9to5 Staff

It has happened once again, the latest claimed image of the Apple tablet computing device has arrive, and this time appears to depict a dedicated page on Apple’s website. As reported by Touch User Guide, this latest illo seems to depict Apple’s product page for the syste, apparently dubbed the "MacBook Touch".

Pinch of salt, though – given recent reports from Jim Dalrymple and his well-known accomplice, Beard, these systems won’t appear in September during the anticipated iPod refresh, which sets us thinking once again this all-new image could be a fake. (State your responses in comments below).

So, what’s nice about this particular pic is it seems to show both Mac OS X and iPhone applications running on the Mac desktop, so you can enjoy both sets of apps. No stretch of the imagination to think this could work, as both types of software run on the same essential OS.

Well, it has only taken a decade to get this together: 10 years since Apple launched iMovie in 1999, Microsoft has finally shipped its own version of a straightforward, easy-to-use video manipulation solution for Windows users, Windows Live Movie Maker.

Redmond bills its new consumer sofware as “the one-minute way to turn photos and videos into great-looking movies that are easy to share – for free.”

This Microsoft iMovie pretender has been in beta-testing for a year. It doesn’t attempt to be a full movie-making suite, but does let users make movies out of their own video assets and still images. And just like iMovie it lets users spice up clips with music, transitions and titles. Also like iMovie it offers one feature which can automatically mix defined assets together to create a video.

In another neat trick, of course, Microsoft has ensure its ten years in the waiting iMovie equivalent doesn’t work with the most popular WIndows flavour out there, Windows XP.

“Change isn’t always easy,” a Microsoft staffer explains in this blog post, “and I know there have been some growing pains as we’ve moved from Windows Movie Maker to Windows Live Movie Maker. I want to address one thing we think you might be concerned about – OS support. In order to take advantage of the latest and greatest technologies available on the Windows platform, we optimized the new Windows Live Movie Maker for Windows Vista and Windows 7.”

Nice one – so if you are a PC, then you’ll need to “upgrade” to Microsoft’s new OS in order to enjoy the kind of solution Mac users have held for the last decade.

Sure, Microsoft once offered Windows Movie Maker, but this failed to capture consumers hearts and wasn’t sufficiently slcik for use in the education markets, which turned to the more efficient and reliable iMovie instead. Indeed, development of Windows Movie Maker was abandoned after the release of Windows Vista; its replacement, Windows Live Movie Maker, will be included with Windows Live Essentials.

In fact, iMovie’s been around for such a long time it is easy to forget the words of then interim CEO, Steve Jobs, when iMovie got launched. “The new iMacs with our iMovie software usher in the era of desktop video, allowing mere mortals to easily create professional-quality movies right in their homes or classrooms,” he said. “This is going to be very, very big.”

He was right, desktop video was “big”. And Microsoft has finally gate-crashed the party.

Cnet already says: “Compared to Apple’s polished, elegant, and feature-packed iMovie, Windows Live Movie Maker is a crude imitator.”

Too little, too late? The market will decide.

The Beatles may be the most successful band in history and may have captured and inspired the minds of a generation, but when it comes to the online music world, they remain a few steps away from “Revolution Number 9”, or so it appears.

The long-running rumour that music from the band may eventually make it to iTunes has a long and storied history. It is part of the regular hubbub of chatter which pops up from time-to-time. It seems to have a life of its own.

We’ve even noted here that the mooted (but don’t forget, still not officially confirmed) September 9 iPod product refresh Apple keynote may see music from the band at last appear on iTunes. That’s because the band’s label, Apple Corps. will release The Stereo Albums boxed set on that day, as will the Beatle’s Rock Band game make its debut.

To the strains of “Revolution Number 9”, some observed the date – 9/9/09 – could be perfectly starred for music from the band to make it online, particularly given the coincidence between Apple Corps. and Apple Inc.’s September 9 event date.

We’re sorry to report that Apple Corps. has since made a slight move to defer this speculation, with an updated press release announcing the band’s boxed set now saying: "Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalog will continue. There is no further information available at this time."

More on the boxed set, which also drove speculation the music would be made available within Apple’s rumoured Cocktail format: “For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released.”

“Within each CD’s new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the ‘Past Masters’ set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.”

Now that Apple Corps. has changed its tune slightly, speculation can still continue, after all, are the two Apple brands simply trying to quell such discussion so as to make a bigger splash when they announce the news? Or do fans of The Beatles have to continue to wait while Apple Corp’s digital music release discussions wend their way down the ‘Long And Winding Road’.

We’ll see. We do think Apple Corps. needs to get something going on digital downloads, as fans will eventually become frustrated at the delay of such an initiative…

"Apple has changed the way the game is played," Loke Uei, senior technical product manager for mobile developer experience at Microsoft said at the company’s first Windows Mobile Developers Camp (WinMoDevCamp) yesterday.

His comments came during the developer meeting at which Redmond hopes to inspire/attract application developers to its platform. Attendees also got to see a preview of Windows Mobile at the event.

The company hopes to take on Apple when it launches its Marketplace for Mobile later this year, essentially a Microsoft version of the App Store. However, Apple has the lead in this, offering over 65,000 Apps already and furnishing 1.5 billion downloads since launch. Apple also has 100,000 developers signed up for the platform.

Microsoft’s clearly playing catch-up: “The first WinMoDevCamp event drew approximately 40 to 50 developers – and only a handful of those said they have developed and sold mobile applications previously,” reports InternetNews.com.

As reported, Microsoft attempted to woo the few developers present at the event, and will offer similar events worldwide as it attempts to drum up support for Windows Mobile.

Microsoft is also attempting to tempt developers with the promise of cash: "The business opportunity is the ability to target more than 30 million devices globally today," Uei said, and clearly with the App Store in mind, he added, “Ninety-nine cents is interesting, but I think your work is worth more than that – $5.99 or $9.99.”

Which sounds great – but it doesn’t matter what a Microsoft man who is trying to bring developers on side thinks about price, it’s what Windows Mobile users are willing to pay, and about how immersive and pleasant an experience Microsoft manages to make on mobiles.

Despite the obstacles to truly grabbing a slice of the market that’s currently dominated by Apple, RIM and Palm, Microsoft has managed to sign-up some, chiefly corporate, developers: AccuWeather.com, the Associated Press, CNBC, Developer One Mobile Software, EA Mobile, Facebook, Gameloft, MySpace, Netflix, Pandora, Sling Media, and Zagat Survey, have all signed up to offer Apps.

Former Palm CEO, Ed Colligan, spurned an approach from Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, when the latter proposed both refrain from hiring each other’s employees.

Colligan had the conversation with Jobs in August 2007,  Bloomberg reports. He refused the request, saying: “Your proposal that we agree that neither company will hire the other’s employees, regardless of the individual’s desires, is not only wrong, it is likely illegal.”

The conversation took place two months after Apple’s introduction of the iPhone, shortly after Palm hired former Apple exec, Jon Rubinstein (now Palm CEO), to aid development new smartphones.

Jobs told Colligan he was concerned Rubinstein was recruiting Apple employees. “We must do whatever we can to stop this,” he said.

Rubinstein, of course, was a highly-placed Apple exec who had worked with Jobs for 15 years. At the time he left he was head of Apple’s iPod unit.

While the exact details of what Jobs proposed haven’t been revealed, it comes as the US DOJ quietly investigates collusion in hiring practices in Silicon Valley.

In the background, Bloomberg reveals Apple hired away “at least 2 per cent of Palm’s employees” as it developed the iPhone. Since then, Palm has been hiring away Apple and ex-Apple employees to head key strategic points in its executive line-up.

The news emerges as Palm and Apple lock together in a smartphone battle, with Apple working to prevent the new Palm Pre syncing content with iTunes.

Apple has shipped Hard Drive Firmware  Update 2.0,  software which addresses issues encountered with some MacBook Pro hard drives.

A few MacBook Pro owners had been complaining of experiencing brief system freezes and unusual hard drive bleeping noises.

The company also introduced Bluetooth Firmware Update 2.0.1, offering bug fixes and better compatibility with the Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. This software’s meant for all Macs with Bluetooth based on the Broadcom chipset, so may not show as available in every Mac’s Software Update

On the MacBook Pro update, Apple’s tech support notes inform:

"MacBook Pro Hard Drive Firmware Update 2.0 reduces certain infrequent noises made by 7200-rpm drives.

"These drives shipped with the June 2009 MacBook Pro.

"To complete the firmware update process, please follow the instructions in the updater application (/Applications/Utilities/Hard Drive Update.app).

"The updater will launch automatically when the installation is complete.

"New Hard Drive firmware will be: 0007APM2."

Apple teased us once again last night when it mistakenly listed Snow Leopard Mac Box Set ($169) on its online store, offering to deliver within 24-hours and effectively the biggest hint yet the OS may ship sooner than promised.

The listing was removed following a call to Apple’s online sales team, MacRumors informs. Available in Single User and Family Pack editions, the Mac Box Set combines Snow Leopard with iLife 09 and iWork 09.

Mac users looking to upgrade from OS X 10.4 Tiger to Snow Leopard will require the boxed set (or a copy of Leopard), as the Snow Leopard must be installed on Macs already running Leopard.

Apple didn’t comment on the blunder, but most commentators now think the new OS could go on sale as soon as next week, perhaps shipping on August 28, some claim.

August 15 saw images of the Snow Leopard packaging leak online. August 12 saw Snow Leopard GM 10A432 released to developers, thought to be the Gold Master of the OS and a definite hint that the software could ship in advance of its originally-promised September ship date.

Due to a glitch in the iTunes publishing system, the third episode of season 3 of the popular Mad Men television show was briefly available for download last night.  

In an unrelated matter, it was revealed last week that the show is the first to go "Internet only" on iTunes in Canada.  

AMC, the US network carrier of the show released the following statement:

The third episode of Mad Men’s new season was made available prematurely to some iTunes Season Pass holders for a short time late last night. We urge those who received this episode in error to please refrain from spoiling plot lines out of respect to other ‘Mad Men’ fans who are looking forward to watching the story unfold.

Spoiler Alert: stop reading here

"I’m Peggy Olson and I want to smoke marijuana."

"The episode features some modernist poetry, fabulous lindy hop, Roger in blackface, a new substance of choice in the offices of Sterling Cooper, and Joan rocking out in French while on the accordion. There is also a strange subplot between Sally and her grandpa."

We’re not sure what kind of processors are going into the new Blackberries, but they are going to have to be pretty burly to handle the new technologies being thrown at it.  BGR this morning has the news that future versions of the Blackberry browser (based on the same Webkit framework as Mobile Safari, and Android’s Chrome browser) will have FULL Flash support and Full Silverlight capabilities.

Full Flash support, not Flash lite.  You know when the word “planning” is used in the same sentence as RIM, however, that it probably means it’s a while away. And it is. We’ve been told this won’t happen until next summer or right before it as RIM needs their devices to be more beefed up as well as have access to higher data speeds for this to work effectively (HSPA and LTE). RIM has already achieved over 10Mbps downloads on next generation BlackBerrys in the test labs with test LTE equipment so it’s looking good, folks.

Strangely, we don’t realy miss Flash on our iPhones, but have to wonder if this could be used as a differentiating factor vs. the iPhone in the future.

The Boy Genius is at it again with possible new screenshots (probably not – check out that "9" font above) of iTunes 9 displaying Facebook playlist integration as well as the ability to play Blu-Ray discs.  September can’t come soon enough!  More shots below.

We’ve been unable to corroborate this claim which has been sent in by one of our readers (who chose to remain anonymous), and we’re warning that this should be treated with a rather large pinch of salt.

We’re pretty certain some Apple retailers read our stuff from time-to-time, so perhaps they’ll be able to shed a little light in comments.

It appears Apple’s preparing to introduce new form Apple TV, and to release (we think) new software for existing models of the device.

Our source told us: “New Apple TV SKU’s have appeared on Apple’s back of house systems.” Which means new product people.

The reader also said: “Specifically we have a European Apple TV refresh coming as well,” then speculating, “I hope they’ve tied up some BBC content. iPlayer for the Apple TV would be a win.”

OK – we’re not saying this is a factual report – it is entirely based on one reader’s claim, but we think the timing feels pretty good and it is eminently the case that Apple TV deserves a little love. So we’re optimistic. We’ll let you know if and when we learn any more.

Apple seems set to shift over 50 million iPhones worldwide by September 2011, said Bernstein Research analyst, Tony Sacconaghi, last night.

That’s up from an estimated 20 million sales in 2009, the analyst explained – and it is not rocket science, the analyst reckons Apple will achieve these targets simply by retaining its current share of the smartphone market and by making the device available through more carriers.

The analyst expects the smartphone sector to jump 27 per cent a year for the next two years, adding 10.3 million iPhone sales to Apple’s balance sheet.

He also believes wider distribution through more carriers in the US, Europe and Asia could generate an additional 18.5 million sales. And finalising a deal with a Chinese carrier could pop another 2.9 million iPhones into punter’s hands.

There’s a case for an iPhone nano, the analyst believes: “We believe that more aggressively targeting the prepaid market with lower price models or offering an iPhone that does not require a data plan – but still has WiFi connectivity – could significantly expand Apple’s addressable market,” he wrote.

With touch screen prices now in decline (says Digitimes this morning), Apple also has a chance to continue to prune the price of the iPhone 3G.

Meanwhile, here’s an amusing graph from Changewave Research which explains just why the iPhone is gathering ever more consumers to its cause – they’re deeply satisfied with the device.

Microsoft seems scared, wooing iPhone developers to bring their WWDC-invented ideas to its Windows Mobile platform, while inventing a dual platform pitch to compete with Android and Apple.

Microsoft isn’t expected to introduce a fully updated version of Windows Mobile until next year, but will ship it the upgraded Windows Mobile 6.5 in October. But Windows Mobile partners won’t feel the magic touch – Microsoft won’t be enabling touch interfaces until a little later, in February 2010, reports Digitimes.

(Just how long is it since every other mobile maker began fielding touch? Just saying…).

Then, in typical Microsoft style, the company makes its usual attempt to confuse the market – in future, Digitimes reports, the company plans to lower the price of Windows Mobile 6.5 and keep selling it even after the late 2010 release of Windows Mobile 7.

“The dual-platform strategy will allow Microsoft to compete with Android-based platform using Windows Mobile 6.5 and also compete with iPhones leveraging Windows Mobile 7, the sources asserted.”

Right, we suspect Apple will be looking at iPhone Software 5.0 by then, so we’ll see if Microsoft’s in dev Win Mob 7 has a fighting chance around then. Looking at these figures it seems to us the company’s got some catching up to do. Perhaps it should stick with making Xboxes and mice?

In related news, Microsoft has filed an appeal against the ruling which requires it to stop selling Office or pay a developer a huge chunk of cash – $290 million.

Back before Compact Discs there were two other music formats, cassette tape and vinyl. These are beloved of music purists, who pine for that warm, analogue sound.

We can’t bring the analogue back, but we can make the experience a little more nostalgic using this new pair of applications which made their way to the App Store this week: Vinyl DJ and Cassette Deck.

Vinyl DJ (99c) lets you play songs from your iPhone”s music library using an on-screen record player – and lets you mess with vinyl-replicating sounds such as added dust, crackle, scratch and mechanical noise.

Cassette Deck (99c), on the other hand, does the same thing but using a virtual tape player. This lets you “skin” the image on your screen so the cassettes change as the songs cycle. You also get the delight of watching the tape spin, a virtual eject button and more.

We think these low cost apps could be a little retro fun this Wednesday morning.

For those of you running Snow Leopard on newer Macs, you might be disappointed to know that you are probably running in 32-bit mode.  I have a brand new MacBook Pro and am running 32-bit.  I’d wager that some of you are too.  The problem: no matter how burly the hardware you are running is, Apple automatically puts you into 32-bit mode (Except Xserves).  Let’s take a look at System Profiler:

Would you like to see what it is like to run in the 64-bit world?  First make sure you have the right hardware for the job.  Apple will only let you run 64-bit if you have a 64-bit EFI (see below for workaround).  Here’s a list of kosher Macs from the Snow Leopard release notes:

Or, use the following command in Terminal.app to see what you’ve got:

ioreg -l -p IODeviceTree | grep firmware-abi 

To artificially force Snow Leopard to boot into 64-bit mode, hold down the 6 and 4 keys during a Shutdown/Restart (had freezing issues with a plain restart), After a slight delay, you’ll notice that in System Profiler, you are now running in 64-bit. 
 You can also use the NVRAM or the com.apple.Boot.plist file to more permanently boot into 64bit mode. Holding the ‘3’ and ‘2’ keys will boot Snow Leopard back into 32bit mode.

Note that it takes significantly longer to boot into 64-bit mode, especially the first time around than a 32-bit restart.  I’m not sure why this is or if it is just a one off.  Also, I wasn’t able to tether an iPhone when in 64-bit mode.  Otherwise things run fine and plenty fast.  Apple is most likely pushing people into 32-bit mode because drivers for printers, etc. haven’t been updated.  Xserves are, again, exempted.

If you have a 64-bit processor but 32-bit EFI (for instance, users of the first generation Mac Pros amazingly have only  32-bit EFI firmware), there is still hope for you.  From OSNews:

So, even if you have a 64bit processor, and you thought you were in the clear, Apple might not give you the option to go 64bit. However, in what probably rivals the Amazon Kindle 1984 thing in most ironic moment of 2009, the hackintosh community has come to the rescue. With netkas’ pcefiv10.1 bootloader, you can boot into 64bi Snow Leopard even on 32bit EFI Macs. So far, it’s not yet known if Apple will enable owners of machines with 32bit EFI to boot into a 64bit kernel in Snow Leopard-final; Apple might offer an EFI update, or remove the artificial limitation. The same applies to MacBooks; it might be that Apple is planning on using 64bit as a selling point to drive people to buy MacBook Pros instead of ordinary MacBooks..

 Obviously using the Hackintosh hack to trick your EFI firmware ventures into the "use at your own risk" territory.  That being said, have fun!

 Thanks to Greg for pointing this out originally.

iPhoto 8.1 is out with a variety of updates totaling a 170MB download. Chief among these is the holiday greeting cards which you might as well start working on now, slacker.

NPD came out with widely quoted numbers today which state that iTunes is responsible for 25% of music sales.  While this is great news for Apple, it is only part of the picture.  Most of Apple’s sales are singles in the $.99 range while most traditional sales are full CDs which are more than ten times the cost.  We’re sure all of the intricacies of the data will be poured over in detail at next month’s iPod/Music event, rather than Apple just throwing up a "We own 25% bitches" logos everywhere.

While still trailing significantly behind Nokia, Apple has passed RIM’s Blackberry to become the number two smartphone vendor in Europe, according to estimates made by Canalys.  The market share increase is staggering (over 1000% growth)!

Other interesting stats: Apple’s iPhoneOS accounts for 13.7% of global handsets.  In the US, the iPhone is 23.3% of smartphones (compared to Blackberry with over 50%).  In Asia, Sharp and Fujitsu trail Nokia who has over 50% of the market.

Would you consider a 6-inch iPod touch to be a tablet?

Businessweek spoke to Richard Doherty, a director at market researcher Envisioneering Group on Apple’s upcoming Tablet(s):

"There’s no hotter topic [than tablets] in Asia right now," …Apple has developed prototypes of two different tablet machines—one that resembles a large-sized iPod and boasts a 6-inch screen, and another that features a larger display. Apple may launch one or both devices as early as September, Doherty says. A decision on whether and when Apple takes the tablet plunge lies with Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Doherty says.

Obviously tablets have been tried and failed before.  He has some answers on why Apple’s could be different.  He guesses a much lower cost than has been predicted before as well as 65,000 apps on launch.

Price, for starters. Apple’s tablet may cost as little as $679, Doherty says. Then there’s the Apple software mystique. "Apple has a real opportunity to take the magic of the iPhone interface and give that more real estate to do the tasks," Kay says. "It’s an iPhone, but bigger. It’s something that you know, but bigger." The device may be able to wirelessly access iTunes and Apple’s App Store, which offers more than 65,000 apps such as games, e-books, and calendars. Apple declined to comment for this story.

Really? Apple declined to comment for this story?  Shocker.

But the iPod tablet isn’t the only tablet being built in Cupertino.  Doherty says there is a Mac tablet out there somewhere too.

One of Apple’s prototype devices is able to run all Mac applications, and allows for video and audio editing and graphic animation, Doherty says. Another, which looks like a larger iPod, lends itself to watching videos, playing games, and reading e-books.

This may not be such a boring September after all. Perhaps Apple leakers are saying 2010 for the Mac tablet and 2009 for the iPod tablet?

If you are like us, you can’t wait to get your mitts on new technology.  Google Caffeine is Google’s wholly new search engine that is faster, bigger (more results) and more accurate.  Try it here:

http://www2.sandbox.google.com/

It also doesn’t yet have any advertising on it.  On the downside, it is in raw beta form so it could be taken offline or experience unforeseen outages.

That being said, why not put the most modern search technology in your search bar?  Kyle Hasegawa has built a little Firefox plugin that adds the Caffeine engine to your search options in Firefox.  You can also change your default search in Safari but it involves editing your Safari application.  Something which may not sit well with a lot of you.

Users of other browsers can feel free to chime in on how to put a little Caffeine in their search below in the comments.