Today the winner of the wireless icon design contest was announced at the One Web Day in New York. The main concept behind the proposed design is "the depiction of planet earth offering a wireless connection to those who need one".
The icon in eps format can be downloaded here.
Read more:
www.nextfest.net/promotions/wireless/
Arts+Science post
Apple Computer today previewed their upcoming media hub, a device looking like a thinner version of the Mac mini, cabable of streaming video and audio from a computer to a TV. The device, with working name iTV, will connect through a wireless network to computers and connects to a TV using HDMI/component video and optical audio cables.
Together with the launch of the new iTunes Store, with full length movie downloads in DVD quality (full VGA resolution, up from 320x240), Apple takes one step further into the living room, something we will see more of next year according to analysts.
At the same time, Apple also introduced the second generation iPod nano, upgrading the top model to 8 GB storage and adding color options, increased battery time to 24h, all in an even thinner anodized aluminum casing.
Other updates include a newly designed and much smaller iPod shuffle 1GB, and updates of the flagship iPod model with more storage and brighter screens.
www.apple.com
Wired magazine and Nextfest.net have created a contest for the first ever universal icon representing a wireless Internet hot spot. The idea is to create a standard sign that will make it easy to find a place to connect your laptop or wireless device wherever you might be.
The winning design will be produced and distributed throughout New York during the "NY is Wired" [sic] week in end of September.
I decided to give it a try myself, the result can be seen above. Going for simplicity and recognition, I choose the old and badly reputed at sign combined with stylized radio waves, presented here in a glossy web 2.0-ish package. Now I only need to make place for the obligatory "beta" text somewhere...
www.wired.com
www.nextfest.net/promotions/wireless
(note: submission period ended September 6th)
Sony's online music store service Connect have been available for some time, and now sister company Sony Ericsson officially plans to go mobile with the store, according to an article in Wall Street Journal. Mobile phones have alredy been equiped with a download service for ring tones, Play Now, but so far no downloads of real music have been present.
Sony's music business and record labels combined with Sony Ericssons market share in music enabled walkman phones could give the mobile store a boost from start. At the same time, Nokia who recently bought out the joint music proposition Loudeye, and Apple, rumored to release a mobile phone enabled iPod device this fall, will likely add to the competition. The questions is now who gets first?
www.connect.com
www.sonyericsson.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115692781762949338.html (requires login)
tags:
apple,
mobile,
sony ericsson
Rumors are that Apple might finally launch its first own-branded mobile phone this fall. During the last couple of years, buzz on such device have been spreading rapidly through the web and hundreds of (likely fake) concept images of Apple's forthcoming mobile device have been seen around the rumor sites covering Apple products.
There is no doubt that Apple is working hard to get on the battle to take shares in the hot mobile phone consumer segment, where Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola and various Asian brands such as Samsung and LG are making big bucks. Mobile music stores like Sony Connect, will not be left alone by Apple.
After the failure with the Motorola ROKR phone (with integrated iTunes) due to bad interface design, storage limitations, legacy formfactor and the lack of a mobile iTunes music store integration, Steve Jobs is not likely to release anything but perfection this time.
Look out for the two upcoming Apple events this fall, the WWDC in San Francisco on August 7, and the Apple Expo in Paris beginning of September.
