Week in review: Apple steals the show

As two major tech conferences competed for the attention of the gadget-conscious world, it was Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs who stole the spotlight.

In one of the most anticipated gadget announcements in recent years, Jobs kicked off the Macworld Expo by introducing the "iPhone," a mobile device he promised will reinvent the cell phone. The Mac OS X-based iPhone is most akin to an iPod in design, but it enables users to listen to music, make phone calls, send text messages and e-mail, surf the Web, and take and upload photos--all using a wide touch screen and a single button.

Apple plans to make the device available in the United States in June, with a 4GB model going for $499 with a two-year service contract and an 8GB model with the same contract for $599.

Jobs also used his keynote to announce the Apple TV, a home-networking device he first mentioned at a product showcase in September 2006. The device lets users stream content from up to five computers and "autosync" content from iTunes to one computer.