At a September 1 media event, Apple introduced a new iPod lineup. The iPod Touch has been given a Retina display, FaceTime video calling, HD video recording, and the A4 processor, amongst a handful of other features from the iPhone 4. It managed to shed some weight in the process, and clocks in at just 101 grams (3.56 ounces), with a thickness of 0.28 inches/7.2 millimetres. Prices start at $229 US.
Meanwhile, the iPod Shuffle has done a design backflip and integrated the features of the most recent Shuffle model with the form factor of the previous model. And the iPod Nano now sports a very small multi-touch interface, with the click-wheel being replaced by touch-screen buttons. It is now only slightly larger than the Shuffle, and offers a clip and a built-in pedometer and FM radio. Prices start at $49 US for the iPod Shuffle and $149 US for the iPod Nano. The iPod Classic will remain unchanged (but available) for the foreseeable future.
Apple also announced a new version of its struggling set-top box, the Apple TV. This redesigned Apple TV does away with the hard drive and shrinks down the size of the unit. Video content must now be streamed from the online store or via your local network. There are ports for HDMI, optical audio out, 10/100 Ethernet, and micro-USB. Prices start at $99 US. It’s also black, which will no doubt please some technology enthusiasts.
Three months after its release, Steam for Mac has a modest but respectable five per cent share on the Steam hardware and software survey. This confirms that take-up among Mac users has been reasonable, but hardly game-changing (don’t say I didn’t warn you). The real test will be to see how this changes over the next 12-18 months, as developers that added the Mac to their target platforms in the wake of Steam release new titles.
Emulator updates after the break.