Briefly: Synaptics back in iPod, iPod touch guide confirms details

[AppleInsider]

After a significant absence, Synaptics' touchpad technology has returned to Apple music players, says a new research note from Bear Stearns. Also, British shoppers are the latest to see Apple's mini-store concept inside larger retailers.

Synaptics built into new iPod models

The new iPod classic and third-generation iPod nano both depend on touch-sensing technology from Synaptics, according to a new investment research note from Bear Stearns senior analyst Andrew Neff.

Referring to details gleaned from a tear-down by iPod repair specialty house iFixit, Neff confirms that the company's technology is once again the basis of Apple's click wheel controls. Previously, Apple had switched to a Cypress system for the first and second generation iPod nanos as well as the iPod with video.

While a significant help to Synaptics, the return to the iPod was not described as an essential one for the company, which had learned to court Apple's competitors as well as entirely different markets.

"While being designed into [Apple]'s next generation iPod is a positive, [Synaptics] has made significant progress in diversifying its business beyond MP3 players, with strong demand from notebooks and mobile phone opportunities," Neff said.

Apple posts iPod touch guide

As part of its preparations for supporting the iPod touch, Apple today posted a PDF version of the Features Guide for the music player.

The 85-page document largely covers the interface and general use for the iPhone-based player but also points to at least two previously unverified features. One of these is a small stand included in the box to prop up the iPod for prolonged video watching or photo slideshows.

A section for contacts also provides instructions for how to add and edit new entries, a feature the company had initially suggested would be absent from the iPod touch despite the software's similarity to the iPhone. The most recent descriptions from Apple's website now mention "adding new contacts" as a feature.

Microsoft talks easier Office 2008 deployment

Microsoft's Dustan Gourlie has been the first to follow up on the Mac Business Unit's promise to provide updates on Office for Mac 2008, making a post to the company's blog on Thursday that outlined steps to improve deploying the new version across a network.

For the first time, Office will use the standardized Apple Installer package format to install components, Gourlie said. This would let network administrators both manage installations through Apple Remote Desktop and automate a wide-scale deployment with AppleScript.

Network managers and individuals can also opt out of installing Microsoft's bundled fonts, which prevents Office from overwriting an existing font set and possibly affecting company's publishing workflow.

PC World UK sees enhanced Apple mini-stores

Taking its retail efforts one step further, Apple is expanding its store-within-a-store concept to include the UK computer retailer PC World, according to a report provided to AppleInsider.

Much like the environments set up inside outlets at Best Buy and its Canadian sister company Future Shop, the British installations are marked off from the rest of the store with black carpet and showcase the iMac, iPods, and the company's MacBook portables. A dedicated Apple staffer also answers customers' questions.

But in a move that more closely resembles the Mac maker's own shops, the store section now has a more Apple-like display table and a counter that resembles the Genius Bar at a full-fledged store -- complete with a large screen and black seats for visitors.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[solipsism]

1) Cool, The iTouch stand can be used in either portrait or landscape mode. I had a feeling it would be, but wasn't sure until I looked at the PDF.

2) Gee! It's funny how MS seems to be finally ramping up its deployment of Office 2008 after the new iWork '08 announcement. Coincidence?

[josa92]

Originally Posted by solipsism

1) Cool, The iTouch stand can be used in either portrait or landscape mode. I had a feeling it would be, but wasn't sure until I looked at the PDF.

2) Gee! It's funny how MS seems to be finally ramping up its deployment of Office 2008 after the new iWork '08 announcement. Coincidence?

interesting news. I wonder what made them change their mind about synaptics...
and solipsism, you have 1,234 posts.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by josa92

interesting news. I wonder what made them change their mind about synaptics...
and solipsism, you have 1,234 posts.

Simple economics is my guess. They probably got a better bulk rate.

PS: You have one 69 ;-)

[p2rjade]

To me the picture of the Best Buy store look more like a Staples Store. Guess its just the color of the signage in the background.

[commenter]

They are photos of a UK PC-World store

[bobmarksdale]

The apple site has said that a stand would be included with the iPod touch since the day they announced them. (Sept. 5). At the bottom of the page it has an 'included in the box' list, and it has been there since then.

[giawie]

In your article you say that the one feature previously debated (adding contacts) is now officially included in the iPod touch.

This was actually not the issue, the issue was whether adding new calendar events was possible (as it is on the iPhone).

I've been following this closely and even after taking a look at the newly released PDF manual, it appears that adding a new calendar event is not possible on the iPod touch.

Even without that feature it should prove to be an incredible break through device though - it already got a 5 out of 5 "star" editors choice from PC Magazine.

[badNameErr]

What no Notes.app ??????

[saphrox]

Apple to try to be promoted in PC WORLD!! Steve Jobs has obviously never been a customer of PC World. In my experience of PC World, they are a complete waste of space, unhelpful, ignorate, imature, kids, who don't know an Xbox from a Fridge Freezer!!! And Steve expects these people to do "Good" business in the Apple Name.

The only chance of success, is that those "working" in the apple section, are trained in the same way as those at the apple stores. As long as they are of the same mould, the'll take over the place.
I've never met a bad apple sales representative, who wasn't willing to help in ever way possible, and if they didn't know the answer, they didn't just stand there and go Ummmmm!!! - ermmmmm!!!! and waste my time. They sorted someone who could.

I wish you all the luck, but I'm still going to an apple store!

[fappleuk]

Putting the mini stores in PC world may be a bit of a mistake!

The mini store concept is meant to surround customers with the apple experience when shopping- and part of that is competent staff who actually know what they are doing! My experience of PC World in the UK is quite the opposite of that.

I have been in there and asked staff for office for mac and being told that office is not available for mac and once asked for LAN cables and was met with blank looks by staff! Remember that this is a specialist computer store!! Most of the time it seems that when you ask them a question about an item they will tell you something that contradicts whatever is on the ticket.

Unless apple recruit and train staff for the mini store (and make sure that none of the normal PC world staff will come within a mile of it) they will be tarnished by their incompetence.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by fappleuk

Unless apple recruit and train staff for the mini store (and make sure that none of the normal PC world staff will come within a mile of it) they will be tarnished by their incompetence.

From everything I've read about the Best Buy and CompUSA Apple "zones" the staff is hired by and trained directly by Apple.

[SpinDrift]

Good news about the store within a store setup in PC world. PC world have stocked Apple products for quite a few years now, but their staff have always been shocking and their Apple knowledge appalling. This could really open up the Mac brand and OS X to PC users.

[Strawberry]

Apple Store in PC World? My mind just exploded. As has been said above, PC World staff are totally clueless about everything and are only there to push 'coverplan's onto gullible customers. The macs were always pushed into a corner, never switched on and made to look as unappealing as possible. I hope this works.

[saphrox]

Originally Posted by The macs were always pushed into a corner, never switched on and made to look as unappealing as possible. [B

I hope this works[/B].

I hope you ment by this that the store concept increase Mac Sales. Not that they try to make Macs look as unappealing as possible!!!!

[qbie]

As this is my blog post, a couple of points..

1) As I stated, the staff manning this Apple Shop are Apple employess, not PC World. They have been fully trained by Apple as Sales People (He's not there to be a Techie, he'll direct people to a Genius Bar, Apple Support or Me)

2) Many Tech staff in PC World are Apple trained, in fact I myself have owned Macs for about 3 years now and consider my technicial knowledge of OSX to be pretty good, certainly good enough to fix 90% of the problems that I come across. There's even a colleague of mine who's capable of fixing Apple laptops (within reason, Apple don't supply us with parts). You would be surprised just how many PC World employees are literate in Apple, it's just that the sales staff on the shop floor don't tend to be, it's mainly the techs.

q

[saphrox]

Originally Posted by qbie

As this is my blog post, a couple of points..

1) As I stated, the staff manning this Apple Shop are Apple employess, not PC World. They have been fully trained by Apple as Sales People (He's not there to be a Techie, he'll direct people to a Genius Bar, Apple Support or Me)

2) Many Tech staff in PC World are Apple trained, in fact I myself have owned Macs for about 3 years now and consider my technicial knowledge of OSX to be pretty good, certainly good enough to fix 90% of the problems that I come across. There's even a colleague of mine who's capable of fixing Apple laptops (within reason, Apple don't supply us with parts). You would be surprised just how many PC World employees are literate in Apple, it's just that the sales staff on the shop floor don't tend to be, it's mainly the techs.

q

erm......... point prooved.

[Clive At Five]

I saw an "Apple Mini Store" in a Best Buy the other week. My wife was determined that she wanted a PC laptop. So we bought one for $500, which is fine by me, I guess. The sooner it breaks, the sooner she'll realize I've been right all along with the who Mac thing. The only PCs she's used recently are ones I've built her. This one will have crappy construction and crappy tech support. I should charge for my services.

Wow. That was a tangent.

I was just going to say that it does actually look like an Apple Store... except the one in Eden Prairie, MN didn't have a "genius bar."

-Clive

[johnmcboston]

hmmm. Change in click wheel technology could explain why so many of us are having trouble using our current 'skin' covers on the new new classic...

[egraphixstudios]

Originally Posted by saphrox

erm......... point prooved.

very good argument..short and useless...

i'm sure qbie deals with alot of mac issues than any of the guys here trying to diss him (unless they work in similiar environment).

its nice to see apple streching into a market where "new" users are only introduced to PC's. in its first weekend its been buzzing around that apple stand.

[saphrox]

My point obviously was way over your head. I would love to see apple do well. Sell lots of macs, and take over the world, thus intern making the price of macs come down. More software developed, and generally make the world a more plesent place to live. However.....

As I stated the SALES staff of PC world are all useless, and when I have a tech guy telling me that they arn't, but then saying "it's just that the sales staff on the shop floor don't tend to be, it's mainly the techs." Thats going to really help all of us isn't it.

It's the sales team that are supposed to sell. Hence why there called SALES Staff, or did that small point escape you. If you have a new customer, thats just walked in to PC world, it isn't the TECH people that are going to come to them and say - "HOW MAY I HELP YOU?". So really whats going to happen, is the useless sales people arn't going to sell a mac cause they can't find it under the dust pile at the back of the store, and even if they did, they wouldn't know what it was. So no sale!!!, So nothing to become broken for the tech guys to try to fix. However good the TECH CREW are at fixing macs. And whats the point if they can't get spare parts!!!! If It's software related, the apple help menus are good enough, and most things you don't need help with, cause they just work. It's not like you have to download 5 drivers to work the Ctrl Alt Delete function. The most ever used on a PC!!!!

So at the end of this.. A simple short response of "erm....... point prooved" was about as the same length of words as qbies mates at work on the sales floor can just about manage to string together. So all in all, I was being polite, and thanking him for his perfect credible proof that, I was infact correct!

[imacFP]

Originally Posted by badNameErr

What no Notes.app ??????

Nope. A weird omission.