 Cult of MacRead Leander Kahney's latest commentary about Apple and Mac News in Wired.com's Cult of Mac Blog, including Mac, Mac Pro, MacBook, iMac, iBook, Mac mini, iPod video, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iTunes, iPhoto, iPhone, Apple TV, OSX, Steve Jobs, and Macworld. http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/ другие подписчики этой ленты также читают >> |
- Analysis: AppleTV Hits Lower Margins Than iPod, iPhone
BusinessWeek and iSuppli partnered to analyze the costs of the AppleTV. Somewhat surprisingly, the $300 gadget was found to cost nearly $237, which yields a significantly lower margin than the iPod or iPhone. Even more interestingly, the analysis shows that...BusinessWeek and iSuppli partnered to analyze the costs of the AppleTV. Somewhat surprisingly, the $300 gadget was found to cost nearly $237, which yields a significantly lower margin than the iPod or iPhone.
Even more interestingly, the analysis shows that Apple makes significantly more money on each $400 AppleTV they sell, as the cost to upgrade the drive is much higher than the difference in raw cost to Apple. It is uncharacteristic for Apple to make this little of anything they sell. Anyone think this might be the source of Steve's calling the device "a hobby"?
Thanks, Bill!
Technorati Tags: appleTV, margins, profit
Pete Mortensen - iPhone Map App Pinpoints Infinite Loop.
Looks like Apple dropped an easter egg in its iPhone icons. An eagle-eyed blogger noticed something on the iPhone's Map application: it essentially doubles as a Steve Jobs locator. No, it doesn't pinpoint his house, but his office. Or at...
Looks like Apple dropped an easter egg in its iPhone icons. An eagle-eyed blogger noticed something on the iPhone's Map application: it essentially doubles as a Steve Jobs locator. No, it doesn't pinpoint his house, but his office. Or at least, it seems to show the Apple Campus at Infinite Loop in Cupertino.
Mat Honan - New Versions of Camino and NetNewsWire Roll Out
On Tuesday, while Apple was busy releasing new MacBook Pros, two of my favorite Mac apps received substantial updates. Camino was bumped up to version 1.5 while NetNewsWire went to version 3.0. I'm positively smitten with both apps. Camino, the...On Tuesday, while Apple was busy releasing new MacBook Pros, two of my favorite Mac apps received substantial updates. Camino was bumped up to version 1.5 while NetNewsWire went to version 3.0. I'm positively smitten with both apps. Camino, the mozilla browser written in Cocoa, is noticeably faster--and it already blazed--sports in-browser spell checking, and allows you to save sessions when you quit (so you can start up again with the same web pages you had open when you closed your browser). NetNewsWire added a bevy of new features as well, chief among them tighter Mac integration with Address Book, Spotlight, Growl, iCal, iPhoto and (unbelievably) Twitterific. I've been using both since yesterday, and am absolutely floored with how much faster each is. Go grab them.
Mat Honan - New MacBook Pro Unboxing and Screen Comparison
What would an Apple product launch be without a ceremonial unboxing? Incomplete. GeekSugar grabbed a new LED-screened MacBook Pro this morning and have posted the full results in a gallery. My geek-lust is strong right now... (Thanks, Angelica!) Technorati Tags:...What would an Apple product launch be without a ceremonial unboxing? Incomplete. GeekSugar grabbed a new LED-screened MacBook Pro this morning and have posted the full results in a gallery. My geek-lust is strong right now...
(Thanks, Angelica!)
Technorati Tags: macbook pro, unboxing, Unpacking
Pete Mortensen - Apple Announces New MacBook Pros
As rumored, Apple updated the MacBook Pro line this morning to use the latest screaming processors up to 2.4 Ghz from Intel and a more powerful GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor. The 15.4-inch machines also use mercury-free LED backlit displays,...As rumored, Apple updated the MacBook Pro line this morning to use the latest screaming processors up to 2.4 Ghz from Intel and a more powerful GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor. The 15.4-inch machines also use mercury-free LED backlit displays, delivering on the announcement that Steve Jobs made in the company's environmental roadmap. Disappointing that the 17" machine is still on LCD, according to the release, but this is a new technology. I can't wait to see how gorgeous the screens look up close. I might make it to an Apple Store this afternoon, so I'll keep you posted. Full details after the jump. They are immediately available.
Technorati Tags: apple, intel, macbook pro
From Apple's press release:
Pricing & Availability
The new MacBook Pro models are now shipping and will be available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.The 2.2 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:
* 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440-by-900 LCD display;
* 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive® with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
* DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately);
* built-in Dual Link support for driving Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display;
* built-in iSight video camera;
* Gigabit Ethernet port;
* built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
* two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one FireWire 400 port;
* one audio line in and one headphone out port, each supporting optical digital audio;
* Scrolling TrackPad and illuminated keyboard;
* the infrared Apple Remote; and
* 85 Watt Apple MagSafe Power Adapter.The 2.4 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:
* 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440-by-900 LCD display;
* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB GDDR3 memory;
* DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately);
* built-in Dual Link support for driving Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display;
* built-in iSight video camera;
* Gigabit Ethernet port;
* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
* two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one FireWire 400 port;
* one audio line in and one headphone out port, each supporting optical digital audio;
* Scrolling TrackPad and illuminated keyboard;
* the infrared Apple Remote; and
* 85 Watt Apple MagSafe Power Adapter.The 2.4 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,799 (US), includes:
* 17-inch widescreen 1680-by-1050 LCD display;
* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB GDDR3 memory;
* DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately);
* built-in Dual Link support for driving Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display;
* built-in iSight video camera;
* Gigabit Ethernet port;
* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
* three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one FireWire 400 port;
* one audio line in and one headphone out port, each supporting optical digital audio;
* Scrolling TrackPad and illuminated keyboard;
* the infrared Apple Remote; and
* 85 Watt Apple MagSafe Power Adapter.Additional build-to-order options for the MacBook Pro include the ability to upgrade to a 160GB (5400 rpm), 160GB (7200 rpm), 200GB (4200 rpm) or a 250GB (4200 rpm) hard drive, up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple USB Modem, glossy widescreen display, 17-inch 1920-by-1200 high-resolution display and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include pre-installed copies of iWork™ '06, Logic Express 7, Final Cut® Express HD 3.5 and Aperture™ 1.5.
Pete Mortensen - Laptop Mag Picks Tiger Over Vista
The folks over at Laptop magazine ran a head-to-head competition with Mac OS X Tiger and Windows Vista. They compared the big tickets like interfaces, performance and security, along with several other interesting also-rans like widgets and search (which, as...The folks over at Laptop magazine ran a head-to-head competition with Mac OS X Tiger and Windows Vista. They compared the big tickets like interfaces, performance and security, along with several other interesting also-rans like widgets and search (which, as we approach terrabyte hard drives is probably becoming more of a big ticket item every year). We'll cut to the chase here: The Mac wins. Yet it's an interesting side-by-side comparison, especially given the surprising conclusions some of the ballot issues, such as media. It will be interesting to see what Leopard will bring to this matchup.
Mat Honan - iPhone Fan Ad Spoofs 2001
Apple rolled out its first iPhone ads over the weekend. They are, perhaps predictibly given the track record, cool and stunning. But just as good--well, maybe not just as good, but still damn good--is this new fan ad that parodies...
Apple rolled out its first iPhone ads over the weekend. They are, perhaps predictibly given the track record, cool and stunning. But just as good--well, maybe not just as good, but still damn good--is this new fan ad that parodies 2001 with an iPhone-as-monolith.
Mat Honan - Video: Steve and Bill On-Stage Together
Miss yesterday's historic chat between Apple founder Steve Jobs and Microsoft founder Bill Gates? The whole thing is online and broken into 7 parts at the site for the D -- All Things Digital conference website. I have the remaining...Miss yesterday's historic chat between Apple founder Steve Jobs and Microsoft founder Bill Gates? The whole thing is online and broken into 7 parts at the site for the D -- All Things Digital conference website. I have the remaining six parts after the Jump
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Pete Mortensen - Video: Steve Speaks at All Things Digital
Miss Steve's talk with Walt Mossberg at yesterday's D -- All Things Digital conference? Now you can watch the direct-feed video, linked above. Just wait until he admits to reading Fake Steve. Priceless. read the transcript of him admitting to...
Miss Steve's talk with Walt Mossberg at yesterday's D -- All Things Digital conference? Now you can watch the direct-feed video, linked above. Just
wait until he admits to reading Fake Steve. Priceless.read the transcript of him admitting to reading Fake Steve while watching the video and imagine what it might sound like. (That'll teach me to read the whole video first...)Via Digg.
Pete Mortensen - Rumor: New MacBook Pros on Tuesday, June 5
One of the most interesting side effects of Apple's switch to Intel chips for its computers is that it is now always possible to tell when Apple's hardware isn't keeping pace with the rest of the market. Take, for example,...One of the most interesting side effects of Apple's switch to Intel chips for its computers is that it is now always possible to tell when Apple's hardware isn't keeping pace with the rest of the market. Take, for example, Santa Rosa, Intel's newest laptop architecture featuring rev'd Core2 Duo processors. PC-makers started releasing gear based on the high-performance technology on May 9, and Apple still hasn't rolled out new machines.
People have been speculating all along that Apple would hold off updated computers until June 11, the beginning of the Worldwide Developers Conference, but now MacRumors suggests we might want to look at next Tuesday, June 5. Let's look at the facts:
- New MacBook Pros are likely to use the existing case and not innovate beyond updated chips, which isn't the sexiest Steve keynote launch.
- It is a Tuesday. Apple loves Tuesdays!
My name is Pete, and I approve this rumor. It also implies we might get the major iMac update at the WWDC keynote. That could really be something to see.
Pete Mortensen - Apple Rolls Out iTunes Plus, 160GB AppleTV, YouTube on AppleTV
Apple dropped a few lovely and unexpected tidbits in addition to the already anticipated iTunes Plus DRM-free music downloads. Specifically, Apple's new "hobby," the AppleTV, will soon have direct YouTube support, and an build-to-order option to quadruple the device's capacity...Apple dropped a few lovely and unexpected tidbits in addition to the already anticipated iTunes Plus DRM-free music downloads. Specifically, Apple's new "hobby," the AppleTV, will soon have direct YouTube support, and an build-to-order option to quadruple the device's capacity to 160GB will roll out soon, for $100 extra. It's still not a DVR out of the box, but this thing is getting very capable very fast...
iTunes Plus, meanwhile, includes the ability to buy-upgrade ("bupgrade?") any iTunes Store song you already own without copy-protection and a higher bit-rate for 30 cents per song. I must admit, I'd be moving what few iTS songs I have to the superior format, but none of the songs I have are in the first bunch of iT+ selections. Anyone making the move?
Technorati Tags: appleTV, itunes, itunes plus, youtube
Pete Mortensen - Steve and Bill Reminisce, Mock Gil Amelio
Today's D: All Things Digital conference has been quite interesting, from the introduction of Palm's ludicrous Foleo device to Microsoft's over-the-top (literally) Surface computing initiative and Apple's more modest but interesting announcements of YouTube for AppleTV, iTunes Plus and the...Today's D: All Things Digital conference has been quite interesting, from the introduction of Palm's ludicrous Foleo device to Microsoft's over-the-top (literally) Surface computing initiative and Apple's more modest but interesting announcements of YouTube for AppleTV, iTunes Plus and the Big AppleTV upgrade.
Nothing, however, compares to the currently rolling Steve Jobs and Bill Gates chat on stage together. They're mostly looking back with humor on their linked history. It's hilarious stuff, from Engadget's liveblog of it:
Steve: Gil (Amelio) had a saying, "Apple is like a ship with holes in the bottom leaking water. My job is to get that ship pointed in the right direction."
No, no. I'm not crying. It's just been raining...on my face!
Technorati Tags: bill gates, Steve Jobs, steve jobs
Pete Mortensen - Steve Jobs Switches Back to New Balance
Steve Jobs is a reverse switcher! He's switched back to New Balance sneakers after a couple of token months wearing Nike. Could his Nike + iPod deal be in trouble? Via Engadget....
Steve Jobs is a reverse switcher! He's switched back to New Balance sneakers after a couple of token months wearing Nike. Could his Nike + iPod deal be in trouble?Via Engadget.
lkahney - Real Steve Reads Fake Steve
At the D Conference today, Steve Jobs admitted he likes the Secret Diary of Steve Jobs. Walt Mossberg asked: Do you read the Fake Steve Jobs blog? Jobs: I have read a few of the FSJ things recently, but I...At the D Conference today, Steve Jobs admitted he likes the Secret Diary of Steve Jobs.
Walt Mossberg asked: Do you read the Fake Steve Jobs blog?
Jobs: I have read a few of the FSJ things recently, but I thought it was pretty funny!
lkahney - Apple Releases iTunes 7.2 Supporting DRM-Free iTunes Plus
After midnight Eastern tonight, Apple let its own cat out of the bag to go along with Microsoft's announcement of Surface. The Mac OS X Software update brings iTunes 7.2, featuring support for DRM-free downloads off of the iTunes Store,...After midnight Eastern tonight, Apple let its own cat out of the bag to go along with Microsoft's announcement of Surface. The Mac OS X Software update brings iTunes 7.2, featuring support for DRM-free downloads off of the iTunes Store, what Apple is calling "iTunes Plus." The update notice mentions this support from "participating labels" (does EMI have friends in its DRM-free world?), and then the help file goes further, as noted by MacRumors:
The iTunes Store also offers songs without DRM protection, from participating record labels. These DRM-free songs, called "iTunes Plus," have no usage restrictions and feature higher-quality encoding.
The first time you buy an iTunes Plus song, you specify whether to make all future purchases iTunes Plus versions (when available). You can change this setting by accessing your account information on the iTunes Store.
If you already have iTunes Store purchases that are now available as iTunes Plus downloads, you may upgrade your existing purchases. To do so, visit the iTunes Store and follow the onscreen instructions.Perhaps there's hope for converting my library of FairPlay-encoded files to come back to life. We can only hope. Tomorrow's going to be exciting. Stay tuned...
Pete Mortensen - Oops: MS Launches Huge Multitouch Display Years Away From Home Use
Remember that totally awesome touchscreen demo at huge scale that had broad applications such as natural photo sorting and editing and fingerpaints? Well, in advance of the D Conference today, Microsoft decided it would be a good idea to launch...Remember that totally awesome touchscreen demo at huge scale that had broad applications such as natural photo sorting and editing and fingerpaints? Well, in advance of the D Conference today, Microsoft decided it would be a good idea to launch a product line that is...exactly that demo. They call it Surface, and if it lives up to the demo videos on the official site, it will be spectacular in use.
T-Mobile, Harrah's Entertainment and others plan to roll them out very quickly. You might be playing with one in a few days. So what's the problem? Why isn't Apple panicking? Because this is as far from a consumer application as you can get. A 30" touchscreen display built on a coffee table in the living room is years away from being something people will buy.
Granted, Apple's multi-touch product, the iPhone, is also very high-end, but a $600 phone is closer to reality than the Future Table 6000. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure that Microsoft will make money from this selling to stores and casinos. There are many people looking for an interactive table for what I would assume is at least $10,000, if not more. But this is like a new pinball machine, not a technology that will make an impact at home for years to come.
It is an amazing demo, but it's far from ready for prime-time. This is for an exciting display in a store. The fact that MS isn't talking about rolling this technology to other platforms yet indicates that they're not playing for those markets. And I will pit the iPhone or a touch-enabled iPod against a to-be-announced Surface Zune any day. If anything, launching this way is a sign that Microsoft knows it doesn't have a product to compete with the iPhone ready to go. So they brought out the circus edition of the technology.
I'm sure the clowns and the elephants are psyched.
Microsoft Surface: multi-user touch table [MacNN]
Technorati Tags: microsoft, iphone, surface
Pete Mortensen - Mac Plus Beats AMD Dualcore In Word, Excel Tests
Ever wondered what we've gained in 20 years of computing advancement? Other than better graphics, the answer is...not much, at least for basic office productivity tasks. Hal Licino at HubPages runs a vintage MacPlus from 1986 against a brand-new PC...Ever wondered what we've gained in 20 years of computing advancement? Other than better graphics, the answer is...not much, at least for basic office productivity tasks. Hal Licino at HubPages runs a vintage MacPlus from 1986 against a brand-new PC running on AMD dual-core hardware, and finds that the MacPlus is faster for virtually all comparable tasks, including booting and several ordinary MS Office tasks.
Just goes to show you -- computing peaked in 1988 (the Mac SE/30 dominates the Plus still).
86 Mac Plus Vs. 07 AMD DualCore. You Won't Believe Who Wins
Technorati Tags: macplus, quicktime vr
Pete Mortensen - Nominee For Oddest Mac Mini Case Mod
It's giant friendly green blob Haro from Gundam! And his back ate a Mac mini! Good thing he can dance or something. A very, very odd Japanese import. Check Ubergizmo for more. Via GeekSugar. Technorati Tags: gundam, mac mini, mod,...It's giant friendly green blob Haro from Gundam! And his back ate a Mac mini! Good thing he can dance or something. A very, very odd Japanese import. Check Ubergizmo for more.
Via GeekSugar.
Technorati Tags: gundam, mac mini, mod, accessory
Pete Mortensen - Apple v. Sony Difference Made Clear in NY Times Story
Each Apple Store is intimate, friendly, educational and filled with new technologies to discover. They're warm places, filled with helpful "geniuses," great gift ideas and room to learn, fail and succeed. Each interaction is an opportunity for Apple to directly...
Each Apple Store is intimate, friendly, educational and filled with new technologies to discover. They're warm places, filled with helpful "geniuses," great gift ideas and room to learn, fail and succeed. Each interaction is an opportunity for Apple to directly connect in an emotional way with its customers -- a pure brand expression.But as Apple's influence and power as a company has grown, another electronics powerhouse, Sony, has headed straight downhill, with a mediocre retail presence reflecting its overall woes. The NY Times's Randall Stross does an excellent job of chronicling the features that make Apple stand out and the symptoms of Sony's disease in this feature from the Sunday Times. He does not, however, truly diagnose the patient or recommend a cure that people can actually use.
I'll take that chance. Click through to hear what Apple is doing right, and why Sony Style stores feel so cold.
Technorati Tags: apple, retail, sony
Here's why Apple Stores are great: They are exactly like Apple and its products. Modern, simple, rife with false humility. On some deep level, Apple Stores are very proud of the company's achievements. The place unabashedly celebrates all things iPod, Mac, AppleTV and iLife like a proud parent. More than that, everything in the room says "Try me. Take me home. I'll make you better. I work well with the technologies you already own." The design of the retail experience is focused on emotional connections to Apple's customers. And it works really well, because that's what every Apple product, package, and business decision is also designed to do. It's honest.
Stross is very taken with Apple Stores, but I think this advice for Sony from Wendy Liebman of WSL Retail is a bit off. She's telling Sony to be Apple, and that really only works for Apple:
Wendy Liebman, the founder of WSL Strategic Retail in New York, was equally critical of the Sony Style store, which she faulted as being merely "a place of stuff." She said that a successful brand excites a passionate attachment, the way Starbucks or Target do, and that Apple's stores exemplify "emotional connection."
"People can just walk in, absorb the fumes and feel like the smartest technophile in the world," she said. Let's add that there is only one place to buy computers that features Geniuses at all times.The article struggles for a purpose. Is the issue that Sony needs to be more emotional? Or is it that the company needs an exclusive device that will drive traffic to the stores? Here's the big picture. Sony is not an emotional brand. It is a cool brand that pushes for sleek, clean, high-design, high-tech products that really push the edges of technical possibility. And the fact is, that isn't necessarily the most fun brand to embody in an environment. Sony Style is almost true to the overall Sony brand, but I think it tries a little too hard to allow people to experiment and discover, much like the Apple Store. Sony makes technology for people who want the latest and greatest. That says to me that maybe Sony Style should be more about a curated experience -- guided tours of the bleeding edge.
A Sony store feels too much like my living room and not enough like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. That's the problem. If I could be having this experience at home, I'd rather have Apple get me there. For Sony, I want to feel like I've stepped into the future.
Pete Mortensen - This Week Will Bring DRM-Free iTunes?
Ever since Apple and EMI shocked the world in April by announcing that they would sell music through the iTunes Store free from copy-protection constraints, the world has been waiting for the company's to actually make that announcement a reality....Ever since Apple and EMI shocked the world in April by announcing that they would sell music through the iTunes Store free from copy-protection constraints, the world has been waiting for the company's to actually make that announcement a reality.
This might be the week, if the rumor mill has it pegged correctly. MacNN claims we've been going through a delay of these products, which I can't say I noticed:
The seeming delay for introducing the new tier of content has been primarily attributed to a desire to offer the entire catalog at once in the unprotected format rather than a gradual rollout. The companies' technicians are simply in the later stages of encoding and hosting the files before they go live, the contact says.
Not too surprising, here. After all, Apple said they would launch an offering in May -- that means they'll launch it on the last Tuesday of the month, right? Wake me up when Apple actually misses launching during the month.
DRM-free iTunes set this week? [MacNN]
Pete Mortensen - Fact or Fiction: Video Shot on iPhone?
The next four weeks are going to be crazy. Maybe, once the iPhone is truly released into the wild, hysteria over sightings will recede until that day, however, the Internet is wild with any news of an iPhone in public....The next four weeks are going to be crazy. Maybe, once the iPhone is truly released into the wild, hysteria over sightings will recede until that day, however, the Internet is wild with any news of an iPhone in public. I won't even cover one of the big iPhone stories of the weekend here (a photo of a man who is either holding an iPhone or possibly any other object that fits in the hand is not news), but I am intrigued by this video find.
It purports to be an Apple Store employee sneaking an iPhone onto the floor of the shop, then shooting video of himself being shown on a store iMac's iSight. It looks pretty real. It could be faked pretty easily, though it would basically have to b e done with another camera phone or pocket video recorder dressed in an iPhone costume. What do you think?
iPhone Camera Video Mirror [YouTube]
Via TUAW
Pete Mortensen - Zombies Welcome at the Apple Store
A Zombie flash mob got a friendly reception at the San Francisco Apple Store, CNet's Declan McCullagh reports: It may be worth noting that the Westfield Mall and Disney security tried to bar the zombies from entering, but Apple store...A Zombie flash mob got a friendly reception at the San Francisco Apple Store, CNet's Declan McCullagh reports:
It may be worth noting that the Westfield Mall and Disney security tried to bar the zombies from entering, but Apple store security did not. In fact, salespeople were jostling one another for a position where they could take the best photo of the zombies (or themselves with the zombies, or their brains being eaten by the zombies).
More pix at Flickr.
lkahney - Apple: Keep Your Hands off my Power Supply
Apple's MagSafe power connector, the power cord that connects to new Mac laptops magnetically, is one of the more innovative hardware features to hit portables in years. The MagSafe connector doesn't jack in to a laptop; it connects via a...
Apple's MagSafe power connector, the power cord that connects to new Mac laptops magnetically, is one of the more innovative hardware features to hit portables in years. The MagSafe connector doesn't jack in to a laptop; it connects via a magnet so if you stumble over the cord, it just disconnects and your MacBook doesn't come tumbling off the table. It's saved mine from who knows how many spills, and is probably the only reason my MacBook hasn't had to endure frequent trips back to Apple's repair center like my previous Mac laptops. Yet after more than a year on the market, there still are no third-party accessories for it--adapters that will let you jack into the power ports on planes or cars for example. Why not? Dan Frakes discovered that it's because Apple won't license it. Apple owns the patent on the MagSafe, and it's not sharing. Perhaps it wants to corner the market on power accessories, it sells an airplane adapter for about sixty bucks, but that seems short sighted. As Frakes points out, licensing the technology and farming it out to third party vendors could earn the company plenty in licensing fees, while letting consumers get the accessories they want (probably at a lower price).
Mat Honan - Zune Headquarters Hosts iPod Amnesty Bin
Fimoculous brought Microsoft's iPod Amnesty Bin at the Zune Headquarters recently. Looks pretty empty to me -- think team members are taking the discards home to use instead of their Zunes? Or is it a place for iPods to escape...Fimoculous brought Microsoft's iPod Amnesty Bin at the Zune Headquarters recently. Looks pretty empty to me -- think team members are taking the discards home to use instead of their Zunes? Or is it a place for iPods to escape from Microsoft's labs where they were getting dissected and copied?
iPod Amnesty Bin on Flickr
Via TUAW.
Pete Mortensen - Mac Mini is Unloved, Not Dead in the Water
I'm genuinely puzzled by AppleInsider's melodramatic post pronouncing the death of the Mac mini. The article recounts Apple's many slights of its lowest-end platform and then proceeds to show know evidence that the line will soon be killed off. It...I'm genuinely puzzled by AppleInsider's melodramatic post pronouncing the death of the Mac mini. The article recounts Apple's many slights of its lowest-end platform and then proceeds to show know evidence that the line will soon be killed off.
It has seen just four updates since inception, one of which was so insignificant in Apple's own eyes that the company didn't even bother to draft a press release. Even now, the current minis' 1.66GHz and 1.83GHz Core Duo processors are a far cry from the silicon offered in the rest of Apple's PC offerings.
Well, that's actually to be expected. And I would say that hardware is significantly better than a lot of low-end PCs from other manufacturers. But that's neither here nor there. Apple needs the Mac mini just to get people looking for a cheap Mac in the door. The AppleTV might be incredibly popular as a hackable Mac substitute, but that's not what it is out of the box. Apple still needs a low-end entry, and the Mac mini costs very little to develop and revise. I don't see Apple just walking away.
And this quote says it all:
Whether Apple will squeeze another revision from the mini, and how long it plans to allow existing models to linger, are both unclear.
Oh, so at some point in the future, possibly after Apple releases new Mac minis, Apple will stop selling the Mac mini. Yep, dead as a doornail. What?
AppleInsider | Closing the book on Apple's Mac mini
Technorati Tags: mac mini, puppy
Pete Mortensen - Found Video: Homebrew PVR Software Running on AppleTV
Well, that's the missing link resolved. The above video depicts an AppleTV running MythTV, an open-source PVR program. If the AppleTV hard drive were a little bit bigger, it would officially be a real TiVo challenger. Will Apple ever release...Well, that's the missing link resolved. The above video depicts an AppleTV running MythTV, an open-source PVR program. If the AppleTV hard drive were a little bit bigger, it would officially be a real TiVo challenger. Will Apple ever release official PVR support?
YouTube - MythTV On AppleTV
Via Digg.Technorati Tags: appleTV, mythtv
Pete Mortensen - Large Gallery of "See-Through" Powerbook Screens
Remember that video years ago of the "transparent" Powerbook screen? Someone has compiled a gallery of photos demonstrating the same principle. There's an odd beauty here. Check it out. Fun 4 Amdavadi Gujarati Via Digg. Technorati Tags: powerbook...Remember that video years ago of the "transparent" Powerbook screen? Someone has compiled a gallery of photos demonstrating the same principle. There's an odd beauty here. Check it out.
Via Digg.
Technorati Tags: powerbook
Pete Mortensen - Tide iPod Plays Tunes, Fights Stains
I think we have a nominee for ugliest -- or prettiest? -- iPod ever, courtesy of a bizarre promotion that Procter Gamble is running to benefit the people of New Orleans. If you buy an ugly Tide t-shirt for $10,...I think we have a nominee for ugliest -- or prettiest? -- iPod ever, courtesy of a bizarre promotion that Procter & Gamble is running to benefit the people of New Orleans. If you buy an ugly Tide t-shirt for $10, you can win an iTunes gift certificate or a bright orange, Tide-branded iPod. A nano, from the looks of it. No word on whether they'll also brand you forehead with Tide.
Vintage T-shirts from Tide.com
Via Kristofer Brozio.
Pete Mortensen - Are Tech Analysts Ganking Rumors from Prominent Mac Sites?
MacRumors founder Arnold Kim makes a very interesting point regarding the rumored new MacBook Pros and iMacs that Piper Jaffrey analyst Gene Munster unleashed on an unwitting public yesterday. Like many others, I was fairly impressed that Munster took the...
MacRumors founder Arnold Kim makes a very interesting point regarding the rumored new MacBook Pros and iMacs that Piper Jaffrey analyst Gene Munster unleashed on an unwitting public yesterday. Like many others, I was fairly impressed that Munster took the trouble to determine the average life cycle of both iMac and MacBook Pro generations.Well, as it turns out, Munster might not have calculated the numbers himself:
These numbers correlate exactly to the [MacRumors] Buyer's Guide averages. Some have asked couldn't he have come up with these numbers on his own? It's possible, but exceedingly unlikely as he would have had to choose the same releases (2002 PowerBook, 2003 iMac) to start counting in order to achieve the exact same averages.
Kim also implies that Munster's assumption that Apple will release new Macs at WWDC might be directly drawn from an earlier ThinkSecret report, which makes the reliability of tech analysts' reports about Macs questionable. Which they absolutely are.
Apple is the rare computer company that won't play nice and let analysts see their stuff earlier than the general public. There's no question that most reports or based on assumptions and reading rumor sites. I do question a commenter's conclusion that any of this is new. From what I can tell, the Mac rumor sites have been ahead of the analysts since the day Steve came back.
Technorati Tags: analysts, rumor
Pete Mortensen - New Macs at WWDC? (Well, yeah)
Analyst Gene Munster (not to be confused with Herman) today predicted that Apple will roll out new MacBook Pros and iMacs at the Worldwide Developer Conference in June. That's not the world's edgiest guess, given that it's been almost nine...Analyst Gene Munster (not to be confused with Herman) today predicted that Apple will roll out new MacBook Pros and iMacs at the Worldwide Developer Conference in June. That's not the world's edgiest guess, given that it's been almost nine months since either product line was updated. What is rather shocking is Munster's baffling logic for the update:
Munster added that he "expects" new MacBook Pros (1, 2) to make a showing at the developer conference and that it's "also possible" that Apple will introduce a redesigned iMac. He notes that on average, the Cupertino-based company has updated its professional notebooks every 182 days, with the most recent generation having launched 209 days ago (data presumably gathered via help from the MacRumors buyer's guide). Similarly, he said, iMacs have traditionally seen updates every 168 days but the current generation is now a whopping 257 days old.
Wow, and I thought it was just that Intel had new processors on the market and Apple's just about last to roll out hardware sporting the chips. I am mildly interested in the rumor that the iMac would actually be redesigned and not just refreshed. Looking back at it, the timing might be right. The iMac G4 was on the market for about 30 months, and we're now at 33 months for the iMac G5 enclosure. I think Apple is more than due for a real new design statement on its computers, so this will be one to watch.
Image via Wikipedia
Via Engadget
Pete Mortensen - Hello Again, 'Hello.' Apple Leads Ad Revival
Interesting article in the New York Times today about the resurgence of the world Hello as an ad tagline. Apple has a long tradition of using the word dating to the original Mac, so it's only fitting that they've revived...Interesting article in the New York Times today about the resurgence of the world "Hello" as an ad tagline. Apple has a long tradition of using the word dating to the original Mac, so it's only fitting that they've revived it for the iPhone, but this is a bigger trend, as reflected in the creepy "Hello, Delicious" ads for Level Vodka:
"Advertising being an annoying, interruptive medium, 'Hello' is kind of a nice salutation, a friendly way of introducing yourself," said Lee Clow, chairman and chief creative officer at the TBWA Worldwide unit of the Omnicom Group who has long worked for Apple.
That's one way to view it. You know what I think it is? It's Thursday, that's what it is.
Pete Mortensen - No, DRM-Free Music Won't Create a New Bonanza
Silicon Valley raconteur Om Malik is always keeping his eyes peeled for something to surpass Apple's killer iPod+iTunes combo, and after endorsing Real Rhapsody the other day, he's now generally supporting the idea that a new generation of DRM-free music...Silicon Valley raconteur Om Malik is always keeping his eyes peeled for something to surpass Apple's killer iPod+iTunes combo, and after endorsing Real Rhapsody the other day, he's now generally supporting the idea that a new generation of DRM-free music will fuel a surge in digital music sales.
While online music downloads have grown rapidly, DRM (regardless of the flavor) has added more friction than security to the process, often slowing total sales, especially amongst the non-techie music fans.
I still don't buy it. Most people are willing to put up with minor DRM headaches for convenience. Most other people that really want to own their music are using services like eMusic or buying CDs. I don't think we're at a point where a lack of DRM-free Greatest Hits of the Eagles downloads is the bottleneck. Granted, Om thinks Apple stands to benefit here, but he also implies that the Sonos hardware that connects to Pandora could be the wave of the future. Which it isn't. I'm sorry, but radio, however evolved, doesn't hold the same long-term value as buying what you want. Pandora's a fun trick right now, but it's a long way from the music-brain I never realized I needed.
Pete Mortensen - Extra Reading, if you're bored.
If you've ever wondered exactly what I mean when I talk about innovation, feel free to take a gander at my other two blogs, both of which pertain to the subject. This is what I do for a living, so...If you've ever wondered exactly what I mean when I talk about innovation, feel free to take a gander at my other two blogs, both of which pertain to the subject. This is what I do for a living, so I think you should get a bit of my perspective on it.
The first blog, Better than New, is one I run with a friend. It's basically like what we do here, but as it pertains to design, innovation, cultural needs, stuff like that. It's newer but way more frequently updated.
The second, Pattern Linguist, is a misguided attempt to blog the complete history of the field of innovation as we know it today. It takes a long time to research, and I tend to be thoughtful instead of snarky here. Still, there's ample fodder at both. Check 'em out!
Pete Mortensen - MacBook Screen Lawsuit is a Tempest in a Teapot
About 95 percent of quality in a computer is subjective When a machine runs well, people aren't likely to become concerned about the specification of its memory controllers or the speed of its hard disk. But when things are bad,...About 95 percent of quality in a computer is subjective When a machine runs well, people aren't likely to become concerned about the specification of its memory controllers or the speed of its hard disk. But when things are bad, it doesn't matter if the machine is tricked out with the best components in the entire world -- it's a pile of junk.
This is all relevant to the current tempest in a teapot that goes by day as a lawsuit against Apple for "deceptively" using 6-bit LCD screens instead of 8-bit color on its MacBooks and MacBooks Pro. What this essentially means is that Apple advertises its computers as displaying millions of colors (presumably a full 16,777,216) but that they instead show only several hundred thousand (262,244). I am outraged! OUTRAGED!*
Why, just read this shocking quote from the lawsuit!
The reality is that notwithstanding Apple's misrepresentations and suggestions that its MacBook and MacBook Pro display "millions of colors," the displays are only capable of displaying the illusion of millions of colors through the use of a software technique referred to as "dithering," which causes nearby pixels on the display to use slightly varying shades of colors that trick the human eye into perceiving the desired color even though it is not truly that color.
And just imagine, if you sell that same computer to a color-blind person, they see far fewer than even the 262,244 colors you should be seeing! Horrors! And dogs can only see the screens in black and white -- a double-insult!
As several very insightful people have pointed out, virtually no laptop screens capable of displaying millions of colors are on the market. The fact that it's taken people this long to notice really is more indicative of what a non-issue it is. The only people who need such color range are graphics and video professionals, and we can only pray they're not relying on built-in laptop displays for their work!
(In case you're wondering where the figures come from, 6-bit and 8-bit refer to each color channel. That means (2^6)^3 versus (2^8)^3. That's because we're talking about the color-depth for red, green and blue. We're actually talking about 18-bit and 24-bit color. And none of it has anything to do with 64-bit processing)
So, yes, Apple shouldn't lie about it, but neither should other PC makers, and no one should be using laptops exclusively for mission-critical graphic design and color balancing. Can we go home now?
*I am not outraged.
Image and quote via Ars Technica.
Pete Mortensen - Jobs Says Gore Can Be Next President
Never one to pull a punch, Steve Jobs recently told Time Magazine that Al Gore can win the 2008 presidential election if the pro-environmental Apple board member wants to:If he ran, there's no question in my mind that he would...Never one to pull a punch, Steve Jobs recently told Time Magazine that Al Gore can win the 2008 presidential election if the pro-environmental Apple board member wants to:
"If he ran, there's no question in my mind that he would be elected," said Jobs, referring to Gore. "But I think there's a question in his mind, perhaps because the pain of the last election runs a lot deeper than he lets most of us see."
I have to assume that last sentence is humor. No one has ever seen Al Gore express emotion about the election, ever. Any pain at all would be the first anyone has seen. What do you think -- is the world ready for America's first iPresident?
Via MacNN.
Pete Mortensen - Apple's 5-year Deal With AT&T is Annoying, Strategic
Just in case anyone still had doubts about Apple's commitment to ATT as the exclusive carrier of the iPhone, wonder no longer: USA Today reported that Apple will be married to ATT for FIVE YEARS. FIVE YEARS! To put that...Just in case anyone still had doubts about Apple's commitment to AT&T as the exclusive carrier of the iPhone, wonder no longer: USA Today reported that Apple will be married to AT&T for FIVE YEARS. FIVE YEARS! To put that in perspective, that's the same amount of time between the introduction of the original iPod and the release of the clip-on model of the Shuffle.
And while this announcement is thoroughly irritating to me (I use T-Mobile...grumble, grumble), it might prove strategic for Apple. Click through to read why.
Handset exclusivity is a mixed bag in the U.S. market these days. Almost any phone, bar a tiny handful, will eventually make its way to all four of the major carriers. It's a slow process, but it happens. The carriers play off each other, and the prices of the phones go lower and lower, harming the perceived value of the the actual handsets. Just ask Motorola how this worked with the RAZR.
So by really committing to one carrier, Apple creates tremendous value for AT&T by giving them an unbelievably premium offering that only they may carry, and they also preserve value for Apple by ensuring that the iPhone never becomes a $29 device with a commitment to a two-year plan. This can allow Apple to hold more tightly to their user interface, feature set and design in a way that working with the big four would not.
This deal is an outright declaration of war on the other mobile carriers, nothing less. If you thought Apple only had it in for Palm and RIM, you have another thing coming.
What I still can't tell is how much this deal pertains to the exact phone Apple will roll out at the end of June. The company is prohibited from making a CDMA version of the iPhone during the five-year period, but I still don't see details that speak about exclusivity of future models. I can only assume that AT&T thought of that and we won't see unlocked iPhone nanos on the market in two years, but I guess we can keep hoping.
This does confirm one more thing, to my mind, however: It will be less than an hour after launch that people start selling allegedly unlocked iPhones on eBay at prices well above $1,000. Within a week, someone will have the iPhone running on T-Mobile networks.
Apple drives me nuts sometimes, and rarely so much as with this announcement. But let's face facts: I couldn't afford an iPhone until at least late 2008 regardless (the whole wedding thing), and I can't leave my current carrier until then, either. It was a long shot either way.
Still, it leaves me with a quandary: I'm desperate for a good smart phone, and I absolutely can't stand the user interfaces of Treos, BlackBerrys or Sidekicks. What's a nerd to do? Buy a Nokia N95?
Pete Mortensen - Sculptor Releases Wooden 128k Mac Replica
Artist Lee Stoetzel has a show of unique scale replicas of iconic products. The best, by far, is the Mac shown above. From what I can tell, even though it's non-operable, it's actually more powerful than the original 128k Mac....Artist Lee Stoetzel has a show of unique scale replicas of iconic products. The best, by far, is the Mac shown above. From what I can tell, even though it's non-operable, it's actually more powerful than the original 128k Mac. Especially is you drop it on your foot.
Wood Mac | The Apple Core
Via Digg.
Pete Mortensen - Found Video: Precocious 7-Year-Old Raves About Apple II in 1982
Future Cruxy blogger Nat Freitas has been at this tech thing for a long time. In the above video, he talks about the Apple II in glowing terms on a local cable access show. It rocks. 7 year old kid...
Future Cruxy blogger Nat Freitas has been at this tech thing for a long time. In the above video, he talks about the Apple II in glowing terms on a local cable access show. It rocks. 7 year old kid (me) talking about Apple IIs back in '82 from natdefreitas on Vimeo
Via Digg.
Pete Mortensen - Macs Used for Roomba Hacks at Maker Faire 2007
Maker Faire is an amazing event held annually in San Mateo, Calif. where people from all over the place come together to show off the crazy hardware hacks and contraptions they've cobbled together. As you might expect, it's not actually...Maker Faire is an amazing event held annually in San Mateo, Calif. where people from all over the place come together to show off the crazy hardware hacks and contraptions they've cobbled together. As you might expect, it's not actually a Mac-heavy location. If you aren't building your computer from spare parts you found in the neighbor's trash, you're sort of a second-class citizen.
Anyway, I went on Saturday, and met up with Tod Kurt, author of Hacking Roomba and the Todbot blog, who was showing off the latest and greatest in mods to make your robot vacuum cleaner do things it was never designed to, like play a sad sort of vacuum music or even act as a giant spirograph doodler (pic after the jump). Best of all, Tod and his boothmate, from the company he runs, ThingM, were an all-Mac shop. Hacking Roombas is great. Doing it with Macs is even better. It's all very easy over Bluetooth, apparently.
Technorati Tags: makerfaire, roomba
Pete Mortensen - Whose House? Apple's House
I snapped this photo walking home through Union Square the other night. It was a huge Volkswagen outdoor advertisement on a pillar, and someone decided to let the German carmaker know who runs San Francisco. It can only be Apple....I snapped this photo walking home through Union Square the other night. It was a huge Volkswagen outdoor advertisement on a pillar, and someone decided to let the German carmaker know who runs San Francisco. It can only be Apple.
Technorati Tags: apple, vw, sticker
Pete Mortensen - Readomatic Alpha Release: A Standalone App of Web App of Standalone App
General confusion and ambivalence about the continued value of stand-alone have gone mainstream as of...now. That's because German developer Gernot Poetsch has released an alpha of a new RSS reader he calls Readomatic. What's so weird about this app? Well,...General confusion and ambivalence about the continued value of stand-alone have gone mainstream as of...now. That's because German developer Gernot Poetsch has released an alpha of a new RSS reader he calls Readomatic. What's so weird about this app? Well, it's a standalone application of Google Reader, which is itself a replacement for a standalone RSS reader. Google Reader's great advantage is that it isn't standalone -- you can use it on any computer connected to the Internet and still have it keep up with all your readings.
We're now in the age of applications that take the limited functionality and GUI of a web app and give it the restricted, non-portable feature set of a standalone app. We're through the looking glass here, people. Still, it looks kinda hot. I'm not going to stop using Vienna, though.
Announcing Readomatic [poetsch.org]
Via digg.
Technorati Tags: rss, software
Pete Mortensen - FCC Says iPhone OK For Public Consumption
Our long, national nightmare is over: The FCC has approved the iPhone, which means that nothing is holding back the miracle device's release other than software issues so titanic that people got pulled off of Leopard development to fix it....Our long, national nightmare is over: The FCC has approved the iPhone, which means that nothing is holding back the miracle device's release other than software issues so titanic that people got pulled off of Leopard development to fix it. Yep, all hurdles cleared.
At the product's intro, Steve Jobs said he was taking the unusual stance of announcing the iPhone early so that the FCC wouldn't do it for him. So mark this day -- in an alternate universe where Steve doesn't believe in early announcements, even if it means screwing over the FCC, this would be the day that news of the iPhone broke. Can you even imagine how different 2007 would have been without all our wildest iPhone rumors confirmed.
News Flash: Apple iPhone receives FCC approval [AppleInsider]
Via Digg.Technorati Tags: innovation, iphone
Pete Mortensen - The Saga of a Fake Apple Internal Memo
In case you missed it, the full story of how Engadget came to post a fake Apple internal memo announcing delays of the iPhone to October and Leopard to January is now up at the site. The false news allegedly...In case you missed it, the full story of how Engadget came to post a fake Apple internal memo announcing delays of the iPhone to October and Leopard to January is now up at the site. The false news allegedly caused Apple to lose $4 billion in market cap in just six minutes.
It's pretty a long and pretty involved tale, but the most interesting piece is this: Someone with access to Apple's internal e-mail systems sent the original memo. Apple sent a second e-mail denying that the first message was real, but it all feels fishy.
After all, we know Apple has started fake rumors in the past just to flush out leakers. Could the Steve now be applying this logic to his own employees?
Regarding yesterday's Apple news [Engadget]
Pete Mortensen - MacBU Releases Word 2007 Document Converter
Microsoft, kings of irony, moved to the new Office Open XML document format with its new Office 2007 for Windows. It's ironic, because the format, well, won't really open on Mac OS X. Fortunately the Macintosh Business Unit inside MS...Microsoft, kings of irony, moved to the new Office Open XML document format with its new Office 2007 for Windows. It's ironic, because the format, well, won't really open on Mac OS X. Fortunately the Macintosh Business Unit inside MS is fighting the good fight, and in between latte-fueled coding runs on Office 2008, they put together a nifty little beta of a program designed to make Open XML more, well, open.
It's got an amazing name, as well: the Microsoft Open Office XML File Format Converter for Mac. I would have added "2007 Home Edition" to the end to really make it an MS, but it's a beta, so all in good time. The little program changes any .docx file into a charming and useful .rtf, OS X's lingua franca. Nice work, folks.
Thanks, Tammy!
Technorati Tags: microsoft, Unpacking, vista
Pete Mortensen - Apple Takes Page from Dell Playbook, Announces Most Incremental MacBook Upgrade EVAR!
Everyone on the planet is buzzing about Apple's next round of laptop upgrades since the company announced it would switch from LCD screens to LED screens in the very near future. Here we are less than a month later, and...Everyone on the planet is buzzing about Apple's next round of laptop upgrades since the company announced it would switch from LCD screens to LED screens in the very near future. Here we are less than a month later, and Apple has upgraded its consumer MacBook line to include -- features roughly equivalent to the existing MacBook line!
I know, I know, contain your excitement if you can. Why, instead of a base configuration of 512 megs of RAM, now every MacBook will ship with a full gig of RAM at the same price a year later! And instead of featuring either a 1.83 Ghz or 2.0 Ghz processor, now the 'Books ship with either a 2.0 or 2.16 Ghz part! It's almost like Moore's Law is in effect or something!
I've got the full specs behind the jump. The new MacBooks also have 802.11n now, which is a very nice feature, and it means that these are very good, very mature pieces of hardware. It also means they're about to get blown out of the water by Santa Rosa-based, LED-wearing MacBooks Pro. Sign me up for one of those instead, please.
Technorati Tags: macbook, puppy
The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,099 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
667 MHz front-side bus;
1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive;
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950;
Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
built-in iSight video camera;
Gigabit Ethernet port;
built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire® 400 port;
one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
Scrolling TrackPad;
the infrared Apple Remote; and
60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.16 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
667 MHz front-side bus;
1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950;
Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
built-in iSight video camera;
Gigabit Ethernet port;
built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port;
one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
Scrolling TrackPad;
the infrared Apple Remote; and
60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.16 GHz, 13-inch black MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
667 MHz front-side bus;
1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950;
Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately);
built-in iSight video camera;
Gigabit Ethernet port;
built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port;
one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
Scrolling TrackPad;
the infrared Apple Remote; and
60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
Pete Mortensen - John Mayer Betrays Apple with a (BlackBerry) Curve-ball?
John Mayer never ceases to irritate. Much as I love Steve Jobs and Apple, their insistence on putting the soft-rock crooner on the stage whenever they roll out a new product always grates. At this January's iPhone introduction, the rumor...John Mayer never ceases to irritate. Much as I love Steve Jobs and Apple, their insistence on putting the soft-rock crooner on the stage whenever they roll out a new product always grates. At this January's iPhone introduction, the rumor was that Paul and Ringo would take the stage to kick off Beatles music on the iTunes Store, but we got John Mayer yet again.
And now, to what purports to be his own blog, Mayer has allegedly announced that he has an advance copy of RIM's BlackBerry Curve, a direct iPhone competitor with a similar feature set, if implemented in a less-exciting way. In Benedict Arnold's own words:
Just got an advance of the Blackberry Curve... I guess you could say I'm ahead of the... Nevermind.
lights will guide you home...But never back to Cupertino. Who's with me? No more Steve-notes for Mr. Mayer?
Technorati Tags: blackberry, iphone
Pete Mortensen - Awkward AT&T CEO Gives iPhone to University President -- Awkwardly
Cingular/ATT Wireless CEO Stan Sigman's 5 minutes of flop sweat hit the lowest point of the otherwise stunningly executed iPhone launch. Amid smooth presentations by the best of Silicon Valley, Sigman did his best to kill the mood with the...Cingular/AT&T Wireless CEO Stan Sigman's 5 minutes of flop sweat hit the lowest point of the otherwise stunningly executed iPhone launch. Amid smooth presentations by the best of Silicon Valley, Sigman did his best to kill the mood with the utterly uninteresting announcement that Cingular had become AT&T's mom or something. It was kind of hard to follow. I wasn't paying close attention.
And just as Sigman caused the thunder to fizzle out during the iPhone launch, he's done it again, becoming the first person to publicly gift the iPhone. He's apparently a graduate of West Texas A&M University, and he gave the commencement lecture this year, lamely pulling out an iPhone as a gift for the university's president, Dr. O'Brien.
Man. At this pace, Sigman's going to start pre-announcing Apple products. You'd best give him the talk, Steve.
Stan Sigman gifts iPhone at West Texas A&M [YouTube]
Via TUAWTechnorati Tags: iphone, stan sigman
Pete Mortensen - Jobs Rolls Out The Zingers for Shareholders Meeting
Image by Mina Ramzy His Steveness was in prime form during last week's Apple Shareholders meeting, and AppleInsider's got the goods. The iCEO dissed Microsoft, acknowledged interest in 3rd-party iPhone apps and mocked the people of the developing world. He's...
Image by Mina RamzyHis Steveness was in prime form during last week's Apple Shareholders meeting, and AppleInsider's got the goods. The iCEO dissed Microsoft, acknowledged interest in 3rd-party iPhone apps and mocked the people of the developing world. He's so predictable that way:
"I wish developing great products was as easy as writing a check," he said. "If that were the case, then Microsoft would have great products."
...
When asked about the iPhone's closed development platform and whether the company recognized the need of large institutions to build their own applications for the handset, Jobs replied that Apple was "wrestling" to balance the requirements for security and stability with the desire for custom application development.
...
During the shareholders meeting, Jobs also entertained the suggestion that Apple could mimic Microsoft's strategy of offering developing nations Windows Starter Edition -- a low cost version of Windows XP as an alternative to the much more expensive Windows Vista. "Do you think we should offer Mac OS 9?" Jobs quipped in response.
"I think Apple could sell the developing world Tiger while selling Leopard here," the attendee replied. Jobs paused for a moment and said that could be an option.
Nice one, Steve! You just looked like a big ol' jerk. We're keenly aware that you're not interested in being perceived as a major philanthropist, but you could at least pretend some times... There's much more at the AI story.
Apple's Jobs addresses critics, new product directions [AppleInsider]
Technorati Tags: iphone, OS 9, Steve Jobs
Pete Mortensen - Apple's Retail Sales In Top 5 for First Time this Year
As if we need evidence that Apple's continued commitment to innovation and great design is paying off beyond the iPod line, check the March sales numbers of the company's computers. Through retail channels, Apple's MacBook family are the fourth-most popular...As if we need evidence that Apple's continued commitment to innovation and great design is paying off beyond the iPod line, check the March sales numbers of the company's computers. Through retail channels, Apple's MacBook family are the fourth-most popular laptop offerings in the U.S. at 10 percent of all sales, and its desktops are No. 5 with 8 percent. This does leave out Dell from the conversation, but it's always better to leave Dell out of things, isn't it?
Click through for the final numbers.
Apple Laptops Grab 9.9% of Retail Sales, Desktops 7.7%[Apple 2.0]
Technorati Tags: marketshare, sales
Category: Laptops
Rank Brand Unit Share
1 Toshiba 26.2%
2 Hewlett Packard 23.9%
3 Gateway 13.0%
4 Apple 9.9%
5 Compaq 8.5%Total Dollar Volume: $696,976,800
Category: Desktops
Rank Brand Unit Share
1 Hewlett Packard 35.0%
2 Compaq 16.7%
3 Gateway 16.6%
4 Emachines 16.4%
5 Apple 7.7%Total Dollar Volume: $304,787,600
Pete Mortensen - Apple II Plastic Model Tshirt
The Chop Shop t-shirt website has a very unusual Apple II t-shirt design for sale. The front of the shirt looks like a template for a plastic toy -- like a model airplane. But turn the shirt around and the...The Chop Shop t-shirt website has a very unusual Apple II t-shirt design for sale. The front of the shirt looks like a template for a plastic toy -- like a model airplane.
But turn the shirt around and the assembled model is on the back -- an Apple II. The site says each tee comes with a limited edition temporary tattoo.
lkahney - Pretty, Obviously Fake MacTablet Images
Since Apple introduced the iPhone, we haven't had a fun product to speculation about in a month or two, and that means no ridiculous Photoshop renderings of unannounced hardware products. Well, we can't have that, can we? Thank goodness that...Since Apple introduced the iPhone, we haven't had a fun product to speculation about in a month or two, and that means no ridiculous Photoshop renderings of unannounced hardware products. Well, we can't have that, can we? Thank goodness that we have the still-mysterious Mac Tablet to think about. After all, it's not like Apple would create a truly mind-blowing form factor for the anticipated Centrino Pro (Santa Rosa) MacBook Pros, is it?
A forum linking off of Chinese site TechWeb posted some photos it purports to have uncovered of the actual Mac Tablet. Except that it's quite obviously cgi. Still, it looks cool, doesn't it? I'd use one.
Via Digg.
Technorati Tags: mac, rumor, tablet
Pete Mortensen - AwkwardTV Releases First-Ever Game for AppleTV, Omelette
Though Apple still won't acknowledge rumors that it's about to make a serious video gaming play beyond iPod games, a third party has stepped in and shown that the AppleTV is ready for games now. It's called Omelette, and it's...Though Apple still won't acknowledge rumors that it's about to make a serious video gaming play beyond iPod games, a third party has stepped in and shown that the AppleTV is ready for games now. It's called Omelette, and it's basically just Bejeweled. But hey, it works, right? Counterstrike is definitely going to be next.
Via Ars Technica.
Technorati Tags: appleTV, game, hack
Pete Mortensen - Analysis: Wait, Are Sun, Google and Apple Teaming Up or Ready to Kill Each Other?
Silicon Valley makes no sense. In January, Apple and Google got so close that the rumor mills buzzed with word that they would form an alliance with Sun to take on Microsoft...again. Yesterday, Sun made some pretty big announcements: They...Silicon Valley makes no sense. In January, Apple and Google got so close that the rumor mills buzzed with word that they would form an alliance with Sun to take on Microsoft...again. Yesterday, Sun made some pretty big announcements: They rolled out JavaFX development platform, which truly promises to deliver on the dream of "write once, run everywhere" that the company has promised since it launched Java more than a decade ago, and that always means more opportunity for apps to come to the Mac.
On the other hand, they showed off a mobile phone platform that will try to compete with Apple's iPhone by, you know, LOOKING EXACTLY LIKE AN iPHONE, but across manufacturers and at a cheap price. While I think Apple's ability to make data syncing a snap is the real competitive advantage of the iPhone and that the company's implementation of multitouch will be better than anyone else's, I still think other companies aren't out for the count yet. Sun might be making the platform for that competition. And the Valley is still buzzing on word that Google might release its own phone. So why are Apple, Google and Sun best buds one moment and worst enemies the next?
Technorati Tags: google, iphone, java
Seth Weintraub of 9 to 5 Mac makes some interesting points about Sun's recent love for Apple, but I don't know if it outweighs an overt competitive action like this. The only thing I can think is that it's simply a matter of battles chosen. There are places (enterprise, software development) where Apple and Sun can be natural allies because they have complementary strengths, with Google as a third leg in the triumvirate. Each has capabilities the others can't match There are other markets -- mobile phones, for example -- where Apple, Google and Sun each have the opportunity to carve out a major piece of the market, and current alliances aren't set up to last.
And I think that's just the way Silicon Valley acts. Everyone is close friends until they betray each other, and then they become friends again later when it suits them. If you're outside of that social context, it just doesn't make sense. But failure and competition get things done here. After all, Yahoo and Google are as likely to be teaming up as they are to be at each other's throats.
Sun and Apple Forging Alliance | 9 to 5 Mac
Found on Digg.
Pete Mortensen - Academic Journal Beaten Down In Pursuit of Apple Design Group
Every few years, another writer who hasn't followed Apple's design heritage for very long decides to figure out where it comes from and why it's been such a success. And every few readers, they end up talking with people extremely...Every few years, another writer who hasn't followed Apple's design heritage for very long decides to figure out where it comes from and why it's been such a success. And every few readers, they end up talking with people extremely tangential to the process who haven't been involved for at least 9 years. The latest is poor Daniel Turner, writing for the MIT Technology Review:
But the omerta that prevails at Apple proved too strong. Company representatives declined to speak with me, and sources only tangentially engaged with the industrial-design process said that they could not talk either. When I asked Paul Kunkel, author of the 1997 book AppleDesign, for tips on obtaining interviews, he laughed and said, "Go sit outside the design-group offices with a pizza." What follows is as clear a picture of the Apple design process as we could get.
Which is to say, very out of date and filled with speculation. Don't get me wrong -- I think this as good a job as anyone could do analyzing Apple's design group without getting behind the veil, but it's nothing new to anyone following Apple long-term. I think it's particularly telling that the writer couldn't even get someone from Frog that worked on Apple products in the 1980s to speak on the record. A designer with no Apple ties had to step up.
Give it a read, though: It's worth it just for the shocking revelation that Steve Jobs just might have a major impact on the final design of the company's products. Huh. Couldn't have guessed that!
The Secret of Apple Design: Technology Review
Via Digg.Technorati Tags: apple, design, innovation
Pete Mortensen - Two Online-Only "Get a Mac" Ads Available -- And Bad
As if to counter the high quality of "Choose a Vista" and the other two official "Get a Mac" ads rolled out yesterday, two rather poor and underdone unreleased ads have trickled to the web. And they're dire, making lame...As if to counter the high quality of "Choose a Vista" and the other two official "Get a Mac" ads rolled out yesterday, two rather poor and underdone unreleased ads have trickled to the web. And they're dire, making lame jokes about drivers and viruses. Let's just hope these literally came from the cutting-room floor, shall we?
Technorati Tags: get a mac, viruses, vista
Digg - Two New Websclusive "Get A Mac" ads:
Pete Mortensen - New 'Get a Mac' Ads Mock Vista Again and Again
The more I try to cantankerously deny my love for Apple's "Get a Mac" ad campaign, the more they manage to win me over. The best of a new crop posted Monday night is "Choose a Vista," which features John...
The more I try to cantankerously deny my love for Apple's "Get a Mac" ad campaign, the more they manage to win me over. The best of a new crop posted Monday night is "Choose a Vista," which features John "PC" Hodgman spinning a game wheel to select a version of Vista. Cries of "Big Operating System! Big Operating System! Daddy needs an upgrade!" Will stay with me for a long time. The other ads, "Genius" and "The Party's Over" are after the jump.Technorati Tags: get a mac, vista
Pete Mortensen - PC World Posts Anti-Apple Article Editor Allegedly Quit Over
We at Wired set off quite a catty-wumpus last week by reporting that one of the reasons PC World Editor in Chief Harry McCracken departed the publication was that a piece called "10 Things We Hate About Apple" upset the...We at Wired set off quite a catty-wumpus last week by reporting that one of the reasons PC World Editor in Chief Harry McCracken departed the publication was that a piece called "10 Things We Hate About Apple" upset the company's publisher, who supposedly favored a pro-advertiser bent to editorial.
As if to deny such reports, the magazine has now posted the article and its lovey-dovey companion piece, along with a cryptic reference to its tortured origins that doesn't quite mention what really happened:
By now, you may have heard something about a couple of articles we've been planning about Apple and its products. We sure have.
The article itself is pretty toothless: "5. Where's the BluRay?" Ooooooo. I'm shaking in my boots. Can this really have ended a respected tech journalist's career?
PC World - 10 Things We Hate About Apple
Via Digg.Technorati Tags: ethics, PC World
Pete Mortensen - Apple Most Innovative Company for Third Year Running
BusinessWeek released its list of the top 50 most innovative companies over the weekend, and, as usual, Apple won. This is the third time in a row. Now, far be it for me to knock any effort that names Apple...BusinessWeek released its list of the top 50 most innovative companies over the weekend, and, as usual, Apple won. This is the third time in a row. Now, far be it for me to knock any effort that names Apple the winner of anything, but I'm not terribly convinced by the methodology used to put the ranking together by BW and Boston Consulting Group. Surveying senior executives just seems so 1980s, and it inevitably means that quite shallow measurements are advantaged -- flashiest product intros, most profitability attributable to new products, etc.
I mean, how honored can you be as most innovative in the world when Microsoft is No. 5? Or Sony moving up three slots to No. 10 in the year that they introduced the PS3 while Nintendo is at No. 39? Or Wal-Mart at No. 11 when Target's down at No. 15? The entire index is suspect. Except for the part where Apple wins, of course.
Note to the senior executives of America: "Most Innovative" does not mean "hottest on the stock market."
The 50 Most Innovative Companies [BusinessWeek]
Technorati Tags: apple, innovation
Pete Mortensen - New UK Get a Mac Subway Underground Ad
The Macbook's power cable is--bar none--one of the most useful hardware innovations to come about it years, on any platform. So it's always surprising that Apple doesn't make more of it in its advertising. It's saved me from many disasters,...The Macbook's power cable is--bar none--one of the most useful hardware innovations to come about it years, on any platform. So it's always surprising that Apple doesn't make more of it in its advertising. It's saved me from many disasters, and I'm glad to see it turning up in this London Tube ad. Be sure to see the entire set.
Photo by quatzacoalt
Mat Honan - iPods Should Be Required in Schools, Not Banned
Pix by nathan Mike Elgan in Computerworld makes the convincing argument that iPods should be required in schools, not banned: So many college students I've met -- even at some of the nation's top universities -- are there because they...Mike Elgan in Computerworld makes the convincing argument that iPods should be required in schools, not banned:
So many college students I've met -- even at some of the nation's top universities -- are there because they have an aptitude for memorization. Many straight-A high school students have few interests, little curiosity and zero inclination toward intellectual discovery. Our system rewards the memorizers and punishes the creative thinkers.
An iPod, when used during tests, is nothing more than a machine that stores and spits out data. By banning iPods and other gadgets, we're teaching kids to actually become iPods -- to become machines that store and spit out data. Instead, we should be teaching them to use iPods -- to use that data and to be human beings who can think -- and leave data storage to the machines.
lkahney - Leopard to Feature 3-D Dashboard Implementation?
We're down to just a month until Apple takes the wraps off what few unannounced features remain for Mac OS X Leopard. So let's all sit back and revel in rumors of what Apple might do next, courtesy of AppleInsider:...We're down to just a month until Apple takes the wraps off what few unannounced features remain for Mac OS X Leopard. So let's all sit back and revel in rumors of what Apple might do next, courtesy of AppleInsider:
According to the filing, different Dashboards could contain one or more of the same widgets and "state" information for a widget could be maintained separately for each Dashboard in which the widget appears, or it can be commonly maintained across all Dashboards in which the widget appears.
"Different Dashboards can be available or 'owned' for different users of a computer or other electronic device, such that each user can only access their own Dashboard(s)," Apple said in the filing. "A user can specify a Dashboard as being available to other users, if desired. A user can also specify, for any or all of the Dashboards he or she creates, whether other users are permitted to make changes to the Dashboard(s)."Uh...sounds good!
Apple filing depicts interactive Dashboard cube interface [AppleInsider]
Technorati Tags: leopard, mac os x, dashboard
Pete Mortensen - Get a Mac on 'South Park'
Yep, we just jumped the shark. Time to move on, Apple. YouTube - South Park Mac vs. PC Via Digg. Technorati Tags: get a mac, South Park...
Yep, we just jumped the shark. Time to move on, Apple.YouTube - South Park Mac vs. PC
Via Digg.
Technorati Tags: get a mac, South Park
Pete Mortensen - Crazy Rumor: Apple Seeds OS 9.3 to Developers
Sometimes, the alternate-universe humor mocking Apple is only 3 percent more insane than actual Apple news. The hilarious Crazy Apple Rumors Site just announced the launch of Mac OS 9.3: According to sources at Apple, the company is entirely at...Sometimes, the alternate-universe humor mocking Apple is only 3 percent more insane than actual Apple news. The hilarious Crazy Apple Rumors Site just announced the launch of Mac OS 9.3:
According to sources at Apple, the company is entirely at a loss to explain where this seed came from.
"I didn't do it," said senior vice president of software engineering Bertrand Serlet. "I can't even get Leopard done in time. I'm swamped. Stupid iPhone and Apple TV. Nobody asked me whether or not we should make those. I mean, I haven't gone to the bathroom in three weeks. OS 9? Je pense que non."Sign me up!
Image via Answers.com
Via Digg.
Crazy Apple Rumors Site » Blog Archive » Apple Seeds OS 9.3
Pete Mortensen - Greenpeace Thrilled By Apple's Green Announcement
Wondering whether Apple's public pledges of environmental responsibility would appease the company's Green critics? Wonder no more. Greenpeace just publicly lauded the company's suddenly forward-thinking stance on its own impact on the environment: It's not everything we asked for. Apple...Wondering whether Apple's public pledges of environmental responsibility would appease the company's Green critics? Wonder no more. Greenpeace just publicly lauded the company's suddenly forward-thinking stance on its own impact on the environment:
It's not everything we asked for. Apple has declared a phase out of the worst chemicals in its product range, Brominated Fire Retardants (BFRs) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) by 2008. That beats Dell and other computer manufactures' pledge to phase them out by 2009. Way to go Steve!
But there's always more to be done, of course:
But while customers in the US will be able to return their Apple products for recycling knowing that their gear won't end up in the e-waste mountains of Asia and India, Apple isn't making that promise to anyone but customers in the USA. Elsewhere in the world, an Apple product today can still be tomorrow's e-waste. Other manufacturers offer worldwide takeback and recycling. Apple should too!
Either way, a big change. One other note: In all the excitement yesterday, I somehow missed that Steve's environment made a public commitment to start using LED displays this year, all but confirming a long-standing rumor that upcoming laptops would soon transition away from LCD technology. All of which makes me extra-happy that I have held off on buying a new computer, eh?
Eh? Enh.
Tasty news from Apple! | Greenpeace InternationalTechnorati Tags: apple, green, Greenpeace
Pete Mortensen - PC World Editor Quits Over Anti-Apple Story
PC World Editor-in-Chief Harry McCracken quit suddenly on Wednesday. According to our colleagues at the magazine, the sudden departure resulted from pressure to kill a story called "10 Things We Hate About Apple" that allegedly displeased CEO Colin Crawford. It's...PC World Editor-in-Chief Harry McCracken quit suddenly on Wednesday. According to our colleagues at the magazine, the sudden departure resulted from pressure to kill a story called "10 Things We Hate About Apple" that allegedly displeased CEO Colin Crawford. It's pretty sordid.
The piece, a whimsical article titled "Ten Things We Hate About Apple," was still in draft form when Crawford killed it. McCracken said no way and walked after Crawford refused to compromise. Apparently Crawford also told editors that product reviews in the magazine were too critical of vendors, especially ones who advertise in the magazine, and that they had to start being nicer to advertisers.
Yikes. Good for you, Harry.
Technorati Tags: PC World, ethics
Pete Mortensen - Real Steve Follows Fake Steve's Lead on Being Green
Weight Recycled as % of Past Sales. Credit: Apple In a case of life imitating art, the Real Steve Jobs is following the Fake Steve Jobs' green lead. On Wed. April 11, Fake Steve wrote: By the end of this...Weight Recycled as % of Past Sales. Credit: Apple
In a case of life imitating art, the Real Steve Jobs is following the Fake Steve Jobs' green lead.
On Wed. April 11, Fake Steve wrote:By the end of this year I want Apple to be known as the greenest company in the world -- not just in tech but in everything. If we've got to make hydrogen-powered computers and iPods that run on solar energy, so be it. Let's get this done.
On Tue. May 2, Real Steve wrote:
Apple has been criticized by some environmental organizations for not being a leader in removing toxic chemicals from its new products, and for not aggressively or properly recycling its old products. Upon investigating Apple's current practices and progress towards these goals, I was surprised to learn that in many cases Apple is ahead of, or will soon be ahead of, most of its competitors in these areas.
lkahney - Jobs Announces 'A Greener Apple'
Steve Jobs just broke Apple's relative silence about its environmental policies, a move that will either hearten or frustrate the company's critics, who contend that Apple is not sustainable enough. One of the larger bones of contention over time has...Steve Jobs just broke Apple's relative silence about its environmental policies, a move that will either hearten or frustrate the company's critics, who contend that Apple is not sustainable enough. One of the larger bones of contention over time has been the company's unwillingness to declare public goals for its electronics recycling programs. That unwillingness is gone, and Steve's personal letter to the world even explains why it was there in the first place.
It is generally not Apple's policy to trumpet our plans for the future; we tend to talk about the things we have just accomplished. Unfortunately this policy has left our customers, shareholders, employees and the industry in the dark about Apple's desires and plans to become greener. Our stakeholders deserve and expect more from us, and they're right to do so. They want us to be a leader in this area, just as we are in the other areas of our business. So today we're changing our policy.
The rest of the letter details what Apple has done for the environment and intends to do in the future. It's pretty much a point-by-point rebuttal to their critics, including public pledges to remove the use of polyvinyl chlorides form all Apple products by next year, and audacious recycling figures that ramp up to 28 percent of weight of products sold by 2010. The company claims that figure will surpass HP and Dell in the next three years.
At any rate, this is a stunning announcement. Next thing you know, Apple will pre-announce one of its flagship hardware products more than five months before it ships. Oh, wait...
What do you think? Has Apple finally gone far enough? What additional environmental commitments do they still need to make? Will Greenpeace stop showing up with giant worm-ridden apples at major conferences?
Thanks, Andrew!
Image via Greenpeace.
Pete Mortensen - SlingBox Now Rocking a Mac Near You
Though DVRs are still far from mainstream technology, some folks are already moving from the time-shifting of a DVR to the place-shifting offered by Sling Media, which uses a hardware/software combo to take incoming TV streams and make them available...
Though DVRs are still far from mainstream technology, some folks are already moving from the time-shifting of a DVR to the place-shifting offered by Sling Media, which uses a hardware/software combo to take incoming TV streams and make them available at any time at any place over the Internet. But until yesterday, the software didn't run on Mac. No more. the new Sling Player for Mac OS X is compatible with a wide variety of sources and viewing hardware:With this software release, Slingbox owners can now view their television directly on their Macintosh computer screen. With full remote control, they can watch content from their home entertainment system whether from cable, DVR, DVD and even a full range of Apple entertainment products including: Apple TV®, Front Row, iPod® in Apple's Universal Dock® or iPod in an iPod Hi-Fi™.
They did a great job meeting Apple's own interface standards, judging from the screenshot. Anyone already got it up and running? How's it going?
Sling Media - Sling Media's Popular SlingPlayer Now Ready For A Mac Near You
Technorati Tags: slingplayer, slingbox
Pete Mortensen - The Face of Steve Appears in a Latte
\ The Virgin Mary has nothing on the patron saint of our cult! Photo by Luke Edgar Seeley, who notes: I ordered a medium latte at a local cafe and was surprised to find that the barista had, with his...\
The Virgin Mary has nothing on the patron saint of our cult! Photo by Luke Edgar Seeley, who notes:I ordered a medium latte at a local cafe and was surprised to find that the barista had, with his mastery of steamed milk, poured a face and the words "I Love Steve Jobs" into my latte.
I don't know if I believe it, but I want to believe. Who could ask for more?
A Steve Jobs Latte on Flickr - Photo Sharing
Via Digg.
Technorati Tags: espresso, Steve Jobs
Pete Mortensen - Pay Tribute to the HD-DVD Crack with a Screensaver
As you might have heard, all hell broke loose today as the code to crack HD-DVD encryption spread all over the Intarwebs, to the chagrin of Digg Founder Kevin Rose. It's a pretty big day, no matter how you feel...As you might have heard, all hell broke loose today as the code to crack HD-DVD encryption spread all over the Intarwebs, to the chagrin of Digg Founder Kevin Rose. It's a pretty big day, no matter how you feel about DRM. I'm not going to link directly to the code, because I'm not about that, but a playful OS X developer has created a screensaver that takes the 16 numbers in the code and randomly moves them around, so the actual order isn't certain. To be clear, the configuration in the image above is not the correct order. Keep it clean, kids, but remember the events of the day in style.
Sixteen_Hexadecimal_Digits_Screensaver_for_Mac_OS_X
[Via Digg]Technorati Tags: hd-dvd, screensaver, software
Pete Mortensen - John Gruber Engulfs Steve Ballmer at Daring Fireball
Some of the best Apple theorists just don't write enough. That's certainly true of Daring Fireball creator John Gruber, who makes an impact every time he posts a major essay, but doesn't post all that many essays. In his newest...Some of the best Apple theorists just don't write enough. That's certainly true of Daring Fireball creator John Gruber, who makes an impact every time he posts a major essay, but doesn't post all that many essays. In his newest missive, he deconstructs Steve Ballmer's arguments against the iPhone. It's a laudable effort. Check it.
Some of these pundits and analysts are morons. Ballmer, however, is a very smart man, but what he's saying about the iPhone is going to make him look stupid if it's successful. He clearly doesn't get what makes the iPhone so appealing, and his dual obsession with the price and business users is baffling.
Daring Fireball: The iPhone's Funny Price
Technorati Tags: ballmer, iphone
Pete Mortensen - Stop the Presses! Steve Jobs to Give Apple Keynote
Apple loves to make big announcements on Tuesday mornings. Today, they reminded us that not all big announcements are created equal. Apple PR informed the world that -- brace for it -- none other than Apple CEO Steve Jobs will...Apple loves to make big announcements on Tuesday mornings. Today, they reminded us that not all big announcements are created equal. Apple PR informed the world that -- brace for it -- none other than Apple CEO Steve Jobs will kick off the company's Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday, June 11.
Don't all of you wet your pants with excitement at once.
Apple did confirm that Jobs would show off a feature-complete version of Mac OS X Leopard, including whatever mystery functions got left out of the 2006 showcase, and the company will will distribute a beta to all in attendance. And that's something to get worked up over.
Steve Jobs to Kick Off WWDC 2007
Technorati Tags: leopard, Steve Jobs, wwdc
Pete Mortensen - Fake Steve Wants To Destroy His House
I don't know where we in the Mac game would be without Fake Steve Jobs, the anonymous blogger who pretends to be Apple's CEO so we don't have to. Today, he tackles the continued resistance to the iCEO's attempts to...I don't know where we in the Mac game would be without Fake Steve Jobs, the anonymous blogger who pretends to be Apple's CEO so we don't have to. Today, he tackles the continued resistance to the iCEO's attempts to demolish his historic mansion, the Jackling house. And if you think Fake Steve is cowed by the California Supreme Court's rejection of his request, you don't know Steve:
These nuts got a court to say that I can't destroy my own house and instead have to find a way to move the house from the location. But they can't come up with any money to move the house. Or a place to put it. Or something.
Gold.
Technorati Tags: fake steve
Pete Mortensen - Why the Nike+iPod is Boring -- And Why That's Good!
As promised, here is the paper that formed the basis for the presentation I gave at Stanford on the success of the Nike+iPod last week with my colleague Conrad Wai. It's a little dry, but what can you do? It's...As promised, here is the paper that formed the basis for the presentation I gave at Stanford on the success of the Nike+iPod last week with my colleague Conrad Wai. It's a little dry, but what can you do? It's an academic paper. We think we kept it interesting regardless. Let me know what you think -- designing for technology adoption is a critical consideration in new product launches, so I'm interested to hear what you think -- particularly if you think I'm completely out of line.
Pete Mortensen - Is This The First Picture on the Internet Shot With An iPhone?
Yes, this image of an woman unfortunately misidentified man in a hoodie eating a piece of toast might well be the first image ever uploaded to the Internet from an iPhone. Remember this moment -- I'm sure your grandkids will...Yes, this image of an
womanunfortunately misidentified man in a hoodie eating a piece of toast might well be the first image ever uploaded to the Internet from an iPhone. Remember this moment -- I'm sure your grandkids will ask you about where you were when you saw the first iPhone picture.It came from a set of two that got posted to Flickr, got marked private and finally got deleted. The EXIF data is interesting, but could easily be fraudulent -- this is editable stuff. Still, I like this story, because it involves toast. A second photo, along with the EXIF data, is posted after the jump.
Technorati Tags: camera, iphone, rumor
Camera: Apple iPhone
Aperture: f/2.8
Orientation: Rotated 90 degrees clockwise
Date and Time: 2007:04:21 10:23:45
Color Space: sRGB
Tag::EXIF::0xA500: 11/5
Compression: JPEG
Image Width: 1600 pixels
Image Height: 1200 pixelsThe second photo below, which was also EXIFed as coming from an iPhone, is reputed to be from Alexander's restaurant in Cupertino, very near to AppleHQ. That tip comes courtesy of MobileGuerilla reader YourMom. Anyone know for sure?
First Pictures Taken With an Apple iPhone - MobileGuerilla
Via Digg.
Pete Mortensen - iLounge Opens Can of Whoop-Ass on iLoad
Most of you have probably never heard of iLoad, a $300 device designed to rip CDs to iPod without the use of a computer. Granted, it is a high price, but I can see the market need, as many people...Most of you have probably never heard of iLoad, a $300 device designed to rip CDs to iPod without the use of a computer. Granted, it is a high price, but I can see the market need, as many people can't afford to buy a computer, but at $300, there's no reason they couldn't get a computer instead. It's been pretty niche, but the product's manufacturer has promoted it fairly aggressively.
As they are wont to do with all things iPod, the venerable iLounge reviewed the little box in a not-so favorable light, and then the fun began. Wingspan, the maker of iLoad, allegedly declared war on iLounge. And that's when the fun began. Check out this hilarious YouTube video, then head over to iLounge for the full sordid story. It's well worth your time.
Getting Rid of iLoad and Wingspan: The Full Story | iLounge
Technorati Tags: humor, iload, ipod
Pete Mortensen - Report: iPhone Battery Life Great, But Device is 'Slippery'
The iPhone hype-tornado is blowing at full gale now. Best sign? The rumored problems with it change from day to day. You know how it is: Massively anticipated device is less than two months from shipping, but an anonymous tipster...The iPhone hype-tornado is blowing at full gale now. Best sign? The rumored problems with it change from day to day. You know how it is: Massively anticipated device is less than two months from shipping, but an anonymous tipster has uncovered a DISASTROUS design flaw! This time, MacScoop reports that it might be doomed by a slippery case! Look out! It might slip out of your hand, which would be a first for a phone!
Overall, our source found the iPhone awesome but he mentioned, as a sole negative point, that the material used on the device's case makes it feel even more slippery than the iPod and will probably require the purchase of a protective skin or case so as to avoid unintentionally dropping it.
And we all know just how slippery the iPod is! Or something. This is too funny. Apple always ships its products without the rubberized handles or raised edges that Palm and some competitors do, but it seems to work out OK most of the time. My phone is covered in rubber to prevent slipping, but I'm STILL thrown it across the room. Sometimes, it's about the person, not the product.
That said, MacScoop does report that the battery life of the iPhone is even better than anticipated. And that's all I care about. If this thing can keep on ticking for hours and hours of talking and mobile web-browsing, it has a right to be the smuggest phone on the block. Sign me up.
iPhone's true battery-life to surprise us - source | MacScoop
Via Business 2.0Technorati Tags: iphone, slippery, speculation
Pete Mortensen - Great 2001 iPod Image From TUAW
Great visual joke from TUAW. Link....Great visual joke from TUAW. Link.
lkahney - Cult of Mac Invades BusinessWeek Innovation Blog
Apple owns the discourse around design and innovation these days. Everyone wants to be like Steve Jobs, and everyone wants to invent the new iPod. People also want to be Google, but being Google seems to be a lot harder,...Apple owns the discourse around design and innovation these days. Everyone wants to be like Steve Jobs, and everyone wants to invent the new iPod. People also want to be Google, but being Google seems to be a lot harder, and the founders aren't terribly charismatic, so Apple gets a lot more attention regardless.
As a result, and because of the world I live in at my day job, I get into a lot of discussions about the role of design strategy and the value of innovation. Specifically, that understanding what people really need is the best way to create new products, services and businesses that will really connect with people.
All of which is a preface to encourage you to check out a comment of mine that BusinessWeek Innovation honcho Bruce Nussbaum highlighted into a blog post over there. It was at the end of a business day, so I think I might sound a little more snarky than I meant to:
YouTube's actual future is far from certain, and Second Life will surely be passed by another player, as it superceded The Sims, which superceded a lot of MUDDs and the like. Bill Moggridge even asked, "What is the YouTube of design?"
And I have to say, I don't particularly care. YouTube, Second Life, Flickr, Vlogs, blogs, they're all different solutions trying to meet some very core needs of people, whether they know it or not. And needs outlast solutions. I won't perform a straight-up needs analysis on these sites, but they definitely come from wanting to express oneself creatively, connect with other people, feel famous or even lead a different life, as in the case of Lonely Girl 15 and some others.
By the time we start analyzing a solution, the next way to meet the needs it addresses is already underway. We're going to miss the most important opportunities unless we see beyond the fun and exciting solution we hold in our hands.
Pete Mortensen - Speaking about Nike + iPod at Stanford This Afternoon
I know this is late notice, but I wanted everyone to know that I'll be speaking about the Nike + iPod at the Second International Conference on Persuasive Technology this afternoon with my colleague Conrad Wai. Persuasive tech, if you're...I know this is late notice, but I wanted everyone to know that I'll be speaking about the Nike + iPod at the Second International Conference on Persuasive Technology this afternoon with my colleague Conrad Wai. Persuasive tech, if you're scratching your head right now, is any technology that attempts to persuade its user to do something differently. This includes smoking cessation aids, political attitude adjusters, fitness motivators, with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit obviously being the latter.
Conrad and I are putting a stake in the ground: Persuasive Technologies Should Be Boring.
Anyway, I thought you might want to know. We'll be posting our paper on the subject to the Web in the next few days, so I'll hook you up when the time comes. If you are hanging around Stanford's Tressider Hall around 3 p.m. this afternoon, duck into our little enclave, and we'll be happy to share our thoughts around why the Nike+ has been adopted so quickly when other fitness devices tend to take longer to break through. Say hi if you see me.
Pete Mortensen - Jobs: People STILL Don't Want to Rent Music
Just in case you're wondering if Steve Jobs has changed his mind about offering music on the iTunes Store in any form other than purchased downloads, here's a reality check, courtesy of Reuters: Not gonna happen.Never say never, but customers...Just in case you're wondering if Steve Jobs has changed his mind about offering music on the iTunes Store in any form other than purchased downloads, here's a reality check, courtesy of Reuters:
Not gonna happen.
"Never say never, but customers don't seem to be interested in it," Jobs told Reuters in an interview after Apple reported blow-out quarterly results. "The subscription model has failed so far."
Are you sure Steve? I mean, mayb...
"People want to own their music," he said.
Cool. We hear you. I do think Steve is basically right, of course, as I'll explain after the jump.
People do have an interest in sampling a wide variety of music, but mostly they can tell what they like from 30-second samples. If anything, renting music is a rip-off unless you're a high-volume user. It's much like Netflix. If you're receiving, viewing and returning your DVDs the day they come in the mail, it's one of the best deals in all of entertainment.
If, on the other hand (and on my hand, unfortunately), you take weeks to watch the DVDs currently on hand, it's a dramatic waste of money. There might be a place for subscription models of music downloading, but I think unless you can keep a certain number of sampled songs once you kill your subscription, it's largely empty. Maybe it's just time for companies to create a music subscription service that costs $15 a month for unlimited access. The only way I'm interested in this service is if I get to keep my favorite 10 songs from all the ones I downloaded at the end of the month -- otherwise, it's not really my music.
Thanks, Evan!
Image via Yahoo.
Pete Mortensen - In Statement About Steve Jobs, Questions of Anderson' Motive: NYT
In the Times, reporters John Markoff and Matt Richtel cast about for the motives behind Fred Andeson's statement on Tuesday that he warned Steve Jobs about the legal and accounting ramifications of the controversial 2001 "executive team" options grants. Markoff...In the Times, reporters John Markoff and Matt Richtel cast about for the motives behind Fred Andeson's statement on Tuesday that he warned Steve Jobs about the legal and accounting ramifications of the controversial 2001 "executive team" options grants.
Markoff and Richtel say the statement against Jobs was "an extraordinarily sharp elbow" and a "shot heard round Silicon Valley." Speaking to various analysts and observers, they speculate that Anderson may be contributing to the "legal cloud remaining over Jobs."
There's a couple of interesting tidbits. It reveals that Anderson, when serving on Apple's board, volunteered to conduct an internal investigation into how the company handled options when the SEC first started investigating widespread backdating practices. He "did so at the time not because Apple was suspected of having a problem but because many major companies were trying to understand their practices in case they did face scrutiny or accusations," the Times says.
Irish rock star Bono, a co-founder with Anderson of Elevation Partners, a venture capital firm, said: "He is a man to whom you would give the keys to your life and know it would be calmer, tidier and better organized every day he was in it."
Another Elevation colleague, said Anderson had been" deeply hurt by insinuations from Apple that he was responsible for the option accounting problems."
He said the comments by Mr. Anderson's lawyer were an attempt to clear Mr. Anderson's name and "set the record straight in a way that has not been possible because of the pending legal action."
lkahney - New For Summer: iPod-Compatible George Foreman Grill
I'm somewhat speechless. They call it the GIPod200. I think we're running out of product categories that aren't directly compatible with the iPod. GEORGE FOREMAN Via Sensory Metrics. Technorati Tags: foreman, grill, ipod...I'm somewhat speechless. They call it the GIPod200. I think we're running out of product categories that aren't directly compatible with the iPod. GEORGE FOREMAN
Via Sensory Metrics.Technorati Tags: foreman, grill, ipod
Pete Mortensen - Please Support Alan Johnston, Missing BBC Journalist
The BBC is asking bloggers and website publishers to post a button in support of Alan Johnston, a BBC journalist missing in Gaza, presumed kidnapped. Johnston was the last international journalist reporting from Gaza, and was highly respected, even by...The BBC is asking bloggers and website publishers to post a button in support of Alan Johnston, a BBC journalist missing in Gaza, presumed kidnapped. Johnston was the last international journalist reporting from Gaza, and was highly respected, even by many Palestinians. Remember Jill Carroll, the Christian Science Monitor journalist kidnapped in Iraq who was released safely? International pressure does work. Link:
BBC correspondent Alan Johnston disappeared on his way home from his Gaza City office on 12 March. He is feared kidnapped in the lawless territory, where he is thought to have been the only international correspondent still working. Intensive efforts have been made to secure his release.
Here's instructions how to add the link to your blog.
lkahney - On Flickr: Steve Jobs Dancing!
From Jack000's photostream: My submission to the 7th ipod give-away at mike inudstries: movie poster with Steve Jobs in it. More here....From Jack000's photostream: My submission to the 7th ipod give-away at mike inudstries: movie poster with Steve Jobs in it. More here.
lkahney - Apple Q2 Results: Profit Up 88%, Revenue $5.26 Billion, 10.5 Million iPods Sold, Mac Sales up 24%
Lots of good news for Apple in its latest quarterly report. The company's on a roll. Not only are iPod sales up (10.5 million sold), so are Macs, especially Mac Books. Apple sold 1.52 million Macintosh computers, up 24 percent...Lots of good news for Apple in its latest quarterly report. The company's on a roll. Not only are iPod sales up (10.5 million sold), so are Macs, especially Mac Books. Apple sold 1.52 million Macintosh computers, up 24 percent from a year ago. Reuters reports:
The results blew away Apple's own forecast, which tends to be cautious, of 54 cents to 56 cents. Analysts had expected Apple to earn 63 cents per share, on average, on revenue of $5.17 billion, according to Reuters Estimates... Shares of Apple have climbed about 12 percent this year, after advancing 18 percent in 2006 and more than doubling in 2005, fueled by robust sales of iPods and redesigned Macintosh computers.
UPDATE: NYT: In an interview, Steven P. Jobs, Apple's chief executive, called the quarter a "blowout," and noted that the strong sales and market share gains came even though the company had not made any major upgrades to its lines of portable and desktop computers. "The Mac is clearly gaining market share, with sales growing 36 percent — more than three times the industry growth rate," Mr. Jobs said. Overall personal computer sales increased only about 11 percent during the quarter, according to the market researcher IDC. Apple's strength was particularly notable in that it came during the quarter in which Microsoft finally released the long-awaited Vista version of its Windows operating system, an event that the PC industry was counting on to spur a wave of computer upgrades. Mr. Jobs noted that Dell had recently returned an earlier version of Windows to its product line, which he said was an indication that demand for Vista had not been overwhelming.
lkahney - Apple's Board: "We Have Complete Confidence in Steve"
Apple's board issued a statement of total support of Steve Jobs this afternoon. It follows ex-CFO Fred Anderson's ass-covering letter yesterday claiming he was a patsy in the options backdating scandal. Apple's board said: We are not going to enter...Apple's board issued a statement of total support of Steve Jobs this afternoon. It follows ex-CFO Fred Anderson's ass-covering letter yesterday claiming he was a patsy in the options backdating scandal. Apple's board said:
We are not going to enter into a public debate with Fred Anderson or his lawyer. Steve Jobs cooperated fully with Apple's independent investigation and with the government's investigation of stock option grants at Apple. The SEC investigated the matter thoroughly and its complaint speaks for itself, in terms of what it says, what it does not say, who it charges, and who it does not charge. We have complete confidence in the conclusions of Apple's independent investigation, and in Steve's integrity and his ability to lead Apple.
lkahney - Building the Two Tone MacBook
What should you do if your white MacBook takes a tumble in the road, destroying its display? If you're Cooper vanRossum, you buy a black screen on eBay for 300 bucks and trick out your MacBook in two-tone splendor. We...What should you do if your white MacBook takes a tumble in the road, destroying its display? If you're Cooper vanRossum, you buy a black screen on eBay for 300 bucks and trick out your MacBook in two-tone splendor. We caught up with vanRossum online, and got the deets on his mod.
It wasn't too difficult, just time consuming. The only problems were in reconstruction and stuff not fitting back but I chalk that up to the fact that the thing was ran over by at least one car. Everything slipped out relatively easily (esp. the hard drive, that thing just slides right out) but I bypassed some steps I felt were unecessary, like keeping track of screws and such. Proper screw drivers are a must as well, I stripped approx. 4 screws throughout the ordeal.Here's the website.
Well, I might, actually. Isn't that what the motion sensor is for?
In hindsight I probably shoulda sprang for the applecare insurance (although they woulda given me a white top, and I kinda like being the only two-toned owner I know of) but no one expects to leave their laptop on their car like a 1200 dollar coffee mug, right?
Mat Honan - Etch-A-Sketched Mac vs. PC
We don't know much about The Etchasketchist, but his (or her?) drawing (rendering?) of John Hodgman and Justin Long in PC vs. Mac pose is spot on. And speaking of Hodgman, if you missed his story about finding fame at...
We don't know much about The Etchasketchist, but his (or her?) drawing (rendering?) of John Hodgman and Justin Long in PC vs. Mac pose is spot on. And speaking of Hodgman, if you missed his story about finding fame at forty on This American Life a few weeks ago stop what you're doing and listen now. His description of walking into an Apple Store alone is worth the download.Photo by The Etch-A-Sketchist.
Mat Honan - "Steve Jobs Dodged a Bullet" -- NYT
No Charges for Apple Over Options - New York Times Federal securities regulators said yesterday that they would bring no civil charges against Apple over the backdating of executive stock options. But they stopped short of removing the cloud that...No Charges for Apple Over Options - New York Times
Federal securities regulators said yesterday that they would bring no civil charges against Apple over the backdating of executive stock options. But they stopped short of removing the cloud that for nearly a year has hung over the company's chief executive, Steven P. Jobs.
... "Steve Jobs dodged a bullet," said Mark C. Zauderer, a trial lawyer in New York specializing in white-collar cases. "This is another circumstance where the government is going after an easier target. It will generally shy away from situations where the evidence is ambiguous or subject to different interpretations."
lkahney - Ousted Apple Execs Blame Jobs and Board For Back-Dating Scandal
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when we do but first allegedly manipulate stock option grant dates to make more money for ourselves. Or something. Former Apple CFO Fred Anderson and general counsel Nancy Heinen had civil charges brought...Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when we do but first allegedly manipulate stock option grant dates to make more money for ourselves. Or something. Former Apple CFO Fred Anderson and general counsel Nancy Heinen had civil charges brought against them by securities regulators relating to the back-dating of stock options to Apple leaders, including Steve Jobs, almost six years ago.
As you might expect, the cone of silence has officially been broken. Anderson, who settled with the Securities Exchange Commission today, went straight after his former boss Steve Jobs, as well as Heinen, the board of directors, and probably everyone reading this post, according to the San Jose Mercury News:
As for the responsibility for the backdating of an earlier grant in 2001 that was made to Anderson, Heinen and other members of Apple's executive team, Roth pointed fingers at Jobs, Heinen and Apple's board. Jobs and Heinen picked the date for that grant - and the board verified it - after Anderson warned Jobs that moving the grant date might result in an accounting change, Roth said.
Roth's statement marks the first time that anyone has suggested that Jobs had reason to know the accounting implications related to backdating. Although Apple has acknowledged that Jobs knew that backdating was going on at Apple and that he picked some favorable dates, the company said he didn't commit fraud, because he didn't know that there were any legal or accounting implications with the practice.
Anderson "was told by Mr. Jobs that the board had given its prior approval (for the grant) and the Board would verify it. Fred relied on these statements by Mr. Jobs and from them concluded the grant was being properly handled," Roth said in a statement.
Heinen, of course, blames the Board. This is so sordid. If only Fake Steve Jobs could tell us what's really going on... Oh, here he is!
He didn't settle. He flipped. They played him and Nancy Heinen off each other. Made them both an offer. Nancy, being a lawyer, figured she'd be cute and reject the first offer and bump them to something better. Instead, Fred rolled. And now Nancy is going to trial. I just mailed her a pamphlet that shows you how to make a shiv out of a bar of soap.
All this stuff about how the Jobsmeister is off the hook? Fuggedaboutit. Fred is the Big Pussy Bonpensiero of the Apple crime family. He's betrayed us. Note to Fred: I'd stay away from boats if I were you.
Zing!
Technorati Tags: back-dating, fake steve, fred anderson, steve jobs
Pete Mortensen - Apple Seeks iPhone Tech Support Representatives
Hey there, college seniors! Looking for a great first job in beautiful Austin, Texas? Know a lot about phones and iPods? Apple is looking for you! Yes, the signs are out that the iPhone is really almost here: Apple is...Hey there, college seniors! Looking for a great first job in beautiful Austin, Texas? Know a lot about phones and iPods? Apple is looking for you! Yes, the signs are out that the iPhone is really almost here: Apple is hiring iPhone tech support representatives, and you could get in on the ground floor. It looks like a typical tech support job for Apple, but I found this quite funny:
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience with Microsoft applications such as Office or Outlook
• Ability to navigate in the Windows environment – such as getting basic system information, explorer navigation
• Basic understanding of hardware configurations – such as USB vs. Firewire
• Knowledge of Device manager –( Knowing when something is connected/mounted)
• Knowledge of program files and system files in Windows
• Experience with troubleshooting external devices in Windows
• Understanding specific media file types used by iTunes/iPod/iPhone – AAC, Mp3, Wav, mpeg4
• Basic installation and removal of application in Windows.
• Experience with iTunes in Windows
• Must act independently and be self-motivated
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Must act independently and be self-motivated
• Ability to work in dynamic situationsNow, one interpretation of the bolded line items is that Apple recognizes that many, if not most of its iPhone customers will be Windows users, not Mac people. I prefer to believe that Apple understands that Windows users won't be able to figure out how to troubleshoot their own problems. The Mac folks will be fine. Please note, by the way: It's doubly important to act independently and be self-motivated for this job!
AfterCollege - Entry Level Jobs & Internships
Via Digg.Technorati Tags: apple, Jobs, Steve Jobs
Pete Mortensen - New UK Get A Mac Ad Splits Off From American Campaign
The international spin-offs of Apple's Get a Mac ad campaign are quite wonderful. The newest UK spot, "Posse," is an all-new spot created specifically for the UK market -- the others have copied U.S. ads. I'm really quite partial to...The international spin-offs of Apple's Get a Mac ad campaign are quite wonderful. The newest UK spot, "Posse," is an all-new spot created specifically for the UK market -- the others have copied U.S. ads. I'm really quite partial to it, if only because I adore Mitchell and Webb. I love the real shame on the faces of the MS Office folks as they refuse to come home. It's awkward, just like "Peep Show" was. Click through the jump to watch the YouTube version.
Technorati Tags: get a mac, mitchell, posse, webb
Via Digg.
Pete Mortensen - Rocker Chases Off Paparazzi With iSight
Pete Doherty, the shambolic baby of a lead singer for the Babyshambles, is a Mac user. According to GeekSugar, Doherty, boy-toy of Kate Moss, chased paparazzi away by focusing the iSight on his MacBook on them and recording their activity...
Pete Doherty, the shambolic baby of a lead singer for the Babyshambles, is a Mac user. According to GeekSugar, Doherty, boy-toy of Kate Moss, chased paparazzi away by focusing the iSight on his MacBook on them and recording their activity on video. Kind of takes those fun surveillance-cam videos and photos from MacBooks to the next level, doesn't it? Now they're active security systems, not stealth ones. Wherever shall we go next?Thanks, Angelica!
Technorati Tags: apple, iSight, macbook, pete doherty
Pete Mortensen - Apple Sued For Ripping Off Xerox Alto GUI
No, it's not April Fool's Day. A company calling itself IP Innovation, LLC, is suing Apple for allegedly infringing mid-1970s user interface technology that was patented filed on behalf of Xerox PARC in, ahem...1991. Ars Technica has a pretty comprehensive...No, it's not April Fool's Day. A company calling itself IP Innovation, LLC, is suing Apple for allegedly infringing mid-1970s user interface technology that was patented filed on behalf of Xerox PARC in, ahem...1991. Ars Technica has a pretty comprehensive run-down of the situation. This is the best bit:
Xerox did get around to suing Apple eventually in 1989, prompting Steve Jobs to dismiss the company as an organization so dysfunctional that they "couldn't even sue anyone on time."
IP Innovation has filed at least 32 patent-related lawsuits over the last few years. I love the guts behind the name, don't you? "We let others innovate, then we buy the patents so we can sue even more successful companies!" I understand that they're soon going to go after GE for infringing on Prometheus's patent on light. In all seriousness, I'm a tremendous admirer of the innovators at Xerox PARC. Unfortunately, I really doubt any of them wills ee a dime if this frivolous lawsuit strikes gold.
Apple sued over vague user interface patent [Ars Technica]
Alto Image via Ed Thelen.Technorati Tags: apple, gui, parc
Pete Mortensen - Rave Review: Coda Web Development App
The new Coda website development app from the well-regarded software publisher Panic gets a rave review from John Gruber at Daring Fireball. Coda is an all-in-one site creation tool, combining a text editor, CSS editor, FTP, terminal and live preview...The new Coda website development app from the well-regarded software publisher Panic gets a rave review from John Gruber at Daring Fireball. Coda is an all-in-one site creation tool, combining a text editor, CSS editor, FTP, terminal and live preview in one app.
Gruber writes:It's about reducing clutter and emphasizing the relationships between the different aspects of web development, making it easier to switch from source code to preview to files. Coda's advantages are most obvious when you consider working with two or three projects at once. In Coda, each site gets its own window, grouping source code, browser previews, terminals, and file listings together.6 The idea is that all your stuff – file listing, source code, browser previews, terminals – for site A is here, all your stuff for site B is there. Coda groups and visually organizes these disparate elements by project, rather than by app.
There's another thorough review here at MacApper.
lkahney - Steve Jobs Fast Heading Toward Time Reader's Most influential Person of 2006
Time is allowing readers to vote on the year's list of the top 100 most influential people -- and Steve Jobs is rising fast. I confidently predict that Jobs will shortly be #1. (At 6.54am pacific time, Jobs is #5...Time is allowing readers to vote on the year's list of the top 100 most influential people -- and Steve Jobs is rising fast. I confidently predict that Jobs will shortly be #1. (At 6.54am pacific time, Jobs is #5 and comedian Stephen Colbert is #1).
lkahney - Mockup: iPod PowerBox G7
What do you get if you cross an iPod, a boombox and a Mac Pro? A: the iPod PowerBox G7 Unfortunately, this is just a mockup by someone called "Greg" but I like its styling. It's got one too many...
What do you get if you cross an iPod, a boombox and a Mac Pro?A: the iPod PowerBox G7
Unfortunately, this is just a mockup by someone called "Greg" but I like its styling. It's got one too many handles though.
Link.
lkahney - Wall Street Journal: Fred Anderson Settles With SEC
Apple's ex-CFO has cut a deal with the SEC in Apple's backdated options scandal, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing anonymous sources. Anderson will pay a fine of $150,000 and repay about $3.5 million worth of options. The deal does...Apple's ex-CFO has cut a deal with the SEC in Apple's backdated options scandal, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing anonymous sources. Anderson will pay a fine of $150,000 and repay about $3.5 million worth of options. The deal does not include an admission of wrongdoing, the WSJ says.
The SEC reportedly intends to pursue civil charges against Nancy Heinen, Apple's ex-general counsel, who will contest the case, according to the WSJ.
The AP reports:
Cris Arguedas, a lawyer for former Apple counsel Nancy Heinen, said Monday that the Securities and Exchange Commission has informed attorneys in the case that it plans to file a lawsuit against Heinen alleging fraud in connection with two options grants. One involved a grant to Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs on Oct. 19, 2001, for 7.5 million shares and another involved a grant made to top executives, including Heinen herself, on Jan. 17, 2001.
"We do expect them to file against our client and we will be defending those charges because they are a misunderstanding of the activities of Apple," Arguedas said.
lkahney - Merc News: Former Apple Lawyer has SEC Troubles
The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that former Apple General Counsel Nancy Heinen will be the first target of an SEC probe into Apple backdating scandal. The news comes just a day after reports from the same paper claiming...The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that former Apple General Counsel Nancy Heinen will be the first target of an SEC probe into Apple backdating scandal. The news comes just a day after reports from the same paper claiming CEO Steve Jobs will not be charged.
The gist of the charges? Heinen played a key role in two backdating episodes that shifted options to Jobs:
Heinen's main problems stem from her involvement in a December 2001 grant of 7.5 million stock options to Jobs that were backdated to October through falsified minutes of a board meeting that did not occur.
Lawyers familiar with the grant say the board believed it could use the October date because the stock price was higher than when it first approved the grant to Jobs in August, although lower than in December, when it was finalized after months of negotiations. Heinen advised the board on Jobs' grant, and believed rules governing stock options - which have since changed - allowed the October date.
A securities fraud charge from the SEC would depend on proving Heinen's actions deceived investors because the true cost of the options was hidden by shifting the grant date from Dec. 18, when the stock was $21.01 a share, to Oct. 19, when it stood at $18.30.
Heinen also faces SEC action because of allegations she approved the falsification of documents to backdate Jobs' grant. When the board finalized the Jobs grant shortly before Christmas 2001, board member Arthur Levinson, Genentech's CEO, sent an e-mail saying the deal with Jobs was done and instructed Heinen to document the Oct. 19 date, according to three people familiar with the grant.
Heinen, these sources say, then e-mailed Wendy Howell, an in-house Apple lawyer who ordinarily documented stock options, instructing her to handle the Jobs documents. From there, the accounts of Heinen and Howell differ, according to sources familiar with their versions.
What is not disputed is that Howell wrote phony meeting minutes to show the board approved the Jobs grant on Oct. 19, 2001. Howell maintains she was instructed by her superiors to create the meeting minutes, but Heinen denies knowledge of the false minutes, although she signed them in her role as the board's corporate secretary, according to sources familiar with both accounts. Two people familiar with Heinen's account say she regularly had stacks of minutes to sign, and didn't scrutinize the Howell minutes.
Heinen is an O.G. Jobs crony: prior to serving as Apple's General Counsel, she was General Counsel of NeXT. Heinen resigned from Apple last May, but her fingerprints are still so fresh at Apple that she remains listed on some of the company's corporate bios pages (though her actual bio appears to have been taken down).
The company's woes may not end with Heinen. The Merc also reports that the SEC is considering a case against former Apple CFO Fred Anderson.
Mat Honan
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