Apple refreshes iPhones, MacBooks, and OS X at WWDC
Apple announced a new version of the iPhone, called the iPhone 3G S. It's got the same design and pricing as the current iPhone 3G model, but sports a faster processor that Apple says will load most apps somewhere between 3 to 5 times faster. It also comes in improved capacities, all the way up to 32GB up from 16GB. The 3G S has an updated 3-megapixel camera (up from 2 megapixels) that has autofocus and autoexposure. It can also shoot video that can be edited right on the device in a similar fashion to iMovie. The video it takes is 30 frames per second at 640x480 VGA resolution, bringing it to spec with most point-and-shoot digital cameras. The 3G S hardware also gets a magnetometer, which will allow the device to tell what direction it's pointed in. To go along with this, there's a new compass app that will act just like a normal compass. Users with the 3G S will get additional features in the Google Maps application that show which direction they're facing.Apple also added built-in voice control that can start calls, find songs, and other information on the phone. The iPhone has long been criticized for not having voice support.New iPhone softwareApple announced that iPhone OS 3.0 will be available worldwide June 17 as a free update to iPhone customers, and as a $9.95 update for iPod Touch owners. For an overview of what the software does, see our previous news roundup from the mid-March developer event. Newly announced was data tethering over USB and Bluetooth is coming as part of the software update; however it will require carrier support, which means some carriers may not allow it. There was no mention of whether AT&T will be offering as part of its iPhone service, or as a paid add-on, which it has done for some of its other devices. Users can now rent and purchase movies from the phone. This also works for TV shows. Previously you had to do this on iTunes proper, then sync.There's a new feature called "Find My iPhone" that will be available only for MobileMe users. It tracks down where your phone is on a map and gives you the option display a message and even perform a remote wipe.Mobile Safari is seeing some improvements. It's getting AutoFill and support for HTTP streaming of audio and video. Apple also says that JavaScript performance is three times faster than before, meaning things like Gmail mobile will load faster.Changes to Apple's notebook lineupApple introduced new versions of its 13- and 15-inch notebooks that use the same battery technology found in the 17-inch models. It's non-removable, but pumps up the use time to seven hours, up from the previous five. As part of this, the 13-inch unibody MacBook is now a part of the MacBook Pro line, meaning that the only true "MacBook" is the previous generation's plastic model. The popular Secure Digital (or SD) card, now gets its own slot across most of Apple's notebook lineup.AppleApple also added built-in SD card slots to all its aluminum-body Macs, except for the top-of-the-line 17-inch model. On the 15-inch versions, this goes in place of the ExpressCard slot, which had allowed for the use of all sorts of third-party add-ons. The 13-inch unibody MacBook Pro also gets its Firewire port back, an omission on the launch model that caused much user ire. Prices have been cut across the line, with one of the deepest coming to the MacBook Air with the solid-state hard drive. It now costs $1,799, down from $2,499.Extended preview of new operating systemApple demoed OS X 10.6, aka Snow Leopard. It will be available as a $29 upgrade for Leopard users, and for $49 as a 5-user family pack this October. It's the first version of the OS X operating system that will not work on PowerPC-based Macs, meaning only people with Intel-based Macs will be able to use it. The operating system installs faster and takes up less space. Apple says it's half the size of the previous version of OS X and installs 45 percent faster.A newfeature puts Expose in the dock. If you hold an app's icon in the dock it will show all of the active windows in that application--similar to stacks, except it shows full previews just like it does in the current Expose. Users can do this with OS X's spring-loaded folder system to drag files into the dock, then add to precise windows they have open.Finder, OS X's app launcher and file explorer, has been re-written. It looks and functions the same, but performance has improved. It shows previews and icons faster, and includes a customizable search tool.Microsoft Exchange support built into Snow Leopard. Apple announced this long ago, but demoed it on stage. Exchange is now baked into the Mail, Calendar and Address Book apps. You can also search for Exchange messages that are on the server in OS X's Spotlight search.All system apps in Snow Leopard have been rewritten to run in 64-bit mode. This gives them access to all of your system's memory. Everything also runs through "Grand Central Dispatch," which handles all the multicore threading in apps.Snow Leopard also uses a new graphics standard called OpenCL. Apple says it's more faster and more optimized than OpenGL. Apple's making this new graphics spec open, and is getting graphics card manufacturers to add support. The new version of QuickTime adds HTTP streaming, and a simplified UI.AppleA new version of Quicktime (version 10) has a new UI that does away with most of the "chrome" in place of the same type of hovering controls you get when you watch videos in full screen in the current version. On the back end, it's got HTTP streaming which Apple says will work on "any Web server."It also uses a visual editing system similar to the latest version of iMovie that lets you see thumbnails of each part of a clip in a timeline. Handwriting recognition is now built into the OS. It can be used with Apple's multitouch track pad, so that users can write in words and letters with their fingers. That's aimed at Chinese users, but it could make its way into English apps as well.Other tidbits:Safari 4 is out of beta today. The new version keeps plug-ins from crashing the browser. Instead users can just reload the page. Also it has a full-history search of every site you've ever been to, which can be accessed in Spotlight system search.The white color of the iPhone 3G has been discontinued. You can only get a white iPhone if you get the new 3G S model, or whatever white 3G stock is left in retail stores.The halo effect seems to be true. Apple says that OS X users have tripled since the release of the iPhone.The iPhone will now support more than 30 languages.
Managing playlists and noise-canceling capabilities--Ask the Editors
Managing playlists and noise-canceling capabilities--Ask the Editors
Q: I own a Sansa SanDisk and a Zune 80. They are both terrific for the way I use them. The only downside I have found is they use different software for playlists and syncing. When I update my playlists in Windows Media Player (WMP) for the Sansa, I also have to go into the Zune Software and make the same changes. My question: is there any way to sync the playlists so I only have to make the updates in one of the programs? --Dan, via e-mailA: Definitely. It's fairly easy, once you know a few tricks. Give this a try:Choose one folder in which to save all of your playlists. My Playlists is probably best, as Microsoft's software (which includes WMP and the Zune Software) already recognizes it as a playlist folder. Make sure both programs are set to automatically update your library by monitoring folders, specifically My Playlists. In WMP, go to Tools > Options > Library. In the Zune Software, go to Settings > Collection.Open WMP and select a playlist to edit by dragging it into the edit pane on the right side.Make any edits you want, then click the drop-down at the top of the song list and select Save Playlist As.From the Save As Type drop-down, select M3U Playlist.Although the Zune Software apparently does not natively support M3U files, if it is set to monitor, it will recognize the file type and then convert it to its own format--ZPL--and import it into the jukebox automatically. In fact, most music management programs, including iTunes, should recognize M3U playlists, so it's always a good format to use if you are syncing different MP3 players with different apps.Sony S-Series WalkmanSonyQ: Thanks for reviewing the Sony NWZ-S738F Walkman. It may be just what I am looking for, but I'm wondering how effective the noise canceling was. I travel frequently and living in a small town, the first leg of the flight is always on a turbo prop plane--noisy! I would be interested to know how welll this device performed compared with other dedicated noise-canceling headphones.--Jeff, via e-mailA: I don't get to try out a lot of noise-canceling earbuds, mainly because there isn't a huge selection of them on the market (most are over-the-ear models). But I would say the experience with the Sony, which relies on both the technology in the player and in the earphones, is about on a par with the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3. That is, the feature works well when stacked up against the competition.Actually, earbuds could even be a bit better than full-size noise-canceling sets for your purposes, because you get some passive noise isolation with the in-ear tips. Active noise-canceling technology is designed to cancel out only low-frequency noise, so it may not be as effective on a turbo prop due to the uneven sound and presence of mid-to-high frequency noise (as opposed to on larger jets, which are mostly low-end rumble and hum). However, the noise-isolation feature blocks out all frequencies, as opposed to just the low-end, so the Sony could be just the ticket for you.Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)
Q: I own a Sansa SanDisk and a Zune 80. They are both terrific for the way I use them. The only downside I have found is they use different software for playlists and syncing. When I update my playlists in Windows Media Player (WMP) for the Sansa, I also have to go into the Zune Software and make the same changes. My question: is there any way to sync the playlists so I only have to make the updates in one of the programs? --Dan, via e-mailA: Definitely. It's fairly easy, once you know a few tricks. Give this a try:Choose one folder in which to save all of your playlists. My Playlists is probably best, as Microsoft's software (which includes WMP and the Zune Software) already recognizes it as a playlist folder. Make sure both programs are set to automatically update your library by monitoring folders, specifically My Playlists. In WMP, go to Tools > Options > Library. In the Zune Software, go to Settings > Collection.Open WMP and select a playlist to edit by dragging it into the edit pane on the right side.Make any edits you want, then click the drop-down at the top of the song list and select Save Playlist As.From the Save As Type drop-down, select M3U Playlist.Although the Zune Software apparently does not natively support M3U files, if it is set to monitor, it will recognize the file type and then convert it to its own format--ZPL--and import it into the jukebox automatically. In fact, most music management programs, including iTunes, should recognize M3U playlists, so it's always a good format to use if you are syncing different MP3 players with different apps.Sony S-Series WalkmanSonyQ: Thanks for reviewing the Sony NWZ-S738F Walkman. It may be just what I am looking for, but I'm wondering how effective the noise canceling was. I travel frequently and living in a small town, the first leg of the flight is always on a turbo prop plane--noisy! I would be interested to know how welll this device performed compared with other dedicated noise-canceling headphones.--Jeff, via e-mailA: I don't get to try out a lot of noise-canceling earbuds, mainly because there isn't a huge selection of them on the market (most are over-the-ear models). But I would say the experience with the Sony, which relies on both the technology in the player and in the earphones, is about on a par with the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3. That is, the feature works well when stacked up against the competition.Actually, earbuds could even be a bit better than full-size noise-canceling sets for your purposes, because you get some passive noise isolation with the in-ear tips. Active noise-canceling technology is designed to cancel out only low-frequency noise, so it may not be as effective on a turbo prop due to the uneven sound and presence of mid-to-high frequency noise (as opposed to on larger jets, which are mostly low-end rumble and hum). However, the noise-isolation feature blocks out all frequencies, as opposed to just the low-end, so the Sony could be just the ticket for you.Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)
Apple's iOS 7 downloads caused 'major' Internet traffic jams
Apple's iOS 7 downloads caused 'major' Internet traffic jams
Eager downloaders of Apple's iOS 7 update last week slurped up more than three times the amount of Apple-related Internet traffic as usual, and in some cases caused slowdowns for other Web activities. That's according to Web security company Blue Coat, whichtracks Web activity through various service providers. On Thursday, it said heavy iOS downloads created a "major traffic jam" in the first few days of the new software's release. "Based on our data from appliances deployed around the world, in the five days following the release of the iOS update, customers saw a 265 percent increase in Apple.com traffic compared to the five days before," Blue Coat's Jeff Brainard wrote on the company's blog. "For customers who typically saw Apple.com account for less than 4 percent of their traffic, the number tripled to more than 13 percent on average," Brainard added. "In at least one case, Apple.com traffic skyrocketed to over 32 percent of total Web traffic.""In the five plus years I have been at Blue Coat, I've never seen a file update shake up the Internet like the iOS 7 update," Brainard told CNET. "Other updates like previous iOS updates, or Windows updates, can be detected as they create spikes, but nothing close to what was seen with iOS 7."All that amounted to what the firm says was a general slowdown on speed, which took some by surprise, and could have been fixed with better caching. Like other past updates, iOS 7 could vary in size depending on the device and iOS version users were upgrading from. For some users it could be just a few hundred megabytes, though for others (like Verizon iPhone 5 users) the download could weigh in at 1.2GB, and required nearly four times that much free space locally to install. Brainard said downloads like iOS 7 present something "difficult to plan for," unlike general traffic from streaming video services like Netflix and YouTube. That appeared to be the case for Apple as well, with users reporting slow download speeds and issues activating devices -- problems that let up after the initial rush.In Apple's case, it's not just people who are manually requesting iOS 7 downloads. Since iOS 5, the software automatically fetches updates when users are connected to Wi-Fi and hooked up to a power source, allowing for quicker installations later. That in itself has posed an issue for some users who have discovered that the sizable download cannot be removed. Apple last week said it expects to sell its 700 millionth iOS device sometime in October. Earlier this week, it noted that more than 200 million users were already on iOS 7, which has seen the fastest adoption of any iOS version yet.
Eager downloaders of Apple's iOS 7 update last week slurped up more than three times the amount of Apple-related Internet traffic as usual, and in some cases caused slowdowns for other Web activities. That's according to Web security company Blue Coat, whichtracks Web activity through various service providers. On Thursday, it said heavy iOS downloads created a "major traffic jam" in the first few days of the new software's release. "Based on our data from appliances deployed around the world, in the five days following the release of the iOS update, customers saw a 265 percent increase in Apple.com traffic compared to the five days before," Blue Coat's Jeff Brainard wrote on the company's blog. "For customers who typically saw Apple.com account for less than 4 percent of their traffic, the number tripled to more than 13 percent on average," Brainard added. "In at least one case, Apple.com traffic skyrocketed to over 32 percent of total Web traffic.""In the five plus years I have been at Blue Coat, I've never seen a file update shake up the Internet like the iOS 7 update," Brainard told CNET. "Other updates like previous iOS updates, or Windows updates, can be detected as they create spikes, but nothing close to what was seen with iOS 7."All that amounted to what the firm says was a general slowdown on speed, which took some by surprise, and could have been fixed with better caching. Like other past updates, iOS 7 could vary in size depending on the device and iOS version users were upgrading from. For some users it could be just a few hundred megabytes, though for others (like Verizon iPhone 5 users) the download could weigh in at 1.2GB, and required nearly four times that much free space locally to install. Brainard said downloads like iOS 7 present something "difficult to plan for," unlike general traffic from streaming video services like Netflix and YouTube. That appeared to be the case for Apple as well, with users reporting slow download speeds and issues activating devices -- problems that let up after the initial rush.In Apple's case, it's not just people who are manually requesting iOS 7 downloads. Since iOS 5, the software automatically fetches updates when users are connected to Wi-Fi and hooked up to a power source, allowing for quicker installations later. That in itself has posed an issue for some users who have discovered that the sizable download cannot be removed. Apple last week said it expects to sell its 700 millionth iOS device sometime in October. Earlier this week, it noted that more than 200 million users were already on iOS 7, which has seen the fastest adoption of any iOS version yet.
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