9to5 Staff

Intel Nehalem chips have been slated to go into Mac Pro type workstations since the codename was revealed in Intel’s roadmap two years ago.  Now those chips, and by extension, those workstations are a lot closer to fruition. 

That’s because Intel has officially revealed the branding for the next wave of high end processors according to C|Net.  Next stop product launch…which is looking like late 2008 (unless you are MaximumPC)

Intel’s description of i7:

• Dynamic scalability, managed cores, threads, cache, interfaces, and power for energy-efficient performance on demand.
• Design and performance scalability for server, workstation, PC, and mobile demands with support for 2-8+ cores and up to 16+ threads with simultaneous multi-threading (SMT), and scalable cache sizes, system interconnects, and integrated memory controllers.
• Simultaneous multi-threading brings high-performance applications into mainstream computing with 1-16+ threads optimized for a new generation multi-core processor architecture.
• Scalable shared memory of Intel QuickPath technology features memory distributed to each processor with integrated memory controllers and high-speed point-to-point interconnects to unleash the performance of next-generation Intel® multi-core processors.
• Multi-level shared cache improves performance and efficiency by reducing latency to frequently used data.

We expect to see these by Macworld 2009 in Xserves and Mac Pros..more from C|Net:

Currently known by the code name Nehalem, the desktop Core i7 processors are slated to ship in the fourth quarter and will be based on a new microarchitecture that will have faster chip-to-chip communication and be better at doing multiple tasks simultaneously–what Intel calls hyper-threading, among other improvements.

The Core i7 processors will also be Intel’s first processors to put all four cores on one piece of silicon. (Something that Advanced Micro Devices has already achieved with its Phenom and Opteron processors.)

Core i7 chips are expected to have a special appeal to enthusiast gamers because of the increased performance that typically comes with a new Intel microarchitecture. Content creation will also be a target market, Intel said.

Versions, due later, will be targeted at the server market and, after that, the mobile space, where certain versions will integrate a graphics engine onto the same piece of silicon as the processor.

A few months back, the iPhone overtook the 5 megapixel Nokia N95 as the most popular cameraphone on Flickr.  Even though it looks like there was a slight hiccup since then, *gasp*, the iPhone appears to be widening the lead.  As Flickr (Yahoo!) is a fairly international company with an international userbase and iPhone’s global distribution is just starting to approach that of the Nokia N95, we expect that margin to widen, even with the iPhone’s relatively paltry 2 megapixel, flashless camera.  Also 3G helps with the uploading, right?

Perhaps that GPS camera tagging feature is also making a difference?  See full Flickr stats here.  Notice that Nokia as a brand still owns the cameraphone category, just no single device of theirs is competing with the iPhone.

Update: Mobile Fotos seems to be the winner in the mobile Flickr photo updater category…if you are into that sort of thing.
digg_url = ‘http://9to5mac.com/flickr-iPhone’;

Stumble It!

According to Silicon Alley Insider, Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope has been doing some research on Apple.  His conclusions seem pretty reasonable…with some caveats.  Here are his findings and our thoughts below:

• New iPods: "More likely." Apple refreshes its iPod line in the fall, and there’s no reason it won’t this year. To compete better with the cheaper iPhone, Apple could offer higher-capacity iPods at lower prices, one possible explanation for its warning about low gross margins.
• Refreshed MacBooks: "More likely." No major shape/size changes, but faster laptops at lower prices.
• Apple Tablet: "More likely." Shope wouldn’t be shocked if Apple released a tablet soon to take advantage of its exclusive, multi-touch technology on a product with a bigger screen.
• iPhone nano: "Less likely." It makes sense that Apple would extend the iPhone family the way it’s done with its computers, iPods, etc. And a cheaper, slimmed-down iPhone could reach a broader audience than today’s. Just not so soon after it launched the iPhone 3G, which has strong demand.
• Super-cheap laptop: "Less likely." Eventually, Apple will need to come out with a laptop under $800 to tap into new markets. But Shope’s conversations with Apple "suggest that the company may not be ready for such a drastic change in product strategy in the near-term."
• Super-cheap desktop: "Less likely." An all-in-one, not the Mac mini, which would expose Apple to the "sweet spot of the desktop market fairly quickly." Just not convinced Apple is ready to play in the "discount PC market" yet.
• Mac TV: "Even less likely," a "long shot." Apple could skip the set-top box by building its Apple TV software into a flat-panel TV. While Shope (and we) would probably be buyers, he thinks "this seems a bit outside of Apple’s normal sphere of business for now."

Our Take:

• New iPods:  Yes, of course, a lock for September.  Nanos in colorful arrays we know.  More interestingly, maybe we’ll see some more iPhone features in the Touch.  Bluetooth, GPS, speaker, and camera are all contenders.  Maybe even a long range wireless capability – 3G, WiMAX?  What can you do with the shuffle?…Making it the size of a Bluetooth headset is the only way to make it smaller – a combo would be cool but unlikely  – Also look for a big announcement next month with 24 Hour Fitness and Nike (with a backend designed with RG/A) to include bringing "exercise-gaming" to the iPod.
  
• Refreshed MacBooks: 99% certain.  More than just a processor and specs update like Shope postulates, however.  Glass trackpads and total laptop redesign.  Cut from one piece of Aluminum.  Thinner.  Late September.  Bet.
• Tablet: Disagree, won’t happen until 2009 unless you count enhanced iPod Touches.  We would like to see something like the Nokia N810 specs but hopes are low.
• iPhone Nano: No, no, no – never.  Is $200 really too much to spend on an iPhone?   In some places it is already free with an expensive plan.  Is the iPhone too big?  Not really.  If anything, Apple will go more upscale in the coming year and the current devices will be the low end. 
• Super cheap laptop?  This is Apple.  No.  But somewhat smaller and less expensive are realistic longer term possibilities.
• Super cheap desktop?  As much as we’d like to see one, nope.  Psystar-like specs, mass produced in a nice enclosure for $400 would be nice, however significant specs updates to the Mini without price movement would cover this market and are much more likely.
• AppleTV? Actually, unlike Shope, we think a game change is very likely.  If Apple could cut deals with HD screen manufacturers across the board (like it did with movies studios) and at the same time beef up the hardware to do 1080p, Apple could turn its hobby into a serious business.  We know Apple wants into this field so badly that it is willing to subsidize the cost.  Components are costing less and less and at some point it will cost about as much 20 movies or a few seasons of a TV series.  The opportunity to entirely subsidize the cost of the device will arrive at some point soon.    The biggest obstacle?  The state of US broadband.  Bottom line, look for movement – there are many opportunities ahead.   —-Also, adding a gaming component to the AppleTV would be cool but a long way off – a deal with Nintendo to bundle the AppleTV with the Wii might be cool.

We would also like to see some more work on Apple’s Pro Hardware.  Most of this equipment hasn’t beeen significantly upgraded since PowerPC days.  What do you think?

After the numerous ominous warnings last week not to update iPhone 2.0 software because "there might not be a way to ever unlock then new baseband"…there is a way to jailbreak iPhone 2.0.1.  Pwnage tool 2.0.2 was released early this morning by the all night working iPhone Dev Team.

At this point, it is almost no longer news…is it?  …the cat and mouse game goes on and on…

Notes from Team Dev:

 NOTE: THE UPDATE OPTION FOR CUSTOM RAMDISKS IS NOT YET SUPPORTED FOR USE WITH ITUNES, SO FOR THIS RELEASE OF PWNAGETOOL USE THE RESTORE OPTION.

Please ensure you ONLY download and use the tbz file – as we warned yesterday the re-compressed unauthorized .zip files cause problems with certain parts of the release.

If you choose to download the file  PwnageTool_2.0.2.tbz from anywhere else apart from these mirrors then check the SHA1 sum, AGAIN – ONLY DOWNLOAD THE TBZ! 

MIRROR LIST

• stevenlu.com
• forty2blog.de
• ZippyShare 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noZcgSTmDA4&color1=11645361&color2=13619151&hl=en&fs=1]

So the Olympics are in full effect after an amazing opening ceremony.  Time to catch up on the events on teh Internets?

Not so fast Apple users!  Install Microsoft Silverlight Beta 2 if we want to watch any streaming videos from NBC.com? 

Two year old PowerPC Mac?  Sorry, Silverlight doesn’t work on your machine.

We didn’t plan on having to install a potentially very annoying Microsoft application framework just to watch some web videos.  Ever heard of Flash?  Why one earth would NBC…Oh..MSNBC…Nevermind.

It is really hard to feel sorry for old media when they make bonehead decisions like this at the expense of their would-be viewers..

If you are obliged, go to MSNBC’s Silverlight page.  After all of that whining, it is only a 7mb download and hasn’t done anything horrible to our machines…yet.

Look at this. I have never seen an application that I’ve wanted more than this since the app store launched. Basically it allows you to use the phone as a multi-touch aid for Logic and ProTools. I would have got this in a second: I can’t tell you how many times I have wanted multi-touch displays for sound mixing in Logic and Soundtrack Pro… and this would fit the need perfectly! Except… it costs 150 dollars. The liteversion costs 40 dollars! Most lite versions are free! Unfortunately, this means that it won’t be on my phone anytime soon.

Here’s hoping a free knockoff comes sometime soon! 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVNlkNNHlk&color1=11645361&color2=13619151&hl=en&fs=1]

What do you think of the earphone plug on the top? Yeah, Apple might change that…

Thanks to TUAW

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewwRM4hNlkc&hl=en&fs=1]

 There’s lots of focus on enterprise applications and games when it comes to iPhone software, but its professional creative users who form the Apple heartland – and musicians have always been familiar with the platform, so we’d like to introduce you to ProRemote, THE iPhone application for pro musicians, and their crew.

ProRemote runs on the iPhone and iPod touch that uses your existing wireless network to control professional audio products such as Digidesign’s ProTools and Apple’s Logic Music production systems.

The software offers users either 8 channels (light edition) or 32 channels of remote control with real-time colour metering and 40mm touch sensitive virtual faders. Up to 8 faders can be controlled simultaneously.

The full version includes a dedicated transport view that allows users to do audio scrubbing/shuttling, set markers (memory locations) and control many advanced aspects of the transport as well as basic play, record, and return to zero.

"I created ProRemote to make it simple to maintain the creative train of thought while remotely controlling and adjusting pro audio products during the recording process," said Alex Lelievre, Principal Computer Scientist/Owner Far Out Labs. "The combination of the iPhone SDK and the revolutionary iPhone and iPod touch devices met my development needs perfectly helping make the vision of what I wanted to create a reality."

Why is this useful? Imagine you are recording your own guitar part, laying down a melody on your keyboard, whatever, and suddenly get gripped by an idea to improve the results, which will require walking out of your booth and over to your computer. Now you can do it from where you are.

The software communicates using its own highly optimized proprietary protocol to ensure smooth delivery of real-time data over a Wi-Fi link. The Server component has been streamlined for use with CPU intensive digital audio applications and will not interfere with professional sessions.

ProRemote costs $149.99, with a Lite version available for just $39. The software is available at the App Store.

 Remember when we told you about new laws being secretly put into effect on a global basis which means officials can confiscate your iPod, iPhone, mobile phone, computer or anything else? How they could keep it and search it without charge, oversight or consequence? We got told it would never happen at the time. But it has. 
http://current.com/e/89181822/en_UK

 True or false, this year or next, whatever – the rumoured iPhone nano story just won’t go away, and now it looks like at least one third party developer’s working away at products custom-built for such a device.

The Daily Mail this week broke news that Apple plans to introduce a smaller, less well-featured iPhone nano, proposing this would appear in time for Christmas and would be made available to O2’s pay-as-you-go customers.

Naturally, a chorus of derision met this report, with Apple watchers rejecting the whole notion of such a plan – ‘why would Apple want to cannibalise iPhone 3G sales?’, they asked?

Perhaps because with a billion handset per year mobile industry, there’s space for many different configurations of device. Just how many different models of Nokia phone exist, for example?

Clearly, in order to fully penetrate the mobile phone market, Apple needs to rush to diversify its available products, before the iPod halo begins to fade, as that particular arm of its business operations begins to slow down.

Widely quoted as dismissing the iPhone nano claims, Lehman Brothers analyst Ben Reitzes explained that while he believes Apple is working on a lower-end iPhone form factor, he didn’t think it would arrive until Spring 2009. Well, what’s a few months delay? The results the same; Apple plans to diversify its range.

Does it really make sense for Apple to delay such diversification? There’s looming economic doom, a credit crunch, and a wave of competing products (many of which look a little like iPhones in a desperately dull repetition of imitation and flattery) all heading to ship at Christmas.

What’s the best way to bite competition? Undercut on price, innovate on features, surprise in execution (and plant a few rumours to keep competitors guessing.)

Latest evidence to emerge now claims accessory maker, Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), has been working on a nano-styled iPhone dock since 2006…they even have a patent for it…

The iPhone nano is going to happen. The only questions are when it will appear, what it will offer, what shape it will be, and what it will be called. And in any case, we’re expecting at least one nano-natured MultiTouch device to appear pretty soon, the iPod nano touch (or touch mini, or whatever the product marketing teams decide to call it).

 Universal Music appears to have another string in its series of plans to create alternatives to iTunes, now planning a free, ads-funded streaming music service called Total Music.

Total Music was Universal Music Group’s move to work with other major labels in order to offer bundled music subscriptions with MP3 players, with payment for access included in the cost of the device.

The plan fell foul of the US Department of Justice, and was quietly put into mothballs (it seems) in order to stave off an anti-trust investigation.

Now, TechCrunch reports the idea has been re-jigged as the ads-funded music streaming service described – and in order to prevent more regulatory investigation, the service will be made available as a warehouse-type service, meaning website owners will be able to sign-up to implement it on their own websites.

TechCrunch has identified four employees of a company called TotalMusic, including Ted Ferguson, former VP of digital product strategy at Universal Music Group. 

A recent job ad for the service states: "TotalMusic, LLC is a new digital music platform offering the integration of music discovery, streaming and downloads into a wide variety of online and mobile environments. We have solid financial backing and a staff with decades of combined experience in online music."

Whether the service will gain any traction is debatable, as MySpace, Nokia and Sky/Universal all have similar services planned, and Last.fm has the ground fairly well-covered already.

TechCrunch also notes: "Since there are only four major music labels, anything that smacks of price-fixing or collusion will be torn down by the Justice Department. The labels need to be very careful about this."

Other recent Universal Music moves include the introduction of its high-quality, DRM-free, UK-only LostTunes service and its move to partner with Sky in offering new subscription services.

"At a recent party to celebrate developer Joe Hewitt’s latest release of the Facebook application for the iPhone, friends treated Hewitt to champagne and a cake decorated with, naturally, an iPhone running Facebook. Of course, moments later, pictures of said cake showed up in partygoers’ news feeds and were ‘automagically’ displayed on their iPhones. And you doubted the power of technology to change the world for the better…."

Thanks to Valleywag.

The LA Times blog is reporting that the infamous, limited edition "I am Rich" application was purchased by six Americans, one Frenchman and one German.  That’s right.  These guys gave the developer, Armin Heinrich, a total of $5,600 dollars and Apple $2,400 for what effectively is a 320×480 pixel Photoshopped picture of a jewel.

Is it Art?…

We could bring up the discussion of whether this is a study in exclusivity in the digital world and a harbinger of things to come…however, it is just too stupid to to put it through scrutiny.  It really is too bad that giving $1000 to the WWF or a charity doesn’t give people that same kind of buzz and recognition.

According to the LA Times:

Apple apparently had some problems with "I Am Rich". After initially approving it for distribution, the company has since removed it from the store. Heinrich, a German software developer, has yet to hear back from Apple concerning the removal. "I have no idea why they did it and am not aware of any violation of the rules to sell software on the App Store," Heinrich said in an e-mail with The Times today.

In the e-mail, Heinrich said there seemed to be a market for the program. "I am sure a lot more people would like to buy it — but currently can’t do so," Heinrich said. "The App is a work of Art and included a ‘secret mantra’ — that’s all."

Ugh..Any opinions on this out there?  Is this the begining of something bigger?  Does the fact that it is digital and a 100% exact replica can be made easily and copied millions of times for no cost mean it really isn’t that valuable?  Like music and video?

Those pesky business customers, they just won’t get on board with the Vista program, it sounds like.  According to HP, the vast majority of the computers it sells (and tallies) are actually running XP even though they report every sale as a Vista sale.

"From the 30th of June, we have no longer been able to ship a PC with a XP license," said Jane Bradburn, Market Development Manager, Commercial Notebooks for HP Australia.

"However, what we have been able to do with Microsoft is ship PCs with a Vista Business licence but with XP pre-loaded. That is still the majority of business computers we are selling today."

Every sale of Vista is, in all actuality, a sale of XP.

Rob Kingston, Group Manager of Commercial Product Marketing for HP said, "Looking into the crystal ball, I don’t think businesses will see much value in upgrading to Vista until late next year, and even so, Microsoft will probably have come out with something else by then."

HP’s revelation casts doubt over Microsoft’s claims about how many copies of Vista have been sold, as HP has made clear that although a sale may be counted as ‘Vista’, it may actually be XP.

Ouch.  So what percentage of Microsoft’s tallies of Vista were actually just Vista licenses with XP actually running on the machine?  Half?  More?

It looks like Microsoft is going to try to curtail this process in 2009, according to the article, but many PC vendors are already trying to circumvent this.  Like every EEE clone for instance.

O2 wasn’t the only company to benefit from the ‘unprecedented demand’ that met the release of the iPhone 3G – some competitors saw benefit too, as interest in mobile phones shot up.

Orange chief executive, Tom Alexander, described the weekend of the iPhone launch as "the best trading weekend of the year so far," thanks to the iPhone on O2.

"People were excited by the product, came out to shop and found other great deals on the high street. Everyone has benefited from the iPhone."

It may be the chief exec is simply playing nice – recent weeks have seen a rumour and its subsequent retraction claim Apple plans to allow Orange to share the O2 limelight in offering the iPhone in the UK.

Denying this, O2 has simply pointed out that it has a multi-year exclusive deal for the device in the UK, the first year of which has not yet elapsed.

Orange does carry the iPhone in France, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and other markets.

 Apple Insider has dug up a patent from Apple that has tremendous potential. Essentially, it would allow a user to have unlimited space on their iPods by streaming media from their computers remotely. I see this as the future, but the future has to wait on one thing: fast internet. As I’m sure you know, America’s internet speeds are way behind that of other countries, and our standards are much lower as well. When we wake up (or everyone takes the lead of FIOS), I believe this has huge potential. Combine this home streaming with a remote sync, and you have a recipe for success. Long term, when internet speeds are unbelievably fast, I could envision an iPod with zero internal storage. This would cut prices greatly, and at the same time, only limit you by the amount of space on your computer.

This probably won’t be coming anytime soon, and even if it does, it won’t be very useful. For know, we can just hope for these.

Michael is a teen blogger for 9 to 5, and has his own blog, Mac Soda.

 The latest ChangeWave Consumer Smartphone survey suggests Research In Motion and Apple’s will wipe the floor with other manufacturers, as the two horse race between the two firms for dominance of the smartphone sector pushes other makers out of the game.

Director of research, Paul Carton, notes that prior to the release of the iPhone 3G, his surveys had suggested the device would have a huge impact on the market. It did. Apple sold one million units in the first weekend, and demand remains high today.

"RIM isn’t taking the Apple 3G challenge lying down," Carton notes. "The Canadian manufacturer has multiple plans in motion to counter Apple’s momentum among consumers, including an already announced new product release (the Bold) and two likely additional product releases (the Thunder and Kickstart)."

Just after the announcement of the iPhone 3G and just before the product shipped, ChangeWave surveyed 3,567 consumers on their reaction to the new RIM counteroffensive. And while consumers don’t appear as enthusiastic about the company’s forthcoming devices, they do seem keen enough to place a challenge to the Apple attack.

A total of 4% of respondents report they’re Very Likely to buy the new RIM/BlackBerry Bold when it becomes available. Another 13% are Somewhat Likely.

Slightly less positive but nonetheless significant, 2% of respondents say they’re Very Likely to buy a RIM/BlackBerry Thunder when available. A total of 13% are Somewhat Likely.

Another 2% say they’re Very Likely to buy a RIM/BlackBerry Kickstart when it becomes available, and 11% are Somewhat Likely.

“These results show consumers hungry for all varieties of BlackBerry,” said Tobin Smith, founder of ChangeWave Research and editor of ChangeWave Investing, who added, “it appears like when it comes to the BlackBerry, the adage ‘if you build it, they will come,’ certainly holds true.”

The strength of these early survey results on the demand for RIM’s new products points to a potentially powerful counteroffensive to Apple’s 3G iPhone, according to Smith. “The real losers in this smart phone battle will most likely be the second-tier players, who could find themselves increasingly pushed to the sidelines as the two Goliaths battle for market dominance.”

ChangeWave also looked at the impact of the new RIM releases on the rest of the smartphone industry – current RIM customers are two-to-three times more likely to buy new models than customers of other manufacturers. Competing firms most at risk from the two horse Apple/RIM battle include Palm, Motorola and Samsung, Changewave said.

Apple customers, on the other hand, appear least likely to buy any of the new RIM phones," they added.

"The Apple iPhone has captured the hearts and minds of its user base, and so has the RIM BlackBerry," the researchers said. "Fortunately for both, the global consumer and enterprise smart phone markets are big enough to support both Apple and RIM – it’s the other cell phone manufacturers that look like the real losers."

RIM should be concerned, however.  As you can see in this graph, they’ve netted a 1% loss in marketshare for the 1st 1/2 of 2008…and that is before the 3G iPhone ws released.

 PwnageTool 2.0.2 will be available "within hours" the iPhone Dev Team explained today.

The tool will be made available through the PwnageTool software updater that is built-in and checked when you start PwnageTool.

The developers note that PwnageTool 2.0.2 does not yet include a new version of the installer.app, which is currently being developed.

The PwnageTool 2.0.2 version will jailbreak the latest iPhone 3G and iPod touch software, offering those who did not update to iPhone 2.0.1 firmware new features and stability, which those who did update will now be able to access jailbroken applications.

The developers do warn, "If you care about the possibility of a GSM/3G unlock in the future (there is no unlock as yet), do not update your 3G device unless you do it via PwnageTool 2.0.2 – If you have updated you’ll still be able to Jailbreak using PwnageTool 2.0.2 but it may reduce the chance of you being able to unlock the phone to be able to use a SIM card from all carriers in the future.

"To clarify, PwnageTool 2.0.2 will still provide the jailbreak for 3G users. Meanwhile, we’re still actively pursuing the GSM/3G unlock – stay tuned."

The developers also pointed us to this CNet review of their software.

http://www.cnet.com/av/video/flv/newPlayers/universal.swf