Going Apple….

Mac to the Future – OC’s Mobile Learning goes Apple

In 2001, Oklahoma Christian launched a mobile computing initiative. This campus-wide 1-to-1 mobile computing program was the first in the state of Oklahoma and one of very few throughout the nation. Over the last six years, this program has helped to ensure that students have the technology necessary to combine digital fluency with the strengths of a liberal arts education.

Today, Oklahoma Christian University continues to look toward the future and the role of technology in teaching and learning. Understanding the technology needs and expectations of students and faculty continues to be the key to the success of this mobile learning initiative.

This summer, all faculty and all new students attending New Student Orientations will be issued a new Apple MacBook. Current students also will be given the opportunity to trade in their PC laptop for an Apple MacBook. This MacBook mobile learning initiative and the reliable campus-wide wireless infrastructure will allow OC to continue to provide opportunities for anytime, anywhere access to media-rich distributed course content.

In addition to the MacBook, the University will be able to offer students an option of either an Apple iPhone or iPod touch. The University is providing this option with the understanding that some students will not want to activate the iPhone with the associated service contract and costs, while others will prefer the iPhone and the added capabilities. The student will be responsible for the activation of the iPhone with the service provider.

The vision of incorporating instructional technology tools into teaching and learning is critical to our future success and the success of our graduates. We are excited about this new phase of mobile learning at Oklahoma Christian University and will continue to search for ways to enhance teaching and learning.

More at the site

BBC iPlayer for iPhone and Touch

TUAW is reporting that the BBC iPlayer is coming to the Touch’s in a matter of weeks! This would be very interesting because this would be the first ever 3rd Party (official) app on the iPhone+iPod Touch.

iPod Shuffle 49$ 2GB for 69$

According to an e-mail from Apple the iPod Shuffle is now 49$. And the Shuffle 2GB is on its way for only 69$.

Check out the Apple Site for more.

Another quiet rollout from Apple.

32GB iPod Touch

Just got a mail from Apple saying that the iPod Touch has been released in 32 GB! This is great news. I might just go out and buy one! It wont be before long when the 32GB iPhone comes out

iPod is safe

Via [Reuters]

Portable media players such as iPods are unlikely to interfere with heart pacemakers, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration researcher reported on Thursday.

His tests of a variety of iPods showed they did not produce enough of an electromagnetic field to interfere with the devices.

FDA researcher Howard Bassen and colleagues set up a complex experiment using a saline-filled bag to simulate the human body and a coil sensor designed to pick up electromagnetic emissions.

The FDA researchers did not examine any portable music devices other than iPods, which are made by Apple Inc…. Explain “other” please…. Oh ya the iPhone etc.

iPod classic Firmware update is destroying headphones!

Via [TheStreet]

According to iLounge.com, users are complaining that iPod Classics whose firmware has recently been upgraded to Version 1.1 are sending residual electrical pulses through the headphone jack — as well as the iPod docking connection (on the bottom of every music player) — when the iPods are turned off. Those pulses, measured at 500mv of DC, could conceivably cause damage to any attached equipment.

Stereophile.com is reporting that most users of iPod Classics on both headfi.com (a Web site for a super-high-end headphone amplifier manufacturer) and Apple users forums reported only that they had experienced “hiss,” “static” or “buzzing” after updating the player’s firmware.

A few users reported the upgrade either froze their iPods (Apple replaced their iPods) or the upgrade removed their stored music files.

As always Jobs has no comment on this topic… Whats wrong with you Jobs? People need to listen to music!

The only thing that you could do is “restore” your iPod Classic to its factory state and use it. Which would make Coverflow and interface work super slow(if you bought it near the launch without any updates). Remember I do not own one so I do not know if this would be good enough

more and more!

iTunes movie rentals launches today, and it’s a free software update for iTunes. Free update for iPods and iPhones in order to support this. Support for the US comes today, but international support comes later this year.

it keeps getting better….

iTunes movie rentals launches today, and it’s a free software update for iTunes. Free update for iPods and iPhones in order to support this. Support for the US comes today, but international support comes later this year.

9:43 am ON Jan 15 2008

B. Lam:

9:43 am ON Jan 15 2008

Jason Chen:

Old releases: $2.99. New releases: $3.99.

9:42 am ON Jan 15 2008

B. Lam:

1000 films by February, and movies will be available 30 days after the DVD release. You can watch them anywhere: Macs, PCs, iPods and iPhone. You can watch instantly, meaning streaming. You’ll have 30 days to “start” watching it, and then 24 hours to “finish” watching it once you’ve started to watch it. You can watch the first half on your computer, transfer the movie to your iPod, then watch the rest of the movie on the airplane. Here’s the cost.

“Here’s how it works — I’m on iTunes, looking at a movie I want to rent, I hit rent movie, and it adds to my rented movies category in my iTunes library….” Sorry for the technical difficulties everyone! We’re at 10x the traffic of our last keynote, but things are coming back online.

9:41am – “Watch instantly! In less than 30s…” it streams. “The rules — you have 30 days to start watching it, and once you start you have 24 hours to watch and finish it. As many times as you want. You can transfer films to another device in the middle — transfer to your iPod and watch the rest on the iPod on your flight.”

“What’s it going to cost? To rent a library title will cost $2.99 — new release? $3.99″ Big applause.

9:40am – “Now, so what’s the deal? We’re gonna launch with 1k films by the end of February — 30 days after DVD release. Watch anywhere, PCs, Macs, iPods, iPhone…”

Good stuff

1000 films by February, and movies will be available 30 days after the DVD release. You can watch them anywhere: Macs, PCs, iPods and iPhone. You can watch instantly, meaning streaming. You’ll have 30 days to “start” watching it, and then 24 hours to “finish” watching it once you’ve started to watch it. You can watch the first half on your computer, transfer the movie to your iPod, then watch the rest of the movie on the airplane. Here’s the cost.

“Now, so what’s the deal? We’re gonna launch with 1k films by the end of February — 30 days after DVD release. Watch anywhere, PCs, Macs, iPods, iPhone…”

9:39am – “We’re gonna have all the great first run films — REALLY, really great films. I’m sure you saw a lot of these in the theater. We’ve also got great library titles, Red October, Matrix… lots of library titles, all the great new ones from this last year…”

9:38am – “We’ve never offered a rental model in music because we don’t think people don’t want to rent music. But your favorite movie — most of us watch once, and renting is a great way to do it. It’s a great way to do it. We’ve got participation of great studios. Touchstone, MGM, Miramax,… and these six too. Lions Gate, Fox, WB, Walt Disney, Paramount, Universal, Sony…” Everyone! Huge applause

#3 iTunes

“Ok, number three. This is a good one, too. Number three is about iTunes.”

“All the same stuff we just heard about on the iPhone — on the iPod touch. Starting today we’re going to build it into every new iPod touch, for existing iPod touch users it’s going to be just a $20 upgrade.” EXCUSE me?! You have to PAY for this? This is SO weak.

“iPod touch, and the iPhone — major software updates. And that’s the second thing I want to talk about.” Big applause.