Author

Avatar for 9to5 Staff

9to5 Staff

Psystar is dead

Site default logo image

Apple won the permanent injunction against Psystar that it was seeking today.  According to Groklaw, it’s total, including Snow Leopard.  It also includes the Rebel EFI (which it is, as of this writing, still selling on its site) though Groklaw had this to say about the matter:

As for Rebel EFI, the judge while expressing that Psystar was not very clear about what it does, refused to exclude it from the injunction, and says Psystar continues to sell it “at its peril” at the risk of “finding itself in contempt if its new venture falls within the scope of the injunction.”

Only a clear explanation of the product, and discovery about it, can determine the matter, and Psystar is is free to bring a motion and submit to discovery about Rebel EFI, if it wishes to reopen the question. Since the injunction includes forbidding Psystar from “intentionally inducing, aiding, assisting, abetting, or encouraging any other person or entity to infringe plaintiff’s copyrighted Mac OS X software,” I’d think a reasonable person would find the injunction covers EFI as well.

Besides that, there is no ambiguity…

Psystar also can’t “manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise traffic in any technology, product, service, device, component, “or part thereof that is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing a technological measure”, so I’d call this The End of Psystar’s adventures. Were this a normal litigation. Since it’s not, it’s certainly possible there will be more twists and turns. But in the California court, Psystar is toast.

Oh, and no “fire sale” before it shuts down, the judge said. He doesn’t want to see Psystar “engage in defiant or unreasonable conduct” and if it happens, there will be no insulation from contempt liability. It has until December 31st to comply, but if it can comply in one hour, then that is what the judge expects to see. Also Psystar must destroy everything it has used to circumvent Apple’s products. Then it is to report to Apple on exactly how it has fully complied by the deadline.

Here’s the order granting the motion and the final judgment:

12/15/2009 – 242 – ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR PERMANENT INJUNCTION re 231 filed by Apple Inc.. Signed by Judge Alsup on December 15, 2009. (whalc1, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 12/15/2009) (Entered: 12/15/2009)

12/15/2009 – 243 – FINAL JUDGMENT. Signed by Judge Alsup on December 15, 2009. (whalc1, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 12/15/2009) (Entered: 12/15/2009)

This was outrageous litigation, and that is how the court viewed it.

Apple building new PastryKit Web Apps framework

Site default logo image

Daring Fireball has a video rundown of Apple’s ‘pastrykit’ Web app framework that was used to build the iPhone User Guide (demo below).  That includes Mobile Safari’s ability to run full HTML5 applications with offline database storage.  Google uses this offline storage DB for Gmail, for example, so that you can write emails from Safari when AT&T is being AT&T.

But PastryKit is much more than just offline storage (Gruber is gaga over scrolling but there are other features, such as blocking out the nav and URL bars, as well).  This looks like the beginings of a new way for developers to build quality iPhone apps but bypass the App Store.  But will Apple release it to the public?

 It seems like a lot of effort to build a framework this rich just for this iPhone User Guide, so I

Microsoft releases Bing Search App for iPhone

Site default logo image

Microsoft today unleashed their Bing App (App Store Link) for the iPhone and iPod touch. The app offers speech recognition of addresses and other features present in Google’s iPhone application.  It also offers the Bing daily image and related trivia.

Microsoft previously released the Seadragon App for high quality photo browsing.   They have other apps planned as well.

Screenshots below, via Boomtown

 

AT&T comments on/publicizes Operation: Chokehold

Site default logo image

Update: FakeSteve’s response

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ-ldcnhsLY&w=600&h=385]

Cult of Mac rang up AT&T to get their opinion on the ‘ol Operation Chokehold scheduled to go down on Friday at noon Pacific. For those not in the loop, FakeSteve writer Dan Lyons offered a rebuttal to customer-threatening comments made by AT&T wireless CEO Ralph de la Vega last week. 

AT&T, being totally inept at PR, acknowledged the operation, thereby granting it more publicity than it would have ever gotten on its own.  They said:

We understand that fakesteve.net is primarily a satirical forum, but there is nothing amusing about advocating that customers attempt to deliberately degrade service on a network that provides critical communications services for more than 80 million customers. We know that the vast majority of customers will see this action for what it is: an irresponsible and pointless scheme to draw attention to a blog.

Now, MacRumors, Gizmodo, Wired and “the Wall” are all running stories about it.  Nice work.

Want to know the most ironic part of this whole gag?  Most San Francisco/New Yorkers probably won’t know the difference when the Chokehold hits or if it even has…which proves: if AT&T were really, really serious about providing critical communication services, they’d FIX THEIR F-ING NETWORK.

Maybe AT&T should see this event as an exercise in emergency preparedness. 

Gizmodo details Apple Gestapo: 'Worldwide Loyalty Team'

Site default logo image

There is a  pretty interesting post over at Gizmodo detailing the security measures that Apple goes through to keep its products a secret.  We’ve heard ‘things’ but nothing as severe as this ‘Tom’ guy is reporting.  Our source tells us about the piece: “This is the paranoid/Hollywood version.  Unless there is a leak suspected, you won’t ever see something like this.  If you do, they have a specific reason to search.”  And, for example, “stay at your desks” is probably more like “just continue working and if there’s something you need to worry about i’ll let you guys know”.

With that in mind, Gizmodo’s version:

Apple has these moles working everywhere, especially in departments where leaks are suspected. Management is not aware of them,” he told me, “once they suspect a leak, the special forces

Leaked Core i7 (Gulftown) details hint March/April Mac Pro Upgrade

Site default logo image

Intel has teased out a little more information on its forthcoming 32nm six-core Xeon processors, the Intel Core i7-980X Processor Extreme Edition, the engine many expect will power a future model of the Mac Pro.

HardMac (via MacRumors and PCOnline.com.cn) confirms the new chips will retain the Core i7 name, but with an added X (for Extreme) to their name. These new Intel processors are expected to make their commercial debut in the second half of the first quarter 2010, according to a roadmap published by HardMac.

The last significant Mac Pro upgrade took place on March 3, 2009, when Apple introduced new models of pro desktop equipped with Intel

iPhone, iPod touch lead online product search this Christmas

Site default logo image

Seems set to be an Apple Christmas in the UK, with the latest Hitwise data reporting the iPhone and iPod touch to be the current most searched for products in the UK this season.

iPhone pulled in 1.75 percent of all UK online product searches during the week ending December 5. In addition, it accounted for 14.01 percent of all mobile phone searches, Brand Republic tells us.

The second most searched for product? iPod touch, which gathered 1.29 percent of all searches in the period. The iPod nano took third place, with 0.5 per cent of all product searches. Amalgamated, the data means Apple products accounted for at least 3.04 percent of online product searches in the UK, hinting that as many as one in 34 consumers shopping online in the UK are at least considering an Apple product as a Christmas gift.

Consumer electronics are a buzz sector this year, with internet visits to websites dealing in such products shooting up by 16.5 per cent between October and November – the largest month-on-month increase in UK internet traffic to CE websites this year.

Reflecting just how popular Apple products are in the UK this year, Apple-related products (including compatible peripherals) account for 21 of the top 25 best-selling Portable Sound and Vision category products on Amazon UK.

Things seem pretty similar in the USA, where iPod touch sits in second (8GB) and third (32GB) place on the top-selling Electronics list – an overall list encompassing all sales in that category.

In related news, Amazon US warns that shoppers now have just two days left to order for Christmas with free SuperSaver shipping.

64GB Flash module from Toshiba arrives just in time for summer iPhone..perhaps earlier?

Site default logo image

Toshiba announced today that its new production process had fit 64GB of RAM on a single embedded NAND flash memory module.  Samples of the 64GB module are available from today, and mass production will start in the first quarter of 2010 according to the press release.

This is significant to iPhone and iPod Touch users because it effectively allows Apple to double the storage of their current generation devices.  The iPod touch can go to 128GB while the iPhone can go to 64GB. As these chips will start to be avaiable in the next few months, perhaps Apple will jump its normal update cycle.

The new 64GB modules also may improve storage prospects for a prospective tablet too.

iTunes Connect shuts down for Christmas…

Site default logo image

Apple appears to be overhauling the infrastructure behind the iTunes App Store, confirming that iTunes Connect, the portal used by those who choose to make Apps available through the Apple service, is set to be out of action across the Christmas period.

iTunes Connect provides access to tools and resources developers need for distribution of iPhone and iPod touch applications through the App Store, including application delivery, application management tools, sales information, banking setup, and financial reporting.

In a weekend note, Apple reveals:

Unibody MacBook takes three bullets

Site default logo image

In case you are wondering if your Unibody MacBook can take three bullets from an IDF bomb diffusing team, the answer is no.  Aluminum<Lead@ high speeds.  A better question might be: How can I avoid putting my Mac in harm’s way?  A start might be not leaving it alone in an Israeli airport in an unmarked bag.

More here via here.

 

Operation: Chokehold. Friday at 3PM Eastern US time

Site default logo image

So this looks like some fun.  FakeSteve is sponsoring an event to send a message to AT&T about their network:

Subject: Operation Chokehold
On Friday, December 18, at noon Pacific time, we will attempt to overwhelm the AT&T data network and bring it to its knees. The goal is to have every iPhone user (or as many as we can) turn on a data intensive app and run that app for one solid hour. Send the message to AT&T that we are sick of their substandard network and sick of their abusive comments. The idea is we