Apple Seeks Patent for Embedded Ads in OS
According to a disclosed patent application discovered last month by The New York Times, Apple Computers is seeking rights to a technology that allows advertising to have a direct spot in a device operating system.
The reasoning behind the decision is most widely believed to be a cost-cutting motive, allowing consumers subsidized purchasing options for ordinarily more expensive technology. The fact that the patent is coming from Apple is seen by some analysts as a surprise and a contradiction of Apple's reputation for delivering higher quality, more user friendly technology at a premium price.
The patent specifically covers technology that would allow "the operating system [to be] configured to temporarily disable a function thereof and present the advertisement in the device while the function is disabled," meaning that the ad delivery system would likely sidestep measures to block the messages by being an integrated part of the OS.
The patent would broadly apply to not only personal computers but also "any electronic device," citing mobile phones, hand-held electronics and game systems as examples. The application also mentions a "credit system" through which the ads could be disabled, but yet is not clear what this would entail.
Of course, the patent application is interpreted by some as a strategic move. Just because Apple is applying for the right to use the technology does not mean that they actually will, and in particular it could be a challenge to a potential Google revenue model as the search and advertising giant moves toward completion of its Chrome OS.... Read on »
More Apple Tablet Rumors
It seems the Apple Tablet rumors are circulating again, this time with CNN Money joining the mix. In a recent article CNN speculates that the Apple Tablet is going to appear within the next few months and is said to be a magazine sized touch screen device with a screen size between 10" to 12" using a high-end graphics card that will enable stunning resolution and is a cross between the Apple iPhone and a OS X computer.
In addition to the rumored specifications there is also speculation that the Apple Tablet may include a webcam, allowing business users to hold video-conferences on the go. It is also said the device will come in several different models that offer varieties of Internet connections, such as Wi-Fi or 3G, perhaps through a contract with AT&T or another major signal carrier.
The rumors go on to speculate that the device will debut with a price point between $600.00 USD and $1,000.00 USD, but since Apple isn't talking about a tablet device then one can only guess what such a device would be priced at.
Some industry analysts are predicting that if Apple does in fact release a tablet computer that it could be the one device that outshines all other handheld devices by allowing users to watch movies, read eBooks, surf the web and listen to music on a portable device larger than the iPod, but smaller than a laptop.
Analysts suggest an Apple Tablet could revolutionize the tablet market in the same way the iPhone changed the Smartphone market. An official announcement could come as early as February 9 13 at the 2010 MacWorld conference in San Francisco.... Read on »
Apple gives approval to previously rejected political app
Responding to a public outcry begun on the blog of MAD Magazine cartoonist Tom Richmond, Apple has reversed its decision to reject the Bobble-Rep iPhone app, which features caricatures of and contact information for every member of the U.S. Congress.
In his post from November 9th, Richmond, who created the program's artwork, revealed an email sent from the iPhone Developer Program to the project's development team. In the message, the Apple representative said Bobble-Rep "contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section 3.3.14 from the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement." The cited section states that apps may not contain "materials that may be considered obscene, pornographic, or defamatory."
While the ability to openly parody public figures has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, Apple took its own stance as a private company. What particularly angered critics of Apple's initial decision was that the caricatures feature all 540 public officials regardless of their political affiliation, barring it from being seen as a partisan attack. Furthermore, the application provides a system by which constituents can identify and contact their representatives, either by typing in a location or using the handset's GPS functionality, which many saw as a positive, civic action.
Apple cleared Bobble-Rep for release on Saturday without comment or explanation, and it is now available from the iTunes App store for 99 cents.
Download: Bobble-Rep at the iTunes App Store [iTunes]... Read on »
Apple wins summary judgement against Psystar
A judge has ruled in favor of Apple in it's copyright-infringement case against Psystar, who build and sell Mac clones running Apple's OS X. According to CNET, the ruling does not include an injunction against Miami-based Psystar as Apple have not yet asked for one.
Apple and Psystar both requested a summary judgement, which is a determination made by the judge based on the case's merits. In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup wrote, "In sum, Psystar has violated Apple's exclusive reproduction right, distribution right, and right to create derivative works."
Cupertino-based Apple filed its suit in July 2008, just months after Psystar began selling the Mac clones. Psystar believed it was legally allowed to run Apple's Mac OS X operating system on non-Apple machines, however Apple denied this and stated that the end user license agreement permits use on Apple computers only.
The judge rejected Psystar's contention that it was fair use, stating that the company "does not even attempt to address the four factors used to determine fair use." The Miami-based company also contended that it fell under the "first sale" doctrine, which permits someone who buys copyrighted material to then sell it on. Alsup stated that this doctrine only applies to legal copies, not to "unauthorized copies" produced by Psystar.
Alsup also ruled that Psystar violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. "Psystar has violated the DMCA by circumventing Apple's protection barrier and trafficking devices designed for circumvention," he said. He additionally rejected claims that Apple had misused its copyright and that Apple's license was unduly restrictive.
There are still more claims that could go to trial, including breach of contract, trademark infringement and trademark dilution. A hearing for determining remedies is set for December 14th, while the trial is scheduled for January.... Read on »
Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.2 Update
Coming in at two months after their previous update, Apple have today released their latest major update for Snow Leopard, which also arrives with a security patch that includes their previous OS X release, Leopard.
The Snow Leopard update to 10.6.2 arrives with a host of fixes that are aimed at improving the reliability of the operating system itself, while others are aimed at technical bugs related to Apple software that comes pre-loaded (Mail, Safari), as well as improvements to iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Studio and fixes for some graphical and font issues.
Fixes included in the Snow Leopard update:
an issue that caused data to be deleted when using a guest account
an issue that might cause your system to logout unexpectedly
Spotlight search results not showing Exchange contacts
the reliability of menu extras
an issue in Dictionary when using Hebrew as the primary language
shutter-click sound effect when taking a screenshot
an issue with the four-finger swipe gesture
an issue adding images to contacts in Address Book
an issue in Front Row that could cause sluggish or slow frame rates while watching videos
creation of mobile accounts for Active Directory users
reliability and duration of VPN connections
general reliability improvements for iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Studio, MobileMe, and iDisk
overall improvements to VoiceOver performance
this update addresses video playback and performance issues for iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) and iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) computers that may occur in some situations while AirPort is turned on
You can find the full list of Snow Leopards fixes at Apple's website, the 10.6.2 update can be downloaded manually from Apple here or via Software Update in Snow Leopard.
The released security update fixes a list of flaws in numerous software used on both Leopard and Snow Leopard for applications such as Quicktime, plus included features such as Spotlight, to add to a number of other parts of the OS X system.
The security update is included in the Snow Leopard 10.6.2 update, but for Leopard users, you can download the update via the Software Update utility or by downloading it manually from Apple here.... Read on »
UK O2 users now able to unlock iPhones
O2 confirmed today that from November 10 all O2 customers in the UK will be able to unlock their iPhone devices for use on other networks.
The unlock will be free for pay monthly customers at any time during their contracts but O2 will charge a one-off £15 fee for Pay & Go unlocking at the end of 12 months after purchase. O2 customers can complete an unlocking form and O2 will unlock the device within 14 days. O2 were quick to stress that existing pay monthly customers will need to honour the remainder of their contracts despite the ability to unlock.
Unlocking is a process that allows users to place a non-O2 sim card into the iPhone device. Last week UK provider Orange confirmed that they will be offering the iPhone 3G and 3Gs tomorrow. According to Orange, stores will open at 7am on November 10th for those interested in picking up an iPhone 3G or 3GS; the handset will also be available through Orange HMV concessions, Apple Retail Stores, Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U and other "selected high street partners".
In September, both Orange and Vodafone announced that they would be offering the iPhone to their customers. Vodafone have said the phone would be available on its network from 2010 but has yet to confirm pricing details.... Read on »
Apple opens its first retail store in France
Today Apple opened its second store on mainland Europe at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France. They don't stop there, however; another store in Montpellier, France opens next week on November 14th and one near the Opera Ganier to debut in the summer of 2010.
France's first Apple store opens today at 10AM CET. This is a prestigious location to be sure, right across the famous inverted pyramid inside the Louvre museum. Just for that it would be worthwhile to visit this store, which spans two floors. 150 employees work in the store to offer the same services, which have made the Apple Store experience a success all over the world. The first 5000 visitors will receive a limited edition t-shirt.
This year, close to 170 million people visited Apple Stores on four different continents. Apple has already opened 277 stores in 10 countries: France, U.S., UK, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan and China.
© Anthony Nelzin / MacGeneration.com... Read on »
Fortune names Steve Jobs 'CEO of the decade'
Fortune magazine has named Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, as "CEO of the decade".
In an article confirming the title, Fortune wrote:
"How's this for a gripping corporate story line: Youthful founder gets booted from his company in the 1980s, returns in the 1990s, and in the following decade survives two brushes with death, one securities-law scandal, an also-ran product lineup, and his own often unpleasant demeanor to become the dominant personality in four distinct industries, a billionaire many times over, and CEO of the most valuable company in Silicon Valley."
Jobs has certainly turned Apple around. Apple now dominates the MP3 player market with a range of iPod products and is well placed in the smart phone market due to increasing sales of the various iPhone editions. Mac sales and iPod sales remain strong despite difficult economic conditions. This quarter has seen Apple hit its best results in the history of the company, boasting a rather hefty $1.67 billion profit. Apple currently sits at position 5 in US computer sales, behind market leaders Dell and HP.
Fortune rounded off their article on "Why Steve Jobs?" by looking to the future. Now that Jobs has returned to his post as CEO following health issues, the question is what next? According to Fortune "given his penchant for secrecy and surprise and his proven brilliance, it's a fair bet that he'll let us know when he's good and ready."
View: Fortune - Steve Jobs, "CEO of the decade"
Image Credit - Fortune Magazine
Thanks to Mephistopheles for the news tip... Read on »
Hacker sneaks into jailbroken iPhones, demands ransom fee
Apple's iPhone is rather popular for a few reasons, and one of those is 'jailbreaking'; that is, freeing your device from Apple's limitations and installing any software desired. However, it's not all good news, as a hacker has recently broken into some phones and demanded a ransom.
The hacker broke into a few unwary Dutch iPhone users' phones, after they made the mistake of leaving their SSH password default, as initially discovered in this thread (in Dutch). According to Ars Technica, the hacker then sent SMS messages from the phones in question stating, "You iPhone's been hacked because it's really insecure! Please visit doiop.com/iHacked [link seems to have been taken down now] and secure your iPhone right now! Right now, I can access all your files." Of course, once you visit the aforementioned site, the hacker asks for a reward of 5 to be sent to a PayPal address in order for him to leave the victim alone. The hacker went on to state, "If you don't pay, it's fine by me, but remember, the way I got access to your iPhone can be used by thousands of othersthey can send text messages from your number (like I did), use it to call or record your calls, and actually whatever they want, even use it for their hacking activities! I can assure you, I have no intention of harming you or whatever, but, some hackers do! It's just my advice to secure your phone."
This shows how careful you have to be when messing around with things such as this; a simple slip of the memory can lead to something far more sinister. Though the hacker seems to be pretty unfocused on removing or destroying data, others might not be so forgiving.
To clarify this issue a bit further, for your iPhone to be in any danger you'd have to meet the following criteria:
- Your device must have been jailbroken.
- The device must have an SSH application installed (OpenSSH, for example).
- SSH must be enabled for this to work, and the password left as default.
Image Credit: Gizmodo... Read on »
Apple said to offer $30 iTunes TV subscriptions next year
Apple's iTunes Store is the biggest online media distributor on the planet; it offers music, movies, games for the iPod and iPhone, and even TV shows. Although you can buy season passes for shows, soon you'll hopefully be able to subscribe to the service on a monthly basis.
According to All Things Digital, Apple is in the process of gathering support from the popular TV networks in order to have it launch some time early next year, for the sum of $30 a month, though it's unclear whether or not this would work globally or just in the U.S. As expected, the company is said to be against aiming this at any particular piece of hardware (such as the Apple TV), but instead will have this service integrated into iTunes itself, saving themselves the worry of customers getting frustrated about being forced onto one device.
Though this might be great for those who use iTunes to watch TV shows often, it might not be so great for those who offer the programs themselves. Whilst the network executives are always happy to make more money one way or another, by offering shows through iTunes, it might mean that the relationship between cable networks and cable providers (such as Comcast, for example) could be severed. Not only that, but it's said that advertising revenue could be at risk, which would be a huge blow dealt to the networks.
If this happens, it should become available some time near the beginning of next year, as mentioned. If such a deal were struck, would you subscribe to shows for a monthly fee through iTunes?... Read on »
Orange UK confirms iPhone date and pricing
According to details published on the Orange UK website today, the iPhone will be available to Orange customers very soon.
Until now, many of the details regarding their provision of the iPhone have been kept very closely under wraps. Orange have simply asked customers to register their interest and wait patiently for further details.
November 10 is the magic day for wannabe Orange iPhone users but until today none knew what they may have to pay for the privilege. Now, Orange have revealed iPhone 3GS pricing details, including a free 3GS on 24-month contracts of £45 ($74) upward, or a free 3G 8GB on a £30 ($49) 24-month contract. Orange pricing seems to be no different from the pricing which O2 provides its customers. What Orange do offer however, is an option to acquire the iPhone 3GS with no initial down payment, something which O2 doesn't. In order to qualify for the no-down-payment option, customers are looking to pay a minimum of £73.40 and a 24 month contract. It's also interesting to note that there is no 12 month contract with Orange, it's either 18 months or 24. According to Zee from TheNextWeb
For customers who want the more basic 3G iPhone, Orange will offer it free to subscribers who take up a £30 two-year contract, with the more powerful 3GS available free on £45 contracts. Pay-as-you-go customers can also buy the handset (8GB) for £333 and iPhone 3GS for £539. The iPhone will also be offered with unlimited data bundles.
Orange seem to have failed on the definition of the adjective "unlimited." For O2, they do have a "fair usage policy" which prevents users from using their sim cards in devices other than their iPhone, however do not have a physical limit with regards to data. Orange however, have a fair usage policy with their tariffs set at 750MB/month - a great deal more restrictive than users with the O2 iPhone are likely to encounter.
According to Orange, stores will open at 7am on November 10th for those interested in picking up an iPhone 3G or 3GS; the handset will also be available through Orange HMV concessions, Apple Retail Stores, Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U and other "selected high street partners".
In September, both Orange and Vodafone announced that they would be offering the iPhone to their customers. Vodafone have said the phone would be available on its network from 2010 but has yet to confirm pricing details.
... Read on »
iTunes update kills Pre syncing
Apple has updated its iTunes platform making the current version 9.0.2. While it does add some new support for the newly released Apple TV 3.0 software, the biggest news is that this update breaks the ability for the Palm Pre to sync with iTunes.
The cat and mouse game has been going on since Palm announced that the Pre would have the ability to sync with iTunes, something Apple did not approve.
The Pre is able to sync itself by spoofing iTunes into thinking that an iPod is attached. The less than ethical approach has been given mixed reviews as Palm is clearly using iTunes as a marketing push when it is not paying royalties to Apple.
The ball is now in Palm's court and it's up to them if they will continue to pursue the iTunes platform. The likely answer is yes and we will continue to see the cat and mouse game continue between two giant corporations, except, unlike Palm, Apple has nearly unlimited resources to take control of the situation.... Read on »
Apple TV 3.0 and iTunes 9.0.2 updates available now
Apple's Apple TV device is a rather low-profile one; even the Cupertino company itself stated that it's just a "hobby" for them, but it's certainly a popular device for those who use it. Today, they've updated it to version 3.0, bringing some welcome changes.
The general UI of the Apple TV itself has been re-done, making navigation a bit easier, and support for iTunes LPs and Extras is now built-in. To add to that, Genius Mixes support is now there as well, and users can now listen to Internet radio directly from the device. If you're a user of iPhoto, you can also take advantage of its features (such as Faces and Events) on the Apple TV itself, according to MacRumors. We've included the full list of changes, directly from Apple, below:
An improved look and feel, including a new Column Browser for easily browsing your artists or albums, movies, TV shows, and more.
iTunes Store has a brand new look, with improved navigation for quick and easy exploration.
iTunes LP and iTunes Extras create unique experiences that feature exclusive interviews, videos, photos, and more - available with select album and movie purchases on the iTunes Store.
Home Sharing helps you manage your family's iTunes collection between computers in your home. iTunes can automatically transfer new purchases, or you can choose just the items you want.
Genius Mixes are created for you by iTunes and play songs from your library that go great together.
iPod and iPhone syncing now allows you to organize your iPhone and iPod touch home screens directly in iTunes. Syncing is now also more flexible, allowing you to sync individual artists, genres, or TV show and Podcast episodes.
iTunes U items are now organized into their own section in your iTunes library.
Sync with iPod nano (5th generation), iPod classic (Fall 2009), and iPod touch (Fall 2009).
iTunes 9 also includes many other improvements, such as HE-AAC encoding and playback, more flexibility with Smart Playlists rules, simpler organization of your media files inside an iTunes Media folder, and more.
iTunes 9.0.2 is now available also, bringing a few changes including the obligatory Apple TV 3.0 support, as well as many other tweaks (including some new UI choices) which we have again included below:
iTunes 9.0.2 adds support for Apple TV software version 3.0, adds an option for a dark background for Grid View, and improves support for accessibility.
iTunes 9 comes with many new features and improvements, including:
An improved look and feel, including a new Column Browser for easily browsing your artists or albums, movies, TV shows, and more.
iTunes Store has a brand new look, with improved navigation for quick and easy exploration.
iTunes LP and iTunes Extras create unique experiences that feature exclusive interviews, videos, photos, and more - available with select album and movie purchases on the iTunes Store.
Home Sharing helps you manage your family's iTunes collection between computers in your home. iTunes can automatically transfer new purchases, or you can choose just the items you want.
Genius Mixes are created for you by iTunes and play songs from your library that go great together.
iPod and iPhone syncing now allows you to organize your iPhone and iPod touch home screens directly in iTunes. Syncing is now also more flexible, allowing you to sync individual artists, genres, or TV show and Podcast episodes.
iTunes U items are now organized into their own section in your iTunes library.
Sync with iPod nano (5th generation), iPod classic (Fall 2009), and iPod touch (Fall 2009).
iTunes 9 also includes many other improvements, such as HE-AAC encoding and playback, more flexibility with Smart Playlists rules, simpler organization of your media files inside an iTunes Media folder, and more.... Read on »
Apple App Store Milestone: 100,000 apps
Reaching yet another milestone, Apple's App Store has broken the 100,000 approved applications mark. According to TheNextWeb, Apple has approved 101,713 applications and games.
Of course, not all of these are available immediately as many have just been accepted. The App Store currently has 93,000 released applications. This is up from a reported 65,000 in August.
According to iPhonesTalk, analysts have predicted the 200,000 mark will be reached next year and by the end of 2010, there will be 250,000 applications.
Some recent additions to the app store include an app from NASA which brings countdown clocks, videos and Twitter feeds to the iPhone. Reportedly, this app will even let you know when the Space Station is passing overhead! Also, TomTom has released an App offering turn-by-turn directions.
100,000 apps certainly offers a lot of choice to the end-user and App Store users should be pleased with the milestone.... Read on »
New Macbook Pros in the works?
It appears Mac lovers might be in for a treat in the near future, following some digging by Apple technology site Applesana.es.
Having browsed through the configuration files of the latest build of Mac OS X, the most recent operating system out of Cupertino, the site claims to have found references to two new Macbook Pro models.
It is reported that the 10.6.2 update to the operating system (build 10C531) hold the configuration files in which Applesana made the discovery. Within the files references to Macbook Pro 6.1 and Macbook Pro 6.1b are made. The current crops of Macbook Pros are designated numbers from 5.1 through to 5.5.
Although speculative, it is not unfathomable to think Apple will soon update its Macbook Pro line, given that it was not updated during the latest Apple product refresh, which saw iMacs gain the powerful Intel Core i5 and i7 processors.
The Intel Core i7 mobile processor in particular offers greater performance than any of its predecessors. Specifically, the i7 mobile has the technology to increase clock speed by up to 75% to match the workload of the system, and has strong performance with multi-threaded applications.
The last Macbook Pro update took place in June 2009, which featured Intel's Core 2 Duo processors and nVidia GeForce 9400M/9600M GT video cards.
Image hosted by Applesana.es... Read on »
ZFS filesystem for Mac OS X is dead
Apple's official project of porting ZFS to Mac OS X has been cancelled.
In a simple message posted by MacOS Forge, Apple stated only "the ZFS project has been discontinued. The mailing list and repository will also be removed shortly."
ZFS is an advanced file system and logical volume manager originally created by Sun Microsystems. The file system boasts features such as support for high capacity storage devices, continuous integrity checking, automatic repair and integration of file system and volume management.
Apple's interest in ZFS stemmed back to initial discussions with Sun to use ZFS as a file system in Mac OS X. By 2007, a read-only port of the file system was created and command line support was added to Leopard.
However, the merger between Oracle and Sun Microsystems in April 2009 saw Apple back away from the technology. This was largely rumored to be because Oracle already owned an advanced open-source file system, BTRFS, which upon merger with Sun put the future of ZFS at risk.
By June 2009, all mention of ZFS disappeared from Apple's website and all code was removed from developer builds.
Apple now holds an unfinished file system that, according to rumors, could encounter patent issues with the newly merged Sun/Oracle should they bring it back to life.
No announcements have yet been made as to whether Apple intend to port Oracle's BTRFS to Mac OS X, or whether they will simply continue to build features into the existing HFS+ file system.... Read on »