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BY DANIEL MCSWAIN
After months of speculation, Apple Inc. has delivered its most talked-about product to date, a marriage of some of the most popular and ubiquitous technologies into one device: the iPhone.

The iPhone, unveiled by Apple Inc. head Steve Jobs during his CES keynote address this afternoon, is arguably the closest thing to the idealized "smart phone" to hit the consumer market yet, combining full phone functionality with music, video, photo and computing options that before now were not available under the same roof.

The device, which will hit shelves in June and will be available in 4 GB ($499) and 8 GB ($599) models, is navigated by a touch screen that controls nearly all of the iPhone's long list of functions.

As you'll see from the photo, the iPhone runs on Mac OS X, which would lead one to believe that the iPhone will work much like any other operating system. It would follow also that the built-in WiFi connectivity of the iPhone would be able to access the extremely popular iTunes software, including the iTunes radio streams, putting a portable Net radio station library in the hands of every iPhone user worldwide.

Read detailed accounts of Job's CES keynote address in Gizmodo here and in Engadget here. Stay tuned to RAIN for more iPhone information in upcoming issues.



From ElectronicsWeekly.com: "At CES in Las Vegas, Frontier Silicon has launched its Chorus 2i baseband receiver system-on-chip device which it claimed will support the development of sub-$99 WiFi Internet radios.

"The company is responding to what it sees as a change in the radio market which is set to become dominated by Internet access. 'With audio content increasingly becoming available on-line, audio receivers must embrace WiFi connectivity to avoid obsolescence within a few years,' said Steve Evans, Frontier Silicon's VP for digital audio...

"'While the majority of audio products today rely on broadcast technology, we are now in the transition  decade where consumers will increasingly demand access to digital content from the Internet,' said Evans.

"The chip, along with a complete software development kit, module, and reference platforms, is sampling to customers this month, with radios expected in the shops by summer.

"Applications are expected to range from portable and alarm clock radios to CD micro systems, boomboxes and HiFi tuners...
 
"According to an independent report from Lehman Brothers, the potential total available market for WiFi radios is over 10 million units by 2009."

Read the entire article at ElectronicsWeekly.com.

From Mediaweek: "On Monday, [Clear Channel Radio and Microsoft] announced a collaborative agreement to build a nationwide data delivery service using HD Radio technology to send personalized and localized content to a variety of receivers and devices, from smart cell phones and watches to household appliances.

"Dubbed MSN Direct HD, the service will be an extension of Microsoft’s MSN Direct service, which currently transmits information such as weather, traffic, movie times, sports and stocks to Smart Watches, weather stations, GPS navigation devices and small home appliances...

"The expansion of MSN Direct using HD Radio technology is part of Microsoft’s Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) initiative. Commencing immediately, the companies will introduce opportunities for consumer electronics companies and automotive manufacturers to offer MSN Direct content in HD Digital Radio format on their devices in 2008...

“'Microsoft’s SPOT initiative has illustrated their ability to turn personal objects into mobile tools with this impressive platform,' added CCR executive VP of distribution and development Jeff Littlejohn."

Read the entire article at Mediaweek.

From Red Herring: "Sprint Nextel... on Friday said it is hunting for application developers and content providers for the rollout of its  $3-billion WiMAX network, which is expected to launch by the end of the year.

"The carrier also said it has chosen Nokia, the world’s largest cell phone maker, to supply network equipment and cell phones for the deployment of the world’s first major WiMAX network.

"Nokia will join its rivals Motorola and Samsung, along with... Intel, as the first four companies chosen by Sprint Nextel to participate in the planning, design, and construction of its WiMAX network...

"Nokia,... will supply transmission devices, WiMAX-compatible cell phones, along with Internet tablets and other mobile devices...

“'You hear a lot about TV over cell phones, but WiMAX makes it possible for consumers to watch TV on their ultra-portable mobile PCs, media players, or gaming stations, or Internet TV in their cars,' [said John Polivka, a spokesperson for Sprint Nextel]. 'WiMAX opens a whole new distribution channel.'”

Read the entire article at Red Herring.