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| Monday, April 30, 2007 |
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Apple owns up to MacBook battery problems
Issues firmware update, says batteries pose no safety risk
April 29, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Apple Inc. last Friday acknowledged that some batteries in its MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks aren't up to snuff, but said that they posed no safety risk.
The Cupertino, Calif. computer maker issued a firmware fix, dubbed Battery Update 1.2, that users should download and install to deal with problems such as the notebook not recognizing the battery or the battery not charging.
"Apple has recently discovered that some batteries used in its MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks may have battery performance issues," the company said in a statement. "The factors causing the performance issues do not present a safety risk. You may continue to use your current battery."
If the update does not solve a battery's problems, users are to contact Apple, which will determine if the battery will be replaced. At the same time, Apple extended the warranty for batteries in Core Duo MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks to two years.
MacBooks and MacBook Pros purchased from February 2006 to this month may be affected, Apple said.
Battery problems are nothing new for Apple. As long ago as May 2006 reports surfaced of failing MacBook Pro batteries, with Apple quietly replacing defective batteries. Last August, Apple recalled 1.8 million lithium-ion batteries made by Sony Corp., part of a much larger recall of batteries used in notebooks sold by Dell Inc., Toshiba Corp., Lenovo Group Ltd., and most recently, Acer America Corp.
Nor is Apple the only operating system maker to unveil battery performance patches. Last May, Microsoft Corp. issued a fix to Windows XP to correct a power drain of batteries in Core Duo-equipped laptops.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9018199&intsrc=news_ts_head |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:25 PM |
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Jobs dismisses iTune subscription model
Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 7:15 am
Despite all their talk in the Q2 2007 conference call about moving to "subscription-based accounting" for iTunes and Apple TV, head honcho Steve Jobs has once again dismissed the idea of Apple offering an iTunes subscription service.
The latest denial comes in the form of a statement Jobs gave to Reuters in an interview after Apple reported quarterly results on Wednesday. "Never say never, but customers don't seem to be interested in it," said Jobs "The subscription model has failed so far."
Jobs is also on the record saying "People want to own their music."
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=504 |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:00 PM |
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| Monday, April 23, 2007 |
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Apple's interface held to the fire in dubious suit
By Aidan Malley
Published: 12:00 AM EST
An Illinois-based company and its Nevada partner have filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc., alleging that Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" treads on an interface patent that affects the operating system's nearly universal use of tabs.
Little-known intellectual property agency IP Innovation LLC and its parent Technology Licensing Corporation this week became the latest to claim that Apple had abused a patent they hold.
Filed April 18th in a US district court in Marshall, Texas -- a town frequently recognized as the preferred home for lawsuits by companies that hoard property claims -- the four-page formal complaint purports that Apple has engaged in "willful and deliberate" infringement of a computer control patent by selling its current Tiger operating system.
IP Innovation is demanding a jury trial and asks for reparations for perceived damages which "exceed $20 million," according to the suit. It also seeks an injunction that would prevent the California-based defendant from infringing on the patent, essentially blocking Apple from continuing to sell its current edition of Mac OS X and any future editions that might draw on the supposed infringements.
The reported violation is an exceptionally specific one. It refers to a single US Patent Office filing originally made by Xerox researchers for a "User Interface with Multiple Workspaces for Sharing Display System Objects" -- and, in turn, a lone claim within that patent.
The disputed section refers to the technique of creating a window on a computer's screen with controls that switch between views of multiple associated display objects within the window, erasing one view as the user selects another while still giving a spatial frame of reference and the same general interface during the switch.
While IP Innovation doesn't refer to any one feature of the Mac OS as copying the interface technique, the central claim may potentially apply to any of several approaches to navigating software used by Apple in Finder and its companion program. Category dividers triggered by Spotlight searches, as well as page tabs in the Safari web browser, bear the closest similarity to the now 20-year-old description.
Apple's Spaces virtual desktop feature set to arrive in Mac OS X Leopard would not be affected by the conditions of the immediate lawsuit.
Numerous questions remain unanswered in the legal motion and the associated patent, including subjects of prior art, ownership, and timing. Originally filed in 1987, the patent was last updated in December of 1991 with Xerox as the lone corporate owner -- nearly 14 years before the allegedly infringing software was released. The plaintiff in the new case has also chosen to make its case almost exactly two years after Tiger's April 2005 introduction and just months before the projected October release of Leopard, which should phase Tiger out of the market.
Regardless of the individual merits of the case, Apple has so far chosen to remain silent on the matter after having received notice of the impending court case earlier this week.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/04/21/apples_interface_held_to_the_fire_in_dubious_suit.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:00 PM |
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Apple TV: too simple by half
April 22, 2007
As someone who's used PCs for over a decade, it's in my blood to hate anything that emanates from the slick-and-glitzy edifice otherwise known as Apple HQ.
Now, I appreciate that PCs can be a touch dull. And of course, I know that installing almost any intriguing new product is going to take a minimum of a weekend.
And yes that's before you consider the multitude of bugs and glitches that'll plague you for months, seemingly daring you to hurl your pride and joy at the wall.
But as a PC person I like to think that it's good we're forced to fix so many of our own problems. It breeds self-reliance. If PC users had to build their own houses, for instance, the first effort might have a chimney in the goldfish pond and a garage in the dining room, but we'd learn from our mistakes and next time we'd be able to build something better.
I don't know who constructed the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal, but you can bet their modern-day equivalents would be feverish PC enthusiasts. Mac users are so used to having everything running smoothly out of the box that they're defeated by a job as simple as taking a stand off a monitor.
Of course, not everyone will agree and, as the IT population collides with the cosy world of home entertainment, even grizzled PC users can see the need to push ease of use to the forefront.
But while many users adore the usability of the iPod and just about every Mac operating system, sometimes this simplicity stretches a little too far. Sometimes it clouds Apple's judgement.
Take the brand-new Apple TV. On the face of it, this could be the bridge between a computer and a home entertainment system, allowing a user with virtually no technological expertise to beam movies and songs from PC to hi-fi or TV. The Apple TV is elegant and easy to use. But it has big flaws for UK users.
Most standard-definition televisions need an expensive converter to work with Apple TV, and the combination of poor video content on the UK iTunes site and Apple TV's lack of support for DivX currently torpedoes any attempt to use the Apple TV for viewing video content. This amounts to one rather expensive (and non-portable) audio and picture player.
Perhaps Apple has been too simple for its own good. Now that's not a criticism you'll ever see levelled at a PC product.
This article appears in the June 07 issue of PC Advisor, available now in all good newsagents.
Posted by: Robin Morris
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=851&blogid=4 |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:12 PM |
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MacBook hacked in contest at security event
By Joris Evers, CNET News.com
23 April 2007 09:20 AM
Software engineer Shane Macaulay hacked into a MacBook through a zero-day security hole in Apple's Safari browser, winning a free laptop in the process. The computer was one of two offered as a prize in the "PWN to Own" hack-a-Mac contest at the CanSecWest conference in Vancouver, Canada.
The successful attack on the second and final day of the contest required a conference organiser to surf to a malicious Web site using Safari on the MacBook -- a type of attack familiar to Windows users. CanSecWest organisers relaxed the rules Friday after nobody at the event had breached either of the Macs on the previous day.
Macaulay teamed with Dino Dai Zovi, a security researcher until recently with Matasano Security. Dai Zovi, who has previously been credited by Apple for finding flaws in Mac software, found the Safari vulnerability and wrote the exploit overnight in about nine hours, he said.
"The vulnerability and the exploit are mine," Dai Zovi said in a telephone interview from New York. "Shane is my man on the ground."
Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox declined to comment on the MacBook hack specifically, but provided Apple's standard security comment: "Apple takes security very seriously and has a great track record of addressing potential vulnerabilities before they can affect users."
Dai Zovi plans to apply for a US$10,000 bug bounty TippingPoint announced on Thursday if a previously unknown Apple bug was used. "Shane can have the laptop, I want the money," Dai Zovi said. TippingPoint runs the Zero Day Initiative bug bounty program.
A TippingPoint representative said the company would pay, after looking at the vulnerability. "If it is an actual zero-day in Safari that's fine with us," said Terri Forslof, manager of security response at TippingPoint.
The successful hack comes a day after Apple release its fourth security update for Mac OS X this year. The update repairs 25 vulnerabilities.
CanSecWest organisers set up the MacBooks connected to a wireless router and with all security updates installed, but without additional security software or settings.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/hardware/soa/-MacBook-hacked-in-contest-at-security-event/0,130061702,339275010,00.htm |
| posted by Perimbean @ 10:30 AM |
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| Sunday, April 22, 2007 |
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Dell offers XP again amidst Vista complaints
Users ask to party like its 2001
By Austin Modine in Mountain View
Published Friday 20th April 2007 22:59 GMT
Dell is to once again offer Windows XP on new systems, responding to online customer complaints. The decision reverses a Vista-only policy the PC seller has moved to since the release of Microsoft's latest OS. The move is a reaction to online complaints at Dell's recently-launched Ideastorm website.
At Ideastorm, users can create or vote on suggestions to the company (in the courteous and thoughtful manner the internet is known for). Most of the complaints on the site regard a lack of OS options.
The most popular Vista-phobic post and the one that got the company's attention is "Dont [sic] eliminate XP just yet" which received 12,228 supporting "points." (The scoring process on the site is extremely convoluted. According to the site, each vote bumps the score by 10 points. This would mean either there's something else unsaid in the woodwork, or there's 1,222 and eight tenths of a person who wants XP. On an slightly unrelated note, a post asking for Linux support is the most popular with 125,126 votes.)
Dell manager Lionel Menchaca noted the complaint on his Dell blog and announced customers can now purchases XP Home or Pro on certain Dimension desktops and Inspiron notebooks.
The models are: Dimension E520 and E521 desktops, and Inspiron 1501, E1405, E1505, and E1705 notebooks
The XP option is available only to US customers.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is showing its poker face regarding the development.
"Dell is responding appropriately to a small minority of customers that had this specific request," Microsoft product manager Michael Burk said in a statement. "But, as they have said before, the vast majority of consumers want the latest and greatest technology, and that includes Windows Vista."
Manufacturers will only be able to pre-install XP on systems until Jan. 31, 2008 when Microsoft will force them to switch no matter what internet denizens ask for. ®
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/20/dell_offers_xp_again/ |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:58 AM |
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Microsoft admits Vista failure
Actions speak louder than PR
By Charlie Demerjian in Beijing: Saturday 21 April 2007, 12:20
WITH TWO OVERLAPPING events, Microsoft admitted what we have been saying all along, Vista, aka Windows Me Two (Me II), is a joke that no one wants.
It did two unprecedented things this week that frankly stunned us.
Dell announced that it would be offering XP again on home PCs. The second that Vista came out, Microsoft makes it very hard for you to sell anything other than Me II. It can't do this on the business side because it would be laughed out the door, but for the walking sheep class, well, you take what you are shovelled.
This is classic abusive monopoly behaviour, Microsoft wrote the modern book on it. It pulled all the major OEMs in by twisting their arms with the usual methods, and they again all fell into line. Never before has anyone backpedalled on this, to do so would earn you the wrath of Microsoft.
But Dell just did. This means that Me II sales are at least as bad as we think, the software and driver situation is just as miserable, and Dell had no choice but to buck the trend. If anyone thinks this is an act of atonement for foisting such a steaming pile on us, think again, it doesn't care about the consumer.
What happened is, the OEMs revolted in the background and forced Microsoft's hand. This is a big neon sign above Me II saying 'FAILURE'. Blink blink blink. OK, Me II won't fail, Microsoft has OEMs whipped and threatened into a corner, it will sell, but you can almost hear the defectors marching toward Linux. This is a watershed.
The other equally monumental Me II failure? Gates in China launching a $3 version of bundled XP. Why is this not altruism? Well, it goes back to piracy and how it helped enforce the MS monopoly. If you can easily pirate Windows, Linux has no price advantage, they both cost zero.
With Me II, Microsoft made it very hard to pirate. It is do-able, you can use the BIOS hack and probably a host of others, but the point is, it raised the bar enough so lots of people have to buy it. Want to bet that in a country with $100 average monthly salary, people aren't going to shell out $299 for Me II Broken Edition?
What did MS do? It dropped the price about 100x or so. I can't say this is unprecedented, when it made Office 2003 hard to pirate it had to backpedal with the student edition for about $150. This time though, things are much more desperate.
If you fit Microsoft's somewhat convoluted definition of poor, it still wants to lock you in, you might get rich enough to afford the full-priced stuff someday. It is at a dangerous crossroads, if its software bumps up the price of a computer by 100 per cent, people might look to alternatives.
That means no Me II DRM infection lock in, no mass migration to the newer Office obfuscated and patented file formats, and worse yet, people might utter the W word. Yes, you guessed it, 'why'. People might ask why it is sticking with the MS lock in, and at that point, it is in deep trouble.
So, it did the unthinkable, and dropped the price. I won't bother to hunt down all the exec quotes saying how people can't afford clean water would be overjoyed to sell kidneys to upgrade to the new version of Office, but they are out there. This was a sacred cow, and it is now hamburger backed up against the wall.
These two actions by Microsoft are proof of what I suggested three years ago. Microsoft has lost its ability to twist arms, and now it is going to die. It can't compete on level ground, so is left with backpedalling and discounts of almost 100 times.
What we are seeing is an unprecedented shift of power. It is also an unprecedented admission of failure. And the funniest part about the moves made? They are the wrong things to do. Microsoft is in deep trouble. µ
http://uk.theinquirer.net/?article=39087 |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:56 AM |
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| Friday, April 20, 2007 |
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Apple plugs 25 Mac OS X flaws
By Joris Evers
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: April 19, 2007, 3:18 PM PDT
Apple on Thursday issued a security update for Mac OS X that addresses 25 security flaws in the operating system software.
The security update affects various parts of the operating system, including some third-party components such as the Kerberos authentication technology. The most serious of the vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to gain complete control over an unpatched Mac, Apple said in a security advisory.
The update deals with another trio of zero-day bugs that were disclosed as part of the Month of Apple Bugs in January. Apple has quashed many bugs detailed during the Month of Apple Bugs and Month of Kernel Bugs projects in previous patch releases.
While several of the vulnerabilities repaired by Apple's updates were previously known, it doesn't appear that any attacks exploiting the flaws actually occurred.
Apple has released a Mac OS X security update each month this year. In March, the Cupertino, Calif., company released an update to fix 45 bugs in the operating system. Apple doesn't have a set patch schedule. Last year, the company released two Mac OS X updates in the first four months of the year.
The latest update is available through the Software Update feature in Mac OS X and from Apple Downloads.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61798
http://news.com.com/Apple+plugs+25+Mac+OS+X+flaws/2100-1002_3-6177758.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 9:45 AM |
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There Is Nothing “High-Res” About Apple-EMI’s New Downloads
Jerry Del Colliano
April 19, 2007
Apple and major music label EMI announced a deal to sell slightly more expensive and slightly higher resolution downloads that are DRM free last week. At $1.29 the new downloads will not have the typical encryption that only allows music bought on Apple’s iTunes Music Store to be played on an Apple iPod. These new music files will be compatible on nearly every other MP3 player and like a Compact Disc will be DRM (digital rights management) free as Apple founder, Steven Jobs, called for in a recent open letter to the music business.
The problem is the fact that in their press release dated April 2, 2007 Apple states that their 256 kbps AAC encoding results in audio quality that is “indistinguishable from the original recording.” Suggesting to consumers that 256 kbps downloads are anything close to high-resolution music is truly misleading and highly damaging to the audio business. These are stereo tracks with audio that is audibly worse than the standard set by the Compact Disc (1,411.2 kbps) format launched 25 years ago. Has anyone working with music at Apple heard of Moore’s Law? Products, software and overall applications are supposed to double in speed ever 18 months yet they are selling audio at less than 1982 standards as high-resolution? Anyone who has heard the audio goodness of a high-res format like DVD-Audio (up to 4,608 kbps – uncompressed PCM stereo) knows that Apple is selling the music buying public a bill of goods. While the iPod is without question the most successful audio format or component since the CD, it has also single handedly taken the art from making music – specifically the long standing practice of providing the highest fidelity to consumer formats. Now with downloads being dominated by iTunes and being played back on horrible, stock headphones for an iPod – why should people care about audio quality in stereo let alone music in high-resolution surround?
At this level, Apple – a company known for unabashedly selling $1,799 video monitors when for $299 you can buy a pretty big non-Apple LCD brand monitor – is killing the high-end audio business with its pushing of truly low-resolution audio. Why does an iPod carrying music lover need new speakers, a new amp or new preamp when the best audio they can hope for is less-than-CD quality music? Why should they buy a 7.1 surround system when Apple’s supposedly “high-resolution” Apple TV doesn’t output HD video or music/movie soundtracks in anything other than stereo?
As a long time Apple supporter, the guy who cuts the checks for $3,500 G5 Mac workstations for every AVRev.com desk – I must say I am truly disappointed with the way that Apple has picked the lowest lying fruit as the way they make their multi-billion-dollar mark in the music business. I expect Apple to have worked with an audio partner (not stick with a not-invented-here mentality) like a Dolby or DTS to create a new codec that is better than CD quality yet is a small enough file size that it can easily be downloaded. I know I would pay more for it, as would millions of other consumers – certainly more than $1.29 especially if they also marketed low-cost download options. As a leader in high-end computer technology and a truly superior operating system to anything Microsoft sells including Vista (yes, I bought a computer with Vista already for the office for site testing purposes), I expect Apple to work on a music file format that has both stereo and surround sound tracks ripped onto it. This way, when I’m on an airplane or at the gym, I can listen to high-res stereo with audio quality that rivals that of DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, HD DVD or Blu-ray disc. I expect Apple to find a way to fold down a surround sound mix and someday create an iPod with a digital audio output that when plugged into my theater, could unfold and play music back in 5.1 or 7.1 surround. Would this fantasy iPod be able to fit 10,000 songs on it? Of course not, as with larger files comes the ability to store less music on the unit, but to many users, myself included, I prefer quality to quantity. That to me, as an Apple loyalist, a music fan and technology publisher is what I expect from Apple. In fact, in the spirit of selling $1,799 monitors – how about an Apple music server that has open bays and the ability to endlessly daisy chain units. From there, Apple should be selling music by the genre on hard drives. Can you imagine having the top 500 classic rock albums on a plug and play hard drive that slides right into a bay? You might pay $750 for the drive but would get not just the cream of the crop of singles, special music not found elsewhere, but you would have the ability to download another few hundred songs from iTunes as a credit that comes with the drive. Then you could repeat the same phenomenon with classical, jazz, country, new age and so on. Like the CD in the early 1980s, people would have a reason to buy their music over again. Unlike the 1980s and today – the audio would be in surround sound and high-resolution – not wanna-be-CD or half-resolution DVD that Apple is selling consumers now and suggesting it is real high-resolution audio and video.
http://www.avrev.com/news/0407/19.appleemi052.shtml |
| posted by Perimbean @ 9:15 AM |
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Apple developing active desktop feature for Mac OS X
By Katie Marsal Published: 10:00 AM EST
An enhancement to the Mac OS X operating system under development by Apple looks to pave the way for active desktop pictures, or desktop backgrounds that can include motion graphics and alter themselves based on user actions or the time of the day.
In a patent filing detailing the development, Apple notes that desktop pictures have traditionally been drawn using an image stored in a static picture file that consumes considerable resources in RAM and VRAM (video RAM). In addition, the Mac maker also notes that because desktop pictures are static, transitions between the login screen and the desktop picture are generally abrupt and nonorganic.
Instead of loading a file that contains the desktop image, Apple's design looks to provide for a system and method for opening and retaining a procedural "recipe" and a small set of instructions that can be executed to compute a desktop picture over time. The technique is said to reduce requirements for both VRAM and RAM, hence taking less memory away from the system.
"Because the desktop picture is computed using a procedural recipe, the storage for the desktop picture can be eliminated," Apple wrote. "This includes both main memory (e.g., RAM) and video memory (e.g., VRAM) copies of the picture. Advantageously, using a procedural recipe to compute a desktop picture (or a portion thereof) allows the unused VRAM and RAM to be used for other operations."
The Cupertino-based systems builder goes on to say in the filing that seamless integration between login, the desktop picture, and log out also provides a visual hook that can further distinguish products.
"Since the desktop picture can be computed very quickly using a GPU, it may be made to move on demand," the company explained. "This includes movement, for example, when logging in, logging out, and transitioning to and from a screen saver, providing a seamless experience. It can also include slow movement, such as seen when a soft tree shadow is cast, with the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze, or slow movement over time, or concerted movement to mark the passing of time (e.g., a noticeable change to pattern or color every hour)."
Apple also hinted at an editing tool that could allow desktop picture designers to edit and specify the user experience. "In certain embodiments of the present invention, a single frame may be computed," the company said. "In other embodiments of the present invention, multiple frames may be computed. Furthermore, transitions between frames effectively provide movement of desktop pictures on demand."
A seamless transition from one desktop picture to another may be used to simulate motion or animation, according to the filing, where several gradations may be computed over time. "For example, the color gradation may be computed based on the time of day to mimic the changes in the colors of the sky," Apple wrote.
Aside from the time of the day, a variety of other types of events may be used to effect a change to the desktop picture. "For example," Apple continued. "the desktop picture may change upon a user event, such as launching a predetermined application. For instance, a particular desktop picture may be computed when the application iTunes.RTM. is launched; a different desktop picture may be computed when the application QuickTime.RTM. Player is launched."
Additionally, desktop pictures may change upon exiting a predetermined application, where upon exiting a particular application, the desktop picture may revert to the pervious desktop picture that was displayed just prior to the launching of that application.
As yet another example, Apple said the desktop picture may change after the computer is idle for a particular period of time or when the computer comes out of an idle state. It could similarly change when transitioning to or from a screen saver.
"As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the foregoing examples are provided as just a few examples of the many types of events that may be used to trigger a change in the desktop picture, and are not intended to be an exhaustive list," Apple wrote. "It will be appreciated that various other types of events may be used to trigger a change in the desktop picture and are within the scope of the present invention."
The October 14, 2005 filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office is titled "System and method for computing a desktop picture." It was published for the first time on Thursday with credits to Apple employees Ralph Brunner, Imran Chaudhri, and Mark Zimmer.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/04/19/apple_developing_active_desktop_feature_for_mac_os_x.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:14 AM |
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Controversial Apple iPhone Review Blog Launches iPhone Shop
Technology Press Releases — Press Guy @ 06:44 pm
The popular Apple iPhone news and review blog
www.AppleiPhoneReview.com today launched a new iPhone shop for its readers, offering accessories and books currently available pending the launch of the iPhone itself.
Recent rumors of a possible launch delay for the Apple iPhone haven’t stopped Chris Cano from launching a new iPhone shop attached to his popular but controversial Apple iPhone Review blog. The shop, located at www.AppleiPhoneReview.com/iphone-shop, launched today as a resource for readers of the blog, and will, for the most part, be kept separate from blog posts to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
The Apple iPhone, slated for a June 2007 release, has lately been the subject of several persistent rumors, from speculations of rebates and subsidies on the iPhone to the latest rumors that the iPhone launch may be delayed.
Rumors of delays have been downplayed by Apple, but are based on supposed comments from a source within Foxconn, the Taiwanese manufacturer producing Apple’s iPhone.
The iPhone, according to Apple, “combines three amazing products – a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, Web browsing, maps, and searching – into one small and lightweight handheld device.” Apple stands by its June launch estimates.
Although the iPhone has not yet been released to the public, several accessory products have already hit the market, including iPhone cases, wireless headsets, car adapters and mounts, and even pre-release orders of an iPhone for Dummies book, due out in September.
The new iPhone shop launched in conjunction with AppleiPhoneReview.com will offer iPhone enthusiasts these accessories and more, so as to “begin dressing up their iPhones even before they can buy them,” said Cano.
About Apple iPhone Review:AppleiPhoneReview.com is a popular iPhone blog launched in November 2006 featuring news, reviews and now a shop dedicated to the Apple iPhone. A controversial blog post in February 2006, which leaked a private consumer survey revealing possible iPhone price reductions, first brought AppleiPhoneReview.com to the public eye. The blog is run by Chris Cano, a PC-user who promises readers unbiased news and reviews on the Apple iPhone rather than “the biased ramblings of a ‘gahgah for Apple’ fanboy.”
For more information on Apple iPhone Review or the new iPhone shop, please visit www.AppleiPhoneReview.com or contact Chris Cano at 305-586-4004.
Contact:Chris CanoPhone: 305-586-4004Web: www.AppleiPhoneReview.com
http://press-releases.techwhack.com/9038/iphone-shop/ |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:10 AM |
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BBC to develop iPlayer for Apple
Opening the Corporation's archive to all systems
Iain Thomson, vnunet.com, 19 Apr 2007
The BBC has announced plans to develop an Apple version of its iPlayer software that allows internet users to view archived BBC material.
The corporation is also planning to set up systems whereby set-top box owners can access the BBC content. Freeview boxes will also be catered for under the new plans.
"Getting our BBC iPlayer seven-day catch-up TV service and our archive pilot out on to the web is one thing, but clearly the biggest available audience is sat in front of the television," said BBC Future Media boss Ashley Highfield at a conference in Cannes.
"It will test what old programmes people really want to see - from Man Alive to The Liver Birds - how they want to see them - full length or clip compilations - and when they want them - in 'lean-forward' exploratory mode similar to web surfing, or as a scheduled experience more akin to TV viewing."
The iPlayer will be launched this year after approval from the BBC Trust.
http://www.computing.co.uk/vnunet/news/2188149/bbc-develop-iplayer-apple |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:09 AM |
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AT&T: Apple iPhone to Launch in June
04.19.07
By Reuters
BOSTON (Reuters) - The iPhone, Apple Inc.'s first mobile handset, is on schedule to hit the U.S. market at the end of June, a senior executive with AT&T Inc. said on Wednesday.
AT&T's wireless unit has an exclusive U.S. deal to sell the highly anticipated new handset.
"Our expectations are good. Our testing has been good," said AT&T Chief Operating Officer Randall Stephenson. "The iPhone is on target to launch in June."
The iPhone has become one of the most highly awaited product debuts since Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs demonstrated a prototype of the device in January.
There had been speculation by some blogs and reports that the iPhone could be delayed due to technical issues.
Stephenson said more than 1 million customers have said that they would like to buy one of the phones when they're available for purchase.
He made the comments while in Boston to speak at a Boston College Chief Executives' Club luncheon.
Stephenson said he was not sure how many iPhones will be available at launch.
"We're sorting through that right now," he said. "We got a million people waiting to buy it so we're hoping we get a million."
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2115826,00.asp |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:01 AM |
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| Thursday, April 19, 2007 |
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Apple's Biggest Enterprise Obstacle
By John MartellaroThe Mac Observer 03/05/07 4:00 AM PT
Apple has come a long way in developing its products to better suit enterprise needs. So what's holding it back from making larger inroads to this market? The company has been slow to push into corporations with a defined desktop strategy, and still has no formal division focused on supporting or developing enterprise software. Perception issues also remain.
Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) has continued to make steady inroads into enterprise markets, especially those that have technically astute IT managers. However, the Apple infrastructure, the products of the past, and general customer perception have kept the growth modest, according to Network World last week.
Apple has made steady progress in improving their enterprise offerings. They've moved to the Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) architecture, they've added directory services and hooks to Windows storage , added clustering and storage technology with Xserve RAID and Xsan and added a myriad of open source software to their flagship Mac OS X server. However, John Fontana reports, it still hasn't been enough to generate substantial growth in that market.
'Dramatic Shift' Required
"Despite these goodies, however, Apple isn't pushing into corporations with a defined desktop strategy. The company still does not have a formal division focused on developing software for the enterprise or supporting it," Fontana wrote.
Van Baker, an analyst with Gartner (NYSE: IT) , agreed. "Because of the switch to Intel, success of the Mac OS X, the stability and elegance of the platform, the Mac is a very viable alternative, but it would require a dramatic shift in the company's resource allocation to go after the enterprise," he said.
In some cases the cost of migrating to Vista and supporting software has led to the idea that the migration to Apple would be no more difficult. Tom Gonzales, a network administrator with the Colorado State Employees Credit Union in Denver, said that the thought of moving to Apple is not as scary as it once was.
In fact, Apple has worked hard and steadily expanded the scope and capability of their enterprise software. Fontana pointed out that "OpenLDAP lets the Mac OS X Server plug into Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Active Directory and Novell's (Nasdaq: NOVL) eDirectory. The server's Kerberos infrastructure supports single sign-on, and the platform integrates with NT Domain services, so the server can function as a Primary Domain Controller or Backup Domain Controller in a Windows environment. That configuration lets Windows users authenticate against Mac OS X Server directly from their PC logon."
In addition, the new Apple iCal server (which will be in Leopard Server), when combined with other open source servers, aims to provide many of the capabilities of Microsoft's Exchange server.
AppleTalk Long Gone
The conclusion was that the only thing holding Apple back in the enterprise is Apple.
"To be successful with businesses, they would have to build up an enterprise selling organization if they wanted to gain greater growth in corporate environments," said Tim Bajarin, an analyst with Creative Strategies.
Barring that, it seems to come down to getting Apple products into the hands of the right people and letting the platform woo converts. The passage of time may also lessen the biases of the old-time network managers who still think of Macs as hard to network or that they still use AppleTalk.
Apple has come a long way since those days.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/macenterprise/56067.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:44 AM |
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Apple's Xserve: The Server World's Ugly Duckling?By Walaika HaskinsMacNewsWorld Part of the ECT News Network 04/18/07 4:00 AM PT
Apple stepped into the server market in 2002 with what it called a "humble" entrance, and the market's reaction to the Xserve thus far may be similarly categorized. Its obstacles include the entrenchment of Windows and Linux, along with the difficulty of uprooting an existing infrastructure. However, it's never easy to tell just what Apple is capable of.
Released in 2002, Apple's Xserve marked the end of the company's hiatus from the enterprise server market. Five years later, it is clear Apple has not given up on its ambitions to offer an alternative to Linux and Windows-based x86 servers. However, the fight for Apple is far from won.
Despite the Xserve's struggles, Apple has continued to expand the Xserve line and has rolled out new models in addition to the Xserve G4. January 2004 saw the arrival the G5 and in August 2006, the company launched an Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) Xeon-based Xserve.
With the line now in its fifth generation, with a Quad Xeon 64-bit Xserve on the market, the question is, who is buying the Xserve and who is not? Apple ardently argues its case for incorporating one or more of its servers into a corporate network . Naysayers, on the other hand, make a compelling case cautioning IT departments against such a move.
From 'Humble' Beginnings
In June 2002, when Apple launched the OS X-based, rack mounted Xserve, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the company was "humble" as it entered the market.
"For everything we know, there are 10 things we don't know," he said at the time. As much as Jobs claimed the company did not know, and the company's lack of experience in the business community notwithstanding, reviewers called the Xserve was a serious contender.
Five years later, however, the market has all but shut the door on the server, Gary Chen, a senior analyst at Yankee Group, told MacNewsWorld. "I haven't followed the Xserve in depth, mostly because hardly anyone is using it, at least in the SMB (small and medium-sized business) and mid-markets. [It] could be different in the enterprise, but I doubt it.
"The world is moving towards two platforms -- Windows and Linux," he continued. "Unix will stick around for quite some time, but it's not growing. So I'm not sure where another platform like Apple would fit in an enterprise."
To Intel Inside
The fifth-generation Xserve is powered by the dual-core Intel "Woodcrest" Xeon processor, running at up to 3.0 GHz. The quad-core, 64-bit system provides performance up to five times faster than its predecessor, the Xserve G5.
"It is a major upgrade over the G5, with dramatically more memory bandwidth, dramatically more I/O capability and bringing PCI Express technology to the box," Doug Brooks, program manager for Xserve, told MacNewsWorld. The Xeon Xserve also incorporates new storage capabilities with support not only for Serial ATA (SATA) but also Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) hard drive technologies.
The latest version also sports new and expanded management capabilities above and beyond those offered in the G5 Xserve, which are important to education and business customers. With the switch to Intel, Apple joins other x86 servers; however, Brooks noted, the company has integrated the popular microprocessor into its unique design.
"Today, Xserve can support over 2 TB (terabytes) of internal storage," Brooks stated. "So for customers looking for departmental servers with a lot of storage there is an incredible value."
The fact that Apple owns the entire stack of its server platform -- from the hardware and software to the drivers and firmware -- is a real opportunity for Apple's customers, according to Brooks, because the company can tune the system to be easier to use with greater performance.
"That's a real highlight of Apple owning both the hardware and software," Brooks added. "So, in a way, we consider Mac OS X Server to be our killer application with incredible Unix-based, powerful core operating system with Apple's ease of use. We bring the ease of use a lot of people associate with our desktops to our servers."
Ease of use takes on special meaning, according to Brooks, since for many of Apple customers the Xserve is their first server.
A Windows and Linux World
The problem for Apple and the Xserve is still very much a niche market player, said Laura DiDio, a Yankee Group research fellow. While there has been a modest uptick in Macintosh adoption on the enterprise level, in terms of servers, DiDio concurred with Chen's assessment, adding that it is "a Windows and Linux world." Businesses are already committed, DiDio stated, and if they are not on Windows they have Linux or even Unix.
"It's not a pipe dream, because they have a 5 percent market share for desktops. But for servers, it's hard because there aren't as many Macintosh server applications. It has nothing to do with the technology. Apple has always had very elegant technology. The Mac OS desktop and server are built on Unix. They have very leading edge features."
Another hangup for CIOs and IT managers, according to DiDio, is the inability to justify the perceived costs associated with any Apple hardware. "They were high-priced, and you couldn't cost-justify it."
Just like the average car buyer, CIOs have to have a reason to abandon what they are currently using in favor of a different system, DiDio noted. Most people do not run out to buy a car until their repair bills are too much, the vehicle has been in an accident, or it is simply unreliable. CIOs are in a situation, where good enough is OK. In addition, it is very difficult to rip out and replace an entire infrastructure .
It will really take a lot for them to overcome their niche status, she continued. However, it is not inconceivable that with some good marketing , sales and incentives along the lines of what Apple has done for its desktops, Apple could move up one or two percent in the market.
"But if any company can do it -- it's Apple," DiDio stated. "I've never seen a company that's able to reinvent itself the way Apple has. If they were to really come out with some good prices, good promotional things, they could pick up a percentage point or two."
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Lgc4ls61Ox1SAF/Apples-Xserve-The-Server-Worlds-Ugly-Duckling.xhtml |
| posted by Perimbean @ 1:37 AM |
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Should Apple secure its iPods?
Device could be used for stealing sensitive corporate informationBy Cara Garretson, Framingham Wednesday, April 18 2007
Few corporations are likely to ban iPods in the workplace , but whether Apple and other manufacturers of MP3 players shoulder some responsibility to add security to their devices -- and how effective that security would be -- is a growing debate.
Apple didn't return multiple inquiries asking about its stance on iPod, but plenty of others are talking about what the company should or should not do to prevent its widely popular music player from being used as a data-transfer device for stealing sensitive corporate information. While this unintended use of the iPod is not exclusive to Apple's device -- employees with malicious intent could steal data using any MP3 player, or any removable media for that matter -- Apple has sold more than 100 million iPods, making it the obvious choice.
"My initial reaction was that Apple should have as much responsibility as SanDisk has for securing its USB thumb drives," says Kurt Tappe, Apple certified engineer with JP Morgan Chase, in an e-mail. "But then I remembered that iPods do not come out of their shipping containers with the ability to be used as data drives. The user must explicitly turn that function on in iTunes. To that end, it seems to me that Apple has already gone one step beyond other drive manufacturers."
An extensive search of the iPod and iTunes sections of Apple's website turned up no information about setting the devices for data transfer, but also did not warn against the potential for misuse when iPods are set as such.
Others say Apple may not be responsible for securing its device beyond the basic lock function that it comes with, but offering such features couldn't hurt. This could become particularly important as corporate IT departments begin to consider purchasing other Apple products, such as Mac desktops and servers, in helping Apple build confidence among security-conscious enterprises."
I wouldn't put this responsibility on [Apple] as mandatory; I would prefer to see Apple offer it as an add-on feature and let the market dictate its usefulness," writes Louis Tinto, risk manager and director of technology risk assessment with a large financial-services company, in an e-mail. He stresses that educating employees about corporate policies regarding use of such devices and having workers regularly attest to their understanding of such policies is the best first step to take in protecting against data theft via iPods.
Another important consideration for Apple is that some enterprises are beginning to use iPods as corporate devices and will want to integrate them into their security plans, so offering such protection could become a make-or-break issue for selling into these accounts.
According to a press release issued by NextSentry, which makes desktop software that prevents unauthorised copying of data to removable media and which issued the warning of iPods in the workplace, these devices have been purchased by the thousands by manufacturing companies, financial-services firms and healthcare suppliers as a means to train, educate and inform their employees.
While he believes Apple shouldn't be held responsible for how an iPod is used, one analyst says security should be an element of these types of devices."
Smart, portable devices need protection from malware and misuse just as much as workstations, particularly as they are trusted to perform critical work-related functions," says Trent Henry, a senior Burton Group analyst, in an e-mail exchange. "Even the iPod can hold contacts as part of the operating system features. That's sensitive data that needs protection."
Still others say it's not Apple's place to provide enterprise-level security with a consumer device. Given the product's popularity in its current unsecured state, the company may not need to."
There's no way Apple can anticipate the specific security needs of every Fortune 1000 company out there," says Tom Bennett, vice president of marketing with Oakley Networks, makers of data-leak prevention technology."
I don't believe it is Apple's responsibility to ensure iPods are used for good any more than I believe it is Honda's responsibility to ensure a Civic is never used as a getaway car," agrees Brent Smithurst, vice president of technical operations with Faronics, which makes endpoint-security software for Macs to prevent unauthorised data transfer to devices. "In both cases, the product is only a means of potentially enabling a type of behavior, but is not intended to encourage that behavior."
http://reseller.co.nz/reseller.nsf/news/6379CC5717EEA01CCC2572C100185EC1 |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:52 AM |
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Change your stock practices, shareholders tell Apple
8:33AM, Wednesday 18th April 2007
A filing made by Apple this week indicates that some of its shareholders are asking it to change its stock options practices in light of investigations into irregularities in past grants.
Amalgamated BankLongView Collective Investment Fund and Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds have proposed that stock options granted to senior Apple executives should have an exercise price equal to an average of the opening and closing prices of the underlying stock on the grant date.
The shareholders have also asked that options grant dates should be set and disclosed in advance, according to an Apple filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The request is one of six shareholder proposals due to be voted on at Apple's annual meeting on May 10.
Apple, the maker of the popular iPod digital music players and Macintosh computers, is among dozens of companies under scrutiny for their accounting of stock options granted to executives. The main issue for many companies is whether they changed the date of stock options grants to take advantage of a temporary decline in the underlying share price.
Apple said in December it would take an $84 million charge for misdating more than 6,400 stock options.
The company urged shareholders to vote against the options proposal, saying the policy is unnecessary and would 'hinder the board's ability to attract and retain talented senior executives.'
It also said the proposal does not apply to its current compensation policy, since it has not granted stock options to any senior executives since 2003, relying instead on restricted stock units which have no exercise price.
'If Apple did grant stock options to senior executives in the future, the Board believes that implementation of the proposal could have the unintended consequence of removing or reducing the incentive for executives to increase shareholder value in the short term,' it said in the proxy statement.
Cupertino, California-based Apple previously said an internal review found two questionable options awarded to its Chief Executive Steve Jobs, but found no wrongdoing by him or other current management.
Apple shares rose slightly to $90.35 in premarket trade, compared with its close on Friday at $90.24.
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/110426/change-your-stock-practices-shareholders-tell-apple.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:40 AM |
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Apple Considering Subsidy To Reduce Cost of iPhone
By: Jill Janson
April 18, 2007
Shaw Wu, American Technology analyst, released a research note that cites sources who indicate that Apple is considering a mail-in rebate or carrier subsidy for the iPhone of $50-$150 and is under serious consideration.
"We are hearing rebates of $50-150 that will be offered by AT&T to lower the price points for iPhone (currently $499 for 4 GB and $599 for 8 GB) and to entice customers to sign longer term voice and data contracts," the analyst wrote. "From AT&T's perspective, a rebate is a great marketing tool and small sacrifice to make to entice a customer to sign up for 2-year voice and data cell phone plans that cost about $75-100 per month (before taxes and fees), meaning $1800-2400 in 'guaranteed' bi-annual revenue."
Wu believes Apple will be paid a "bounty" for each AT&T customer who purchases an iPhone through either Apple.com or an Apple retail store. "In addition, Apple will likely participate in a revenue sharing agreement where part of the monthly fee charged to customers will go to Apple ," he explained. "Besides the hardware, Apple 's value added for the iPhone to AT&T is its marketing, customer service, and unique software and features, including visual voicemail and the most complete PC experience on a cell phone."
Announced in January at MacWorld, Steve Jobs indicated the iPhone would be priced at $499 for the 4GB version and $599 for the 8GB iPhone.
Thanks AppleInsider!
http://www.everythingiphone.com/news/iphone-hardware/apple-considering-subsidy-to-reduce-cost-of-iphone-20070418128/ |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:39 AM |
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Is Apple Planning iPhoto for Windows?
by Chris Howard Apr 18, 2007
Six years ago Apple released iTunes, a digital media player. At the time it was Mac only. You would load songs from your CDs and play them on your computer. Nothing new, other apps had been doing that for years, so no one batted an eyelid.
Ten months later though, things started to change. Apple released the first iPod, and guess what, it could download songs from iTunes. With the second generation model another ten months later, Apple introduced Windows support via the third-party app, Musicmatch Jukebox.
In April 2003, the iTunes Music Store hit and the revolution really began to rock and roll. But there was one piece missing in the puzzle to complete the picture. A fire extinguisher and blizzard were required. Apple had to port one of its iLife applications to Windows. Not to say Apple had no previous Windows applications, for instance, Filemaker and Quicktime.
And so, six months later, Apple released a Windows version of iTunes. But iTunes, being part of iLife, was one of the enticements for people to switch, so there was an element of risk.
The risk seems to have paid off, as more than a few switchers, including my friend “Halo Girl,” switched because they were impressed with iTunes. Everyone talked about the iPod halo effect, but it’s possible that iTunes had a significant effect too.
The iPod has been Apple’s effort to conquer the mobile media market, and there’s no question of its success. But would it have succeeded without iTunes for Windows?
The question now, though, is will history repeat itself?
In March, Apple began shipping Apple TV, its device to conquer the non-mobile media market that is found in living rooms.
Reading about the Apple TV and early user experiences made me realize that now more than ever, Apple needs iPhoto for Windows.
Quoting the Apple TV webpage, “Apple TV puts your iTunes library—movies, TV shows, music, and podcasts—plus movie trailers from Apple.com on your TV. And your digital photos from iPhoto on a Mac or Adobe Photoshop Elements or Adobe Album on a Windows PC appear in high definition.”
How long do you think Apple will tolerate that situation of using the Adobe apps for photo viewing on PCs connected to Apple TVs? Mind you, I’m not suggesting any ill will in the Apple-Adobe relationship.
(Now you could point out the iTMS as being crucial to Apple needing a Windows version of iTunes, and since there’s no equivalent for digital photography, is there really a need for iPhoto on Windows?)
It’s about the Apple experience and Apple having control.
iTunes for Windows gave users a taste of the apple and created a more seamless integration with the iPod—whether perceived or real. Plus then Apple also had control over the feature set.
Likewise a Windows version of iPhoto will give users a further taste of the apple and create a more seamless integration with the Apple TV—whether perceived or real. Plus then Apple will also have control over the feature set.
Considering these points, and the ever booming digital photography market, it really can’t be too long before Apple completes the puzzle for Windows using Apple TV owners, and releases iPhoto for Windows.
And then, who knows, maybe Apple will go the whole hog, and port all the iLife apps across.
With Apple TV, now it makes sense.
http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/1926/ |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:36 AM |
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TOM YAGER'S AHEAD OF THE CURVE
April 18, 2007
The method behind Apple's madness
Putting Leopard on the back burner keeps iPhone hot
Apple's decision to push the release of Leopard (OS X 10.5) from June to October is provoking responses ranging from "so what? There are no indispensable new features in Leopard" to "see, I told you that Apple signaled a second-classing of the Mac when it dropped 'computer' from its name!" It's not as simple an issue as that. Apple wouldn't have done this if it didn't have to. Leopard and iPhone needed to ship in June. Strategy had them driving sales for each other, mating iPhone to Leopard the way Apple TV is married to the iTunes Store. Apple was faced with the ugly reality of having neither product go out on time unless it called all hands on deck, the way it did to get Intel Macs out eight months early. I think it was an easy choice. iPhone is a non-product with an installed base of zero, while the Mac and OS X Tiger are out there in ever-growing numbers.
Elite Mac users, especially developers, are clamoring for Leopard, but I'd challenge most prospective Mac buyers who are now in the PC mainstream to name one Leopard feature, or Vista feature for that matter, that they can't live without. Leopard remains the star attraction at WWDC. Commercial developers will be torqued off at having their go-to-market strategies scuttled yet again by the master to whom they've pledged their loyalty. Bummer, but OSes are a bitch to write, and the QA cycle never ends.
In a lot of ways, Leopard will be Apple's first grownup OS, UNIX certified, 64-bit through and through and ready to stare down x64 editions of Vista and Longhorn Server, not to mention other UNIXes from IBM, Sun and HP. Even Intel and Microsoft will have a hard time matching the power of Apple's Xcode 3.0 tools, which will still be free, and the tools and June's feature complete Leopard beta will placate the angry mob. As long as developers can ride the escalator down from the OS X State of the Union session to get their priceless, top secret black cardboard-encased DVDs every year, Apple's still cool with coders.
There is one thing that Apple could do that would get WWDC attendees hugging, howling and high-fiving as they would at the release of Leopard: Rolling out an iPhone SDK (software development kit) at the conference. iPhone runs OS X, presumably a grossly cut-down version of it, but it's entirely possible that developers could write to the overlap between the Mac and iPhone platforms to create client apps and background services that run identically on the desk and on the go. I admit that that's wishful thinking;; there is less flash memory in an iPhone than there is in my BlackBerry, and my BlackBerry isn't even built to sync with iTunes. Apple has also established a track record for keeping non-Mac development goodies to itself. Despite the fact that Apple is selling games for iPod, and users have found hooks in Apple TV for games as well, Apple offers no SDK for either device.
iPhone has been a non-product since Steve Jobs' shallow demo in January '07. Write-ups of the CTIA Wireless conference, where all mobile device makers strut their stuff--literally; there was a fashion show this year--reported that the conference was all about iPhone even though Apple didn't show. Maybe those reporters went to a different show, because iPhone wasn't front of mind for anyone I talked with. While superphones from the likes of Nokia, Samsung, HTC, and Motorola overlapped with iPhone's feature set, that's where the similarities end. Windows Mobile 6, BlackBerry Java and Symbian 9.x, the latter extended by Nokia for its Series 60, 80 and 90 devices, are all highly welcoming of custom software. Service and handset vendors showed live streaming television, embedded six megapixel cameras and wide screens galore. Nokia's even got Python and a fat subset of UNIX APIs (application programming interfaces) called Open C running on its phones. If Apple had let iPhone chill in order to let engineers work overtime on Leopard, there's a good chance that iPhone might have been frozen out of the mobile market. I hope Apple comes through with the dev tools and documentation that would absolutely put iPhone over the top.
http://weblog.infoworld.com/yager/archives/2007/04/the_method_behi.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:31 AM |
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| Tuesday, April 17, 2007 |
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Media and Analysts Comments on Leopard Delay
04:11 PM, April 15th 2007 by Alex Radulescu
Apple’s decision to delay its Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard because of iPhone may be considered the biggest tech news of the last week. In a brief statement Apple acknowledged that even if iPhone has already passed several tests and is on schedule to ship in late June as planned, there is still a lot of work to do. That’s why Apple needs to borrow some key software engineering and QA resources from Mac OS X team. As a consequence, Apple won’t be able to ship its Mac OS X Leopard on June as intended and decided to delay the launch until October this year.
Even in the software and hardware world delaying a product is not such an unusual thing, Apple’s announcement has ignited a lot of comments from media and analysts, especially because this is the second product which was delayed by Apple this year.
Apple TV is was scheduled to be launched in February, as Steve Jobs announced at MacWorld 2007, was delayed until Marc without any explanation from Apple.
With its statement, Apple recognized that iPhone is the most important product for the company. Apple called the delay a "tradeoff". "Finishing (iPhone) on time has not come without a price," the company said.
Apple’s statement was received generally with positive reactions by media and analysts. Peter Cohen from MacWorld noted that the delay gives more time to Apple to present a fully-featured OS and may be a relief also for those involved in software development. “At least some of the people I’ve spoken to, including those involved in Mac OS X application development, are relieved at the delay. It gives them more time to make sure that their code is up to snuff. It also gives Apple more time to resolve any remaining issues, and get developers working on supporting the new features in Leopard. Lest we forget, Apple on Thursday also indicated that it plans to present a complete feature-set to developers who attend WWDC.” wrote Peter Cohen
BusinessWeek considers that a four-month delay is “minor” especially compared with the delays which plagued Windows Vista. “Apple also delayed the launch of Apple TV, which hit store shelves at the end of March. But Leopard's four-month delay is minor compared with the many delays that beset Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows Vista. The system was first due in 2005, but didn't hit store shelves until early 2007.” notes BusinessWeek.
CNET is also making some a parallel between Leopard and Vista. They are quoting Samir Bhavnani, an analyst with Current Analysis, which said that Apple may consider “might consider offering a coupon for an upgrade to Leopard along with purchases of Macs in August and September--similar to what Windows PC companies did when confronted with Vista's delay past the 2006 holiday shopping season”.
Harry McCracken, Editor in Chief of PC World, expressed a similar opinion. “What rational computer user, after all, would prefer to buy and use a product when even its own developer doesn't think it's ready for prime time? I've often expressed that sentiment when Microsoft's Windows ship dates have slip-slided away, so it's only consistent to cut Apple the same slack. I'm a little startled by the company's announcement that it's delaying Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" until October to wrap up work on the iPhone. But I'm okay with the decision--and even though I'm looking forward to getting Leopard for my MacBook, I'll happily bide my time until Apple thinks the OS is fully baked.” said McCracken on his blog.
Eric Zeman from Information Week believes that the reason behind Apple’s decision may be the lack of experience in building mobile phones. “It's interesting to me that whatever team Apple assembled to tackle the iPhone wasn't able to get the job done. It obviously underestimated the difficulty in developing and engineering the product. I would tack some of that up to inexperience. Apple has never made a phone before. They may seem like commoditized technology to some, but cell phones are more sophisticated than many believe.” said Zeman.
The analysts are considering also that Apple’s decision may be seen as positive news. American Technology Research senior analyst Shaw Wu, quoted by MacNN, sees the Leopard delay as a near-term setback. "While Apple cited a shift in resources to iPhone and more time for developers to beta test as reasons for the delay, our analysis indicates that if not for the 'secret' features, the core Leopard operating system would likely have shipped on time," the analyst said. "We believe the extra time Apple is allocating is for developers to test secret features that will likely be revealed at its WWDC 2007 conference starting on June 11, 2007."
Senior analyst Gene Munster of research firm Piper Jaffray also backups up the same conclusion. "The delay will shift an estimated $0.08 earnings-per-share or 2.6 percent (of calendar year 2007) from the June 2007 and September 2007 quarters into the December 2007 and March 2008 quarters ($0.04 from/to each quarter)," said Munster. "Apple reaffirmed the on-time arrival of the iPhone in June as part of the announcement, which we see as a positive that outweighs the delay of Leopard."
Many analysts are confident the iPhone will be a hit. "Although the push-out of Leopard is not ideal, we view iPhone as the delivery of the next leg to the Apple growth story," Goldman Sachs analyst David Bailey wrote in an Apr. 13 research note.
"We continue to view the iPhone as a significant opportunity for Apple and while initial unit shipment volumes may be small (we estimate 250,000 in fiscal 3Q07) – we believe units could reach 2.7 million by fiscal 4Q08," Ben Reitzes, an analyst at UBS wrote.
http://www.playfuls.com/news_06984_Media_and_Analysts_Comments_on_Leopard_Delay.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:29 AM |
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Adobe ships Creative Suite 3, rewritten for Intel Macs
By Adam Turner
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
Adobe's long awaited Creative Suite 3 is now available for download, re-written to take advantage of the power of new Intel-based Macs.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium and Standard editions and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium and Standard editions are available for download immediately and will be available in stores from April 23. Also available now are the new standalone versions of Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended, Adobe InDesign CS3, Adobe Illustrator CS3, Adobe Flash CS3 Professional, Adobe Dreamweaver CS3, Adobe Fireworks CS3 and Adobe Contribute CS3.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 is available for Windows XP/Vista and Mac OSX, with the Macintosh version rewritten as a universal binary, meaning it runs natively on either PowerPC- or x86 (Intel)-based Macs. The announcement is welcome news for Intel-based Mac owners running Adobe applications such as Photoshop. Until now, Photoshop users have been hampered by the fact the new Intel-based Macs rely on Apple's Rosetta software to allow the old PowerPC versions of Photoshop to run on Intel hardware - resulting in a significant performance hit.
The expanded Creative Suite 3 family also includes Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium, a complete integrated post-production solution for video and rich media professionals, and Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection, which combines all of Adobe's new CS3 design and development applications in a single box. Both of these Creative Suite editions are expected to ship in the third quarter of 2007.
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/11378/53/ |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:23 AM |
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Apple debuts Final Cut Studio 2 and Final Cut Server
By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor
April 15, 2007 - At a media event Sunday evening ahead of the National Association of Broadcasters convention, Apple introduced the long-awaited Final Cut Studio 2 as well as a new product, Final Cut Server.
Final Cut Studio 2 includes Final Cut Pro 6, Motion 3, Soundtrack Pro 2, DVD Studio Pro 4, Compressor 3, and a new color grading and finishing application dubbed Color.Among the notable additions in Final Cut Studio 2 is Apple's new ProRes 422 video format, which delivers uncompressed HD quality video at SD video file sizes. Apple says Panasonic, Sony, RED, and other camera makers are embracing the new 422 format; Apple's partnership with camera makers was previously reported by Think Secret. Final Cut Pro 6 also includes a new SmoothCam feature that eliminates camera movement from video.In addition, Apple announced IO-HD, a hardware solution that will provide real-time conversion of video footage into the ProRes 422 format, true to information Think Secret sources previously provided regarding a hardware-accelerated version of Final Cut Pro 6. IO-HD will cost $3,495 when it becomes available in July.Final Cut Server is a new asset managemet and workflow automation solution that works in tandem with Final Cut Studio 2. Final Cut Server includes a cross-platform client that enables content browsing, review and approval locally or over the Internet. The software also automatically catalogs large collections of assets and enables easy searching across multiple volumes.Last year Apple acquired both Silicon Color, a maker of digital color finishing tools, and Proximity Corporation, a leading developer of video asset management solutions. Both company's technologies have likely been incorporated into the new Color and Final Cut Server products, respectively.Final Cut Studio 2 will ship in May for $1,299; upgrades from FInal Cut Studio will be $499, while owners of Final Cut Pro can purchase the suite for $699.Final Cut Server will be available "this summer" for $999 in a 10-client version, or $1,999 for unlimited clients.
Update - Think Secret sources report that Final Cut Server is essentially a port of the Linux version of Proximity Group's artbox with a Mac OS X interface facelift. Apple also "drastically cut the software price from $50,000 to $999-$1,999... Apple continues to subsidize software to sell more hardware," the source added.
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0704finalcutstudio2.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 12:16 AM |
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| Friday, April 13, 2007 |
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A Hundred Million iPods!
Back in January, 2004, Apple released a press statement trumpeting the fact that it had sold over two million iPods. Neat. A year later, it bragged that it had sold ten million of 'em. Even more impressive.
And today, it's telling the world that it's sold a hundred million iPods since the first one appeared a bit over five years ago, which it says makes its iconic little gadgets the fastest-growing music players in history. (I'm assuming that it's including music players of all sorts in there, including Walkmans (Walkmen?); it's kind of a given that the iPods has been a tad more successful than any digital audio player with another company's logo on it.)
The Apple press release has an aw-shucks sound bite from Steve Jobs about how the company is pleased to help folks rediscover their music, and also quotes Mary J. Blige, John Mayer, and Lance Armstrong (fascinating fact: Lance likes to listen to music when he runs) and doesn't otherwise have much to say other than obvious factoids about iPods, iTunes, and another Apple music product it's going to release later this year (apparently the company plans to release a phone--who knew?).
Some of the things I'd like to know about those sales probably won't show up in any Apple statement. Such as....
* How many of those 100,000,000 iPods are sitting in drawers?
* How many broke and were replaced by other iPods?
* What's the exact figure of how many iPods have been lost (I once left mine on an Air France flight) or stolen?
* How many cumulative scratches are there on all those iPods?
* What are the total number of songs stored on the 100,000,000 iPods, and how many were bought from Apple, ripped from CD, downloaded from P2P networks, etc., etc.?
* How long will it take Apple to get to 200,000,000 iPods, assuming that it does, eventually? 300,000,000? A half a billion?
http://blogs.pcworld.com/techlog/archives/004048.html |
| posted by Perimbean @ 2:57 AM |
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Google Desktop for Mac Released
Julio Ojeda-Zapata writes "Google on Tuesday will release a Mac version of Google Desktop. This software, like the PC version, indexes the content of a hard drive and serves it up on familiar Google-style search-result Web pages (or via a its own drop-down results list, if you prefer). But Google Desktop for the Mac is streamlined compared to the busy, gadget-y Windows version, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The focus is squarely on search — including local indexing of an online Gmail account of your choice. It will also index your iDisk."
http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotApple/~3/106569808/article.pl |
| posted by Perimbean @ 2:55 AM |
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