Some of you have started doing this already through Coffee Talk, but I wanted to keep it going. It would be cool/fun if we followed each other on iTunes Ping. If you’re interested, please leave your Ping name in the comments section. As for me, I’m “Raymond Padilla”.
I actually buy more music from Amazon than iTunes, so my iTunes selections aren’t that interesting. Have any of you discovered (or rediscovered) cool music through your Ping friends?
Here are some pictures of the super sturdy Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4. Otterbox makes makes some of the strongest cases around and is definitely one of the first companies you should consider when it comes to protecting your precious iPhone 4. This three-piece case has a hard plastic exoskeleton with felt lining, a screen protector, and a silicone exterior for a tacky grip. These photos show off all the case’s parts and includes a naked Droid 2 for size comparison.
While the Defender is definitely one of the best cases when it comes to protection, it does add bulk. This is especially true if you use the holster, which is pretty enormous. I prefer the look and feel of the case without the holster. While I find it perfectly pocketable, some of you will think otherwise.
Check out the pics and let me know what you think of the Otterbox Defender for iPhone 4 (please)!
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Mobile gaming is about to get huge. Yeah, I know it’s a pretty big deal now and one of the fastest growing segments of the entire gaming industry, but it’s going to get super huge. More importantly, it’s going get super huge in a way that you care about. Why do I say this? Two reasons: Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and id Software’s id Tech 5.
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the three hottest MILFs you can think of, why Christina Aguilera did/didn’t make your MILF list, or that crazy red stuff my Chinese clients made me drink last night, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Mobile gaming is about to get huge. Yeah, I know it’s a pretty big deal now and one of the fastest growing segments of the entire gaming industry, but it’s going to get super huge. More importantly, it’s going get super huge in a way that you care about. Why do I say this? Two reasons: Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and id Software’s id Tech 5.
At the end of last year, Epic was showing off Unreal Engine for iPhone. At the recent QuakeCon event, id showed off an iPhone engine that uses some of same technology as id Tech 5. In both cases the demos were extremely impressive — way better graphics than what you see in the vast majority of mobile games. Developers are already doing a much better job of making fun games that utilize a touch interface. With tools like Unreal Engine and id Tech, mobile games are going to get even better.
What do you think of the mobile gaming market? Do you think it’s set for a huge boom in 2011? Do you think Epic and id can kickstart a graphics race on the iOS and Android platforms? I know that a few of you just aren’t into mobile gaming at all. Will sharper graphics change your mind?
If you want an iPhone 4 but don’t want to be a slave to AT&T for two years then you’re SOL. 9to5Mac noticed that Apple has updated its iPhone 4 FAQ to state, ” iPhone requires a two-year AT&T wireless service contract.” (I wonder if unlocked models from Canada and Mexico still require a contract….)
Some people are thinking that this is another sign of AT&T losing iPhone exclusivity in the near future. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. It certainly sucks that American consumers don’t have the option to buy the phone outright and pay for month-to-month service.
The rumors of a seven-inch iPad are swirling around the Apple universe. A smaller version of the iPad makes a lot of sense. For many users, the current model is simply too big and unwieldy to use as a lounging device; shrinking it down would allow the iPad to work for more people. For some people (tech nerds), the plain Jane IPS display isn’t cutting it — lots of gadget freaks are dreaming of an iPad that uses Apple’s vaunted “Retina Display” technology. Using that tech on a seven-inch screen would be cheaper than using it on the current 9.7-inch model.
Then again, this could all be a bunch of crap. I want to know what you think America (and hot women from Iceland). Kindly take today’s poll and share your thoughts on the matter.
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The iPhone 4 rumor mongers have been having a ball with Steve Cheney’s blog post on TechCrunch. While he started out strong by saying, “I am going to go on record to say Verizon will be selling an iPhone this coming January,” he kind of pussies out at the end by adding, “I can’t say with 100% accuracy that an iPhone will hit Verizon store shelves in January.” (Pussies out is a technical term, btw.)
Perhaps the more interesting news is that AT&T addressed the possibility of losing iPhone exclusivity in the near future. The company seems to be prepping investors for the loss of some kind of exclusivity…and I’m betting Wall Street doesn’t care much about the BlackBerry Torch. The Wall Street Journal reported:
AT&T Inc. said Friday it doesn’t expect to suffer a “material negative impact” from the end of its exclusive arrangements to carry handsets, including its lucrative deal for Apple Inc.’s iPhone.
“We do not expect any such terminations to have a material negative impact on our wireless segment income, consolidated operating margin or our cash from operations,” AT&T said in the filing with regulators on Friday.
So there’s lots of interesting information floating around that points to a CDMA carrier — most are thinking Verizon, but Sprint isn’t out of the question — getting the iPhone 4 in January 2011. What do you think of the latest info? Are you still hoping that the excellent iPhone 4 gets paired with a superior network? Or are you tired of all the talk?
I was super excited yesterday when I learned that Apple acquired exclusive rights to LiquidMetal’s technologies. Part of it was that I immediately envisioned using a Terminator T-1000 for this story and part of it was because it gives Apple new trails to blaze.
While most people notice that Apple’s industrial design is miles ahead of most of its competitors, less people realize that its use of materials is also more advanced. Several companies offer aluminum laptops, but the unibody construction of the MacBook Pro is fairly unique and executed better than anyone else. The iPhone 4 is another example; how many other mobile phones are glass sandwiches?
LiquidMetal’s technology should lead to lighter and stronger Apple products in the future. Anyone care to guess what they could be? Do you expect the tech to be used in future generations of MacBook and iPhone products? Or will the LiquidMetal lead to the return of the eMac? Or maybe something new, like the T-1000, is on the horizon.
Jer at iLounge posted a slew of Apple rumors the other day. Some of them will surely pan out, while others seem like a stretch (he admits this too). The two rumors I found particularly interesting had to do with screen size changes. Here’s the skinny:
There’s also continued chatter about a three-inch touchscreen that could make its way into an iPod, shaving half an inch off the diagonal of the current iPod touch.
A seven-inch-screened version of the iPad is substantially finished and will be ready for announcement either later this year or early in 2011. Apple has been prototyping devices with screens of this size for a long time—quite possibly predating the original iPhone.
It sounds odd for the iPod Touch to be getting a smaller screen. If it used Retina Display, that would be sorta kinda acceptable, but purported prototypes show that the next iPod Touch looks more like last year’s model than the iPhone 4.
A seven-inch iPad has the potential to shake up the market. Apple has sold millions of iPads, but some people — especially those that don’t understand the difference between data-consumption and data-creation devices — are turned off by the price. A cheaper iPad — I’m thinking $249 to $299 — would be killer. It would also take some of the shine off of Amazon’s recently price slashed Kindle. What I really want is an iPad with a camera and Retina Display…but I don’t see that happening until Q2 2011, at the earliest.
Let me know what you think of this batch of Mac rumors (please!). Any of ’em you find particularly juicy?
Clear has announced the iSpot, a WiMax router that offers wireless high-speed Internet access for up to eight devices…as long as those devices are iPhones, iPads, and iPods. The device normally costs $99.99, but the company is running a special and offering it for $29. Monthly service costs $25, which is $15 cheaper than Clear’s cheapest plan that covers all devices.
If you live in an area that’s covered by Clear and are a Machole, the iSpot is an interesting device. The hardware and service are cheap, while the data rates are fantastic (though easily mucked with by buildings). Any of you intersted in the iSpot?
In a move that’s fantastic for our neighbors to the north and south (and sucks for me!), Apple is selling the iPhone 4 unlocked in Canada and Mexico. The unlocked Canadian version has common knowledge for weeks, but the Mexican version is new news. Not only does Mexico have the better version of Coke, it also has the superior version of the iPhone 4.
Yay for Canada and Mexico…. Yes, I’m in the bitter barn right now. Visiting my Zoe in Vancouver or taking a long weekend in Cabo would be fun…but I should save the money for a new computer. (Jokingly) FML.
