It LIVES!!!

For all the naysayers who said Apple TV was dead, Apple just put out Apple TV 3.0.

Okay, yeah, so it's not a new Apple TV unit with a 500 GB hard drive. Yes, it is just a software update. But it means they care. It means they're paying attention. It means...it means.....

Well, I'm not sure what all it means, but I'm sure it means something. And I'm sure there'll be lots of speculation elsewhere as to what it means.

Me? I'm just happy that the device is still a going concern.

So long and thanks for all the fish...

So, while the rest of the world is reveling in the new Mac announcements, I am dealing with the email I got today from the editor over at Macworld Canada saying as of the end of this month, they will be closing up shop.

Wow. The site has only been around for a few months, and I've been writing for them for even fewer months, so it is sad to see the place get closed before it really had a chance to get going.

Even worse, I was going to use the fact that I was writing for Macworld to convince my wife I needed one of those new iMacs. Now? I guess I'm stuck with this slowly aging macbook....ah well, could be worse. I could be debating whether to upgrade to Windows 7 or stick with XP....

It's official

Unlike most Apple rumors, where there are months, and sometimes years worth of speculation, yesterday there was a rumour that Telus and Bell would be carrying the iPhone, and then the press release went out saying, yes, Telus is going to be carrying the iPhone (sorry Bell, but I'm not going to link to your press release).

So. Um, what does this mean? Well, it is pretty exciting for Apple fans, that's for sure, especially for those that aren't big fans of Rogers and have been looking for alternatives.

However, I suspect that most people who want iPhones have got iPhones already, because given the choice between an iPhone and crappy customer service or no iPhone, most people choose the former. And besides, the truth is, all cell phone companies have their strengths and their weaknesses, their good customer service reps and their bad ones. I was just talking to someone who said they would ditch Rogers for Telus as soon as they were able, and not half an hour later to someone else who said exactly the opposite. They want at least the appearance of choice.

And for us fringe constituents who lie outside of Rogers' coverage? I am not yet convinced this will change much, at least for a while. But we'll see. I've got a question in to Telus asking about it.

Could this iPhone I have before me work in a few months?

It's not really a big secret that Bell and Telus are rolling out an HSPA network, which is the sequel to, and built upon, the GSM standard. Says the website GSM World: "HSPA is part of the GSM 3G network and is (predominately) a software upgrade of the network infrastructure."

But with the rumour (read: wild speculation) that Bell might be on track to start offering the service in November, the Twitters have gone wild with the speculation that hey, maybe Bell and Telus will be getting the iPhone.

I hope not. Cuz if Telus got the iPhone, I'd have to get the iPhone. And I can't really afford to get an iPhone right now (life of a freelance writer, yada, yada).

I actually do have an iPhone now, but I am currently using it merely as a camera. Oh, and it is a tester, so I have to send it back.

Hang on, did I just save money by waiting for a better version?

As I've talked about in the past, the iPod Touch version 3.0 software wasn't really a compelling update for someone with a first gen iPod Touch. Yes, cut and paste is a great feature, but I found I didn't need it enough to bother.

Well, the iPod Touch version 3.1 software is out, and they're charging again (hello? I don't think Sarbanes Oxley applies to Canada...) for the software. But this time, only $4.95.

I can't be too sure (as I still haven't updated), but it looks like if I upgrade to 3.1, I get all those features in 3.0 tossed in for free.

Cool. I wonder what happens if I wait for 3.2?

Oh. Yeah. Right. Sorry.

So, um. There was an iPod/iTunes announcement earlier this week.

And once again, the rumours were much more interesting than reality.

People, can we stop saying that Steve Jobs is going to announce the cure for cancer, or the discovery of a new alien race or whatnot, and just let Apple develop products on their own time? It's a bit like Star Wars Episode I. Yes, it sucked, but even if it had been pretty good, it still would have sucked, because there was no way it would have lived up to my expectations.

Then again, even if it hadn't been over rumoured ("camera in iPod Touch!, iPad! Wetwire interface!), it probably wouldn't have done much for me. Okay, the video camera in the Nano is cool. But if I'm getting a convergent device, I'm getting a Canon 7D. And some of the new iTunes features are pretty nice. But don't expect any new iPods at Casa Macanuck this year for Christmas.

But that 7D sure'd be nice....

Streaming CBC

Back when I was in college, I joined a cross-Canada train trip to protest cutbacks to the CBC.

You'd think they'd repay my loyalty by playing nice with iTunes, but no, they've decided that their streaming feeds will be carried by Windows Media Player.

Eww.

And, to get their geek cred on, they provide an alternate, Ogg Vorbis stream, for the two people out there who use Ogg Vorbis.

Mac users with Flip4Mac can still listen to the stream, in a browser window, but sometimes you don't want to listen in a browser window, you know? Leave the browser for browsing.

Anyway. Today, Veekee had a great tip over at ehMac. (Update, this tip was published over at Spacebeast a few months ago, but I completely missed it...)

To quote her:

"You can stream CBC through itunes by hitting Advanced>Open Audio Stream in iTunes and then entering:

http://asx.abacast.com/cbc-r1nameofcity-96.pls

ie: http://asx.abacast.com/cbc-r1halifax-96.pls

Or, if you want to listen to the low-bandwidth stream, change 96 to 32.

Brilliant.

Update: So I went to check the Prince George Stream. Still streaming as an asx file. The Vancouver page has an update, telling users how they can listen to the MP3 stream.

However, this trick works for, say, Edmonton and Calgary, which haven't updated from the asx stream yet. It doesn't work for Prince George, though, as that stream apparently hasn't been converted.

Or it could just be that something is wrong with the Prince George feed in general, as when I try and listen to it in my browser with Flip For Mac, it doesn't seem to be working, either. I'll keep you posted on that one.

Do note that the definition of a high bandwidth feed has jumped from 32 kbps to 96, though if that is a function of better compression with MP3 or fatter interweb tubes all the way around I'm not sure.