| Digital music downloads won't replace CDs, says report
Downloads of digital music are up, while CD sales are down. But CDs are here to stay - with adults, anyway, if not with teens, according to JupiterMedia analysts. "Sales of music CDs are continuing to decline annually at double-digit rates. At the same time, we see indications that downloads of digital music are increasing," noted Mark Best, an analyst at JupiterResearch. "That said, digital music downloads are not replacing music CDs." .
iPhone named 'Invention Of The Year'
Time magazine has named Apple's iPhone "invention of the year," citing is design, innovative touch screen, and potential for changing the tech industry's approach to mobile computing. While bestowing the honor on the popular cellular phone/handheld computer, Time acknowledged the iPhone's flaws: the device's on-screen keyboard is too hard to type on, the gadget is too big for a mobile phone, there no instant messaging, it doesn't work on most people's work e-mail, and it's locked to service provider AT&T. Nevertheless, those shortcomings didn't overshadow the five elements Time listed as making the device special. First is its design. The iPhone and its software let someone discover, understand and use its features without having to read a manual. "All the cool features in the world won't do you any good unless you can figure out how to use said features, and feel smart and attractive while doing it," Lev Grossman, Time book and technology writer, said in an article announcing the magazine's choice.
Apple imposes new limits on iPhone sales
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Apple Inc. no longer accepts cash for iPhone purchases and now limits sales of the cell phone to two per person in a move to stop people from reselling them.The new policy started Thursday, said Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris. Before then, there was no cash restriction and the purchase limit was five per person."Customer response to the iPhone has been off the charts, and limiting iPhone sales to two per customer helps us ensure that there are enough iPhones for people who are shopping for themselves or buying a gift," Kerris said. "We're requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers."More than 1.4 million units of the hybrid cell phone-iPod have been sold since it debuted on June 29, according to Apple. It is expected to be a hot gift for the holidays.Apple thinks some people already have purchased multiple iPhones to resell, including those looking to modify, or "unlock," the phones so they work on networks other than Apple's carrier partner in the United States, AT&T Inc.Apple estimates that buyers of 250,000 of the iPhones sold so far intended to unlock them, Apple's chief operating officer Tim Cook said in a conference call with analysts this week.Apple's attempts to prevent that "unlocking" activity, which included a software update that blocked the workarounds hackers had developed, have frustrated users - and sparked two lawsuits.
Don't sweat the data: GPS watches track fitness stats
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- After a race through 15 miles of rock-laden, hilly trails in Wyandotte County Lake Park, Byron Rieper went online to discuss the competition with other runners. Many already were sharing their experiences online. Some blamed heat and humidity for their slow times, others recalled unforgiving hills. Rieper, a seasoned marathoner and cyclist who lives in Overland Park, used his watch to offer them a detailed look at the course. Millions of athletes are using watches such as Rieper's Garmin Forerunner 305, which maps his path and records his distance, speed, pace and heart rate. Other devices that use GPS are geared at athletes competing in long-distance events, including cyclists, triathletes and hikers. The popularity of these devices has spiked as more people discover the Web sites where all this information is being uploaded and compared, including SportsTrack, Garmin Ltd.'s MotionBased.com and Nike Inc.'s Nikeplus.com.
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