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Filed under: Rumors, Odds and ends, Apple, iPod nano, iPod touch

Rumor: Chinese manufacturers building cases (with cameras) for new iPod touch, nano


Here's a story that, strangely, makes sense. Cult of Mac is saying that these cases above are already being made by Chinese manufacturers, in advance of what they call the "worst-kept secret in China": that Apple will be announcing new versions of the iPod touch and the iPod nano in September, complete with cameras on both. These aren't cases comissioned by Apple, they're Chinese companies that have supposedly heard about the dimensions and feature placement of Apple's next products, and are making third-party accessories to match, even before the official announcement here in the US.

Apparently these guys heard about the dimensions back in May, and they're so certain of the information that they're shipping samples and taking orders from US retailers. True or not? We have no idea -- certainly there's enough photos of the new cases on Cult of Mac's site to be convinced, and that Apple would release new versions of popular iPods right before back to school and the holidays isn't just believable, it's business as usual.

But the camera on there is the interesting move -- is it a video or still camera? Why is the iPod touch's camera centered instead of offset like every other iPhone camera? Will there be new software capabilities for taking and sharing pictures on these devices? That's all still up in the air. We guess we'll find out in a few months.

[via Silicon Alley Insider]

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, Odds and ends, iTunes, Apple, App Store

iTunes gift cards cracked

This seems like bad news for Apple, to say the least. A few Chinese websites are now selling $200 gift certficates to iTunes for less than a few bucks, which means that it's likely hackers have figured out the algorithm to determine gift codes on Apple's music store. As with most online codes, iTunes gift certificate numbers are generated by a formula somewhere -- figure out the formula, and you can generate your own codes (though it's of course tough to do and highly illegal).

The good news is that this might be an easy fix for Apple: they'll just have to re-figure the formula. The tougher thing to do will be to determine which of the old codes to honor -- they'll want to make sure to approve all of the cards on the shelves at Best Buy right now, while still trying to catch all of the illegal codes generated by hackers.

But then again, we're talking about a digital store that's already making cash hand over fist. Maybe even if one hacker on a shady website has figured out how to generate iTunes codes, Apple isn't too concerned about losing a few thousand dollars when they're still selling millions of dollars worth of music and content legitimately.

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone

Apple to include Chinese handwriting recognition in iPhone 2.0

One of our tipsters, Kenneth, pointed us to a Chinese web page (Google translation) showing what appears to be an iPhone running some sort of handwriting recognition geared especially for Chinese characters. According to the post, this is how Apple will integrate Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) input into the iPhone. As you write the character, you are presented with a list of the possible characters on the right side of the input pane.

According to MacRumors, Apple recently started hiring "Handwriting Recognition Engineers," could this mean the iPhone is coming to China soon? Only time will tell, but this should definitely give people something to hope for.


Thanks, Kenneth.

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone

Learn your ideograms with iChinese

Matthias Huber wrote in to tell us about his new iChinese system that helps you learn your characters. iChinese uses the iPhone's touch-based interface to teach users how to write the characters on-screen.

It's available by adding the http://ichinese.de/repo repository to Installer.app. I don't speak Chinese. I don't write chinese (although I'm very fond of chinese food). I wouldn't know an ideogram if I tripped on one, so if you give this a try and have an informed view on how useful it is, let us know in the comments.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Retail, Apple Financial, Apple, iPhone

NYT on gray market iPhones

The Gray Lady has published a piece examining the so-called "gray market" for iPhones in China -- legitimate products transferred through not-so-legitimate channels. Though we of course have no idea how prevalent this was before the rise of the 'Net, I have to think that the shrinking global neighborhood contributes to this a lot -- it's much easier to ask someone in another country to buy something for you when you talk to them every day on Twitter.

The NYT puts the number of non-AT&T iPhones at a whopping 1.4 million, but of course that includes unlocked phones all over the world, and people who are using iPhones without actually activating them. So we're not exactly sure of the number of iPhones floating around China (where Apple hasn't made a deal to provide official service yet). Analyst Charles Wolf says that Apple definitely enjoys listing the gray market iPhones in their sales numbers, but that the lack of an AT&T agreement with the phone sales undermines their contract plan.

However, he admits also that making the decision to sell the phones unlocked would have earned Apple more demand in the first place, so it's six in one, half-dozen in the other. There's no word on how the impending release of the SDK might affect the sale of phones for unlocking, either. But for now, it's clear that the gray market is a substantial and yet very much unknown quantity of Apple's iPhone business.

Filed under: Hardware, Software, Odds and ends, iPhone

Found Footage: A Chinese iPhone rip-off


Oh those endearing Chinese manufacturers - what would the electronics industry be without at least a few crappy knockoff products to keep original manufacturers on their toes? (Answer: companies like Apple could probably lay off a few lawyer infantries, but that's a whole 'nother conversation.) Engadget has caught footage of the 'tPhone', which sounds and looks like some sort of Windows Mobile (strangely, it uses a desktop Windows startup sound) device with heavily modified and/or skinned software. Does this look appealing? Remember: you don't have to be afraid to say 'no.'

Of course, Engadget touts the advantages of this device, namely a removable battery and microSD card slot. That said, eagle-eyed TUAW readers have also pointed out that the recently updated iPhone gallery reveals what could possibly be some sort of slot at the top of the iPhone, as exhibited in the gallery's first picture. Add that to all the interesting new iPhone tidbits we're digging up, and it looks like we might still be in for more discoveries (and possibly even official Apple announcements) before the iPhone actually lands next week.

Filed under: iPod Family, Apple

Foxconn sues reporter over iPod factory conditions story

Foxconn knows that when your image has been tarnished with, oh let's say, suspicion of abusive labor practices that there is only one way to win the world back to your side. Sue the two journalists who wrote the story for 500 times what they will make in their lives and freeze their assets. Doesn't it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

Here's hoping that the Chinese government is sensible (it could happen, right?) and sides with the reporters who were just doing their jobs.

Filed under: Macworld, WIN Business

Live Macworld coverage in Chinese


Good news for any of our TUAW readers who prefer Chinese over English: our sibling-blog Chinese Engadget plans to live blog all the announcements at this year's Macworld in both simplified and traditional Chinese. Very cool.

I wish I knew some Chinese so that I could insert a very witty Chinese tag-line here.

Tip of the Day

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