$149 Costco iPhone rumor, $5 iTunes movies, Gmail AV chat
One report is suggesting that Apple will not only expand iPhone sales to Costco but cut pricing at the same time. In a more confirmed price drop, Apple is now touting $5 movie purchases as a regular feature. Also, Google has launched its own video chat feature and has started tracking the spread of the flu through searches.
iPhone seen reaching Costco for $149
In a more controversial claim, analyst group Global Equities Research founder Trip Chowdhry believes that Apple will bring iPhones to Costco for $149 in January.
The step would be aggressive for Apple, which dropped the starting price for an iPhone to $199 with the iPhone 3G and so would be cutting the price just half a year later.
What sources if any Chowdhry uses to support the claim haven't been revealed, casting some doubt on the authority of the report. However, his research note comes on the heels of AppleInsider's news that Orange France will run a promo lowering its price to 99 euros in a promo that will end in January.
Apple opens discount iTunes movie section
Catering to a segment of the population that often hunts for bargain movies, Apple has opened its Under $5 section on the iTunes Store.
As noted by Ars Technica, the page will contain a weekly selection of movies that have all been temporarily discounted to $5 or less. Most of these are currently older titles.
It's not known how permanent the feature may be or whether movies will be regularly rotated into and out of the page as with Apple's existing 99-cent rental promos.
Google launches Gmail video chat
Branching out into live video, Google has launched Gmail Video Chat -- its first user-accessible service of the kind.
The feature requires an installed app for Macs and Windows PCs but otherwise just uses the built-in Gmail web interface to start either a full video chat or a sound-only chat using the mail account holder's existing hardware.
Significantly, it uses the same H.264 framework as YouTube and is built with ordinary Internet streaming protocols that aren't forced to run in Google's interface. This opens the door to third-party apps, according to Google.
Google sending flu tracking info to the CDC
Lastly, in an example of Google extending its reach further still, the company today said it's now publicly tracking flu info based on its search engine results.
Those running searches on flu-related keywords are passively contributing to a pool of live information that the search giant believes will help track the spread of the actual influenza virus much more quickly than conventional reports, as many search for virus information and remedies as they themselves become sick.
That information, which has been collected since 2003, also won't be purely academic. Google has supplied that information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is being matched against actual testing that has so far proven to correlate well with Google's online results. In the future, the data may be used to predict the spread of the flu on its own.
iPhone seen reaching Costco for $149
In a more controversial claim, analyst group Global Equities Research founder Trip Chowdhry believes that Apple will bring iPhones to Costco for $149 in January.
The step would be aggressive for Apple, which dropped the starting price for an iPhone to $199 with the iPhone 3G and so would be cutting the price just half a year later.
What sources if any Chowdhry uses to support the claim haven't been revealed, casting some doubt on the authority of the report. However, his research note comes on the heels of AppleInsider's news that Orange France will run a promo lowering its price to 99 euros in a promo that will end in January.
Apple opens discount iTunes movie section
Catering to a segment of the population that often hunts for bargain movies, Apple has opened its Under $5 section on the iTunes Store.
As noted by Ars Technica, the page will contain a weekly selection of movies that have all been temporarily discounted to $5 or less. Most of these are currently older titles.
It's not known how permanent the feature may be or whether movies will be regularly rotated into and out of the page as with Apple's existing 99-cent rental promos.
Google launches Gmail video chat
Branching out into live video, Google has launched Gmail Video Chat -- its first user-accessible service of the kind.
The feature requires an installed app for Macs and Windows PCs but otherwise just uses the built-in Gmail web interface to start either a full video chat or a sound-only chat using the mail account holder's existing hardware.
Significantly, it uses the same H.264 framework as YouTube and is built with ordinary Internet streaming protocols that aren't forced to run in Google's interface. This opens the door to third-party apps, according to Google.
Google sending flu tracking info to the CDC
Lastly, in an example of Google extending its reach further still, the company today said it's now publicly tracking flu info based on its search engine results.
Those running searches on flu-related keywords are passively contributing to a pool of live information that the search giant believes will help track the spread of the actual influenza virus much more quickly than conventional reports, as many search for virus information and remedies as they themselves become sick.
That information, which has been collected since 2003, also won't be purely academic. Google has supplied that information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is being matched against actual testing that has so far proven to correlate well with Google's online results. In the future, the data may be used to predict the spread of the flu on its own.
Comments
Also, I couldn't believe what I was hearing recently... NPR had a tech segment and they were totally selling the iPhone and the App Store. Wow.
Please do whatever you have to do to introduce a 48 hour rental period to movies, instead of the current 24 hours. 24 hours is just too short--sometimes I need to split a movie over two nights, and that's just not possible with your current model. The end result: I don't rent many movies from you, but if you could stretch the period to 48 hours, it would probably triple the amount of rental business you get from me. I bet other busy people are in the same boat...
If the Google video chat app works well on the Mac, it's 'bye bye' to iChat which is, by far, one of the most user-unfriendly (because it's port-unfriendly) and frustrating of Apple's software offerings.
I wonder if this will replicate my experience with Gmail v. Mac mail.
If the Google video chat app works well on the Mac, it's 'bye bye' to iChat which is, by far, one of the most user-unfriendly (because it's port-unfriendly) and frustrating of Apple's software offerings.
I use Adium for messaging. If/when it gets video it will be perfect. Although with most of my friends on Facebook these days I just keep a tab open in Safari to chat to them.
I use Adium for messaging. If/when it gets video it will be perfect. Although with most of my friends on Facebook these days I just keep a tab open in Safari to chat to them.
I agree, I love Adium just wish it had video capabilities.
Without using the link in the article for $5 movies, how do you find it in the iTunes store?
I use Adium for messaging. If/when it gets video it will be perfect. Although with most of my friends on Facebook these days I just keep a tab open in Safari to chat to them.
Yahoo! Messenger works fairly well with video on PPC Macs.
Dearest Apple,
Please do whatever you have to do to introduce a 48 hour rental period to movies, instead of the current 24 hours. 24 hours is just too short--sometimes I need to split a movie over two nights, and that's just not possible with your current model. The end result: I don't rent many movies from you, but if you could stretch the period to 48 hours, it would probably triple the amount of rental business you get from me. I bet other busy people are in the same boat...
I believe if you pause the movie and continue it even several days later, that works. The 24 hour thing is for stopping and restarting!?
I have read this, but not tried myself, so proceed with caution
Also, I couldn't believe what I was hearing recently... NPR had a tech segment and they were totally selling the iPhone and the App Store. Wow.
Oh boy! That should boost sales about .000003%
I agree, I love Adium just wish it had video capabilities.
Without using the link in the article for $5 movies, how do you find it in the iTunes store?
Very good question...I found it by going into the movie section and seeing T2 on the top of the screen. That link will take you to the $5 "bargain bin." It's not exactly obvious that this goes to the entire $5 listing, but it works.
It is my humble belief that ALL digital download movies should be $5. I've found that many of the movies I want can be found on Amazon.com for LESS than the digital download, and once they arrive, my friend Handbrake encodes them for my Apple TV, in better quality (5.1 surround sound) than the download. I end up with the digital copy PLUS the physical media for less than the movie alone from iTMS.
I believe if you pause the movie and continue it even several days later, that works. The 24 hour thing is for stopping and restarting!?
I have read this, but not tried myself, so proceed with caution
Strange - up here in Canada movie rentals are already 28hrs...
However I know for a fact you can't indefinitely pause - after some grace period? (movie length?) it tells you it's been removed...we tested it!
Is it really 24hrs where you are??
The cost of the iPhone as it now stands doesn't seem as big an issue to me as the cost of the AT&T plan for using it. Seriously, $70 a month for a barebones plan, limited minutes and no text. Apple needs to get AT&T to push the cost down a little. That's like buying a whole new iPhone every 3 months.
This argument gets on my nerves. The iPhone costs no more than any other phone in it's class. Get a Blackberry, a Palm, an N96, or any other smartphone, and you'll be paying 30 dollars a month on top of any voice plan you have. The price of the plan is irrelevant, because any alternative is going to cost you the same. People only ever get upset about that data charge with the iPhone, as I have never once heard anybody complain a Blackberry plan costs the same when they don't even do nearly as much.
The cost of the iPhone as it now stands doesn't seem as big an issue to me as the cost of the AT&T plan for using it. Seriously, $70 a month for a barebones plan, limited minutes and no text. Apple needs to get AT&T to push the cost down a little. That's like buying a whole new iPhone every 3 months.
Totally agree. $199 for a phone is just fine, but that monthly service fee is WAY WAY WAY over the top for me. This is simply no way I can justify that even though I can afford it.
I'll stick with my $60/month Sprint unlimited data EVDO plan for my MBP and a Slingbox. I can stream whatever I need and make phone calls, all for MUCH less than those ridiculous AT&T rates. I will NEVER use their service as long they continue to be the highest priced carrier available for no good reason.
Dearest Apple,
...
The end result: I don't rent many movies from you, but if you could stretch the period to 48 hours, it would probably triple the amount of rental business you get from me. I bet other busy people are in the same boat...
triple nothing is still nothing right
if so count me in!
I'm confused... WHo cares if Costco carries the iphone if you're still stuck with AT&T anyways???
Even if you don't, apparently, a lot of others do: http://blogs.computerworld.com/the_iphone_eyes_ubiquity
Very good question...I found it by going into the movie section and seeing T2 on the top of the screen. That link will take you to the $5 "bargain bin." It's not exactly obvious that this goes to the entire $5 listing, but it works.
i had to use the link, too, couldn't find it on the iTMS.
Once i went to it via the link in the story, i found that only about half the "under $5 movies" lacked both prices and "buy movie" buttons.
If you navigate to the movie itself there's the 4.99 price. But including "buy movie" buttons for only half of them isn't page implementation up to apple's standards. Or anyone's. I hope they get that fixed. It creates the impression of a web page designed by middle schoolers--or of the quality i was doing years ago. That's not good enough!
This argument gets on my nerves. The iPhone costs no more than any other phone in it's class. Get a Blackberry, a Palm, an N96, or any other smartphone, and you'll be paying 30 dollars a month on top of any voice plan you have. The price of the plan is irrelevant, because any alternative is going to cost you the same. People only ever get upset about that data charge with the iPhone, as I have never once heard anybody complain a Blackberry plan costs the same when they don't even do nearly as much.
Yeah, but Apple and AT&T should offer an iPhone-lite plan where somebody who wants the iPhone for the iPhone itself but could care less about Internet and E-Mail and APP store and doesn't want to pay the 30 bucks on top of the Voice Plan can't because such an offering isn't available.
I know, people would say why buy the phone if you are only going to "disable" it by not using the web and e-mail and app store???
Well, it is called the iPHONE some might want it for the phone and only the phone and get to enjoy it's touch screen goodness and common sense menus and elegant UI...
This economy is far from rebounding, trust me. Why would I want to give up my low cost, just a phone, T-Mo for an iPhone that can't be used with an AT&T rate of just a phone? Not going to increase my cellular monthly costs just so I can say I the internet in my pocket. Sorry, not until things pick up.