At Apple’s annual special music event, this year dubbed “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it” they announced a new, old-style album-centric offering called iTunes LP. The image painted was of a young Steve Jobs, grabbing his bike, riding to the music store, buying the latest Dylan on vinyl, racing home, putting it on his turn table, and then lying back and listening, while pouring over the album art, liner material, lyrics, and other extras.

Fast forward to the era of CDs, and ultimately iTunes and digital downloads, and extras became less common, as did buying entire albums. For lazy artists who made one or two good songs and loaded the rest with filler, well deserved. For true artists who wrote albums like epics, like symphonies in multiple parts, well… the listener was the one missing out.

Admittedly, when we first heard about iTunes LP, code-named Cocktail, we worried that Big Music was trying to force Apple to force us to buy those lazy, filler-filled albums, and maybe even sneak DRM (Digital Rights Management) back into our freshly-liberated iTunes.

Turns out that young Steve Jobs and his Dylan album was closer to what we get with iTunes LP than a Big Music lock down scheme. And thank goodness for that.

Web developer Jay Robinson (via Daring Fireball) has taken a closer look at iTunes LP, and provided lots of great details for those interested in the format. Like what?

• The iTunes LP files are ITLP format and rather large (~500MB)
• They’re in 720p, (which is confusing for smaller display sizes like on some laptops, but might make sense on Apple TV, or dare we say, an iTablet“>iTablet?)
• iTunes LP visualizer
• Internal structure uses WebKit (the foundation of Safari) for rendering, HTML 4.01, CSS, and Javascript.
• And best of all — DRM-free! (YES!)

Check out Robinson‘s full write up for a lot more on the new iTunes LP format, and if you try it out, tell us what you get and how you like it!

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Join Chris, Matt, and Rene for an in-depth look iPhone 3.1, iTunes 9, and the new iPods, from Apple’s “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it” music event. Listen in!

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Credits

Thanks to the the iPhone Blog Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Our music comes from the following sources:

• I Called You — iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

Yesterday was Apple’s annual, hype-filled, reality distorted, special music event, It’s only rock and roll, but we like it. Today is the colder, harsher morning after, and as we wipe our eyes, yawn, and look over, we wonder — did you really like it?

This is a multi-choice poll, so if you liked something, vote for it. If you didn’t, leave it hanging. Let’s see how Apple did…

During the It’s only rock and roll, but we like it special music event, as usual, Apple spent some time up front discussing numbers. And as is increasingly usual when it comes to the music leg of their business, those numbers tend towards the HUGE. To date:

• 30 million iPhones sold
• 20 million iPod touches sold

That makes 50 million iPhone OS X platform device on the market, up from 45 million on July 21.

• 75,000 apps in the iTunes App Store
• 1.8 billion downloads (not counting updates)

Still no breakdown of paid vs. free, but up from 3,000 this time last year, and 65,000 and 1.5 billion back on July 14.

In terms of games, compared with other mobile platforms, here’s the library count:

• 21,178 for Apple iPhone/iPod touch
• 3,680 for Nintendo DS
• 607 for Sony PSP

But wait, there’s more…

iTunes and iPod is still doing gangbusters.

• #1 music retailer in the world
• 100,000,000 accounts (credit cards) on file
• 8.5 billion songs sold
• 27 million libraries submitted and analyzed by Genius
• 54 billion songs submitted and analyzed by Genius
• 100 million iPod nanos sold
• 220 million iPods in total sold

What do those numbers look like in the MP3 player space — which everyone including Apple believes is a shrinking business compared to more heavily convergent devices like the iPhone?

• 73.3% iPod
• 17.9% Other
• 7.2% Sandisk
• 1.1% Microsoft

Zune numbers look down from last year, iPod not wildly better. Maybe everyone including Apple is right? Still, even on a downward curve:

• Over 50% of iPod owners are new to the platform

If you just happened to miss today’s video of the “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it” keynote or just so happen to be having issues downloading the full 850MB podcast feed like I am, jump on over to Apple’s site and instantly view it in it’s entirety via Quicktime stream.

Sure good to see Steve back…

Apple has posted all 850MB of their “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it” special music event to their Apple Keynote podcast feed [iTunes link]. And, wow that was fast. Usually we get a streaming version from QuickTime Apple Events first, then the iTunes podcast later. This time, no waiting (but also no streaming version — yet!)

If you don’t mind beefy iTunes downloads, check it out and let us know what you think!

Wow. Apple’s iTunes Store now has a Facebook Fan Page. During today’s It’s only rock and roll, but we like it special music event, Apple announced iTunes 9 and said it allowed users to share via Facebook. Apparently you can share some love for iTunes right back.

And if you do, you can get 20 free songs by indie artists. The process sounds hecka convoluted, but TUAW takes you through it admirably.

Let us know if you become a fan, and get your music!

Steve Jobs isn’t the story. But he’s the story. And today, arguably the most important and influential CEO in technology returned to the stage he’s so effectively owned. And he owned it once again.

Sure, he let Phil Schiller and Jeff Rubin do some of the work, but he’s been doing that for a while now. Was the reality distortion field back in full effect? Well, given no iTablet, no iPod touch video, and looking — in his own words — vertical, we got Steve Jobs, and it was good to see him back in action.

So, as part of the It’s only rock and roll, but we like it special music event, Apple pretty much gave the one big feature everyone wanted for the third generation iPod touch… to the nano instead.

• Camera and mic for video (with nifty iChat style special effects!)
• VGA 640×480 recording, H.264
• Sync photos and video to PC (iPhoto on Mac)
• FM Radio + Live Pause, Tagging
• Nike +
• Genius Mixes
• VoiceOver
• Still nanochromatic in wide color range
• $149/$199 for 8GB/16GB

Still, sounds like a jogger’s, or ultra-light traveler’s dream music player, with a great amount of convergence built in… What do you think?

More pics after the break!

Sure, iTunes 9 leaked on… iTunes mere moments before Apple’s It’s only rock and roll, but we like it special music event got underway, but now you can have it — not just look at it. Hit up Software Update, and if that still shows the old 8.1.2 version, go directly to http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ and get your groove on.

New features include:

• In-iTunes App Management (YES!)
• Improved Syncing Options
• Genius App Recommendations
• Genius Mixes
• Share via Twitter and Facebook
• iTunes LP Enhanced Album Content
• DVD-style Movie Extras
• New, Redesigned Store

And no, you don’t need iTunes 9 to download iPhone 3.1… but you know you want it!

More pics after the break!

Apple just announced the new, third generation iPod touch during their It’s only rock and roll, but we like it special music event. The big news?

Looks like the $199/$299/$399 price point for 8GB/32GB/64GB was spot on, and along with the OS 3.1 update, similar to what the iPhone is getting (including Genius Mixes, Genius App Recommendations, Voice Control, VoiceOver, etc.). The 8GB looks to be last year’s model priced to clear, like the iPhone 3G, while the new 32GB and 64GB devices get a 50% speed boost (iPhone 3GS got a 100% boost, by the 2nd gen iPod touch was faster than the iPhone 3G to begin with), OpenGL ES 2.0 for better graphics,

Apple Store shows they ship in 1-3 days (3 days for the 64GB monster).

The biggest news, however, is the stunning lack of a camera — something the new iPod nano received. It seemed like such a no-brainer addition, perhaps rumors of production problems forcing Apple to delay them were true? If so, delay them until when? Any time soon, and buyers of this version will be angry. Until next year, and everyone will be annoyed. What’s it going to be, Apple?

Of course, with the Zune HD about to be released, the loss of a camera and lack of HD-out (or OLED) are competitive disadvantages. However, the new price points and massive lead in Apps likely even things out.

What say you?

Apple, following their announcement at the It’s only rock and roll, but we like it special music event, has just posted iPhone OS 3.1, promoting it’s Genius App Recommendations, Genius Mixes, Downloadable Ringtones ($1.29 – ouch!), and support for iTunes 9′s App Management feature.

Just plug in your iPhone, hit Update, sit back, and enjoy the new hawt. (Jailbreakers and unlockers should hold off unless you want to lose your jailbreak/unlock.)

For more on iPhone 3.1, see TiPb’s iPhone 3.1 feature page.

Well well well! Lools like iTunes has skipped ahead and pre-announced iTunes LP, the rumored “Cocktail” album format from Apple.

Apple [iTunes link] says:

The visual experience of the record album returns with iTunes LP. Get a gorgeous, immersive version of select albums — right in your iTunes library. So while you listen to your favorite songs by your favorite artists, you can also five into beautiful animated lyrics and notes, performance videos, artists and band photos and more.

Guess this is the flip side of D45s, we’ll be getting the details when It’s only rock and roll, but we like it kicks off in a few minutes! (Come join our live blog now!)

The Apple Store is down! (Sure, it’s totally perfunctory at this point, but any great milestone before the main event, we have to celebrate it).

Not much point in asking what will be updated at this point (iPod touch much?), we’ll see as soon as Apple execs hit the stage, no doubt with a hearty line of “your interweb news cycles has belong to us!”

It’s like waiting to open your birthday presents, isn’t it? We know, we’re suffering along with you. Luckily none of us have to suffer alone. Come on over to TiPb’s iPhone Forums. The company is great and the conversation is hot, so jump in (registration is quick, easy, and free!).

Not sure where to start? That’s even easier… right HERE!

It’s only rock and roll, but we like it — Apple’s 2009 iPod- and iTunes-focused special music event — has a tag line and a date, this Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 10am PT, 1pm ET. TiPb will be live meta-blogging the event, and following it up with a special edition of iPhone Live! at 5pm PT, 8pm ET.

Last year’s event, “Let’s rock“, started with Steve Jobs saying the reports of his death were greatly exaggerated, and went on to announce 7,000 apps and 1 million downloads in the App Store (yeah, that’s changed by a factor of 10 or more!), 65,000,000 iTunes customers, iTunes 8 with Genius, new visualizations, HD TV Shows (and the return of NBC), and Album view, iPhone OS 2.1, the second generation “funner” iPod touch, Spore and other game demos from Phil Schiller, as well as new nanochromatic iPod nanos and down-tweaked classics, and headphones, and in-ear headphones, with remote and mic.

What, oh what, could this year possibly hold?

iPhone

iPhone news will likely come as an adjunct to the iPod touch. Apple may also mention AT&T getting MMS on Sept. 25th, but we wouldn’t blame them for scowling as they do so…

• iPhone 3.1 previewed as part of iPod touch announcement (to ship later). See our walkthrough for more.
• New video out cables supporting 720p (and 1080p?). Sure it’s unlikely, but it is possible and would be competitive with the Zune HD
• Ringtones pre-fab style. Apparently they make money for Big Music and are too complicated for users to self-create using the process introduced at 2007′s music event.
• Scott Forestall will announce MMS for AT&T on Sept. 25, and give them yet another stank-face for the delays and ongoing lack of tethering.

iPod touch

This will be the big news. The iPod touch platform is the future of the iPod platform, and it’s closing the gap on the iPhone fast…

• Camera, even if delayed. 3mp with video, just like the iPhone 3GS. Get ready Flickr and YouTube, you ain’t seen nothing from Apple’s mobile platform yet.
• Mic. Hello ultimate VoIP handset.
• Voice Control. With a mic, both that and VoiceOver should cross over easily.
• All the above will, of course, require iPhone 3GS style internals. ARM Cortex A8 processor, PowerVR SGX graphics core, and 256MB of RAM.
• Since the iPod touch has historically sported 2 NAND Flash memory slots to the iPhone’s 1, double the storage is also likely. Yes, 64GB of goodness is definitely in the cards.
• Priced at $199/$299/$399 for 16GB/32GB/64GB
• Could Apple possibly pull an iPhone 3G and keep the iPod touch second gen at 8GB around at $99? We doubt it.
• We also doubt an OLED screen, though the Zune HD will have one. If iPod touch does get it, will iPhone 3GS owners shed some not-as-bright-and-sharp-tears?
• No iPod touch nano — yet.

Other iPods

Microsoft is abandoning their non-touch iPod rivals, but Apple owns that market and they’ll keep it going as long as it makes business sense.

• iPod nano with camera (and mic?). It would need to sync content off, but so do most point and shoots.
• iPod nano 32GB doubtful for an on-the-go device, so we could see price drops instead to clearly distinguish them from the iPod touch.
• iPod classic hangs on one more year — until the iPod touch hits 128GB. Throw it a camera bone, maybe?
• Both iPod nano and classic could get the VoiceOver (though not Voice Control) upgrade.
• iPod shuffle was revised already this year, so at most a price drop back to $50.

Apple TV

Stays a hobby. Sniffle.

• Nothing. No TV recording or 1080p. (Imagine the bandwidth).
• Okay, maybe — just maybe — HD TV rentals. (But what would they charge, $0.50?!)

iTunes 9

• iPhone app management. 11 screens. 180 app slots. We don’t need this, we need a mobile solution like categories or stacks or something, but this will do for now.
• Kevin Rose asked for Social, Jens Alfke said Apple didn’t get it. iTunes 9 will split the difference and stay with the steady, if uninspired type of integration already seen with Flickr, YouTube, and Facebook in iPhoto. Share your media tastes via Facebook and Twitter. (If there is something better, including a “social app”, we’ll swoon appropriately).
• Ringtones, already mentioned.
• “Cocktail” album packages. We’re ambivalent about this, really. If Apple can wow us with amazingly integrated music, art, lyrics, and more, then we’ll be pleased. If this is just some Big Music scheme to bring back DRM, we’ll scream bloggy murder. Whatever the package, keep the music easily accessible in DRM free format, you hear us?
• No Blu-Ray. That would require new Macs with Blu-Ray drives, and this isn’t a Mac event. We’ll revisit this in October.
• TV rentals, per above, would be nice if unlikely still (we blame Hollywood).
• Subscription music hasn’t caught on, but that might just be because iTunes hasn’t done it yet. Outside chance. Even outsid’er chance for TV/Movie subscriptions (and yes, we blame Hollywood for that as well).
• Oh, and it will once again kill Palm Pre sync dead. (And we’re not alone in thinking that)

Beatles on iTunes

• Not going to happen — yet. Too much money to be made on CDs and Rock Band first. (Blame Big Music).

Steve Jobs

• If he shows, it’s to show he’s doing well but is he needed? Likely not here, not now, despite the whispers that would no doubt flood his absence.
• “One more thing” Boom! Steve! would be swell, but we’re betting he saves himself for the iTablet, which won’t be tomorrow.

What Say You?

Well, that’s what we think we’ll see tomorrow. But what do you think? Did we miss something, everything? Let us know in the comments.

Yesterday we heard a rumor that Apple may be experiencing problems with the iPod’s new camera feature, and those problems could cause a delay.

Today, Hardmac [via MacRumors] threw in some rumored details about the rumored problems:

The issue would be linked to the new camera module. We did not get any further details, but the problem has been spotted in the first dozen of thousands units produced. Those units have been put aside.

Again, even if true, this would likely only cause a delay in the release of the third generation iPod touch, not its announcement at tomorrow’s “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it” special music event. This has happened in the past when products weren’t quite ready or had last minute spec changes necessitating a delay.

Still, we’ll only know for sure when Apple hits the stage.

Looks like Apple is putting the finishing touches in place for tomorrow’s “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it” special music event, including the banners for the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, upon whose stage the festivities will kick off at 1pm ET/10am PT. (Join us on the front page for our usual meta live-blog of the show, followed by a special edition iPhone Live! at 8pm ET/5pm PT).

Now, with regards to the image being used (see above), it looks like fairly iconic, dare we say classic iPod fare — we thought they’d have transitioned to an iPod touch by now…

If you haven’t already, head on over to our poll and let us know what you think we’ll see at tomorrow’s event.

[Photo by Brad Immanuel via iPhoneSavior and MacRumors]

Could the long-rumored cameras being added to the iPod touch, iPod nano, and even iPod classic have hit a snag, leading to a delay that might affect Apple’s “It’s only rock and roll but we like it” special music event planned for Wednesday?

AppleInsider, citing a “person with a strong track record in predicting Apple’s upcoming product launches” (PWASTRIPAUPL), is rumoring just that:

the iPod maker experienced technical problems with the cameras months ago. The person said that it was uncertain whether the new hardware, which has been widely expected to debut at Wednesday’s “Only rock and roll” media-centric event, would make the cut for early September.

Since the iPod touch is so similar to the iPhone, unless Apple is trying to cram the cam into too thin an enclosure, we have a hard time seeing the problem in that SKU. Whether or not the rumor is accurate, whether or not it effects all the of the iPods or just iPod nano and iPod classic, and whether or not Apple delays announcing the new iPods or simply announces them as “shipping in the future” are all, of course, unknown.

With so much of the music events — and holiday shopping season — relying on the iPod lineup, however, it’s hard to imagine them letting things slip much, if at all.

What say you?

This Wednesday, September 9, Apple will present “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it“, their annual special music event that typically focuses on iPods and the iTunes ecosystem.

Expected to be seen are iTunes 9 with social networking and iPhone app management, 3rd generation iPod touch with camera, and iPod nano and iPod classic with with camera to be in the lineup.

“Cocktail” album packages, the usual Beatles on iTunes rumors, and of course iPhone OS 3.1.

TiPb will be doing our usual live meta-blog, and following it up with our weekly iPhone Live! podcast. But that’s then, this is now. We want to know what you think we’ll see. (Drop any details you might want to add into the comments!)

• Our podcast feed
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Join Chad, Matt, Leanna, and Rene to discuss Apple’s Sept. 9 music event, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and what it means for iPhone and iTablet, MMS on AT&T, and your questions live! Listen in!

Congrats to Paul who won our live give-away for a RexRegina Hamilton Case for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G. Join us live next week for your chance to win iPhone accessories!

Credits

Thanks to the the iPhone Blog Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Our music comes from the following sources:

• I Called You — iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

New Apple TV’s, whether it simply be a small bump to the internals (CPU, storage, etc.) or the mythical, rainbow and unicorn-tear soaked Apple PVR, are the latest rumours circulating in advance of Apple’s iTunes and iPod touch special music event, “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it“, scheduled for September 9.

Since TV’s aren’t rock and roll, odds are we aren’t going to see anything major in that — admittedly aging — product SKU, but since they do serve as an iTunes Music conduit, maybe Apple’s hobby might just get swept up in the song?

Most of this chatter comes again from analysts, so we’ll assuredly have to wait and see. Or we could just run a poll and see what you think…

Apple’s annual iTunes and iPod Special Music Event has just been made official, and this year’s bash will be called “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it”, with the date confirmed for Wednesday, September 9 at 10am PT/1pm ET at the Yerba Bueana Center for the Arts Theatre in San Francisco, California.

TiPb will be providing a full meta live-blog as usual, and we’ll be following it up at 5pm PT/8pm ET with our full analysis on iPhone Live!

Widely expected to be seen are iTunes 9 with social networking and iPhone app management, 3rd generation iPod touch with camera, and iPod nano and iPod classic with with camera to be in the lineup.

“Cocktail” album packages, the perennial Beatles on iTunes rumors, and of course iPhone OS 3.1 are also in the cards. And MMS on AT&T pretty please?

(Via Engadget)