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TheAppleBlog
TheAppleBlog, published by and for the day-to-day Apple user, is a prominent source for news, reviews, walkthroughs, and real life application of all Apple products.
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Upcoming Snow Leopard Update Disables Atom Processor Support

Users who are running a hackintoshed netbook with Intel’s Atom processor may want to be careful next time an update for Snow Leopard is pushed out. According to OS X Daily, users have found that the latest developer preview of the 10.6.2 update disables support for Atom processors. The processor is used widely in the small and inexpensive netbook category of Windows computers, which are also widely hacked to run Apple’s OS X operating system.

Installing OS X on third-party hardware is nothing new. The combination of super low-cost hardware with extreme ease of installation, however, have led many to turn their netbooks into rogue Macs. Apple has rarely been supportive of attempts to hack its hardware and software, as the long cat and mouse game of iPhone jailbreaking and its lawsuit against Mac clone maker Psystar make clear.

This move may be more than just general animosity towards hackers, however. Instead it may indicate Apple is preparing to compete more directly with netbooks with an upcoming tablet device. Although rumored to be priced in the $700-$800 range, significantly higher than most netbooks, the tablet will compete in the same size space as an extremely portable computing device. Apple may not want people to have a choice between a $700 iTablet and a $300 netbook running OS X.

Disabling support for Atom processors would be an elegant way to nix this competition, as Apple’s tablet device is rumored to run an ARM based processor designed by engineers from Apple acquisition P.A. Semi. In the meantime OS X Daily advises anyone who has hackintoshed a netbook to stick with their current version of Snow Leopard or Leopard until a workaround is discovered.

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Can Dedicated e-Readers Compete With the iPhone?

Over at our sister site GigaOM, Om takes a look at the rising trend of e-book sales on the iPhone/iPod touch platform. According to a survey by San Francisco mobile tech analytics firm Flurry, one in five apps launched during the month of October on the App Store was a book. Book releases for the device are surpassing game sales now, and the gap is widening.

Flurry compares the trend in books to that in gaming, which saw Apple take a strong branding direction with the iPod touch (“The Funnest iPod Ever”) and saw Nintendo admitting that its sales were affected negatively by the new competitor. Amazon, according to the analytics firm, will face a similar market share impact for its Kindle device.

Om concludes that the future of the e-book market will depend on whether or not Apple ever releases its oft-rumored tablet device. While I agree that such a device would help further the demise of the dedicated reader, I’m not sure devices like the Kindle can stay competitive even without the release of a tablet.

With the DS and the PSP, the iPhone is a new entrant into a well-established field. The e-reader market is nascent, and still very much a niche consumer affair. The iPhone (and iPod touch), with its versatility, ease of use, and availability, could have a much more significant impact here than it did in gaming. Paul Sweeting at GigaOM Pro provides a great overview of the e-book market (subscription required for full report), if you’re new to the subject.

What do you think? Will readers like the Kindle and the Nook continue to have a place in the hearts and hands of consumers, or will multipurpose devices spell the end for what essentially remain boutique devices? I’m not even sure Amazon or Barnes & Noble have made up their minds, considering they both appear to be hedging their bets.

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Review Update: AT&T 3G MicroCell

As an iPhone user held hostage in AT&T's network by the exclusivity agreement with Apple, the arrival of the AT&T 3G MicroCell felt like being rescued. Four weeks later, I now realize only Verizon can do that, but my updated assessment of the 3G MicroCell is still positive, mostly.

During the first three weeks of operation, the MicroCell was down form some period of time on nine separate days. Periods of outage lasted from 15 minutes to several hours, but were usually less than an hour. There was no discernible pattern, and for every instance but one the fix was: unplug, wait, plug back in.

The single outlier was a little more insidious. While my iPhone reported "five bars," attempting to make a call would result in immediate failure. That episode required deactivating the MicroCell with AT&T, reinstalling it as if it were new equipment, and about three Zantac.

If this makes the MicroCell sound like a product not ready for sale to the general public, it's not. Those paying $150 for a MicroCell in eligible cities are participating in a "public trial." If one didn't know they were a beta tester, the uncharacteristically helpful technical support gives it away.

Diagnosing my problem, it was suggested that updates to the firmware by AT&T may have been responsible. Of course, the MicroCell is supposed to reboot itself when the firmware is updated, but even a tech support placebo can make you feel better. It was also suggested that I try priority mode configuration, and that appears to actually have worked.

By switching the connection order of the MicroCell and wireless router, the MicroCell supposedly reserves sufficient bandwidth for voice and data at all times. Why it needs to carve out a 3G slice of bandwidth on a Wi-Fi network remains a mystery, but I'm not complaining. The outages stopped after changing the device setup. My initial fears concerning bandwidth throttling proved unrealized, or maybe a firmware update solved that, too. Either way, speed tests with and without the MicroCell connected have the same results.

While it appears that my hardware issues have been resolved, a longer look at call performance is not as positive as my initial assessment. To the MicroCell's credit, it has yet to drop a call. Further, call quality to and from individuals remains generally very good, but, strangely, there are problems calling some businesses.

Maybe my MicroCell hates talking with people in India, but calls to and from toll-free numbers or businesses are often choppy. My observation is that phone numbers that aren't point-to-point, one number to one number, are far more likely to break up. It may be anthropomorphic on my part, but it's like the MicroCell hates being put on hold and transferred, but then who doesn't?

Finally, I continue to be disappointed with the range of the device. AT&T says 5,000 square feet, but I say 50 squared, or about 50 feet in a straight line. That's very close to being unacceptable for me, but being as Apple is still playing coy with Verizon, or vice versa, my options are limited. If yours are too, the AT&T 3G MicroCell remains a relatively pleasant cell on AT&T's prison network.

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Apple Pitching iTunes TV for $30 a Month

Big Cable has just been given a lot more to worry about in a landscape that is already rapidly changing under its feet. All Things D is saying that Apple has been shopping around a subscription-based model for video content to TV networks recently, and it looks to be a fairly attractive deal from a consumer standpoint. It probably doesn’t look too shabby to networks, either, since it will help them stay relevant as more users turn away from their cable and satellite boxes and towards their computers.

According to “multiple sources” speaking to All Things Digital’s Peter Kafka, Apple is trying to gather support for a monthly subscription service that would see TV programs made available via iTunes in an on-demand basis. Luckily for most, Apple is keeping the proposed service open to all platforms, instead of trying to use it to bolster lackluster Apple TV sales figures, as one might reasonable expect.

Interestingly enough, Gene Munster actually predicted Apple might do something like this, though he predicted 2011 as the launch year. Apple’s proposed launch timeframe for the new service is early 2010, but that’ll be a tall order given the current state of buy-in from content providers. Networks are happy to provide shows for purchase on the iTunes service, but a move to a subscription model would represent a complete change in the relationship between Apple and the programmers.

Giving that much power over distribution to Cupertino could result in a relationship similar to the one that exists between Apple and record labels, in which the computer maker holds an uneven balance of power because of its ability to reach the consumer. Networks are probably also not very eager to damage the existing arrangements between themselves and cable/satellite providers, which still represents significant revenue from subscription fees, despite the recent consumer turn towards web-based content.

Apple’s proposal comes close on the heals of Hulu’s announced plans to begin charging for some of its service, and I don’t think the timing is coincidental. The time is coming when digital distribution becomes the default method for content provision, and Apple clearly means to spearhead the movement.

Success now will depend on offering a good enough revenue sharing deal to the networks to make it worth their while to sign on. It’s a question of finding the right tipping point to convince programmers that the potential gain outweighs the considerable risks. The key will be convincing multiple big name networks to join in, since this will only succeed if we as consumers think Apple is providing enough variety to justify ditching our cable subscription.

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How-to: Enable Expose and Spaces for the Magic Mouse
So you’re loving your brand new Magic Mouse but are missing the ability to activate Expose and Spaces right from the mouse? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. Using SIMBL and a neat little preference pane called MultiClutch, we can map our own custom shortcuts to the left and right swipes coming from the Magic Mouse and have them activate Spaces and Expose instead of navigating forward and back.

Getting Setup

The first thing we need to do is to get MultiClutch up and working in a 64-bit Snow Leopard world. MultiClutch, like a lot of apps relying on InputManagers, kind of got gimped when the new big cat showed up. Luckily though, a recent fork in the project now allows for its plugin to be loaded through the latest SIMBL release.

You can find some detailed instructions on how to get MultiClutch up and running from the source of the new plugin, but essentially what you need to do is:
- Install the original MultiClutch application.
- Install the latest version of SIMBL.
- Download the forked version of the MultiClutch plugin and load it into the SIMBL plugin directory at /Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins.
- Go in and remove the old version of the MultiClutch plugin from /Library/InputManagers.
Adding Shortcuts

Once you have MultiClutch up and running, open its preference pane and add new gestures for Swipe Left and Swipe Right and then assign them each key commands. If you’re configuring for use with Spaces and Expose you’ll have to use one of the function keys. You may have to do some shuffling around depending on what function keys you already have mapped. I used F1 and F2 as they weren’t already mapped to anything.

Then just go into your preferences for Expose and Spaces and set Activate Spaces and All Windows to the corresponding key command you used in MultiClutch. Since we’re using SIMBL you’ll have to quit and relaunch any applications that were already active when we started in order for the system to pick up our new shortcuts when that application is active.

Caveat Emptor

Obviously this is not an ideal solution, and ultimately it would be best for Apple to build in some customization options for Magic Mouse gestures right into the Mouse preference pane. As with anything that is this hacked together, your milage may vary, but I’ve been using it for a couple days now and it’s working great. On the whole I really love the new Magic Mouse but not having my Expose and Spaces was a bit of a deal breaker for me. Hopefully this will at least be able to tide us over until a more solid solution comes along.
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Chrome to Pass Safari in Browser Market Share

For October, OS X 10.6 and iPhone OS 3.0 continued to make incremental gains in market share, as did Safari. Unfortunately for the Apple web browser, Google’s Chrome is gaining faster.

Compiling data from more than 160 million visitors to its worldwide network of sites, web metrics firm Net Applications has released numbers for the month. For web browsers, Internet Explorer still represents more than 60 percent of the market. That would be great for Microsoft, if it weren’t for the fact IE is down about 10 percent from a year ago and Firefox is up about 5 percent. Safari now stands at 4.4 percent, up from 4.24 percent in September, and 2.87 percent last year, and that’s great, but not as great as Chrome.

Based on WebKit and released just over a year ago for Windows, Google’s Chrome is now at 3.57 percent, up from 3.17 percent in September. Chrome’s rate of growth, plus the imminent release of a Mac version, as well as one for Linux, leads inexorably towards Chrome passing Safari, most likely by year’s end. The problem with Safari is that the Windows version just never caught on. After more than two years, its market share is yet to reach a third of 1 percent. To put that in perspective, more people browse the web with Safari from an iPhone than Windows.

As for iPhone OS, it continues to trend slowly upward. At 0.37 percent in October, and combined with 0.07 percent for the iPod touch, iPhone OS now measures 0.44 percent of total OS market share. While that may seem insignificant, it’s a little less than half what Net Applications reports Linux as having. Unlike Linux, the iPhone OS is steadily increasing share, and with the introduction of the iPhone in China and the U.S. holiday season, iPhone OS may break half a percent by the end of the year. To put that number in perspective, it’s about a 10th the market share of Mac OS X.

Nonetheless, Mac OS X continues to make small, steady gains in market share. OS X was at 5.26 percent for October, up from 5.12 percent in September — so much for Windows 7 hurting the Mac. Even better, a year ago OS X was at 3.79 percent, and a year before that at 3.43 percent. By October 2010, it’s quite possible OS X will have doubled its market share in three years. At 7 percent, that wouldn’t quite be the “rounding error” Steve Ballmer recently suggested OS X was when compared with Windows.

Regarding market share by version, after jumping to 18 percent in the month after release, Snow Leopard increased to just 21 percent of OS X users for October, with plain-old Leopard accounting for 50 percent of the user base. While that’s something of a plateau, it will be interesting to see how adoption between Snow Leopard and Windows 7 compares. A week after the official launch, Windows 7 is at 3 percent, up from 2 percent a week ago based on those using early release versions. Sounds like a rounding error to me.

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Mac Market Share Hits All-Time High Following Windows 7 Launch

Microsoft’s advertising strategy with the latest installment of Windows is basically to none-too-subtly deride its predecessors, and it does appear to be helping Windows 7 gain traction among consumers. Unfortunately, it also might be contributing to the success of Mac OS X, or at least, it isn’t doing anything to slow down the steady progress of the competition from Apple.

That’s according to preliminary data released Sunday from a report by Net Applications which breaks down the Internet presence of Mac, Windows and Linux machines for the month of October. Microsoft’s hope that Windows 7 would slow the sure and steady pace of Apple’s growth appears to have been unfounded, at least at this early stage.

Windows still controls the lion’s share of the computer market, of course, with a huge 92.54 percent total share. But that’s down 0.25 percent from September. And yes, Windows 7 did gain ground during the month, despite being officially available for purchase for only nine days at the end of October, but Net Applications explains that it held more than 2 percent going into the survey, owing to the use of pre-release versions like the beta and the release candidate.

Net Applications also points out, in a separate report, that much of Windows 7’s gain during October (it ended the month at 2.85 percent) came from XP’s market share, so it doesn’t represent the sort of “switch back” users Microsoft was looking for, only upgraders who skipped Vista in favor of the older, more stable OS.

Mac’s share jumped to 5.26 percent, up from 5.12 percent during the previous period. That’s a gain of 2.73 percent overall, which is a good number, but not nearly as high as the 5 percent gain Apple experienced in September. The slowdown might be due to a surge thanks to early adoption of Snow Leopard which is now coming to an end.

Note that Net Applications isn’t taking this data from sales numbers, but from visits to its client web sites, which add up to an impressive 160 million total. That’s a fairly large sample base. Apple 2.0 does point out that this particular methodology tends to favor devices like the iPhone, which account for more frequent web visits due to their ease of use.

The key to the future success of both companies will be converting the large Windows XP user base, which still accounts for 70 percent of all users. Both Apple and Microsoft will be looking to convert those users as they inevitably decide to upgrade. Holiday season numbers over the next few months should give a good indication of who will win out in the competition for those consumer dollars.

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