I’m here at the Steve Jobs keynote. The speakers just got escorted in – including the Educator Academy speakers. We’re about half way back. There’s about a dozen computer-to-computer networks, but no free wifi, so it looks like I’m moblogging it. I’m on my treo – a real ghetto phone here. Sadly’ twitter seems to be down, but I’ll keep checking it. Oh, lights dimmed.
UPDATE: It turns out live blogging and thinking is tough. This is just a chronical of events right now – and only rough notes at that.
Four Things
1.) Time Capsule – A backup appliance. Airport Extreme 802.11 N and server grade HD. Time Machine with no wires. 500 GB for $299 and 1 TB for $499. Backup the whole house… Or classroom?
2.) iPhone – New features… Maps with location, weblips, customize homescreen(s), SMS multiple people, chapters subtitles lyrics.
Maps is Google… With a location featuee… GPS?… Directions… Pins. No GPS. Skyhook wireless mapped and triangulated wifi hotspots to get location – and Google does the same thing with cell towers. Wow.
Webclips also highlights Google. Add shortcuts to websites to your home screen. Webclips remember zooming and panning.
Customize home screen… Cool jiggling icons! Dock and multiplt “pages.”
All a free software update.
iPod touch gets mail, stocks, notes, weather, Maps, customizable… For $20.
3.) iTunes… a better way to deliver movie content – rentals. Less expensive and doesn’t take up HD space when you’re done. All major studios and releases. Great library titles. What’s the deal? 30 days after DVD release. Watch instantly. 30 days to start. 24 hours to finish. Transfer while watching. Cost… Library title $2.99, new release $3.99. Launches Today.
What about TV? Apple TV didn’t really succeed… People want Movies… No computer required for Apple TV! Rent movies on your TV in DVD or HD quality – $1 more for HD. Also audio and video podcasts. Photos from Flickr and dot mac. And youtube 50M videos. Buy shows and music – and synch with computer. New GUI… Long demo.
Flickr connections are cool. Includes friends feature. Uh oh… Tech glitch – blamed on flickr.
Free software upgrade to existing Apple TVs! New ones are only $299… nope – $229. Shipping in two weeks.
Now chairman of 20th Century Fox Jim Gianopulos now on stage.
Apple’s definitely in the entertainment business.
4.) There’s Something In The Air – best notebooks on the planet: Macbook, Macbook Pro… Now Macbook Air. Thinnest notebook.
Thinness .76 to .16 inches.
In a “district mail” envelope!
Full size keyboard and screen
Mag latch
13.3 inch display LED backlit instant on
iSight!
Backlit keyboard
Generous Trackpad with multitouch
iPhone like gestures incl. Zoom.
Me: Best blogging machine ever?
iPod HD 80 GB
or 64 GB solid state.
Intel core 2 duo – same as macbooks
1.6 to 1.8 GH – but 60 percent smaller
Paul Otellini, CEO of intel on stage.
Was challenged a year ago!
What are they doing now?
mag pwr adapter smaller
usb2 micro Dvi and headphones
802.11 N and Bluetooth
a new superdrive $99 dvd drive
no need
wireless rentals for movies
time capsul for backups
ipods for CDs
remote disk for installing software
share disks from othe macs and pcs
battery life 5 hours!
2GB ram standard
$1799
shipping in 2 weeks
environmental inniatives for all future releases
case is recyclable alluminum
display mercury and arsenic free
circuit boards more eco-friendly
50 percent less packaging
That’s four… one more thing?
A special treat…
Randy Newman
A VERY political song!
A president once said there’s nothing to fear but fear itself… now we’re not supposed to be afraid.
More soon…
UPDATE: On initial reflection there are not many initial educational benefits of these announcements. Many are entertainment focused, and the hardware is priced out of schools’ budgets. However, the technology behind the iPhone and Macbook Air – and behind the iTunes content distribution system, paint an engaging picture of mobile educational technology in the future.