Apple Introduces iPhone; I'm Drooling

The iPhone is finally here. Apple Computer chairman Steve Jobs announced the device, which combines the functions of a cell phone, widescreen music and video player, and Internet connection tool, in his keynote speech at the Macworld Expo on Tuesday morning, January 9th.

According to a live feed from Mac Observer at the Expo in San Francisco, Jobs hailed the iPhone as a "breakthrough Internet communications device" and then launched into its various features. The iPhone Jobs demonstrated is said to features a 3.5" touch screen that takes up most of the front of the device; Jobs said the screen has a resolution of 160 pixels per inch, which Macobserver.com said is the highest resolution screen yet shipped by Apple. Users will be able to dock the iPhone with their computers, like an iPod, but the new device will also sync with the user's contacts list, calendar, and other data.

Macobserver.com notes that the iPhone runs Apple's Mac OS X operating system, supports any IMAP or POP3 e-mail server, and will work with Microsoft Exchange and Yahoo! Mail. For Web browsing, the iPhone uses Apple's Safari Web browser, includes Google Maps, and has WiFi networking. At one point Jobs brought on stage Eric Schmidt, one of Google's co-founders, and Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo!, and discussed how Apple worked closely with those companies to integrate their features into the iPhone.

The iPhone will cost $499 for a 4 GB model and $599 for an 8GB model. But, you'll have to shell out your money for it: the iPhone will not be available for purchase until June 2007. Apple has an exclusive multiyear agreement with Cingular to provide service for the iPhone.

A little matter that still needs to be ironed out: the trademark for "iPhone" is actually held by Cisco Systems, which uses it for its Linksys brand VOIP-based wireless phone, which was just introduced in mid-December. Apple is said to be in final talks to acquire the iPhone name.

Maybe Steve Jobs will just give Cisco CEO John Chambers a certificate good for a zillion song downloads in iTunes?

During his keynote Jobs also announced AppleTV, the company's device to stream TV and video content wirelessly. Formerly known as iTV, the product features a 40GB hard drive and will be able to play video and photos from computers throughout the home. AppleTV is set to go on sale in February for $299.

Unsung Heroes Keep NYC Neat and Tidy

We often hear about the heroics of the police and fire departments in the City, but I'd like to give a shout-out to the people who keep this city of 7 million residents clean and organized.

Let's face it, NYC would be as messy as a teenager's bedroom without the city sanitation workers, office cleaners, private maintenance firms, and others who clean up after the city's millions of residents, commuters, and visitors. (Remember that lovely sanitation strike of a few decades ago that left tons of waste piled up on the city streets... in THE SUMMER?! Ah, I can still smell it...)

Besides the City's sanitation department, there are also maintenance and cleaning staffs that are employees of private companies, as well as private companies that provide New York City cleaning service that offer home, office, post-construction, and street cleaning for NYC residents and businesses.

So let's give a tip of the hat to the City sanitation workers, maintenance workers, and cleaning companies like Maid for You New York, who handle everything from everyday trash to construction dust and debris. NYC would definitely be a grimier and less appealing place without them.

Can Somebody Please Ban Those Friggin' Tribute Albums?!

Tribute albums were a good idea when they started, but they've gone on way too long, and there are too many entries into this genre. My biggest tribute-album pet peeve is those CDs that mix genres--like a bluegrass tribute to AC/DC, a reggae version of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," and a smooth-jazz tribute to Bob Marley.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mean to come off as some kind of musical Scrooge. Some of these tributes--such as a bluegrass tribute to the Eagles--can actually be a good mix of styles, and entertaining pop music to boot. But some of the genres that are being combined in these CDs (like the ones mentioned above) are just too bizarre. They sound like parody CDs that you'd give as a gag gift at your company's Secret Santa party. To me, they're nothing but a pop music train wreck.

Here's a selection of just a few of the genre-bending tribute CDs I've found online:
(Please note I not heard most of these; some may actually contain decent music. I have chosen them because the artists and the genres seem like such a mismatch.)

* Chocolate On The Inside - The Lounge Tribute To Eminem
* The Death Angel Remains: The String Quartet Tribute To Slayer
* The Dub Tribute To U2
* Is It Rolling Bob? A Reggae Tribute To Bob Dylan
* Kiss My Grass - A Hillbilly Tribute To Kiss
* The String Quartet Tribute To Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine
* On A Dark Desert Highway: A Bluegrass Tribute To The Eagles
* The Piano Tribute To Coldplay
* The Piano Tribute To Pink Floyd
* Pickin' On Rod Stewart & The Faces - A Bluegrass Tribute
* Pickin' On Springsteen - The Bluegrass Tribute
* The String Quartet Tribute To Nirvana's Nevermind
* The String Quartet Tribute To The Doors
* String Quartet Tribute To The Dave Matthews Band
* Shook Up - A Reggae Tribute To The King

Find a World of Tech News at The Tech Planet

Even for the most dedicated tech geeks, it can be hard to keep up with the latest news in all facets of computing, technology, and cool gadgets. I've recently come across a blog called The Tech Planet that strikes a nice balance of geeky and the consumer-oriented topics. What's more, it also tackles a wide range of topics--cell phones, music players, Windows, gaming, Linux, and Apple (great for me, since I'm a longtime Mac user).

As a Mac fan I headed over to that section first. There I found brief articles on how to save Quicktime movie trailers from Apple--something I'd never thought about doing before, but will check out now that I know how to do it. The piece about Apple's rumored new thin and light MacBook Pro model really got my attention, since I've been long hoping for a more portable Apple laptop.

Most of the articles are quite brief, but maybe the site is relatively new and will publish more detailed articles as it grows. If it can keep its current breadth while adding more depth, this might become one of my favorite sites for tech news.

Fasting Women Cause Slowdowns on NYC Subway

Sometimes when you read a news story you immediately do a double-take. That's how I felt when I saw this story yesterday in the daily newspaper AM New York. The story notes that the third leading cause of delays on New York City's massive subway system is "sick customer," the transit agency's euphemism for a delay caused by passenger illness.

And one of the largest causes of these delays? Female passengers fainting on trains during the morning rush hour, specifically because they had been fasting to lose weight to squeeze into tight, revealing outfits for the warm weather or vacations to tropical climes. The study, conducted by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (the agency that oversees the running of NYC subways and buses) covers the period from October 2000 to October 2005.

In the article Asim Nelson, an emergency medical technician working at Grand Central Station, says that he has treated a number of passengers who admitted that skipping meals had led to their fainting spells. Six major NYC subway stations are equipped with medical teams.

Nelson said that last month he treated five passengers in one morning who had fainted while on the subway. Nelson mentioned that while illnesses seen on the subways range from flu symptoms to anxiety attacks to heat exhaustion, they don't compare in number to the fainting spells seen in patients who skip meals.

Perhaps passengers on crash diets should wear warning stickers on their clothing cautioning passengers that they might keel over in the middle of their journey. At least then fellow travelers could be alert to the possibility of imminent collapse so that they can help prop passenger up--or maybe out of the way.

Hurricanes, Boise Emerge as Winners in MPC Bowl Game

The MPC Computers Bowl this week drew national attention to Boise, Idaho. In the game, the University of Miami Hurricanes eked out a 21-20 win over the University of Nevada in the contest's final minute, but observers around the country remarked that the real winners of the game may have been the city of Boise and the state of Idaho. Many businesses and individuals around the U.S. had already turned their sights to the Idaho capitol even before the game, as it has emerged as a cosmopolitan yet uncrowded city surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty.

A sports columnist for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper discovered the benefits of Idaho the hard way when some disparaging comments he made about the city and state were met with a torrent of critical e-mails from proud Idahoans. He quickly responded by setting the record straight, mentioning that Boise has been been experiencing a tech-drive population boom in the last decade, and that Californians frustrated by crowding and traffic have been relocating to the city.

That's far from the only good news about Boise. A major Portland, Oregon public relations firm opened an office in Boise on January 1, 2007, and the city has been the recipient of awards and attention over the last few years from national publications and organizations. Fortune rated the city number 1 on its 2005 list of "Best Places for Business And Careers," while The Wall Street Journal mentioned it in a 2004 article on places that were an "Oasis for Retirees." Boise also came in number 13 on the National Policy Research Council's 2004 Gold Guide for "Best Overall City," and sporting magazines have even remarked on its many opportunities for biking and other recreation.

Housing options in the city range from older homes to new construction to planned communities, and a guide to Boise MLS provides a one-stop source for exploring all the options.