Steve Jobs laid down some not-so-subtle hints that Apple thought Google was cheating in their activations counting in his event presentation today. Google responded, saying:
“The Android activation numbers do not include upgrades and are, in fact, only a portion of the Android devices in the market since we only include devices that have Google services.”
Oh, damn.
It is late in the UK, I’ve put stuff together here and here. There’s a few facts which might be of interest to some readers, so I thought I’d take a moment to put them down.
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Hot on the heels of Apple’s 99 cent episode renting announcement, Amazon has matched Apple by offering those same episodes for the same price.
It isn’t immediately clear if these are for permanent download or just for streaming like AppleTV. (it says “Own Episodes” but I think only Windows and Tivo can download for offline viewing).
There has been some significant interest in Apple’s decision to stream today’s event using their HTTP streaming protocol around the Web. While the event’s status is certainly high enough to draw a huge load, Apple has some measures in place to make sure the experience is a good one. That’s important because many believe that the stream is also a showcase for both Apple’s streaming video technology as well as its North Carolina Data Center, which won’t be fully operational until later this year (according to Tim Cook at the last earnings call). The last time Apple streamed an event was 2002 when 50,000 people joined in. We might see 10x that.
The stream quality is important because Apple is selling both the studios and potential customers on its technology.
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Computerworld: While we wait until Apple’s special event later today, here’s the current rumor round-up. I’m hoping to bring you some first impressions of Apple’s new products later, if I get the chance. If you are interested in what’s happening during the show, then do take a look at the company’s live video stream, which many believe is itself a test of Apple’s server set-up in a live situation.
A little pre-announcement speculation from Down Under. A Macworld.com.au source said the new AppleTV wouldn’t be shipping immediately (at least to .AU). Perhaps ‘iTV’, as before, was just the project codename. More on iPod touch shipping below:
Intel’s $1.4 billion takeover of baseband chip maker, Infineon’s wireless unit, is being seen by some as a potential threat to Apple, but Steve Jobs doesn’t see it that way, at least according to Intel CEO, Paul Otellini, speaking to Fox.
Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com
Sony will launch its own iTunes alternative tonight, introducing a music and video download service at European trade event, IFA.
Set for announcement at a press conference this evening, Sony’s news comes as another Apple competitor, Archos, announced five Android-based tablet devices, ranging from 2.8-inch to 10-inch screens.
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The WSJ is reporting that its sister company, Fox, will be giving up iTunes Shows for $.99/ episode along with ABC. The announcement will be made tomorrow at the Apple event.
Some of these people said Fox agreed to participate in 99-cent rentals for a short period of time, and agreed to the lower-cost price only for broadcast shows it both produces and airs, such as “Glee,” “Bones” and “Lie to Me.” The Apple proposal won’t affect cable shows such as FX’s “Justified,” or Fox network shows, including “American Idol,” for which Fox doesn’t control the digital rights.
According to the people familiar with the matter[like their bosses], part of the calculus for Fox is that News Corp. wants Apple’s help with other digital projects, including the iPad version of The Wall Street Journal and a digital news offering known inside News Corp. as the “Daily Planet,” the name of the fictional paper in Superman comics.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jXz7NrfzsI&w=640&h=385]
I’m trying to think of something lamer than this. via TechCrunch
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Well, there you have it. According to Bloomberg, an Army of people “familiar with the matter” have said that Apple will launch a TV service tomorrow with Netflix inside. iTV?
Apple Inc., preparing to announce a new set-top box that delivers TV to consumers, will include movies from Netflix Inc., according to three people with knowledge of the plans.
The streaming service would be available on the revamped version of Apple TV, due to be introduced tomorrow in San Francisco, said two of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans haven’t been made public. Users would pay a subscription fee to Netflix for the service, the people said.
Perhaps that’s why the Roku HD player dropped from $129 to $69 with $10 of free content at Amazon overnight.
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Hard Candy broke their iPod touch 4 cases loose, and they seem to follow what we’ve heard so far. There’s that camera on the top-left corner as well as a spot for a microphone, not an LED flash, on the back. Also check out that funky diagonal on the 30-pin docking bay.
Hard Candy says they are already in full production and should have them ready for launch (below). Thank you Mr. Devine?
Apple’s TV plans continue to split the broadcast industry, at least in the US where any such service is most likely to appear first.
News from industry insiders show Apple in an increasingly isolated place with its plan, with Disney (on which Apple CEO Steve Jobs sits on the board) ready to roll withh 99-cent show rentals. All the other networks aren’t convinced at the plans, leaving just one global multimedia firm in position as kingmaker for the iTunes initiative.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is dealing with overtures by mighty media magnate, Rupert Murdoch, in whose hands the fate of the plan could sit.
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Microsoft has decided on the branding for its all-new Office 2011 for Mac releases, offering the two packages in grey and orange boxes, Setteb.it reveals this morning. And here’s the pictures to prove it.
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We love the smell of freshly fried rumor in the morning — particularly the day before an Apple special event. This morning’s rumor takes us back, right back to last week’s claims of Apple’s plans for streaming video services, hinted at by a question held inside an iTunes customer survey.
Now we already know what to expect tomorrow:
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Security researchers are this morning panning Apple Inc. for a security problem which affects Windows.
Wintercore’s Ruben Santamarta claims Apple has failed to clean up some old code nested within QuickTime which can leave Internet Explorer vulnerable to yet another of the Microsoft browser’s long line of potential attacks.
The exploit is simple to execute just by tricking a user into visiting a malicious site hosting the exploit code, a so-called “drive-by” attack.
The attack code works when someone browses with IE on a machine running Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 that has QuickTime 7.x or the older QuickTime 6.x installed.
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Nice new feature for Gmail users, rolling out to users now.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nt3gE9dGHQ&w=670&h=401]
Arcade Fire made this incredible video using only HTML5 and Google Earth. Check it.
Other experiments in HTML5. (via day job)
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…there won’t be a shortage of cases or color selection for the smaller mini-Nano (should one be announced).
It appears that AMD is slowly killing off the ATI brand and will now use AMD for video cards going forward. Look for new AMD video card options in your upcoming Intel Macs.
Intel has confirmed weeks of rumor, filing a $1.4 billion takeover offer for iPhone component supplier, Infineon’s Wireless Solutions business.
Announced last night, the move means Intel’s determined to take a slice of the emerging smartphone business.
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Computerworld: The BBC confirms iPhone users watch TV on their devices, while Android users don’t. Is Google’s decision to support the Apple-rejected Adobe Flash video standard on Android phones going to limit the evolution of that company’s mobile OS? Is the implementation anti-‘choice’?
The Financial Times is reporting that Google is in deep talks with them’ popular movie studios to bring à la carte movie rentals to YouTube. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last month, it is well known that Apple is also in very deep negotiations with the major content hubs to bring more lower-priced movie rentals to iTunes.
Google has been renting movies since January, but on an extremely limited basis.