9to5 Staff

These stories are always a downer.  SAI reports that Apple isn’t likely to build the much talked about MediaPad/Tablet device until 2010.  All hope isn’t lost for 2009, however.  They source (often incorrect) Gene Munster:

"We expect the development of such an OS to be underway currently, but its complexity, along with our conversations with a key company in the mobile space, leads us to believe it will not launch until CY10," Munster says.

With the Android-based Archos 3G media tablet with WWAN only months away, we’d love to see Apple in this space ASAP…but as SAI says, it probably doesn’t matter.  How long were there MP3 players (including Archos) before the iPod came out?

 

Is Apple re-entering the camera business it left in 1997 with a Camera iPod? I laid out my opinion over at CW.

Yes, that picture isn’t real, it is just there to illustrate a point.

A new Mac clone maker, this time in Russia, has opened up shop.  RussianMac (translated) has started selling Mac Clones in six varieties online.  The machines look like standard PC Clones much like PearPC in Germany, Psystar in Miami or OpeniMac in Argentina.

Perhaps most interestingly, they offer a "MiniBook" that bears a striking resemblance to an EeePC (below).

OSNews notes:

The situation in Russia could prove to be even more difficult for Apple. Russia has become increasingly more protective over its own market and companies, and a big American firm suing a small Russian company might not go down well with the courts in Russia. RussianMac does use several Apple product names though, so that could certainly be a problem for them.

As time progresses, it becomes more and more unlikely that Apple will be able to put a stop to this. The Psystar case is by no means a sure win for Apple, despite America’s fairly strict laws on the matter, and possible cases in Europe and Russia will only be tougher cases to crack for the Cupertino company.

Apple will have to individually sue each clone maker to put a stop to the practice, and with every country having different laws on copyright, IP, and consumer protection, this sure looks like "dweilen met de kraan open" voor Apple (‘mopping the floor while the tap’s still running’).

That is an awesome little saying. We need to learn how to pronounce that.

According to their official Twitterer, Christchurch-based Telecom New Zealand is in negotiations with Apple to get the third generation iPhone (as opposed to iPhone 3G).  Currently Vodafone is the only mobile company to carry the device on the island nation of 4 million potential customers.

BTW Telecom New Zealand, the first rule of getting the iPhone is that you don’t talk about getting the iPhone.

Update: The New Zealand Herald has more:

Telecom is in negotiations to sell Apple’s iPhone, says the telco’s retail boss Alan Gourdie.

It announced the handset and plan line-up for its new high-speed 3G ‘XT’ network this morning, and Gourdie admitted that the iPhone may be in the pipeline for Telecom customers.

"We don’t have the iPhone at launch," he said, "but we are in deep discussion with Apple."

AppleiPhoneApps.com (unknown until now by us) says it has the latest iPhone specs. They’ve put out a lot of what we’ve already heard but also have some new "info".  We’ve bolded what we consider new stuff.  Here’s their list:

• 32GB and 16GB to replace current capacities
• $199 and $299 price-points to be maintained
• 3.2 Megapixel camera
• Video recording & editing capabilities
• Ability to send a picture & video via MMS
• Discontinuation of the metal band surrounding the edge of the device
• OLED screen
• 1.5X The battery life
• Double the RAM and processing power
• Built-in FM transmitter
• Apple logo on the back to light up
• Rubber-tread backing
• Sleeker design
• Built-in compass
• Revolutionary combination of the camera, GPS, compass, and Google maps to identify photo and inform about photo locations.
• Turn by turn directions
• July 17th, 2009 release date

If there is a lighting Apple logo on the back, it will be powered by the screen light, just like MacBooks.  There is no way Apple will use extra juice to illuminate a logo, when battery power is so important in mobile devices.  The rubber tread backing also seems hard to imagine.

We’re split on the FM transmitter.  It is a very cool and useful feature, but one Apple hasn’t been keen on using up until this point.

Palm’s Pre will be available nationwide on June 6 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate (bad idea) and with a two-year contract on Sprint’s Everything Data plan or Business Essentials with Messaging and Data plan. The Pre will also be sold online and at Best Buy, RadioShack, and some Walmart stores (alongside iPhones). Accessories like the $69.99 TouchStone wireless charger will also be available at launch.

As we mentioned, we think the rebate pricing is a really bad idea.  We should also mention that we are excited to see how well Pre does.  Any competition to Apple is only likely to make the iPhone a better product and AT&T a better service provider. 

Oh and yes, June 6th is two days before WWDC…so that will also be interesting.

For those outside of AT&T’s coverage (or where AT&T is horrific – like NYC), the Pre will be an very enticing.

 

We just got passed along this screengrab. Looks like testing on the Push Notification service has begun. We’ll let you know when we start seeing smiley faces.

Microsoft is giving up on Windows Vista:

"If you’re just starting your testing of Vista, with the [Windows 7] Release Candidate and the quality of that offering, I would switch over and do your testing on the [Windows 7] Release Candidate, and use that going forward," Bill Veghte, Microsoft’s senior vice president for Windows business, said in a keynote speech earlier this week.

But was this week’s advice by Microsoft’s Veghte a red-letter day, the implicit admission that Vista was a failure in the enterprise? "Oh, I think they admitted that a while ago," Silver said, pointing to comments by CEO Steve Ballmer last October during a Gartner symposium refereed by Silver and fellow analyst Neil MacDonald.

"If people want to wait [for Windows 7], they certainly can," Ballmer said then. Earlier in a question-and-answer, Ballmer had said Windows 7 was simply "Vista, a lot better."

"They’ve been coming to terms with Vista’s [failure] long before this," Silver said today.

In the history of software, has anything ever bombed this badly?

 

Some of the new Snow Leopard features are being shown on these videos and images by Brazilian MacMagazine. Check below for more images and some words you probably don’t understand.

Finder

Nos dois primeiros vídeos ( 1 e 2 — o segundo, em HD —, ambos gravados no build 10A261 ), encontramos: In the first two videos (1 and 2 – the second in HD – both recorded in the build 10A261 we find:

• Opção “Put Back” no Lixo, que leva arquivos apagados de volta ao local de origem. Option "Put Back" in the Trash, deleted files that leads back to the place of origin. Já havíamos falado dela aqui e postado uma screenshot aqui . We talked about it here and posted a screenshot here.

 

• Barra deslizante para redimensionar o tamanho de ícones em janelas, à la iPhoto. Slider to resize the size of icons in windows, a la iPhoto.

• Barra de rolagem na visualização de Stacks em “Grid” e navegação por pastas. Scroll bar on the visualization of Stacks in "Grid" and navigation by folders. Veja mais sobre esta funcionalidade aqui . See more about this feature here.

• Uma atenção ao maior ao menu Services , com janela de preferências dedicada. A greater attention to the Services menu in the Preferences window dedicated.

• Novo painel de preferências Keyboard & Mouse . New panel of Keyboard & Mouse preferences. Outro que já havíamos mostrado . Another that we had already shown.

• Quick Look direto nos ícones. Quick Look in the right icons. Também já sabíamos . Also we knew. :-) O legal é que ele funciona até mesmo em PDFs com múltiplas páginas , o que, como nota bem quem publicou os vídeos, é ótimo para touchscreens. :-) The law is that it works even in PDFs with multiple pages, which, as well note who published the video, is great for touchscreens. Hum. ;-) Hum ;-)

• Novo padrão de nome para screenshots com data e hora de quando foram registradas. New standard name for screenshots with date and time when they were recorded.

Mas temos mais um: But we have one more:

Aqui, ele mostra uma nova preferência do Finder que permitirá aos usuários definir o comportamento padrão de buscas pelo Spotlight: buscar em todo o Mac, na pasta que estiver aberta ou ainda do jeito que a pessoa deixou-o pela última vez. Here, he shows a preference of the new Finder that will allow users to set the default behavior of search by the Spotlight: get around the Mac, the folder that is opened or the way that the person left it last.

Abaixo, veja uma screenshot da definição relacionada à suavização de tipos ( anti-aliasing ) em funcionamento no Finder do Snow Leopard: Below, see a screenshot of the definition related to the types of smoothing (anti-aliasing) operating in the Snow Leopard Finder:

QuickTime X QuickTime X

Este outro vídeo resume boa parte das novidades que já cobrimos sobre o QuickTime X aqui no MacMagazine . This other video summarizes much of the news already covered on the QuickTime X in MacMagazine here. Agora, o build do Snow Leopard é o 10A286 . Now the build of Snow Leopard is the 10A286 Vemos: See:

• Nova interface com fundo preto, bem mais básica, parecida com o modo em tela cheia do player atual. New interface with black, more basic, like the full screen mode in the current player.

• Janela About indica versão 10.0, build 14.2 . About window shows version 10.0, build 14.2
• Nova opção Trim no menu Edit , acessível pelo atalho Command + T . New Trim option in the Edit menu, accessible by the shortcut Command + T. Curiosamente, processo e visual são muito semelhantes à mesma funcionalidade encontrada no aplicativo Gravador de Voz , do iPhone OS 3.0. Interestingly, visual process and are very similar to the same functionality found in the Voice Recorder application of iPhone OS 3.0.

• Modo de visualização Panoramic no menu View , acessível pelo atalho Command + 5 . Panoramic view mode in the View menu, accessible by the shortcut Command + 5.
• Menu Share , com opções de compartilhamento para iTunes e MobileMe Gallery. Share menu, with options for sharing iTunes and MobileMe Gallery.
• Opções de exportação de vídeos pré-definidas para Desktop, Apple TV, iPhone e iPhone (Edge). Options for exporting video pre-set to Desktop, Apple TV, iPhone and iPhone (Edge). O progresso é mostrado numa nova janela Share Progress . The progress is displayed in a new window Share Progress.

Dock e Substituições Dock and substitutions

Ainda com o build 10A261 : Even with the build 10A261

Daqui: Here:

• Permite que o usuário designe aplicativos para seus respectivos Spaces via um menu contextual no Dock, ao invés de ter que ir às Preferências do Sistema ( System Preferences ). Allows the user to designate their space applications via a contextual menu in the Dock, instead of having to go to System Preferences (System Preferences).
• Novo menu Substituições ( Substitutions ) na edição de textos em aplicativos Cocoa, facilita copy & paste , aspas inteligentes, traços e travessões, detecção de links e dados, troca de textos, etc. New menu substitutions (Substitutions) in editing the text in Cocoa applications, easier copy & paste, smart quotes, dashes, and dashes, detection of links and data, exchange of texts, etc..

. . . . . .

It has been awhile since we’ve run antivirus software on our Macs.  Most Mac antivirus software has traditionally been buggy or slowed our machines to a crawl.  That’s not to say that we’re complacent on security issues.  In fact, we have ClamAV sitting in our applications folder ‘just in case’.  We’re probably not alone in this sense.

McAfee and Symantec are taking the unnecessary protection one step further by readying security software for the iPhone.  We’re not sure what specific advantages this software would provide as there hasn’t even been a proof of concept iPhone virus yet and Apple already allows you to adjust security settings on the iPhone.  Furthermore, the API’s probably won’t allow the low level access that these types of applications traditionally require. (Last year a fake version of McAfee also came out for Jailbroken iPhones – see image)

We don’t really feel the need.  With Android Linux hitting photo frames, perhaps antivirus makers should focus their attention there.

Intego also  released iPhone antivirus software last year.  We’re not sure how well it is doing.

Echoing an earlier rumor, Businessweek is now saying that AT&T is ready to reduce prices on iPhones.  They see the long-rumored $99 price point for iPhones and lower tiered wireless plans.  The cost will be made up for by the iPhone’s cheaper hardware, resulting in a lower subsidy by Apple.

New devices may cost as much as one-third less to produce than earlier versions, Doherty says. The cost of touchscreens, the most expensive component, has declined by more than 30% in the past year, estimates Michael Cote, an analyst at consultant Cote Collaborative Wireless Strategy.

They have a source with knowledge of the situation:

The exclusive U.S. iPhone service provider is considering cutting the price of its monthly service package or offering a range of lower-priced plans, say people with knowledge of the company’s thinking. One plan that could be introduced as early as late May would include limited data access at a $10 monthly reduction, the people say.

Late May would be a way to get rid of excess inventory of 3G iPhones as well.  We’re not sure "limited" data access would be something that Apple would want as part of the experience.   Perhaps they mean they are disabling the 3G radio and only allowing EDGE?  2007 tech at 2007 prices!

Remember, we’ve also heard from the WSJ that AT&T is going to raise prices...

While we’d love to see some better AT&T plans, we have a few issues with this.  First of all, we’ve been hearing things like better camera and digital compass (along with other stuff we haven’t heard) are coming to the iPhone, which would negate some of the cost savings on hardware.  Also, as the Wall St. Journal said, AT&T doesn’t have much room for pricing changes.  iPhone use data more like a computer than like a phone.

In related news, AT&T today claimed it had twice as many smartphones on its network than any other carrier.

We’re not sure how long it will be airing but the New York Times website is currently running an amusing Apple ad that uses yet another advertising pane. Before/After hair guys chime in on the Mac/PC debate.

Apple and Microsoft seem to be propping up the advertising industry pretty well these days, no?

 

Sorry all. Publicity stunt by Sascha Hoehne, who uploaded this image to yFrog using his Twitter account from his iPhone.  Looks like it is his icon artwork:.

via @avivhadar

 

 

 

 

Another nail in the coffin of the CD industry.  From Techdirt:

Danger Mouse is [interview w/ Charlie Rose] the DJ who got quite a lot of attention a few years back for creating one of the very first mainstream mashups — mixing the Beatle’s The White Album with Jay-Z’s The Black Album to create the rather unique The Grey Album.   Now he’s set to get a wole lot more attention from the record labels. 

DJ Danger Mouse has another album that he’s been working on, in association with Mark Linkous (of Sparklehorse). Yet, due to ongoing legal troubles with EMI, he can’t actually release the music. So he’s come up with a rather creative solution. Found via Andrew Dubber, the news is that the next album will be released as album artwork with a blank recordable CD.

There is no music on it. Because if there were music on it, it would get him in more trouble with EMI. Yet, if you have that blank CD and all the artwork, you certainly could (not that they’re suggesting you do…) find that music elsewhere and burn it to the CD. The statement from Danger Mouse reads:

 

Danger Mouse’s new project Dark Night Of The Soul consists of an album length piece of music by Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse and a host of guest vocalists, along with a collection of original David Lynch photography inspired by and based on the music.

The photographs, which provide a visual narrative for the music, are compiled in a limited edition, hand numbered 100+ page book which will now come with a blank, recordable CD-R. All copies will be clearly labeled: ‘For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.’

Due to an ongoing dispute with EMI, Danger Mouse is unable to release the recorded music for Dark Night Of The Soul without fear of being sued by EMI.

Danger Mouse remains hugely proud of Dark Night Of The Soul and hopes that people lucky enough to hear the music, by whatever means, are as excited by it as he is.

In some ways, this is reminiscent of what the band Green Day did many years ago, offering up blank CDs with artwork for fans who had downloaded the music from unauthorized sources. Yet, in this case, it’s even more interesting since there are no authorized sources at all for the music. It’ll be fun to see how EMI reacts.

Update: Meanwhile, the folks at NPR alert us to the fact that they’re hosting a streaming version of the album for anyone who wants to hear it.

From the Toys Section:

Amazon offers the Verbatim 320 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400 Portable External Hard Drive for $64.99. Specs include:

• Warranty: 3 years warranty
• Hardware Platform: PC, Mac
• Hard Disk Description: External hard drive
• Hard Disk Rotational Speed: 5400
• Width: 3.4 inches
• Depth: 5.4 inches
• Height: 0.6 inches
• Weight: 5.8 Ounces

 

Sometimes we think we are pretty cutting edge. We’ve downloaded the Slingbox App this week for iPhone and are proudly showing it around to our Luddite friends.  Turns out we aren’t that cool.  Vanna White, of all people, already has Slingbox on her iPhone.  Wow.  No wonder Slingbox is the first $30 app to hit the top 10.

via Engadget

 

A new app hit the app store this week which might be something for those who send emails on the go.  Email’n Walk (iTunes link) turns on the iPhone camera and presents the video as a backdrop to your email entry page.  The idea was apparantly originally an April Fool’s gag.

We like this implementation but aren’t sure how it will work in practice.  Won’t the camera just be looking at your feet?  Perhaps it depends on what angle you send emails at.  Anyone try this yet?

 

Steve Jobs skinniness isn’t a new thing.  This is a picture of him back in the day, courtesy of EdibleApple.

The latest in iPhone 3 concepts:

much more below

http://www.nowhereelse.fr/wp-content/plugins/flv-embed/flvplayer.swf

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http://www.nowhereelse.fr/wp-content/plugins/flv-embed/flvplayer.swf

 

Flickr via French gadget site Nowhere Else via BusinessInsider