Seth Weintraub

We’re less than 24 hours away from the launch of Windows Phone 7 and we already have a minor controversy.  It seems Microsoft has been advertising that they’ll be carrying the uber-popular Angry Birds game on their platform.  (Available on iOS and Android currently).

The only problem is that not only isn’t Angry Birds not available for Microsoft Phone 7, the developers aren’t even working on it.  Actually they hadn’t even planned on working on it according to an ….errrrm… Tweet from the developers:

Interestingly, we’ve been getting word from some App Store developers that Microsoft is aggressively hounding them to build their apps for the Windows Phone 7 platform, even offering cash incentives ($99) in the case below (Thanks Jesse!):
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Apple months ago blew by Microsoft in the market cap department but Microsoft still eeked by in the revenue department last quarter (see chart below).

But both the bloggers and Wall St. analysts think  that Apple is going to have close to a $20 billion quarter.

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Pogue:

So how is it?

I tried out Flash on a Motorola Droid X. (You can download Flash from the Android Market store.) There’s no doubt about it. Without Flash, you’re missing a lot of the Web. Suddenly I could watch sports clips, news shorts and nytimes.com videos. Suddenly blinking Web ads made their first appearance on the phone, for better or worse. You can zoom in just the way you’d zoom into any Web page—on the Droid X, by spreading two fingers apart on the glass. And you can rotate the phone 90 degrees to make the video fit better.

But caveats galore:
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Ballmer being Ballmer. Can’t make it up.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycnA16CHNdM&w=640&h=505]

Reader Jacob writes in (also posted on the Loop) that Apple is telling .Mac Homepage users that their content will no longer be viewable by the outside world on November 8th (but still available through the user interface).  Apple first notified customers a year ago of the impending change.

Dear MobileMe member,

Over a year ago, we retired the .Mac HomePage application for publishing new pages, but allowed previously published pages to remain viewable on the web. On November 8, 2010, we will discontinue online viewing of photos, movies, and files shared using .Mac HomePage.

Content published with iWeb, the company’s Web publishing tool and part of its iLife suite, will not be affected by the change.

Btw…November 8th is a Monday.

Would that suggest Tuesday Nov 9 as launch date for iLife 11?  We’re plenty hopeful.

Full email embedded below:
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Update: The sometimes reliable New York Post says that Apple is currently in negotiations with the labels to do this very thing.

Spotify has been a pretty unmitigated success in Europe as our European readers can probably attest.  The subscription model it has built is pretty compelling.  For a (~$10) subscription fee, you have access to most of the popular music on earth through streaming channel.  What’s more is that you can download playlists for offline listening.  This all fits under a monthly fee model.  But that’s not why Spotify is a success.

You might be saying that Napster has been trying this for a few years (the legit version) so what gives Spotify an edge?

Spotify’s success also hinges on a great interface and more importantly an ad-supported mode which people basically have access to the world’s music for free if they listen to a few ads.

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Steve Jobs and Stan Sigman at the Wireless History Museum

Jobs and old pal Stan Sigman posed for a picture at the Wireless History Foundation’s Inaugural Wireless Hall of Fame Dinner on Tuesday.

As Cingular’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Stan orchestrated the purchase of AT&T Wireless and formed the partnership with Steve Jobs and Apple that introduced the legendary iPhone. Stan retired as Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Mobility in 2007.

He’s not exactly filling out his jacket yet.  Stan isn’t helping.

Coracle via Giz

The NYTimes reports that Microsft CEO Steve Ballmer took a trip down to Adobe’s offices and talked with Adobe for an hour on how to disrupt Apple’s ascent.  One of the options on the table was an acquisition by Microsoft of Adobe.

The meeting, which lasted over an hour, covered a number of topics, but one of the main thrusts of the discussion was Apple and its control of the mobile phone market and how the two companies could partner in the battle against Apple. A possible acquisition of Adobe by Microsoft were among the options.

WTF.  I mean Windows Mobile 7 won’t even support Flash.  Silverlight and Flash are enemies.  Seems a little nuts, not to mention the software monopoly stuff.  Specifics below.
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It looks like Apple’s exclusive on that Retina display wasn’t too exclusive.  Engadget profiles a Sharp Android phone being sold in Japan with a display remarkably similar to the LG-made Retina Display that adorns the iPhone (and to a lesser extent) the iPod touch.  Is the onslaught of Retina displays afoot?

Also news in the Retina world, Hitachi is showing off a 6.6-inch display with 300+ ppi resolution that would make a nice Apple product, wouldn’t you say?

A closer look, below:

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http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/VideoPlayerMain.swf

Talk to the WSJ about Flash
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Image from Design Language of Guardian data via DF

Hey Motorola doesn’t have any arrows up there pointing at Apple.  Not for long:

Overall, Motorola Mobility’s three complaints include 18 patents, which relate to early-stage innovations developed by Motorola in key technology areas found on many of Apple’s core products and associated services, including MobileMe and the App Store. The Motorola patents include wireless communication technologies, such as WCDMA (3G), GPRS, 802.11 and antenna design, and key smartphone technologies including wireless email, proximity sensing, software application management, location-based services and multi-device synchronization.

18?  That’s a new record.

Motorola Mobility has requested that the ITC commence an investigation into Apple’s use of Motorola’s patents and, among other things, issue an Exclusion Order barring Apple’s importation of infringing products, prohibiting further sales of infringing products that have already been imported, and halting the marketing, advertising, demonstration and warehousing of inventory for distribution and use of such imported products in the United States. In the District Court actions, Motorola Mobility has requested that Apple cease using Motorola’s patented technology and provide compensation for Apple’s past infringement.

The ITC expedites patents quicker than the US courts so this will mean shit gets hot sooner.
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The Wall St. Journal today reports that a Verizon iPhone is coming within the next two months and will be distributed early next year:

Apple Inc. plans to begin mass producing a new iPhone by the end of 2010 that would allow Verizon Wireless to sell the smartphone early next year, said people briefed by Apple.

The new iPhone would be similar in design to the iPhone 4 currently sold by AT&T Inc. but would be based on an alternative wireless technology called CDMA used by Verizon, these people said. The phone, for which Qualcomm Inc. is providing a key chip, is expected to be released in the first quarter of next year, according to the same people.

Separately, Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the matter. One person familiar with the new iPhone plan said the fifth-generation iPhone will be a different form factor from those that are currently available. It was unclear how soon that version will be available to Verizon.

But you knew that already, right?

Update:PED at Fortune notes some irregularities:

But in this week’s item — as with the story last March — the reporters never actually call it a Verizon iPhone. Instead, it’s “Verizon-ready,” “based on an alternative technology … used by Verizon” and being produced on a schedule “that would allow Verizon Wireless to sell the smartphone early next year.”

Why the ambiguity? We suspect it’s because the reporters don’t actually know that Verizon will ever get the new phone. There are plenty of other carriers in the U.S. and overseas that could use a CDMA iPhone, and Apple could be building it for them.

It’s pretty clear that the Journal has been spoon fed these stories. What’s not so clear is why.

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For those chat clients outside of the realm of iChat, most of us Mac People use a great little app called Adium.  On the PC side of things, the best equivalent of Adium is Trillian (you may know Trillian from its iOS app?)  Today, Trillian’s application for Macintosh has gone into Beta (the Alpha’s been floating around for a couple of months).

On paper and with a few minutes of use, it looks pretty good.

From Trillian:
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Here’s a little vector graph by Asymco plotting the change in profit and marketshare in the smartphone space from three years before.  Sure Apple started with almost no market and Nokia could go almost nowhere but down, but as profits go, Apple is killing it.

Is it any wonder that everyone at Nokia is abandoning ship?
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About a year after it debuted on Android (remember when Google released apps on iPhone first?) Google has integrated Goggles into the Google Mobile App for iOS.  Goggles is enabled only for English-speaking users, and since it requires an auto-focusing camera it is supported only on iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 running iOS 4 or above.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezc108DTaug&w=640&h=390]
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This one slipped under our radar.  It looks like John Lennon’s remastered music is now in the iTunes store as of this weekend.  We thought Yoko was against the iTunes?

“On John Lennon’s 70th birthday, we’re offering remastered catalogue titles and a free 2010 remix of the classic “(Just Like) Starting Over”. Additionally, two albums are available with iTunes LP, featuring extensive photos, videos, writings and more.”

So when are we going to see the umm…nevermind.

Full collection links below: (Thanks Thomas!)
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Businessweek quotes iSuppli as saying Apple’s little TV revolution only costs $64 to make.  That’s about a quarter of the production cost of the previous AppleTV ($237) back in 2007.

Since that one sold for $300, Apple is still making more as a percentage (minus marketing, R&D, etc,etc,) than they did before (35% new vs. 20% old).

The A4 chip and the 8GB of Flash are the most expensive bits in the new version but they only come in at $16.55 and $14 respectively.

Oh, and FUN FACT: Intel’s Pentium Chip ($40) plus the chipset ($28) on the previous model alone cost more than the whole new AppleTV today. Clearly, the present day equivalent of that chip is much more powerful and might be cheaper but Intel just doesn’t sell SoCs for $16.

Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why Apple is building its own chips these days, does it?  It also shows why the Intel-based  GoogleTV will be three times as expensive as the AppleTV.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDeX_oIfEeQ&w=640&h=390]

I really don’t see why people are arguing over which platform is better, GoogleTV or AppleTV.  I don’t care, I’m getting both.  AppleTV costs less than a month of cable service and a Logitech Revue GoogleTV is about the same price as a 32GB iPod ($299 ish?).  I’m not one to throw away money but I like both of these platforms and even though they overlap, they perform a lot of separate functions.  Heck, I might get a $59 Roku box just to piss off my wife with more wires…and I’m still not at $500, the price of a base model iPad yet.

I’ll probably use AppleTV for Netflix and playing content from the iTunes shares around the house.

I think my AppleTV will be the one in my living room on by default, but when I really want to search web content, I’ll flip over to the GoogleTV.   If GoogleTV can browse Hulu TV shows and  Comedy Central, I’m pretty happy.  It plays my 1080P videos?  Bonus.  Can I ‘Fling’ ESPN videos? What else can I ask for?

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Interesting news from MSBC:

Actor Tony Curtis [pictured above, right] was buried Monday with a melange of his favorite possessions — a Stetson hat, an Armani scarf, driving gloves, an iPhone and a copy of his favorite novel.

I suppose that something could be said for the growing importance of mobile phones in people’s lives.  Clearly the iPhone was high on his list – which is something, especially considering the life he led.
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You know that huge gamer dude in the office?  Yeah he’s not showing up for work tomorrow.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu3Bt3b0XSM&w=670&h=401]

Left 4 Dead 2 will be released on the Mac Tuesday October 5th. If you already own it on the PC, then you own it on the Mac. All you need to do is install it on your Mac and start playing.If you don’t already own it, now is a great time to pick it up. Not only do you get Left 4 Dead 2 but steam owners get all the previously released DLC for free! So you get the original 5 Campaigns and “The Passing”, “The Sacrifice” and “No Mercy.” Best of all, there is already a thriving community and excellent community created campaigns waiting for you.Sorry Left 4 Dead owners, the Mac version is coming but we are running a little late. We hope to have it out in time to celebrate Halloween on the Mac. When released, L4D1 Mac players will receive the same great treatment. All the previous released updates and DLC for free and the ability to play an extensive library of community content. More information on the release date as it nears.

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Google is going to be hyping the heck out of  its TV platform all week, having opened up a new portal and a new blog which announces Twitter and Vevo integration and maybe even Google Music.  Wednesday, Logitech will launch its Revue (hey I’m going for the free drinks!).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDeX_oIfEeQ&w=640&h=390]

From the announcement:

• Turner Broadcasting has been hard at work optimizing some of their most popular websites for viewing on Google TV, including TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, available anytime through Google TV.
• NBC Universal has collaborated with Google TV to bring CNBC Real-Time, an application that allows you to track your favorite stocks and access news feeds while enjoying the best financial news from CNBC directly on the TV screen.
• HBO will bring access to hundreds of hours of programming to Google TV with HBO GO. Authenticated subscribers will soon be able to access all of their favorite HBO content on-demand in an enhanced website for Google TV.
• NBA has built NBA Game Time, an application that lets you follow game scores in real-time and catch up on the latest highlights from your favorite team in HD.

It will even have an Airplay thing called flipping, which probably also describes Steve Jobs’ reaction to the newly announced service.  (whoops it is called “Flinging” – there goes the joke)
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