JonnyMoss

Very impressed with the iPhone 4 camera and the Cam plus app.

JonnyMoss

With all the recent talk about the iSlate, iPad, iSlab, whatever... doesn't it seem like the obvious candidate for the name of Apple's rumored tablet computer is being completely overlooked? Like Apple's first phone that later came to be called the iPhone, isn't the most obvious name for an Apple tablet the iTablet? To support the theory we decided to share the above image that we received from a trusted source and believe to be authentic. It's a picture taken of an Apple Store employee's corporate email after receiving information about the time and place of Wednesday's Apple event. While the content of the email wasn't very enlightening, note the word used in the filename of the second attachment: "itablet." Now this doesn't prove a thing. The administrative assistant who sent the mass email could have been using "itablet' much in the same way that we've been using the term for years as a generic placeholder for the rumored device. Then again, maybe we should heed the wisdom of Occam's Razor when speculating about Apple's naming preference for a 10-inch tablet computer?

P.S. Amtek currently holds the US trademark (and itablet.com domain) for "iTablet" and continues to sell products under that name as it has for years. Not that a silly thing like trademark ownership could stop Apple from announcing its iPhone at a time when Cisco owned the rights.Apple iTablet: the obvious name? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Retail, AppleThe San Jose Mercury News is reporting that Apple may be moving its store in downtown Palo Alto, CA to a new, larger space that would be "a new prototype for the company." Planning documents quoted by the newspaper describe a store that has a completely transparent facade at street level and huge interior skylights. There will be so much daylight in the stores that trees can be grown inside the building.

The store is planned for 340 University Avenue, where a Z Gallerie furniture store was formerly located (see photo at right). The architectural review board for Palo Alto voted 3 - 0 in favor of allowing the project to move forward.

According to the article, the architectural firm involved in the new store is Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. This firm designed the Apple flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City, which is a huge glass cube above ground level with the store located beneath the cube. Apple has declined to comment about the proposal, and the applicant for architectural approval was not specifically named, but the architectural review board chair, Alexander Lew, says that "a lot of people have kind of guessed" that the tenant is Apple.

The developers sent the city a note stating that "The proposed store is a new prototype for the applicant. Fully half the function of the store serves to provide education and service to business as well as customer patrons in addition to product sales. The store is a commons for the applicant's community to gather."

The memo continues to say that the glass storefront "dissolves the boundary that traditional store facades create. By not breaking the horizontal ground plane of the sidewalk with opaque wall or landscape element, for example, the street is made part of the store's interior; the pedestrian is in the store before entering it."TUAWApple prepping new prototype retail store in Palo Alto, California? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: RetailFukubukuro, or "Mystery Bag," is a Japanese New Year's Day tradition during which merchants sell sealed bags of various items at a substantial discount, often as high as 50%. Shoppers may get some great deals on the contents of these bags - even if they don't know what exactly they're buying. Japanese Apple Stores have participated since 2005. Once again, this year, they're offering mystery bags to Japanese Apple Store customers.

Stores will begin selling a limited number of Lucky Bags for the equivalent of $380US on January 2nd. But the fun doesn't end there. Each store will offer workshops on photography, video-making and presentations to kids aged eight to 12-years-old. Adults can share in the fun too, as a contest will be held to find the best New Year's greeting card created on a Mac. All contest participants will receive a small gift.

If you attend, let us know. Last year, a reader received an 8 GB iPod touch, a Nike iPod sensor and armband, a Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere2 speaker set, a cool, re-useable bag (above), a commemorative T-shirt and a 2009 calendar for the approximate equivalent of $384US. Shoppers began to line up at midnight the day before in 2009, so hop to it. Those lines aren't going to get any shorter.

Update: The lineup has begun!

[Via ifoAppleStore]TUAWJapan's Apple Stores continue Lucky Bag tradition originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Hardware, Retail, iPod touchLast week, we learned that Apple would be revamping some US retail stores, including a new iPod touch-based point-of-sale (POS) system. A new scanner accessory allows Apple to replace the old Windows CE-based sales handhelds.

Gary Allen of ifoAppleStore has given AppleInsider an exclusive look at the thing, and it's pretty cool (that is, if retail hardware is your bag). It's an iPod touch with a magnetic stripe reader, a barcode scanner and Apple's proprietary payment-processing software. The iPod rests inside what AppleInsider calls a "slip-on shell" that plugs into the dock connector; it includes its own battery to power the two scanning peripherals.

Apple Store employees will use the devices to accept purchases made with credit cards, debit cards and cash; they can even make returns and activate a new iPhone.

It looks like a clever device. If you see one in the store (or if you use one), tell us what you can.

[Via The Apple Blog]TUAWA look at Apple's iPod touch-based EasyPay system originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Retail, Apple, Found Footage TUAW fan George sent us a link to some video he shot earlier today at the grand opening of the Apple Store Union Square in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The video is fun; not only is there the usual high-fiving and applause as customers enter the new store, but one of the Apple employees is wearing a kilt and there was a kilted piper entertaining the folks in line.

In other Apple Store news, reader Christophe pointed us to exclusive photos on Macgeneration of the interior of the new Louvre store in Paris, France, which is scheduled to open on November 7th, 2009. That store will be the first Apple Store in France.

Apple's plans to dominate the European computer and consumer electronics market continue to bear watching, as these new Apple Stores are bound to increase international sales to impressive new levels.TUAWMen in kilts: video from the Aberdeen, Scotland Apple Store opening originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Retail, iPhoneWhile Apple has taken many steps to make the iPhone easier and more available to purchase, Apple could take more steps to make the process easier and quicker. MacRumors is reporting that Apple is about implement "iPhone Activation Zones" inside Apple Stores. They would included employees, which will be known as "iPhone Experts," who will be identified by unique clothing and name tags, and will be dedicated to activating and setting up iPhones for customers. Also, customers would be able to pre-authorize their purchase online and have their iPhone almost ready for them to purchase in-store. These optimizations could come as early as tomorrow, so keep your eye out for any changes.TUAWApple aims to ease iPhone purchasing at the Apple Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Retail, Odds and ends, Apple, Flickr FindAhhhh, Milano! The name makes me think about the Milan Cathedral, La Scala, fashion models, and the aggressive drivers in that city. And now, when I think of Milan, I can also fondly think of the new Apple Store Carosello. TUAW reader Filippo sent us a link to his Flickr gallery of the opening earlier today, which appears to have attracted a huge crowd of Apple fans. PhilApple, as he is known on Flickr, also captured the traditional "running of the geeks" in a short video upload. This is the well-known phenomenon in which the first customers are greeted by the applause, cheers, and general silliness of the Apple Store employees and other customers. While I wish Apple had chosen to place the store in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo, reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall, I'm happy for the Milanese to now have their very own Apple Store. Grazie, Filippo, for this set of photos!TUAWFlickr Find: Apple Store Carosello opening in Milan, Italy originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Apple Corporate, RetailWhile all of the attention this weekend was around the launch of Snow Leopard, Apple opened up three new retail stores; two new stores in the US and one in Germany.

First, the company opened a new store in Hamburg, Germany on Saturday, which is now Apple's second store in Germany, after the store in Munich opened last December.

Second, there's a new store in Dedham, Massachusetts at the Legacy Place shopping center. This store will be the ninth store in the state of Massachusetts.

Finally, Apple also opened up a new store at the Stonebriar shopping complex in Frisco, Texas. This store makes it the sixth store in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

If you live in or are near one of these areas, be sure to check out your new Apple Store. As always, we would love to hear your stories of your first visit or see your photos!TUAWApple retail news: three new stores opened this weekend originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Unless you're crazy enough to believe that Apple would announce its tablet computer or iPods with cameras without a press conference, you shouldn't expect anything too big when Apple's online store (down globally) comes back up later today. Odds-on favorite would be a page for Snow Leopard orders when Apple comes back up at the usual 830 time slot ET. That would give the elves in Cupertino plenty of time to ship discs by August 28th. Then again, it could just be maintenance -- it's not Tuesday for crissake.Apple stores down globally: Snow Leopard possible originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Retail, Apple, Snow Leopard It looks like the online Apple Store is down right now with that ubiquitous "We'll be back soon" message. Could finally we be seeing the availability of Mac OS X Snow Leopard? We'll let you know when the store is back up and what might be new. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!TUAWApple Store is down, could Snow Leopard be coming? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics: Snow Leopard - Apple - Mac OS X - TUAW - Unofficial Apple Weblog

Filed under: Humor, iPod Family, Cult of Mac, Odds and endsIn 2001, the same year the Game Boy Advance was introduced, Apple brought the iPod to us (and not to universal enthusiasm, either). When I was doing some Google searching last night on Apple model numbers, I found something quite strange.

Who knew that there were first-generation iPods still for sale on store.apple.com! This is the very first iPod model, introduced in 2001. I don't know how they ended up there, or why they're selling them, but they're shipping "within 24 hours" and are available for $129.00. Remember, this is the model with the "scroll wheel," it's not touch sensitive, and you have to physically turn it with your thumb or finger. Note that the image Apple is using on the store is actually for a third-generation iPod, but the product description and model number are for the first-gen.

It includes a 5GB iPod (for Mac only, the Windows-compatible versions came later) w/rechargeable lithium battery, original scroll wheel), headphones, an Apple iPod Power Adapter, an Apple FireWire Cable (2 meters), a Manual (iPod Getting Started), CD-ROM Disc w/iTunes (version unknown, but let's take a guess and say "old"), and a One Year Limited Warranty that by rights should have expired eight years ago.

Are you going to take the plunge? Will it look good next to your G3 iMac? If you do or don't, feel free to leave a comment below!TUAWWant a 1st generation iPod? They're still available from the Apple Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics: Apple - Cult of Mac - IPod - Google - Unofficial Apple Weblog

Whether or not Snow Leopard build 10A432 is really the ready-for-shipment "golden master," Apple's own site is giving hope to the masses that its next platform iteration is gearing up for a launch sooner rather than later. MacRumors is reporting that a Mac Box Set containing OS X 10.6 , iLife '09, and iWork '09 popped up on Apple's online store today priced at $169 for single users and shipping within 24 hours. The page itself no longer exists, although not before Google's spiders managed to pick up on it. It's probably wishful thinking to think this is indicative of a release before its projected September launch window -- and really, at this point, that's only a couple of weeks away -- if you were gonna hope for it anyway, here's some fodder for ya.

Read - Snow Leopard box set briefly appears in Apple Online Store Read - Google entry for now-defunct pageFiled under: Desktops, Laptops, SoftwareSnow Leopard box set makes short-lived cameo in Apple's online store originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Apple, Macbook Pro Hooray for all us big-window dwelling Mac users! If you're craving something other than Apple's standard glossy screen, the anti-glare matte finish is an option again on the Apple Store for 15" MacBook Pros. Except it'll cost you $50 extra and replaces the black border with a silver one. Small price to pay for reducing eye strain, says I.[via Engadget]TUAWApple allows matte screens on 15-inch MacBook Pros again originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics: Apple - TUAW - Unofficial Apple Weblog - MacbookPro - Engadget

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Retail, AppleMicrosoft's announcement that the company will open stores near the locations of existing Apple retail outlets came as no surprise to many people. After all, why not try to get a little overflow traffic from Apple Stores and sell a few Zunes in the process? Perhaps they'll have charming and pleasant retail employees like Lauren or Sheila from the "laptop hunter" ads...TechFlash is reporting that the company has hired George Blankenship, former Apple real estate chief, to consult on securing prime locations for the Microsoft stores. Blankenship moved to Apple from The Gap, and he joins former Wal-Mart executive David Porter, who is now Microsoft's corporate VP of retail stores. By consulting for Microsoft rather than being a direct hire, Blankenship can skirt many of the issues brought on by the NCA (non-competitive agreement) that all Apple executives sign. The demographic information that Blankenship might use to pinpoint Microsoft store locations is available publicly, and the techniques used by Apple to successfully open retail locations have been widely discussed since the first Apple Store opened in 2001.While the locations, products carried, and general look and feel of the Microsoft retail outlets are still under wraps, the first stores are expected to open prior to the October 22nd launch date for Windows 7.[via ifoAppleStore]TUAWMicrosoft hires ex-Apple real estate chief to consult on retail outlets originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

It's pretty gross in NY right now -- sure, you've seen rain before, but you've never really experienced it until you've seen the grit and determination of these city folk wandering around in a light downpour with their $500 umbrellas. That's why it comes as zero surprise to see that despite the ongoing drizzle, a few brave souls have gathered in front of Apple's flagship store to be among the first in the States to get an iPhone 3G S tomorrow morning. Sure, they could've pre-ordered for delivery and stayed dry, but what's the fun in that? So far it's four friends from The iLife blog keeping each other company, with plans to upgrade one of the crew's original iPhones (for that attractive full subsidy price). These guys also braved the mayhem of the iPhone 3G launch, and who knows if they'll wise up before the next one. By 7AM tomorrow they'll have spent 24 hours in the elements -- quite a lot of commitment for a phone, but hey, that video recording bit is pretty neat, and male bonding is forever. Meet these guys and their cloud-sent adversary on video after the break, and check out the read link for their ongoing liveblog of the launch -- naturally courtesy of some iPhone 3.0 tethering.Gallery: iPhone 3G S line begins in NY, weather be damnedContinue reading iPhone 3G S line begins in NY, weather be damnedFiled under: Cellphones, HandheldsiPhone 3G S line begins in NY, weather be damned originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

We've got a number of tips this morning about lucky iPhone 3G S pre-orderers getting shipment notifications from Apple. Naturally, with a high profile launch like this we're guessing Apple has done all it can to ensure shipments won't slip through earlier than the June 19th launch date, but hopefully at least few folks will get lucky -- and at least they've got one of the only guarantees of a launch day phone going. In other news, an anonymous Apple Store employee has done some homework and tallied up average reservation numbers at other US stores -- he estimates about 800 people on average are on the reservation list per Apple Store (ranging from a couple hundred to well over a thousand), which amounts to about 200,000 reservations as of now, a number he believes could double before launch. There's no way to back that number up, but it sounds fairly rational. Finally, the iPhone 3G S firmware download link has made its way into the wild. Sure, it doesn't do you any good if you don't have an iPhone 3G S, but we thought you just might want to know all the same.[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]Read - iPhone 3G S shipping noticeRead - iPhone 3G S firmwareFiled under: Cellphones, HandheldsiPhone 3G S pre-orders start shipping, reservations estimated in the hundreds of thousands originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Retail, Apple FinancialNew York City's flagship Apple Store, located on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, is doing tremendous business. According to The New York Post, that store raked in $440 million in one year. Of course, the location doesn't hurt. It's right by Central Park and the huge, glass cube is a real tourist draw. The Post also notes that the SoHo store pulled in $100 million, but didn't provide any stats on the West 14th Street store. In the meantime, construction has begun on what's rumored to be a fourth NYC store, expected to open at the corner of 67th and Broadway on Manhattan's Upper West Side later this year. If that store and a rumored Brooklyn store are opened, NYC would boast six stores total (including the Staten Island store).Apple intends to open 25 new stores for fiscal year 2009, half of them outside the United States.[via AppleInsider]TUAWNew York's flagship Apple Store doing great business originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Retail, AppleWe've been inundated with emails today talking about the two international Apple Store openings.The first new store is in Zurich, Switzerland. Reader Greg sent us a link to his Flickr gallery with plenty of documentation of the new Bahnhofstrasse store. Here's a pic of part of the huge crowd just before the opening:

Dang, Greg -- looking at those photos makes me want to go back to Zurich again, especially now that there are two Apple Stores!Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, another Apple Store will be opening in a few short hours in Melbourne, Australia. The new Doncaster store appears to be a wide-body layout in a mall, and is the second Melbourne store. We're hoping to get pictures from our friends down under as soon as the opening occurs. Here's a photo taken on Friday (yesterday in Melbourne) of the store prior to the opening:

We'd love to hear comments from readers who attended either of the openings, just to see how many Macs, iPods, and iPhones were flying out the doors. Were there any cool freebies or giveaways?

TUAWNew Aussie, Swiss Apple Store openings originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 22 May 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments