New iPod to be Phoneless iPhone

According to this New York Times Bit's blog post, the new Apple product that has been hyped recently is a touch-screen Wi-Fi iPod - essentially the same design as the iPhone except without the phone service. It has the same 3.5' screen, the same touch interface and the same Wi-Fi chipset with the Safari Web Browser. However, it's substantially cheaper. Starting at $299 for 8 gigs and $399 for 16, maybe some future iPhone converts will realize just how cool an integrated phone would be with this device. Sounds kind of backwards, doesn't it?

What's quite awesome is that there is a wireless version of iTunes available on this iPod, which means you can bypass the computer and purchase songs straight to the iPod (and transfer it to your computer later).

The bigger picture points to products that won't be limited by hard disk or flash memory space. The 16 gigabyte iPod Touch is far more limited than the newly renamed 160 gig iPod Classic. You would want to load your iPod Touch with loads of videos, as the 3.5" screen is the best portable display available, but the 16 gigs aren't quite sufficient for, say, all 10 seasons of "Friends" and your entire music collection.

Enter streaming content.

With the Wi-Fi connection on the new iPod and iPhone, and with mobile broadband pointing to easy, inexpensive and constant high speed connectivity, a lack of flash memory might not be so bad if you can find a way to stream the content wirelessly.

It could even work the same way as a SlingBox, with content broadcast over the internet and your wireless device picks it up through an open port in your network. Imagine purchasing a video off iTunes or Nokia's Ovi, and then broadcasting it to any wireless device you own. Your only wireless memory limitations are posed by your home pc or network storage space. Of course it must be more complicated than this, but hopefully this is where it's headed.

Hardware and Service Converging?

This is a pretty good read - an interesting New York Times Article on the convergence of "Gadget Makers and Service Providers." Google used to be a search engine, but is now knocking at the door of mobile telephony with their new Google Phone, which may attract the same hype as the iPhone. Both Google and Apple are chic companies known for their innovation - Google more on the software side, so it would make sense for a hoard of tech-heads following the development of Google's first crack at hardware.

With Nokia's new Ovi network, the tried and true hardware developers are cracking in on the space that Apples' iTunes has carved out.

These cross-market products put out by these growing companies are great for innovation. Maybe Google will put out a product that uses VoIP to a higher degree, harnessing its power, or even its own search technology. These benefits will certainly move technology and services forward. With big, well known names adding new services to different markets, those already in these markets will have to step up their services as well.

Nokia's Ovi to Rival Apple's iTunes

With some new phones coming out, Nokia is poised to take on Apple's iTunes market with its new Ovi web site. Ovi, which is Finnish for door, will offer music, games, maps and photo services. According to this CNN article, Ovi indicates that Nokia's ambition transcends their hardware development.

Ovi's game service coincides with their new N series phones, which are more geared to multimedia and gaming. Some have even ventured to say that the N95 is superior to the iPhone. It's surprising that Nokia is gearing up to re-enter the mobile gaming market after their failed N-Gage.

According to Kevin Burden, an analyst at the research firm Telephia, Ovi will let users "totally bypass their carrier." Useres will be able to download through their wireless provider as well as on their computer and then transfered to the phone via a wired connection.

To take down Apple's iTunes will be a difficult task for Nokia. Their parallels with Apple are twofold - both are prolific hardware designers (Nokia being the world's leading mobile phone handset provider), and both have entered the multimedia download market. Apple, ostensibly, seems to be doing very well with their iPhone - they've at least created more buzz than any other handset release. Nokia has some ground to make up.

It's certainly great to see a competitor keeping Apple's iTunes honest.