Apple confirmed all the rumours – except the most optimistic ones, introducing its new iPod range, iTunes 8 and new firmware for the iPhone and iPod touch.
There were no surprises to speak of – though it is perhaps criminal that the much improved user interface to iTunes which makes the new iPods easier to use than ever for blind or partially-sighted people wasn’t included within the pre-event rumours
As expected, iTunes 8 hosts Genius music recommendation technology – technology an Apple iTunes person said had been developed in-house by Apple.
Actually, what the highly-placed iTunes chap said was quite funny. I asked, “Did you buy in some of the data Genius recommendations are based on? Did you buy in the visualisers?” I was told, “We’re not the kind of company that buys in technology.” I had to point out that Apple bought in iTunes (and Final Cut, and a few others, come to that). He seemed a little crestfallen.
Naturally, iTunes includes an all new visualiser, though the same team member declined to explain if it was the much-discussed Magnetosphere. It looks the same, though.
Steve Jobs also announced that 100 million iPhone applications have now been downloaded from Apple”s App Store in just 60 days.
There’s quite a lot more, but it’s not like this information isn’t all across the web. Drop by here tomorrow for more on this.
All very underwhelming, I was hoping for an ultra portable laptop and a few more computer related releases what Apple did best. As for Genius? If Steve Jobs loves Jack Johnson so much he ain’t a music genius, that’s for sure.
BTW Enjoy the web site Jonny.