Leading edge news reports from a Southern California journalist
In the event you’ve been living under a rock for the last six months, Apple and AT&T will officially put the iPhone on sale tomorrow at thousands of company retail stores nationwide. I’ll be covering all the insane geek action from the Apple Store in Thousand Oaks as the Jesus Phone is finally delivered into the hands of salivating geeks. Look for a live blog complete with video at the top of the Ventura County Star Web site.
As mentioned before, the Cable News Network has been busy readying a major Web 2.0 overhaul to its ubiquitous news Web site. Yesterday the beta version of the site was pulled and replaced with a note from CNN.com’s Senior Vice President, noting the popular destination will relaunch “this weekend.” During the test period, users complained the site was “too white,” didn’t display enough news on the front page, and focused too heavily on ad-supported video packages. My suggestion to CNN editors: how about reporting actual news this time around.
Heres a rundown of top stories recently seen on CNN.com:
After launching three television ads Sunday evening trumpeting the June 29 iPhone launch, Apple has since quietly pulled the small disclaimer at the end of each spot which noted, “Use requires minimum new 2 year activation plan.” Apple’s intentional removal of the contract disclaimer in the ads raises new questions as to whether the device will actually require a two year commitment for purchase. Some have speculated this could be because AT&T does not plan to subsidize the retail price of the phone and cannot legally require a contract. Either way, just be happy the phone isn’t 3G. (Special thanks to i heart kiiki for image)
Cingular AT&T retail employees are reporting large posters heralding the June 29 iPhone launch unexpectedly appearing in store shipments this morning. As the Jesus Phone release date inches closer, company representatives are being warned not to speak to the media—or face termination. It appears Steve Jobs’ totalitarian business practices, commonly seen at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters, are now in high gear at AT&T stores nationwide.
After pretty much giving up in the ratings fight with Fox, the most-watched Most Trusted Name in News™ unveiled a new beta of its flagship website Monday, promising improved site performance, greater ease of use and the introduction of flash video. In addition to giving Microsoft’s disgraceful Windows Media codec the boot, CNN Senior Vice President David Payne has promised to deliver free live breaking news streams on the site beginning next month. But while the network has remained tight-lipped on when the re-designed site will replace its aging brother, word is Turner PR executives are secretly mulling the possibility of announcing Anderson Cooper’s (‘AC 360′ to you thugs) long-awaited outting to publicize the launch. What say you, Wolf?
While Apple geeks continue to speculate at the launch date of the holy grail of mobile devices, the Jesus Phone iPhone, an AT&T employee is claiming the iPod-turned-phone will be available for pre-order starting June 11 and should “hit stores by the 26th of June.” While this ‘inside’ info should be taken with a grain of salt, as with any other rumor regarding products from the fruit company, its worth noting that Apple CEO Steve Jobs is scheduled to deliver a keynote at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on—you guessed it—June 11. The last time Jobs took the stage at Moscone Center West, back in January, he dropped the iPhone bomb on the wireless industry and tech-thirsty consumers. Will he use it again on the 11th to officially herald its arrival? It appears we‘ll have to wait and see. But regardless of which day the iPhone finally launches, heed Steve’s early advice and “don’t go to an Apple store.”
UPDATE: Apple announced Sunday the iPhone will officially launch June 29… Better get your number ready to port.
Google’s new Street View, a Google Maps feature that uses vehicle-cameras to take 360-degree street level views of city streets, has captured all sorts of interesting images ranging from views of the Golden Gate Bridge to a guy taking a leak in the bushes to a police bust.
AP Wire