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Apple does it right, gets sued

You really can’t blame Cisco Systems for its lawsuit against Apple Computers — they own the patent to the term “iPhone” fair and square, through a series of mergers going back over a decade.
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You really can’t blame Cisco Systems for its lawsuit against Apple Computers — they own the patent to the term “iPhone” fair and square, through a series of mergers going back over a decade.

Why then Apple decided to name their new device iPhone is anybody’s guess — would “iPod Phone” really be that bad? Why not iPhod,   iCell, PodPhone, MacPhone, or any one of dozens of names that simply and legally combine the idea of Apple iPod meets cell phone? It really is a surprisingly stupid start for such an incredibly amazing product.

What effect this whole legal schmazel will have on Apple’s newest venture is unknown, but it’s safe to say Apple is going to sell a lot of phones regardless of what they’re called, and will steal market share from the likes of Nokia, Ericsson, Sony, LG, Research In Motion, Palm and other manufacturers.

I probably won’t be buying in. I’ve wanted to buy an iPod for a long time now, but I seem to always keep waiting for the next-next version to come out before taking the plunge. I’m glad that Apple is progressive and constantly updating their products, but I’d hate to buy one thing only to wish I waited three months and bought something slightly better.

It seems that no sooner is one version of iPod released than we’re already hearing enticing rumours about the next model coming down the pipe. First it was expanded storage, then it was the colour screen and ability to watch television and movies, then it was the promise of flash-memory based versions that were easier on batteries and could take a beating. Did I want massive capacity or long battery life? Did I want movies and television shows, or was I content to stick with music?

The iPhone rumours are about two years old now, as well as the rumours that Apple was working on a new type of touch screen that would enable the creation of a full-screen iPod. The fact those rumours came true, and in the same product, beat everyone’s expectations.

But while it seems like I’ve been waiting for something like the iPhone for a while, I’ll probably continue to wait just a little bit longer.

For one, I want to see exactly what this thing can do before taking the plunge. Will the screen scratch? How will the battery hold up? How much of the four to eight gigs of flash memory is occupied by software? How do users rate their cell/wireless plans? Can I record audio onto it with the right accessory, like other iPods? Is the camera any good? And, most importantly, is Apple going to come out with something better in the next year?

Also, in my mind it’s not quite perfect. I’d like to see the iPhone come with a compact flash memory card slot. New flash cards can already hold 8 GB and 16 GB cards are around the corner that would double or triple the capacity of the iPhone. For $600 I’d also like to see this phone come with some kind of protective case. I also want to see some kind of battery backup — five hours of video playback is good but I’d like to see it doubled.

Still, I doubt many of the early adopters will have many regrets. In the past it wasn’t smart to be the first one to buy anything, but quality control has come a long way since then. Also, technology moves a lot faster these days — the longer you hold off buying a new technology, the less time you’ll have to enjoy it before it becomes obsolete.

In addition to the iPhone, Apple also announced a new technology last week called Apple TV. Although past the rumour stage for a while, Apple CEO Steve Jobs took some time at the Macworld Expo last week to show his new product off.

Apple TV is basically Apple’s take on the Media PC — computers designed to function as complete home entertainment systems, including televisions, movie players, recorders and stereos. The main difference is that Apple’s device intuitively works with iTunes, allowing users to download television and movies and show them in regular or high definition. It also connects wirelessly to other Macs or PCs in your house, allowing you to access any photos, videos or music files you might have stored elsewhere.

The hard drive is slightly anemic at just 40 GB, compared with up to 500 GB for other Media PCs and Personal Video Records. That still records up to 50 hours of television, although just eight hours at high definition.

Overall this is a good solution for families not yet up on the whole Media PC concept, people who don’t have cable, or small dwellings where home entertainment is centred around one room.

And unlike Media PCs, it doesn’t take up a lot of space — it’s about 20 cm by 20 cm, and less than 3 cm deep. I would have accepted a larger version for double the hard drive capacity, but there you go — you can always link it to another external hard drive, and there’s always the hard drive on your computer.

For more on the iPhone, Apple TV, or other products visit www.apple.com , and then stop by www.cnet.com to get the latest reviews.

 

Website of the Week – www.vanishingpointgame.com

Although the Vanishing Point Game was revealed to be a viral marketing campaign by Microsoft Vista, there’s no denying that this online/real world puzzle solving game is as compelling as they come. The winner will get a weightless, near space experience — The Ultimate Vista — and Microsoft is also giving away computers, Xbox 360s, Zune media players, and more.