9to5 Staff

Analysts at Gartner predict Android will account for 14 percent of the global smartphone market by 2012, beating the iPhone into third place (13.7%) behind Symbian with 39 percent of the market.

These predictions mean departure of Google boss Eric Schmidt from Apple’s board was mandatory. Sure, he may have reclused his seat during iPhone discussions, but his company has pushed out a mobile OS that analysts believe will beat Apple’s iPhone.

Computerworld reports the analysis that Android will fully exploit Google’s network-based (“Cloud”) services, and that Google will continually – and rapidly – improve its mobile OS.

Additional factors designed to give Android a market edge include its open nature, which attracts developers, and its multi-device strategy, which means Android-powered devices from multiple manufactuers will widen the market for the smartphones. 2010 could see as many as 40 models of Android phone ship.

Another advantage is Google’s use of multiple user interface paradigms. While Apple focuses on applications, Symbian and WinMob focus on tasks and communications. And Google combines a little of both interface ideologies.

Android – and Apple – seem set to take market share from Palm and RIM, the analysts suggest, offering the following global market share break down for 2012:

– Symbian: 203 million handsets, 39 percent of the market;
– Google Android: 76 million handsets, 14.5 percent of the market;
– Apple iPhone OS: 71.5 million handsets, 13.7 percent of the market;
– Windows Mobile: 66.8 million handsets, 12.8 percent of the market;
– RIM BlackBerry OS: 65.25 million handsets, 12.5 percent of the market;
– Linux variants: 28 million handsets, 5.4 percent of the market;
– Palm webOS: 11 million handsets, 2.1 percent of the market.

Android currently runs on just 2 percent of all smartphones, Gartner claims.

Another day, another Apple tablet rumour, and this one suggests manufacturing deals have already been done, and the product will be focused as an eBook reader.

Digitimes this morning is reporting that Foxconn (aka, Hon Hai Precision) has won the manufacturing contract, rather than Apple’s long-term Mac maker, Quanta.

This figures as Foxconn is also Apple’s iPod/iPhone product manufacturer, and suggests at least that this tablet will be a larger sibling in that side of the Apple family.

(Recall, there have been some claims of two tablets on Apple’s road map, one running OS X, the other running a variant of the OS X Mobile found on iPhones and the iPhone touch).

More info: The Foxconn-fabricated tablet will reach market in the first quarter next year, with initial shipments pegged at 300,000-400,000 per month.

The device will be equipped with a 10.6-inch panel which may come from Innolux Display, not WinTek as has been previously claimed.

Digitimes sources believe marketing of the product will focus on e-book functionality rather than music. The device will offer, “long battery life, quick Internet connectivity and an easy-to-use user interface”, according to the report.

Earlier this week we heard once again that the tablet is likely to be powered by a PA Semi-tweaked ARM processor. As part of Apple’s planning for the product, we also know Apple has been in talks with newspapers, magazines and book publishers, including the New York Times, McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press.
 

We know Apple enjoys a better relationship with games industry chiefs than it ever has before, on strength of its iPhone and iPod touch. Now it looks like a key gaming partner is laying the ground to make a little comic book push when Apple launches its first tablet device early next year.

Electronic Arts has announced a new brand, EA Comics. This company will license comic book brands and franchises for publication both in print and through iTunes.

EA, in collaboration with iDW Publishing, will pick and choose titles from among big names which include Transformers, Star Trek, Doctor Who and more.

The first two EA Comics comics will be Army Of Two and Dragon Age, and will be penned by established writers Peter Milligan and Orson Scott Card.

We’re pushing the boat out on speculation here, but somehow expect these releases will be similar to that of the Mayhem comic most recently released in the iTunes Extras format, aiming to produce deeper multimedia experiences than you presently find inside print titles, and using EA’s games and graphics development expertise. But that’s just a notion at the moment.

Via: Play

Amazon announced today that they were going to have an International version of the Kindle for sale for the holiday season.  Until now the Kindle has used Sprint’s EVDO network to get purchases and updates from the Internet.  Unfortunately for current Kindle owners, Sprint’s radio technology doesn’t work overseas.

Enter AT&T and its global standard HSDPA network.  Amazon has worked out a similar deal with AT&T as it did with Sprint, except on the AT&T version, you can roam in 100 countries with your Kindle.  You can even buy the new Kindle internationally for use with US books.

Amazon is dropping the price of its Sprint Kindle significantly to $259 (or $219 refurb) and is available immediately.  The AT&T International version will be $279 for pre-order and will ship later this month (October 19th-ish)

Environmental groups are happy with Apple’s decision to bail on the US Chamber of Commerce.  The US Chamber of Commerce is not.  Here’s what they had to say about Apple via Dow Jones News Wires:

But wait.  Before you read it, read the FakeSteve story – which is more real than you’ll get on any newswire.  Money quote:

So, we’ve pulled out of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with Nike and some power utilities. It’s not just that they’ve taken the wrong position on global warming. It’s why they’re doing it. And the way they’re doing it. If they’d just be honest, and come out and say, Look, we’re getting shitloads of money from oil companies and power utilities, and so we’re basically just a bunch of coin-operated whores who will say and do anything if you pay us, well, I’d almost respect them. I even liked them when they were threatening to sue the EPA and have a Scopes Monkey Trial over global warming. I mean, it was nuts, but at least they were being honest.

OK, now U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Tom Donohue:

"It is unfortunate that your company didn’t take the time to understand the Chamber’s position on climate and forfeited the opportunity to advance a 21st century approach to climate change." He said that the business group is committed to the environment but also to preserving the competitiveness of American business.

"While we do support legislation to address climate change, we oppose legislation such as the Waxman-Markey bill that numerous studies show will cause Americans to lose their jobs and shift greenhouse gas emissions overseas, negating potential climate benefits," Donohue wrote. He said that the business group was focused on innovation and technology to combat climate change.

"It is a shame that Apple will not be part of our efforts," he wrote.

UPDATE: What makes the Chamber’s "efforts" more open to criticism – and very likely attributed to the departure of Apple and others from the group – is the deeply opaque and seemingly undemocratic way it has reached its decisions on these matters.

Nike quit its executive seat recently, and now characterises its decision as going beyond a simple policy disagreement. The company describes the Chamber as lacking transparency and accountability, "that conflicted with the organization’s own supposedly democratic principles and suggested the outsized influence of a few Chamber members in setting its climate stance."

Donald Sterhan, chair of the Chamber’s energy and environment committee, says that its board of directors and its committees never formally endorsed the climate stance, according to Mother Jones. There has never been a vote, and members seeking a change in the Chamber’s position have been unable to find any avenue in which to make such a change happen.

This is because these decisions are being made in such a way in which there is no forum for a change in policy, the report explains. The 100-plus board makes them. And a large number of board members c"ome from companies tied to the production or burning of fossil fuels."  Three of the five members of the board’s senior council represent such interests, the report also explains.

AT&T said late Tuesday that it has informed Apple and the FCC that "it has taken the steps necessary" to enable Voice over Internet Protocol — or VOIP — services on the iPhone over its 3G wireless network. AT&T said it made the decision "after evaluating our customers’ expectations and use of the device compared to dozens of others we offer."   The company already allows subscribers to make Internet calls using its 3G network over other wireless devices.

Apple: Spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said Apple welcomed the the announcement. "We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VOIP applications.  We will be amending our developer agreements to get VOIP apps on the App Store and in customers’ hands as soon as possible."

Skype President Josh Silverman said: "Since launching our iPhone application six months ago, people have downloaded and installed Skype on 10% of all iPhone and iPod touch devices sold – making it clear that people are extremely interested in taking Skype conversations with them on the go. All of us at Skype applaud today’s announcement by AT&T (in an FCC filing here in PDF format) that it’ll open up its 3G network to Internet calling applications such as Skype. It’s the right step for AT&T, Apple, millions of mobile Skype users and the Internet itself. Nonetheless, the positive actions of one company are no substitute for a government policy that protects openness and benefits consumers. We’re all looking forward to further developments that will let people use Skype on any device, on any network."

Update:

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said: “When AT&T indicated, in response to the FCC’s inquiry, that it would take another look at permitting VoIP on its 3G network I was encouraged,” Genachowski said in a statement. “I commend AT&T’s decision to open its network to VoIP. Opening wireless services to greater consumer choice will drive investment and innovation in the mobile marketplace.”

A Google representative said Apple hadn’t informed it of any change in the status of its application.

There was no word yet from Vonage who just got their application into the App Store yesterday.

The FCC was also silent this evening, but they probably played the biggest role in getting AT&T to allow VoIP traffic.  They’ve been pushing their Net Neutrality stance on the wireless carriers since this administration took over a year ago.  While it was a long time coming, the move was inevitable as both 4G standards, WiMAX and LTE both only support only VoIP, and not the traditional wireless voice product, for telephone calls.

Remember last week when doubleTwist gave us that remade 1984 commercial with the promise that change was coming on October 6th?  Guess what?  It is October 6th and doubleTwist has a pretty interesting twist on the iTunes Music store.  They’ve built an interface of the Amazon Music Store complete with their five million high quality MP3 files.

doubleTwist users will now have the option of downloading music from both Amazon and iTunes.  doubleTwist allows access to your iTunes Music Library as well, and more importantly, it allows you to sync that music collection with all types of devices including including the Pre, BlackBerry, PSP, Android.

We’re thinking they monetize this by getting affiliate link cash in return from users buying through their interface.  Smart.  Amazon often gives 10% of the take.  DoubleTwist’s Music Store is currently available in the Mac version of the app, with the PC version coming soon. The store is currently US-only, but doubleTwist says that UK, German, and French versions are on the way.

Wow, that didn’t take long at all.  The Washington Post was right but it happened a few weeks before expected.  AT&T has flipped around and is now allowing 3G VoIP traffic on its network.  Our jaws are on our desks.  We’re pretty sure the FCC had something to do with this.  That Verizon-Google thing probably didn’t hurt either.

This will allow apps like Skype and Vonage (and Comcast VOIP?) to operate outside the bounds of Wifi.  Skype VoIP over 3G works pretty well on the iPhone – we tried it way back when it wasn’t blocked.  All that needs to happen now is an OS update by Apple.  We’re waiting patiently…

Press release and video of Skype calling over 3G  below:

DALLAS, October 6, 2009 – AT&T* today announced it has taken the steps necessary so that Apple can enable VoIP applications on iPhone to run on AT&T’s wireless network. Previously, VoIP applications on iPhone were enabled for Wi-Fi connectivity. For some time, AT&T has offered a variety of other wireless devices that enable VoIP applications on 3G, 2G and Wi-Fi networks. AT&T this afternoon informed Apple Inc. and the FCC of its decision.

Gosh, this is unexpected. Rumours are emerging this afternoon which claim AT&T may be preparing to announce support for Skype and Google Voice calls over its network.

That’s what the Washington Post is claiming, citing industry sources “close to the thinking of AT&T executives” (which we hope doesn’t mean psychiatrists or seers) who are making these claims.

If these claims are true then it’s possible we’ll be hearing news of support for the VoIP services over AT&T’s network as soon as Wednesday, when the carrier is expected to make some kind of splash at the CTIA Conference.

This news of course comes on the heels of the Google Android-Verizon announcement where Verizon announces it will be open to Google Voice on its network.

The report claims executives have been thinking about making the move “for weeks”, and the new VoIP glasnost will extend to all phones, including the iPhone.

A decision hasn’t been officially announced and AT&T won’t comment on the claims, saying it’s Apple’s decision as to whether it will permit Skype, Google Voice or other VoIP apps on the iPhone.

These moves emerge as the brouhaha over Google Voice continues, with Apple claiming it continues to evaluate VoIP apps on the iPhone (does anyone else ever wonder if there’s an iChat connection to all this?)

Net neutrality and the need to follow open policies when it comes to network use are also likely to be informing AT&T thinking.

We wonder what Apple will do should AT&T permit VoIP calling over its network?

The first green groups have begun responding to Apple’s move to withdraw from the US Chamber of Commerce in protest at that group’s non-green agenda.

Apple last night revealed its immediate withdrawal from the US Chamber of Commerce because of the groups “strident criticism of plans to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions”.

In a letter to the Chamber president, Apple VP, Catherine Novelli said: "Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in this effort."

Since then, Clean Production Action and ChemSec have issued a report that highlights Apple as one of seven companies that lead the pack in terms of eliminating toxic substances from electronic poducts.

The group said: “Apple established an innovative program that restricts the use of nearly all bromine and chlorine compounds across all their product lines. As such, Apple now offers a wide range of PVC and BFR free consumer products including iPhones and iPods, as well as computers that are free of BFRs and most uses of PVC.”

“These seven companies demonstrate that there are less toxic and still cost effective alternatives to substances of high concern that do not compromise performance or reliability,” says CPA Project Director Alexandra McPherson. “They are well positioned to gain competitive advantage in a marketplace and regulatory environment increasingly sensitive to the use of toxic chemicals in consumer products.”

Apple supplier, Seagate is one of the firms also commended for playing its part. It was immediately receptive to Apple’s 2007 demand that suppliers prove their parts don’t use any chlorine or bromine.

Apple hired scientists and despatched other know how to suppliers who required help achieving its targets. More recently, Apple has worked with another company to develop a replacement for PVC, which is understood to become commonplace in use in Apple products during the coming year, BusinessWeek informs.

The company accepted the replacement material would be more expensive than PVC, “Apple is really walking the walk,” a source told the reporter.

Greenpeace sources haven’t yet released a statement on Apple’s latest moves to Green its business, and to encourage US business to do the same.

It’s possible the campaigning group won’t at this stage, as within the last two weeks, the chamber has lost California’s biggest utility corporations, Pacific Gas and Electric and Exelon, along with PNM resources, a New Mexico firm. Nike resigned from the commerce executive but remains a member. Two other firms – General Electric and Johnson & Johnson – have issued statements saying that they disagree with the chamber’s climate policy.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace has quietly made its ‘Guide to Greener Electronics’ available as a guide which can be read on any phone, including the iPhone.

Apple continues its expansion South of US borders, with launch today of its own online Apple retail store in Brazil – and has also opened up the iTunes Store for business in China.

The new store twins with iTunes Stores which are now open in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and many more Latin American territories. We’re not sure when these opened, (sorry about that – perhaps you, dear reader, can educate us).

Further afield, iTunes now hosts stores for a spinning variety of European countries, including those formerly part of the Soviet bloc.

Putting paid to reports Apple would be unable to offer the service in the country at the behest of its iPhone carriers, an iTunes Store is now available in China, presently this only offers Apps and iTunes U content.

Meanwhile, Twitter is this morning alive with Brazilian users enthusiastically reporting Apple’s online retail store in Brazil is now online. You can access the store right here (you’ll have to click on the ‘Store’ tab)…though it isn’t yet listed in the “Change Country” interface at the bottom left of the online store home page.

Apple now operates eight “Stores within a store” complexes in Brazil, which it runs in association with Fnac.

“I love my iPhone,” beams leading ethologist, evolutionary biologist and science author, Richard Dawkins, in an interview published this morning.

His love for the Apple device is so strong that at least part of the interview looks at the applications he’s running on his: starting, as all App lovers do, with an amusing demonstration of the renowned iPint App. He also (as you might expect) offers the interviewer a quick glance of the perfect game for a progressive evolutionist, Spore.

Dawkins is an intelligent man, so perhaps that’s why he’s already on his third iPhone, presumably meaning he’s used each and every model released so far.

Dawkins is a renowned evolutionist, who likens creationism so: “Imagine you are a teacher of recent history, and your lessons on 20th-century Europe are boycotted… by politically muscular groups of Holocaust deniers. The plight of many science teachers today is not less dire. When they attempt to expound the central principle of biology they are harried and stymied, hassled and bullied.”

The interview refers to his new book, “The Greatest Show On Earth”, which aims to convince non-believers that Darwin was right. You can read the interview here.

Note: Before you comment, remember, this is about celebrity, not religion/lack thereof.  If the Pope talked up his iPhone, we’d write  story about it too.

If you’re searching for something excellent to read this morning, then what could be better than an extremely in-depth and rewarding interview with Carmine Gallo, author of the now available and extremely interesing tome, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience (Amazon link and recommendation).

This excellent interview (available here) uses YouTube clips to illustrate its points, which give you an advanced overview on just part of what makes the Apple CEO the greatest corporate speaker on the global stage.

At heart, Jobs has a visceral understanding of the power of simplicity and the orator’s arts. “Steve Jobs once said "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." You can see this approach in how he designs his slides. The slides are stunningly visual and minimalistic. He’s not afraid of empty space. Sometimes, there’s only one word or a simple photograph,” Gallo explains.

Other tricks include Jobs’ penchant for creating memorable one-line descriptions of the products he is talking about; his ability to create drama within his speeches, his genius for creating a moment during which he can make an audience gasp as they realise some new thought, in product form.

In the video above, for example, Jobs didn’t offer some long and rambling product description when he launched the MacBook Air, he simply said: "MacBook Air. The world’s thinnest notebook.” That’s a description that still burns if you search for ‘world’s thinnest notebook’ using Google.

In another example, take the Keynote introduction: Jobs said, "Keynote is a presentation app for when your presentation really counts. Oh, and Keynote was built for me!" Behind the CEO a slide popped up which offered just three words, “built for me”. And that’s what the audience remembered – Keynote is the presentation software built for the master of presentation.

There’s a great deal more in this interesting glimpse at Jobs’ presentation skills, sufficiently so to convince at least one person interested in these to invest in the book itself.

UPDATE: And here’s a video interview with the author as published by BusinessWeek as of c.12.30pm EDT today.

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We’re still pondering the ramifications of Adobe’s sundry smartphone announcements yesterday, and think we may see more to come in the Apple/Adobe/Flash story in future.

We know Adobe has introduced a feature for Flash developers which lets them purpose versions of their applications for the iPhone. The upcoming version of Flash CS5 will allow you the option to "Export Project to native iPhone application." While Apple hasn’t yet uttered comment on this, we’re hopeful the company will not oppose the first third-party development IDE for its device.

We’re most intrigued, however, by ARM’s announcement that they have optimised Adobe Flash Player 10.1 on ARM-powered devices as part of the Open Screen Project.

Specifically, ARM has introduced Flash Player support on its ARM Cortex-A-powered devices. We’ve predicted before that the ARM Cortex-A processor seems likely (albeit in a PA Semi-customised version) to be deployed in a future Apple tablet, and potentially in future iPhones.

Apple has said in the past that it isn’t happy with the speed and performance of Flash on mobile devices. Introducing on-chip support should help remove that road block, typically characterised as symptomatic of some grudge match between Apple and Adobe.

Also, because the support is on the processor, this could potentially side-step Apple’s decision not to enable iPhone apps to call on other iPhone apps in order to achieve things. If your Safari browser tries to view Flash-based content on the Web, then Safari won’t need to command help from a Flash application, but from the processor itself. That’s our understanding, and of course Apple will need to approve and support this operation.

"By bringing the full Flash Player to the broad range of ARM Cortex-A powered devices, consumers will experience uncompromised Web browsing of rich applications, content, and high definition video across a broad range of devices, from PCs and smartphones to digital televisions and netbooks," says ARM.

"Delivering a highly responsive, uncompromised Web and rich media experience to consumer devices and the digital home is a key focus for ARM", says Ian Drew, EVP of Marketing, ARM.

We do note Apple’s conspicuous absence from the roll call of companies who have signed-up to use Flash on their mobile devices yesterday. But with ARM implementing this support in Cortex, it’s open to question whether Apple will continue resistance or move to expand the facility of its product simply by enabling a feature that’s built-into the chip it may well be using in a future product anyway.

There is another consideration: Apple is extremely active in development of the HTTP 5 media streaming protocols. These side-step applications such as Flash or Silverlight to enable multimedia efforts unaided through the Web browser itself.

However, given that the multimedia landscape is fractured, with assets consumers want access to available in a myriad of formats, will Apple move to a more open approach, offering recognition to Adobe for the work it has done to make Flash more effective on mobile devices, or will Flash on smartphones become a new battleground in the increasingly competitive industry?

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Amazon.com Widgets

Yet more movement in the smartphone wars this morning, with Palm opening up its development environment in order to stimulate activity on its platform, while Research In Motion/BlackBerry now boast a music download service of its own, powered by UK digital music company 7Digital. The latter firm also began its assault on Apple’s iTunes’ home turf, launching in the US today.

The first major digital music store to go DRM-free (though arguably, eMusic could lay some claim to this) 7 Digital is well-known in Europe, where it commenced activity in the UK. In the US, tracks sold by 7Digital will cost 77-cents, or $7.77 for an album (standard prices, variable prices also exist).

Tracks are sold in high-quality 320kbps MP3 format, completely free of DRM. “The company also offers a “digital locker” in which all your downloads are backed-up on 7 Digital’s servers in the event you need to redownload them in case of computer failure,” reports Distorted Loop.

The company is offering a free application through the BlackBerry App World store, which gives BlackBerry users access to the company’s full catalogue of 6 million songs. As 7Digital also drives Spotify’s music download service, it’s not unlikely we’ll see Spotify launch properly in the US soon, and potentially offering a music streaming service for mobile phones.

Meanwhile, over at Palm, new hires Ben Galbraith and Dion Almaer, both ex-of Mozilla, delivered a speech to developers in which they stressed that open development would be the way to go, laying a couple of initiatives down that clearly aim to combat Apple’s App Store and iPhone.

Principal in these initiatives:

– Developers can now fully distribute their apps on the Web. They submit apps to Palm and Palm then gives them a URL they can share, there’s no need for a store.
– Apps will not be reviewed by Palm.
– Palm will offer the App Catalog for developers who want to charge for their Apps, membership costs $50.
– Palm is making its WebOS App Development software available for free, waiving the prior $99 fee.
– Perhaps most crucially as the company continues its anti-Apple crusade, the company is to open up its analytical data to any developer who might want it.

Genius.  Effective.  But painful if you are on AT&T.  We’re looking for a better looking Youtube – comment us if you see one.

Techflash via AllthingsD via Engadget

Adobe made a video for embarrassing Apple into supporting Flash/explaining why they made their CS5 export to iPhone App feature.  We’re not sure that it is Apple that should be embarrassed.

The Canadian iPhone Monopoly has fallen – ahead of schedule.  The iPhone will go to both of Rogers’ competitors in the coming months the Globe and Mail says.

Nobody (Apple, Telus, Bell, Rogers) is commenting publicly, but people familiar with the matter said the two other carriers will announce a working partnership with Apple as early as Tuesday or Wednesday and begin selling the device in time for the launch of their new 21Mbs HSDPA+ network next month.

This is a shocker to us down here south of the border because until recently, Bell and Telus didn’t have GSM/EDGE/HDSPA Networks.  According to the report, Bell and Telus have rushed to get their new network in place before the holiday shopping season [and the Vancouver Olympics]. Bell argues that its version is more advanced than Rogers’ because it uses the latest version of the standard, called HSPA+, which is capable of download speeds of up to 21 megabits per second. Rogers, which has used GSM technology since 2001, is still in the process of converting its entire national network to the HSPA+ standard. Last month it said the new technology is in place in five cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

You hear that AT&T?  The Canadians will be riding a 21Mbs network next month!  We’re fumbling along on 3.6Mbs – if we are very lucky.  That’s two generations we’re behind. 

Vancouver is looking pretty nice right about now.

Apple is using its clout to force a change of attitude toward environmental matters at the highest levels of the US establishment, today announcing it intends pulling out of the US Chamber of Commerce because of that chamber’s “strident criticism of plans to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions”, reports The Washington Post.  (We’ve pasted the letter below)

It’s a serious protest at the Chamber’s ineffectiveness at accepting and acting on the dangers of climate change.

In a letter to the Chamber president, Apple VP, Catherine Novelli said: "Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in this effort." As a result, Novelli said, "we have decided to resign our membership effective immediately."

The Chamber has opposed legislation designed to reduce emissions. Apple is the fourth company to withdraw from the group in protest at its attitude to these matters. And Nike recently resigned its seat on the chamber board, but kept its membership.

These moves represent a serious rift between member companies of the Chamber and the association’s actions vis-a-vis climate change.

This is the latest in a series of high-profile moves on Apple’s part. Most recently the company set a new agenda for reporting of environmental consequences of CE production.

Apple updated the environment section of its website to address concerns about the lack of reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. 

Apple said then that it hopes to focus the public attention not only on the cost to the environment of making products but also to put a spotlight on how energy efficient and environmentally friendly products are in the long run. 

The new reporting cycle includes: Life Cycle Impact, Product Usage Impact, and Product Environmental Reports. There is also a new section section dedicated to  environmental updates which is both a news feed and a timeline of Apple’s history of environmental activity.

Publication of the report won praise from Greenpeace, who said, “Apple can justly pat itself on the back for listening to their customers who asked for greener gadgets.”

Clearly Apple has taken criticism of its environmental activities to heart, and is rapidly moving to help force the agenda forward with its latest move to quit the Chamber in protest at that group’s obfuscation on such matters.

http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=20647361&access_key=key-ymbq5l7ir2wer3u397u&page=1&version=1&viewMode=list

Huge surprise here: Apple’s HR puts together an offer packet that is packaged like any other Apple product.  Beautifully.  The applicant posts his "welcome to Apple" packet proudly for others to enjoy.  Sure beats the beat up manilla envelope filled with badly Xeroxed form letters that we’re used to.

Here it is: the iOffer.  More below

Glyph via the fake one

This probably isn’t what you think but it is still an extremely interesting development. Techcrunch reports that Adobe is making middleware that allows developers to port their Flash apps to the iPhone.

The upcoming version of Flash CS5 will allow you the option to "Export Project to native iPhone application."  You then get a file you can submit to the App Store.  This isn’t some far of alpha either.  There are already apps in the app store (South Park!) that have been developed with Flash, though a full release isn’t expected to be out until Flash CS5 – which you can be notified of here.

Wow.  (BTW, is that a Digg.app we see up there? WAs it made with Flash?)

This would be the first third-party application development environment for the iPhone and one we’re not so sure Apple will sanction.   

This is also interesting because some feel that Apple’s Keynote is an alternative development environment to Flash because it allows you to export simple animated presentations to .swf format without using Flash (we’re not so sure about that classification, however).