Archive for January, 2008

« Older Entries

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-17-08: EA plans Mac version of Spore, from Sims creator

Thursday, January 17th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-17-08

EA plans Mac version of Spore, from Sims creator
Electronic Arts (EA) has announced plans to release Spore for the Mac later this year. The game is the latest work in progress of legendary game designer Will Wright, maker of SimCity and The Sims
http://www.macworld.com/article/131625/2008/01/spore.html


Tell Apple “iPod Touch users should get iPhone apps for free
as if these things ever work… sign an online petition if you are gettin the shaft from Apple.
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/16/ipod-touch-owners-rally-to-get-new-apps-free/


WTF? MacBook Air SuperDrive can only be used w/ MacBook Air
For some reason, Apple has decided to hobble the MacBook Air SuperDrive. Despite being a USB device which should work with any Mac or even PC, it will only work with the MacBook Air. This of course sucks.
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1052


Steve Jobs tells off fan, calls her “rude”
Blogger and podcaster Violet Blue approached the Apple CEO on the Macworld floor to ask for a photo — and got completely blown off.
http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2008/01/so_everyones_asking_what_happe.html


Hands-on with iTunes movie rentals
Perhaps overshadowed by yesterday’s MacBook Air announcement is Apple’s big move into movie rentals. The fact that all the majors have joined the on-line offering makes it a compelling service to say the least. That is, if it’s as easy to use as they say. Is it? Read on for the first hands-on.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/16/hands-on-with-itunes-movie-rentals-quirky-and-restrictive-but/


MacBook AIR: Apple Fails to Understand Needs of Laptop Users
Let’s be rational. It’s not even remotely affordable, especially at the high end—the high end being defined by the option of a 64GB SSD. There aren’t a lot of subnotebooks in that category but, if you are contemplating buying a MacBook Air, you still owe it to your credit card limit to do some research.
http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/01/16/macbook-air-spec-shootout


Steve Jobs Macworld 2008 Keynote in 60 Seconds
Mahalo Daily cuts out the fluff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz1-cPx0cIk


Macworld Keynote in 60 seconds
So you probably heard that Macworld was today: here’s that same keynote in 60 seconds.
http://www.mahalo.com/The_Steve_Jobs_90_Minute_Keynote_in_60_Seconds


Why iPhone +SDK, Firmware Is Better Than Your Jailbroken One
With today’s announcements, this over-hyped device has actually become more useful, powerful and promising. Not because it’s the best computer on the market, but because it’s the one in your pocket. PopMech is telling Jailbreakers to bring it on if they can beat it.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/technology_news/4244921.html?series=48


MacBook Pro Woes: What Should I Do?
The MacBook Air is an amazing sliver of a machine. But it’s not what many of us had hoped for. All I really wanted for Macworld was a 13-inch MacBook Pro. A serious but compact workhorse, not a sexy will-o-the-wisp. And now I’m too scared to even buy the current 15-inch MacBook Pro.
http://gizmodo.com/345236/macbook-pro-woes-what-should-i-do


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-16-08: Walt Mossberg’s interview on the Apple MacBook Air

Wednesday, January 16th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-16-08

Walt Mossberg’s interview on the Apple MacBook Air
He will test it soon, but gives some pointers on what he found interesting so far about the product.
http://www.marketwatch.com/tvradio/bcPlayer.asp?bcpid=203719194&bclid=86272812&bctid=1378313911


First Video of Macbook Air from Macworld Expo 2008
Seconds after Apple opened it’s booth up @ Macworld Expo 2008, I shot this video of the new Macbook Air, fresh as a newborn baby still covered in afterbirth…
http://www.theagencyblog.com/2008/01/first-video-of.html


Coming to the Mac in 2008: ‘Spore’
Electronic Arts plans to release the much-anticipated new game on several platforms at the same time, including the Mac.
http://www.news.com/Coming-to-the-Mac-in-2008-Spore/2100-1043_3-6226087.html


MacBook Air: Thinning my expectations
As many fellow gadget nerds might know, Apple released their new ultra-thin notebook this morning at the 2008 MacWorld Keynote. The MacBook Air boasts as the “world’s thinnest notebook,” and certainly lives up to that mark. However, it was soon that my excitement would begin to fade.
http://culturegarage.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air-thinning-my-expectations/


MacBook Air only $129 Battery Replacement FREE INSTALATION
The mystery is solved. No worries about the built in battery in MacBook Air.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air-battery-replacements-129-free-install/


Macworld.Ars: iTunes HD movies only for rent on Apple TV
We aren’t sure why just yet, but those newly-rolled-out HD movies on iTunes are only available for rent, and only through the Apple TV. Not on the computer.
http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/01/15/macworld-ars-itunes-hd-movies-only-for-rent-on-apple-tv


Apple investors not happy with Steve Jobs’ keynote
Hey, you can’t announce a new iPhone every year.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/15/apple-investors-not-happy-with-keynote/


Google unveils new iPhone interface for Google Apps
Just in time for MacWorld, Google has announced sizeable improvements to it’s mobile applications for Apple’s iPhone. Applications that have been updated include Google Reader, Calendar, Gmail, iGoogle, Search, and Picasa.
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/01/14/google-unveils-new-iphone-interace-for-google-apps/


Just how thin is the MacBook Air?
So just how thin and lightweight is the new 13.3-inch MacBook Air. We’ve pitted it against the 13.3-inch Dell XPS M1330, 13.3-inch Sony VAIO SZ, and Apple’s own MacBook to see how it stacks up, literally. Not bad Stevie, not bad.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/15/sizing-it-up-macbook-air-vs-the-rest/


MacBook Air Hands-On (Huge PICS gallery)
Here’s our take on the MacBook Air. It’s super light, super fragile, and super small. Verdict? Ultra light, ultra awesome.
http://gizmodo.com/345115/macbook-air-hands+on


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-15-08: Mac sales up over 40 percent year-over-year

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-15-08

Mac sales up over 40 percent year-over-year
Apple later this month is expected to announce fiscal first quarter revenues of nearly $10 billion for the three-month period ending December, fueled largely by the ongoing resurgence of the company’s personal computer business, according one Wall Street analyst.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/01/14/mac_sales_up_over_40_percent_year_over_year.html


BREAKING MacWorld News: Jobs to Wear Black Shirt/Blue Jeans!
It’s been a wild week of anticipation for Apple fans, but the first round of confirmed news about the highly anticipated MacWorld keynote has finally leaked!
http://leftofzen.com/breaking-macworld-news-jobs-to-wear-black-shirtjeans/2008/01/15/


New Gmail for the iPhone
From the Official Gmail blog: “We’ve just released a new look and feel for the mobile version of Gmail on your iPhone. Our goal: make Gmail fit nicely as part of the latest Google on your iPhone experience. This means that we had to make Gmail faster and more fluid.”
http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/new-gmail-for-iphone.html


Rumor: MacBook Air will have AT&T wireless built in
John Gruber wrote, “After using my iPhone for a few months, it started feeling weird that my PowerBook doesn’t have ubiquitous wireless networking. I’d pay for it.” Me, too. Unlike Wi-Fi, an AT&T wireless MacBook could go online almost anywhere. That’s something that could make consumers dump Windows.
http://valleywag.com/344830/its-a-macbook-with-att-wireless-built-in


Customize Your Mac with Leopard Power Tweaks
Now that Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard’s been out almost three months, several apps, tweaks, and plug-ins have emerged that can customize (and sometimes re-Tigerize) your Mac.
http://lifehacker.com/344376/customize-your-mac-with-leopard-power-tweaks


Apple’s Air REVEALED
Wired breaks it’s cover with details and mockups of what Steve will announce tomorrow.
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/01/breaking-macboo.html


Apple Store “MacBook Air” screenshot debunked
There’s not even a product yet, but already the rumored “MacBook Air” has a blog. Its authors claim to have taken a screenshot of a page from the Apple Store website with customization options for a new “MacBook Air.” We think it’s bogus, because the tech specs make no sense. Here’s why.
http://valleywag.com/344612/macbook-air-screenshot-debunked/


“iPod Tax” smacked down in Canada
An attempt to push through significant levies on digital music players (up to CAN$75 per device) has been quashed by Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal. Innovators and consumers rejoice.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080113-ipod-tax-smacked-down-in-canada.html


What the pundits don’t get about Apple
Why Macworld ‘08 won’t shock the world, and why it doesn’t matter
http://itola.com/technology/mac-world-hype-overblown/


Apple designs look like reworkings of 1960s Braun designs
Nice story showing how parallel evolution (or design borrowing!) ends up with current and perhaps future Apple products, with ideas inspired by old Braun gear.
http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-secrets-to-apples-future


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-14-08: Google Sees Surge in iPhone Traffic

Monday, January 14th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-14-08

Google Sees Surge in iPhone Traffic
Of all the iPhone’s features, none had reviewers gushing more than its Internet browser. It was the first cellphone browser that promised something resembling the experience of surfing the Internet on a PC. Santa helped deliver on that promise.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/14/technology/14apple.html?ref=business


Macworld San Francisco: Covered Banners, Early Shipments
Many bloggers and media (including MacRumors) have started to descend on San Francisco for Macworld Expo 2008. SetteB.IT managed to take an extensive gallery of photographs from the expo floor, including Apple’s floor displays which were covered in their usual black tarps:They even managed …
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/13/macworld-san-francisco-covered-banners-early-shipments/


How to squeeze the best out of FREE NetNewsWire Ode to Apple
Tweaks, trips, tricks to get the best out of the Mac RSS Feed Reader – NetNewsWire.
http://www.odetoapple.com/2008/how-to-squeeze-the-best-out-of-free-netnewswire/


Introducing the MacBook Air?
After the banners went up on Friday, we posted the whispers we’d heard about the upcoming thin Laptop, and that it would be called “MacBook Air”.9to5mac posts some notes about the history of this name, including a Google cache record of a computer named “MacBookAir” documented in Adium’s usage …
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/13/introducing-the-macbook-air/


New Get a Mac ad: Time Machine
Apple is airing a new Get a Mac ad today (thanks to everyone who sent this in) all about Time Machine. The ad, as you might be able to guess from the shot above, features a number of Macs who quickly explain what Time Machine is to a slightly confused PC.
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/13/new-get-a-mac-ad-time-machine/


Use your iPhone as a webcam
Mac developer Ecamm has posted a sneak peak of iPhoneCam, an application that uses your iPhone’s camera as a wireless Mac webcam. You can stream video from your iPhone over its WiFi to any Mac video application, including iChat, Photo Booth, or Skype.
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/13/use-your-iphone-as-a-webam/


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-13-08: iTransmogrify, embedded Flash converter for iPhone

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-13-08

iTransmogrify, embedded Flash converter for iPhone
iTransmogrify! is a bookmarklet for iPhone which transforms embedded Flash content into direct links to natively supported formats. That means YouTube videos and MP3s can now be played from the iPhone’s Safari web browser with just a few clicks. Seeing it work is the best explanation.
http://joemaller.com/2008/01/12/itransmogrify/


Internal changes bolster latest Mac Pro
Macworld’s Speedmark tests of Apple’s latest high-end desktop system—the eight-core 2.8GHz Mac Pro released earlier this week—show that it’s notably faster than the four-core 2.6GHz Mac Pro it replaces in Apple’s product line.
http://www.macworld.com/article/131538/2008/01/macprobench.html


SteveNote Expo game: only you can get Jobs prepped for Macworld keynote
With CES in the books, banners flying up and rumors running rampant, only one thing could be on the horizon: Steve’s Macworld 2008 keynote. Unfortunately, it seems he’s a bit short on time, and needs you to access a totally awesome web-based game to help round up garb, VIPs and top-secret gear before taking the stage.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/12/stevenote-expo-game-only-you-can-get-jobs-prepped-for-macworld/


Macworld Expo Celebrity Checklist w/ Fake Steve & Kevin Rose
A humorous Joy of Tech comic illustrating the various “celebrities” to be seen at Macworld.
http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/1056.html


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-12-08: Can Apple save WiMax?

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-12-08

Can Apple save WiMax?
Sources tell us that Apple may include WiMax, the high-speed, long-range wireless broadband technology, in an ultraportable 13″ notebook computer, and possibly across the entire MacBook Pro line.
http://valleywag.com/tech/rumormonger/can-apple-save-wimax-344015.php


Where to find LIVE coverage of the Macworld 2008 Keynote
There are several blogs big and small covering the Steve Jobs Macworld 2008 Keynote – here is a growing list of where you can find the most comprehensive Macworld Keynote coverage.
http://www.applegazette.com/macworld/where-to-find-live-coverage-of-the-macworld-2008-keynote/


Apple hoists “There’s something in the air” Macworld banners
It’s that time again — the first round of non-descript Apple teaser banners have begun cropping up around San Francisco’s Moscone Center, the site of next week’s highly-anticipated Macworld Expo.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/01/11/apple_hoists_theres_something_in_the_air_macworld_banners.html


CSSEdit unlocked and added to the Macheist II Bundle
Finally, after 5000 bundles sold, CSSEdit is unlocked and is now in the MacHeist bundle
http://www.macheist.com/?3


Apple T-Shirts from the 80s
Apple T-Shirts from the ’80s
http://elegant-pixels.net/random/appletshirt.jpg


iPhone Starbucks Ordering Screens Look Like the Real Thing
If you wanted to know how Apple’s iPhone ordering and paying patent could work in Starbucks, check these amazing screens created by designer Phil Lu. Not only do they look like the real thing, but the most impressive thing is that they were actually made before the Apple patent was publicized.
http://gizmodo.com/343686/iphone-starbucks-ordering-screens-look-like-the-real-thing-precede-apple-patent


New Apple TV coming in major video offensive?…
A new version of the Apple TV will help spearhead an Apple video offensive, a new report claims. BusinessWeek writes that it has learned of the new set-top with certainty, a
http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/01/11/new.apple.tv.speculation/


NetNewsWire versus Vienna – which Mac RSS reader is better?
Now that NNW is free, TUAW looks at two of the top RSS readers for the Mac. Which one is better?
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/10/netnewswire-vs-vienna/


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-11-08: Macworld Expo 2008 Keynote Live Coverage: Web, SMS, iPhone

Friday, January 11th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-11-08

Macworld Expo 2008 Keynote Live Coverage: Web, SMS, iPhone
With Macworld San Francisco Expo less than a week away, MacRumors is gearing up to travel to San Francisco to cover the event with our traditional MacRumorsLive keynote coverage as well as expanded floor coverage at http://www.macrumors.com/mwsf/. The Keynote will take place at 9am Pacific on T…
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/07/countdown-to-expo-one-week-away/


Starbucks iPhone Ordering Concept Design
Multimedia designer, Phil Lu, has created some mockups of an iPhone application that he calls “QuickOrder”. The series of images show how such a system might work.
http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2008/01/10/starbucks-iphone-ordering-concept-design/


Macenstein Mac Chick of the Month (Jan 2008): Elise Frappier
Another nice “Mac Chick of the Month” from Macenstein: The lovely Elise Frappier, a French-Canadian illustrator that loves her Apple gear! Features a nice girl in lingerie with an apple computer
http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1026


Mac developer helps out the little guy
In response to a tuaw user email, Ecamm’s iPhone developers have built a custom version of their CaptionCrunch tool. It now sets the iPhone’s carrier string. No “jailbreak” is necessary to use this.
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/10/tuaw-responds-ecamm-to-the-rescue/


What To Expect at Macworld 2008 and Why We It Will Be Huge
We only know one thing for sure about Steve Jobs’ Macworld 2008 keynote: something big is coming from Apple. Maybe not one single iceberg-sized thing, but this year we believe the Boom Count™ is going to be so high that Apple had to take their new big irons out of the way. Plenty of evidence points out the magnitude of next week’s announcements.
http://gizmodo.com/343246/what-to-expect-at-macworld-2008-and-why-we-think-it-will-bigger-than-usual


NetNewsWire For OSX is now free!
NewsGator announced on Wednesday the release of NetNewsWire 3.1. More importantly for many users, the company will be making the RSS reader available to all customers for free.
http://www.newsgator.com/Individuals/NetNewsWire/Default.aspx


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-10-08: Best Buy to double number of stores selling Apple’s Mac line

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-10-08

Best Buy to double number of stores selling Apple’s Mac line
Leading U.S. electronics specialty retailer Best Buy said this week it plans to increase the number of stores carrying Apple Inc.’s Mac computer line twofold in the next several weeks, signaling robust demand for the Windows PC alternatives in the broader consumer market.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/01/09/best_buy_to_double_number_of_stores_selling_apples_mac_line.html


Apple to level the playing field with UK EU prices
Apple has announced that it will cut the price it charges for music downloads in the UK. EU regulators began investigating iTunes last year after the consumer group Which? complained about its pricing policies. Apple is now taking action against record labels that charge more to distribute music in the UK than in the rest of Europe.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7178651.stm


Untold Story: How the iPhone Blew Up the Wireless Industry
It was a late morning in the fall of 2006. Almost a year earlier, Steve Jobs had 200 of his top engineers working on the iPhone. Yet here, in Apple’s boardroom, it was clear that the prototype was still a disaster. It wasn’t just buggy, it flat-out didn’t work…
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/magazine/16-02/ff_iphone


Images of the iPod Shuffle Inside a Frozen Popsicle
Remember that Unilever promotion that is giving away 10,000 iPod shuffles frozen inside $1 fruit popsicles? Here are the pictures of how it actually looks inside. Fruitilicious plastic!
http://gizmodo.com/342608/images-of-the-ipod-frozen-popsicles-dont-excite-our-tongues-but-tickles-our-ears


10 reasons why digg needs to not have banner ads
So I’m browsing digg with my speakers on thinking that I am safe when bam! Out of no where some chick is yelling at me about a free APPLE ipod nano.
http://thefixed.org/articles/digghitsnewlow/


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-09-08: Official Apple Store Confirmed for Melbourne, Australia PICS

Wednesday, January 9th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-09-08

Official Apple Store Confirmed for Melbourne, Australia PICS
MacTalk forum member Jedda, has discovered that Apple is planning an official store in Chadstone, one of the southern hemisphere’s largest shopping complexes. Quotes from Apple and Chadstone management confirm the new store, planned to open in April/May, soon after the flagship store in Sydney.
http://forums.mactalk.com.au/showthread.php?t=42522


Macheist II Bundle Details Released!!
What a buy!
http://macheist.com/bundle


Why Apple Is Launching New Gear a Week Before Macworld
I had a briefing with Apple on their new Xserve and Mac Pros that were released today, mid week during CES, a week before Macworld 2008. I had only one question for them: Why release new gear when the Keynote is only a few days away? Their answer won’t satisfy your curiousity, but here is the official.
http://gizmodo.com/342110/the-official-answer-why-apple-is-launching-new-gear-a-week-before-macworld


Macworld Big News: DVDs to include iTunes Videos?!
If this is true it would be a very daring move for Apple to take over the desktop video player space…
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/08/rumour-fox-to-include-itunes-files-with-dvds-starting-15th-jan/


Posted in News | No Comments »

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-08-08: Apple Releases New X Serve: Most Powerful Ever

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

Apple iPod and iPhone News for January-08-08

Apple Releases New X Serve: Most Powerful Ever
Apple dropped a new machine on us, a week before CES, in an X Serve with two Quad-Core 3.0 HGz Xeon processors.
http://gizmodo.com/342088/apple-releases-new-x-serve-most-powerful-ever


New Apple Mac Pro: 8 Cores, Count Em Baby
Apple’s got a second release that just hit the wires: A Mac Pro with two intel 45nm Quad-Core Xeons.
http://gizmodo.com/342091/new-apple-mac-pro-8-cores-count-em-baby


Apple Announces Penryn Mac Pros and Xserve
Apple today revised the Mac Pro and Xserves with a new architecture and the recently released Penryn Processors. The Mac Pro combines two 45-nm Quad-Core Xeon processors running up to 3.2GHz and up to 4TB of internal storage. The standard 8-core configuration starts at $2799.
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/08/apple-announces-penryn-mac-pros-and-xserve/


Jay-Z, HP’s star endorser, uses a Mac
Jay-Z and girlfriend Beyonce seem to be Apple fans. No surprise there: Plenty of musicians use Macs. What is surprising? Jay-Z was in one of those Hewlett-Packard “hand” ads last year touting HP laptops.
http://valleywag.com/341904/jay+z-hps-star-endorser-uses-a-mac


Mad TV – Ipod Nano Feist 1234 Spoof
Mad Tv’s great take on the Ipod Nano commercials, feist, and the way Apple rips off the consumer at every turn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i32NkW0s94


Cool! iPhone can ID song playing on the Radio!!
Picture it: you’re riding in the car and a great song comes on the radio. You’re dying to know what it is so you can go buy it ASAP but there’s no satellite radio receiver to tell you what’s playing. How can you find out what song it is? Whip out your iPhone, put it near the car speakers, and watch the screen. Poof! There’s the song, artist, and al
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/07/make-your-iphone-listen-to-your-radio-and-tell-you-whats-pla/


MWSF 2008 keynote bingo
So, what kind of squares can we expect in this post-Leopard world? iPhone software updates? Booooring. Might as well add a square for Mac OS X 10.5.2 while we’re at it. But since this is Macworld, let’s trot out some of the few remaining Mac-related hardware fantasies. “I can’t be too late to say that I was so wrong…”
http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits.ars/2008/01/06/mwsf-2008-keynote-bingo


Posted in News | No Comments »

« Older Entries