Apple's iCloud and what it means for wireless data service
Apple's new iCloud services announced at the World Wide Developer Conference in San Francisco today will put everything from mobile apps to digital pictures to music in the "cloud," where users can easily store and access them. But what will this mean for your wireless data bill?Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iCloud service, which acts as a digital hub that will store and replicate content so that it can be shared among multiple iOS devices, such as iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads. "Now the (digital) hub is in the cloud," Jobs said during the keynote presentation, according to CNET's live blog. "If you get something on your iPhone, like a picture, it goes up to the cloud, and gets pushed down to the other devices automatically."What this means for consumers is that they'll no longer have to connect their iOS devices to a computer to back up information or sync their music. They also won't have to connect their devices to a computer for software updates. Their iTunes music collection, photos taken on their iOS devices, videos viewed on those devices, iBooks, e-mail, calendar information, and more will all be stored in the Apple iCloud so that users can access them on any iOS device.Unlike other cloud-based services that may require users to manually upload music, Jobs said that Apple has automated the process to make it easy. It all sounds great for people with iOS devices, who want access to all their content on any device. But how will all this content travel between the iPhone or iPad and the iCloud? Will this put a big strain on carrier networks, and cost consumers more money on their data plans?Daily updates could indeed put a strain on already struggling cellular networks. But Apple seems prepared to mitigate this problem by forcing some of the data-intensive activities to be done over Wi-Fi instead of over a carrier's cellular network. This is especially important given that many iPhone users may not have an unlimited data plan from AT&T. Verizon Wireless, which began selling the iPhone 4 this year, has also said it plans to get rid of its unlimited data plan and move to a tiered offering. Experts believe that with Apple's use of Wi-Fi, plus the low-bandwidth nature of some of the updates, it shouldn't be a problem for most consumers. For one, much of the data that will be transferred between devices will be contacts, e-mails, calendar updates, and other text-based data that doesn't gobble up a lot of bandwidth. What's more, when devices are synched, they'll be updating only new information.Secondly, software updates and major data transfers will likely be reserved for Wi-Fi only. Forrester analyst Charlie Golvin was at the WWDC event today, and he said Apple's daily updates of iOS devices will happen over Wi-Fi only. And the bigger software updates, which will also happen automatically from time to time, will also happen over Wi-Fi and will occur only when devices are plugged in to an electrical source. This is important, because it means the software updates won't drain the battery. Additionally, iTunes updates and syncing will also happen only over Wi-Fi.What happens when Wi-Fi is not available? Apple didn't mention that.And Golvin said it's hard to say whether Apple will make it possible to do some of these more data intensive transfers over 3G, or in the future, 4G wireless networks.Other experts speculate that Apple will give consumers a choice in the setting menu how they access the cloud-based content and backups. "There are several ways that Apple could manage data usage," said Ross Rubin, an analyst with NPD Group."For example, it wouldn't be surprising to see Apple uploading photos at a lower resolution when on a bandwidth constrained network."Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with Gartner, said Apple already requires that certain apps that are too large be downloaded via Wi-Fi. And he said he expects the company to give consumers some choice in how they set up their data usage. "They may give you the option to load your pictures now or to queue them until you get to a Wi-Fi hot spot," he said. "And you'll likely have the option to turn off the updates."The new iCloud services will be available this fall. So expect Apple to discuss more details about how the service works as the launch date nears.
NBC Olympics to stream games live on mobile devices
NBC Olympics to stream games live on mobile devices
The NBC Olympics Live Extra app features the streaming of all 32 athletic competitions and the awarding of all 302 medals, while the NBC Olympics app provides content like interviews, news stories, highlight videos and live results, according to a joint press release from NBC and Adobe. (It may be confusing because the "Extra" app is actually the live streaming app, while the one with the extras is call the "NBC Olympics" app.)"NBC Olympics Live Extra puts the London Olympic Games into the hands of America's tablet and smartphone user, enabling us to once again use advances in technology to provide the broadest possible access to the thousands of hours of Olympic competition," NBC Olympics President Gary Zenkel said in a statement.Adobe's team has been working on this project since the beginning of the year, according to Jeremy Helfand, Adobe's vice president of monetization (or, making money off stuff).He said he's proud of the way his team has pulled together to deliver the apps so quickly."At the end of the day, the Olympics isn't waiting for us, so we have to be darn sure that we can develop the exciting experience anticipated of us," Helfand said in an interview with CNET.The apps were created using a slew of Adobe products includingCreative Suite 6 for design,Adobe AIR to deliver the content and video playback, and Adobe Pass for account authentication, which the live streaming app requires.Users will need a cable, satellite or telecom company to access the vast majority of the live stream content on NBC Olympics Live Extra. Adobe Pass has been adopted by every U.S. provider, so if you're in the States and you have a TV service provider, you should be OK. There is no additional charge, according to NBC.AdobeUsers of NBC Olympics Live Extra will also find that some sports, such such as gymnastics, track and field, and tennis can be watched through multiple streams.For example, during a session of track and field, instead of viewing a single feed that moves from event to event, a user can watch a stream dedicated to a specific event, like the long jump or javelin."It's really an unprecedented opportunity to take content that will be very appealing to audiences and make them available to mobile audiences," Helfand said.It's a feat befitting an Olympian, considering NBC has been slow to stream the Olympics at all, as most traditional companies would be (they want to keep eyeballs on the tube where the ads are). NBC just recently announced earlier that it would stream all the sports online this year.Helfand said the company was able to figure out how to incorporate "dynamic ad insertion," which means the apps should emulate a TV-like experience when it comes to advertising.The apps, which Helfand said will have a balance of ads and content, can be customized based on interests. Users can record events to view later and switch camera views. There's also social media integration and a schedule to see which events are coming up in real time.The apps will be a nice addition to the Olympics' other interactive experiences for this year's event, including the torch map and a social portal linking athletes and fans. See a preview of the app in the video below.Updated at 12:16 p.m. PT: with links to apps in iTunes.
The NBC Olympics Live Extra app features the streaming of all 32 athletic competitions and the awarding of all 302 medals, while the NBC Olympics app provides content like interviews, news stories, highlight videos and live results, according to a joint press release from NBC and Adobe. (It may be confusing because the "Extra" app is actually the live streaming app, while the one with the extras is call the "NBC Olympics" app.)"NBC Olympics Live Extra puts the London Olympic Games into the hands of America's tablet and smartphone user, enabling us to once again use advances in technology to provide the broadest possible access to the thousands of hours of Olympic competition," NBC Olympics President Gary Zenkel said in a statement.Adobe's team has been working on this project since the beginning of the year, according to Jeremy Helfand, Adobe's vice president of monetization (or, making money off stuff).He said he's proud of the way his team has pulled together to deliver the apps so quickly."At the end of the day, the Olympics isn't waiting for us, so we have to be darn sure that we can develop the exciting experience anticipated of us," Helfand said in an interview with CNET.The apps were created using a slew of Adobe products includingCreative Suite 6 for design,Adobe AIR to deliver the content and video playback, and Adobe Pass for account authentication, which the live streaming app requires.Users will need a cable, satellite or telecom company to access the vast majority of the live stream content on NBC Olympics Live Extra. Adobe Pass has been adopted by every U.S. provider, so if you're in the States and you have a TV service provider, you should be OK. There is no additional charge, according to NBC.AdobeUsers of NBC Olympics Live Extra will also find that some sports, such such as gymnastics, track and field, and tennis can be watched through multiple streams.For example, during a session of track and field, instead of viewing a single feed that moves from event to event, a user can watch a stream dedicated to a specific event, like the long jump or javelin."It's really an unprecedented opportunity to take content that will be very appealing to audiences and make them available to mobile audiences," Helfand said.It's a feat befitting an Olympian, considering NBC has been slow to stream the Olympics at all, as most traditional companies would be (they want to keep eyeballs on the tube where the ads are). NBC just recently announced earlier that it would stream all the sports online this year.Helfand said the company was able to figure out how to incorporate "dynamic ad insertion," which means the apps should emulate a TV-like experience when it comes to advertising.The apps, which Helfand said will have a balance of ads and content, can be customized based on interests. Users can record events to view later and switch camera views. There's also social media integration and a schedule to see which events are coming up in real time.The apps will be a nice addition to the Olympics' other interactive experiences for this year's event, including the torch map and a social portal linking athletes and fans. See a preview of the app in the video below.Updated at 12:16 p.m. PT: with links to apps in iTunes.
Behind the Flash delay for iPhone- Pandora-
Behind the Flash delay for iPhone: Pandora?
Sure, Pandora technically is Apple-friendly, letting users bookmark songs they hear on their customized radio stations, then buy them through iTunes. But when you've customized your "Paul Simon Radio" station to the point that you consistently hear more songs you really like--and ones you'll grow to love--through natural Pandora play than through listening to songs in your iTunes library in shuffle mode, there isn't much of a compelling reason to pay to further clutter your handset memory with more tunes.It's no surprise that Pandora users are excited about the idea of using the service, through which users can hone what they hear by suggesting artists and songs, and giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down (or bookmark) to any song they hear, on the iPhone and iPod Touch. "Only problem with Pandora on iPhone is that iPhone doesn't support Flash," user Jase commented on the Pandora blog in June, referring to the Mac maker's resistance to letting its mobile iteration of the Safari browser support the Adobe Systems technology, upon which Pandora's service relies. "Maybe Pandora can come up with an iPhone-compatible interface. Now that would really rock!" Months later, other users chimed in on the comments thread: "Pandora and the iPhone were made for each other," Bill said in August. "I NEED PANDORA ON MY IPHONE...I'm dying...Please design a simple interface that can be accessed online by iPhone--or a plugin, as per the YouTube/iPhone setup. Apple better help," Rab said in September. "I would pay for this service," Ben Grey said. "Pandora on an iPhone would make me buy both! The iPhone already has the car interface and unlimited data plans. All we need is a compatible Web app. Please, please, please!" Thomas W. Watson said.You get the idea: in terms of common enthusiasts, at least, this would be such a good match that Apple must be thinking to itself, gee, maybe we can create a Pandora-like magic for the iPhone on our own. And charge for it. After all, though recent research indicates that having a sheer scale of users helps iTunes generate a decent amount of cash, CEO Steve Jobs says iTunes--as well as the App Store--is not set up to make money.So it's interesting to me that the same day Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen is publicly pushing the idea of Flash compatibility for the iPhone, we hear rumors of Apple negotiating with the record labels to create an all-you-can-eat subscription service for the iPod and iPhone. Is there a connection within Apple's executive ranks? Perhaps not. But it seems logical that Apple would want to endorse its own subscription service before enabling a popular Flash-reliant music service such as Pandora to grace its mobile hardware.
Sure, Pandora technically is Apple-friendly, letting users bookmark songs they hear on their customized radio stations, then buy them through iTunes. But when you've customized your "Paul Simon Radio" station to the point that you consistently hear more songs you really like--and ones you'll grow to love--through natural Pandora play than through listening to songs in your iTunes library in shuffle mode, there isn't much of a compelling reason to pay to further clutter your handset memory with more tunes.It's no surprise that Pandora users are excited about the idea of using the service, through which users can hone what they hear by suggesting artists and songs, and giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down (or bookmark) to any song they hear, on the iPhone and iPod Touch. "Only problem with Pandora on iPhone is that iPhone doesn't support Flash," user Jase commented on the Pandora blog in June, referring to the Mac maker's resistance to letting its mobile iteration of the Safari browser support the Adobe Systems technology, upon which Pandora's service relies. "Maybe Pandora can come up with an iPhone-compatible interface. Now that would really rock!" Months later, other users chimed in on the comments thread: "Pandora and the iPhone were made for each other," Bill said in August. "I NEED PANDORA ON MY IPHONE...I'm dying...Please design a simple interface that can be accessed online by iPhone--or a plugin, as per the YouTube/iPhone setup. Apple better help," Rab said in September. "I would pay for this service," Ben Grey said. "Pandora on an iPhone would make me buy both! The iPhone already has the car interface and unlimited data plans. All we need is a compatible Web app. Please, please, please!" Thomas W. Watson said.You get the idea: in terms of common enthusiasts, at least, this would be such a good match that Apple must be thinking to itself, gee, maybe we can create a Pandora-like magic for the iPhone on our own. And charge for it. After all, though recent research indicates that having a sheer scale of users helps iTunes generate a decent amount of cash, CEO Steve Jobs says iTunes--as well as the App Store--is not set up to make money.So it's interesting to me that the same day Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen is publicly pushing the idea of Flash compatibility for the iPhone, we hear rumors of Apple negotiating with the record labels to create an all-you-can-eat subscription service for the iPod and iPhone. Is there a connection within Apple's executive ranks? Perhaps not. But it seems logical that Apple would want to endorse its own subscription service before enabling a popular Flash-reliant music service such as Pandora to grace its mobile hardware.
The 404 358- Where Jeff has connectile dysfunction
The 404 358: Where Jeff has connectile dysfunction
All right, first thing's first: NATALI DEL CONTE. That should be enough to get you guys to listen to today's show. She's finally back from her Tour de California. She was actually at E3 this past week and she gives us the scoop on her first impressions of the event. Actually, it turns out that Natali's been taking some gulps of Jeff's unique brand of Haterade! It's always a pleasure to welcome Natali back to the show, even though she's crossed over the dark side. Welcome home, girl!We've been talking about the Palm Pre ad nauseam for weeks now leading up to Saturday's release, and Jeff actually woke himself up before the crack of dawn and picked one up. Be sure to listen to the whole episode to hear about the fiasco that happened in line, it's unbelievable, and kind of funny. Pix or it didn't happen, Bakalar! After all that happened, Jeff successfully picked up a Palm Pre, and he loves it! All his contacts from Facebook, Gmail, etc...are now consolidated; music transfers are easy thanks to iTunes (fingers crossed that Apple shows mercy); and the keyboard is surprisingly easy for Jeff's ham shank fingers. Sadly, though, there's one very significant, deal-breaking, horrendous manufacturer's error that needs to be correctly immediately before Jeff turns back into a pumpkin and we lose him forever. Tune in to hear more about this awful glitch and how you can fix the problem! Episode 358Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayWatch Natali every morning on LoadedFollow NDC on TwitterJeff sort of looks like this guyJustin sort of looks like this guyWilson definitely looks like this guyFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangCheck out Wilson's pre-WWDC predictions, relevant for the next one second after this blog goes live
All right, first thing's first: NATALI DEL CONTE. That should be enough to get you guys to listen to today's show. She's finally back from her Tour de California. She was actually at E3 this past week and she gives us the scoop on her first impressions of the event. Actually, it turns out that Natali's been taking some gulps of Jeff's unique brand of Haterade! It's always a pleasure to welcome Natali back to the show, even though she's crossed over the dark side. Welcome home, girl!We've been talking about the Palm Pre ad nauseam for weeks now leading up to Saturday's release, and Jeff actually woke himself up before the crack of dawn and picked one up. Be sure to listen to the whole episode to hear about the fiasco that happened in line, it's unbelievable, and kind of funny. Pix or it didn't happen, Bakalar! After all that happened, Jeff successfully picked up a Palm Pre, and he loves it! All his contacts from Facebook, Gmail, etc...are now consolidated; music transfers are easy thanks to iTunes (fingers crossed that Apple shows mercy); and the keyboard is surprisingly easy for Jeff's ham shank fingers. Sadly, though, there's one very significant, deal-breaking, horrendous manufacturer's error that needs to be correctly immediately before Jeff turns back into a pumpkin and we lose him forever. Tune in to hear more about this awful glitch and how you can fix the problem! Episode 358Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayWatch Natali every morning on LoadedFollow NDC on TwitterJeff sort of looks like this guyJustin sort of looks like this guyWilson definitely looks like this guyFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangCheck out Wilson's pre-WWDC predictions, relevant for the next one second after this blog goes live
LP sales surpass CDs!
LP sales surpass CDs!
It was bound to happen. After years of decline and the steadily rising tide of iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, et al--CD numbers are now in free fall--and the LP has finally regained its position as the world's most popular physical music format! Boosted by sales of Radiohead's "In Rainbows," and Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black," LP sales edged past the CD a few weeks ago. Elvis Costello's upcoming release, "Momofuku," will only be offered as a hi-fi LP or low-fi download. The CD is on its way out.The Compact Disc was introduced in 1983, and three years later CD sales outstripped LPs, but since CDs sold for $15 to $17, twice the price of an LP at the time, a lot of buyers resisted the changeover from analog to digital. Some preferred the sound of vinyl over the cold, hard shriek of first generation digital, and early CD players were many times more expensive than a good turntable. Sony's first CD player, the CDP-101, sold for close to $1,000 in 1983, which would probably be over $2,000 in 2008 dollars. But the music retailers, seduced by the CD's greater profits cut space devoted to vinyl, accelerating the transition from analog to digital. If there was no vinyl to buy, you had to get the CD. We didn't have the internet back then, so free wasn't an option. Today's vinyl surge is fueled by a greater awareness of sound quality by music fans and artists, who have grown tired of hearing the power of their music thwarted by low-bit digital. After all, the iTunes version isn't actually cheaper to buy than vinyl, and the fans are aware of the new reality: if it costs the same, why not buy the best sounding version? Some vinyl fans get the best of both formats and transfer the vinyl's music to digital for their iPods.The six decade old LP format has finally regained its position as the music format of choice.I wish. Have a great April Fool's Day!
It was bound to happen. After years of decline and the steadily rising tide of iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, et al--CD numbers are now in free fall--and the LP has finally regained its position as the world's most popular physical music format! Boosted by sales of Radiohead's "In Rainbows," and Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black," LP sales edged past the CD a few weeks ago. Elvis Costello's upcoming release, "Momofuku," will only be offered as a hi-fi LP or low-fi download. The CD is on its way out.The Compact Disc was introduced in 1983, and three years later CD sales outstripped LPs, but since CDs sold for $15 to $17, twice the price of an LP at the time, a lot of buyers resisted the changeover from analog to digital. Some preferred the sound of vinyl over the cold, hard shriek of first generation digital, and early CD players were many times more expensive than a good turntable. Sony's first CD player, the CDP-101, sold for close to $1,000 in 1983, which would probably be over $2,000 in 2008 dollars. But the music retailers, seduced by the CD's greater profits cut space devoted to vinyl, accelerating the transition from analog to digital. If there was no vinyl to buy, you had to get the CD. We didn't have the internet back then, so free wasn't an option. Today's vinyl surge is fueled by a greater awareness of sound quality by music fans and artists, who have grown tired of hearing the power of their music thwarted by low-bit digital. After all, the iTunes version isn't actually cheaper to buy than vinyl, and the fans are aware of the new reality: if it costs the same, why not buy the best sounding version? Some vinyl fans get the best of both formats and transfer the vinyl's music to digital for their iPods.The six decade old LP format has finally regained its position as the music format of choice.I wish. Have a great April Fool's Day!
Beta version of iCloud.com hints at Notes, Reminders Web apps
Beta version of iCloud.com hints at Notes, Reminders Web apps
Apple's already outed its plans to bring iOS apps like Notes and Reminders to OS X later this year, and it looks like those apps are now headed to iCloud.com as well.As spotted by 9to5mac this morning, Apple's testing two alternate versions of its iCloud Web site for developers -- one called "beta" and one called "dev" -- that adds those two iOS apps in Web app form. In order to use the beta version of that site, Apple notes that users must have a developer account, though developers have noticed that it's not up and running just yet.This is the latest developmental blip to crop up on the site in recent days. Earlier this week Apple was spotted testing iOS-style banner notifications on the site, however it appeared to be a nothing more than a placeholder. The change comes exactly one month away from when Apple holds its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Last year's show marked the introduction of iCloud, which launched alongside iOS 5 last October.Related storiesApple testing iOS-like notifications on iCloud.comHow to skip iCloud.com upload process for iWork documentsReport: Apple floats $4.5 million for iCloud domainThe question remains about how much more Apple will add to iCloud.com. So far it's been mainly a carry-over from what was available on MobileMe and .Mac before that. Nonetheless, Apple has added to it with things like access to iWork document storage. The addition of these other apps could hint at more to come.CNET has reached out to Apple for more information, and will update this story if we hear back.
Apple's already outed its plans to bring iOS apps like Notes and Reminders to OS X later this year, and it looks like those apps are now headed to iCloud.com as well.As spotted by 9to5mac this morning, Apple's testing two alternate versions of its iCloud Web site for developers -- one called "beta" and one called "dev" -- that adds those two iOS apps in Web app form. In order to use the beta version of that site, Apple notes that users must have a developer account, though developers have noticed that it's not up and running just yet.This is the latest developmental blip to crop up on the site in recent days. Earlier this week Apple was spotted testing iOS-style banner notifications on the site, however it appeared to be a nothing more than a placeholder. The change comes exactly one month away from when Apple holds its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Last year's show marked the introduction of iCloud, which launched alongside iOS 5 last October.Related storiesApple testing iOS-like notifications on iCloud.comHow to skip iCloud.com upload process for iWork documentsReport: Apple floats $4.5 million for iCloud domainThe question remains about how much more Apple will add to iCloud.com. So far it's been mainly a carry-over from what was available on MobileMe and .Mac before that. Nonetheless, Apple has added to it with things like access to iWork document storage. The addition of these other apps could hint at more to come.CNET has reached out to Apple for more information, and will update this story if we hear back.
Best Buy to trim $50 off all iPhones
Best Buy to trim $50 off all iPhones
Consumers looking for an iPhone could shave $50 off the price through a new sale from Best Buy.From Sunday, February 16, through Saturday, February 22, Best Buy will slash $50 off the price of all iPhones bought via the usual two-year contract with AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon Wireless. As just a few examples, the 16GB iPhone 5 will be free, the 16GB 5C will sell for $50, and the 16GB 5S can be had for $150.Additionally, customers who reserve a new phone purchase with Best Buy by February 15 can receive a $50 gift card. That card can then be applied to the price of any phone you buy before the end of the year.Looking for an Android device instead? Also from Sunday through Saturday, Best Buy will trim $100 off the cost of a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for a final price of $199. The deal requires a two-year agreement with AT&T or Verizon.Fans of "Game of Thrones" can also save money on a new phone. Consumers who buy the HTC One and "Game of Thrones: Season 3" will get $50 of the price of the phone, making it $49. Those who shop online will receive a $50 gift card.Finally, tablet buyers can score a few deals at Best Buy, but these won't be around long.Through Saturday, February 15, buyers of the Retina Display iPad Mini can save $50 on the price. Also through Saturday, anyone who trades in a working iPad will receive a Best Buy gift card worth up to $200 depending on the model and condition.And in a deal good this Saturday through Monday, Best Buy customers who buy the 16GB, 32GB, or 32GB LTE Nexus 7 will get a $30 discount off the full price.
Consumers looking for an iPhone could shave $50 off the price through a new sale from Best Buy.From Sunday, February 16, through Saturday, February 22, Best Buy will slash $50 off the price of all iPhones bought via the usual two-year contract with AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon Wireless. As just a few examples, the 16GB iPhone 5 will be free, the 16GB 5C will sell for $50, and the 16GB 5S can be had for $150.Additionally, customers who reserve a new phone purchase with Best Buy by February 15 can receive a $50 gift card. That card can then be applied to the price of any phone you buy before the end of the year.Looking for an Android device instead? Also from Sunday through Saturday, Best Buy will trim $100 off the cost of a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for a final price of $199. The deal requires a two-year agreement with AT&T or Verizon.Fans of "Game of Thrones" can also save money on a new phone. Consumers who buy the HTC One and "Game of Thrones: Season 3" will get $50 of the price of the phone, making it $49. Those who shop online will receive a $50 gift card.Finally, tablet buyers can score a few deals at Best Buy, but these won't be around long.Through Saturday, February 15, buyers of the Retina Display iPad Mini can save $50 on the price. Also through Saturday, anyone who trades in a working iPad will receive a Best Buy gift card worth up to $200 depending on the model and condition.And in a deal good this Saturday through Monday, Best Buy customers who buy the 16GB, 32GB, or 32GB LTE Nexus 7 will get a $30 discount off the full price.
Best Buy to revive $200 iPad trade-in promotion
Best Buy to revive $200 iPad trade-in promotion
Best Buy is bringing back a recent promotion that can shave $200 off the cost of a new iPad.Launched on Tuesday by the retail chain, the deal rewards consumers with a minimum $200 gift card for trading in a working iPad 2 or third-gen iPad. You can spend that $200 on any item at your local BB store or the retailer's Web site, according to Best Buy.The retailer is encouraging consumers to use the gift card toward the purchase of a fourth-generation iPad. That gift card would cut the cost of the latest edition iPad with a Retina Display and 16GB of storage to $299.99.And customers could score even more than $200 based on the model and condition of their iPads.The promotion runs today through August 3 and is available through all Best Buy stores and Best Buy Mobile stores in the U.S. that offer trade-ins.This is the same deal that Best Buy launched earlier this month. That deal ran for two days and fared quite well, according to Best Buy."Based on the success and customer excitement we saw around our two-day iPad Trade-In offer July 12 and 13, Best Buy is repeating the offer starting today for two weeks," a Best Buy rep said in a statement.In June, the retailer ran a promotion that gave customers a "free" iPhone 5 for trading in a working iPhone 4 or 4S. These deals seem to prove popular with consumers and with Best Buy. The company revealed that it saw the single biggest day for its trade-in business during the iPhone promotion.Updated 3:35 p.m. PT: The gift card is good for any item.
Best Buy is bringing back a recent promotion that can shave $200 off the cost of a new iPad.Launched on Tuesday by the retail chain, the deal rewards consumers with a minimum $200 gift card for trading in a working iPad 2 or third-gen iPad. You can spend that $200 on any item at your local BB store or the retailer's Web site, according to Best Buy.The retailer is encouraging consumers to use the gift card toward the purchase of a fourth-generation iPad. That gift card would cut the cost of the latest edition iPad with a Retina Display and 16GB of storage to $299.99.And customers could score even more than $200 based on the model and condition of their iPads.The promotion runs today through August 3 and is available through all Best Buy stores and Best Buy Mobile stores in the U.S. that offer trade-ins.This is the same deal that Best Buy launched earlier this month. That deal ran for two days and fared quite well, according to Best Buy."Based on the success and customer excitement we saw around our two-day iPad Trade-In offer July 12 and 13, Best Buy is repeating the offer starting today for two weeks," a Best Buy rep said in a statement.In June, the retailer ran a promotion that gave customers a "free" iPhone 5 for trading in a working iPhone 4 or 4S. These deals seem to prove popular with consumers and with Best Buy. The company revealed that it saw the single biggest day for its trade-in business during the iPhone promotion.Updated 3:35 p.m. PT: The gift card is good for any item.
Best Buy to offer full iPhone 4S lineup
Best Buy to offer full iPhone 4S lineup
Apple's iPhone 4S has already secured a home for itself on the shelves at Best Buy.The retail chain's iPhone 4S Web page shows that it will sell all three flavors of the new phone (16GB, 32GB, and 64GB) at the standard retail prices of $199, $299, and $399, respectively, and in both black and white. Best Buy will also offer prospective iPhone 4 buyers a choice among the three major carriers--AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless.Preorders started last Friday, while the phone itself will go on sale at Best Buy stores and other outlets this coming Friday, October 14.Related stories:• Apple iPhone 4S unveiled (roundup)• iPhone 4S preorders top 1 million in single day• Sprint sells out of entry-level iPhone 4S models• Target: Trade old iPhone for cheaper iPhone 4SBut the retailer is also offering a carrot stick to customers who'd be perfectly happy with an older model iPhone.An 8GB iPhone 4 can be picked up for $99 with a two-year contract. The 8GB 3GS will be free on contract, the company confirmed, even though Best Buy's Web page currently shows it as selling for $49.Though the iPhone 4S disappointed many who were eagerly anticipating an iPhone 5, that hasn't stopped people from ordering the phone in droves. First-day preorders hit a record of 1 million, compared with 600,000 for the iPhone 4. Sprint sold out of the 16GB iPhone 4S only a few days after the preordering started.A Best Buy spokesperson told CNET that existing stock of the iPhone 4S will first be used to fill preorders."While we don't disclose sales numbers, inventory at Best Buy will be used to fulfill preorders first on Friday," the spokesperson explained. "After all preorders at the store have been filled they will be available to customers without a preorder. Inventory varies market to market, store to store--to preorder today customers can visit their local Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile."Best Buy joins retail rival Target in selling the new phone. But Target is trying to lure in customers by offering a credit for those who trade in their iPhone 4 or 3GS for the iPhone 4S.Updated 4:45 a.m. PT with information from Best Buy.
Apple's iPhone 4S has already secured a home for itself on the shelves at Best Buy.The retail chain's iPhone 4S Web page shows that it will sell all three flavors of the new phone (16GB, 32GB, and 64GB) at the standard retail prices of $199, $299, and $399, respectively, and in both black and white. Best Buy will also offer prospective iPhone 4 buyers a choice among the three major carriers--AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless.Preorders started last Friday, while the phone itself will go on sale at Best Buy stores and other outlets this coming Friday, October 14.Related stories:• Apple iPhone 4S unveiled (roundup)• iPhone 4S preorders top 1 million in single day• Sprint sells out of entry-level iPhone 4S models• Target: Trade old iPhone for cheaper iPhone 4SBut the retailer is also offering a carrot stick to customers who'd be perfectly happy with an older model iPhone.An 8GB iPhone 4 can be picked up for $99 with a two-year contract. The 8GB 3GS will be free on contract, the company confirmed, even though Best Buy's Web page currently shows it as selling for $49.Though the iPhone 4S disappointed many who were eagerly anticipating an iPhone 5, that hasn't stopped people from ordering the phone in droves. First-day preorders hit a record of 1 million, compared with 600,000 for the iPhone 4. Sprint sold out of the 16GB iPhone 4S only a few days after the preordering started.A Best Buy spokesperson told CNET that existing stock of the iPhone 4S will first be used to fill preorders."While we don't disclose sales numbers, inventory at Best Buy will be used to fulfill preorders first on Friday," the spokesperson explained. "After all preorders at the store have been filled they will be available to customers without a preorder. Inventory varies market to market, store to store--to preorder today customers can visit their local Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile."Best Buy joins retail rival Target in selling the new phone. But Target is trying to lure in customers by offering a credit for those who trade in their iPhone 4 or 3GS for the iPhone 4S.Updated 4:45 a.m. PT with information from Best Buy.
Best Buy- That Apple TV survey was 'hypothetical'
Best Buy: That Apple TV survey was 'hypothetical'
Best Buy said it authorized a survey that discussed the as-yet announced Apple TV, but insisted that fuss over the survey is much ado about nothing."The customer survey was a routine offer effectiveness survey conducted by one of Best Buy's research partners," Best Buy told Wired in a statement last night. "Any brand reference was hypothetical. The survey is no longer available."Apple TV rumors have been swirling over the last several months after co-founder Steve Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson that he had "cracked" the code for a revolutionary television. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has said that the television could launch later this year, and feature iCloud integration and applications.Although many of those rumors seemed loosely founded at best, they got a credibility boost earlier this week when the leaked Best Buy survey surfaced. Respondents were given a description of an "all new 42-inch Apple HDTV" that would come with iOS integration, application and iCloud support, and a built-in iSight camera. The 1080p LED would retail for $1,499. Despite that, there were good reasons to question the authenticity of Best Buy's survey. Chief among them is the fact that Apple is notoriously secretive and only allows retail partners to know what it has planned when the time is right. It's possible Best Buy wouldn't know what Apple has planned.There's also the issue of the television's price. Last year, Munster said that he believes Apple will be charging twice as much for its televisions than those currently found on store shelves. Based on Best Buy's survey, the Apple television's pricing is in-line with current deals.So, what can we expect from Apple's TV? There's no way to know, since Apple hasn't even confirmed that it exists.Still, the rumors keep coming. The latest: According to The Globe And Mail, citing sources, Apple is in talks with Rogers and BCE in Canada to make them TV launch partners.None of the companies included in this story--Apple, Best Buy, Rogers, or BCE--immediately responded to CNET's request for comment.
Best Buy said it authorized a survey that discussed the as-yet announced Apple TV, but insisted that fuss over the survey is much ado about nothing."The customer survey was a routine offer effectiveness survey conducted by one of Best Buy's research partners," Best Buy told Wired in a statement last night. "Any brand reference was hypothetical. The survey is no longer available."Apple TV rumors have been swirling over the last several months after co-founder Steve Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson that he had "cracked" the code for a revolutionary television. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has said that the television could launch later this year, and feature iCloud integration and applications.Although many of those rumors seemed loosely founded at best, they got a credibility boost earlier this week when the leaked Best Buy survey surfaced. Respondents were given a description of an "all new 42-inch Apple HDTV" that would come with iOS integration, application and iCloud support, and a built-in iSight camera. The 1080p LED would retail for $1,499. Despite that, there were good reasons to question the authenticity of Best Buy's survey. Chief among them is the fact that Apple is notoriously secretive and only allows retail partners to know what it has planned when the time is right. It's possible Best Buy wouldn't know what Apple has planned.There's also the issue of the television's price. Last year, Munster said that he believes Apple will be charging twice as much for its televisions than those currently found on store shelves. Based on Best Buy's survey, the Apple television's pricing is in-line with current deals.So, what can we expect from Apple's TV? There's no way to know, since Apple hasn't even confirmed that it exists.Still, the rumors keep coming. The latest: According to The Globe And Mail, citing sources, Apple is in talks with Rogers and BCE in Canada to make them TV launch partners.None of the companies included in this story--Apple, Best Buy, Rogers, or BCE--immediately responded to CNET's request for comment.
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