On the Michael Sherlock broadcasting network however, Conan would be a cornerstone of my content. His comedy is fresh, his opinions spot on, and frankly, his jokes are funny. Conan appeals to younger viewers, which some view as a negative, but I believe keeps him from the stale humor we currently see at 11:35.

Next up, Craig Ferguson. Occupying the 12:37-1:37 time slot, Craig offers a racier comedy I enjoy. Accompanied by his robot sidekick Geoff Petersen and his audience full of hobos, Craig’s monologues and intimate interviews are excellent. His story telling is a joy to listen to and his sometimes deep messages make you think, and laugh, at the same time.

To wrap the night up, enter a live comedy club. Featuring stand up routines from one or two fresh comics, this segments closes a night full of laughs with an opportunity for new individuals to make it big. Quality performers can repeat on the show while those not rated as highly by the audience never return to make way for different people.

So, that’s my dream lin-up. Both Conan and Craig are currently working with TBS and CBS respectively, but I can always dream right? What comedians do you love, and who would compromise your dream late night line-up?

Chassis:
The iPhone 4 is compact. At 4.5″ by 2.31″ by .37″, the iPhone 4 is smaller than previous generation iPhones. In fact, the phone feels much more ergonomic than other devices on the market making it easier to use. Although a little heavier than previous models, at 4.8 ounces the iPhone is not a brick. In fact, it feels much better in my pocket than other smartphones I’ve used, including the Nokia N97 and the HTC Touch Pro2.

Regardless of size, the biggest cosmetic improvement comes in the form of materials. The days of plastic are finally gone. The back of the phone is now formed with scratch resistent glass, a welcome upgrade from the weak plastic of previous models. Sadly, there are reports of minor scratches on this glass leading users to suspect a lower grade glass than the front touch screen. The phone is then incased in a band of stainless steel to round out the professional appeal.

Speaking of the screen, the new Retina display is majestic. At 326 pixels per inch, the Retina display has by far the highest resolution screen on the market. But is the Retina screen a useful feature or marketing hype? Although it’s hard to imagine, the screen is breathtaking. The level of detail seen in pictures and images is remarkable. In fact, when you load a complex webpage like the New York Times and you can read all the text without zooming, you can more easily understand the usefulness of the Retina display. In fact, thanks to the new IPS technology found in the Retina display, the iPhone 4 has much wider viewing angles from all directions.

Also on the exterior of the phone are the antennas. Perhaps the biggest talking point of the iPhone 4 isn’t what it does well, but its reception woos. As early as launch day, left handed users were noticing signal degradation when holding their phones. As more reports hit the internet, it became clear something was wrong. Apple responded in a press conference designed to highlight the problem and showcase the issue in other device.

Apparently, the formula used to display the signal bars is completely wrong. Apple goes on to say that the reason for signal loss is poor mobile data coverage and suggests that the original bar reading may have been artificially increased. A software update has been released and Apple will supply free cases to combat these problems. Although I can reproduce this issue, I have yet to drop a call or loose connection. Either way, a free case is a nice gesture.

Finally, I’d like to address colors. When Apple announced the iPhone 4, they demoed both a black and a white unit. Unfortunately, just hours before launch Apple officially stated that white iPhone’s would not be available until late July 2010. Personally, I have no interest in this white model. However, the absence of a white iPhone has increased demand for the black model making it more difficult to purchase a unit. Apple says manufacturing issues forced their hand, but it seems to me Apple used this situation to artificially boost demand.

Camera:
One of the reasons I was so quick to jump on this new iPhone was the improved camera. At five megapixels with a larger sensor and an LED flash, pictures look much better than before. Images are crisper and autofocus continues to work wonders. I’ve been particularly impressed with macro shots taken by simply tapping on the screen. And although there isn’t an optical zoom you do have the option of using up to a 5x digital zoom, although I tend to steer clear of this method.

Moving on, video recording is very important to me. Sporting 720p HD video capture, the iPhone 4 is great mobile device for aspiring film makers. The idea of having a viabile capture option wherever you are is extremely appealing, and one of the major selling points of this device. In terms of quality, video look great. Resolution is sometimes marketing hype but Apple’s implementation of video recording works very well and creates excellent video. And if you want to edit your high definition clips on the go, iMovie has gone mobile and works quite well.

Moreover, Apple has added a VGA resolution camera to the front of the phone. Useful for taking self portraits, this camera has another great feature: FaceTime. FaceTime is Apple’s mobile video chat solution allowing iPhone 4 users to speak, see, and hear their contacts. FaceTime is limited to iPhone 4 and is currently WiFi only. Apple has said they plan to make FaceTime utilities public allowing developers to create their own solutions on top of the FaceTime API’s. I’ve yet to determine the practicality of video chat, but having the option to see my friends when I call them is appealing.

Battery Life:
Since the dawn of time, smartphone users have been crippled by poor battery performance making it difficult to last the entire day on one charge. The only solution was to disable services, forcing many users to cripple their new devices to last throughout the day. As of late, Apple has made great strides in battery performance offering powerful laptops with legitimate eight hour batteries and the iPad which lasts for over ten hours on a signal charge.

Without a doubt, the iPhone 4 takes queues from its brothers. With a battery now rated at 1420 mAh, the iPhone takes usage in stride. I’ve been able to complete a day of heaving usage while staying above 40%. Simply amazing. What’s more, Apple’s battery technology is expected to last for one thousand recharge cycles meaning you can expect quality battery performance for a long time.

Calling:
Often overlooked on smartphones, the core function of these devices is calling. Although I’ve personally moved away from voice chat in favor of SMS, MMS, and Email, I still think it is truly important to purchase a phone with solid calling abilities. I’m happy to say the iPhone performs extremely well. I’ve both made and received calls from the iPhone 4 and can honestly say it sounds life like. Words are audible, voices are clear, and I’ve noticed fewer dropped calls.

New to the iPhone 4 is a second microphone, located on the top of the device, for active noise cancellation. In simple terms, the second microphone picks up background noise and removes it from your outgoing audio making your conversations less noisy and distracting. Furthermore, Apple has greatly improved the speakerphone making calls louder and crisper while also enhancing the music listening experience.

Apple has also implemented a software feature to help AT&T’s desperate network. The device actually switches from band to band to connect to the frequency with the least amount of congestion and interference. Don’t get me wrong, if the signal is too weak the iPhone won’t connect to it, but there are other variable in play to make your experience the best it can be.

Conclusions:
You can read as many overviews and walkthroughs as you want but eventually you need to make a decision: should I buy this device? I’m sure you have discovered this by now, but I am extremely pleased with my iPhone 4. I’m always connected and the iPhone is a solid device that drives my communication: whether that be social media or direct conversation. iOS 4.0 is a great software package that makes using the device simple and reliable while also expandable with over 200,000 third party applications.

To be frank, there is no better device on AT&T at this point. The hardware of the Palm Pre Plus is dated and the few android devices are limited by AT&T’s restrictions. I’m a fan of the Tilt 2 (Touch Pro2) but at this point I’d stay clear of Windows Mobile devices, at least until Windows Phone 7 launches. If you are on another carrier, you are not excluded either. If you have good AT&T coverage, I highly suggest you switch to the iPhone, you won’t be disappointed. However, if AT&T 3G is lacking in your area I suggest you look for a different device on your network. The iPhone is a quality smartphone but if you don’t have reception the whole point of an always connected mobile device is lost.

Now it’s clearly too early to judge Google TV on its own merits. I expect the service will run very smoothly and will integrate nicely with Android and the upcoming Chrome OS. Regardless, Google is beginning to control the entire ecosystem. You wake up to the tune of Google TV, check your messages in android, and log onto your Chrome OS notebook, all through your google fiber Internet connection.

This past week Google announced that they beat the Viacom lawsuit and wouldn’t have to pay any settlement, securing the future of YouTube. Fortunately for the millions of users on the popular social, video sharing website. However, Google continues to have complete dominance over their users. Any monetization of youtube videos goes through Google and for the most part Google inherits control over your videos. Don’t think about easy podcasting support either, what happens on YouTube stays on YouTube.

Google is always collecting data on you. Have you ever considered that Google knows your search trends, friends via email, and location? Well, its true. I mean, how else to do they target ads? Let’s consider two big issues with one conglomerate possessing so much information about you: invasion of privacy and security issues.

I’m not sure about you, but I don’t want anyone knowing that much about me. Nothing good can come from big brother knowing my location and my friends. It is valuable for Google to know that I like technology and therefore show me tech focused sponsored ads but I truly dislike location services. It is just creepy when they show me an ad of a local computer shop. It makes me peer over my shoulder expecting to see a Google camera or spy following me around.

Speaking of email, have you ever considered what happens when you delete an email. Well, when you press delete the message is actually stored on Google’s servers for another six months or longer. In fact, sometimes the message gets flagged and will never be deleted from the Google archives. Do they have a right to keep my personal information indefinitely even though I want it deleted?

No one expects Google to collapse anytime soon but what if their servers are compromised. I mean, if China can hack Google who’s to say someone else can’t do it again and collect your personal information. Think about it, all your personal information exposed to the public eye or worse, to someone looking to harm you. As the old proverb goes, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” The fact that Google is continuing to collect more and more information from us is simply dangerous. No one should have this much influence over our daily lives.

In a different world, let’s say Google does shut-down. Or, what if Google decides to suspend or delete your accounts? All your videos, emails, contacts, pictures, and more are lost forever. I’ve been having some issues with Google as well and the process is extremely irritating. It’s almost impossible to get through to a real person and the automated system is simply useless when you have an issue. It’s not easy for a massive company such as Google to manage all this, don’t get me wrong, but they are simply unable to service their huge volume of users. And to them, if a small percent of users have an issue, it doesn’t matter. A small minority will always have problems so its cheaper to simply ignore those people than it is to offer better service.

I’m not suggesting you stop all contact with Google. At this point, it is simply impossible. But I do recommend that you diversify your online usage. Perhaps upload videos to another service or use a separate email operator. Google isn’t intentionally trying to harm you, but insulating yourself from Google’s power isn’t a bad idea either.

To begin, let’s talk about coverage. Both the GSM operators in the United States have notoriously bad 3G service. Don’t get me wrong, AT&T has the largest footprint in the USA, covering about 97% of all Americans with their Edge service. However, 2G networks such as Edge make anything more than simple text emails impossible. Moreover, T-Mobile is quickly expanding the footprint of their 3G network, a network which only a short time ago didn’t exist, but has yet to make it widely available. As such, consistency and HSDPA don’t go together in the United States. And don’t even get me started about basements, office buildings or parking garages. Can you say “No Service” with any more certainty?

CDMA carriers fair a little better, although they aren’t immune to the same pitfalls as AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon Wireless loves to boast their reliable network as much as any carrier I’ve seen. Although more constant than AT&T, I’ve experienced network fluctuations and lack of coverage in my area. Sprint is equally inconsistent, particularly with the extremely limited coverage of their ‘4G’ WiMax network.

In addition, none of the current mobile data networks available to the public even come close to DSL, cable, or fiber optic broadband speeds. I routinely get bellow 1Mbps download and average about 250Kbps upstream on AT&T’s 3G network. A reality simply unacceptable when you have content to share with the world. Verizon and Sprint, CDMA Rev. A, are comparable in real world situations although they have lower theoretical maximums. T-Mobile, on the other hand, continues to play catch-up with their HSPA+ rollout.

The combination of poor connectivity and slow speeds illustrate the overall terrible quality of these mobile data networks. In fact, whenever you really need to get some work done it seems the network gets even worse. I was trying to upload a picture from my iPhone the other day and AT&T’s 3G network refused to cooperate. Three times.

Let’s talk about some applications for a moment. The Evo 4G touts video chat with its front facing camera as a key feature of the device. Unfortunately, the service doesn’t work very well. Over WiFi the quality is VGA on a good connection and the frame rate is decent at best. Over 3G, you’re lucky to even keep the conversation connected. In fact, Apple is specifically blocking Facetime video messaging over 3G.

Video streaming is another example. Services such as MLB At Bat and the ABC player tout high quality video streaming to your mobile device. Over WiFi, watching my Yankees or my favorite episode of Castle is very enjoyable. When I tested the services over Sprint’s 4G network during a car ride, all I got was extremely low quality video streams and major lag. Essentially, the video wasn’t even watchable.

Of course, we aren’t always using our mobile devices in such strenuous situations. Some times sending an email or checking twitter is all we desire. Reading text isn’t too troublesome for 3G but when more advanced content, like images, come into play, expect delays. In fact, the gods at AT&T sometimes decide just to ignore this media all together and refuse to load the content. Don’t you just love passive censorship?

Even worse is the pricing structure for mobile data. Of course, specifics vary from carrier to carrier but generally speaking mobile data is over priced. For relatively slow speeds and connection issues it is hard to justify $30/month for unlimited data. In fact, AT&T recently removed unlimited data usage in favor of a 2GB, $25/month price tag. Even if your carrier still offers ‘unlimited’ data, remember unlimited really means a 5GB limit before your account gets flagged.

Overall, in today’s society I find it inexcusable that the major telecoms have no gripes with offering such a poor service. Obviously I’m a big user and therefore am critical of a product I use very frequently, but there is definitely merit to the argument. It’s 2010 for goodness sake, we can make big screen televisions an inch thick and we can drive completely electric cars for miles on end. Mobile data is undoubtedly years behind, a travest that irritates me day in and day out. If only one carrier went out on a limb and launched a powerful and consistent option I’d switch in a heartbeat. I mean, we can dream right?

Let’s start with an example: eBooks. Everyone has seen an eBook in one form or another. On the Kindle or iPad, eBooks have brought reading back into the media spotlight. Touting a kindle on the beach is much more socially acceptable than reading a hardcover monstrosity on the same sand. However, there is no library for eBooks. You pay, you read, and you repeat. The current consumption model is very monotonous and can be costly for an avid user.

On one hand, the authors and editors need a cut. How can one survive without being payed for their work? On the other hand, as a consumer in a digital world, paying for a few hundred pages is hard to stomach with the wealth of information on the web. Obviously published novels are deeper and more useful than the average blog post or RSS headline but that mindset of free prevails.

Music and Television are also great examples of this mindset. I’m sure you know a handful of people who stuff their MP3 players with illegally downloaded albums and episodes. From Hip-Hop to Rock, Comedy to Drama, media is always being consumed. But how can one afford to listen to new music and watch new shows on their current budget? It was only a few years ago that setting up an antenna brought all the entertainment one yearned for and a radio provided all the tracks one desired. On a salary very similar to those times, $1 per track and $2 per episode feels outrageous.

Again, the artists and producers deserve a piece of the pie but when Youtube and download aggregators offer free entertainment, it’s hard to pull the trigger and help the “rich get richer”. DRM and an increasingly aggressive law team try to combat these issues but there is no end in sight. I mean, when the number of illegal downloads a piece of media gets is used to illustrate its popularity, the culture is hard to overcome.

Digital has made our lives much more convenient. However, its ease of use has made it mentally harder to pay for media. Youtube and Social Networks offer free entertainment that users can enjoy while keeping their hard earned dollars. Which brings us back to balancing prouder payment and the consumer lust for free. The moral’s of the end user are declining while content creators continue to push ads and cost onto the already weakening market. But how can the demand for consumption and payment equalize?

Imagine a world without ads and hidden costs from website to website. Imagine listening to all the music you want, wherever you are, for no additional charge. Imagine an ecosystem where both producers and consumers are happy. Welcome to my internet. The idea is simple, your ISP is the gateway to media.

Included with your service is access to a huge library of content. Prices are no longer tiered for speed but media consumption. Now don’t confuse this with a pay per bit model because that too breaks the consumers proclivity towards free. Heavy users, like today, pay the most for their connection while users who only watch a few movies and TV shows pay less per month while strict email checkers pay even less than that. Similar to pay per bit, except heavy users aren’t killed with cost because the top plan is unlimited.

Basically, the mindset of today remains the same. Big consumers pay the most while those currently with dial-up pay only a fraction for their limited use. Simply put, your ISP pays the content producers based on your usage and your monthly bill now correlates to consumption.

For instance, let’s imagine the stereotypical teenager. She likes reading Twilight books, listening to the newest Rap singles, and watching medical dramas. (We all know this person) My internet gives them access to all the media they want while her ISP pays a fraction to Little, Brown and Company books, Jay-Z, and Fox media. Out of, let’s say, a $100/month plan each content creating entity gets a piece of the pie. On the downside, each piece of media is valued at a much lower cost than before. However, the issue of stealing content will be greatly reduced. Viewers will no longer have the urge to steal the media they want. Content producers, on the other hand, will bring in even more profit than before because fewer people are stealing the content. More media for consumers and more money for producers, a match made in heaven don’t you think?

Now clearly this is more of a dream than a plan for immediate role-out, but it offers a lot of insight into consumption reform. Users aren’t financially burdened or tempted to turn to the dark side to consume media while producers benefit from fewer thefts. This is my ideal internet, what’s yours?

After much deliberation, Job’s himself has confirmed that Apple is dropping software updates for the original iPhone and iPod touch. Not only does the original iPhone not get a crippled version of OS 4.0, like the iPhone 3G’s inability to multitask, but OS 4.0 won’t even install on the original iPhone. Moving forward, I expect software updates will require new hardware in order to get all the new features while last generation devices will get a crippled update. For instance, OS 5.0 will not support the iPhone 3G and will offer a limited experience to 3GS owners.

As the market evolves new hardware is needed to support new features. As consumers, we want the latest and greatest features in our handsets. If Apple were required to update their older devices we, as customers, would see limited upgrades to keep older hardware going. I don’t support dropping features in software when the hardware can support it, like MMS on the original iPhone and multitasking on the iPhone 3G, but I do understand why Apple will no longer support aging hardware. If you want the latest software, then upgrade to a newer handset. Otherwise, enjoy the features you do have or jailbreak to unlock the pirate inside.

The original description for these items read, “Well..These were R & D units..One wont turn off and has some wierd OS…or lack of firmware So it will be dead when you get it,,,but will power up when you plug it in…The other won’t turn on has a brown spot on the screen. Both have cameras”.

Marked as DVT-1 and DVT-2 respectively, these devices appear to have originated from the Apple Development Team. Along with the camera, these devices appear to be running an unreleased version of the iPod OS. Referred to as “switchboard”, this operating system is clearly an internal build used for testing prerelease hardware. Don’t get your hopes up, I doubt this firmware will ever reach our hands.

The seller of this product didn’t give any straight answers regarding the origin of these iPods. In response to a buyer question, he wrote, “Sorry… Have no idea… I bought them from a guy at a flea market and he bought them from a live auction here in the Bay Area.” Not the most reaffirming answer so take these pictures with a grain of salt. Obviously Apple is looking to add a camera to their iPod touch line-up but I doubt these “R&D” units will ever reach the consumers hands.

But the one thing that puzzled me the most was their AOL dial-up service. Personally, it would be impossible for me to function without high-speed internet as school, work, and this online endeavor are bandwidth hogs and speed is critical to success. Regardless, this situation got me thinking about why individuals continue to use dial-up service even though they know it’s a terrible internet option. Without further ado, let’s see why AOL dial-up is still in existence.

1. Tradition:
   There are traditionalists in all fields, groups, and categories that are hesitant to change and try something new. From old video games to politics, old collections to daily routines, some people like the structure of what they have always had or done. I know from experience it can be hard to give up these habits. For some, the internet isn’t a big deal and they don’t feel its necessary to change what they’ve used for ten years.
2. Lost Contacts:
   It’s inevitable. Anytime you change your email address or phone number, you are bound to loose contact with someone. Even if you update all your contacts with your new information, you are bound to forget someone. By canceling AOL, you loose both your long time email address and your screen-name with your well built buddy list. Sometimes, a less competitive service is worth keeping your friends.
3. Virus Protection:
   An actual advantage of the slow speed comes in the form of a less conducive virus environment. Even though you can still infect your machine, malware needs to be downloaded too and if you catch the issue early enough, you can quickly disconnect and your machine should still be fine because the damage couldn’t be downloaded in time.
4. Portability
   One thing I didn’t consider until speaking with my Grandma is ease of use. All you need is a modem and any phone line to connect to AOL. Whether you are at a neighbors house or halfway around the world, you can connect to the internet with your AOL credentials just as if you were home.
5. Cost:
   One of the biggest reasons to remain with dial-up, cost. Speaking to users, they pay around $19 total for all the dial-up they can use. Not a bad deal with competent broadband prices starting in the mid $40/month range.

What is your internet connection speed and could you live with dial-up service in 2010?

Bitbop is solely owned by News Corporation. News corp is also a significant shareholder of Hulu (27%) which explains why we haven’t seen Hulu itself adopt the mobile platform. Clearly Bitbop is the mobile Hulu replacement which begs the question, why make two separate services dividing mobile and desktop computing? Obviously there is a reason, probably relating to advertising and operating costs, but an immediate answer isn’t available.

At CTIA, Bitbop demoed their service on a BlackBerry but state that both iPhone and Android versions of the application will be launching as well. Video looked good on the Blackberry Bold’s 480 x 320 pixel screen according to users who tried the service.

I recently spoke with Paula Batson, a prominent member of the PR team behind BitBop, to get some more information on this breakthrough service. Answers to content related questions remained vague as this service has yet to enter beta but it sounds like their soon-to-be announced partners include several other high-profile networks.

Will Bitbop include all fox shows?
“We have partnered with several large content providers and as such our programming will not just be Fox but rather a wide range of programming across networks. We anticipate a formal content announcement later this month. I think its fair to say viewers will be blown away by the breadth and quality of content available on bitbop.”
Quote from Reid Genauer, VP Marketing Fox Mobile Group

Will there be a delay as to when new programs are available, similar to the 8 day delay for House on Hulu?
There will be a slight lag in terms of when programs air and when they will be available on Bitbop. It varies by network and will likely be 1-3 days.

Are you open to partnerships with CBS, ABC, and other content competitors?
100%. Bitbop is intended to be a content distribution platform for many content providers. As noted above we have already partnered with several large networks.

Will full seasons of shows be available for viewing, or just a few of the most recent episodes?
A few of the most recent episodes for each show will be available at launch.

Will the $9.99 monthly charge include movies or just television shows?
The monthly charge will just include television. Movies will be sold a la carte.

Does the video resolution scale depending on data connection?
We have various content resolutions that the app dynamically chooses [from], [the app chooses] the best profile based on the connectivity.

Will streamed video look different than downloaded content?
The downloaded content uses the highest resolution of video available.

Will downloaded video be unwatchable after your subscription ends? If so, how will it be regulated?
Yes the downloaded content is removed from the handset at the end of the subscription using our proprietary DRM implementation.

I specifically asked about the video resolution available to users but didn’t get an answer. I expect to get more information on this service as we approach launch. Additionally, I will be a part of the BitBop beta and as such will be able to provide you more feedback on this service.

Bitbop Video Promo:

Email:
One of the simplest yet useful features of OS 4.0 is the unified inbox. Many of use have several email accounts and being able to access your messages from one inbox instead of different ones is a time saver.

As you can see, your messages still look very similar to older versions of the software. However, if you look at the first message you see a number “2″ which signifies there are multiple messages in that thread.

When you click on an email that is part of a thread, you get a list view of all the email in that particular thread. Another time saver when dealing with a large volume of messages.


Camera:
Although I dislike digital zoom, having the option on your iPhone is a nice addition. All you have to do is double click on the screen and a zoom control appears atop the live preview.


Gamecenter:
Apple is launching a new application called gamecenter to unify and track your gaming achievements. With features such as matchmaker and leaderboards, gamecenter aims to become your social gaming network of choice for iPhone.


Multitasking:
Multitasking is the big features of OS 4.0. Apple is finally allowing users to run 3rd party applications in the background. Unfortunately, as mrbit points out, apple isn’t truly allowing applications to run in the background but rather is allowing certain application types permission to run a service in the background. So it is a multitasking solution, but it’s not a complete “free for all” like in Android or webOS.

Multitasking Video Walkthrough:


Folders:
Creating folders to organize applications is extremely easy. Simply drag one app onto another and a new folder is created. From there, you can drag more apps into the folder and rename it. Using folders, you are now able to store 2,000 apps on your device.


Backgrounds:
Although not a revolutionary feature, iPhone users have been asking for custom homescreen wallpapers since OS 1.0. Four incarnations later, users can choose any picture and use it as either the lockscreen background, homescreen background, or both.

iPhone OS 4.0 Video Recap:

Media Event Recap*:
iPad
-450,000 iPads sold to date (300,000 at launch)
-1 million pad app downloads day 1 (3.5M through today)
-600,000 ibook downloads
-3,500 iPad apps in app store today

App store
-4 billion app downloads
-185,000 apps

iPhone
-JD power award three years running (2008-2010)
-64% mobile browser usage belongs to iPhone
-50 million iPhones sold (85M including iPod Touch)

iPhone OS 4.0
-Over 1500 new API’s
-quick look, photo library access, in app sms, full access to camera
-accelerate for “hardware accelerated math functions”
-Over 100 New Features (All)
-spell checker, 5x digital zoom, change homescreen wallpaper

Big 7 Updates:
• Multitasking

-drains battery very quickly & terrible performance
-new way to multitask 3rd party apps and avoid battery drain
-double click home button to reveal a window overlay of open applications
-great implementation of multitasking
-7 multitasking services (API’s) for multitasking:

1. Background Audio (Pandora)
2. Voice over IP (Skype)
3. Background location (baseband always connected to cell towers)
4. Push notifications
5. local notifications
6. task completion (upload to flickr)
7. fast app switching (apps save state and stop running, then resume)

• Folders

-Drag apps onto each other to make a folder
-automatically named after category of apps, can be renamed

• Enhanced Email

-unified inbox
-multiple exchange accounts
-organize by threads
-fast inbox switching
-open attachments in apps from app store

• iBooks for iPhone

-iPad/iPhone integration (wirelessly sync books, current page, and bookmarks)
-buy once, read anywhere

• Enterprise Improvements

-improved Data Protection
- wireless app distribution
-mobile device management
-SSL VPN support

• Game Center

-social gaming network
-achievements, leader-boards, match making

• iAd Mobile Advertising

-emotional and interactive ads (almost like ad itself is app)
-keep user in application
-Apple sells and hosts ads, 60/40 revenue split (devs/apple)
-Very quick to implement in app
-ads can use API’s (show theaters near you)

• iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 3rd generation get all features
• iPhone 3G and other iPod touch models get limited features with OS 4.0, no multitasking
• iPad gets update this fall

*These are the exact notes I took during the media conference. Please forgive any abbreviations and the informal nature of this recap.

Prepare Your Content
You want to consume media on your iPad. I know it. Otherwise, what’s the point? Just as the iPhone before it, Apple is locking down the iPad to play only a few video and audio formats. Why? Apple wants you to purchase content through iTunes. Music and video from iTunes, of course, works perfectly on the iPad giving iTunes a boost in sales because of simplicity. If you get your media from other, less reputable sources, make sure to convert your media to the appropriate format.

For audio content, the iPad supports AAC, proteced AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV. Most likely, the music and podcasts you listen to now are already in the correct format. In terms of video, the iPad supports H.264 encoded video up to 720p in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats. The iPad also supports 480p content in the MPEG format.

You may also watch video content on the web. Although the iPad doesn’t support flash, it does support HTML5 video. At launch, a handful of providers will support the iPad, including CNN, vimeo, and Sports Illustrated. Apple is compiling a growing list of website who play nice with the iPad to check your favorite website.

Did You Pre-Order?
Just as the iPhone before it, expect supply of the iPad to be limited at launch. Whether the crunch corresponds to marketing or logistical issues, consumers will be scrambling to get their hands on this device. Unless of course, you were smart enough to pre-order the device. In late March, Apple opened up pre-orders allowing customers to order online for guaranteed April 3rd delivery or reserve a unit for in-store pick-up at launch. Although convient for early purchasers, those looking to purchase on launch day will find it more difficult to locate an iPad.

All hope is not lost. Reservations expire at 3:00 in the afternoon so if your store is out of units, check back at around 3 to pick up a device not claimed. Perhaps a better shot, check out your local best buy. Although not available online, local best buys with certified apple departments will be selling the iPad on April 3rd. The inventory for each store is confidential, with sources claiming only 15 per store. Best buy’s will not be opening early but a best buy rep says best buy will be issuing iPad tickets before the store opens to ensure the safety of their customers.

Set-Up
As with other Apple devices, the iPad will feature simple set-up. Like the iPhone or iPod line, plugging the device into your computer should be the brunt of the set-up.

However, you need iTunes 9.1 to sync your iPad. On a mac, go to software update and make sure you have the latest version of iTunes. On a PC, launch iTunes, click on help, and then select “Check for updates” to confirm you are running the correct software.

Once your software is updated, your iPad will show up just as any other iPod or iPhone. Simply follow the prompts and choose to sync your music, photos, apps, and videos.

Apps
According to Apple, all most apps currently in the app store will run on the iPad. The idea here is to get the huge library of iPhone and iPod touch applications running on the iPad. To do this, the iPad will scale these nonnative applications. However, from early reports, scaling isn’t perfect and some apps run terribly on the iPad. To ensure a great experience, here are some native apps you should install on your iPad.

• iBooks
  Designed by Apple, iBooks allows users to, you guessed it, read on their iPad. Simply sync your DRM free ePub documents in iTunes, and get to reading. Oh wait, you are looking for new content. iBooks doubles as a book marketplace allowing you to purchase your favorite titles and new releases all from your device. This application also allows you several in book features as well, including search, bookmarking, and font adjustments. Look out Kindle, iBooks is coming.
• ABC Player
  Looking to watch your favorite ABC content right from your portable device, this app is for you. Allowing you to view full episodes of Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, and the rest of the ABC lineup, this application is great for consuming quality media. In fact, this app won’t cost you a penny and ABC is not charging anything per episode, so you essentially get all the media you want for nothing. Why download an episode in iTunes for $1 when this app legally gives it to you for free?
• Wordpress 2.4
  I love wordpress. I have been using it for years to manage my various blogs and have never had any problems with it. Version 2.4 of the wordpress app is designed for the iPad allowing you to create and edit blog posts and monitor comments all from one simple application. If you run wordpress, this app is critical to your mobile workflow.
• Netflix
  Are you a netflix subscriber? If so, prepare yourself for unlimited streaming right on your iPad. This netflix application allows you to watch all the TV shows and movies you want as part of your netflix unlimited membership. The app itself is free for netflix subscribers. With plans starting at $4.99 per month, video content on the iPad is getting cheap.
• NPR
  I get a lot of my news from national public radio. I currently listen periodically on my freecom musicpal and look forward to catching up on the days news directly through the iPad friendly application. At a cost of nothing, why not download NPR to stay connected?
• iWork
  Consuming media, checking email, and causally browsing the web is fun but sometimes we need to get some work done. Apple has engineered the iWork suite specifically for the iPad allowing you to professionally create, edit, and view word documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. For $30, or $10 for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote respectively, managing schoolwork or business information cannot be easier.

The iPad looks to change the market the way the Macintosh, iPod, and iPhone changed their respective markets. But the iPad is dependent on third parties to produce high quality apps and content to enjoy. Although launch looks to offer a wide variety of this media, I expect the future to hold an even brighter outcome. The iPad will be the device of the future.

Our customers want to be able to deliver their video content to every screen without sacrificing the quality, interactivity and monetization capabilities they have come to expect from the Brightcove platform. The Brightcove Experience for HTML5 fills the gap between the current playback capabilities of the emerging standard and what our customers need to operate successful online video businesses

-Jeremy Allaire, Brightcove chairman and chief executive officer.

Since the release of HTML5’s video playback features, flash, a bloated and buggy platform, has lost a lot of support. Now that Brightcove has formally adopted HTML5, it is clear flash content is on the way out with the more economical HTML5 option as its primary replacement.

The announcement comes on the heels of the iPad launch. The iPad, like the iPhone and iPod touch, does not support flash because of its huge footprint. In fact, Brightcove repeatedly sites these apple products as beneficiaries of HTML5 video. Clearly Brightcove didn’t want to loose a huge market of mobile users by remaining married to flash. I look for more content delivery platforms to adopt HTML5 in the coming months to support these popular mobile devices.

Mobile internet is on the rise through support from these very popular and easy to use apple devices. With Hulu and other distributors rumored to be working on iPad friendly viewing options, its clear the days of flash dominated media are over. We’ve bashed Apple for not supporting flash over the years but, in fact, they have ushered in a new technology that works much better than current industry standards.

Both The New York Times and Time inc. support HTML5 today with other Brightcove clients coming soon.

Press Release

There is no solid reason why Apple should stop selling screen shields. Some speculate that Apple wants to make the consumer believe Apple screens are more durable than regular products and don’t need the extra protection. Other’s believe that Apple no longer wants to deal with returns of products because of faulty installation of adhesive accessories. While others feel Apple is just flexing their muscles and arbitrarily blocking the sale of a certain product because they have the power to.

This policy change is clearly designed to increase the customers proclivity to the iPad. If the consumer believes the new tablet has an extremely strong screen and doesn’t need accessories, the appeal of the iPad is surely to increase. Although pre-orders are estimated in the hundreds of thousands, Apple is clearly aiming for an iPad in every home and must feel this small move can help them.

One thing is clear, this move is sure to hurt Apple accessory manufacturers. The companies that sell screen shields singularly will loose all the sales they get from Apple retail stores, which I’m sure is a significant amount of revenue. Moreover, bundles that include screen shields will have to be repackaged to remain in Apple stores, eliciting a mad rush of newly packaged accessories.

There are many small companies out their that need the exposure of the Apple store, many small business owners that need their shields and cases to sell, and many customers that want to purchase high quality protection products. I’m not suggesting that Apple is purposely trying to destroy these desires, but clearly Apple’s closed ecosystem is going to hurt these desires.

Let me say this, the recipe was easy to follow and was delicious once it was done. However, the filming for this was tedious and the clean-up was a hassle, specifically because the oil splashed everywhere. Next time you are channel surfing and pass by a cooking show, just remember how much work it is for the people behind the camera.

Before you watch the video, I’d just like to disclaim that I am not a fluent Spanish speaker. In fact, I’m sure it is apparent to some of you. I’d like to apologize for butchering the language and hope you take this video at face value, an amateur cooking show.