Anna Nicole Smith, a former Playboy centerfold, actress and television personality who was famous, above all, for being famous, but also for being sporadically rich and chronically litigious, was found dead on Thursday in her suite at the Seminole Hard Rock Cafe Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla. She was 39, and the cause of her death was not immediately known.
A personal nurse traveling with Ms. Smith called the hotel operator at 1:38 p.m. to report she had found Ms. Smith alone and unconscious in her sixth-floor suite, the police said. Ms. Smith’s bodyguard arrived a few minutes later, and paramedics who arrived after 2 p.m. tried to revive her with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, they said, but she was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at 2:49 p.m. The office of the Broward County Medical Examiner was to perform an autopsy on Friday morning.
A paramedic with the Hollywood Fire Rescue Department told WTVJ-TV that Ms. Smith was not breathing when he and other rescue workers arrived in her suite, and that they had tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to restore her heartbeat.
“There was just no way of knowing how long she’d been down before she was discovered,” the paramedic, Capt. Dan Fitzgerald, told the television station. He said Ms. Smith’s companion, Howard K. Stern, was in the room when the rescue team arrived and had provided her medical history.
A lawyer for Ms. Smith, Ronald Rale, said she had complained of flulike symptoms earlier in the week and was “run down” from her recent troubles, including the death of her 20-year-old son and a paternity suit over her infant daughter. Mr. Rale would not say why she was visiting Florida, but a spokesman for the hotel, a flashy, sprawling complex on Seminole Indian land, said Ms. Smith had stayed there several times since it opened in 2004.
“She was trying her hardest,” Mr. Rale said in a packed news conference at his law office in Los Angeles. “I grieve for Anna Nicole that she had to endure what she had to endure. I just pray that that’s not what precipitated this.”The product of a hardscrabble Texas girlhood, Ms. Smith, at least in her mature years, was obtrusively voluptuous and almost preternaturally blonde. A ninth-grade dropout, she rose quickly from life as a small-town wife and mother to a high-profile career as a topless dancer; pinup; model; film actress; reality-show star; clothing designer; product endorser; and, briefly but most notably, wife of a tycoon nearly four times her age in a marriage that would eventually propel her to the United States Supreme Court in a fight over his billion-dollar estate.
For gossip columnists and supermarket tabloids, Ms. Smith’s life provided endless fodder. She often found herself in court, as either the complainant or the defendant. She publicly battled bankruptcy, drug addiction and wild fluctuations in her weight. And she was much in the headlines last fall when, over three days, her second child was born and her first died abruptly.
Ms. Smith was widely known to television viewers as the star of “The Anna Nicole Show,” broadcast on the E! network from 2002 to 2004. The show chronicled the minutiae of its heroine’s daily life, which showed her on visits to her dentists and giving Prozac to her dog. Ms. Smith was also familiar as a spokeswoman for TrimSpa, a diet supplement. (In a class-action suit filed in Los Angeles this month, Ms. Smith and TrimSpa’s manufacturer were accused of false and misleading marketing.)
She appeared in several movies, among them “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and “Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult” (1994). Her other cinematic credits include “Playboy Video Playmate Calendar” (1993); and “Playboy’s 50th Anniversary Celebration” (2003).
Ms. Smith was born Vickie Lynn Hogan on Nov. 28, 1967, in Mexia, Tex. Her parents divorced when she was an infant, and her mother, Virgie, a police officer, reared her alone. When she was a teenager, she married Billy Smith, a 16-year-old fry cook. Their son, Daniel, was born in 1986; the couple divorced in 1987.
Ms. Smith worked as a waitress, later becoming a topless dancer in Houston. After submitting photos to Playboy, she appeared on the cover of the March 1992 issue. In 1993, she was named Playmate of the Year.
In 1994, Ms. Smith married J. Howard Marshall II, a Texas oil billionaire and former professor of trusts and estates at Yale Law School whom she had met in the course of her dancing career. She was 26; he was 89. Married life for Ms. Smith was a bounteous stream of clothes and jewelry.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Anna Nicole Smith Dies in Florida
Anna Nicole Smith, the pneumatic blonde whose life played out as an extraordinary tabloid tale -- jeans model, Playboy centerfold, widow of an octogenarian billionaire, reality-show subject, tragic mother -- died Thursday after collapsing at a hotel. She was 39.
She was stricken while staying at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and was rushed to a hospital. Edwina Johnson, chief investigator of the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, said the cause of death was under investigation and an autopsy would be done on Friday.
She was stricken while staying at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and was rushed to a hospital. Edwina Johnson, chief investigator of the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, said the cause of death was under investigation and an autopsy would be done on Friday.
Italians to play soccer with no fans
ROME - Only six soccer stadiums in Italy meet security requirements, meaning that league games in other arenas will be played behind closed doors.
The Olympic Stadium in Rome made the list that was drawn up during a meeting of security and sports officials Thursday, while the San Siro stadium in Milan did not, the Interior Ministry said.
The other stadiums that were deemed safe were in Genoa, Siena, Cagliari, Turin and Palermo. Arenas in Florence, Naples and Bologna were among the 25 considered unsafe.
Officials said, however, that further checks on the stadiums would be carried out in the coming days. The officials also banned all night matches in the Serie A and in the lower divisions.
The Olympic Stadium in Rome made the list that was drawn up during a meeting of security and sports officials Thursday, while the San Siro stadium in Milan did not, the Interior Ministry said.
The other stadiums that were deemed safe were in Genoa, Siena, Cagliari, Turin and Palermo. Arenas in Florence, Naples and Bologna were among the 25 considered unsafe.
Officials said, however, that further checks on the stadiums would be carried out in the coming days. The officials also banned all night matches in the Serie A and in the lower divisions.
Bears Fan Loses Bet and Changes Name
Scott Wiese, a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, will legally change his name to that of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning after signing a pledge in front of a crowd at a Decatur bar last Friday night. He vowed to adopt Manning's name if the Bears lost Sunday's Super Bowl.
The final score was Colts 29, Bears 17.
So on Tuesday, Wiese went to the Macon County Courts Facility and started the process of changing his name.
"I made the bet, and now I've got to keep it," said the 26-year-old, who lives in Forsyth, just north of Decatur.
Wiese will now have to advertise his intention in the local newspaper - the Herald & Review - for several weeks and then have a judge give him the OK to become, legally anyway, Peyton Manning.
The men have little in common, Wiese acknowledges.
Manning the quarterback is 30 years old, stands 6-foot-5 and has a contract with the Colts worth more than $100 million.
Wiese is 5-foot-11 and works at a Staples office-supply store for somewhat less.
"I think I kind of represent all Bears fans," he said. "Not that I'm saying they're all idiots like me, but I represent their passion because I really care about my team, you know?"
While he pledged to take on the new identity, Wiese didn't make any promises about how long he would keep it.
The final score was Colts 29, Bears 17.
So on Tuesday, Wiese went to the Macon County Courts Facility and started the process of changing his name.
"I made the bet, and now I've got to keep it," said the 26-year-old, who lives in Forsyth, just north of Decatur.
Wiese will now have to advertise his intention in the local newspaper - the Herald & Review - for several weeks and then have a judge give him the OK to become, legally anyway, Peyton Manning.
The men have little in common, Wiese acknowledges.
Manning the quarterback is 30 years old, stands 6-foot-5 and has a contract with the Colts worth more than $100 million.
Wiese is 5-foot-11 and works at a Staples office-supply store for somewhat less.
"I think I kind of represent all Bears fans," he said. "Not that I'm saying they're all idiots like me, but I represent their passion because I really care about my team, you know?"
While he pledged to take on the new identity, Wiese didn't make any promises about how long he would keep it.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Steve Jobs...
With the stunning global success of Apple’s iPod music player and iTunes online music store, some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management (DRM) system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPods. Let’s examine the current situation and how we got here, then look at three possible alternatives for the future.
To begin, it is useful to remember that all iPods play music that is free of any DRM and encoded in “open” licensable formats such as MP3 and AAC. iPod users can and do acquire their music from many sources, including CDs they own. Music on CDs can be easily imported into the freely-downloadable iTunes jukebox software which runs on both Macs and Windows PCs, and is automatically encoded into the open AAC or MP3 formats without any DRM. This music can be played on iPods or any other music players that play these open formats.
The rub comes from the music Apple sells on its online iTunes Store. Since Apple does not own or control any music itself, it must license the rights to distribute music from others, primarily the “big four” music companies: Universal, Sony BMG, Warner and EMI. These four companies control the distribution of over 70% of the world’s music. When Apple approached these companies to license their music to distribute legally over the Internet, they were extremely cautious and required Apple to protect their music from being illegally copied. The solution was to create a DRM system, which envelopes each song purchased from the iTunes store in special and secret software so that it cannot be played on unauthorized devices.
for more click here
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
the best place to hide your money !!!!...FROM A BURGLAR
I had quite the interesting conversation this weekend with a person who happened to be a former burglar. It was great timing because I was wondering if something like the skid mark underwear for hiding money would really work. I also figured that if you wanted to know the best place to hide your money from a burglar, a former burglar was the person to ask.
I started off simply and was not surprised by the answer to the question “where is the best place to hide your money?”
“At the bank,” he said with a sly grin
When I rephrased and asked where the best place to hide money and valuables in the house would be if you had such items there, I was taken a bit by surprise by his answer:
“It doesn’t matter how clever you think you are or where you hide it in your house, if I have enough time, I would be able to find where you stash your valuables,” he said bluntly. He then explained that what was much more important than the actual place where you hide your valuables is that you understand a burglar’s motivations. Basically, he has two:
1. To steal your money and valuables
2. To get out of the house as quickly as possible with these goods
When you begin to think of it from this perspective, how you should hide your money changes a bit. Obviously, you don’t want to leave all your money in the places where the burglar will first look: dresser drawers, drawers by phones, desks, closets, a safe (if not bolted down), boxes, jewelry boxes, purse, etc.). That being said, you also don’t want to hide all of your money too well for the following reason:
If I can’t find money and valuables in the normal places I usually find them, I would continue to tear the house apart until I found something. Remember, the first rule is to to steal money and valuables. We’ll keep looking until we find something.”
Your best strategy, then, is to actually leave some money in obvious places for the burglar to quickly find (the same applies if you keep all your money in the bank). This can not only save your other stash of money, but may actually keep the burglar from destroying your place as he looks for where you have hidden your money. If they believe they may have found the cash that you have in the house, they are much less likely to keep looking (remember, they want to get out asap). In the end, if you hide all your money well, you may win a moral victory in not letting the burglar find the money, but you’ll likely have much more damage done to your place that will end up costing you more in the long run.
The next obvious question was “How much money should you leave for the burglar to find?”
“It depends on the area where you live. If you are in a upscale community and only leave $100, I would assume there is more and keep looking. In a different part of town $100 would convince me I found all the money that was there and leave.”
Astronaut in Love Triangle Charged With Attempted Murder
A NASA astronaut accused of trying to kidnap a romantic rival for a space shuttle pilot's affections was charged with attempted first degree murder Tuesday.
"The intent was there to do serious bodily injury or death,'' Jones said, referring to a new steel mallet, knife, rubber tubing and large garbage bags that police found in her possession.
Lisa Marie Nowak, a Navy captain and married mother of three, had already been charged with attempted kidnapping, attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery, and a judge had said Tuesday morning that she could be freed on $15,500 bail provided she stay away from the other woman and wear a monitoring device.
She was about to be released when she was notified that she wouldn't be going anywhere, Orange County jail spokesman Allen Moore said.
290 People Run Up Empire State Building
Germany's Thomas Dold, 22, won the Empire State Building Run-up on Tuesday for the second year in a row.
Suzy Walsham, 33, of Singapore, won the women's competition.
A total of 290 runners from around the world, ranging in age from 18 to 77, competed in the 30th annual race up the famed skyscraper.
Dold's winning time of 10 minutes, 25 seconds was just over his 2006 time of 10 minutes, 19 seconds.
Another German, 23-year-old Jahn Mattias, came in second with a time of 10 minutes, 56 seconds.
Walsham won the women's competition with a time of 13 minutes, 12 seconds, narrowly beating American Cindy Moll-Harris, 38, of Indianapolis, who was second among the women at 13 minutes, 24 seconds.
The runners raced up 86 floors, or 1,576 steps, from the building's Art Deco lobby.
Suzy Walsham, 33, of Singapore, won the women's competition.
A total of 290 runners from around the world, ranging in age from 18 to 77, competed in the 30th annual race up the famed skyscraper.
Dold's winning time of 10 minutes, 25 seconds was just over his 2006 time of 10 minutes, 19 seconds.
Another German, 23-year-old Jahn Mattias, came in second with a time of 10 minutes, 56 seconds.
Walsham won the women's competition with a time of 13 minutes, 12 seconds, narrowly beating American Cindy Moll-Harris, 38, of Indianapolis, who was second among the women at 13 minutes, 24 seconds.
The runners raced up 86 floors, or 1,576 steps, from the building's Art Deco lobby.
A New Boss at NBC, and Even Newer Issues
When Jeff Zucker is named the new chief executive of NBC Universal today, succeeding Bob Wright, he will be completing one of the most spectacular ascents of any recent media executive: from part-time sports researcher in 1986 to corporate C.E.O two decades later.And now for the hard part.
According to NBC executives, Hollywood producers and agents, and many of the financial analysts who follow NBC, Mr. Zucker, 41, faces many pressing issues. Foremost among them: how he will deal with the rapid technological and financial changes that are throwing many traditional media businesses into upheaval. He will also have to choose a team of executives to back his efforts as he sets a new direction for the company.
Mr. Zucker will answer questions about his supporting cast today shortly after he is formally named C.E.O., a senior NBC executive said yesterday.
Mr. Zucker is leaving the job he currently holds, president of the NBC Universal Television Group, but no one will be named to fill that job, the NBC executive said.
But Mr. Zucker is expected to elevate three other senior NBC executives, effectively dividing many of his current responsibilities among them.
According to NBC executives, Hollywood producers and agents, and many of the financial analysts who follow NBC, Mr. Zucker, 41, faces many pressing issues. Foremost among them: how he will deal with the rapid technological and financial changes that are throwing many traditional media businesses into upheaval. He will also have to choose a team of executives to back his efforts as he sets a new direction for the company.
Mr. Zucker will answer questions about his supporting cast today shortly after he is formally named C.E.O., a senior NBC executive said yesterday.
Mr. Zucker is leaving the job he currently holds, president of the NBC Universal Television Group, but no one will be named to fill that job, the NBC executive said.
But Mr. Zucker is expected to elevate three other senior NBC executives, effectively dividing many of his current responsibilities among them.
Apple Inc. and The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. Enter into New Agreement
CUPERTINO, California and LONDON—Apple® Inc. and The Beatles’ company Apple Corps Ltd. are pleased to announce the parties have entered into a new agreement concerning the use of the name “Apple” and apple logos which replaces their 1991 Agreement. Under this new agreement, Apple Inc. will own all of the trademarks related to “Apple” and will license certain of those trademarks back to Apple Corps for their continued use. In addition, the ongoing trademark lawsuit between the companies will end, with each party bearing its own legal costs, and Apple Inc. will continue using its name and logos on iTunes®. The terms of settlement are confidential.
Commenting on the settlement, Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO said, “We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks. It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future.”
Commenting on the settlement on behalf of the shareholders of Apple Corps, Neil Aspinall, manager of Apple Corps said, “It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on. The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc. every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them.”
Commenting on the settlement, Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO said, “We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks. It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future.”
Commenting on the settlement on behalf of the shareholders of Apple Corps, Neil Aspinall, manager of Apple Corps said, “It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on. The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc. every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them.”
Monday, February 05, 2007
Temperatures Stay Below Freezing -- Feels Colder
AccuWeather is calling for Monday afternoon to be sunny and windy with a high of 18 degrees, with AccuWeather RealFeel temperatures near zero.
Monday night was expected to be mainly clear, breezy and frigid, with a low of 8 degree in Midtown and lows of 0 degrees in the suburbs. The AccuWeather RealFeel temperatures will be between 10 and 20 below zero.
AccuWeather forecast Tuesday as partly sunny and windy, a high of 22 degrees. Wednesday and Thursday were expected to be more of the same except higher peak temperatures of 29 degrees.
Experts say bitterly cold weather can be dangerous if you are not properly prepared. That means dress in layers and put on gloves and hats.
Frostbite can develop rather quickly on any exposed skin
Monday night was expected to be mainly clear, breezy and frigid, with a low of 8 degree in Midtown and lows of 0 degrees in the suburbs. The AccuWeather RealFeel temperatures will be between 10 and 20 below zero.
AccuWeather forecast Tuesday as partly sunny and windy, a high of 22 degrees. Wednesday and Thursday were expected to be more of the same except higher peak temperatures of 29 degrees.
Experts say bitterly cold weather can be dangerous if you are not properly prepared. That means dress in layers and put on gloves and hats.
Frostbite can develop rather quickly on any exposed skin
Rudy Moves One Step Closer
Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor whose popularity soared after his response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, moved closer to a full-fledged campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday. In a sign that he's serious about running for the White House, the two-term mayor was filing a so-called "statement of candidacy'' with the Federal Election Commission.
Doctor gives stripper a hand -- literally
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A doctor pleaded guilty on Thursday to stealing a severed hand, which he gave to a stripper who displayed it in her New Jersey apartment.
Ahmed Rashed faces five years probation for stealing the hand in 2002 from a cadaver at a New Jersey medical school, an assistant prosecutor for Middlesex County said on Thursday.
Rashed practices medicine at a hospital in Los Angeles and stole the hand while studying in New Jersey, the prosecutor said.
The woman kept the hand in a jar of formaldehyde in her apartment where it was discovered by police during an unrelated investigation.
Ahmed Rashed faces five years probation for stealing the hand in 2002 from a cadaver at a New Jersey medical school, an assistant prosecutor for Middlesex County said on Thursday.
Rashed practices medicine at a hospital in Los Angeles and stole the hand while studying in New Jersey, the prosecutor said.
The woman kept the hand in a jar of formaldehyde in her apartment where it was discovered by police during an unrelated investigation.
Apple suggests iTunes users delay Vista upgrade
Apple Inc. is urging some iPod and iTunes users to hold off on upgrading computers to Windows Vista, warning that the iTunes music software may not work well with the new operating system from rival Microsoft Corp.
Apple said iTunes may work with many Vista computers, but the company knows of some compatibility problems and recommends that users wait until it resolves the issues with an iTunes update in the next few weeks, the company said in a statement provided Friday by spokesman Derick Mains. The iTunes software is key to synching music on computers with iPod portable players.
Microsoft launched Vista, its first major overhaul of Windows in five years, on Tuesday.
Though Microsoft and Apple are partners in some cases - iTunes works with Windows PCs and Microsoft Office has a version for Macs - the two are also entrenched rivals. With Vista's launch, Apple ramped up its ad campaign attacks against Windows.
Apple said iTunes may work with many Vista computers, but the company knows of some compatibility problems and recommends that users wait until it resolves the issues with an iTunes update in the next few weeks, the company said in a statement provided Friday by spokesman Derick Mains. The iTunes software is key to synching music on computers with iPod portable players.
Microsoft launched Vista, its first major overhaul of Windows in five years, on Tuesday.
Though Microsoft and Apple are partners in some cases - iTunes works with Windows PCs and Microsoft Office has a version for Macs - the two are also entrenched rivals. With Vista's launch, Apple ramped up its ad campaign attacks against Windows.
Friday, February 02, 2007
The Ministry, filming in the Astoria Park.
The New Harvey Keitel movie was being filmed by the Astoria Park in Astoria, Queens the other night. John Leguizamo is playing a cop.
stay tune for more news,,,,,,,,,
Adobe Releases Photoshop Lightroom 1.0
Adobe's new professional workflow and RAW-image-processing program will be available for an introductory price through April.
After a year-long beta period, Adobe has released the final version of Photoshop Lightroom 1.0, a program designed to enable professional photographers to process and manage large volumes of image files. PopPhoto.com got an advance copy of the software, and our Hands On report can be found here.
In addition to providing workflow and file-management tools, Lightroom offers advanced raw file processing functions. The software currently supports 150 camera RAW formats, in addition to JPEG, TIFF, and the DNG archival raw format. Lightroom 1.0 includes new features that were added after the last beta version, 4.1, including advanced keyword tools, improved importing and file-management capabilities, enhanced versioning tools, and a Key Metadata Browser.
Lightroom is available in both Mac and Windows versions, and is a Universal Binary application that can run natively on PowerPC and Intel-based Macintosh systems. The program can be pre-ordered at www.adobe.com/store for an introductory price of $199 through April 30, 2007. It will become available to purchasers in mid-February 2007. When the introductory price expires, Lightroom will be available for an estimated street price of $299. Current users of the Lightroom beta will have access to the program until February 28, 2007.
After a year-long beta period, Adobe has released the final version of Photoshop Lightroom 1.0, a program designed to enable professional photographers to process and manage large volumes of image files. PopPhoto.com got an advance copy of the software, and our Hands On report can be found here.
In addition to providing workflow and file-management tools, Lightroom offers advanced raw file processing functions. The software currently supports 150 camera RAW formats, in addition to JPEG, TIFF, and the DNG archival raw format. Lightroom 1.0 includes new features that were added after the last beta version, 4.1, including advanced keyword tools, improved importing and file-management capabilities, enhanced versioning tools, and a Key Metadata Browser.
Lightroom is available in both Mac and Windows versions, and is a Universal Binary application that can run natively on PowerPC and Intel-based Macintosh systems. The program can be pre-ordered at www.adobe.com/store for an introductory price of $199 through April 30, 2007. It will become available to purchasers in mid-February 2007. When the introductory price expires, Lightroom will be available for an estimated street price of $299. Current users of the Lightroom beta will have access to the program until February 28, 2007.
Apple's iPhone Stirs Up Would-Be Rivals
Pablo Gonzalez, a Prada shoe-wearing cell phone connoisseur who jumps from one new handset to the next, is ready to ditch his $1,000 touch-screen cell phone for Apple's iPhone when it becomes available in June.
Tark Abed, on the other hand, just got the new Samsung BlackJack smart phone a month ago. The industrial designer at Palo Alto-based Speck Design isn't keen on spending $500 even though he finds the iPhone's sleek interface alluring and innovative.
"I upgraded to an unlimited data plan and got the BlackJack for $149," he said, "and that's a lot of phone already for $149."
Their divergent views underscore why Apple Inc.'s much-hyped seminal cell phone is all the rage and why, at the same time, incumbent rivals are stirred but say they are not shaken.
The iPhone got everybody -- from techie bloggers to late-night TV hosts -- talking when it arrived fashionably late on the wireless communications scene. Would-be rivals are welcoming the challenge but questioning Apple's claim that the iPhone is "revolutionary."
Apple's competitors predict that even as the gadget will likely boost the company's fortunes, it will have limited market share and fall short of the successes Apple has seen with its iPod portable music player. They contend some of the phone's much-touted features -- such as its touch screen, movement sensors and music player -- are not innovative or new.
"They're just jumping into the party where everyone else is," said Peter Skarzynski, a senior vice president at Samsung Electronics Co.'s telecommunications unit in North America.
Apple is getting in at a time when competition in the cell phone business is, as ThinkEquity Partners analyst Jonathan Hoopes puts it, "as hot as Hades."
Because nearly everyone already has a wireless device of some sort, the success of the iPhone will depend on whether Apple's notoriously slick marketing machine can persuade consumers to replace their current phones with an iPhone that costs $500 or more. In some cases they'll have to switch carriers as Apple's gadgets will work only through Cingular Wireless.
Tark Abed, on the other hand, just got the new Samsung BlackJack smart phone a month ago. The industrial designer at Palo Alto-based Speck Design isn't keen on spending $500 even though he finds the iPhone's sleek interface alluring and innovative.
"I upgraded to an unlimited data plan and got the BlackJack for $149," he said, "and that's a lot of phone already for $149."
Their divergent views underscore why Apple Inc.'s much-hyped seminal cell phone is all the rage and why, at the same time, incumbent rivals are stirred but say they are not shaken.
The iPhone got everybody -- from techie bloggers to late-night TV hosts -- talking when it arrived fashionably late on the wireless communications scene. Would-be rivals are welcoming the challenge but questioning Apple's claim that the iPhone is "revolutionary."
Apple's competitors predict that even as the gadget will likely boost the company's fortunes, it will have limited market share and fall short of the successes Apple has seen with its iPod portable music player. They contend some of the phone's much-touted features -- such as its touch screen, movement sensors and music player -- are not innovative or new.
"They're just jumping into the party where everyone else is," said Peter Skarzynski, a senior vice president at Samsung Electronics Co.'s telecommunications unit in North America.
Apple is getting in at a time when competition in the cell phone business is, as ThinkEquity Partners analyst Jonathan Hoopes puts it, "as hot as Hades."
Because nearly everyone already has a wireless device of some sort, the success of the iPhone will depend on whether Apple's notoriously slick marketing machine can persuade consumers to replace their current phones with an iPhone that costs $500 or more. In some cases they'll have to switch carriers as Apple's gadgets will work only through Cingular Wireless.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
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