Monthly Archives: June 2010

Apple rolls out the iPhone 4

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Going in to the keynote of today’s Worldwide Developer Conference, pretty much everyone knew Apple would be rolling out its fourth generation iPhone. But the Cupertino-based company still managed to spring a few surprises on the crowd.

The iPhone 4, which goes on sale June 24 – will have a host of new features, including the ability to shoot high definition video and easily edit it on the phone. The device will record video at resolutions of up to 720p, shooting at 30 fps – making the new iPhone a possible tool for guerilla video shoots from indie filmmakers.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Fly the iPad skies

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It was probably only a matter of time…

Jetstar Airways has become the first airlines to make the iPad available as an in-flight entertainment option for passengers. The Australian carrier (a subset of Qantas) will rent the tablet computers to interested fliers for AUD $10 ($8.40 in U.S. dollars) during a two-week trial at the end of June.

The iPads will be equipped with movies, TV shows, eBooks, games and more.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

This Year’s Video Game Summit: What to Expect

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If the video game world were following its normal cycle, console makers would be revealing details of their next generation systems in less than two weeks. This cycle is anything but normal, though – and so at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), game makers will instead chart a new path.

Rather than introducing new systems, Microsoft and Sony will both introduce motion sensor controllers that are intended to both attract a new audience to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 – and extend the lifespan of those systems by at least another three years. Nintendo, which is still seeing great success with the Wii, will focus instead on once again innovating the portable world.

Read more at CNBC.com

Steve Jobs forecasts the future of film

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Apple CEO Steve Jobs is a man who’s known for forward-looking (and often controversial) opinions. For the most part, those have centered around the computing world, but that the ongoing “D: All Things Digital” conference, he had a few thoughts about what might be coming for the film industry. 

“I … think you’ll be able to watch a first run movie before it hits theaters… if you want to spend a bunch of money,” he told the crowd in a question and answer session (according to onsite reporting from Engadget).

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

SOE, LucasArts team to launch ‘Clone Wars’ virtual world

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The Cartoon Network has seen a lot of success with its animated series “The Clone Wars”. Now Sony Online Entertainment (“EverQuest,” “Free Realms”) and LucasArts are teaming up to bring the pivotal tale of the Star Wars Universe to the virtual world.

The two companies will create a free-to-play, persistent world, dubbed “Star Wars: Clone War Adventures,” that’s scheduled to launch this fall. The game will be targeted at a younger audience and will launch online and in retail stores this fall. It will be a PC exclusive game.

Read more at Variety’s The Cut Scene blog

Two months… 2 million iPads sold

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If there was any lingering doubt, Apple has a hit on its hands with the iPad. In just 60 days, the company has sold 2 million of the devices. To put that in comparison, it took the iPhone 74 days to sell just 1 million units.

That count could have been even higher had it not been for some retail shortages. Whereas the iPhone was limited to the tech early adopter crowd, the iPad has been a hit with the broad population – enticing mainstream users at an unheard of rate.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog