Apr 21, 2008 Apr 23, 2008 Tuesday April 22, 2008
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Apple buys chip P.A. Semi chip designer, Intel says wha?
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video Apple loves 'em some Intel right? Sure, it was the Intel power-per-watt roadmap which Jobs cited as the reason to ditch IBM's PowerPC platform. Analysts have since been tripping over themselves with speculation about future generation iPhones and iPod touches going Intel -- especially since the arrival of Atom. So what will analysts make of Apple's $278 million in cash purchase of the 150 person P.A. Semi microprocessor design company? The company was founded by Dan Dobberpuhl, lead designer of DEC's doomed Alpha and StrongArm processors, and responsible for the introduction of a 2GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor which in February 2007 was said to be 300% more efficient than comparable chips running at 5 to 13 watts. Forbes speculates that Apple will wrap its ARMs around the company's boutique processor in a bid for exclusivity -- a move meant to differentiate itself from competition based on Intel and other off-the-shelf processors. Interestingly, after a long courtship with P.A. Semi, the acquisition discussions only began in the last few weeks. Say what you want about Jobs, but he's nothing if not a man who knows what he wants and makes damn sure he gets it.Update: Oh shiznit... we just remembered that P.A. Semi and Apple had been this close to deal just prior to the Intel switch. Read -- P.A. Semi PWRficient processor announcementRead -- ForbesPermalink | Email this | Comments
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ScreenFlow adds audio waveform display and QuickTime chapter markers
ScreenFlow is an awesome application for creating screencasts with cursor and window highlighting and iSight integration. Once you start recording, ScreenFlow captures not only what you're doing on your screen, but can also simultaneously record video form your iSight camera and audio from a microphone. Today, Vara Software released version 1.1 and added several new features, including: Audio... [read more at MacMerc.com]
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Witch 2.0 adds support for window jumping shortcuts
Witch is one of those tiny apps that you can't fully appreciate until you make it a part of your workflow. I'll tell you what it does, but there is a very strong possibility that you will remain unimpressed. So I urge you to go download it, install it and train yourself to use it. Okay, so what does it do? It allows you to switch between all your open windows--even hidden ones--by using a... [read more at MacMerc.com]
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Reminder: Apple to announce Q2 2008 financials tomorrow
Just a reminder that Apple will announce their Q2 2008 financial results in a conference call tomorrow (23 April 2008) at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET.Fortune’s Apple 2.0 blog has a little preview: So there are two things to watch for on Wednesday: 1) Apple’s sales figures for Q2, which should be stellar, and 2) what [...]
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iTunes UK adds ITV shows
Filed under: iTS, Video, AppleWe may not have movies in the U.K. iTunes store, but that hasn't stopped the UK broadcasters from slowly but surely adding their wares to the UK shop. First the BBC pitched in with a selection of shows such as 'Spooks' (it airs in the US as 'MI:5') and then Channel 4 added the likes of Black Books (amongst others). So today adding to the mix is commercial broadcaster ITV, which has added 'Lewis', 'Goodnight Mr Tom', 'Brideshead Revisited', 'Cold Feet', 'The Saint' and 'Captain Scarlet' to the UK store.That may not sound like a great deal of content, however ITV is clearly looking to milk the archive shows for all they're worth. Apple UK's Hot News quotes Dawn Airey from ITV: "[We have] thousands of hours of classic content in the archive which we are bringing to a whole new audience via iTunes". and then leaves us with the perennial teaser of "Watch out for more great additions coming soon on iTunes".As usual, iTunes UK TV show pricing of £1.89 (US$3.75) an episode applies to all the ITV content.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Sony to Buy Gracenote for $260 Million
Gracenote owns the CDDB database iTunes uses to supply song and album names for CDs you rip. $260 million sounds like a lot to me, but at least now Sony can claim to have something to do, however tangential, with a popular portable digital music player. ★
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Apple earnings on the horizon
Apple gives the outside world a look at the company’s finances this week when it announces its earnings for its fiscal second quarter, the three-month period beginning in January and ending in March. Apple’s second-quarter earnings call will begin at 2 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday.
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Stocks to Watch: Stocks in focus for Wednesday
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Wednesday's session are Apple Inc., Anheuser Busch Cos., and Amazon.com Inc.
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GDocsUploader puts Google Docs API to use
Filed under: Software, Internet ToolsTUAW reader Vinod tipped us off to GDocsUploader, a small application for drag-and-drop uploading of Office documents to Google Docs. It's a wrapper around a Python implementation of the Google Documents List Data API. The API, which is limited primarily to uploading and searching, has been around for a while now, but we haven't seen too many Mac applications make use of it. This app is simple, open source and duly small. A notable drawback of GDocsUploader is its use of AppleScript keychain scripting, which is notoriously slow and not altogether reliable (might I suggest something more usable?). It also gets a little sketchy with reporting transfer results, but that could possibly be an issue on the Google side. Overall, once you get through the first round of Keychain-doesn't-like-AppleScript (or was it vice-versa?) problems, it's a great little drop-point for getting Google its docs. Grab it at Google Code. Thanks, Vinod!Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Is it wise to loosen Entourage’s attachment security policy?
Entourage 2008 is very strict in its blocking of attachments and some users may find its security rules restrictive. However, with a bit of effort, users can tell Entourage to loosen up on various Mac OS X files, Mime content and certain file name extensions. Should they?
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Flickr Find: Lilliputian iPhone unboxing
Filed under: Flickr Find, iPhone Like it or not, unboxing is a ritual for many Apple users, and when there's a new product on the streets, Flickr is home to many Mac users' latest acquisitions. We don't feature unboxing photosets for no-longer-new products all that often here at TUAW, but upon seeing a photoset on Flickr from user ntr23 this morning we couldn't help but share these frankly incredible unboxing shots of an iPhone. Lego men abound in the set, with precision unboxing being captured (including ladders to help scale those heights) in a truly amazing set of shots. Yes, it's Apple unboxing shots. But of all the unboxing shots we've seen here at TUAW, these have quite possibly captured our hearts as the best we've seen to date. Be sure to check out ntr23's full set on Flickr and admire these works of art. [Via]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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NY's Museum of Modern Art gets Wi-Fi and podcasts, courts iPhone users
The installation of an internal Wi-Fi network will mean that visitors can access audio tours and other content on mobile devices with HTML browsers--in other words, iPhones.
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Mac Clone Lust
The Macalope, regarding ZDNet’s Jason Perlow’s statement that “it made absolutely no sense that Apple backed off from the prospect of cloned systems”: And the Macalope has always said that the water fountains at ZDNet must be served with lead pipes. ★
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Navigating the 3G iPhone Through the FCC
How the FCC approval process affects the next iPhone.
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News: Mix: iPhone patent, Apple in China, ITV, iPhone clones, Banton booted
Apple has received a patent covering messaging on portable devices (such as the iPhone), which goes beyond SMS to cover instant messaging as well. Published in March, the patent is titled “portable device for instant messaging” and includes images depicting a user interface much like that of the iPhone's SMS application. A new Apple store-within-a-store has been unveiled at a Shanghai area Best Buy. The store-in-store, Apple's…
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Free iPhone Keyboard Dictionaries
Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone If you regularly type on your iPhone with a non-supported language such as Danish, Dutch, Finnish or Portuguese, you'll be pleased to learn about iPhoneDict, a repository of free keyboard dictionaries. The solution is a bit of a hack. After downloading, you have to add the dictionary into the English (UK) slot. This may be a problem if you're actually a British iPhone user. Once downloaded, you activate the keyboard and its dictionary from Settings > International > Keybaords. You can learn more and find step-by-step instructions on the iPhoneDict website.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Perhaps It Comes With a Free Kick in the Pants
Here’s a PR from Ascender, announcing that they’re now selling Microsoft’s Vista ClearType fonts: Ascender Corporation, a leading provider of advanced font products, today announced a compatibility solution for Mac OS X users looking for the Microsoft ClearType fonts that are included with Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac software products. Office 2008 for Mac includes 24 fonts that were first introduced in Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. Ascender’s font bundle costs $299, but the home edition of Office for Mac 2008 — which Ascender itself points out comes with these same fonts — costs just $130. Am I missing something, or this just nutty? (Thanks to Joe Clark.) ★
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Interview: Alex Wiley, creator of the gold MacBook
In October 2007 an outfit called Computer Choppers gave us the 24-karat gold-plated MacBook Pro (15-inch) complete with diamond-studded Apple logo. Now comes the gold MacBook Air (pictured) with multi-colored sapphires in the Apple logo. Computer Choppers offers the following plating [...]
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Apple Gazette Daily 252 - A flurry of news!
podcast sponsor link:Click Here to check out Audible! Click the link above to get your free audio book from Audible, and help support Apple Gazette at the same time! Today's Show: iPhone selling out in the UK, Apple updates software and more! 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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The Ratings Game: Apple shares fall almost 5% as analyst cuts rating
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - While much of the tech sector has struggled during the last quarter, Apple Inc. has seen its shares quietly rise more than 45% over the last two months as anticipation grows over the company's second fiscal quarter earnings report, which is due Wednesday.
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ScreenFlow 1.1 picks up the pace
Filed under: Software, VideoScreenFlow 1.1 hit today, and there are over 80 fixes and improvements in the release notes for the current top-dog Mac screencasting application. If you weren't excited the first time we covered this, it might be time to look again. As for me, I had already forged a committed relationship with ScreenFlow. It's always a pleasure to see your partner get smarter and better looking after you tie the knot. The new version exports faster, thankfully. The press release says export speeds are up 20 to 40% (across most presets), but a little TUAW testing showed that the web-preset exports were 40% faster and then some. And that's with video and audio actions, embedded QuickTime video and an additional MP3 audio track. Export time was a drawback of version 1.0 that I was willing to live with, but I'm quite grateful that I don't have to anymore. I haven't experienced the oft-mentioned crashing that was plaguing some users, but improvements to overall stability may be of interest to those who have. There are interface improvements such as audio waveforms visible in the tracks, as well as the addition of markers which can be converted to QuickTime chapters. I won't drone on about the dozens of other fixes/changes right now but -- if release notes are your thing -- you can read them here. Or just grab the demo and see it in action. ScreenFlow has a price tag of $99 for a registered version, and 1.1 is a free upgrade for current owners.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Reader Poll: Help me pick a new Apple Gazette logo!
The redesign of Apple Gazette is almost complete. One thing that I think needs to be updated in the design is our logo. I love the text and font used (although I don't know the name of it), but it's probably not a good idea to be using Apple's official logo in the official site logo. We can't print it on t-shirts, or - anything really - so it makes sense to create a new logo to coincide with the new design that will be ours, while still having a somewhat familiar feel. SO - this afternoon, I put these logos together. Please take the poll below and let me know which one you like the best. The winner will, most likely, be the new logo for the site, although I do still reserve the right to make the final call. Take the poll Free Poll by Blog Flux
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With AT&T Vague on iPhone Growth, Apple Shares Slump
Now that AT&T (T) and Apple (AAPL) are tied at hip with the iPhone, Apple watchers look to AT&T for details on the health of iPhone sales. This morning, AT&T announced a decent first quarter, with profits up 22 percent, driven by gains in its wireless business. The jewel of that business is the iPhone, which commands nearly double the average monthly revenue per subscriber that AT&T gets from other wireless customers, and is helping to reduce its churn rate. Yet during AT&T’s earnings call this morning, Apple’s shares slumped nearly 4 percent in morning trading after rising over the past two trading days. (See today's chart.)
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AT&T Vague on iPhone Growth; Apple Shares Slump
Now that AT&T (T) and Apple (AAPL) are tied at hip with the iPhone, Apple watchers look to AT&T for details on the health of iPhone sales. This morning, AT&T announced a decent first quarter, with profits up 22 percent, driven by gains in its wireless business. The jewel of that business is the iPhone, which commands nearly double the average monthly revenue per subscriber that AT&T gets from other wireless customers, and is helping to reduce its churn rate. Yet during AT&T’s earnings call this morning, Apple’s shares slumped nearly 4 percent in morning trading after rising over the past two trading days. (See today's chart.)
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iPhone on the Road: a substitute for paper boarding passes
Filed under: iPod Family, Cult of Mac, iPhoneSome things sound really cool -- until you actually have to step up and do them in real time. TUAW reader Gerald Buckley's story about traveling with his iPhone strikes me as belonging to this class. When he approached the American Airlines counter to use his iPhone as a boarding pass, the coolness quotient for his entire trip got bumped up several notches. It seems that he navigated over to AA.com using Mobile Safari, signed in and displayed a PDF of his boarding pass on-screen. The American Airlines counter agent in San Antonio "humored" him and scanned the barcode as displayed on his iPhone. The scan worked, and Buckley proceeded with his travels (much to the envy and amazement of his fellow passengers, no doubt). Here's the thing though. If it were me, this would have totally gone another way. First, while waiting on line, I would have had bad WiFi. It would have taken me about 20 minutes to type in my information and the people behind me on line would have been coughing *significantly* to get me to keep moving along with the line as I tried to type, move all my luggage and possibly keep three extremely rambunctious children in order. Finally, I would get to the gate agent and I would have gotten the snarky impatient version -- somehow I always do. Assuming that I could even get all the typing and navigation done, I know in my heart that the response would have been "you need a printed boarding pass, ma'am." Of course, this is entirely academic because I have not been granted a boarding pass for the last 5 or 6 years due entirely, I'm sure, to my last name. It's always "You must check in at the counter" -- which is way easier than even a boarding pass because I just swipe my credit card. All that having been said, TUAW congratulates Mr. Buckley's ingenuity and offers the example of his experience to speed you your travels in a uniquely geek fashion. If you've got the travel bug (with or without your iPhone), be sure to visit our sister site Gadling for all things flight-related.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Spanning Sync to add Address Book synchronization
If you’re like me you probably have a Gmail account. Some people use Gmail as their full-time email, others just for large attachments or times when your ISP’s email is fubar. Either way, there’s no denying the convenience of a good webmail account and I find Gmail to be the best of the lot. As a [...]
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Is iPhone the Wind Beneath AT&T's Wings?
AT&T's wireless business unit was the main driver behind the telecom's eye-popping 22 percent increase in net income this past quarter. In line with analysts' expectations, AT&T registered $3.5 billion, or 57 cents a share, in Q1 earnings. Nonrecurring charges for the quarter included costs associated with a number of mergers and $374 million in expenditures due to layoffs. They resulted in an aggregate $1.2 billion of one-time costs, which shaved 17 cents a share from profits.
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Twinkle: location-aware Twittter client for iPhone
Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone According to Installer, Twinkle from Gogo Apps is "Twitter plus Location." It's a Twitter client that adds photos and geolocation as well as clickable URLs and Follow / Stop Following control within the app. With it, you can find people twittering near you -- in fact it seems to be using my findme utility to power its location-awareness. And no, I have no financial interest in this thing -- I gave permission for them to use the utility so long as the app remains non-commercial. I logged in, entered my Twitter account info (yes, the account information is stored in clear text in ~mobile/Library/Preferences) and within seconds, it found tweets within 50 miles of my location. You can tweet directly from Twinkle. Tap the pencil button at the top-right corner (it's the one that for quite a while I mistook for a mis-shaped lower-case "i"). From there, you can enter your tweet, specify whether to tag with a location and optionally snap a photo. Twinkle offers a professionally designed interface and good ease of use. The only negative occurred after I mistyped my password. I ended up in an infinite loop of authentication errors and had to force-quit the application. Gallery: TwinkleRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: DLO releases 2008 TransDock, Classic, and Micro FM transmitter-chargers
In an unexpected family-wide refresh of its lineup of combination car chargers and FM transmitters, Digital Lifestyle Outfitters has released new 2008 model TransDock, TransDock Classic, and TransDock Micro FM transmitter/chargers, each featuring an Intellitune button that automatically scans for unused FM stations. The TransDock Classic borrows the form factor of the 2005-model TransDock, but guarantees compatibility with the latest iPods, adds…
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Steve On Your TV, MacBooks As Quake Detectors and Aperture SDK Now Available
New iPhone messaging in the works, IT departments need to "Think Different" and more patents than you can shake a UI at.
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Half-Off Sale on Take Control E-Books
Adam and Tanya Engst: To celebrate our 18th consecutive year of award-winning Apple and Macintosh coverage in TidBITS, we’re offering all our ebooks at 50% off through April 29th. The offer includes books from Macworld, too, including the new Mac OS X Hints Superguide, which is chock full of hints and details on Leopard. ★
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Today utilizes Leopard's calendar store to manage tasks
Second Gear, LLC has released Today for Mac OS X, a small app for keeping track of what you have going on, well, today.Read More...
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Built-In Leopard Controls Offer Some Protection for Kids
The Internet is a mirror of society -- both the good and bad. Children taking their first steps on the World Wide Web need protection from its ugliest side -- elements like violence, racism and con games. Yet before you head to the store looking for software to help them in this quest, you should check out the computer's own integrated controls first. Mac users don't have much choice anyway: There are no products of note on the market for the Mac when it comes to protecting children. That said, the operating system itself includes "parental control" software.
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iTunes: Free Tuesday
Filed under: iTS, Features, Deals Once again, TUAW is pleased to present you with a selection of free songs and videos from around the world. Many of these iTMS items won't be free for long, so grab your copies before the week is up. And don't forget: If you want to buy these on your iPhone or iPod touch, make sure to sign into your account in iTunes before you sync.Continue reading iTunes: Free TuesdayRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Tech Stocks: TI, Apple, Lexmark lead tech sector retreat
Technology stocks lose more ground in afternoon trading, with big losses from Texas Instruments Inc., Lexmark International Inc. and Apple Inc. leading the sector into the red.
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Beginning Mac: Application Install/Uninstall
When I first switched from Windows to OSX one thing that I initially didn't really understand was how to install/uninstall applications. Obviously it is second nature now, but hopefully the information below will help a new switcher. Installation On Windows when you download an application it is generally a .exe file. It is sometimes compressed in to a .zip file. On OS X, a large majority of applications that you download will be in .dmg format. .dmg stands for “disk image” and it basically functions like a hard drive. DMG files can be mounted and ejected just like a regular hard drive. The purpose of the .dmg file is for compression. It can greatly reduce the size of the file you are downloading. (more…)
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MacBook Blinged -- Good Taste Dies a Little
MacBook Air dipped in gold.
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News: Mahjong re-released for iPod classic, iPod nano 3G
Electronic Arts' Mahjong, one of seven games previously dropped from the iTunes Store due to their lack of compatibility with the current-generation iPod classic and iPod nano, has been re-released in an updated, fully-compatible form. The title was one of nine original iPod games to debut alongside the upgraded fifth-generation iPod in Sept. 2006, and is based on the traditional Chinese board game. It offers three game modes, 72 different tile…
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iPhones selling like hotcakes in the UK following discount
The iPhone is suddenly popular again in the UK, it seems. Reportedly, the device is selling out after O2 decided to discount it by £100 last week: "It was like launch day again."Read More...
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SpanningSync 2 to include contacts in Google sync
Filed under: Software, Video, Internet Tools Just last week we noted that BusySync 2, which adds Google calendar syncing to the iCal sync app, is now shipping. Another 2.0 would seem to be around the corner, as a post on the SpanningSync blog shows a video demo of Address Book -> Google contact synchronization coming in the next version of the utility.While Plaxo and other tools are lining up to take on the contact sync challenge -- most sync only in one direction right now, although with the Google contacts API in play that's going to change -- it's nice to see SpanningSync picking up the torch on contacts as the competition on calendaring heats up.[via ars technica]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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China Tech Stock Weekly Summary
The following is excerpted from IRG's weekly stock report: Internet • Google Inc. (GOOG) aims to become a market leader in China's Internet-search market in about five years. Google also is exploring investments in Chinese companies that focus on social networking and mobile Internet as part of its strategy to expand in China. Google has gained share and overtaken Alibaba Group's Yahoo China (ALBCF.PK) but continues to lag behind Baidu.com (BIDU). Google, based in Mountain View, California, will eventually become the leader in China. Google accounted for 26 percent of China's Internet-search revenue in the fourth quarter, up from 17 percent a year earlier. Market leader Baidu.com's share of the market rose to 60 percent from 58 percent.
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Chinese Tech Stock Weekly Summary
The following is excerpted from IRG's weekly stock report: Internet • Google Inc. (GOOG) aims to become a market leader in China's Internet-search market in about five years. Google also is exploring investments in Chinese companies that focus on social networking and mobile Internet as part of its strategy to expand in China. Google has gained share and overtaken Alibaba Group's Yahoo China (ALBCF.PK) but continues to lag behind Baidu.com (BIDU). Google, based in Mountain View, California, will eventually become the leader in China. Google accounted for 26 percent of China's Internet-search revenue in the fourth quarter, up from 17 percent a year earlier. Market leader Baidu.com's share of the market rose to 60 percent from 58 percent.
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DataColor Spyder 3 Elite
An Unblinking Eye On Color Accuracy
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Wireless electrifies AT&T earnings
The telecommunications giant says that its wireless income nearly doubled in the first quarter, but it declines to offer any hard numbers on iPhone sales.
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First Apple retail presence in China opens inside Best Buy
Apple has launched it first official retail presence in China, in the form of a mini store located inside a Shanghai Best Buy. This is just a few months ahead of the company's plans to open an official Apple retail store in Beijing.Read More...
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Backstage: iChat Video Problems + Solutions, or Don't Return Your New Mac Yet
I love Apple's iChat. Currently in version 4.0.2, and once known as iChat AV, this single, simple-looking program enables one-click video, audio, or text chats, and is one of several key reasons that I repeatedly hear that people are switching to the Mac. But iChat has a serious problem: more than any other program most people use on the Mac, it depends on a properly set up network to work, and if your network's not set up properly, it…
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Gold-plated MacBook Air breaks Steve Jobs' heart
Filed under: Laptops We've already seen the MacBook Air bathed in gold and crystals, but it seems that people just can't leave well enough alone, with the folks at Computer Choppers (no strangers to gilded Macs) only the latest to spare no expense in taking the laptop to heights of tackiness that no one from Cupertino would ever dare dream of. That includes 24kt gold plating over the entire laptop and, in a final stake through El Jobso's heart, an Apple logo ensconced in multi-colored sapphires -- not to mention a polished gold SuperDrive to go along with it. If your eyes can take it, you can find a few more pics in the gallery below. Gallery: Gold-plated MacBook Air Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple applies for patent over iPhone SMS interface for instant messaging
Apple applied for a patent, published last month, for the iPhone's SMS messaging interface. The patent still leaves Apple the opportunity to create a Mobile iChat, however.Read More...
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Under The Radar News - Tuesday
Redstone looking to can CBS chief? Paramount's (VIA) recent abandonment of CBS's (CBS) Showtime in order to join hands with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF) was CEO Philippe Dauman's retaliation for CBS CEO's Les Moonves refusal to sweeten a lowball bid to renew the Showtime/Paramount deal. Sources say CBS/Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone has privately told Dauman he's frustrated with CBS. Dauman wants to drive CBS's share price down so low that Redstone can justify firing Moonves. "Dauman's dream is to get rid of Moonves and put Viacom and CBS back together again," a source says. "This is all about Philippe kicking Les while he's down." Imagine if the markets were down 37%. With 20% of companies' Q1 results now in, Y/Y earnings growth is down a collective 37%. The number may improve as hard-hit financials report early. Profitable presidents. The S&P 500 averages a 14.5% annual gain during Democratic presidencies, compared to just 10.6% under Republicans. Each does better with an opposing Congress. Emerging bull or dead cat bounce? The market's recent stop-and-go rallies are more reminiscent of a bear market bounce than an emerging bull, Ken Tower, chief market strategist at Covered Bridge Tactical, says. Nollenberger Capital Markets strategist William Gibson disagrees. He notes the S&P 500 (SPY) has bounced off three successively higher bottoms since mid-March. Social war? The new developer sandbox for iGoogle (GOOG) contains code for accessing friends' data and creating a friends' activity stream -- a sign Google wants to one-up Facebook and MySpace (NWS) with a home page that rivals their social networking functionality. iPhone IM. A recent patent filing indicates Apple (AAPL) has laid the groundwork for iPhone real-time text chat and an SMS-like service. IM is one of the iPhone's most sorely-missed features. Intel ventures into Taiwan's WiMAX. Intel (INTC) is investing $500M in Taiwan's WiMAX industry, and plans further joint efforts with the Taiwanese government. Speculation Palm (PALM) is about to begin testing a WiFi-equipped Treo 800w. Macau halts new casinos. Macau government will not issue new casino licenses in the near future. The gaming industry has helped stabilize Macau's economy and improve its living conditions. Good news for incumbents Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Mirage (MGM) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN). Fannie, Freddy warned to play by rules. Fannie (FNM) and Freddy's (FRE) regulator, Ofheo, says it will consider taking action against the GSEs if they don't follow newly adopted accounting rules to adjust their books to reflect changes of certain assets and liabilities every quarter. Put up or punt. Sources say Wall Street wants UBS (UBS) to justify its investment banking unit after a recent probe revealed potential conflicts of interest and an absence of risk management. UBS is the world's #1 wealth manager. India growth may cool. India's Finance Minister P. Chidambaram says the country's growth rate could slow this year (to between 8% and 9%). He said he would consider export bans as a last-resort tool to cool inflation. On India as an investment (Ed: iPath MSCI India ETN (INP)), he said: "This still remains one of the most attractive markets for any investor. The question is no longer, 'Shall I invest in India?' The question is, 'Can I afford not to invest in India?'" Meanwhile, tighter IT budgets appear to be hitting Indian IT outsourcers such as Satyam Computer Services (SAY). New private-equity fund overfunded. Warburg Pincus raised $15B for its biggest private-equity fund, surpassing its goal of $12B. Investors include GE Asset Management (GE). "We're in emerging markets where returns are higher, and we have a significant involvement in growth transactions," a Warburg Pincus director said. He says it's still possible to fund LBO deals up to $3B -- after that it gets trickier. Warburg Pincus is the #4 U.S. private-equity pool, behind Blackstone Group (BX), Goldman Sachs Group (GS) and KKR. Loan reserves: Next shoe to drop? Bank losses may soon 'graduate' from writedowns on complex debt securities to loan-loss reserves gone bad. "It's a good thing that banks have started to reserve more," Sandler O'Neill's Kevin Fitzsimmons says. "The bad news is that they are going to need those reserves." BofA (BAC) shocked Wall Street with a $6B addition to its reserve Monday, while Oppenheimer's Meredith Whitney says she thinks Wells Fargo's (WFC) reserve looks too low. Emerging market oil appetite to outdo U.S. Emerging market demand for oil will exceed that of the U.S. for the first time ever in 2008, which lends credence to the argument a 2008 recession may not lead to the double-digit percentage drops in oil demand it has previously. Unsourced speculation UAL (UAUA) is in violation of a debt covenant after its wide earnings miss.
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Fujitsu's F-A50 all-in-one escapes a terrible, terrible heritage
Filed under: Desktops Hey, it's still not the most svelte of all-in-one PCs, but given its predecessors we'll really take whatever we can get. The Fujitsu F-A50 rocks a 16:9 16-inch display running at 1366 x 768, with a base that allows for adjustable height and angles for the PC. Unfortunately, 16:9 is about as wild as things get around here, with Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, Intel GM965 integrated graphics and so forth. WiFi is built-in, which is always nice to see on a desktop PC, and there's even a PC card slot for expansion. The whole shebang weighs in at 12 pounds, and goes on sale in Japan on May 17th for around $1,300. [Via Engadget Spanish]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: Power Support Japan rolls out new iPod touch accessories
Power Support Japan has introduced several new accessories for the iPod touch. The iPod touch Air Jacket Set (Translated link) is a super-thin rear hard shell offered with black rubber coating, two screen protectors (one anti-glare, one crystal), a Dock Connector port cover and a Dock Connector plug cap. The set aims offers coverage for basically everything except the iPod touch's bezel, especially the chrome rear shell, while preserving the…
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Launch one Automator workflow from another using Perl
I spent quite a while trying to figure out how to launch a second Automator workflow based on a conditional in perl, and this was the best I could come up with. Basically, I set up my conditional in perl (as part of the initial Automator workflow, in the Run Shell Script action), and if that condition was true, it executed this command:system ("open /Users/myuser/Desktop/sendit.app");(sendit.app is my second "branch" Automator workflow application.) It's pretty obvious in the end, so it may not be much of a tip, but I couldn't find how to do this anywhere I was looking.
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Run Photoshop Elements 6 under a non-admin account
Version 6.0 of Adobe's Photoshop Elements still has problems when running under non-admin accounts. On my computer, none of the effects or layer styles would appear in the Effects palette. It appears that PSE6 needs to write to a file called MediaDatabase.db3 in order to load the effects. Allowing write access to this file for non-admin users fixed my problem.To fix the permissions, run the following command in Terminal while logged into an admin account, and enter your password when prompted:sudo chmod a+w "/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Photoshop Elements/6.0/Locale/en_US/MediaDatabase.db3"Note that if your copy of PSE6 is not set to US English, then you will need to change en_US to the appropriate folder name.
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Customize the iDVD background Apple Logo
As you may know, iDVD includes (by default) the Apple logo watermark on your DVD. You can disable this in the General section of iDVD's preferences. In my case, however, I wanted the watermark, but I didn't want it to be the Apple logo. Here's how to change it (you'll need the Developer Tools installed to do this):Quit iDVD if it's running, then make a backup of the iDVD.app program.Control-click on iDVD.app in the Finder, and choose Show Package Contents from the pop-up menu.Navigate into Contents/Resources.Edit the file watermark.tif to your satisfaction, retaining the pretty translucency.Open Watermark.qtz by double-clicking on the file; it should open in Quartz Composer.Click on the patch that says Watermark.Click on Patch Inspector in the Toolbar, then choose Settings.Import the watermark.tif file you just edited.Save the file and restart iDVD.I had to restart iD...
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Reach local iTunes library over the net
If you want to reach your iTunes library from a remote Mac (a MacBook while traveling, for instance), you can enter these two lines in your Terminal app :$ dns-sd -P "any name" _daap._tcp. local 3690 localhost 127.0.0.1 & $ ssh -N user@server.example.com -L 3690:localhost:3689Replace user with your short username on the remote Mac, and server.example.com with the public IP of the remote Mac. Don't forget to set up your remote router so that the ssh port (22) is forwarded to a Mac on which the SSH daemon is launched (Remote Login enabled on the Sharing System Preferences panel).You can put this in a shell script (thanks to andersB):#!/bin/bash dns-sd -P "name of server" _daap._tcp local 3690 localhost 127.0.0.1 & PID=$! ssh -N user@server.example.com -L 3690:localhost:3689kill $PIDThis will start the broadcaster, set up the tunnel, and kill the broadcaster once the tunnel closes. I use p...
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Apple updates “Software Update� tool
Apple made waves a few weeks ago when Safari started popping up in the Windows version of Apple Software Updater, even if you hadn't previously installed it. The primary problems in complaints online were that the software appeared in the updates like an update, and that it was automatically checked, which caused some “less observant” users to download the application whether they really wanted it or not. Apple has, today, released an update to the Windows 'Software Update' app, version 2.1.0.110, which takes a different approach to presenting the information. It now displays two separate lists of software; one for updates, and another for new software. So where do you get the new version of Apple Software Update? From Apple Software Update…of course.
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News: Proporta debuts Echo Mirror Case for iPod nano
Proporta has introduced its Echo Mirror Case for the iPod nano (with video). The Echo is a two-piece hard case that snaps together with a secure closure. It features a mirrored, built-in screen protector that allows use of the nano when the screen is lit, doubling as a mirror when it's dark. The Echo also offers open access to the nano's Click Wheel and headphone jack. The Proporta Echo Mirror Case for the iPod nano (with video) is available…
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Transmit 3.6.6 relieves .Mac sync problems
Filed under: Software, Cool toolsPanic recently updated their Transmit software to version 3.6.6 after the previous (3.6.5) update caused problems with syncing over .Mac. Steven Frank (co-founder of Panic) wrote on his personal blog about the issue. According to Steven, "TransmitSync," a service that syncs Transmit favorites with .Mac, would crash when certain configurations were in place. The other change made in the 3.6.6 update is restrictions of dot characters when uploading to Amazon S3. Transmit 3.6.6 is a free upgrade to all Transmit 3 users and can be downloaded from within Transmit or from panic.com.[via Steven Frank]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple releases Aperture 2 plug-in SDK
An Aperture plug-in SDK is available from Apple's Developer Connection. Plug-in developers: start your editors!Read More...
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Goodmans iPod boombox includes 7-inch LCD display
Filed under: Peripherals, Portable Audio If you've somehow managed to hold off from buying an iPod sound system, you can probably afford to gloss right over this one, too. Still, those waiting for one with just a touch more extravagance will likely find lots to love about Goodmans' latest iteration. Aside from boasting a pair of speakers, 3-in-1 multicard reader, LED accents, iPod dock and a bundled remote, this unit also includes an integrated 7-inch LCD display for showing off stored clips, photos, etc. Interestingly, we're left to wonder what the exact resolution here is, but if it's not impressive enough to share, you can probably look forward to lackluster results. We won't stop you from taking a chance though -- it's your £89.99 ($178).[Via ChipChick]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Safari Hack exploit was public for almost a full year
Last month a Macbook Air was hacked very quickly…you may have heard of it. Well, it turns out that the “zero-day” exploit in Apple's Safari browser was actually found in the open-source software library claled Perl Compatible REgular Expressions or PCRE, which is used by many products including Safari, Apache, and more. Security researcher Chris Evans told PC World that he found the bug and publicly disclosed it in November 2007. PCRE developers then fixed the bug months earlier - writing an incomplete fix for the issue in May 2007. Which means as early as May of last year an astute hacker could have dug around into this code and found an exploit that they would have been able to capitalize on for almost a full 12 months. Apple did not patch its version of the library even after this became public knowledge. Someone in Apple's security department must not have been paying terribly close attention. While I find it slightly upsetting that they didn't fix this obvious hole when it became public knowledge, it becomes even more upsetting that it took almost a month after the public hacking of a Macbook Air using this exploit for Apple to actually patch it - even though the patch was already out there, and ready to go. It shouldn't take that long for something like this to be patched, and its obvious that someone on Apple's security team dropped the ball here. Hopefully, in the future, these things will be caught a bit quicker - because as the Mac becomes a more popular platform, it is quickly reaching a point where it can, and will, be a target by hackers…and I have a feeling our days of being “worry free” about viruses and spyware may soon be coming to an end.
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Apple releases final Aperture SDK
The final version of the Aperture SDK has been released by Apple. The professional photo app's Software Developer's Kit allows developers to create custom plug-ins for Aperture 2.1, which was the first version of the Aperture software to introduce an open architecture for the application. There are already a handful of plug-ins available for Aperture, including Apple's Dodge & Burn, Tiffen's Dfx Digital Filter Suite, and a trio of plug-ins from Digital Film Tools. Additional plug-ins from dvGarage, Image Trends', and PictureCode are expected soon.
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MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.5.1 fixes blank screens
Yesterday, Apple released EFI Firmware Update 1.5.1, but the company isn't saying what the update does, or whether it fixes a blank screen issue caused by the 1.5 firmware. We are, however, optimistic that it does.Read More...
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Apple looks toward iPhone chat app
A patent application surfaces that details Apple's work toward an instant-messaging feature for a portable gadget with a touch-screen display.
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Apple looks toward iPhone chat app
At its iPhone SDK event last month, Apple touted an adaption of AOL's instant-messaging client for the iPhone. Now comes news of Apple's own patent application for a chat feature. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published the application, titled "Portable Electronic Device for Instant Messaging," on ...
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Mac Automation: create a Mail-triggered "spy cam"
Filed under: Features, How-tosHave you ever been away from your Mac, then come back only to find that your co-worker has stolen your favorite Apple pen? Well, I am going to show you how to catch them in the act by creating a Mac "spy cam." For this how-to, you will need to create an Automator workflow, AppleScript, and some Mail rules. So, cue the James Bond music, and let's begin. You do need an iSight or a newer Mac with a built-in camera. (Yes, I know there are some tools prebuilt to do this -- but what's the fun in that?)Continue reading to learn how to create the Mac spy cam.Continue reading Mac Automation: create a Mail-triggered "spy cam"Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: iLounge reader comments, now spotlighted
Quietly added yesterday afternoon to the news column on our main page, our new Spotlighted Reader box highlights a particularly noteworthy or insightful comment recently posted by an iLounge reader. Found midway between news articles in a gray box, today's comment is from reader Anti-Luddite, discussing a way to improve Apple TV. The first comment spotlighted was an amusing post from reader Dyvim, discussing the story Retailer offers kalbi beef-styled…
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Linux to own 20 percent of the mobile market by 2013
Linux has been proclaiming the year of the desktop for years, to no avail. Meanwhile, quietly, insidiously, it has been taking a rising share of the mobile and embedded market. Indeed, ABI Research pegs Linux's share of the mobile market at 20 percent by 2013. Such growth, in part driven by Google's Android stamp of approval and Nokia's Maemo approval, puts a serious crimp on Symbian's and Microsoft's ambitions in mobile. As ABI research notes, Linux solutions will be at the center of the drive to bring more content-rich environments to users who currently utilize mid-tier devices. More importantly, it looks increasingly likely that mobile Linux solutions will be an important building block in enabling an application domain that embraces Web-based applications and blended Web/native applications. Mobile Linux's rise is partly a function of its superior cost proposition, but as ABI implies, it's also partly due to its flexibility and the iPhone's introduction of web-based applications. As on the desktop, the more we move applications to the web, the less necessary it is that we have Windows waiting on the client to receive them. ...
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Two Tech Horsemen Ride Again, Jim Cramer's Stop Trading! (4/21/08)
Recap of Jim Cramer’s comments on Stop Trading! Monday April 21. Click on a stock ticker for more analysis. Apple (AAPL), Research in Motion (RIMM): Two of Cramer's four horsemen of tech, AAPL and RIMM are riding again. AAPL's ichat will be to instant messaging what the iPod was to the walkman and "When we get the next generation of the iPhone, it's going to be game, set, match... Because this is going to be the smartest phone," said Cramer. RIMM has returned to where it was before its great quarter, and Cramer thinks the stock has room to move because of new product rollouts. "If RIMM reported that quarter today, it'd be at $150." Merck (MRK): Cramer suggested viewers take a look at Merck's conference call and said analysts were way too negative on the pharmaceutical company.
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News: O2 price cut boosts iPhone sales
UK iPhone carrier O2's move to temporarily lower the 8GB iPhone's price by £100 has boosted sales, according to a Mobile Today report. O2 stores in Newcastle, Birmingham, and London said they sold out of the 8GB model on the day the price cuts; the stores are expecting more iPhones to be delivered this weekend. An employee at Carphone Warehouse's flagship Oxford Street store said sales had doubled, from 30 to 60 iPhones per day,…
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Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News
TI dips on weak guidance. Texas Instruments (TXN) reported in line Q1 EPS of $0.43 on revenue of $3.27B (+2.5%, in-line). TI's Q2 revenue forecast ($3.24-3.5B) fell short of analyst estimates ($3.44B). Anticipated Q2 EPS is even weaker: $0.42-0.48 vs. $0.51 consensus. "Given uncertainty in the near-term economy, we have become more conservative with our outlook for the second quarter," CEO Rich Templeton said. In that light, and given that shares gained 3.3% in regular trading Monday, a 2.5% drop in extended trading is hardly a selloff -- perhaps a testimony to TI's long-term growth potential. Citi turns to HP; selling $6B in hybrids. In a novel move to defend its controversial business model, Citigroup (C) is asking Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) for advice on both IT issues and general strategy. Sources say Citi execs want to know how HP managed to overcome investor pressure to spin off its computer business, similar to the present calls for Citi to split its wholesale and retail banking units. Meanwhile, Citi is bolstering its balance sheet by selling $6B of hybrid bonds at 8.4% for 10 years, after it posted writedowns of almost $16B last week. Hybrid bonds allow banks to bring on cash with deferred interest payments, while the bulk of the offering is considered equity by credit-raters. "It's a way of not upsetting the apple cart," portfolio manager Bill Larkin said. "They don't want to dilute shares, and they don't want to issue more debt." RBS: Big writedown, big share sale. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), #2 UK lender, is selling £12B ($23.7B) in shares to reinforce its capital. It announced £5.9B in asset markdowns, and said it will cut its 2008 dividend. RBS said its 2008 outlook is still "inevitably clouded" by U.S. subprime fallout, not to mention its $22.7B spend on ABN Amro, which now seems impossibly expensive. RBS has lost almost half its market value; shares were down 5% in London. "I can well understand this is not easy for shareholders. It is not easy for me," CEO Fred Goodwin said. He told journalists he would consider selling the firm's insurance unit, but not ats "fire sale" prices. Netflix plunges on weak outlook. Netflix (NFLX) posted in-line EPS and revenue of $0.21 and $326M. For Q2, it sees EPS of $0.33-0.42 (consensus: $0.39). Netflix lowered its full-year guidance to $1.16-1.29 from $1.18-1.30 (consensus: $1.25). On its conference call, NFLX said that the numbers assume its market continues to grow. Investors were spooked: shares fell 13.5% in AH trading. Gross margin (31.7%) was down 2.1% sequentially and 4.4% from a year ago. Churn rate dropped to 3.9% from 4.4%. Netflix shares were up almost 50% YTD on reduced competition from Blockbuster (BBI), which turned its focus back to in-store rentals, and is now bidding for brick-and-mortar retailer Circuit City (CC). The wildcard is how emerging online video offerings from Apple (AAPL) and Amazon.com (AMZN) will affect its sales. CIT to squeeze $1B from stock sale. Commercial lender CIT Group (CIT) will raise $1B in a stock offering, as it tries to escape a liquidity crisis. It will use the proceeds for general corporate purposes; to pay a dividend; and to meet debt payments. Unfortunately, CIT already cut its dividend by 60%. It also sold $5B in assets and drew down $7.3B of its emergency credit lines. Shares fell 13.7% in AH trading. Intrepid Potash's intrepid IPO. Fertilizer producer Intrepid Potash (IPI) priced its 30M share IPO at $32 ($960M) -- $3 better than the top range of the $27-29/share forecast (which was originally 24M shares at $24-26). Underwriters including Goldman Sachs (GS), Merrill (MER), Morgan Stanley (MS) can purchase another 4.5M shares. Intrepid accounts for about 1.5% of global potash production. Some have compared its IPO to that of Google (GOOG) and Visa (V). CME beats on large volume jump. CME Group's (CME) Q1 EPS of $4.67 were just short of analyst estimates ($4.80). Revenue of $625M (+25.5% adjusted for CBOT acquisition) was in line. Volume grew a robust 32% during the quarter amid broad strength. "This performance illustrates the benefits of the exchange model for managing risks in diverse global markets," CEO Terry Duffy said. DuPont beats; guides in line. DuPont (DD) reported Q1 EPS of $1.31, $0.05 better than consensus. Revenue of $8.57B (+9.3%) was in line. For Q2, DuPont sees EPS of $1.05 (consensus: $1.08). For 2008, sees EPS of $3.40-3.55 (consensus: $3.48). "Our investments in agriculture and emerging markets enabled us to capitalize on robust growth in those areas which, when combined with gains from our productivity improvement programs, more than offset higher ingredient costs and weakness in certain U.S. markets," CEO Charles Holiday said. Baker Hughes beats by penny. Oilfield servicer Baker Hughes's (BHI) Q1 EPS of $1.21 was slightly better than analyst estimates ($1.20). Revenue of $2.67B (+8%) was in line. "Results from North America were better than expected," CEO Chad Deaton said. "Improving fundamentals for natural gas reflected in lower storage levels, higher natural gas prices, increased oil-directed drilling, and announcements by E&P operators of spending increases support higher drilling activity and additional opportunities for Baker Hughes in North America in the second half of 2008." Oil-services provider Smith International (SII) posted in-line EPS of $0.87 on in-line revenue of $2.37B (+12.5%). Slick quarter for EnCana. EnCana (ECA) beat Q1 EPS estimates of $1.28 by $0.11. Revenue of $5.34B (+20.4%) were better than $4.9B consensus. Free cash flow rose to $540M from $271M. AU Optronics shines. Liquid panel developer AU Optronics (AUO) smashed Q1 EPS estimates: $1.12/share vs. $0.48 consensus. Revenue of $4.5B (+85%) was better than consensus estimates of $4.24B. For Q2, AUO expects PC LCD shipments to fare better than TV panels. The firm said it will build a new factory. "In my crystal ball, I'd say visibility of the LCD industry is clear because it's a growing market," Taiwan asset manager Kevin Yang said. "TV is a very promising sector and the pie is getting bigger and bigger." UnitedHealth drops outlook. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) posted Q1 EPS of $0.78, $0.02 short of consensus estimates. Revenue of $20.3B (+6.6%) beat consensus of $19.88B. UNH lowered its full-year guidance to $3.55-3.60 from $3.95-4.00 (consensus: $3.87). "These financial results are not acceptable for a company with our capabilities and potential. They are due in part to broader economic challenges and in part to our own performance. We are adjusting our approaches, in particular to strengthen organic growth and address operating costs, to deliver financial performance that more appropriately represents the capacity and potential of our organization," CEO Stephen Hemsley said. Shareholders are unlikely to be appeased. SunTrust sees cloudy future. SunTrust Banks' (STI) Q1 EPS of $0.81 were $0.21 short of analyst estimates. Revenue of $2.3B (+22.9%) beat consensus of $2.13B. SunTrust increased its loan-loss provision to $560M (1.25%) due to the deterioration of residential real-estate markets. "The backdrop of emerging recession fears clouds the near-term outlook," CEO James Wells said, adding, "SunTrust is financially strong, with ample liquidity, adequate capital, and a solid balance sheet." Cash infusion socks NatCity. National City (NCC) agreed to sell a $7B stake to a private-equity group led by Corsair Capital at a 40% discount, sending shares plummeting 28% to $6.03. Shares are down 84% over the past 12 months. KBW analyst Melissa Roberts thinks banks will still seek to raise another $12.4B, adding to the $163B they've already sought since July (not sure if she's including Citi's $6B hybrid offering). "There's an appetite out there for risk, but at a price," RBC analyst Jason Arnold said. Oil price keeps gushing. Oil posted new highs of $117+ a barrel amid a falling dollar and attacks on Nigerian pipelines owned by Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A). "We are clearly headed over $120 a barrel and we are targeting $125," said MF Global's John Kilduff. "The last thing we need is another supply disruption. The outage certainly adds to the bullish sentiment." Lexmark beats; guidance midpoint is low. Lexmark (LXK) posted Q1 EPS of $1.16, $0.26 better than the consensus. Revenue of $1.18B (-6.8%) was in line. For Q2, Lexmark sees EPS of $0.65-0.75 vs. $0.73 consensus. WSJ loses managing editor. WSJ managing editor Marcus Brauchli is expected to resign as early as today after just 11 months; publisher Robert Thompson may take over for now. The separation is said to be "amicable" and Brauchli is expected to stay on with WSJ parent News Corp. (NWS). Sources say that Brauchli tried (unsuccessfully?) to find a middle-road between the Journal's traditionalists and Rupert Murdoch's new vision for the paper. Separately, sources say Murdoch has all but sealed a deal to buy Tribune's Newsday (excluding its real-estate) for about $580M. Murdoch is thought to see Newsday as the solution to the New York Post's lack of profitability. Today's Markets Markets in Asia were mixed Tuesday. Nikkei -1.09% to 13,548. Hang Seng +0.88% to 24,939. Shanghai +0.99% to 3,148. BSE Sensex +0.27% to 16,784. In Europe, markets are essentially flat at midday. FTSE flat at 6,053. CAC +0.22% to 4,921. DAX +0.13% to 6,794. U.S. futures are also flat at 7:15 AM. Get Wall Street Breakfast by email -- it's free and takes only seconds to sign up.
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Vidalia OS X client for Tor tunneling network
Filed under: Freeware, Internet Tools, Open SourceVidalia is a cross-platform GUI for the Tor network, which makes it very easy to anonymize your Mac's TCP activity. The Tor project (which we posted about a long time ago) is a volunteer network designed to foil traffic analysis and thus allow you to cover your tracks online. Basically it bounces your network requests across a number of Tor computers (and back again) so that nobody is able to figure out your actual destination. This is obviously useful for keeping your identity secret, but it may also allow you to access IP addresses and services that your local network administrator blocks. Now you should think carefully about trying to circumvent such restrictions, as bad things may happen to you if it's discovered. The other big downside is speed. Needless to say if you're bouncing around computers all over the globe before you get to your destination there's going to be some lag. Nonetheless, if you need the anonymity (or if the people you're communicating with need it -- think journalists or whistleblowers) it may be worth it. You may also like to contribute your own computer as a node to help out the network.Vidalia is open source and a free download. The latest package is marked for Tiger, but it seems to work on Leopard as well. If you're having trouble getting it from the Vidalia project page you can also download it from the Tor project download page. Once you download it, be sure to carefully follow the instructions in the Installation Guide for OS X.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Adobe Media Player: A Good Start
The new Adobe Media Player 1.0 is a good first step into territory the company hadn't before ventured. Yet it's clearly a 1.0 version that needs some tender loving care to bring it up to 1.5 or 2.0. I don't say this lightly -- I started the free download process from Adobe with high hopes that I'd find a media player that fills in the gaps left by the likes of iTunes and Hulu. I didn't find what I was looking for, but maybe -- hopefully sometime soon -- I will. Let me explain.
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Mac OS Ken: 04.22.2008
RBC Capital Ups Apple Target and Expectations / Apple No. 103 in Fortune 500 U.S. / Apple Seventh Most Valuable brand in Millward Brown Optimor Ranking / Report: Apple Signs Non-Exclusive 3G iPhone Deal for Italy / Macworld UK: 8GB iPhones Fly After UK Price Cut / MacNN: Apple to Expand What iTunes Is and Does (and with which gadgets)? / Apple Releases Firmware Restoration CD 1.7 / PayPal: No Plans to Block Safari / Another Christian University Gives Macs to Students / PsyStar Says Machines have Started Shipping / Visit Big Organ Trio Online at www.BigOrganTrio.com! / Get âRoad Rageâ and âDown and Dirtyâ by Big Organ Trio on iTunes!
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Two Tech Horsemen Ride Again - Cramer's Stop Trading! (4.21.08)
Recap of Jim Cramer’s comments on Stop Trading! Monday April 21. Click on a stock ticker for more analysis. Apple (AAPL), Research in Motion (RIMM): Two of Cramer's four horsemen of tech, AAPL and RIMM are riding again. AAPL's ichat will be to instant messaging what the iPod was to the walkman and "When we get the next generation of the iPhone, it's going to be game, set, match... Because this is going to be the smartest phone," said Cramer. RIMM has returned to where it was before its great quarter, and Cramer thinks the stock has room to move because of new product rollouts. "If RIMM reported that quarter today, it'd be at $150." Merck (MRK): Cramer suggested viewers take a look at Merck's conference call and said analysts were way too negative on the pharmaceutical company.
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RBC Expects Strong Beat from Apple
On expectations that Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) second quarter results will beat consensus estimates on Wednesday, RBC Capital Markets has raised its price target on shares of the Mac and iPod maker to $190 from $175, which is 19% higher than where it ended the week. Analyst Mike Abramsky expects revenue of $7.2-billion, up 36% year-over-year, while the Street is at $6.9-billion. Earnings per share are expected to come in at $1.11, above the Street at $1.06, due to a 4% year-over-year foreign exchange revenue gain ($0.03¢ per share).