In short: Germans crave iPhone, iPod price drop, lightning strikes

[AppleInsider]

The frontrunner for carrying Apple's iPhone in Germany has been overwhelmed with inquiries about the device. Also, Best Buy has launched a rare promotional deal for the iPod, and the latest QuickTime update reveals an iPhone export option.

German reseller besieged with iPhone demand

Although Apple has yet to announce a release date or price for the iPhone in any European country, the anticipation for the device is said to have already flooded Germany's primary Apple reseller.

Gravis chief Archibald Horlitz has told Reuters that over 57,000 customers of the store have already signed up to be notified about the cellphone, and that the number was growing rapidly. About 1,000 extra people join the list "every day," Horlitz said.

The lack of an Apple-run store also signified to the retail chain operator that Gravis would have to step in as the alternative sales outlet for the iPhone beyond any local cellphone carrier stores in the country.

"I assume that we'll be part of it," Horlitz speculated.

Apple plans to open its first German store in Munich by the end of 2008, but has also said that it will ship the iPhone to Europe by late 2007, creating a several-month gap.

Best Buy offering unusual iPod discounts

Members of Best Buy's Reward Zone program have received coupons offering discounts on fifth-generation iPods, according to tips provided to AppleInsider.

Customers using the coupons can drop $10 from the $249 price of a 30GB iPod, or $14 from the premium 80GB version. The program began on the iPhone's June 29th launch day and runs until July 23rd, the report notes.

The retail chain's practice is uncommon for the music players, which in the past have remained locked to Apple's official prices for their entire lifespans.

"This is the first time they have ever in the 2 1/2 years I have been a member [that] they have offered a rebate on the iPods themselves instead of accessories," said one shopper.

New QuickTime adds iPhone export option

The recent QuickTime 7.2 update has revealed a new export option to accommodate its latest media players.

Users of the Pro version of the software now have access to an "Export for iPhone" function that will convert any video with codec support in QuickTime to one of two formats, depending on the user's preferences. The standard choice will encode videos in the higher-quality H.264 form used for the Apple TV and fifth-generation iPod.

A second option, "Export for iPhone (cellular)," is the first preset for an Apple device to encode in the 3GPP video format with lower visual quality but a smaller drive footprint.

Lightning strikes twice for iPod, gadget owners

Recent incidents with Apple's music player represents the danger of traveling outside with wearable electronics, the Associated Press reported on Thursday.

In a recent case, a Vancouver, Canada-based dentist jogging outside was struck with a bolt of lightning that amplified the damage he would otherwise have suffered from the shock. Besides the torn eardrums and broken jaw more common to lightning strikes, the unnamed man also suffered from Y-shaped burns around his chest and neck -- mirroring the location of his iPod's earbuds on his body.

Such extra injuries are frequent for anyone caught using a portable device during a lightning storm, but have been highlighted by the number of people now using iPods even in poor weather. It's untrue that electronics serve as a magnet, said Dr. Mary Ann Cooper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, but any circuits or wiring are likely to catch fire and scorch the victim.

Apple has chosen not to comment on the matter, but already recommends that iPods stay at home when it rains.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[The Truthbearer]

They also crave Hasselhoff. 'Nuff said.

[SpamSandwich]

Unusual grouping of stories.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple has chosen not to comment on the matter...

Yeah, I guess "WTF?" wouldn't count as a comment.

Apple is supposed to do damage control on people getting struck by lightning while wearing iPods why now?

[nagromme]

CNN and everyone are now running with misleading "iPods cause lightining strikes!!!" sensationalist headlines.

In fact, they don't increase your risk, but if you already going to get struck then they--like any other metal--add some localized burns to the other more grievous injuries you were going to get regardless! Playing in lighting is what's dangerous.

In addition, the lightning strike in question happened in 2005--and I seem to recall stories in the press at the time. Why dig the story back up again and spread it around the globe with misleading headlines now?

[melgross]

Originally Posted by nagromme

CNN and everyone are now running with misleading "iPods cause lightining strikes!!!" sensationalist headlines.

In fact, they don't increase your risk, but if you already going to get struck then they--like any other metal--add some localized burns to the other more grievous injuries you were going to get regardless! Playing in lighting is what's dangerous.

In addition, the lightning strike in question happened in 2005--and I seem to recall stories in the press at the time. Why dig the story back up again and spread it around the globe with misleading headlines now?

I haven't seen the CNN story yet today, but this one from our old friends at The Inquirer (which sometimes writes good articles about Apple) is egregious:

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=40936

What's so wrong about The Inquirer article, us that it links to the original article which says no such thing!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technolog...833637610.html

I've written to Nick, and while he normally responds to me, when he does a dirty, he usually doesn't.

Perhaps others should send him some replies to his article, just click on his name. If anyone does, please don't flame him, it's less likely to get results.

[Gon]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Unusual grouping of stories.

Maybe it's an unintentional slip, and AppleInsider has learned the Germans are planning to use ze power of lightning to power all those iPhones.

I can feel the trademark names coming already.. FreePower? SurpriseCharge?
Now that I'm in predictive mood, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the iPhone with SurpriseCharge will feature a lifetime warranty.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Gon

Maybe it's an unintentional slip, and AppleInsider has learned the Germans are planning to use ze power of lightning to power all those iPhones.

I can feel the trademark names coming already.. FreePower? SurpriseCharge?
Now that I'm in predictive mood, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the iPhone with SurpriseCharge will feature a lifetime warranty.

I really like the SurpriseCharge. You should copyright or trademark it..

[hmurchison]

Holy Smokes Apple's going to be so rich!

[Jawsh]

Here in Canada, 30 gig iPods go for $269 CDN at Best Buy, while at the Apple Store, they sell for 30 bucks more. I just bought one a week ago, and I did not see anything indicating a sale was going on. Any other Canadians find this too?

[Tofino]

"I assume that we'll be part of it," Horlitz speculated.

oh you silly man. when will you ever learn not to do that and even worse - to announce it?

[TBaggins]

Originally Posted by Gon

Maybe it's an unintentional slip, and AppleInsider has learned the Germans are planning to use ze power of lightning to power all those iPhones.

I can feel the trademark names coming already.. FreePower? SurpriseCharge?

How about 'Feel the Surge'? The Electrocution Revolution? The iZap? Electric Avenue?

(Sean Connery voice): You're the Ground Now, Dog?

Oh man. This is way funnier than it should be. That poor guy.

.

[josa92]

Originally Posted by Tofino

oh you silly man. when will you ever learn not to do that and even worse - to announce it?

look at what happened to Sun and ZFS... you take away Steve's thunder, you die.

[JeffDM]

The actual AI article is actually sane about lightning strikes. I wouldn't trust Inquirer any farther than I can throw an elephant. They are basically a nerd tabloid of probably the lowest type.

One might blithely suggest that one shouldn't play in lightning, but lightning is pretty random, it can strike anywhere, any time, without warning or even weather conditions that would warn of them. If there's an electrical storm, then it's time to seek adequate shelter and such.

[Abster2core]

And on a lighter note: Will it blend?

http://www.funnieststuff.net/viewmov...=761205&id=525

[rspress]

iPods or any other device like a cell phone does not attract lightning to you. It might be hard to prove but wearing these devices might actually save you. If you are hit by lightning it is going to take the shortest path to ground, that could be through your heart or through your iPod. Having had some close calls myself before iPods were around I think I would rather be wearing an iPod when hit rather having no shortcuts to ground at all. I can talk about my cool iPod shaped burn but if I am dead then I would not have much to brag about.

[TBaggins]

On a totally unrelated note, I only just yesterday dloaded the Safari 3.02 Beta (OS X version). I am IN SHOCK at how fast this browser is. This thing SCREAMS.

I didn't think it was possible for a browser to leave Firefox 2 in the dust, but Safari does indeed do it.
IE 7? Don't make me laugh. Both FF and IE just seem to be in slow motion now.


Guess we won't see any real competition 'til Firefox 3. The latest release estimates on that have slipped:

Current nightlies are being labeled prea7 which would suggest a seventh alpha [of FF 3] is expected. This would push Beta 1, originally scheduled for late July, to August’s end. I don’t like delays but if a new alpha is on schedule it is more likely that not many features will be trimmed from the final Firefox 3. I’m still holding to a December Firefox 3 release estimate.

http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2007/07/f...now-available/

.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by josa92

look at what happened to Sun and ZFS... you take away Steve's thunder, you die.

That had nothing to do with it.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

The actual AI article is actually sane about lightning strikes. I wouldn't trust Inquirer any farther than I can throw an elephant. They are basically a nerd tabloid of probably the lowest type.

One might blithely suggest that one shouldn't play in lightning, but lightning is pretty random, it can strike anywhere, any time, without warning or even weather conditions that would warn of them. If there's an electrical storm, then it's time to seek adequate shelter and such.

A few weeks ago, when we had that storm here in NYC, lightning struck the scaffolding on the house being built across the street. I saw it happen from the windows of my computer room here. That was as close as I ever want to get to a strike.

[cnocbui]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

Holy Smokes Apple's going to be so rich!

I think you will find Apple is already pretty rich.

[thefunky_monkey]

does anyone know what settings the iPhone export option uses? Is it identical to iPod? Why do they have two exports with the same settings in that case? or does iPhone support larger movies?

[DaveGee]

And in another recently completed study it was found that 85% of San Francisco residents who were stuck by lightning were found to be liberal democrats and also breathing oxygen at the time of the strikes! The conclusions of the study are painfully obvious...

Dave

[roehlstation]

Jogging in thunderstorms increase chance of lightning strike.

[anantksundaram]

I can report first-hand that the French are certainly craving it for sure. I could write volumes about the amazingly positive reactions I have gotten to this thing......

Man, I have never been treated so nicely in Paris before, ever!

[TBaggins]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

I can report first-hand that the French are certainly craving it for sure. I could write volumes about the amazingly positive reactions I have gotten to this thing......

Man, I have never been treated so nicely in Paris before, ever!

What's their 'tude towards Americans in general over there anyway?

I hear that Parisians are pretty snotty towards Americans, but once you get out of Paris everyone is a lot nicer. Any truth to that?

And has it gotten worse since Bush made America more unpopular worldwide?

.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by TBaggins

What's their 'tude towards Americans in general over there anyway?

I hear that Parisians are pretty snotty towards Americans, but once you get out of Paris everyone is a lot nicer. Any truth to that?

I think a lot of it is due to cultural differences, and a lot of it is due to almost total ignorance of some visiting Americans. A teacher I had once said that he was in a café where an American patron was getting ornery. The teacher said he started pretending he was German due to the embarrassment over the other man's behavior.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I think a lot of it is due to cultural differences, and a lot of it is due to almost total ignorance of some visiting Americans. A teacher I had once said that he was in a café where an American patron was getting ornery. The teacher said he started pretending he was German due to the embarrassment over the other man's behavior.

One of my daughters best friends is french. Her parents are very nice people. In discussing this with them, I found some interesting issues.

While I've been thinking along some of these lines for years, it was surprising to hear them say it.

One reason goes all the way back to WW II. The French are still embarrassed about what happened there, and defensive as well. They are very proud people, and know that it really wasn't De Gaul who kicked the Germans out. They resent the thought somewhat, even after all these years. They also resent the fact that NATO was formed with the US at the top, against their objections. Economic issues are also causing friction, as is the loss French as the worlds diplomatic language to English.

So, it a bunch of subtle things. When Americans come into France, knowing nothing of any of these issues, and act like, well, Americans, problems sometimes occur. They have this feeling that we are laughing at them, and so get their backs up.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by TBaggins

What's their 'tude towards Americans in general over there anyway?
.

Best described as genuine love-hate.

Originally Posted by TBaggins

I hear that Parisians are pretty snotty towards Americans, but once you get out of Paris everyone is a lot nicer. Any truth to that?.

Yes, people are much nicer outside Paris -- but that's a "big city" phenomenon, not as much a French phenomenon, IMHO.

That said, if you smile a lot, speak slowly/softly (if you speak only English), and use a few simple French phrases such as 'merci,' 'pardon,' 's'il vous plait', and 'bonjour', you'd be surprised at how nice the Parisians can be!

Originally Posted by TBaggins

And has it gotten worse since Bush made America more unpopular worldwide?
.

I don't mean to get into politics, but the answer is an unambiguous "yes."

[G_Warren]

Looking at the title of this article, it looks like the Germans are also craving an iPod price drop and lightning strikes?!