New iPod Shuffles and 802.11n Update

Ok, so not a big exciting announcement, but I can’t help but think that the press on these (the Shuffles, in particular) will steal some of Vistas glory.

…

Apple VPs confirm no 3rd party iPhone apps - (TUAW):

Looks like I’ll be keeping my 60gb iPod and Cingular 8125 for a while longer. It’s a shame really…the iPhone/i6 could have been a killer SmartPhone.

The lucky Gizmodo guys got their paws on an actual iPhone plus an hour of Q&A with some Apple VPs. Here are some of their scoops: The OS isn’t going to be “OS X for real.” It’s more like a pseudo-OS X and, like the iPod, it will not have a public API and open development. This confirms what Dan posted earlier today about no user-installable apps. Which is a shame. I’d really love to see the iPod and iPhone get opened up for more third party software. The screen is the same polycarbonite material as the iPod overlaid with a touch element. Finally, there won’t be any WiFi or cellular data syncing, only sync-via-docking.

By locking out developers, Apple is doing nothing but encouraging their competitors to mimic their designs and do things better. While this is a noble movement from a ‘we want the world to be better’ viewpoint, it’s not so great for investors and fans of the company.

After years of waiting and endless speculation, Apple has finally released the iPhone. Loaded with features and packed with dazzling graphics, widgets and overall coolness, the iPhone would appear to be the end all/be all cellular/smart/media phone.

But is it? This article discusses five things that the iPhone is missing that could keep it from being serious competition to other convergent phones such as the Treo, Motorola Q or the Blackberry or even consumer devices like the Razr or Chocolate.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription) and TUAW report that a single iPod vending machine sold a thousands of dollars worth of iPods in one month. A VP of Business Traveler Services is quoted as saying, “We’ve done about $55,000 in a month in gross sales just for the one on Concourse A. This is becoming the future for some high-end products in places like airports where space is at a premium.” If you’re willing to drop $349 plus tax, the iPod is yours. And it’s a change from all those salty treats you normally get at a vending machine.

Looking for some good, free content to throw on your iPod? Check out this massive list from OpenCulture.

Also, check out their comment section for links to even more free content. Some of the linked content includes:

* A Christmas Tale, Charles Dickens (iTunes)
* A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens (iTunes)
* Aesop’s Fables, Aesop (mp3 download)
* Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (mp3 download)
* Andersen’s Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Andersen (mp3 download)
* Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche (mp3 download)
* Call of the Wild, Jack London (mp3 download)
* Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer (mp3 download)