Can you hear me now?

As an Apple junkie, I visit the Mac Rumor sites on an irregular daily basis.

The sites are rampant with news about Motorola and Apple working together on an iTunes compatible phone (news: 1, 2 and 3). As I noted almost almost a year ago, Apple needs to step away from Macworld as it’s main product launch vehicle and be a bigger presence at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES). Macworld and CES happen at the same time, and Apple gets great press at Macworld, but I think they’d get even bigger press at CES. Besides, I think of all the computer makers, Apple has the best shot at being a consumer brand player like Sony. And come on, who doesn’t want to see a phone as part of their iPod?

If an announcement is to be made about a phone that works with an iPod or iTunes, where will that announcement be made? I’m betting on CES.

I know this is Daring Fireball territory, and I can’t hold a candle to Mr. Gruber. However, I’m willing to bet at least a nickel that Apple will be moving it’s larger, less Mac-centric announcements to a broader venue.

If the phone/device exists and is to be launched, it makes a great deal of sense to have it work with iTunes, because that works on the biggest two personal computing platforms. As such, it seems smarter to play to the bigger audience and announce at CES.

  • http://www.imconfused.net Jessica

    Yes! Give me an Apple phone, and an Apple PDA, and an Apple Tablet PC (revive the Newton!)

    If only Apple were *designing* the cellphone, my god, it could be intuitive!

  • http://thefathousewife.blogspot.com/ Fatty McFat One

    I have never even held an Ipod.

    But the new store in the mall is “hot”. All of the other stores have soft glowing light that makes one feel all warm and fuzzy.

    Then you get to the Ipod store, well I call it that because it had an Ipod or two in it, and the florrs are white ,the walls are bare, and the lighting is uber bright. Is that how you spell uber?

  • http://www.blurbomat.com Zak

    I live and die by Apple and probably visit many of the same sites that Jon does every day. But the rumor-mongering on this is going to get extreme.

    At MacWorld in January, Jobs could get up on stage and introduce iFeces, a pile of dog crap with an Apple logo on it and the pundits would claim it was the best thing that Apple has ever done.

    I’m not sure about a phone/ipod though. There are so many devices that have merged, only to fark up the usability on both. Ever tried to use a Blackberry for anything other than email (calendar, organizer, etc)? The software sucks. I’d rather carry several devices that do a specific job really well rather than 1 device that did many things in a half-assed way.

  • http://www.blurbomat.com dj blurb

    I believe the device will be a phone that has iTunes installed. It might have a sync capability with your computer. As much as I want a phone on my iPod, I don’t think Apple and Motorola are quite there. Of course, I could be wrong.

  • http://www.digitalcatharsis.com the mighty jimbo

    i just want them to shave a pound off this laptop. come on guys! five pounds is too heavy! i’m soft and weak and old and have to take it out of my bag at too many damn airports.

  • Zach

    Of all the device hybreeding I definetely see the phone/mp3 player bastard being received the best.

    The PDA phones are an aweful mix. I had this guy http://tinyurl.com/5qs7s before offloading it on a friend of mine because 1) It fit in my pocket about as well as my shovel does and 2) Despite it’s immense size I had a difficult time being productive on the small screen.

    The microdrives (http://www.photographic.com/news/sony112904/) allow for the phones to remain small and compact yet shackle a good 30-60 hours worth of music on them. I know M$ Intel is also pushing for this, I’d like to see someone like Sony/iRiver also make a move on this.

  • http://www.lackofstyle.com julie

    I’m down for iPod/cellphone integration… really, I am. But I don’t get why they would go through the trouble to make a cellphone as an *adjunct* to the iPod – with only the ability to have a dozen or so songs available. What is the point? (Other than having a cellphone with the Apple-brand sleek form-factor?)

    Again, if all signs are *not* indeed pointing to what will actually be released, and they announce a cellphone that walks like an iPod, and quacks like an iPod and holds thousands of songs, a calendar, a couple simple games, etc. – just LIKE my iPod – well then, I’m sold… I’ll ditch my current cellphone, give my 1st gen 5gig iPod to my little brother, and throw some bucks into this new one happily.

  • http://mihow.com mihow

    Seems like a great way to lock people into a carrier. Should, for example, they do this with one of Nokia’s expensive phones, and said phone is only carried by Verizon or AT&T, people (and I know these people) will run off and sign a contract with said carrier. Are there any carriers involved yet?

    Am I making sense?

  • http://www.lackofstyle.com julie

    if it’s a gsm phone, can’t you just stick a card in there from any of the gsm carriers (most of ‘em)? then again, i haven’t a clue what i’m talking about.

  • http://mihow.com mihow

    I don’t know. It seems that every phone I have ever wanted (I too am guilty of falling for electronic devices and new computer gadgets) is only offered by some other carrier. And usually, correct me if I’m wrong, carriers buy the rights to certain phones in order to lure people. Hence there always being a big fat logo on most of them.

    I know folks who would hop from one carrier to another for something Apple is a part of.

  • http://mihow.com mihow

    Two things:

    1) I am often wrong.
    2) I haven’t looked for a new phone in quite some time. :]

  • http://misskimberley.blogspot.com Kimberley H.

    See, I think I’m all cool and shit by being on the up and up with KNOWING what an iPod is (thx Jimbo!), and then you all start talking smack about … this stuff. I’m going back under my rock. Sigh.

  • http://sugarpants.net Candice

    I am not ashamed to admit I would probably switch wireless carriers if it meant aligning myself even more closely with Apple.

    I am totally their bitch ó or would be, if I had money.

    PS: MICROSOFT SUXOR!!!!!111

  • http://mihow.com mihow

    I don’t think you are alone, Candice. Remember the time that kid turned a G5 into a Dell (it was fake) and everyone freaked the hell out? He was later interviewed after the post was unveiled as a fake and said he actually received death threats from people.

    Avid Apple users treat their computers almost as if they were pets. They are very nearly human to many of us. :]

  • Zach

    GSM phones (Cingular, T-mobile) do have a SIMM card that contains all of the phones programming and can be interchanged between any phone.

    CDMA phones (Verizon, Sprint) do not have a SIMM and have to be programmed, thus are more difficult to migrate between phones.

    The current business model in cell phones needs to shift a bit. Currently they use the phone (the product) to bait the consumer into a long term arrangement with the service. Now you’ve got these slick phones coming out on the market but unless you’re entering into a new agreement the new phones are not cost feasible (i.e. the Motorola Razr is $500??? Granted the display looks like the HUD on the Starship enterprise but what the hell else does it do). I think if they made phones a little more cost feasible the sell of cell phones would be a pretty hot market (i.e. current MP3 players). Can you imagine how much a Motorola iPod phone would cost without signing your natural life away?

  • http://mihow.com mihow

    That’s my point. In which case, a carrier would fucking have an orgasm over the fact that people might sign a 5 year contract not wishing to spend that much on a phone every six months or a year. (Which is what many folks I know do now.)

    Don’t those Blackberrys cost about that anyway? And who carries them? Tmobile, I know. Otherwise, I’m not so sure.

  • http://thetalesofanycwoman.blogspot.com/ caitlin

    i converted from a mac to a pc about 4 years ago and now just bought an ipod and am in love and thinking about reconverting. go apple! i went in to the flagship store in soho,nyc…omg..its like walking into heaven with cute geeky men and all.

  • http://www.commuterchaos.com Kieran

    EHHH Mac’s are overrated. However my iPod is sweet.

  • http://calledto.com eli

    I work in the wireless industry and I think you would all be suprised at how much people are willing to throw down for the latest and greatest. That Moto RAZR for example is 400 USD even with a 2 year contract. And tons of people spend around 800 USD just to get one without the restrictions so they can use it with any other SIM Card.

    I am pretty laid back about phones because I am surrounded by the damn things all day, but I would jump ship in a heartbeat and head for whatever contract/carrier just to get the “iPhone”.

    iPod revolutionized the way we listen to music, I wonder how something so seemingly straightforward as a phone could be revolutionized

  • http://kevin.inuration.com Kevin

    I’ve heard about the flash iPod, but not the iPhone. Guess I’ll have to start tracking macrumors.

    I wonder how they’re going to manage to enter numbers on an iPod.

  • Lou

    here’s the thing…i’m a PC windows gal..have been since 1992.. but seriously since i was holy endowed with my ipod 40gb (old style- not 15hrs play time !)I have fallen in lust with the pretty package that mac delivers. if it were not for the fact that my work station is all PCwindows i would sell my soul for all that is Macgearmmm ipod harrhmmm!!!

  • http://blurbomat.com/archives/2004/12/16/can_you_hear_me_now Kitt Hodsden

    I thought the January rumour was for this: the quarter-sized (almost) iPod:

    http://tinyurl.com/5fafk