Let’s Rock: Aka Naptime!

Posted on September 9th, 2008. Written by trentiles.

So today was the big day for Apple, or at least all of its fans were hoping.  Let’s Rock rumors have been floating all over the tubes for weeks now as to what exactly this event would bring.  Some of the bigger rumors:

• New Nanos? Check
• iTunes 8? Check
• 2.1? Check

So did this event live up to the hype?  Read more to find out!

Overall I was a bit disappointed by this event.  Obviously I wasn’t expecting new computers, because this was a music oriented event.  I think it’s safe to say that we were all waiting for “one more thing.”  Unfortunately there wasn’t.

So onto some of the things announced at Let’s Rock.

4th Generation iPod Nanos

• Apple has moved away from the Nano “chunk” and returned to the 1st and 2nd Gen design.  Tall and skinny.
• Thinnest iPod ever
• 8GB for $149 and 16GB for $199, eh
• Battery life? 24 hours for music, 4 hours when watching the pr0n
• Want to shuffle the music?  Just shake the iPod! (pretty cool, I see an Apple commercial stemming from this feature)
• Lots and lots of very bright colors
• Accelerometer ala the Touch and iPhone
• New UI

The rumors turned out to be true as far as the 4th Gen Nano was concerned.  Is this an exciting release?  Not really.  Apple really didn’t do much new here.  They returned to an already used form factor of which I prefered the Nano “chunk.”  This wasn’t a big leap forward.

iTunes 8.0:  I will let R-fly get you up to date as to all the nice new things in iTunes.

iPod Touch

• Nike+ built-in (very cool!)
• Redesigned to match the iPhone
• New volume control button the side
• 2.1 software

There isn’t too much to say about the new Touch.  It received a nice shiny new case with a built in speaker and volume control buttons on the side.  Nike and Apple must now have one hell of a deal with each other to included Nike+ support built into the new Touch.  This is a very cool feature, and hopefully will get a lot of people into running.  Remember to get your exercise folks!

Whats that? iPhone 2.1?  Pretty much an afterthought

Steve announced 2.1 for the iPhone would be released this Friday.  Guess the Dev’s couldn’t cut it and get the update ready in time to be released with everything else.  I wanted something to play with today Apple!!!!  Steve just barely touched on this which was kind of surprising.  I was waiting to hear about new features, and just overall what the update will bring iPhone users.

Instead we got the following:

• Better battery life (is always welcomed)
• Fewer drop calls (this still happens? I haven’t had a dropped call in years)
• Bug Fixes
• Faster backups
• No app crashes

Sounds like quite the pipe dream.  Are those guaranteed Steve?  These problems have been plaguing iPhone users for a long time now.   Could they now actually be fixed?

We will have to wait until Friday to see how well 2.1 actually delivers.  I’m not getting my hopes up just yet though.  The last two incremental updates have provided no help for the issues I’m having with my original iPhone, namely speed issue’s and really bad keyboard lag.

Please please PLEASE fix these two issue’s and I will be a happy man.

Let’s Rock?  More like Zzzzzzzzz.  Thanks for the nap Steve!  I needed it after that big lunch.