Apple @ MacWorld Tokyo

rschroeder writes "Apple updated several products at MacWorld Tokyo tonight (or tomorrow morning). A $499 10-gig iPod, with, get this, custom laser engraving on the back, ($49 extra) and vCard support. They also announced a $49 USB bluetooth module, shipping in April, with beta drivers availble today. Among other tricks, Jobs synced a Clie with a mac via bluetooth. Also a new 23" (1920x1200 )Cinema Display. Jobs also said they're raising the price of the iMac due to LCD and RAM cost increases. All this courtesy MacMinute.com's live coverage." Maccentral has several stories about Jobs' keynote at the convention.

Comments

Monitor envy

[faust2097]

I was waiting for someone to outdo the 22" Cinema Display, funny it was Apple that ended up doing it themselves.

Re:Monitor envy

[frinkster]

This new monitor has a much higher pixel density than the 22" LCD. The old 22" LCD had a density of about 85 pixels per inch while this new 23" LCD has a pixel density of about 100 pixels per inch. Nice!

Re:Monitor envy

[daviddennis]

If I had the money, I'd be in line at the Apple Store to buy it the second it opened tomorrow (or whenever it actually became available).

As it is, I'll be saving my pennies, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if I buy one with my next Mac, later this year.

That's how much I love using high-resolution displays.

I currently have a SGI 1600SW display, which is the same resolution as the Cinema Display, but smaller. Even with this 1600x1024 display, I run out of screen real estate with painful ease. Increasing it to 1900x1200 would really help me. A lot.

I think almost anyone involved in video, especially with Final Cut Pro's screen-gobbling new features, would feel the same.

D

Info on the new iPod software

[MotownAvi]

I just installed the new 1.1 software on my 5gb iPod with no difficulty. Comments:

Contacts: The way this works is that when you upgrade to 1.1, you get a top-level folder on the iPod named "Contacts". Drop .vcf files in there, and you're off. Cute, but since I have my Palm all the time, it's less useful to me.

Equalizer: Can't comment since I haven't set it for any songs.

Now Playing: Pressing the center button when playing a song no longer switches between elapsed time and time remaining. The normal display now shows both. If you press the button, you get the diamond-in-the-rectangle of iTunes, and you can use the dial to shuttle backwards and forwards. Trés cool.

Shuffle: You can now choose between shuffling between songs or between albums. I'm not quite sure what that means.

Bugs fixed: The bug where pausing and then unpausing would land you somewhere totally else appears to be fixed. Another bug where the iPod would cut songs off at the end is also fixed. Alas, the one that prevents "Dvorak" (with the accent over the r) from displaying properly is still present.

Easter Egg: It's still there, in the Legal section off the Settings main item.

And of course, more languages that I don't understand.

Avi

One more thing...

[S-prime]

iTunes 2.04 was also (quietly) released, nothing new here except better stability.

Also, the Bluetooth update won't be avaliable for download till April (this from Apple's site).

Price Breaks for Students

[PMAvers]

A little tidbit for those college students/those with parents/friends in the education industry. Try going to the Education Apple Store, things are cheaper for 'ya.

Example: 5 GB iPod: $369 (Normally $399)
10 GB iPod: $469. (Normally $499)

Hey, $30 off isn't too bad. Just trying to get the word out.

Re:Price Breaks for Students

[GrBear]

And just remember, if you live in Canada, come January 1st. 2003, you'll likely be paying an extra $210 GOV'T REGULATED MUSIC TAX ($21/gig) on that shiney new MP3 player. Arg!

Guess I'm going to have to break down and buy one before xmas.

Every iPod has custom engraving already

[KFury]

Check the back of your iPod. Under the edched logo you'll find your iPod's serial number etched in as well, and it matches the serila # you'll find in 'settings'.

Kinda cool, kinda unnoticed.

Re:What's on my mind is...

[Ford Fulkerson]

Guess the transition period needs to be lengthened now.

The transition was completed at MacWorld in January when all Macs started shipping with Mac OS X as default. What else is needed to complete the transition?