Here's Hoping Zune HD and Its Lineage Do Well

That's right.  I'm hoping Zune HD challenges Apple's iPhone.  ipod Touch.  And today, Sony unveiled new music players.  They're difficult to remember because they've got code numbers instead of names of "nano", "shuffle", or "classic".  But I hope they do well too.

In fact, I hope these products challenge Nintendo's DS and Sony's PSP.  I hope the MP3 market gets some kind of jump start this Christmas season.  

While this is an Apple blog and occasionally, I enjoy trashing Apple's competition good naturally, at heart, I'm a consumer just like you.  And that means I want longer battery life, more memory, more features, and faster rate of innovation.  And let's face it.  That'll only take place if there is competition in the market.  

While Zune HD's arrival is a welcoming sign that the marketplace, particular the mobile device market continues to be very dynamic, it was disheartening to see that Redmond isn't challenging the iTunes app store giant and give the Zune HD more PDA features.  In fact, much of what will make Zune HD isn't ready.

Then again, neither was the original iPhone and iPod Touch.  

So, going forward, I believe Balmer and Co. will mount a major attack on the mobile market to reclaim lost territory.  And believe me, Apple fans, that's good for Apple, the iPhone, and us. 

Forget iPod Nano - Meet the Precursor to iPhone Nano?

One of the things that Apple rumor mills have not brought up in a while is the talk about iPhone Nano.

Obviously, it's not quite going to be what the iPhone or the iPod Touch is capable of if there ever is an iPhone Nano. I'm not saying there is but let's suppose one is in the world. We have to assume that it is.

Having said that, why am I bringing this up now? Basically, we're moving away from an one dimensional device, such as the MP3 player. For a while now, the iPod line has stopped being an MP3 player san the Shuffle. The Nano and the Classic as been a multimedia device for the long time, ever since it gained the ability to play simple games and, later, video files as well.

Now, the Nano has a feature. In case you missed it, Steve Jobs started off the "Let's Rock" even on September 9th and introduced this shopping seaon's new iPod lines. The Nano, now in its 5th generation, gained a new feature: video capture.

Not only that, the chip inside also has Wi-Fi capability though it isn't functional at this time. So, given the engineering feat that fit a small video capture camera in the Nano and the ever strinking package inside the Nano, it is possible that Apple can eventually add telephone function for the Nano as well.

Hence, the iPhone Nano. I'm not sure Apple will call it that but you get the picture. The iPod sales has been dropping as consumers take up the iPhone and the iPod Touches. Apple will continue to innovate and add features to the iPod line but it stands that if the iPod doesn't go away, Apple will move it closer to the iPhone with telephone function.

Furthermore, voice command will play a greater role in Apple mobile product. And given the limited input capability of the Nano, it is possible for Apple to circumvent this issue with voice command. Thinking voice dialing. If you've ever had to call customer services, chances are, you spend a lot of the time speaking to a computer. The technology already exists.

Another limit will be the small screen of the Nano. Apple can possible go multitouch with the Nano but let's face it, 2" screen? No way. If there is ever an iPhone Nano, I don't know how Apple will solve this issue or if it will at all.

Anyway, don't be surprise if Apple offers telephony to the iPod Nano. Stranger things have happened (like Apple leaving out the camera from the 3rd generation iPod Touch) and if Steve Jobs feels Apple can innovate in this direction, we just might see an iPhone Nano or and iPod Nano with telephony.

Battery Life Needs Work According To Survey

In most surveys in the past, the weak link for the iPhone has been ATT. Over dinner last weekend, I missed to the opportunity to ask the plethora of iPhone owners their experience on their brand new iPhone 3GS and how their services and battery life was like.

In any case, the latest survey from Strategy Analytics showed that battery life is what users are most unhappy about with their iPhones. Well, unhappy might be too strong a word.

Honestly, I'm not sure how much things will improve with OS updates and future hardware upgrades. We aren't exactly seeing a breakthrough in battery technology. Plus, if you haven't noticed, we are in the beginning stages of a mobile hardware war - speed and 3D acceleration for gaming and other mobile features. It isn't as simple as the old Mhz war between Intel, AMD, and PowerPC but it'll be about cores and graphic accelerations.

As a result, battery life will be continued to be impacted greatly. Plus, Apple will never produce and iPhone with a user-replaceable battery. As highlighted in the report, iPhone warriors are increasingly relying on their iPhones for their link to the Internet, mail, and other wireless communications.

It's time the iPhone, despite having the "phone" in its name, is a mobile device with a very powerful mobile platform as its backbone. Fortunately for us, I think Apple see this as well and claiming the iPhone as more of a mobile computer than a smartphone is more than just marketing.

I think if Apple can even squeeze out another 20-25% more battery life would make everyone happy. Word is that Apple is very meticulous about picking the right chips for the iPhone and the iPod Touch and is even going as far as to buying a chip design company to make its own mobile chips.

Perhaps, with the right chip and the battery technology we see being used in the Macbook Pro lines, we can see a nice increase in battery life in the next iPhone.

More at MacNN, Strategy Analytics (reports will cost you $2999)

A Game All iPhone Puzzle Lovers Ought To Have

I play a lot of games on my mobile devices and since they're covered by many other sites, I normally shy away from bring it up here. But seeing this game on Touch Arcade today, I have got to share this with you.

There's a PC version if you can't wait but the iPhone version is coming and it is a perfect match for your iPhone or iPod Touch's finger-friendly multi-touch screen.

More at Touch Arcade

iPod Classic Would Benefit Greatly With A Camera

I have debated whether I should upgrade my 2nd generation iPod Touch when Apple upgrades the iPod Touch hardware this fall with similar specs like the iPhone 3GS.

My hope is that the fall upgrade will also bring us the elusive iTablet but as I have mentioned in other posts, I don't think it'll be released until 2010.  But if we are surprised for one reason or another, this is one that I hope to be wrong about.

Back to the question of whether I should upgrade or not.  Appleinsider is reporting on a report that the iPod Classic could be upgraded this fall and it won't be the last.  Not only that, it may have a camera.  In fact, I think Apple can extend the life of the Classic with just such a move.

As I've said, this puts my upgrade plan into a tale-spin.  The new iPod Touch is likely to be upgraded with a camera as well.  So this even things up with the Classic.  However, the Classic will have a larger storage.  And I can do with a player with incredible battery life and the ability to store lots of video, music, and files.

I suppose we'll just have to wait a few weeks for Apple to wow us this fall with the upgrades.  One thing that will tip me over to the Classic is if the camera addition will also mean the ability to record video.

iPhone or Ereader Best For You? Or A Real Book?

Here is the order of how I think best to read a book today:

1. With a real book
2. On a dedicated reader like Kindle.
3. On the screen of a tablet PC.  This includes the XO.  Tablets allow the user to orient the screen.
4. On the screen of a laptop or netbook.
5. On a mobile device like the iPhone or iPod Touch.

Now, here is a list of preference in terms of overall usefully to a dedicated mobile warrior such as you and myself:

1. On a mobile device like the iPhone or iPod Touch.
2. On a dedicated reader like Kindle.
3. On the screen of a tablet PC.  This includes the XO.  Tablets allow the user to orient the screen.
4. On the screen of a laptop or netbook.
5. With a real book.

Notice the Kindle sat in the runner-up position on both list.  After coming up with the list, that was a surprising realization for me as well.  It's not just Kindle.  Sony's eReader and whatever readers Barnes and Noble will share with in early 2010 also fall into this category.

But if you're a traditional bookworm, a real page turner is what you want.  For us mobile folks, the devices like the iPhone is the best solution for us.  Why?  Because we don't use our iPhones just to read books.  We use them to access the Internet, communicate with others via phone or e-mail, and for other entertainment purposes.

Does that mean there is no room in our computer bag for a Kindle or Sony eReader?  Not at all.  For long vacations, flights, or camping trips (though I doubt I'll ever go camping again), an reader provides you with the luxury of going for days without having to charge it.  

Certainly, that is the main drawback of the iPhone or devices like it.  Battery life.  But for those of us who are near an outlet in a daily basis, the iPhone is the best device for ereading without having to carry an extra device.

Ideally, I'm hoping a future update from Apple will give the iPhone or the Touch e-ink technology or something better (Cupertino-approved innovation) that allows the iDevices function as true readers with comparable battery life to the Kindle.

TomTom's iPhone Car Kit Brings GPS to iPod Touch Owners

Eventually, the iPod Touch may get its own GPS chip. There's a lot of moving parts in the mobile landscape that has a good chance of making that happen. But before that occurs, the iPod Touch is pretty much left out of the GPS business part of the app store.

There is a solution on the way. TomTom's car kit is a cradle with its own GPS unit inside and it is suppose to work with the iPod Touch. In truth, when do you really need a GPS anyway when you live in the cities? If you said "in the car", then you're right.

Watch the video demo and you can see just how seamless TomTom has made the car kit for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It even comes with a charger and a connection to play your music in the car.

Impressed? Well, it will set you back $200. $100 for the TomTom app itself and $100 for the car kit.