Saturday, May 31, 2008
BlackBerry, Palm take iPhone marketshare
The iPhone's marketshare took a significant drop in marketshare over the first three months of 2008, says new research data from IDC. The handset dropped from its strong fourth quarter share of an estimated 26.7 percent to a significantly lower 19.2 percent for the first calendar quarter of 2008. Analysts at IDC don't specifically attribute the s... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
Microsoft urges Windows users to shut down Safari
Microsoft is warning Windows users to avoid Apple.'s Safari Web browser until a patch is available for holes that could let attackers compromise computers. 
[ Full story from Computerworld Macintosh News ]
Mac users don't like people touching their stuff
Filed under: Humor, Odds and ends
Over at Cognitive Daily (part of the ScienceBlogs network), as part of a larger informal survey, Dave Munger contends that Mac users are less likely to let friends try out their new gadgets than users of other platforms. Munger noted, "in this context, the fact that Mac users (and 'other' -- mostly Linux users) are so dramatically more stingy with their new gadgets is truly a striking finding, even acknowledging the fact that our readers may not be representative of the public at large."
Now, I know we're all one, big happy family here at TUAW, and playing well with others is second only to "intelligent, thoughtful discourse." But really? Not sharing your toys? That I just can't see.
For your weekend amusement, I'm going to take matters into my own hands, and see how our readers fare given the same questions as Munger's survey.
The survey, and results, after the jump.
Continue reading Mac users don't like people touching their stuff
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsMicrosoft advises Windows users to restrict use of Apple’s Safari web browser
Microsoft has issued a "Microsoft Security Advisory (953818), 'Blended Threat from Combined Attack Using Apple’s Safari on the Windows Platform,'" that states... [ Full story from MacDailyNews ]
Infineon unveils HSPA chips ideal for 2009 iPhone
Infineon on Friday introduced a 3G chipset that should provide much faster Internet performance with the iPhone next year. A combination of the XMM 6180 app processor and an X-GOLD 618 baseband for the connection itself, the chipset is one of the first from Infineon to support the full HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) spec for 3G cellular data. In... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
Google's Android demo shows app store, tweaks iPhone formulas
Attendees at Google's I/O Conference this week were greeted with an Android phone interface that shares yet more common ground with the iPhone from the company's close neighbor Apple, including the first evidence of a dedicated app store. The sear... [ Full story from AppleInsider ]
Niski-Ki's $155 handmade USB keyboard comes with extra "$" symbols
Filed under: Peripherals
[Via BoingBoing]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [ Full story from Engadget ]Friday, May 30, 2008
Hutchison / 3 snags iPhone for Hong Kong and Macau
Filed under: Cellphones
Looks like Hutchison (aka 3) snagged the iPhone for distribution in Hong Kong and Macau, which will be coming "later this year." Like the rest, this was another one liner un-announcement with no real info, but you probably wouldn't want to anger Steve before WWDC. Besides, in Hong Kong 3 doesn't sell anything but 3G phones -- so put that in your iPipe and smoke it.[Thanks, Chris and Joe]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [ Full story from Engadget ]
Broadcom to supply GPS in Apple’s next-gen iPhone?
The new iPhone has Global Positioning System (GPS) built into it, thanks to legal requirements put in place by the FCC... [ Full story from MacDailyNews ]
Does Apple’s next-gen iPhone need GPS?
If there's anything the iPhone has lacked compared with other phones in its class... [ Full story from MacDailyNews ]
Apple does the impossible: millions of new iPhones already positioned in market, but no photos exist
The launch of the next-generation iPhone promises to be Steve Jobs' greatest stunt yet... [ Full story from MacDailyNews ]
Apple takes top spot from Nokia on AMR Research’s 2008 Supply Chain Top 25 list
AMR Research has released its Supply Chain Top 25 report, an annual ranking highlighting companies that display superior supply chain performance... [ Full story from MacDailyNews ]
MaxUpgrades hardware RAID for Mac Pro
MaxUpgrades on Friday unveiled the MaxConnect SAS/SATA Link for Mac Pro, a new PCI Express-based RAID solution that uses the existing internal drives on quad- and eight-core Mac Pro systems. The card connects to the internal drives, allowing users to use several RAID configurations, including 0, 1, 5, and 6. In addition, the device offers full HBA ... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
Tidbits: retail blackout days; 3G iPhone ad filming; iPhone GPS
Apple has started to spread word of its own retail vacation blackout days. Meanwhile, the company's filming in Manhattan on Thursday was likely linked to one in Los Angeles a week earlier; the GPS chip inside the 3G iPhone has been paired with a supp... [ Full story from AppleInsider ]
Android to offer Application Store in the future
Google might offer an application store--similar to one for the iPhone--for its Android mobile operating system sometime in the near future. [ Full story from CNET News.com ]
iPhone will shake up Canada, analysts say
The introduction of the iPhone in Canada will fuel increased interest in wireless services in that nation, industry analysts say. [ Full story from Macworld ]
How would you change LG's Vu?
Filed under: Cellphones
With all this hubbub floating around about the elusive 3G iPhone, let us not forget about the latest touchscreen smartphone to land at AT&T: LG's Vu. After getting official earlier this month, we were able to sit down with the Mobile TV-supporting handset and form a few opinions of our own. Here, however, we're interested in your take -- do you feel the $549.99 (or $299.99 on contract) price tag is reasonable for what you get? Are you pleased with the hardware / software? Are you feeling buyer's remorse like never before? Go on and spill it, we're all friends here.Permalink | Email this | Comments [ Full story from Engadget ]Calories helps Mac users track nutrition
Calories is a new app that helps Mac users track calories and nutrients. [ Full story from Macworld ]
TurboGrafx-16 emulation hits the iPhone
Microsoft expecting 50 percent growth annually for Windows Mobile
Filed under: Windows Mobile
Brushing aside threats from Android, the impending 3G iPhone juggernaut, and all other comers, Microsoft's managing director of embedded devices for the Asian region says that the company fully expects Windows Mobile to do double-digit volume growth in both 2008 and 2009. Oh, but wait -- not just double digit growth, but a full 50 percent is being tossed around as a minimum. Them's fightin' words, and though much of that growth is said to be coming from the US and Europe, more is being seen in emerging markets like Brazil an d India where the platform is less likely to be stealing market share from its competitors as it cashes in. If all goes according to Microsoft's plan, 20 million WinMo-equipped units will have been sold in the fiscal year ending next month, so any way you slice it, they're projecting some serious numbers as we round out the decade.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [ Full story from Engadget Mobile ]
Keynote Pro revises Palo Alto, adds iPhone template
Keynote Pro on Friday unveiled an updated theme, Palo Alto '08, offering users a standard 4:3 ratio, and a professional version which comes in high-definition widescreen formats. Palo Alto borrows its style from that of the San Francisco Bay area, while still maintaining a technical edge to its look. Also included is an iPhone-optimized EP version,... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
iPhone market share at 19 percent in 1Q, IDC says
Apple Inc.'s iPhone, a new model of which is widely expected this summer, took 19.2 percent of the U.S. market for "smart" phones in the first quarter of 2008, according to research firm IDC's vendor survey. That was down from 26.7 percent of smart phones... [ Full story from SFGate: Business & Technology ]
Newer Technology eSATA Extender Cable
If you're looking to add eSATA ports to your Mac Pro, Newer Technology offers an inexpensive approach, though it's one that requires a bit of work. [ Full story from Macworld ]
Eee Box leak: "finally" a Mac mini rival
ASUS' Eee Box (alternately labeled the EBOX) is the first system to truly meet the design standards of the Mac mini, Anandtech claims after receiving a sample of the desktop ahead of its projected June 3rd unveiling date. The site confirms that the system uses a 1.6GHz Atom and that this is instrumental to a small design: while helped by the lack ... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
Mac Gaming News - Macgamestore Unveils Cooking Academy for the Mac
Macgamestore.com announced the immediate availability of Cooking Academy for the Mac on Friday. The game puts players in the culinary schools where work towards becoming a Master ChefiPodObserver - Hutchinson Deal Brings iPhone to Macao, China
Hutchinson Telecommunications has signed a deal to bring the iPhone to the city of Macao in China, according to the South China Mobile Post on Friday
[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]
[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]
New: MaxConnect SAS/ SATA Link
MaxUpgrades introduced MaxConnect SAS/ SATA Link, a product designed to connect four internal disk drive bays of a Mac Pro (4-core and 8-core models) to a PCI Express SAS or SATA controller (not included). [ Full story from MacInTouch ]
GPS in 3G iPhone coming through Broadcom?
A GPS receiver will indeed be in the 3G iPhone, and the technology will be supplied by Broadcom, according to anonymous sources. Contacts cited by GigaOM say that Broadcom has secured a contract with Apple, beating out older, more established competitors such as SiRF, whose SiRFstar III receivers are used in a vast number of navigation devices. B... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
.Mac name change confirmed?
Earlier reports of .Mac receiving a major makeover appear to be all but confirmed, as developers and enthusiasts find proof of a .Mac name change to Mobile Me. The Coding Robots blog reveals that the new iPhone SDK also contains information specific to the .Mac restructuring. Deep in the SDK, in a file entitled "Main.strings", a definition at the b... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
AT&T's pre-iPhone 3G upgrades double speed
AT&T's 3G upgrade plan is making its way through New York City and is more than delivering on advertised speed claims, according to reports circulating at BGR. After a series of rolling outages on Thursday, the carrier's HSPA network speed has now jumped from an average peak of 800Kbps to as much as 1.5Mbps, or slightly more than the 1.4Mbps promi... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
Take Control Unveils New .Mac Ebook
Take Control and TidBITS announced the immediate availability of Take Control of .Mac on Friday. The ebook by Joe Kissell covers the features in Apple's online service for beginner and expert users alike
[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]
Hot Forum Topic - How Well Does iWork Hold Up Against MS Office?
Today TMO readers are taking a look at Apple's "business" apps -- Keynote, Pages and Numbers -- and discussing just how viable they are as Microsoft Office alternatives
[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]
[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]
Apple's .Mac Service to be Renamed, Revamped? [MobileMe?]
Apple's .Mac ("dotmac") service is a $99/year set of online tools that provides customers with email (@mac), web hosting, iDisk, backup and sync services. .Mac services are tightly integrated with Apple's existing iLife suite, allowing you to publis... [ Full story from MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors ]
Android to get iPhone-style app store
Phones running Google's Android operating system may have a dedicated app store, team lead Andy Rubin has mentioned at the company's I/O Conference. The official doesn't directly claim the existence of the option but says that it would be a "great benefit" for Android users to have a controlled marketplace for downloading apps, as the service woul... [ Full story from MacNN | The Macintosh News Network ]
iPodObserver - Forbes: Second Gen iPhone Already in the US
Not a single person on the inside has been willing to offer tangible details on Apple's second generation iPhone, but if Forbes is correct, it is already hiding inside the United States. Apparently the Cupertino company has been sneaking the new model into the country by the millions
[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]
Apple's .Mac Service to be Renamed, Revamped?
Apple's .Mac ("dotmac") service is a $99/year set of online tools that provides customers with email (@mac), web hosting, iDisk, backup and sync services. .Mac services are tightly integrated with Apple's existing iLife suite, allowing you to publis... [ Full story from MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors ]
Apple may re-brand .Mac internet service
Apple's .Mac online subscription service, often criticized for its lack of truly compelling features and steep prices to boot, could soon get a face lift and re-branding, findings in some of the company's latest software releases seem to suggest. ... [ Full story from AppleInsider ]
Video: A day with Operation Leopard
The Guardian spends a day with Operation Leopard officers to find out who they are stopping and how well the initative works [ Full story from Guardian Unlimited ]
Apple to launch UK movie downloads
Major studios signed up, claim sources
Apple is rumoured to be on the cusp of launching a UK movie downloads service through iTunes.…
[ Full story from Reg Hardware: Product News and Gadget Reviews from The Register - Mac ]Once, 'international' sounded saintly. Now it means bureaucracy and waste
Comment is free: Simon Jenkins: From Eurovision and the Olympics to the UN and the World Bank, a deficit of accountability drains all true legitimacy [ Full story from Guardian Unlimited ]
The iPhone patent: Steven P. Jobs, inventor
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
[Via Cellpassion]Continue reading The iPhone patent: Steven P. Jobs, inventor
Permalink | Email this | Comments [ Full story from Engadget ]Thursday, May 29, 2008
iPodObserver - Unnamed Media Exec: Apple's Not So Hard to Work With
Apple's consistent record of being a difficult partner to work with is undeserved, according to an anonymous media company executive quoted by Reuters. In a story looking at Apple's iTunes pricing policies, this exec told Reuters, "The conversations I've had with them over the last quarter are markedly different than they were a year or two ago," and that, "Apple is much more flexible than people presume."
[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]
Apple spotted filming commercial at Fifth Avenue store
Confirming suspicions raised by Apple's own website, observers have witnessed the company filming a commercial inside its Fifth Avenue retail store, with clues surfacing as to just what products may be involved. Those liveblogging the proceedings ... [ Full story from AppleInsider ]
RapidWeaver 4 ships
Filed under: Software, Leopard
Realmac has released RapidWeaver 4, the latest version of their popular template-based web site design software. As former TUAWer Nik mentioned on our last talkcast, the new version represents a substantial upgrade. In addition to an overhauled interface the release incorporates Leopard-only features like Core Animation and Quick Look for its new XML file format. There are also iPhone specific features like the creation of the WebClip icons for the iPhone's home screen.
RapidWeaver 4 is regul arly $79, but is available for a limited time at $59. For registered users of version 3.6 the upgrade is free; it is $30 to upgrade from 3.5 and earlier.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]
Apple running student promotion on Monday?
If you're a student or an educator, it might be wiser to wait until next week if you were thinking about buying a new Mac. [ Full story from CNET News.com ]
QuarkXPress 8: Sleek Interface, Better Typography
Filed under: Software, Graphic Design
Quark Inc. announced QuarkXPress 8 at the Drupa printing exhibition in Düsseldorf today, the latest version of the high-end design tool for Mac and Windows. Many of the changes to QuarkXPress are in the areas of user interface and workflow, which were criticized by many users after the long-delayed release of QuarkXPress 7. Some of the interface enhancements include:
- A picture content tool for moving, rotating, and scaling images in real-time
- New Bézier Pen Tools
- An enhanced measurements palette with new controls for modifying drop-shadows
- Drag-and-drop from the desktop, Adobe Bridge, iPhoto, MIcrosoft Word, and the hundreds of other applications that support drag-and-drop
- Instant access to master pages and exports to PDF, SWF, HTML and EPS
Quark also noted that designers who purchase QuarkXPress 7 at regular price between today and August 1, 2008 and those who purchased QuarkXPress 7 or an upgrade between May 1 and today will receive the upgrade for free. The package is expected to ship within 60 days, and no final pricing has been announced.
Thanks to Ling for the tip!
Update: Jay Nelson has a huge writeup of QXP8's features at Planet Quark.Read& nbsp;| Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple, other US firms back US complaint with WTO against EU tariffs on tech product
The United States filed a complaint Wednesday with the World Trade Organization over European tariffs on three categories of high-tech goods... [ Full story from MacDailyNews ]