Mr. Jobs has just left the stage down in San Francisco, and in recognition of Apple’s big event today we thought it was appropriate to bring you a round-up of all of the relevant bits of new product news and information. Cupertino dropped a lot of tidbits on us today, so grab a cup of coffee, light up that mid-day cigarette, and get ready to dive in:
- New iPod Nano. The new device is thinner than ever before, sports a completely revamped OS with cover flow, shake-to-shuffle feature, built-in Genius playlist, and a curved glass screen. It has a built-in accelerometer, and comes in a dizzying array of colors. Expect to pay $149 for the 8GB and $199 for the 16GB. The 8GB should be available right now, with the 16GB following sometime next week
- New iPod Touch. The new Touch features a completely redesigned case, integrated Nike+iPod functionality, external volume controls and speaker, and more. Available immediately, you should expect to pay $229 for the 8GB model, $299 for the 16GB, and $399 for the 32GB. Apple is billing this one as the “Funnest iPod Ever”, and seems to be trying to position it as a mobile gaming device.
- iPhone firmware 2.1. As expected, Apple announced the new 2.1 firmware update for the iPhone. The new software promises greatly improved battery life, fewer crashes, fewer dropped calls, and faster backups. Can anyone say “Hell yeah?” We’ll see how well it delivers on these promises, with an expected delivery this Friday.
- iPod Classic 120 GB. Nothing much to say about this one, except that it has replaced both the 80GB and 160GB models. Expect to pay $249 for this baby, available immediately.
- iTunes 8. The command center behind all of this, Apple introduced the new version of their omnipresent media software. iTunes 8 delivers a news Genius playlist function, new Hi-Def TV show support, the return of NBC shows to the TV Store, and more. The software is expected to launch today, though as of this writing it had yet to appear on Apple’s site.
- Minor bits: iPod Shuffle now comes in 4 new colors, Apple is now offering in-ear headphones with an in-line volume control and improved speakers for $79.
Excited? Disappointed? Indifferent? Sound off!
