Jemblog

After months of rampant speculation, Apple Wednesday announced a touchscreen tablet computer, the “iPad” for consumers who want to take their movies, TV shows, music, games and reading with them, be it around the house or on the go. Pricing starts at $499, and it should be available in 60 to 90 days.

“We want to kick off 2010 with a truly revolutionary and magical product,” CEO Steve Jobs told a packed audience at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The wireless device can be used with Wi-Fi, as well as run on AT&T’s 3G, or third-generation, wireless network. AT&T has been the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the United States since its release in 2007, and some were hoping that Apple’s new tablet would also work with other carriers’ networks, including Verizon Wireless.

The iPad will cost $499 for a 16-gigabyte model, $599 for a 32 GB version and $699 for a 64-gigabyte model with Wi-Fi only, and will be available in 60 days. It will cost an additional $130 for units that also can use 3G, which should be out in 90 days, making the most expensive model $829. Jobs said AT&T will charge $29.99 a month for “unlimited use” and $14.99 a month for up to 250 megabytes. There will be no contract with AT&T required for the plans, he said.

“So far it really looks like an oversized iPod Touch,” said Avi Greengart, Current Analysis analyst, blogging from the event itself for Reuters news service.

The iPad weighs about 1.5 pounds, is 0.5 inch thin, has a 9.7-inch display and should have a battery life of 10 hours, Jobs said. It uses what he called Apple’s own 1GHz A4 chip, and flash memory, ranging from 16 to 64 gigabytes. The tablet has YouTube in high-definition built in to the iPad and Apple’s online iTunes Store, which will add an “iBooks” for purchase.

Read the rest here

METROMORPH is a concept car that addresses two of our modern day ills; the traffic congestion in the big city and the lack of parking space availability to residents of apartment buildings in a big metropolitan area.

To solve the traffic congestion problem, this small and low vehicle has only two seats. It is battery powered with two in-wheel motors placed by the back wheels. Extremely light weight, with the wheels hidden inside the body, it has doors that are designed to open, slide up and wrap themselves closely around the top of the car, eliminating the need for space alongside the body in tight places. The seats rotate ninety degrees out to help with entrances and exits. The shell of the car is clear and see-through allowing for 360 degrees visibility

To address the lack of parking space and to eliminate the need for separate and costly parking structures, this car is designed to be able to ride up vertically, just like an outside clear glass elevator. Upon reaching the desired destination, the car attaches itself to the building and turns into your own private balcony. An opening in the building, and in the car allows for direct access into the apartment. The seats, on arms, rotate to keep leveled in both horizontal and vertical positions. When the car is in it’s balcony mode, the seats can turn into lunge chairs where you can sit and enjoy the view seen through the clear shell of the car.

In an effort to promote their iPhone application, BlackBook magazine has teamed up with Diddy. According to Billboard, BlackBook has partnered with the hip-hop mogul to create Diddy’s BlackBook. The guide offers Combs’ favorite U.S. hot spots as well as editorial reviews of 15,000 shops, restaurants and clubs across 50 cities worldwide. As part of the launch Diddy also graces the cover of this month’s BlackBook. Diddy’s BlackBook is available now on iTunes for free.