By Frank Michael Russell - updated Sep, 1st, 2010
Today: Apple CEO Steve Jobs shows a new lineup of iPods, plus new versions of iTunes and Apple TV. Plus: Hewlett-Packard, Facebook. And: Silicon Valley tech stocks surge.
New iPods, iTunes, Apple TV
Apple CEO Steve Jobs today showed off a new lineup of iPods -- "the biggest change in the iPod ever," Jobs said, according to a Merc report -- plus a new version of iTunes with social networking features and an improved, but much less expensive version of its Apple TV.
Here's a quick rundown of the new products:
iPod touch: "We've put our most advanced technology inside the new iPod touch," Jobs said, according to an Apple news release.
The iPod touch gets a redesign that makes it more like Apple's iPhone 4. New features include cameras that allow FaceTime video calls, the same A4 processor that's in Apple's latest iPhone, and a high-definition Retina display.
The new iPod touch costs $229 for an 8-gigabyte model, $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB. As with all the new iPods, it ships next week, but ordering starts today.
iPod nano: The much smaller nano loses its click wheel, but gains a new touch screen.
"Replacing the click wheel with our Multi-Touch interface has enabled us to shrink the iPod nano into an amazingly small design that is instantly wearable with its built-in clip," Jobs said.
The nano -- available in silver, graphite, blue, green, orange, pink and red -- costs $149 for 8GB and $179 for 16GB.
iPod shuffle: The shuffle, meanwhile, gets a clickable control pad.
"We're making the iPod shuffle even better by combining clickable buttons and VoiceOver technology, so users can find and enjoy their music without ever looking at their iPod shuffle," Jobs said.
Available in silver, blue, green, orange and pink with 2GB of storage, it costs $49.
iTunes: Jobs also introduced the new iTunes 10, which adds Ping social networking features geared toward music fans.
"With Ping you can follow your favorite artists and friends and join a worldwide conversation with music's most passionate fans," Jobs said.
The new iTunes 10 is available as a free download today.
And one more thing, Apple TV: Finally, joking that it's actually "one more hobby," Jobs revealed a much smaller and less expensive version of the Apple TV -- which allows for 99-cent TV-show rentals from ABC and Fox, $4.99 movie rentals, and instant streaming for Netflix subscribers.
"This tiny, silent box," Jobs said, "lets users watch thousands of HD movies and TV shows, and makes all of their music, photos and videos effortlessly available on their home entertainment system."
As for the Netflix streaming, the service is available for subscribers who pay $8.99 a month or more. Netflix in recent months has been making deals with Hollywood studios and production houses for the rights to movies and TV shows for the service.
The Apple TV now costs $99 (down from $229 for the previous version). It will ship later this month but can be ordered today.
"The Apple TV appears to fit right into the new wave of Internet-enabled living room devices entering the market," El Segundo research firm iSuppli reported today.
"Apple's second-generation product is expected to make a renewed pitch to penetrate the living room, following three years of lackluster sales since the Apple TV was first introduced in 2006," the firm noted.
Stock prices: In line with broad gains today for tech stocks (more details below), Apple shares closed at $250.73, up $7.23, or 3 percent. Netflix surged $9.39, or 7.5 percent, to $134.91.