Ducati Film Shot Using iPhone 4

Okay, I didn't know who they are but I do now. The Ducati motorcycle team shot a short film using entirely an iPhone 4. Frak! That's amazing.

I watched the video twice and I'm simply amazed by what the little mobile device can do. Apple has really created a monster here and I'm not judging it by the 1.7 million units sold in 72 hours.

Plus, after waiting on the phone with ATT for 90 minutes last night without accomplishing anything, I was ready to say no to the iPhone 4 if it means using ATT. But watching what it can do and the other awesome features, I am once again wavering.

Enjoy the clip. You will be amazed by the quality of the HD film.



More at TUAW.

Yesterday, I went into what the next iPod Touch will look like. Now, let’s have fun with what I think the next iPod Touch will have in terms of features might migrate from the iPhone 4. I’m going to try to be realistic about what features we’ll see and not a whole wish list of what I like to see.

FaceTime. So, let’s start with FaceTime. On the surface itself, I would say forget about it. But as many have pointed out, including Dave the Mobile Warrior, Steve Jobs declared that there will be millions of FaceTime devices for people to chat with by the end of the year or something like that. I specifically remembered him saying something along that line.

Camera or cameras? Also see the next section on iMovie for the iPod Touch. By now, it’s likely we’ll see two cameras. One for taking pictures and another for FaceTime if Steve Jobs’ words are correctly interpreted. And while I like to think that Apple will be forced to subjugate iPod Touch users with lesser cameras, I don’t think that will be the case. We’ll be pleasantly surprised with the same 5MP camera that now sits in the iPhone 4.

Why is that? There is a lot riding on a successful, and I’m talking mega-blockbuster, launch to combat its competitors. Hey, It’s lonely at the top and what better way to earn friends than to make tons of iPod users happy with HD video capability. Millions of upgraders will be joined by folks who are looking for handheld video cameras with HD capability this Holiday season. Until the iPhone 4 was released last week, the Flip cams virtually had the whole market to itself.

In the past, Apple would have likely provided the iPod Touch a lower end feature such as the same 3MP camera used in the iPhone 3GS so that if anyone wanted HD video capability with an iOS device, they would be forced to buy the iPhone 4.

iMovie. This is tied into what kind of camera we’re likely to see. For the moment, I’d have to say yes because the ability to show HD as well as

Screen. Yes, what’s the point of being able to shoot video in HD and edit the video if you can’t appreciate your work? Plus, Apple likes to keep things simple and having Retina Display on the iPod Touches as well as the iPhones will make it easier for the developers as well.

Battery. Like the iPhone 4, there is going to be a serious jump in battery life and allow users to do more without worry about power rationing. I don’t have more to say about this other than that any additional power will be greatly appreciated.

Everything sounds great up to this point. Basically, you’re think we’re going to see an iPod Touch san the telephony function using almost the same iOS. Here’s where I have to add an asterisk.

There will be two models of the iPod Touch. A high end model will have all of the above features that I mentioned. And it’ll cost you. The new A4 chip that acts as the heart of the iPhone 4 and iPad will power this high end Touch. This is going to be similar to the iPhone 4 without the 3G connectivity and telephony functions.

A lower end iPod Touch with last year’s tech will also be available only it won’t have a 5MP camera capable of shooting HD video or works with the iMovie app. It still might have a frontal camera for FaceTime. This lower end model will allow Apple to differentiate its ipod Touch lines. And the more expensive iPod Touch will avoid iPhone 4 cannibalization. We’re basically looking at last year’s iPod Touch with cameras.

Is that it?

What I didn’t talk about yesterday: A bigger iPod Touch with a 5-7 inch screen. This is venturing dangerously into the wish list territory. So, I’ll going to end here and start a new post on that possibility tomorrow.

So what do you of the features I’ve laid out for the next iPod Touch? Still too much of a wish-list feel to it?

iPod Touch 4: What Will It Look Like?

Conventional wisdom tells us that the iPod Touch isn't going to follow everything the iPhone is. Soon upon us will be the next iPod Touch upgrade and while it's likely going gain a lot of the upgraded features from the iPhone 4, my question is what will it look like?

So far, the Touch is a thinner version of the iPhones for the last three years. I don't see a lot of that will change.

If there is change to the body of the iPod Touch, we might see is a thinner version of the current iPhone 4 but with only the same glass faceplate as the iPhone 4 but still keep the same aluminum back. The reason for this is probably because iPod Touches are generally bought and used by kids who are more likely to drop them during use and transport.

As for the buttons, it is difficult for me to see the depth of the iPod Touch deep enough for those round buttons. So it's likely we will see the same volume controls as on the current Touch. There is a chance that the iPod Touch might gain some thickness to accommodate the new buttons.

And what of camera? That's a tough one. I am going to to go out on a limb on this one and say there will be cameras. More than one. There will be one on the back with a 2 or 3MP camera for taking pictures and a frontal camera for Facetime video chat. If the iPod Touch does gain some thickness, having two cameras makes it more likely given the added space.

Plus, Jobs did promise at the WWDC keynote that there will be tens of millions of FaceTime capable devices for people to communicate through video chat. And if he does mean the iPod Touches, in one masterful stroke, Apple's iOS will be the dominant mobile platform for video conferencing.

So that's where I think the next iPod Touch is headed physically. What do you think? One more thing: there might be a change to the speakers to accommodate voice-in if my FaceTime guess pans out.


-- Post From My iPad

Short Short-Movie Made On An iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 has the ability to shoot 720p video but the less advertised feature is the iMovie app that allows the iPhone to edit video and sound as well.

Here is a short movie called "Apple of My Eye" by Michael Koerbel of Majek Picture. It is entirely amazing. That does it. I'm not waiting. I will get the next iPhone, black or white, when it comes available to me. This is just too amazing and cool.

One might even call it "magical". If you go to the Vimeo page for the movie, there are explanations about how the movie and sound was edited. Amazing once again.


"Apple of My Eye" - an iPhone 4 film from Michael Koerbel on Vimeo.

More at Vimeo.

How Will Video Chat Change Society?

In Star Trek, away teams don't exactly communicate with one another or their starships through vid chat. It has almost always been through a video-less communicators or other communication devices. And in our "reality", there have always been devices with video conference abilities. But the idea of chatting via video has always been plagued by a multitude of hurdles.

Apple's iPhone 4 isn't the first mobile device with to have a frontal camera for video communications but it is the first to overcome the hurdles I mentioned: quality of the video chat, lack of market saturation in the market, ease of use, and other technical and, likely, social obstacles.

We don't know if Apple's iPhone 4 will usher in a new paradigm in social communication through video but we should begin to talk about it now.

Apple posted a video of a father way from his family but being able to view his baby live from his hotel room. Staying in touch. That is going to be the key for video chat, not just Apple's FaceTime to be accepted as a viable mean for communication. Is society ready for this? Is it even necessary?

Imagine being able to examine a factory in China live using an iPhone 4 or another mobile device by the company's executives in the United States. Also consider the ability for a team of reporters to offer live broadcast of a breaking news event.

As good as the above scenarios look, this is going to take time. Right now, Skype is the dominant player in the VOIP market for consumers. Just last night, we conducted an hour long video chat with families overseas. However, Skype uses a closed and proprietary system to make that happen. Apple has open-sourced FaceTime but it remains to be seen if it will be adopted by others. Having either Microsoft or Google, two of its main competitors, accept this will go a long way in making that happen. And yes, MSN Messenger allows video chats as does Google Talk over the Web.

Also, FaceTime isn't available over 3G or other cellular wireless networks at this time and only works over Wi-Fi. Steve Jobs promised this ability next year. Nevertheless, it is a setback for Apple and video chat in general, not being able to over FaceTime calls over cellular data.

Thus, compatibility will be a key issue as is accessibility.

Still, this is very exciting for mobile users. I am waiting for a white iPhone 4 and when I get it, I look forward to trying it out.

-- Post From My iPad

iPhone 4: Drop Test

I don't know what rating this video from iFixYouri should get in the mobile world but it was gruesome as far as the desecration of an iPhone goes.

But it does show you how fragile the iPhone is or isn't. I've dropped my 2G iPhone countless number of times and the iPhone 4 does seem much more fragile than any of the other iPhones.

Anyway, here you go. If anything, I will be getting a case for my iPhone 4, whenever my order comes through.



Video from 9-to-5 Mac.

720p Video Quality of the iPhone 4, 3GS, and Samsung Camera Comparison

Thanks to Macrumors, they've found a link for video taken by the iPhone 4. As you may know at this point, some lucky folks already have their iPhone 4s in hand.

And thanks to this individual, we now have a sample of the quality of the HD recording capability of the iPhone 4. What do you think? Directly below it, I've posted another video with the iPhone 3GS compared to a Samsung handset. I'm not say that we should be comparing the iPhone 4 with the 3GS but we at least can know what's possible.

And the video quality taken by the Samsung NV8, a camera seems better than the one taken by the 3GS. Hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Plus, this is Apple we're talking about here. It's about quality after all.





Lots more at Macrumors.

Note: Be sure to selection "720p" for the Youtube quality.