top of a whole slew of free ones) so it’s pretty much souped up (and I’m pretty much subsisting on bread and water for the rest of the month).

Now I just need a nice anti-fingerprint matt screen protector (the one I got with the purchase kinda sucks but it’s free so no complaints) and I’m all set. Woo!

Following Apple’s announcement of their iPad, this following MadTV spoof of Apple from a couple years back, has gone viral:

Hilarious.

“With the iPad, I can hook up my Apple – to my peach!”

So, after months of speculations and rumours, Apple has finally announced their tablet, the unfortunate sounding Apple iPad (which has, predictably, spawned a whole slew of Kotex jokes).

Arguably the most hyped-up gadget of the year (Faz, quoting the Wall Street Journal, put it best: “Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.”), the iPad is supposed to be a mix of the iPhone/iPod Touch and the Macbook laptop series.

Looking at the key features and stats, it seems to be leaning more towards a glorified iPhone than a Macbook, for now. While it’s reportedly super fast, the specs look a bit underwhelming so far.

No 3G on cheaper models (and even for those that have, it runs on some Apple-only SIM card?)? A HDD space equivalent to an iPod Touch? No camera (which is a step down from both iPhone and Macbook)? The ability to run iPhone apps but only at iPhone resolution (i.e. either taking up half the screen or, if expanded, being uber pixelated)?

I expect to like it more once there’re more unique apps for the tablet itself and once I figure out what niche this iPad could play in my technology-laden life (after all, it’s nowhere near as mobile as the iPhone but it’s nowhere near as powerful as a Macbook so, instead of it being the best of both, I feel like it’s neither here nor there) but, for now, it’s just a souped-up Kindle (especially with Apple’s new iBook e-book library) at about twice the price.

For everything you need to know about the iPad, head here.

DAMN YOU, APPLE!

Just as I plonked down hard-saved cash to buy my beautiful red Nano a few weeks back, you decide to come out with a new line of Nanos that boast, amongst other features, video recording, microphone voice recording, an FM transmitter and a pedometer (the last two of which are features I’ve always wanted but never believed would see in an iPod). And what’s more, the red isn’t even limited ed anymore, just easily available. And it’s the same price as the one I got mine for!

ARGH! I NEED TO TRADE IN!

(@*&#(@(*#@O*U@(*&#@(*Y#(@*&#(*@&#(@*&(*W&(*W&(S*DIUHKJEHLWDHELO@*&#O@UWIDHWIUDH!!!

Picture taken from Apple website