Tech Industry

Microsoft is on the warpath once again, with some Redmond executive slamming Apple for putting a tax on Macs and suggesting (in a kind of roundabout way) that Macs aren’t really more secure than Windows. (Yeah, right)…

Ina Fried at Cnet has the report, and it’s a classic example of a journalist digging away at a slippery interviewee in an attempt to get a straight answer. 

Brad Brooks, vice president of Windows Consumer Product Marketing, argued that Mac buyers face hidden costs if they try to add Windows to their Mac or if they decide to forgo Windows compatibility.

In fact, his remark is priceless: "If people want a Windows experience, then start with a machine that was built for the Windows experience." We couldn’t agree more, using virtualisation software and a copy of Windows on your Mac is as purpose built as you need.

This attack continues, though, with Brooks bridling at what he sees as the ‘Apple Tax’, saying, "There’s going to be an application tax, which is if you want choice around applications, or if you want the same type of application experience on your Mac versus Windows, you’re going to be purchasing a lot of software," he says….(sparking incredulous gasp from man over here).

The Microsoft exec also goes off to point out that Macs aren’t upgradeable, and that Apple’s machines don’t support things everyone wants such as, erm, HDMI, Blu-Ray and so on.

And Macs aren’t immune to viruses, it’s a "fallacy" said this Microsoft bloke before almost instantly going on to declare Windows Vista to be 60 per cent less virus prone than previous versions of, erm, well, of Windows, basically.

And then, asked for a direct comparison between Mac and WIndows security, the exec suddenly goes all quiet, "You know, it’s hard to get a direct comparison, Ina. I want to be very specific in any kind of the data or the information that I give you there is that you’re running one system versus another…"

In other words, Fried had him beat…

Anyway, the gist of the rest of the interview (do read it) is that Microsof is sick of its failure to define itself as a consumer experience that’s worth having, is prepared to do things such as not offering feature parity in Mac versions of Office to tempt new users back, and is drawing a line in the sand to preserve its market share.

Including stressing the fiction of the ‘Apple Tax’. Now, just how much does Windows cost to purchase? And how much extra for the anti-virus software?

Engadget/Gizmodo’s tipster is saying that the new MacBook Pros will have 2 NVIDIA GPUs.  A lot of people are wondering why 2?  Perhaps it has a lot to do with Snow Leopard and Open CL:

OpenCL

Another powerful Snow Leopard technology, OpenCL (Open Computing Language), makes it possible for developers to efficiently tap the vast gigaflops of computing power currently locked up in the graphics processing unit (GPU). With GPUs approaching processing speeds of a trillion operations per second, they’re capable of considerably more than just drawing pictures. OpenCL takes that power and redirects it for general-purpose computing.

More on OpenCL…

here.

PCPerspectives just came out with a update to their report that the MacBook Air would get a mention tomorrow…but not an update until 2009:

UPDATE (10/13/08): I just got an update from a source that gave us new information about the updated MacBook Air.  Apparently, a new MacBook Air will be announced and shown at the event but it won’t be available until January 2009.  The MacBook and MacBook Pro will be available almost immediately.

This is pretty unsettling news, if true.  Keep in mind, they were the first to report that NVIDIA would be getting in the late 2008 MacBook/Pros.   Announced in October but released after Christmas?  We don’t buy it.

Either way, will the new MacBook Airs get 3G?  Remember back in January, when the technology community was listing the faults with the MacBook Air, the one thing that made everybody’s list: Lack of 3G support.  Ed Baig, USA Today (in January) asked Steve Jobs why they left it out…

Air does not come with the built-in ability to connect to a speedy wireless data network run by various cellular carriers. Jobs told me last week that Apple considered it but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier.

To us, that sounds like something that can be overcome in a year, Jobs obviously isn’t opposed to it.

TUAW points us to the news that Open Office 3.0 native for Intel Macs is live.  If you are tired of (paying for) Microsoft Office and not ready to make the move to Google Docs, Open Office is a nice, free altrnative.  It is also much faster than the Java-based (but loved) Neo-Office (based on the same codebase).

Download

(note: the site is up and down due to unprecedented demand – their words, not ours)

Gizmodo takes us back to the past with its retrospective on the powerbook. 

Money quote:

Watching this ad for the very first PowerBooks, it’s funny to see Apple going hard after business users, the very same type mocked in today’s Apple ads by John Hodgman. Sales reports! How very unhip. Before the MacBook became the laptop of choice of coffeshop-located freelance graphic designers, Apple wanted its laptops to be the choice of the suit set.

The Powerbook was the cheapest of the three PowerBooks first introduced by Apple in 1991. Its price was $2,300, which is surprisingly close to how much MacBook Pros are today. Sure, the form factor has changed a lot, as has the hardware inside and the software loaded on it. But isn’t it comforting to think that, nearly 20 years later, you’re still gonna drop around $2,000 on a new Apple laptop? In an unstable time, it’s nice to see some things stay the same.

So you know that mystery port we found over the weekend? Well, our tipster just phoned in a lifeline for us. Hate to let you all down but….

It is the battery release button…   :(

Actually to be perfectly clear, he said the battery ejector was on the side.  Technically it could be that little circle thingy (which is on the MacBook as well).  We don’t want to go making assumptions…Anyway, yeah we’re still hoping for something more exciting (dock connector!!!)…

So much for Piper Jaffray and Inquisitr’s hopes for reduced pricing on MacBooks according to Gizmodo Best Buy tipsters.  If we read them right, (and they’ve got the screenshots to somewhat prove it), Apple’s entire laptop line will remain at the same price points. 

Also, if this is all the truthy truth, there won’t be 12 price points as speculated earlier by the Inquisitr.  Bad news for those who were hoping to catch a break on the low end of the MacBook line.

As far as reliability, Best Buy inventories have been hit or miss so we’ll take this as speculation.  They are also  a bit hard to understand and all secret coded.  Interestingly, they are using color code names to denote the laptop differentiations…but don’t go starting rumors about green MacBooks mmmk?

Larger shot, you know where

GREEN = $1,999.99 – 15" MacBook Pro base model
PURPLE = $2,799.99 – 17" MacBook Pro base model
YELLOW = $1,499.99 – 13" MacBook top end model
BLUE = $2,499.99 – 15" MacBook Pro mid model
ORANGE = $1,299.99 – 13" MacBook mid Model
RED = $1,099.99 – 13" MacBook base model

 Could this really be true? A Norwegian developer is claiming to have figured out how to run Windows Mobile in emulation (like Boot Camp) on the iPhone. Don’t believe him – we don’t – but here’s the video.

http://videos.video-loader.com/_player/gvideoplayer.swf

Now, we don’t really believe Erik Kristiansen’s claims, even though he promises to release it next January, and if it were to be true we’d still be puzzled why anyone would want to sully their iPhone with a Windows system.

Why did he develop this? "We have long winters [in Norway]… we have to do something," but even in Norway it’s not quite winter yet…ah well.

Cheers to Electric Pig for the tip-off.

Apple is putting together the pieces for a WiMax explosion, inking a deal with a Korean firm which promises inclusion of the technology within future Apple laptops and iPod products, a report explains.

Regular readers will know we’ve been expecting Apple to make some sort of move to embrace WiMax, and while critics of our prognostication have pointed out that deployment isn’t yet sufficiently widespread in the advanced markets, this is rapidly changing, with the standard seemingly set for prime time next year.

Korean carrier KT is offering Apple MacBooks bundled with WiBro (the Korean version of WiMax) in Korea. Apple Korea is bundling MacBooks with the KWD-U2000 WiBro modem and the KT WiBro service. 

"KT Corp., South Korea’s leading broadband service provider, said Wednesday it signed a tentative deal with Apple Corp. to cooperate in providing high-speed Internet services bundled with the U.S. company’s products," a report explains.

So why the excitement? You may recall a report in May in which we detailed the FCC disclosure of Intel’s upcoming 5350 WiFi/WiMAX combo Mini-PCI card, which fits into the MacBook Pro’s Mini-PCI card slot. So we know the technology is already there.

And InterDigital in March revealed it has signed-up Apple (and RIM) as a licensee for its 3G technologies. “We did add some very high-quality licensees including Apple, Giant, and RIM…,” the company explained.

Apple’s success in bringing new technologies to market was made most clear when it single-handedly popularised WiFi technology (AirPort) when it introduced the iBook in 1999. WiFi’s fairly popular nowadays. 

What’s the meaning of all of this? Right now, it’s not so clear – what has been agreed between Apple and KT is a memorandum of understanding between the two firms – whether this will ever emerge as a shipping technology is one thing, and the rationale for embracing WiMax in Korea may simply be an attempt to find a way to bring the iPhone to market there, as Korean law requires mobile phones support a standard the iPhone lacks in order to be sold there.

There is one more practical reason Apple management may be considering WiMax inclusion in their products: the threatened collapse of the US consumer market as global financial systems fall apart in the face of huge recession. WiMax may be seeing slow deployment in the developed European/US markets, but future opportunity may be found in the developing economies of Russia, China and India, where major WiMax investments are being made now. Whether the low hanging fruit of offering consumer electronics devices that are always connected and use the standard will be sufficient to shift Apple’s long-standing US-centric vision is open to question.

And there is of course one more thing – we’re all pretty excited about that extra port on the MacBook shots we’ve been seeing…is Apple planning WiMax inclusion in future models?

Microsoft has a secret weapon to take on Apple in the smartphone sector – buy someone who already does, and it appears BlackBerry manufacturer, Research In Motion (RIM), is in Ballmer’s sights.

Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek points out that RIM shares are in decline and warns that Microsoft appears to have a "standing offer to buy them at $50 a share," he told Reuters.

Like Apple, RIM offers hardware, software and services and already plans to launch its own App Store. Microsoft is in a similar business, yet its Windows Mobile software, while widely used isn’t particularly liked by handset owners.

With Apple and RIM clearly involved in a two face confrontation, the analyst’s speculation suggests Microsoft could buy its way into direct competition with Apple in the smartphone market, assuming such a deal goes ahead.

However, D:All Things Daily observes such a merger could fall foul of competition authorities. "Leaving aside for a moment the fact that Microsoft already has a mobile OS in Windows Mobile and the fact that RIM’s client architecture is, you know, based on Linux, wouldn’t a merger between two of the largest players in the smartphone market invite antitrust scrutiny?" writes John Paczkowski.

These rumours have been in circulation since August 2007, when CBC News indicated, “Microsoft has been mentioned as a possible buyer," Frederic Ruffy, an analyst at options education firm Optionetics said. "According to speculation, the software giant might be interested in RIM in response to Google’s recent announcement that it is interested in making its own mobile phone operating system, which would compete with Windows Mobile."

The G1 Google Android phone is claimed to have sold 1.5 million units so far.

So, today’s case spy shots would reveal a couple of interesting nuggets if they turn out to be the final designs of Tuesday’s MacBooks.  Firstly, the 13 inch-ish case is sans Firewire.  Systems Admins will have to move those Boot images over the network now for all but the Pro models.   More importantly, a new port has been introduced to the side of the Pro model.  You can see it below.  The circle next to it appears on the 13-inch model so it isn’t an eject button (probably IR – strangely on the side). 

Anyone got any idea what it might be?  If so, vote! 

Update: Uh oh, look at the picture at the bottom of this post

As you can see from the Chinese spy shots below, the new MacBooks will have all I/O ports on the left and optical drive on the right.  While this seems somewhat trivial, it does enable one of the more interesting patents of recent memory to become a reality. 

The ‘iMac dock’. 

It is also interesting to note that the ports generally line up between the smaller and large laptops.  Will we see a dock on Tuesday?   

Thanks to Gizmodo for for the mockup

Update: Check up this image from the comments:

According to the C|Net UK’s  Nate Lanxon, Internet tabloid celebrity Jason Calcanis is going around the Valley telling people that Apple is about to get into the Networked HDTV business.  Beyond the endorsement from Calcanis, who might just be seeking yet another avenue of self-promotion, it does make sense for Apple to be joining this very big market.  They currently make large screen cinema displays, AppleTVs and all-in one units like the iMac.  They also sell lots of TV shows and movies.  Technologically speaking, Apple could probably put together a product in a three day weekend (or 30 seconds with some double sided tape, a cinema display, an Apple TV and a HDMI-DVI adapter)….the question is: is the market big enough to justify building it?  Is it mature enough?  Too mature?  One would think that time is getting close.

Apple, under Steve Jobs, has always been the master of timing, bringing products out right at the cusp of technological maturity.  The iPod and iPhone are perfect examples of this.  When the technology made sense for a product that people would want to use, and not a moment before, Apple released something amazing.  There were MP3 Players before the iPod and smartphones before the iPhone, but when Apple delivered the products, it changed the game.

Apple hasn’t really had the same experience with AppleTV.  While there are many compelling reasons to get one, it isn’t a "must have".  Yet.  Perhaps if Apple innovated up the value chain making some heavy duty equipment with the ability to play videos (please Apple, acknowledge other file formats besides .mp4 and .mov) from a media server.  Or just put a 1Tb drive in the AppleTV model of the HDTV and a H.264 encoder and let me have my way with my media library.   Lots of possibilities here.  From C|Net:

TVs are a huge market. What better way to extend the iTunes Store than by providing an elegant TV that seamlessly integrates with its movie and TV offerings? Apple Computer Inc dropped the ‘Computer’ for a reason, and I have no reason to doubt that this has been on the roadmap ever since.

Or is Calcanis just doing Apple rumors to satisfy his need to be like Kevin Rose (See Netscape vs. Digg)

Via MacRumors

It takes the kind of demented mind that is posessed by one Dr. Macenstein to see the cryptic messages Apple is sending us…or so we are hoping.  Dr. Macenstein reports that the October 14th event invite is actually a glass trackpad.  Yes, that glass trackpad!  If you look at it the right way, under certain conditions…well you get the drift.  Set your clock to count down until Tuesday.  BTW, We’ll be doing our livepanel, bringing you all of the best liveblogs on one page…check back here Tuesday morning..See Macenstein’s image after the break.

Boingboing (and others) did some analysis on the aluminum laptop in the Apple event invitation and concluded it was a regular MacBook.  It wasn’t. 

MacBooks will have black (perhaps other colors – we have only heard black) plastic outer shells.  The same type of plastic that is on the backside of an iMac. 

The inside shell, around the keyboard and the screen will be aluminum and that one piece structure will be the skeleton of the laptop.  

It will be two-tone.  Think if a iMac and a MacBook Air had offspring.  Thinner than its predecessor.   They are going to sell a lot of these.  More info on the MacBook.

An interesting sidenote…the invite could be a 13 inch MacBook …Pro.

….or so we’ve heard….by the way, yes the picture is fake but is about the closest we could find to the real…

It’s like everyone and their brother has some new Apple parts laying around the house at this point.  Apple.pro chimes in against last night’s shot with a few from someone with some fugly hands…  You can see the CRT television, the running shoes, the smokes and some very Apple-icious cases.  Let’s all remember that Asia is the land of amazing knock-offs and just because some dude has a bunch of MacBook type shells in his house, it doesn’t mean thats what will be in stores later this month.  Huge-er shots after the break.

Apple plans to drive a price-driven stake through competing PC brands in the ailing market, boosting sales with the introduction of its first $799 MacBook, a report claims (via MacRumors).

The news follows hot on the heels of the recently leaked image of the new Apple notebook, and the information is decribed as coming from a reliable source, says Inquisitr.com.

"According to the source, Apple retail stores have been given price sheets that list 12 price points for the new range, with prices between $800-$3100."

This indicates some diversification of the existing range: MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, with 12 standard configurations rather than 8 claimed by the source, presumably an Apple retailer.  That puts the price differentiation at about 4 price points per model, unless *gasp* Apple is to release a new model or have more color options.

The new Macs are expected to be made using an advanced new manufacturing process (dubbed ‘Brick’) and to field advanced Nvidia graphics, at least on some models.

No event invitations have gone out yet but given all of the recent activity in this area, it is hard to imagine we’ll have to wait too much longer for an introduction.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak may have pronounced it dead, but it looks like there will be iPod connections pre-installed in over half the new cars introduced in the US next year.

iSuppli points out that this trend reflects automaker’s growing understanding that they must pimp out their rides with ever more technology.

"US consumers for the past few years have been demanding improved connectivity between their vehicles’ audio/video systems and their media players, particularly iPods," iSuppli explains.

Seems the response is strong:

– 39 percent of vehicle models sold in the US in 2008 expected to offer iPod integration options. 

– In 2009, this will rise to 58 percent of car models, which will have iPod support available from the factory, marking the first time that more than half will sport this feature. 

For the also rans of digital player, manufacturers are focusing on USB as an interface, this will be available on one-third of available vehicle models next year – from 16 per cent in 2008, the analysts said. Bluetooth will rise to 82 percent in 2009, either as standard or optional equipment.

“The automotive industry is at the point where in-vehicle technologies – or the lack of them – are influencing sales,” said Phil Magney, vice president of automotive research for iSuppli. “The charge toward greater technological integration has been led by car makers like Hyundai and Honda, which are making USB/iPod combination interfaces standard on many of their vehicles. It’s also been spurred by those like Audi and Mercedes, which offer integrated Media Device Gateways that allow any device imaginable to integrate with a vehicle.”

iSuppli’s Technology Availability Index also reports that embedded Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) used in infotainment systems will be available in nearly one-third of the 2009 model lineup, or in approximately 88 models. This trend is fueled by the increasing size of digital maps and related content along with storage for audio files. Higher-definition maps, 3D images and tens-of-millions of Points of Interest (POIs) demand HDDs with greater data capacities, even as data aggregators develop better compression methods. OEMs like Chrysler, Mercedes, Ford, Volkswagen and Nissan have responded by integrating HDDs into their current products.

Another feature that is more evident in the 2009 model year is real-time, location-based content – real-time traffic will be part of the deal with some car models from Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes and GM, the report observes, and Bluetooth and satellite radio support are also becoming de rigeur.

 IMAGE: A fast car – the Ferrari California which made its public debut at the Paris Show this month, it boasts an infotainment system with 6.5’’ touchscreen, Sat Nav, USB connection, Bluetooth, hard disc, voice commands and iPod connector.

Upon further review, we are not so sure this picture represents the new MacBook Pro. While it does look exact in a lot of areas, the white ‘splotch’ on the top left looks suspicious.  We took the original from the Chinese forum and blew it up a bit.  If you look at the white area, it doesn’t really conform the way it should around the beveled keyboard, especially if it is supposed to be a light reflection.  We’re torn 50-50, what do you think?

We actually love John Hodgeman, especially his Daily Show appearances…when not all PC’ed up he seems like a pretty funny guy. Juxtapose that with the Real PC  guy who seems like he might be one of the least cool guys in Microsoft’s IPv6 development department.

That is just Microsoft being Microsoft.