2013-04-16 10:05:26 +02:00

317 lines
9.3 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
Raw Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

technology
apple
7977011
-----
# Apple latest products: early reviews of iPod touch 4G, Ping, Apple TV and
Nano
## Apple has received mixed early reviews to the launch of its latest product
updates: the iPod touch 4G, Ping, Apple TV with streaming and the sixth-
generation iPod nano.
400
227
TelegraphPlayer-7977488
[Link to this video][1]
[![Alastair Jamieson][2]][3]
By [Alastair Jamieson][4] 11:00AM BST 02 Sep 2010
[Comments][5]
Apple **[on Wednesday unveiled Ping][6]** as a new music social network that
could rival Facebook and Twitter, as well as a version of Apple TV that can
stream movies and television shows directly from the internet
Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, used a special press conference at the
Yerba Buena Centre in San Francisco to outline Apple's new approach to music
and entertainment services.
"One of the biggest things we focus on with iTunes is discovery. There are
more than 12 million songs to choose from, so how do you find new stuff?,"
asked Jobs.
"So we're launching Ping - it's a social network that's all about music. It's
like Facebook and Twitter meets iTunes. You can follow your favourite artists
and friends and discover what music they like and are downloading."
## Related Articles
* [First look at Apple TV][7]
02 Sep 2010
* [Apple TV and Ping unveiled][8]
02 Sep 2010
* [Chris Martin does nothing for Apple's brand][9]
02 Sep 2010
* [New Apple TV, iPods and Ping social network unveiled][10]
01 Sep 2010
**iPod touch 4G**
Early reviews praise the range of functions, with **[Gizmodo describing it as
a "killer gadget"][11]**.
The website said: "An iPod touch with a camera. It's a powerful proposition.
The fact that it can replace a camera makes it that much more powerful of a
gadget, that much more of a threat to everything else--because that means it
really can replace everything in a manbag or purse but the phone--iPod,
camera, notepad, gaming device, the list goes on.
"And it's everything that's great about the iPhone 4, but without the
technological venereal disease that is a two-year AT&T contract. It's
approachable, even to people who aren't super tech savvy--they can keep their
simple, reliable phone on any carrier and use the iPod touch right along with
it. That's a killer gadget."
A review on **[Techradar][12]** said the device was "essentially an iPhone 4,
minus the phone and SMS functions".
"If you have yet to feast your eyes on the iPhone's 3.5-inch, 960 x 640 pixel
resolution 'Retina' display, then you have yet to appreciate the vibrancy and
quality of the images that are now available on the new iPod touch," it said.
"This is sure to be a massive boon to students and younger users that either
don't want (or, more likely, are not financially able) to get tied into long-
term mobile contracts, yet still want to use their iPod touch for instant
messaging and video calling.
"It is, as we heard more than one punter mumble at today's London showcase, a
potential game-changer. Although whether or not it will cannibalise the demand
for Apple's iPhone 4 remains to be seen."
However, Delvin Coldeway at **[CrunchGear][13]** was less impressed by the
dual camera, noting: "The specs on Apple's page note that the new iPod touch
only takes still pictures at 960×720. That's some nonsense. If the sensor can
capture 1280×720 video at 30FPS, surely it's capable of better stills. On the
other hand, If the sensor is only capable of 960×720 images and they're just
stretching it to 1280×720, I'm going to have an image quality hissy fit."
On Twitter, **[@DanPryce][14]** wrote: "With regards to the iPod touch 4G -
it's probably not enough of an evolution to justify an upgrade for me. Next
year, perhaps."
**Ping **
There were mixed reviews for Ping, the social network linked to iTunes**.
[Blogger Om Malik][15]** hailed it as the "futue of social commerce.
"It can tell me who my friends think are cool and the top 10 favorites of
people in my social graph," he wrote. "Some of my friends are famous deejays.
Others just have eclectic musical tastes. They can collectively sift through
over 10 million songs and help with the discovery of music. This social-
powered discovery is part of the biggest theme of our times: serendipity."
**[Mashable declared][16]**: "We don't love Ping yet, but we don't hate it,
either. We suspect that much of the network's value will be a wait-and-see
proposition."
It found plenty of evidence that Ping could emulate Myspace as a social
network but also some flaws including the fact that users can only "like"
three genres of music.
"Moreover, the interface is still buggy and slower than molasses in January at
the North Pole during a legitimate Ice Age. And that slowness is a big turnoff
and an inherent factor of working within iTunes."
On Twitter, **[@jasonmauer][17]** from Portland, Oregon, wrote: "Ping, the
iTunes social network. like I want to spend more time in iTunes. it's like
having a social network in prison."
**Apple TV **
Reviewers were less keen on the latest incarncation of Apple TV, which is
geared towards streaming content rather than just storing it.
Delvin Coldeway of **[CrunchGear][18]** said Apple had "undershot it a bit",
adding: "There's room for a lot more functionality that could have been added
without complicating the device, and I think that's going to be clear in
comparisons with existing and new set-top boxes over the next few weeks and
months."
Matt Burns, also on **[CrunchGear][19]**, said it was "boring", adding that
"that there's already a well-developed product on the market that not only
competes directly with the new Apple TV, but in many ways, is vastly superior:
The Roku."
**iPod Nano (sixth generation) **
There was also a broadly lukewarm response to the latest Nano, which Twitter
user **[@realsameangland][20]** said was "a miniaturisation too far".
**[PCPro][21]** said: "The new nano dispenses with the familiar iPod click-
wheel, and replaces it with a square, 1.54in, 220 x 220 multitouch display.
The only hardware buttons on the device are the power button and the volume
controls.
"Can multitouch work on a display that dinky? I'm far from convinced. While
Apple has done its best to revamp the iPod UI for the new nano, problems
remain."
However, Delvin Coldeway **[CrunchGear][18]** said the Nano was "an amazing
little device", adding: "I think they'll be very popular."
[X][22] Share & bookmark
Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
[What are these?][23]
* Share: [Share][22] [ ][24] [ ][25]
[Tweet][26]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7977011/Apple-latest-products-
early-reviews-of-iPod-touch-4G-Ping-Apple-TV-and-Nano.html
Telegraph
## [Apple][27]
* ### [News »][28]
* ### [Retail and Consumer »][29]
* ### [Alastair Jamieson »][30]
* ### [Technology News »][31]
In technology
[![Apple iPad 2: Steve Jobs makes surprise launch appearance][32] ][33]
### [Apple iPad 2: hands on][33]
[![Apple's new family of MacBook Pros][34] ][35]
### [Apple updates MacBook Pro][35]
[![Apple's Steve Jobs launches iPad2][36]][37]
### [Investment advice: The Steve Jobs effect][37]
[![Graphical User Interface (from Mac 128 or Apple Lisa)][38] ][39]
### [Steve Jobs: career in gadgets][39]
[X][22] Share & bookmark
Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
[What are these?][23]
Share:
* [ ][22]
* [ ][24]
* [ ][25]
* [Tweet][26]
* Advertisement
![][40]
telegraphuk
Please enable JavaScript to view the [comments powered by Disqus.][41] [blog
comments powered by Disqus][42]
[![Follow The Telegraph on social media][43]][44]
Advertisement
sponsored features
Loading
Technology Most Viewed
* TODAY
* PAST WEEK
* PAST MONTH
1. [Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder, slaughters his own food][45]
2. [Mark Zuckerberg: children should be allowed to use Facebook][46]
3. [US develop software to analyse metaphors][47]
4. [Stuxnet virus: US refuses to deny involvement][48]
5. [Nook ereader impresses the US but might never come to Britain][49]
1. [Reiss website crashes as shoppers rush to buy Kate's dress][50]
2. [Newspaper publishes name of footballer with gagging order][51]
3. [Tweets about super-injunction footballer spike after attempts to gag
Twitter][52]
4. [Max Clifford: Ryan Giggs 'affair' may never have come out without
injunction][53]
5. [Ryan Giggs unmasked as gagging order footballer][54]
1. [Mr Men Google doodles celebrate 76th birthday of creator Roger
Hargreaves][55]
2. [Meet the woman allergic to electricity][56]
3. [Jeremy Clarkson texts Jemima Khan over 'nightmare' super-injunction
claims on Twitter][57]
4. [Wikipedia users name celebrities with gagging orders][58]
5. [Alarm over EU 'Great Firewall' proposal][59]
[EDITOR'S CHOICE »][60]
### [Gil Scott-Heron: 'A voice for Shakespeare'][61]
[![Gil Scott-Heron][62]][61]
Composer, musician, poet and author whose writing provided a vivid commentary
on the black American experience.
### [Beekeeping diary: the new colonies arrive][63]
### [Spectacular light show dazzles Sydney][64]
### [WS Gilbert: a knight for our times][65]
### [The Telegraph's Matt is Hay Festival star][66]
Advertisement
Classified Advertising
* [Cars][67]
* [IT Jobs][68]
* [Events][69]
Loading
var puffs_8254837 = new Array();