Jan 14, 2008 Jan 16, 2008 Tuesday January 15, 2008
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News: Full transcript of Apple's '08 Keynote Address
Continue reading a full transcript of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' keynote address from the 2008 Macworld Conference and Expo. Most of the announcements found in this transcript are explained in further detail in separate news articles; photos from the event can be found here. ...
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Show floor video: VMWare demos virtualization of Mac OS X Server
Filed under: Macworld, Software, VideoAt a booth tucked away in an uncomfortable corner of the South Hall, VMware is showing a preview version of Fusion with virtualization for Mac OS X Server (on Apple host hardware only, naturally) running smoothly. We are heading back to VMware to get a more thorough video walkthrough of the app when the crowds thin a bit, but here's a little clip to whet your appetite.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The other 3 things...
When Steve Jobs took the stage today to address the crowd at the 2008 Macworld Conference and Expo Keynote, he told us up front that he had 4 things to talk about. Number 4 was the biggie: the MacBook Air. I've already posted about that. But let's take a look at the other 3 things... Number 1: Time Capsule I know Steve said the first thing was Leopard, but that was just so that he could quote... [read more at MacMerc.com]
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Beer and Taxes - The H&R Block Macworld Booth
Filed under: MacworldAs we've wondered the show floor here at Macworld we've come across some interesting and diverse booths so far. We've seen several great products and have some terrific video of the Elgato booth and the Eye TV 3.0 and also the folks at Plasq showcasing their Doozla illustration software for kids.We also saw a booth sponsored by the tax prep company H&R Block. Huh? What are they doing at a Macworld expo you may wonder? To be honest, I did too. Well, they are showcasing several things at the expo including demos of their new tax prep software called Tango -- which supposedly makes preparing your taxes even easier than before. They are also giving out free copies of their Tax Cut software at the booth as well.As if that wasn't enough already, here's the really good part: they are also graciously giving away free beer from 4-6 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. Yes, that's right, I said free (or wrote to be precise). Unfortunately, according to what I was told, you are technically supposed to be a member of the media in order to take advantage of this great public service. However, I would bet that if you asked really, really nicely they might be able to hook you up. What the heck, it's worth a try at least, right? After all, free is good.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Create custom iPhone and iPod Touch webclip icons
Filed under: Macworld, iPod Family, How-tos, Internet Tools, iPhoneDan Dickinson has posted a super-simple way to ensure that those who visit your site with an iPod Touch or iPhone will get a nice-looking webclip icon. When I say simple, I mean it: Create a 57x57 PNG. Name it "apple-touch-icon.png" Throw it in the root folder of your website. (Not the root of your server, the root of your web documents.) That's it. Note that your icon will receive the glossy treatment as well as those rounded corners, so keep that in mind. [Via Daring Fireball]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iPhone Updated to 1.1.3
Customize your Home Screen.
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Apple announces the MacBook Air. Here are some details you might not know.
Mac rumor sites are going to be icing their shoulders this week from patting themselves on the back for correctly predicting the MacBook Air--the world's thinnest notebook. MacBook Air measures 0.16-inches at its thinnest point and 0.76-inches at its maximum height. This is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks. MacBook Air has a 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, a... [read more at MacMerc.com]
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Front Row update
Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Software Update, AppleLooks like today was the ultimate Apple software update day in addition to that other thing that also happened! In their last batch of updates, Apple updated Front Row for Leopard. Here's what Apple says about the update: This Front Row update provides for bug fixes and improved iTunes compatibility.Please note, this update for Front Row requires iTunes 6.0.4 or later, and iPhoto 6.0.2. You can download this update by using Software Update, or by visiting the Apple downloads website.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iMovie 7.1.1
Filed under: iLife, Software, Software Update, AppleToday, in the midst of total Macworld 2008 mayhem, Apple slipped-in an iMovie update. This update is for iMovie '08 (version 7). Here's what Software Update tells us: This update addresses issues when publishing movies to a .Mac Web Gallery, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues.I am personally looking forward to this update, as I have experienced some bugs in the user interface that has caused me to restart occasionally. You can download this update for iMovie 08 by visiting the Apple downloads website, or by checking Software Update.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Did you see? Steve Jobs has The Joy of Tech bookmarked on his iPhone!
You can barely confirm this by watching the Quicktime video of the Keynote posted on Apple.com, but this shot from Engadget's Keynote coverage makes it clear: the Keynote's demo iPhone has our friends at The Joy of Tech bookmarked on it. I wonder if their recent Macworld Expo Celebrity Checklist had anything to do with it. Congratulations Nitrozac & Snaggy--now you're Macworld Expo... [read more at MacMerc.com]
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iPod touch Updated -- For a Price
Cost of Mail rises.
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View The Macworld Keynote Today
If you are like me, and couldn’t make it to Macworld then you are forced to watch it at home. Apple traditionally posts a streaming video version of Macworld keynotes the day after they occur (or later), but this…
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QuickTime Security update
Filed under: Software, Software Update, AppleToday, Apple released an update to QuickTime 7.4. Software Update gives us the following information about the update:QuickTime 7.4 addresses security issues and delivers: - Numerous bug fixes- Support for iTunesYou can get this free update from the Apple downloads website or by opening Software Update.In addition to the update for Leopard, Apple also seeded updates for: Mac OS X Tiger Mac OS X Panther Microsoft Windows Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Breaking down Macworld 2008 from all sides
Sure, he didn't have a flashy new iPhone, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs' keynote at Macworld 2008 still had several new products to digest.
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Apple announces movie rentals through iTunes store
Responding to lackluster sales of online movies, Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Tuesday announced movie rentals through its iTunes store. ...
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Way too much Apple coverage at Macworld -- it's all here
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets It was a big first day at Macworld -- maybe not iPhone big, but certainly big enough. We know most anyone who's not into Apple (and even a few who are) is ready for their regularly scheduled programming to return, and the good news is, for you, the Apple glut is over. But if you're not quite ready to let go (or missed the real-time wall to wall coverage), check it all out below.Keynote Live from Macworld 2008: Steve Jobs keynote Stevenote video now live on Apple's site MacBook Air The MacBook Air Apple MacBook Air first hands-on Video: MacBook Air hands-on MacBook Air: plenty more details MacBook Air doesn't have a user-replaceable battery MacBook Air battery replacements: $129, free install! MacBook Air features Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR The MacBook Air SuperDrive Apple USB Ethernet Adapter brings RJ-45 to your MacBook Air Apple MacBook Air and MacBook Pro size showdown Apple offers up Micro-DVI to DVI / VGA / Video adapters for MacBook Air Apple announces Remote Disc to wirelessly install software on MacBook Air Meet the new MacBook family Apple's MacBook Air is available for pre-order First Macbook Air multi-touch control panel screenshot Poll: Did you pre-order a MacBook Air? iPhone / iPod Touch Apple's sold 4 million iPhones since launch Apple adds five apps to the iPod touch -- for a price iPhone firmware 1.1.3 update announced: it's just like we heard Updated firmware 1.1.3 is available for iPhone and iPod touch, sort of The skinny on iPhone and iPod touch firmware 1.1.3 Apple iPhone firmware 1.1.3 hands-on Video: iPhone firmware 1.1.3 doing its thing Apple TV (Take 2), iPod touch, and iPhone: yep, more details here, too Poll: Are you spending $20 on new iPod touch apps? More (groan!) after the break.Continue reading Way too much Apple coverage at Macworld -- it's all here Permalink | Email this | Comments
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New poll posted on the MacBook Air
I have just posted a new poll about the MacBook Air and your purchase plans (or not) for the new machine. I had a (brief) chance to play with it on the show floor today, and it is one impressively light machine. It's not really a little machine -- other than the incredible thinness -- as it's footprint is actually just a tiny bit wider than that of the MacBook. The MacBook is 12.78" wide by 8.92" deep, and the Air is 12.80" by 8.94". So it's not going to be much easier to open in a seat in coach, but it'll be oh so much easier to carry (and in my opinion, its design makes all current Mac portables look quite dated).Personally, I'm quite tempted by the machine, especially after seeing it in person -- using one is probably the most dangerous thing one can do to one's wallet. However, I don't think I'm ready for all of the version one tradeoffs, with the non-removable battery being at the top of t...
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Software updates abound following Macworld '08 Keynote
iTunes, Front Row, QuickTime, and iMovie have all received updates today in the wake of the Macworld Keynote.Read More...
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iPhone Update Download Link
In case you’re having trouble updating to iPhone firwmare/software 1.1.3 via iTunes, here is the direct download link: iPhone 1.1.3 Restore (full package) [162MB] After downloading the update, you can hold the option key on a Mac…
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Time should be on our side with iTunes rentals
Rob Griffiths loves the idea of renting movies from iTunes so much, he's willing to pay more if Apple lets him keep watching beyond the current 24-hour limit.
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Steve pitches the MacBook Air at CNBC
Filed under: Macworld, Steve Jobs, MacBook AirAs he usually does, Steve went on CNBC after this morning's keynote presentation to pitch his company's newest goodie. In this case, the MacBook Air. He talks about the size, of course, but also the relationship between Apple and Intel as well as the process of building the MacBook Air:"...We built probably a hundred models to get to this ... If we could make this real, we would all just lust after this. And we did ... It's been two years of work to make this."Most interestingly, CNBC reports that the supposed failed negotiations between Apple and China Mobile amounted to nothing more than a single visit to Cupertino by a single representative; hardly the contentious relationship we thought existed.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iPhone ‘WebCliip’ Icons
To create a custom icon for iPhone/iPod Touch home screen bookmarks, save a 57 × 57 px PNG with the name “apple-touch-icon.png” at the top level of your server. (Without one, the default icon is a scaled-down screenshot of the web page you’re making the shortcut for.) ★
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Open Thread: Macworld Keynote reactions
Everyone, here is the transcript from my live report. Now it is your turn, sound off on the comments on the good, bad, and ugly on today's keynote. 1029 Ending with a special treat! What is it. Randy Newman is going to come perform. Looks like thats it…
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Photos: In the air, on the floor at Macworld
Attendees get a glimpse of the new MacBook Air, and peripherals and accessories abound.
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Macworld.ars: Time Capsule not coming to AirPort Extreme, at least not yet
AirPort Extreme owners hoping to use AirPort Disk for Time Machine backups may have to wait. Hopefully not indefinitely.Read More...
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Some facts about HD in iTunes
Well we finally got HD in iTunes today, but there are a few catches. 1. 720p Only - It's HD, but it's not 1080p, just in case some of your were wondering. Of course the video should still look significantly better than its SD counterpart, but just keep in mind that' it's not technically “full HD” according to some videophiles. (It should be noted that competing HD rental services like the Xbox 360 are also 720p) 2. Only Rentals - It's also worth noting that you can only rent the HD movies at this time. There are no HD films available for download, and thus far, there has been no mention that they will become available for purchase in the future. I'm guessing in the long hall these rentals are going to turn a huge profit for Apple and the studios, and eventually this could turn into a “rent with option to buy” feature down the line. We'll just have to wait and see what happens…but for those of you that have been waiting for a reason to buy an AppleTV. I think that you finally have your reason(s).
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★ The MacBook Air
I’m not sure whether the MacBook Air is going to be a huge hit, but it’s got enough going for it that, at worst, it’ll be a modest one. Clearly, the main appeal is its size and weight, and the main trade-off is performance and storage capacity. So it doesn’t seem like a tough decision to choose between a MacBook Air and MacBook Pro — if you value the tech specs, get a Pro. The tougher comparison is the Air versus the standard MacBook. The two machines are not that different, and the decision might not be easy. Here’s where the Air comes out ahead: Thinness and weight. The Air’s 2D footprint is actually exactly the same as the MacBook’s (32.5 × 22.7 cm), but, because it’s so much thinner, it should take up at least a little less space when open — a smaller 3D footprint, if you will — making it better for use in coach airplane seats, cramped seats, etc. But the big difference is weight: the Air is a full two pounds lighter (5.0 vs. 3.0 lbs.). The Air is almost half the weight of a 15-inch MacBook Pro (5.4 lbs.) For many people, that’s all she wrote, and on this basis alone they’ve already pre-ordered an Air. Slightly better display. The standard MacBook and MacBook Air both have 13.3-inch 1280 × 800 glossy displays. The Air’s, though, uses LED backlighting, and should be brighter. (Neither the MacBook nor MacBook Air can drive an external 30-inch display; only the MacBook Pros can drive displays that large.) Better keyboard. If only for the backlighting. Multi-touch gesture trackpad. We’ll have to wait and see how useful this is in practice, but it might be damn cool, and the Air is the only MacBook with it. Here’s where the regular MacBook comes out ahead: CPU performance. The two MacBook configurations are about 25 percent faster, in terms of GHz, than the two Air configurations (2.0/2.2 vs. 1.6/1.8 GHz). Disk performance. The Air’s 1.8-inch hard drives are slower than regular 2.5-inch notebook hard drives. (There is a $900 BTO option to use 64 GB of solid state flash memory in place of a hard drive, and that should be faster than any notebook hard drive. But, it’s a lot more money.1) Disk capacity. A MacBook can be configured with up to a 200 GB hard drive. The Air, curiously, doesn’t even offer an option to use the 160 GB 1.8-inch drive that’s used in the iPod Classic. (I expect this to become an option eventually — perhaps the components are currently constrained?) RAM. The MacBook supports up to 4 GB of RAM; the Air supports only 2 GB. (To Apple’s credit, though, the Air is configured with the full 2 GB of memory by default. I suspect the memory is permanently attached to the motherboard for space reasons.) For many typical users, 2 GB of memory is more than enough. But if it’s not enough, a 4 GB machine will run a lot faster than a 2 GB machine. Swapping sucks. No optical drive. The new Remote Disc feature mitigates this limitation, at least for installing software. (It wasn’t mentioned during the keynote, but Remote Disc supports netbooting, so you’ll be able to boot a MacBook Air from an installer DVD inside another Mac or a PC.) But if you want to watch DVDs, you’re out of luck. Apple is obviously hoping you’ll rent movies from iTunes instead, but, still. No swappable battery. I think this aspect is going to play out exactly as it has with the iPhone: (a) there’s going to be a ton of criticism from the gadget and tech press decrying this as a terrible decision; and (b) the vast majority of users don’t care and won’t mind the sealed battery at all. Seriously, the press is not going to shut about this — you can’t go 10 feet in the Expo media room without hearing someone complain about it. I personally like carrying an extra charged battery with me on long trips, but it wouldn’t keep me from buying an Air if I otherwise wanted one. Lack of ports. No Ethernet, no FireWire, and just one USB port. You can get a USB-Ethernet adapter, but that only supports 10/100 speeds. The real appeal of wired Ethernet connections in our modern Wi-Fi world is the speed of gigabit Ethernet. The thing that strikes me about the lack of FireWire is that you won’t be able to import video from many cameras. Along with numerous other MacBook Air trade-offs, the assumption here is clearly that this is a secondary machine, and your desktop Mac is where you’ll do your iMovie-ing. What I Think I’d have rather seen a smaller footprint, a la the old 12-inch PowerBook G4 — something just exactly as wide as a full keyboard. I’d prefer to sacrifice screen size on the notebook in exchange for an even smaller machine — with the assumption that when I’m at my desk, I’d be using a 20-something-inch external display. The MacBook Air is undeniably beautiful and clever, but clearly designed as a secondary machine, not a main machine. I like using a notebook as my sole machine, which means I’m almost certain to stick with the Pros. (For one thing, 80 GB wouldn’t hold my current boot volume.) Albeit fairly priced. Dell is apparently selling 64 GB SSD storage for over $1,000. Flash memory is expensive. ↩
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Thoughts On Today’s Keynote…
Apple is Awesome! They have me under some sort of spell. They have perfect timing when it comes to the release of their products. They build up anticipation with Macworld, then “Boom!� As always, I am left drooling after the keynote. Apple introduced…
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The Passion of Steve Jobs
Apple's chief executive talks up his company's latest products and offers some frank thoughts about his competitors.
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The New Stuff Is Up! Go!
Go check out Apple.com for all of the new stuff that was mentioned in the keynote. It’s Up! Including a 1.1.3 walkthrough, iPod Touch Apps, Time Capsule, New Apple TV Update, and the new Macbook Air!
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Macworld.ars: iPhone 1.1.3 can (finally) manually manage media
The iPhone's 1.1.3 update brought an unannounced feature: the ability to manually manage music and videos.Read More...
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News: Complete Macworld Expo iPod/iPhone exhibitor guide posted
You asked, we delivered. Our massive guide to what's new at Macworld Expo, and what was shown at CES now covers announcements from over 75 different vendors, after 10 major updates. Be sure to check out the article to see what's coming soon for the iPod, iPhone, and iTunes; we'll be updating it throughout the show. ...
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Show floor video: Plasq's Doozla, illustration for kids
Filed under: Macworld, Software, Video We tease the Plasq crew for their taste in outerwear, but their taste in software is impeccable. Announced at the show: open beta of our fave Skitch, upcoming add-on to Comic Life (Comic Life Magiq), and an entirely new application based on the Skitch vector engine: Doozla, a $25 children's art application that's simple and clean. Keith demos Doozla and the alpha of CL Magiq in the video above.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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MacBook Air cuts the wires (and ports)
In its quest to become the world’s thinnest notebook, MacBook Air had to give up a few things along the way (in addition to a battery door). The MBA is Apple’s first notebook in a long time to drop Ethernet and Firewire ports and the optical drive. While there’s a solution for accessing optical discs (a [...]
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Macworld.ars: Elgato's eyetv 3 has impressive new features
Elgato has released a new version of its eyetv software, complete with UI, on screen menu updates, advanced searching, and baked-in Turbo.264 support.Read More...
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Best booth wear: Plasq's jungle skins
Pity the lot of an independent software development company. Not only do you have to do everything yourself -- book the booth, reserve a hotel, do the demos and sell the CDs -- but when someone comes up with a wacky booth theme after a long night of coding, next thing you know you're wearing Leopard-print caveman outfits and trying to be serious.Keith at Plasq was a very good sport and let us take his picture in the Fred Flintstone gear. Bravo for the marketing savvy that led to those sartorial choices.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple walking on air with world's thinnest laptop
The US computer company Apple has announced it is to launch "the world's thinnest" laptop.
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First Macbook Air multi-touch control panel screenshot
Filed under: Features, Laptops That's right, it's like you're looking into some crazy crystal ball, one which is showing you how all your future interactions with your Mac will be carried out... probably. Feast your eyes on this glimpse into the soon-to-arrive apocalyptic nightmare-world of gestures.Continue reading First Macbook Air multi-touch control panel screenshot Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Show floor video: EyeTV 3.0
Filed under: Macworld, Software, Video As Elgato announced earlier today and Erica hinted last week, there's a new version of EyeTV out and about, featuring better WiFi access, 'season pass' recording, library sharing and more (3.0 is a paid upgrade, so the feature list had better be big). We spent a few minutes looking at a demo and grabbed a video for you. Note that this is our 'quick and dirty' video quality -- when you see the production value of our interviews, hold onto your hats!Quick reminder -- we'll be talkcasting in a few minutes, 7 pm ET. See you (hear you) there.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Just how high is that High Definition?
Filed under: Macworld, Video So you're pumped up at the idea of iTunes HD rentals? You want to grab iTunes 7.6 and get the crystal-clear movie-rental goodness? Not so fast: what exactly IS the resolution of these forthcoming High-Definition rentals? Where on earth can you find out just what resolution the movies will be in?Thankfully, you needn't look farther than our brethren over at Engadget, for they point out that as the AppleTV has not been updated on the hardware front, we can still expect the maximum playable content to be 1280 x 720 pixels. That's not to say that there will be movies at 1280 x 720 resolution, but if you're hoping for 1080p content to arrive on your freshly, and freely updated Apple TV that might not be the case.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Axiotron Modbook tablet Mac hands-on
Filed under: Features, Handhelds Live from the heart-pounding, pulse-racing showfloor of Macworld 2008, we bring you a full frontal hands-on of Axiotron's long-awaited Modbook -- the MacBook tablet conversion. After all the waiting and wondering, we're not totally blown away by the end result, though if you're an artist or designer, this could be a real boon to your productivity. The build is sturdy, and the screen feels solid beneath your stylus (stylus only that is -- no touchscreen here), though the pressure sensitivity seemed to give out at really soft touches... of which there were many. Check the gallery and see for yourself.Gallery: Axiotron Modbook tablet Mac hands-on Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Live From Macworld: Slick Podcasting, Tricked-Out Tablet, Awesome Display
Apple CEO Steve Jobs made big news Tuesday, taking advantage of the Macworld keynote spotlight to announce of his company's latest hardware offerings, including a wireless hard drive backup system and an incredibly skinny laptop computer. However, Macworld is much more than Jobs' 90-minute speech. Hundreds of companies representing the many industries that are part of the Apple universe come to Macworld to display their newest -- and, in some cases, not quite ready-to-sell -- offerings.
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Apple Gazette Daily 189 - Thoughts on the Keynote
A look at the Keynote and everything released there. You can subscribe via iTunes, or by RSS feed, or… you can listen to the episode right here: In addition to that, you can also download the Apple Gazette Daily Widget and listen to every episode of the show right on your Dashboard. Click Here to download.
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Poll: Are you spending $20 on new iPod touch apps?
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video So while the iPhone and Apple TV got shiny new firmware updates and new features for free today, iPod touch owners will have to lay out $20 to get Mail, Weather, Stocks, Notes, and Maps -- five apps the iPhone's had since day one. That seems like a raw deal to us -- but then again, we're up to our necks in handheld devices that can check email and take notes. So what's it going to be, iPod touch owners -- will you be laying down a Jackson or what? View Poll Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iTunes movie rentals—almost there
Brian Chen was overjoyed by Apple's plan to offer movie rentals through iTunes—except for the illogical 30-day waiting period that exists between the DVD release and the time the movie will appear on iTunes.
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More on the MacBook Air battery
One of the highlights of Macworld Expo 2008 for me is the MacBook Air. It’s the machine that I’ve been asking for for about 10 years. After taking a look at it on the show floor, one thing that stands out is the fixed (i.e. non removable) battery. Could anything be worse for a traveler? [...]
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Video Podcasts: The Sleeping Giant on AppleTV
A footnote to Apple's presentation--the ability of the AppleTV to play video podcasts--may be the most important announcement because it opens a path for free, ad-supported programs from many sources to get onto televisions.
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Video: Apple TV Take 2 menu hands-on
Filed under: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment We got a quick runthrough of the Apple TV's new menus, and we liked what we saw. Everything seems crisp and intuitive, and Transformers looks oh-so Transformer-ey. Unfortunately we couldn't see an actual rental transaction take place, but we'll take Apple's word for it on this one. Video is after the break.Continue reading Video: Apple TV Take 2 menu hands-on Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iTunes HD rentals: price discrimination against men
Filed under: Macworld, Humor, Apple TV So what is it with the "guy tax" that Apple has added to its Apple TV rentals? You know what I mean. Rentals are $3.99 for women, $4.99 for men. See? Look at the picture. Because few women (other than our Christina) are going to look at that pricing structure and say "Oh wow, honey. Let's pay a dollar more so that we can enjoy the romance and relationships with better pixel counts." No, we women are going to say (except for Christina and a few others of her technical prowess) "What a rip!" and buy the SD version while our better halves explain in excruciating detail exactly why they bought that 1080p TV equipment in the first place, which we will ignore and still rent the cheaper version. And why? Because relationships are rarely improved by higher definition. In fact, it's the soft fuzziness (and lower cost) that keeps relationships mysterious and desirable. Especially in the morning before teeth are brushed.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Macworld.Ars: Mac Quicken no more
It's not the end of Quicken on the Mac, but the beginning. It's Quicken Financial Life for Mac (working title), and it's coming this year.Read More...
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Macworld.ars: iTunes Store movie rentals off to a small, strong start
It's a small offering so far, but it finally opens the doors to getting all the content we want—eventually—in the iTunes Store. Read More...
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Apple TV (Take 2), iPod touch, and iPhone: yep, more details here, too
Filed under: Cellphones, Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment iPhone / iPod touch updates The iPhone 1000 SMS limit is now lifted! Huzzah! You can now "pre-type" with two thumbs on v1.1.3 now (i.e. type, type, lift thumb, lift thumb -- instead of the usual type, lift, type lift, which is a big slow-down). Thanks Dan L. Gmail IMAP is now officially supported! Thanks, Niall. iPod touch can still geolocate, but using Skyhook only (since, naturally, it doesn't have cell tower access like the iPhone + Google). Apple TV updates The update adds AirTunes support for the Apple TV for streaming directly to the device. Your average HD movie download for the ATV is going to be about 4GB -- but if you've got a reasonably fast connection it should start streaming and playing within a minute. Standard SD movies should be a bout 1.2GB. Just to be clear about how rentals work, they can't move OUT of the Apple TV if acquired ON the ATV. If you need to finish your movie on the go but bought from ATV, you have to rent it again on iTunes with your computer. You've also now got "favorites," which act as pseudo-subscriptions. These aren't synced or the same as the subs in iTunes. Front Row is NOT undergoing any UI changes (at this time). Don't expect it to look the same as the new Apple TV. Search isn't alphabetical, it's predictive and recommendation based. So if you're looking up a letter, the results will seem out of order, but will actually be calculated to be the most likely hit based on popularity. There's Dolby Digital 5.1, as we saw, but otherwise there are no codec changes in the ATV. Head this way for even more on the new Apple TV and iPhone / iPod touch v1.1.3 updates:Apple TV Take 2 hands-onMore details on Apple's iTunes movie / HD rentalsVideo: iPhone firmware 1.1.3 doing its thingThe skinny on iPhone and iPod touch firmware 1.1.3iPhone firmware 1.1.3 update announced: it's just like we heard Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Steve Jobs gets cohesive
From Rob Griffiths' seat at Moscone West, all the pieces of Tuesday's Macworld Expo keynote seemed to fit together.
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Macworld 2008 keynote video stream is now live
For those of you waiting to see the Macworld 2008 keynote yourselves, check it out on Apple's website.Read More...
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Twittered brands
Another place brands need to monitor, especially techy brands: Twitter. Here's what they're saying today about the MacBook Air. Many agree — including me — that not being able to swap out a spare battery is a killer (or even attach a supplementary battery). Damn.
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MWSF: Macally debuts new mice, iPhone accessories
Posted by Dennis SellersMacally is debuting four new mice products for Macs and new iPhone accessories at this week's Macworld Conference & Expo, new iPhone accessories. The four new mice are the :
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Video: iPhone firmware 1.1.3 doing its thing
Filed under: Cellphones, Features Enjoy this special moment that can only occur between one happy iPhone user and their consenting device. You'll get to witness the miracle of icon rearranging, the joy of Google Maps location finding, and the unending pleasure of homescreen Safari bookmarks. We didn't grab the multiple SMS recipient function on film, but we assure you it's exactly like it should have been to begin with.Continue reading Video: iPhone firmware 1.1.3 doing its thing Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: Massive MWSF08 Flickr photoset posted, more coming
We've spent the entire morning and afternoon adding a massive collection of Macworld Expo show photos to our Flickr account for your enjoyment. You can currently see pictures from all across the show floor, including new hardware and software from major iPod, iPhone, Mac, and iTunes vendors; new pictures are constantly being added, so keep checking. ...
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★ iTunes Terms of Service Update for Movie Rentals
As one would expect, iTunes’s new movie rental service brings along with it an update to the iTunes Store Terms of Service. I ran a diff on the previous and new versions, and other than a few minor changes to account for the concept of renting (e.g. “products purchased through the Service” is now “products transacted through the Service”), the only significant changes are specifically pertaining to movie rentals. Here they are, with commentary, from the new Movie Rentals section of the terms: (aa) Movies are viewable only on your Mac or Windows computer (using iTunes 7.6 or later), iPhone, video-enabled iPod (iPod touch, iPod nano (3rd generation), or iPod classic), or on TVs using your Apple TV. Movies in high definition resolution (HD) are viewable only on TVs using your Apple TV and must be downloaded directly to your Apple TV. Movies are viewable only on one device at a time. Interesting, perhaps, that HD movies are only available for Apple TV — the standard DVD-quality rentals are available for your computer and iPods, too. I would think that a 30-inch Cinema Display would be a reasonable target for HD movies, so I’m not sure why this limitation exists. Perhaps because HD movies are so large that it would be cumbersome to have users moving them across their home network from computer to Apple TV and vice-versa? Not a huge deal, though, overall. (bb) You must be connected to the Service when moving or streaming movies. Once a movie is moved, it is no longer viewable on the sending device. You may only move movies to another device from your Mac or Windows computer. Movies downloaded directly to your Apple TV may not be moved. So, again, an interesting limitation: if you rent a movie from your Mac, you can move it to your Apple TV, but if you rent it from Apple TV, it can’t be moved. (cc) You have thirty (30) days after downloading a movie to begin viewing. Once you begin viewing, you have twenty-four (24) hours to view the movie (the “Viewing Periodâ€?). You may view the movie an unlimited number of times during the Viewing Period. Movies are not viewable after the thirty (30) day period. Stopping, pausing or restarting a movie does not extend the available time for viewing. The 30-day period is fine, but the 24-hour viewing window is far too miserly. Everything else about these movie rentals seems terrific — the DVD and HD quality options, the prices, the shopping UI on the Apple TV — but 24 hours after you hit play the first time just doesn’t seem fair. Say you start playing a movie at 10 pm. Halfway though, you stop. Maybe you’re falling asleep. Maybe you’ve got a baby upstairs who wakes up crying. (When our son was born, I don’t think my wife and I finished a feature film in one night for an entire year.) You go to bed, and now you’re sort of stuck: you’ve got to finish the movie the next night before 10 pm or your carriage turns back into a pumpkin. I just don’t get why it’s so miserly. What skin would it be off the studios’ or Apple’s back if they gave you 48 or 72 hours? I can’t see how the rental playing window length could possibly have any bearing on piracy implications. Who cares if a two- or three-day window would allow you to watch the entire movie multiple times? That’s something you’ve always been able to do with VHS and DVD rentals. I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker, but this 24-hour window is the only real sour spot in the whole deal. (dd) If you move a movie to an iPod or iPhone and then use the Service to restore the iPod or iPhone before you finish watching it, the movie will be deleted and will not be recoverable. This also applies to choosing Settings > Reset > Erase all content and settings on iPod touch and iPhone. Interesting, but not surprising given the “you can only move the rented movie to one device at a time” rule. (ee) Broadband Internet connection required. Well, duh, I suppose.
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Blockbuster, Netflix fall on iTunes movie rental news
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Shares of video rental services Blockbuster Inc. and Netflix Inc. declined sharply Tuesday following news that Apple Computer Corp. has rolled out a movie download service at its iTunes store.
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Apple Macworld booth tour
Filed under: Features, Laptops Apple's Macworld 2008 booth is naturally gargantuan this year, but practically empty -- that is, if you don't count the teeming hordes of people surrounding the MacBook Air table and watching the presentations on the big screen. Apple only has its new product on display, which means mainstays like regular iPods, iMacs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros were nowhere to be seen. The booth is fairly dominated by an end-to-end table filled with MacBook Airs and their respective Apple guardians. Time Capsule seems a bit of an afterthought, as does Apple TV.Gallery: Apple Macworld booth tour Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Macworld Expo: A tale of two keynotes
Apple CEO Steve Jobs strides across the stage of the Macworld Expo keynote on Tuesday and the computer industry pauses for an hour and holds its collective breath. Again, Apple delivered the goods, in hardware innovation, in services and in partnerships. What a contrast to last week's pathetic performance of Microsoft — the industry leader, right? — at the CES show in Las Vegas.
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Macworld.Ars: Bento for Mac OS X does lunch
Bento developers are on hand to explain what Bento is, an easy-to-use database, and what it is not, part of iWork. Read More...
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MacBook Air Tops $3000 with Solid State Drive
One of the hot rumors heading into Macworld this year was that Apple (AAPL) was going to offer a notebook with a solid-state, flash-based drive replacing the hard drive. And they really are offering that as an option. At the keynote, CEO Steve Jobs only said that it would expensive. But he’s not kidding: the solid-state hard drive is going to cost you more than you likely will want to pay. The fully-decked out high end Air, complete with 1.8 GHz processor and the 64 GB sold-state drive goes for $3,098. (It is $1,799 for the regular hard-drive based version.) That’s a big price tag for a laptop, as cool as it might be. You can also get the solid-state drive as a $999 add-on if you want to create your own configuration. Ergo, an extra $1,000 to switch to a cooler, but lower capacity, storage device.
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Apple MacBook Air and MacBook Pro size showdown
Filed under: Features, Laptops How does Apple's new wonder of the world stack up to its fat, old, slow, nasty brethren? Well, you may be shocked to learn that the footprint doesn't change that much, but in the thickness category there's simply no comparison. Take a look at the shocking gallery below and you'll see just what we mean.Gallery: Apple MacBook Air and MacBook Pro size showdown Permalink | Email this | Comments
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About that $20 upgrade...
The Macalope was certain that the whining would be swift and furious over Apple charging $20 for the same software features iPhone users get for free. As Adrian Kingsley-Hughes so brilliantly puts it: Come on Steve, give your biggest fans a break. Yeah! $20 is awfully steep to add a little functionality to the iPod touch - functionality that already exists for the iPhone. Yeah! ... I feel that this is going too far. Yeah! Unlike all the other times Adrian writes about Apple! Or not! Whatever! Well, dear reader, if you're experiencing a bit of deja vu over this, it's probably because we've seen this before. Which, not coincidentally, is what "deja vu" means in French. Again, yes, Apple could give the update to iPod touch users for free just like their iPhone-using brethren, but they'd have to open past accounting periods and restate their financials. 802.11n? Any of this ringing a bell? Not with Adrian, apparently. The short story for those who got to class late is Apple must charge for substantial enhancements to products that do not have revenue recognized on a subscription basis or it has to restate prior earnings. The iPod touch does not have revenue recognized on a subscription basis. The iPhone does. As does the Apple TV. Hence, they get free updates and the iPod touch does not. It's a somewhat complicated accounting convention and perhaps you can argue that the iPod touch revenue should also have been recognized on a subscription basis, but then it raises the question as to whether or not all iPods should have their revenue recognized that way and pretty soon it all devolves into communism and everyone's getting everything for free and even Randy Newman doesn't want that. So you can't argue that Apple shouldn't charge for the update. It's too late. You do have some recourse, however. If you think $20 is too much, don't buy the upgrade. Sure looks like it's worth it to the Macalope, though.
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MacBook Air: plenty more details
Filed under: Features, Laptops Want more pedantic details on the MacBook Air? You got 'em. The micro-DVI out is single-link only, meaning it can drive a 24-inch monitor, not a 30-inch. There's no DisplayLink converter / adapter yet. Remote Disk comes on the install DVD -- ironically, Apple expects you to carry around a DVD to install so you can access someone else's DVD drive. Righty-o. It uses MagSafe, but the new connector is angled 90-degrees to stay out of the way. You can use a regular MacBook / Pro adapter, assuming you don't mind the side being propped up a little (or hanging off the edge of a table). You can also use the MBA's 45w adapter on other machines -- the plug should still fit, but the adapter may not have enough juice to charge AND power a running machine. The MacBook Air superdrive needs special hardware in the MBA to work -- Apple wouldn't tell us if any other devices will be able to use the thing, but we imagine the ~500mA USB outputs won't be enough. The speaker is mono only (not stereo), so your audio output will suffer a bit. The audio comes out of the keyboard holes in the right side, and it sounds a little funny. The port array folds down, it's not a door over ports that don't move. It feels extremely sturdy. Duh, the only audio input will have to be via USB or the built-in mic. The machine comes packaged with micro-DVI to DVI and micro-DVI to VGA adapters, but you have to snag the S-Video and composite adapters separately. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The highlight of MWSF '08 keynote
Filed under: Macworld, Analysis / Opinion, MacBook AirOK, the keynote is over. We're all aflutter over the new products and software (in fact, my iPhone is wiggling with delight). We can't wait to get our hands on a MacBook Air. How about you? What was your personal highlight from Steve's keynote? The MB Air? The Apple TV 2? Yet another chance to support the US economy while increasing your personal debt?Vote in our unscientific poll and check back tomorrow for the results. In a few weeks we'll be able to judge how it compares to keynotes past, but today we think it was pretty darn great. View PollRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Poll: Did you pre-order a MacBook Air?
Filed under: Laptops Curious minds need to know -- despite the built-in RAM, the fixed battery, single (and soon to be overworked) USB port, lack of integrated 3G and the lofty $1,799 starting price point, did you still pull the trigger on a MacBook Air pre-order? We know, it is ridiculously thin, and it is ultra-light, so we're wondering just how many of you ponied up the premium for all that sexiness. Drop your answer in the poll below, and feel free to add a couple pennies (or more, we won't mind) in comments. View Poll Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Macworld.Ars: iTunes HD movies only for rent on Apple TV
We aren't sure why just yet, but those newly-rolled-out HD movies on iTunes are only available for rent, and only through the Apple TV. Read More...
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Not much music at Macworld 2008
Apple introduced some great looking products at Macworld 2008, but music wasn't the focus.
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MacBook Air battery replacements: $129, free install!
Filed under: Laptops We've got word back from Apple on MacBook Air battery replacement. The good news is a new MBA battery is the same as a new MacBook Pro battery: $129. And hey, installation is even free! The bad news hasn't changed though, you'll still likely have to hand over your machine to Apple until they can get the new battery installed. Who knows, maybe they'll roll out a program for end-user battery installation. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Mac Book Air: not the thinnest notebook ever
Apple's new notebook is 0.76 inches thick, which is probably the second thinnest ever.
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MacBook Air: Not the thinnest notebook ever
The MacBook Air, unfurled today, might be the thinnest notebook on the market today, but it's not the thinnest of all time.(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com) That distinction belongs to the Pedion, an ill-fated notebook developed by Mitsubishi and Hewlett-Packard back in 1997.The Pedion measured 18....
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MWSF: Intego launches new Mac security products
Posted by Dave MertenIntego, maker of Mac security produces, is releasing new products at Macworld today. They include, FileGuard, Internet Security Barrier suites, NetBarrier, Personal Antispam, Personal Backup and VirusBarrier.
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Macworld 2008: Hands on with the Macbook Air
Well, I got a second to try out the Macbook Air here at Macworld, and I have to say it's a very impressive little machine. The screen is amazing. It's bright, beautiful and full of color. The keyboard is responsible and easy to use (although I am not a big fan of the black keys), and the thing is impossibly thin. It's so thin, in fact, that I think I would be afraid I would break the thing if I purchased one. I have to say, as impressive as the device is, it's not something that I will be wanting to add to my collection anytime soon. I'm happy with my Macbook Pro (now after 3 days of this I may feel differently…but so far, it's just not that heavy). All in all, I think is a marvelous technical achievement - but I'm just not that interested. What about you?
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Macworld.ars: iPod touch users to pay $20 for iPhone applications
Apple is now allowing iPod touch users to get applications that came standard on the iPhone, but at a cost.Read More...
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iTunes Movie Rentals and the New Apple TV
Movies from the Internet, now playing in your living room. No computer required.
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Poll: So What did you think of the Keynote?
I'm here at Macworld 2008, and I'm having a heck of a time staying connected, so I thought I would pop in and put up a quick poll to see what you thought about the Keynote. It went off exactly like I expected it to in regard to us knowing basically everything before hand. I have to say it certainly wasn't as spectacular as last year - but I wasn't disappointed in the least. I'm eager to try the new iPhone software, and I'm very much looking forward to the AppleTV stepping up to the plate. What do you think? Take the poll Free Poll by Blog Flux
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Why Steve Jobs has pulled one over on the entire movie rental industry
With iTunes movie rentals now available, Don Reisinger thinks Steve Jobs pulled a fast one on the online rental industry. Is he right?
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Why Steve Jobs has pulled one over on the entire movie rental industry
With services like Movielink, Netflix, and Vudu, the opportunities seem endless for companies that endeavor to turn the corner in the movie rental business. And while all of these companies positioned themselves in the market, Apple was quietly lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on January 15, 2008. After showing their hands to arguably the world's most capable CEO, every other movie rental service created an environment where Steve Jobs could pick and choose what features he liked and create a more robust offering. After all, with rentals ranging in price from $2.99-$4.99 depending on release date and quality, and a 30-second buffering much like we've seen with the Vudu box, why would anyone even consider buying rentals from any other service besides iTunes (with the one exception perhaps being Netflix)? Simply put, Jobs is poised to conquer yet another industry. ...
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Live Updates from the Macworld Keynote at live.applematters.com
Our publisher, Hadley Stern will be posting live updates from the Macworld keynote. You can view the updates at http://live.applematters.com/ Stay tuned at iPhone Matters for frequent updates on iPhone products and announcements.
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MWSF: equinux introduces its Mac TV receiver for the US
Posted by Dennis Sellersequinux has entered the TV receiver market for Mac OS X in the United States with the TubeStick hybrid, which offers options for watching TV shows on your Mac, iPhone or iPod.
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AAPL, Blockbuster and Netflix down following Macworld Keynote
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Video, Apple Financial, iTunes, Apple Blockbuster and Netflix's stocks both took big hits based on what we just heard Steve say at Macworld. Blockbuster has dropped a handy 15%, and Netflix "tumbled 6 percent" already this afternoon (although it's jumped back a bit since then), according to CNN Money. Apparently investors are convinced that movie renters would rather fire up iTunes than run out to the video store or wait for a movie to come in on their Netflix queue.Apple, however, isn't doing that well either after today's announcement. On the day, they've dropped almost $11 as of this writing. But while this Keynote may not quite have met expectations (lots of people were expecting Cinema upgrades, or something a little less traditional than the MacBook Air), this very likely isn't an actual downturn in the ol' Apple hype -- anyone can see that iTunes movie rentals will very likely make them a lot of money. Rather, it's probably* the result of Keynote investors selling off the stock they picked up before the event. In short, it'll take a lot more than an afternoon to see what effect today's announcements really have on stock prices.*All of this commentary and analysis is given by someone who has little to no experience in stock trading, and should not be taken seriously by anyone.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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VMware Virtualizing No-hack Leopard Server
The guys at VMware are supremely dedicated to bringing the best support for Virtualization that they can to the Apple platform. I've played with both Parallels and Fusion and the choice of the latter was an easy one for me. But the one sticking point tends to be Apple's licensing of their operating system: They don't like it running on non-Apple hardware. But a change in licensing for the Server version of OS X has opened the door for virtualization. VMware is kicking it at Macworld San Francisco as I type this, and demoing their newly installed virtual machine, running OS X 10.5 Server all day long. They're certain to clear that this is no hacked version of our beloved operating system, but a straight install from an Apple-licensed DVD, running within VMware's Fusion Virtualization software. And Fusion supports 64 bit operating systems too, so Leopard Server is purring in all its glory. This is big news, as it effectively enables users to run multiple instances of Leopard Server on a single machine. For Mac-based businesses, the environmental savings of this alone are huge! (Think, reduced power requirements and reduced cooling costs, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.) If you're at the Expo, check out the VMware booth and all the cool stuff they've got going on.
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Apple passes IBM in market cap
Posted by Dennis SellersApple has attained a market capitalization of US$156 billion and has passed up IBM's $142 billion market cap. “Incredible as Apple's market value has more than doubled in these past 12 months,” Georeg Yareds writes for Blogging Stocks. “What's even more remarkable is Apple is still in the early stages...
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Macworld.ars: Hands-on with the new iPhone, iPod Touch software
Ars has first impressions of the newly released iPhone and iPod touch firmware.Read More...
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Google iPhone Web Apps Makeover
Various improvements and customizations added to Google’s MobileSafari-optimized web apps. They’re sort of building a web-based alternate iPhone software universe — using Google Calendar and Gmail in MobileSafari as an alternative to the iPhone’s own Calendar and Mail apps. Plus Google Notebook vs. Notes, etc. ★