SAN FRANCISCO – “The Beat Goes On” was the ultimate slogan for Apple’s music event on wednesday. In Moscone Center (the usual Apple presentation hall), Steve Jobs was pulling out numerous cool new iPod-ish devices. Apart from majorly updating the whole iPod line up, Apple introduced a new iPhone-like iPod, called iPod touch. Oh and of course something scandalous happened in the end!

Once again, Apple is focusing on their music domain products. The iPod shuffle [apple.com] got new colors, that I still have to get used to (The old ones looked prettier somehow!). I don’t know what happened to the flashy old ones; I loved them so much.

No more orange iPod shuffles but a really cool iPod shuffle PRODUCT (RED). That update on the iPod shuffle actually is just a refresh. Still 1 Gig.

The fatty new iPod nano is just amazing since it kind of inherited the features of its former older sibling: video function. It has up to 16 GB flash memory, which is fantastic since it is really small. I am not sure about the proportions of its weight and its height, but yeah the new menu system (plus Cover flow) looks quite promising. That’s why I love to call it fatty. I like the new Ad (music: 1234 by Feist). (Again, the red one is a PRODUCT (RED) [apple.com], that I recommend buying!)

By the way: Speaking of PRODUCT (RED), I found this blog entry that has had an interesting idea on health insurance in America. I saw Sicko and it kinda made me feel uneasy.

Agreeing with Steve on the empty space after iPod, I like the idea of giving the normal iPod a name. Hello iPod classic. Up to 160 GB! Isn’t it just amazing. On your first iPod you could save like 1000 Songs, now you can store 40,000! Steve was amazed by that fact, too. Black or White. Couldn’t make a decision. Both looks classy, hence the name: iPod classic [apple.com]!

What if you took an iPhone and ripp off the touch-screen system and get rid of all its organizing and phone function? There you go. The iPod touch. All new iPhone-like product, that is made for people who love the iPhone, but don’t want to buy a phone (including all the crap that comes with it — monthly plan bills etc.). Unlike the iPhone, the iPod touch is shipping globally, so that is the first touch-thing Apple delivers all around the world. If you are interested in both, the iPhone and the iPod, here’s and article on the striking difference [macrumors.com].

Features of the iPod touch: Wifi ability, web browser Safari, usual iPod, Cover flow, Videos, Photo managing, Contacts, Calender (more infos the iPod touch here — a guided tour [apple.com].

Another feature of the iPod touch and the iPhone is the iTunes Store Wifi, where you are going to buy music on the go. The music downloads directly onto your iPod/iPhone, so no worry, because it is going up to your iTunes library the next time you connect it to your Mac/PC! Wouldn’t it be scary, if Apple had a music event and didn’t release a new version of iTunes (that includes the ability of making Ringtones for your iPhone, by the way).

Music and coffee goes together pretty well. So my favorite companies got together (Apple and Starbucks) and entered a partnership that allows to download (via Starbucks’ high speed Wifi) the latest songs of what you are listening in your Starbucks Coffeehouse. I like this idea, since Starbucks seems to have quite a cool taste of music. This function is part of the iTunes Store Wifi (the access is going to be free for Starbucks customers).Oh and what would an event be without some scandalous announcement.

Apple wanted to be more aggressive for the holiday season (AAAhhh, that’s why they refreshed their whole line up). From now on the iPhone 8GB is going to cost USD 399 (a cut of 200 bucks!); they got rid of the 4 gig model.

For people who bought older versions they introduced a customer loyalty program (an open letter by Steve Jobs): USD 100 back no matter what iPhone you bought before wednesday. “[T]echnology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price”, Steve said in his open letter. Interesting somehow, why would a company do that? Geeez. Apple is not a charity company, so my suspicion’s, that they were sick of the whining of former customers!

Oh and speaking of the iPhone: Not one syllable about the market in Europe, so who knows if T-Mobile really gets the deal!Here is the iPod Line Up for this holiday season.