Words from Nerds #65: iPhone 4

Apple releases the 4th generation iPhone, appropriately named iPhone 4. We’ll give you the lowdown on what’s new and talk about what AT&T’s new data plans mean. They just might save you some money.

Nerd News

• Most people clueless about their Internet speeds, but happy anyway. Test your speed with this handy speed test.
• AT&T drops unlimited data plan, suggests 98% of subscribers will save money with new capped plans. The changes go into effect same day as Apple’s WWDC Conference. What is the significance?
• DirecTV DVRs locked up everywhere.
• New HP printers let you email to them. Get ready for printer spam.
• Bad Adobe! Zero-day exploits

Feature Story: iPhone 4

• iPhone 4 will be available June 24 (pre-order begin June 15th)
  • HD video (720p at 30fps)
  • 960×480 display (800:1 contrast ratio) & 326 pixels per inch
  • front-facing camera
  • FaceTime video calling (iPhone 4-only; only over WiFi only in 2010)
  • Gyroscope for finer control (6 axis motion sensing) when gaming
  • 24% thinner than iPhone 3GS, improved battery life
  • 5 megapixel camera with LED flash
• Cost:
  • $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB
  • AT&T offering upgrade for existing up to 6 mos early
• iPhone OS renamed to iOS4.
  • Available June 21. Free to all iPhone & iPod Touch users (iPad in Fall)
  • multi-tasking (application pausing)
  • Global Inbox for Mail, Enterprise features
  • not much new discussed here than from January announcement
• Other announcements at WWDC
  • iMovie for iPhone ($4.99 in App Store) to let you edit your videos on the phone, then email or publish to YouTube
  • Safari 5
  • nothing on AppleTV, MacBook Air or Mac Mini yet
• What does this mean in the smartphone war? Here’s a comparison.

Nerd History:

• June 1, 1980 – Cable News Network (CNN) begins broadcasting.
• June 10, 1977 – Apple ships its first Apple II personal computer.
• June 1, 2009 – General Motors files for chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.
• June 4, 1777 – VHS is introduced
• June 3, 1971 – I’m a PC! John Hodgman born