本周三，苹果粉丝们又迎来了一个年度音乐盛典，因为首席执行官史蒂夫.乔布斯（Steve Jobs）在本次新品发布会上隆重推出了新版本的iPod和一个名为“Ping”的音乐网站。

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本次盛会的焦点是iPod,截止目前，该产品的全球销量已达2.75亿。在本周三的新品发布会上，乔布斯公开展示了一款更小巧精致的Touch播放器，该产品具有所谓的“视网膜播放功能”以及苹果运用于最新款iPhone的24点高清视频。乔布斯声称这款Touch产品是”世界一流的便携式游戏平台”，表示该平台可以成功推广逾千万款的游戏娱乐产品。尽管这款产品的其他硬件与最新款iPhone极其相似（比如说前板和背面摄像功能），但并不能接通手机网络，因此不支持iPhone上的相关音乐播放器。最新亮相的还有迷你型的iPod Shuffle数字音乐播放器，含宽频设计和长达15小时的电池支持，仅售49美元。iPod Nano的宽频版本与此同时展出，该产品具有多点触摸屏功能，乔布斯宣布这三款iPod产品将于下周正式上市。

好马配好鞍，iTunes这个热门的音乐软件当然还是iPod新产品的首选，乔布斯宣布推出iTunes 10.，该软件将增加一项全新音乐搜索功能，这就是Ping。Ping的功能与Twitter和Facebook等社交网站的功能类似，允许你搜索朋友最近分享的音乐，以及相关音乐家的最新作品，它的播放列表数据庞大，可以列出17000项相关音乐家的演奏会信息。只需要输入人名，对方的照片、音乐会日期、音乐新作等信息都可以一览无遗，你还可以自动添加和更新这些信息。Ping还提供历史播放列表，可以显示检索对象最新分享或者创作的10个曲目，这就是乔布斯所定义的“音乐社交网站”。

经过重新设计和改良，以小巧外形的Apple TV视频播放器宣布复出，尽管乔布斯承认该产品的销量并不十分乐观，但仍然表示“我们卖出了不少，这款产品的市场反应虽然不那么成功，但目前为止它也还没遇到其他劲敌。”

Apple TV没有本地播放列表，但是可以分享iTunes上的视频和图片文件。通过Apple TV，你可以付费4.99元美租看最近热映的电影，而观看来自ABC、Fox的热播电视节目则更划算，仅需0.99美元。乔布斯以一个降价好消息为该产品介绍收尾，那就是最新款Apple TV将在4周内面世，并从原来的229美元降到99美元。

在本次发布会粉墨登场的还有iOS4.1，该产品为高动态范围成像工具、HD viodeo以及租赁软件提供漏洞补丁支持。要补充说明的是，iOS4.1产品中的高动态范围成像工具可以精确地将不同时间的三张图片合并成一张图片。与此同时，乔布斯还透露了即将推出的iOS4.2所包含的一些全新功能，包含无线打印、GameCenter、高动态范围成像工具等功能。值得一提的是，AirPlay软件也将植入该产品中，允许用户通过Wi-Fi将音频、视频、图片等发送至其他小型应用程序。AirPlay将于11月份推出，为iPod Touch、iPhone和iPads用户提供免费下载。

本次宣布更新的操作系统还包括备受游戏开发商和玩家青睐的游戏平台，GameCenter。乔布斯表示，“如果你没有其他朋友，Gamecenter可以自动帮你搭桥牵线，让你跟其他人一起组队玩游戏。”目前只有一些特定版本的iPod Touch和iPhone用户可以在下周免费下载 GameCenter。

另悉，这次新品发布会通过苹果官网进行全程在线直播，但这个网络平台（该网站建设基于HTML5技术标准）的播放效果并不理想，而且只有特定版本的iPod、iPhone和最新版的电脑操作系统MacOSX10.6才能在线观看。

Apple Shows Off New iPods and TV, Unveils Social Network

Apple fans Web-wide tuned in to an annual music-themed event Wednesday, where Steve Jobs

unveiled an updated streaming TV device, funky new iPods — and a social network that’s all about music.

The main focus of the event was iPods, ostensibly — Apple claimed to have sold 275 million of them to date. And at the event, Apple chief Steve Jobs unveiled a slimmer new version of the Touch including “Retina display,” the 24-bit high-quality screen that Apple introduced with the newest version of its iPhone.

Jobs called the Touch “the number-one portable game player in the world,” noting that over a billion games and entertainment titles have been sold for it. Though the new Touch shares other hardware similarities to the latest iPhone (such as front and back cameras), it doesn’t have cellular connectivity, and therefore won’t share the radio issues that haunt the new iPhone.

Apple also unveiled a new version of the diminutive iPod Shuffle, with a square design and 15 hours of battery life; it will sell for $49. Jobs showed off a new squarish version of the iPod Nano as well, one that incorporates a multitouch screen. All three new iPods will be on sale next week, Jobs announced.

iTunes is a key part of the music package, and at the event, Jobs showed off the newest version, iTunes 10. It adds an intriguing new music-discovery function called Ping.

Ping aggregates posts from friends and artists you follow, a function similar to the social-networking features in Twitter and Facebook, and includes a new database with over 17,000 concert listings from those artists. Follow a person and get updates from him, with photos, concert dates, and new music he’s bought or added to iTunes. It also creates a custom, top 10 chart of music based on those people you follow.

“It’s a social network all about music,” Jobs said.

Jobs unveiled a redesigned, smaller version of the Apple TV product too, which he acknowledged had not sold as well as the company hoped. “We’ve sold a lot of them but it’s never been a huge hit.

But neither has any competitor product,” he said.

The new product has no local storage, instead streaming videos and photos directly from iTunes. With it, you can rent first-run movies for $4.99 or high-definition TV shows for just $0.99, initially just from ABC and Fox.

“We think the rest of the studios will see the light and get on board with us pretty soon,” Jobs said.

Jobs wrapped up his demonstration by announcing a major price drop for the Apple TV, which will be available “in about 4 weeks,” from $229 to just $99.

He began the event by unveiling iOS 4.1, which fixes bugs and adds support for high dynamic range photos, HD video, rentals and more. High dynamic range photos combine images from three pictures taken almost simultaneously into one, incredibly detailed image.

The operating system update also includes GameCenter, Apple’s central point for game developers and players.

“If you don’t have any friends, GameCenter will automatch you with others,” Jobs said. Look for the free download for certain models of the iPod Touch and iPhone next week, he said.

Jobs also gave a preview of iOS 4.2, which brings wireless printing, GameCenter, high dynamic range photos and more to the iPad. Notably, it will also include AirPlay, which lets users send audio, photos, and video over Wi-Fi to other gadgets. Jobs said the update would come in November, and would be free for iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPads.

The event was streamed live from Apple’s website, though the “open” format Apple chose to use for the live stream (based on the new HTML5 standard) proved choppy, and was only supported in certain Apple devices, such as iPads, iPhones, and the latest version of the company’s operating system, MacOS X 10.6. (source:foxnews)