So Much New Stuff from Apple

If you tuned in to Apple's September 1 keynote, you'll already be aware of all these announcements.  But in case you missed it, here's the recap of all the new happenings.

The bulk of the iPod line received a slew of upgrades - the iPod Touch, Nano and Shuffle all got some exciting new features.  The Nano now has a multitouch screen built-in clip, and the Shuffle got its click controls back (such a good decision, I say).

But the Touch ended up with the most newness - it now has FaceTime and HD video recording, the A4 chip, a 3-axis gyro, Game Center, and up to 40 hours of music and seven hours of video on one battery charge!  And what is this Game Center?  Pretty much exactly what it sounds like.  A new app for devices running iOS 4.1 that lets you play games with friends or matches you up against worthy opponents.

Apple TV also got revamped - it's now switched to a streaming, rental-only model, the device itself is about a quarter of its previous size and half the price, and it now comes with super easy setup - just one cable!  And you can use your iOS device as a remote.

Last on the list is the iTunes 10 update which features Ping, a social network built into the software that follows friends and musicians so you can get new ideas for music and be up on the general goings-on.

It's interesting, though not entirely surprising, to see Apple's move into the social networking realm.  It does make a lot of sense, seeing as how everyone with an iOS device already has iTunes, so they've already got a user base.  Very curious to see if this takes off, and would love to hear thoughts from folks who have spent a lot of time with either Ping or Game Center.