As usual, we write this little review of the new products that came out, after yesterday's excitement.
Let's start with iTunes. The software changes mainly to integrate Ping, a new social network that feels like myspace, since it is dedicated to music. On that, we shouldn't fool ourselves, it is another means, just like Genius, to serve iTunes interest, that is to make people buy more music by making them discover artists and song. We'll see in the future if that social network really works.
About the iPods, Apple announced yesterday having changed all the product line. We however notice that the iPod Classic has been left out, which is not surpassing at all, the time when the higher capacity the better is over, what is important now is having a lot of features in the smallest size possible. Here are details about the new iPods:
- The new Shuffle takes a step back with the return of the buttons, which are always nice to have even with a very good voice recognition. Too bad however that the capacity is now blocked at 2GB.
- The new Nano is the most surprising and attractive one. Once you get used to the touch screen, buttons feel like they're from another time. Everything in it is great, save maybe for its price, $149 for the 8GB model, and $179 for the 16GB. Some will also regret the end of video support and the lack of video camera. It's the price to pay in order to have so much in such a small device.
- The new iPod Touch is almost like an iPhone. Probably because of the problems they encountered with the glass back of the new iPhone, Apple kept the old design on this iPod Touch. It however becomes thinner, with just over 7mm, features a Retina display, runs on the A4 chip, and has to cameras. FaceTime support is a real plus for that device on social networks, since all iPod 4G users will be able to have FaceTime conversations with iPhone 4 users if both are connected to Wi-Fi.
Still, we wish the back camera's resolution were not limited and the Wi-Fi slower than on other devices such as the iPad.
We'll conclude this review with the Apple TV. It is smaller that the proviso version with just 1/4 of the size. However, it lack the little freedom that the first generation had. You absolutely need to have a Mac turned on to be able to browse its content, while we wish users had been able to browse the content of a Time Capsule for example.
It doesn't have any internal storage, so it will only do streaming. We could call this an iTunes Box since Apple's goal is to make users rent iTunes content, since like the previous generation, it will only support a restricted number of video formats. Clearly, Apple's strategy is now to make more and more closed products, again.
[Edit]: the article now contains links to the Apple Store through which you can help Hardmac.com!
