Apple has already filed for patents on a cell-phone like device ...

 

Then Apple orders 12 Million Mobile Handsets from HON HAI (Co. in Taiwan) ...

 

Now rumors of a 4 GB and an 8 GB mobile phone with 2 batteries (one for MP3 the other for the handset), with a touch screen, and a slide out keypad ...

 

People, we are about to watch Apple's stock split again and see Cincy-Rise wet himself. Again.

 

If you are a smartphone geek like I am then you have got to be anxious to see this phone whether you are an Apple fan or not. Apple has always broken the barrier in functionality and user interface. Apple does a MacWorld Expo every year in January in SanFran and Mac enthusiast are expecting a sneak peak next month.

 

Are you also a phone nut? If so, what are your thoughts?

 

Links, check them out (CNN & Forbes):

 

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/2006/11/14/afx3175021.html

 

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/11/21/tech.apple.reut/index.html

 

This is history folks!

well considering the quality of the ipod...........

To me telephones are a necessary evil, and often more evil than necessary. They seldom bring me good news.

 

I bought a cell phone only so that I can be reached for family emergencies, and I got the cheapest one Verizon offered. I now qualify for my two-year free upgrade, and I'll probably get the most basic thing I can, again. I wouldn't even bother, except that my battery is about shot and I can't justify shelling out for a new battery if I can get a whole new phone for free.

 

My life is too complicated already. If it weren't for my addiction to Photoshop and urbanohio.com, I'd probably be content to live with the Amish.

 

:|

I never had a cell phone, but I will now. Being a life long Apple fan and user (and stock owner) this will give me a reason to make the  jump. I've had a 2nd Gen iPod for 4 years with no problems including drops and placing it the freezer (don't ask). I think iPods average a failure rate of 2% or so. Far below average from what I understand.

I'd advise not getting too excited, since Apple rumors are almost always wrong in some fundamental way. All that speculation is from Kevin Rose, who got the nano right, but that was only four days before launch, when info was probably more easily available. I doubt it will have all those features.

 

The rumor that most appeals to me is that the phone would be unlocked. I wish more manufacturers did that.

 

That said, my SonyEricsson has decided to relentlessly suck, and I'm waiting till January to see what Apple's got.

I'd advise not getting too excited, since Apple rumors are almost always wrong in some fundamental way. All that speculation is from Kevin Rose, who got the nano right, but that was only four days before launch, when info was probably more easily available. I doubt it will have all those features.

 

The rumor that most appeals to me is that the phone would be unlocked. I wish more manufacturers did that.

 

That said, my SonyEricsson has decided to relentlessly suck, and I'm waiting till January to see what Apple's got.

 

The only rumor from Kevin Rose, were the phone's features. Mobile handsets have been ordered, there are no rumors about that.

 

Also, Apple did in fact file with the US Patent and trademark office trademarks that are in line with a mobile phone. I've read before all of the descriptions and trademarks, I'll see if I can find them.

 

Apple filed a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in August. The application was disclosed Thursday and describes a device that combines a music player and a mobile phone.

 

The application also describes, in great detail, the casing and its "radio transparency." That means the device would allow radio waves to pass through the casing's elements. -12/1/06

BTW, if you are looking for a smartphone, features and specs-wise, there is nothing out there that beats the Sony Ericsson P990i.

 

2 MP Camera, Business Card Scanner (camera translates text that it sees to digital text on the phone), Symbian 9.1, Photoshop Mobile Edition, Horizontal Display option for wide-screen, full keypad, UMTS (T-Mobile is working on that now as so is Cingular for video calling), Bluetooth auto-sync, FM Radio, upgradeable to 4GB's, 262K color screen, etc, etc ...

 

http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=us&lc=en&ver=4000&template=pip1&zone=pp&pid=10336

 

Watch the video ...

Oh. I've no doubt that a phone is being released and announced in early January. I was just speaking to the detailed features, most of which are either no-brainers, or vague to the point of pointlessness.

 

I find the P990i to be overkill and too big. I'm guessing that Apple's first entry won't be as "smart" of a smart phone. Just really good links with built-ins in OS X, and slightly clunkier functionality with Windows.

People, we are about to watch Apple's stock split again and see Cincy-Rise wet himself. Again.

 

Kentucky trash.

BTW, if you are looking for a smartphone, features and specs-wise, there is nothing out there that beats the Sony Ericsson P990i.

 

2 MP Camera, Business Card Scanner (camera translates text that it sees to digital text on the phone), Symbian 9.1, Photoshop Mobile Edition, Horizontal Display option for wide-screen, full keypad, UMTS (T-Mobile is working on that now as so is Cingular for video calling), Bluetooth auto-sync, FM Radio, upgradeable to 4GB's, 262K color screen, etc, etc ...

 

http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=us&lc=en&ver=4000&template=pip1&zone=pp&pid=10336

 

Watch the video ...

 

Out of curiosity, if I were to use all of the services this phone offers, how much would my monthly bill run?

Here's yet another article about it --

 

http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/03/kevin-rose-confirms-iphone/

 

I especially like their prototype mock-up picture..

 

While I respect Apple for their clean design and superior user interfaces, I think there's a big difference between this and when they introduced the iPod.. For one, the mp3 market was still relatively young when they came along and *everything* absolutely sucked (some would argue they still all do). The cell phone market however is quite mature and drag-down, esophagus-punching, fingernail-pulling, eyeball-poking, back-stabbing competitive.

 

That being said, I am really looking forward to seeing their product.

 

 

 

The rumor that most appeals to me is that the phone would be unlocked. I wish more manufacturers did that.

 

Yeah, that really pisses me off too..

 

Sometimes if you call up your provider and get the right CSR they'll give you the code to unlock your phone after your contract is up. Or, if you're on a GSM network you can purchase unlocked phones online. I got my (unlocked) Motorola SLVR from Amazon.com and it works great. After I figured out how to change the default language to English from German that is.

 

 

if you're an audiophile, its doesn't take more than a few seconds to figure out that most mp3 players on the market (i.e. creative labs) are technically superior in terms of sounds quality, battery life, file quality (128kbps for itunes), file transferability, etc. when compared to the ipod/itunes.

 

Granted much of this has been slowly improving with each iteration of the ipod, but maybe one day they'll finally get it right (to at least my preferences, which is why i prefer other mp3 players)

 

I don't mean to steer the discussion way too far off subject, but just because apple makes it, and everyone and their mother has it, doesn't mean its the best product on the market.

^Never question Apple. Its followers will rise up and destroy you.  :evil:

^Never question Apple. Its followers will rise up and destroy you.  :evil:

 

I'm wondering if i'll regret posting that. Oh well, I'll just never check back in at this thread.

Nobody understands that idea that the best product isn't always the most popular better than Apple fans.

 

The advantage that the iPod has, among many, is primarily in the system. Sure I wish the files from itms were higher quality, but they're not bad. Clearly buying a cd (as long as it's not copy-protected or has a root-kit) is a better long term proposition than buying from iTunes, but it's so easy and fast, it's a viable competitor to file sharing.

 

Besides, you slap some decent headphones on an iPod and things improve tremendously. I love my Sennheisers.

 

That SanDisk Sansa seems like a good player, but I always view Creative's offerings as being iPod knockoffs in their design. I think this actually hurts them in the marketplace, when people decide just to get the real thing.

 

Of course, I bought an iPod the day it came out, so what do I know.

I'd also suggest that if you're an audiophile, you probably aren't listening to digital audio players.

Well.. You'll just have to trust me that I'm not just saying this to be a dick, BUT I think most audiophiles would argue that mp3s, no matter what you listen to them on, are basically unbearable due to the lossy compression scheme. The really high end digital media devices are geared more towards FLAC or other lossless formats. I'm not sure if AAC is lossless or not, but it is markedly better quality than mp3.

 

Also, either this morning or yesterday morning NPR's Marketplace Morning report had an interesting segment on the iPod. An analyst basically said it's true iPods are not necessarily the best, but with 80% market share they're definitely perceived as the "coolest".. I'll post the link if I can find it later.

 

 

*EDIT: I see I basically just restated everything you just said C-Dawg Njaim.. I guess that's what I get for not rechecking the thread before I hit post.

this article makes me remember that I dont know where my cell phone is currently.. .but dont tell my parents that I lost it, or they'll flip

this article makes me remember that I dont know where my cell phone is currently.. .but dont tell my parents that I lost it, or they'll flip

 

ok, i promise i won't.

Marketplace Morning Report segment I referred to above --

 

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2006/12/07/AM200612071.html

this article makes me remember that I dont know where my cell phone is currently.. .but dont tell my parents that I lost it, or they'll flip

 

Oh, they'll find out...and they WILL flip.

I don't mean to steer the discussion way too far off subject, but just because apple makes it, and everyone and their mother has it, doesn't mean its the best product on the market.

 

This would be a great irony if your a Windoze user. I've lost count how many times PC users ask why I would possibly own a Mac when 90% don't . . . give it a try and find out. Without Apple, who's Microsoft going to rip off. ;-)

 

 

I'm much more interested in what someone's saying and how they're saying it...my formative musical years were spent with old dictation machines or crappy cheap 9-volt radios or Ford Escort factory speakers...although I'll admit that excessively poor quality on anything classical does get distracting, so while I don't share that sensibility on non-orchestral music, I can understand it...

 

Though I've gotta say, to me it's like coffee - being able to love a shitty cup of gas station coffee seems to me a more useful skill than being such a connaisseur that you have to spend $1600 on a home espresso machine or you'll never be satisfied...similarly, being able to listen past distractions and poor quality without it annoying the hell out of you seems to be a more useful skill than being able to detect slight imperfections in various bit rates, and being utterly pissed off by it...so while I respect the audio-phility of folks like pope and C-Dawg, I'm also extremely happy that I don't share it!

 

 

Without Apple, who's Microsoft going to rip off. ;-)

 

xerox, just like apple did  :lol:

From Gizmondo:

 

Gizmodo Knows: iPhone Will Be Announced On Monday

 

I guarantee it. It isn't what I expected at all. And I've already said too much. –Brian Lam

 

Plus a whole thread of other iPhone stuff here;

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/iphone/

^wow, and I thought this was a snarky bunch  :-D The gizmodo folks are just straight up jaded reading those comment!

From Gizmondo:

 

Gizmodo Knows: iPhone Will Be Announced On Monday

 

I guarantee it. It isn't what I expected at all. And I've already said too much. ?Brian Lam

 

Plus a whole thread of other iPhone stuff here;

http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/iphone/

 

That's the thing with Apple though. I've never seen a co. keep such a lid on future products, and the few times something leaked - Apple was on the source like white on rice.

 

If Gizmodo is saying something like this, I am taking it with a grain of salt.

I guess will find out  this week if any of this is true.

 

From Mac Rumors:

The International Herald Tribune reports on upcoming computer-cellphone hybrids that offer more functionality than traditional cell phones.

 

The article discusses what Apple may finally release on Tuesday at Macworld San Francisco. They reference unspecified "industry executives and competitors" and makes some interesting claims about Apple's rumored phone:

 

Apple has developed the first of the next generation of devices that are closer to personal computers in pocket form, meaning that they will easily handle music, entertainment, productivity tasks and communications on cellular and other wireless networks.

Certainly, many have hoped that Apple would enter the "smart" phone marketplace, perhaps finally reentering the PDA market after the demise of the Newton in 1998.

 

Without specific sources cited, however, this may simply be a rehash of existing Apple Phone rumors.

 

Macworld Expo kicks off on Tuesday, Jan 9th at 9am Pacific and MacRumors will provide live coverage.

 

http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2007/01/20070107233956.shtml

 

In the continuing build up of hype leading to the Macworld SF 2007 keynote, Cult of Mac blog posts this anonymous tidbit:

 

...a very trusted (and extremely anonymous) source of mine in Silicon Valley told me recently that he has it on good faith that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has invited all of his best friends to his MacWorld SF Keynote on Tuesday. In Silicon Valley buzz code, that means he's got something really special to show.

Meanwhile, International Herald Tribute's article about Apple's upcoming device claims that "[Jobs] was more excited about his current project than he was about the Macintosh."

 

Steve Jobs was previously reported to have been very excited about the Apple Phone and uncharacteristically vocal about it to his inner circle.

 

In the hours/days before the Macworld Expo, an acceleration of rumors and hype is common. Readers should temper their excitement with some realism to prevent being disappointed by the event. Despite the almost ubiquitous expectation for an Apple Phone at Macworld, our roundup revealed most sources pointed to a release in the 1st half of 2007.

 

http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2007/01/20070108023757.shtml

I can't wait to find out what's going on and on the horizon.  I was supposed to be at CES this week, but I'm sick (cough, cough)  :wink: and hate Vegas.

From Think Secret:

 

Eve of Expo: MWSF Rumor recap

 

By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor

January 8, 2007 - With some 24 hours until Apple CEO Steve Jobs takes the stage at the Moscone Center in San Francisco to kick off Macworld Expo, Think Secret presents a compilation of information we have received and reported over the last number of months concerning Apple's anticipated announcements.

advertisement

 

"iPhone" (90% chance) - Presented in quotes, because that is not the device's name nor sole functionality, Apple is poised to rock the consumer electronics world tomorrow, the majority of which is gathered in Las Vegas this week for the Consumer Electronics Shows (CES). Recent word suggests Apple's new device will deliver capabilities far beyond melding phone and music capabilities with a slick Apple interface and external case.

 

The New York Times reported Monday that the "iPhone" may be more capable than most have expected.

 

"Industry executives and competitors believe that Apple has developed the first of a new generation of devices that are closer to personal computers in pocket form, meaning that they will easily handle music, entertainment, productivity tasks and communications on cellular and other wireless networks," the TImes wrote.

 

Think Secret sources have since suggested that the Times story accurately represents the direction Apple is seeking with the device. In addition, unconfirmed reports suggest the device is expected to be powered by a more capable operating system than one would expect in a fusion phone/media device, adding that Apple is working hard to make the new system a viable player in the system-on-a-chip segment, and may license the technology to third-party hardware vendors down the road in its attempt to break through in the space. Details of such plans are not expected to be discussed tomorrow, however.

 

While an announcement is expected tomorrow, an exact release date is less known. Sources have said production of the device is slated to start shortly or just recently started, suggesting a release down the road is most likely. At the same time, given the device's global appeal and different geographical markets Apple will be entering, coupled with the logistics of negotiating terms with phone carriers, release dates may be staggered around the world.

 

Rest of the story here:

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0701eve.html

MAN- I CANNOT WAIT!!! It's killing me!!!

 

Cramer, by the way - a SE P990i was given to me by someone about a week ago.

 

The phone is definitely not too big. A little thick, but nothing too much especially considering the features this phone is packed with. The new Symbian 9.1 is unbelievable! This is nothing short of a laptop. I have been using smart phones for years and nothing stacks up against this beast.

 

I have also never had trouble configuring a smartphone and this thing actually gives me a challenge (in a good way, there's just too much going on).

 

I will be straddling the fence if Apple does release a phone. If it beats the P990, then I will probably buy it. ;)

 

I'll try to take some pics of the P990 when I get a chance.

Even CNN ...

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/01/08/apple.macworld.ap/index.html

And the Wall Street Journal:

 

(From Mac Rumors)

 

Wall Street Journal: Apple Phone Days Away

 

Monday January 08, 2007 10:15 PM EST

Posted by longofest

 

Mac Rumors

In what may be the highest-profile claim to date, the Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required) is chiming in that Apple will be announcing their cellphone "as early as Tuesday." The phone reportedly would reside on Cingular's network.

 

Cingular in November announced a mobile music service based upon Microsoft's WMA format and a subscription model. It is presently unclear how this service would interoperate, if at all, with Apple's rumored phone.

 

The Wall Street Journal has been extremely reliable in the past, having been the first news outlet to predict Apple's switch to Intel chips.

One hour to go...

Live blogging for the non-believers.

 

http://www.macrumorslive.com/

There is a live blog w/photos of Steve Jobs Keynote at MacWorld on MacRumors... if you care.

 

http://www.macrumorslive.com/

^What he said.

Sorry for being a geek

 

9:43 am they are calling it the iPhone

9:43 am one device, not 3 separate

9:43 am crowd goes wild again

9:42 am 3rd

internet communicator

9:42 am revolutionary

9:42 am mobile phone

9:42 am 2nd

9:42 am crowd goes wild

9:42 am widescreen ipod

9:42 am first

9:42 am 1984 - first mac

2001 first ipod

today - introducing 3 revolutionary products

9:41 am to be able to change the world since 1984

9:41 am every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything

apple has been very fortunate recently

9:40 am Apple logo on screen (2007)

9:40 am now on to something else

here:

 

 

 

I can't believe it. The widescreen iPod and the iPhone are the same thing.

And the sound you just heard was the sound of Zune crashing.

I know its a prototype, but I'm not crazy about it.  i'll see what my staff / CNN / TIME/ Popular Science folks bring back

What's not to like. The feature set is mind numbing. It OS X on and ipod/phone. You can access google maps live.

I agree. Waiting to hear price and release date.

 

 

10:28 am hangs up

10:27 am oh sorry - wrong number

10:27 am orders 4000 latte's to gocrowd laughs

10:27 am presses a button and calls starbucks

10:27 am finds a nearby starbucks

10:27 am finds moscone west

10:26 am it knows where you are

10:26 am truly incredible

10:26 am google maps now

 

10:32 am talking about collaboration

10:32 am wimax is coming

10:32 am merge without merging

10:31 am if we merged - would it be applegoog?

10:31 am Google CEO Eric Schmidt on stage now

^I'm firmly caught in the RDF.

 

That pic above doesn't do it justice compared to it with the screen on.

 

I'm concerned that it's only EDGE no 3G, how well gesturing works, if it gets scratched to hell, oh, and the price.

What's not to like. The feature set is mind numbing. It OS X on and ipod/phone. You can access google maps live.

 

I'm not a mac user.  I have a ipod, a treo and a blackberry.

Sold.

^It sounds like this product will eliminate all three of those. ;-)

 

10:45 am advancing the state of the art of every facet

10:44 am innovating like crazy over 200 patents in it

10:44 am precision enclosures, sensors, desktop-class apps, and widescreen interface

10:44 am miniaturization better than ever before

10:44 am multitouch screen - 1st

10:44 am pushing the state of the art in every facet

10:43 am 16 hours just for audio

10:43 am 5 hours of battery life

10:43 am bluetooth headset - very small - looks like a pen cap

10:43 am bluetooth acc.

10:43 am accessories for iphone look like ipod headphones. but have mic switch

10:42 am comparing features, after today, people won't thing those phones are very smart

10:42 am other handhelds look bad

10:41 am showing blackberries, etc

10:41 am compares to other phones - laughter

10:41 am how does this stack up?

10:40 am fades in

10:40 am ends call - music comes back on

10:40 am talking through speakerphone the whole time

10:40 am looking up in safari for movie now

10:39 am works like iphoto

10:39 am looking for hawaii photo - emails it to Phil while still on the phone with him

10:39 am phil needs a photo - steve goes back to photos

10:38 am adds him to address book

10:38 am Phil Schiller calling

10:38 am listening to music - call comes in, music fades out

10:38 am demo scenario

$500 for 4GB, 600 for 8GB. Ships in June.