The Mac Observer

News: Apple Director Jerome York Hospitalized, in Critical Condition

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:26:44 -0400

Apple Director Jerome York was hospitalized on Wednesday after suffering a burst brain aneurysm.

Mac Geek Gab Podcast: MGG 250: SXSW, Time Machine, Mail Tips, & Network Performance

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:20:40 -0400

Dave’s in Austin for SXSW, but your geeks brave the hotel bandwidth and bring you this episode of the Mac Geek Gab. Topics include Time Machine, measuring network performance, and more! Don’t miss it.

iPhone: iPhone Fails to Make a Top 20 List For a Good Reason

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:54:34 -0400

CNET this week released a list of 20 mobile phones with the highest radiation levels, and Apple’s iPhone was not among them. Topping the list was Motorola’s V195 flip phone, which emits 1.6 SAR (Specific Absorption Rate), followed by the company’s Zine ZN5, at 1.59 SAR.

Editorial: Six Really Good Reasons to Buy an iPad - Right Away

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:47:27 -0400

There are plenty of articles floating around that advise one to wait on the iPad, not buy one sight unseen, or not buy one at all - especially of you already have a Mac and an iPhone. I believe that’s nonsense. Here’s why.

News: Fake Steve Jobs Takes His Shtick to TV For ‘iCon’

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:39:52 -0400

A new comedy series, “iCon,” will “attempt to do nothing less than a modern ‘Citizen Kane,’” according to director Larry Charles, who is best known for his involvement with the show “Seinfeld” and the movies “Borat” and “Brüno.” Dan Lyons, who rose to prominence for his fake Steve Jobs blog, will be the writer, and the show will air on the cable channel Epix.

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Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:39:52 -0400

Games: Mac Game News: Civ III Complete at GameAgent, Bob Came in Pieces Arrives

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:35:58 -0400

Aspyr Media on Wednesday released Civilization III: Complete for Mac at its GameAgent digital download site, while Ludosity Interactive announced the release of the physics-based puzzle adventure game Bob Came in Pieces for Mac.

Editorial: How Apple Seized Mobile Advertising from the Advertising Industry

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:15:10 -0400

There was a time, back in 2007, when advertisers’ eyes glazed over with the thought of being front and center on everyone’s smartphone. Consultants told them that this was the next big wave, “The Third screen.” But they were slow to act, develop standards and learn new technologies. As a result, adverting on the smartphone, especially the iPhone, has taken a new twist, mostly controlled by phone specific apps. Our worst fears have not come to pass, thanks to Apple.

Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog: Decoding Apple’s iPad Battery Replacement Program

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:30:13 -0400

While the bare essentials of Apple’s surprising iPad Battery Replacement Program are clearly stated, a number of questions remain unanswered. I attempt to fill in the gaps.

News: Analyst: iMac Will be 25% of Global Desktop PC Sales Growth in 2010

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:16:05 -0400

Analyst Robert Cihra of Caris & Company on Wednesday issued a research note in which he said that not only will desktop PC sales finally shrug off two years of doldrums this year and eke out three percent growth compared to 2009, but Apple’s iMac will fuel 25 percent of that sales increase.

News: Apple to End Sale of Protective Films for iPhones, iPods, Macs

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:58:36 -0400

In May, Apple will end the sale of screen films for iPhones, iPods and Macs at its retail and online stores, including films that are included with cases or other accessories. iLounge confirmed that news with several vendors, one of whom speculated that the move was a marketing decision to eliminate the idea that consumers need screen protection. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

News: MacUpdate Offers Spring Software Discount Bundle

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:29:43 -0400

MacUpdate introduced a special spring application bundle discount on Wednesday. The bundle is available through March 31, 2010, and includes Parallels Desktop 5, Spell Catcher, and more.

News: Mobile App Market Set for Growth Spurt

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:45:46 -0400

The mobile app market for devices such as Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android platform is already growing fast, but could expand even faster over the next two years as more consumers join the smartphone party.

Hot Forum Topic: Reader Discussion: Where’s the MacBook Pro Update?

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:06:34 -0400

Apple’s MacBook Pro hasn’t seen a significant update since mid 2009. Today TMO readers are talking about when they think new models will roll out of Cupertino.

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Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:06:34 -0400

News: iWork.com Adds Social Networking Support, More iPhone Features

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:33:10 -0400

Apple added new social networking and iPhone features to its iWork.com public beta on Thursday. Users can now share links to their documents via social networking services, iPhone and iPod touch users now have an updated interface for accessing documents on the go, and iPad users can download iWork documents, too.

Rumor: Australian Ad Hints at New Mac Models

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:58:34 -0400

Rumors that new Mac Pro, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models are on the way got a boost thanks to ads that appeared in Australia. PC Authority apparently displayed ads showing prices for Apple’s portable and tower computers that are higher than the current list pricing, leading to speculation that new models are on the way, and that they’ll cost more than the computers they replace.

Product News: Navigon Intros Regional iPhone GPS App

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:12:43 -0400

Navigon announced the immediate availability of MyRegion for the iPhone on Wednesday. MyRegion is a turn-by-turn GPS navigation app with built-in maps for specific regions in the United States.

Games: New App Store Games: Frogger Inferno, More

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:00:40 -0400

Konami on Tuesday led a slew of new games at the App Store with Frogger Inferno (US$0.99), an update to the arcade classic in which the main character leaves a trail of fire behind him as he tries to cross busy freeways; the flames keep him from doubling back. Facebook Connect integration lets players post their high scores to the Frogger Leader Board.

News: Flurry Finds Google Nexus One Sales Lagging Through 74 Days [UPDATED]

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:28:22 -0400

Research firm Flurry on Tuesday reported its estimate of sales of the Google Nexus One smartphone through its first 74 days of availability, finding that it has lagged far behind the iPhone and the Motorola Droid with 135,000 units in circulation, compared to one million iPhones and 1.05 million Droids. However, Google brought the Nexus One to AT&T the same day; availability on another carrier (it launched on T-Mobile) could help boost those sales.

iPad: A Diamond-Encrusted iPad Can Be Yours For $20K

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:02:08 -0400

Rap recording artist Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ diamond-studded iPod (of the HP variety) may soon have a new companion: Mervis is offering on its web site a diamond-bordered iPad. The price is a cool US$19,999, and orders will ship on June 1.

iPad: Could E-Textbooks be the iPad’s ‘Killer App’?

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:41:11 -0400

Apple CEO Steve Jobs emphasized the iPad’s capabilities as an e-book reader when he unveiled the device in late January, but its usefulness for carrying around electronic textbooks remains debatable, according to analysts interviewed by Computerworld.

iPhone: New Google Hire Tim Bray Fires a Volley in the Android vs. iPhone War

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:22:53 -0400

Software developer Tim Bray, who co-edited the XML specifications in the late 90s and was most recently the Director of Web Technologies at Sun, on Monday published a lengthy blog post explaining he accepted a job at Google and why he hates Apple’s handling of the iPhone and the App Store.

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Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:22:53 -0400

Quick Look Review: Hippus HandShoeMouse

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:49:08 -0400

Nancy Carroll Gravley tested a unique mouse specifically designed to reduce complaints of, and the risk of, Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI): The HandShoeMouse. She thinks it is worth both the unusual look and the price.

Games: Blizzard: Starcraft II Beta For Mac in April

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:48:40 -0400

During a recent Twitter chat, a Blizzard representative revealed that the Mac version of the Starcraft II Beta “will be available in April, when it’s ready.” The publisher is also planning a major content patch for the game in mid-April “to enable some basic achievements and improved voice chat, 3x3 and 4x4 maps, among other unidentified features.”

iPhone: Research Firm Flurry Sees 185 Percent Jump in iPhone App Development

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:31:54 -0400

Research firm Flurry, which provides analytics to mobile software developers, this week said that new iPhone OS application starts jumped 185 percent in January and February, compared to last August through December. “The January spike represented the single largest spike in Flurry history,” Peter Farago wrote in a blog post.

Product News: PayPal App Adds Bump to Pay Support

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:36:13 -0400

PayPal released a new version of its iPhone and iPod touch payment app on Tuesday that adds the ability to transfer payments by “bumping” the devices together.

News: Apple Hires Wearable Tech Guru

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:51:07 -0400

Apple’s crop of recent hires includes Richard DeVaul, founder and president of AWare Technologies. Mr. DeVaul is known for his work in wearable technology, and will be taking on the title of Senior Prototype Engineer at Apple.

Product News: PasswordWallet 4.5 Adds MobileMe Sync Support

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:27:14 -0400

Selznick Scientific Software announced the immediate availability of PasswordWallet 4.5 on Tuesday. The update for the password management application added the ability to sync data between your Mac, iPhone, and MobileMe.

Hot Forum Topic: Finding the iPad’s Target Market

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:15:56 -0400

Apple’s iPad is available for pre-order now, and will ship on April 3. Today TMO readers are talking about where they see the iPad fitting in, and which markets it will chip away at.

News: FCC Wants to Beef Up US Broadband

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:29:59 -0400

Current broadband speeds in the U.S. average about 4Mbps, but that isn’t fast enough for the Federal Communications Commission. The agency wants to see 100Mbps speeds, and it wants broadband in every U.S. home by 2020, according to the BBC.

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Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:29:59 -0400

News: Apple Pushes Back Some iPad Accessories

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:37:40 -0400

Apple’s iPad is set to ship on April 3, but some of its accessories won’t make it in time for the launch party. Only the iPad Dock and VGA adapter will be available on the 3rd, and some accessories have been delayed into May.

Product News: EarthDesk 5.3 Fixes Snow Leopard Screen Saver Bug

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:16:46 -0400

Xeric Design announced the immediate availability of EarthDesk 5.3 on Tuesday. The update for the real-time Earth Desktop image application improved Mac OS X 10.6 screen saver compatibility.

Apple Stock Watch: Analyst: Strong Year-Over-Year Numbers Show Continued Mac Sales Surge

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:44:23 -0400

The latest retail sales data from the NPD Group show that Mac sales in February jumped 43 percent year-over-year, coming on the heels of a 36 percent increase in January. Those results led Piper Jaffray anlyst Gene Munster to estimate sales of 2.8 to 2.9 million Macs this quarter, according to AppleInsider.

iPhone: Roughly 10 Percent of Microsoft Employees Using iPhones

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:10:20 -0400

Almost 10,000 Microsoft employees used iPhones to access the company’s email system last year, according to two people who told the Wall Street Journal that they heard the estimate from senior executives. That’s approximately 10 percent of Microsoft’s global workforce, and it doesn’t take into account employees who have iPhones but don’t access their Microsoft email with their devices.

News: Apple COO Tim Cook Receives $5M Plus Stock Options For Serving as Temporary CEO

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:39:43 -0400

Tim Cook, Apple’s COO and temporary CEO for six months while Steve Jobs received a liver transplant, was awarded US$5 million and 75,000 share options last week. The total would be $22 million at Apple’s current stock price, noted The Register.

iPad: Weekend iPad Pre-Orders Estimated at 152,000

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:26:43 -0400

Investor Village’s AAPL Sanity board, which requires a subscription to view its content, on Monday noted that iPad pre-orders dropped from an estimated 25,000 per hour on Friday, the first day of availability, to around 1,000 per hour over the weekend. For the three-day period, the cumulative total was estimated at 152,000.

The Flashback Files: MacOpinion: October 5, 1999 - Apple’s Abuse of Power

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:22:41 -0400

Apple was in the process of 1) crushing a 16 year old Canadian boy and his family over a Domain Name dispute, 2) hiding code in a recommended G3 ROM update that took control of the Mac away from the customer. Here’s how I called it at Macopinion.com in October, 1999.

News: Silicon Valley Source: Apple vs. Google is ‘World War III’

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:58:48 -0400

As Apple’s relationship with Google has soured in recent months, the situation has become so acrimonious that one unnamed Silicon Valley investor, described as “well-connected,” has observed: “It’s World War III. Amazing animosity is motivating two of the most powerful people in the industry, [Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Google CEO Eric Schmidt]. This is emotional. This is the biggest ego battle in history. It’s incendiary.”

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Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:58:48 -0400

News: Court Says Jobs Can Tear Down Woodside House

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:30:02 -0400

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been wound up in a multi-year battle to tear down a mansion in California, and a judge has finally given him the go ahead so he can apply for a demolition permit. Mr. Jobs has been trying to get a demolition permit since 2001 so he can build a new house on the property, but a historical preservation group has been fighting to save the structure.

Monday's Mac Gadget: Want to Know What Your Applications Are Up To? Check Out Growl!

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:45:58 -0400

John F. Braun check out Growl, a notification manager that lets you know what your applications are up to.

Hot Forum Topic: Networked Backup Strategies

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:02:30 -0400

Today TMO readers are discussing network-based data backup strategies and issues in the Mac Geek Gab Squad Support forum. Hop in and share your ideas and problems.

News: PA Semi Founder Leaves Apple

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:29:00 -0400

PA Semi founder and CEO, Dan Dobberpuhl, has apparently left Apple to join a Silicon Valley startup company founded by other former PA Semi employees. PA Semi is a chip design company that Apple purchased in 2008.

News: iPad Battery Replacement Includes new iPad

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:47:46 -0400

Since the iPad ships with a battery that isn’t user replaceable, potential customers have been asking how Apple will deal with dead batteries. The answer: Apple will send you a replacement iPad.

Product News: Stream Twitter Photos with TweetyShow

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:14:03 -0400

Nicolas Seriot and Anton Anton announced the immediate availability of TweetyShow 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch on Monday. TweetyShow is an app that shows photos as they’re posted to Twitter in real time.

Free on iTunes: EveryTrail, The Amateur Traveler, French 24-7 Tutor and More

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:00:20 -0500

Vern peeps out EveryTrail, The Amateur Traveler Podcast, French 24/7 Tutor and much more this week in Free on iTunes.

iPad: iPad Pre-Order Guesses Range from 15K to 25K Per Hour

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:44:08 -0500

Apple’s per-hour total for iPad pre-orders could be somewhere in the range of 15,000 to 25,000, according to bloggers who have been tracking order numbers. The initial efforts began at Investor Village’s AAPL Sanity Board and Silicon Alley Insider; the former came in at 25,000 per hour and the latter at 20,000. Later estimates, a few hours later, were 15,000 and 16,000 per hour.

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Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:44:08 -0500

Apple Stock Watch: Apple Briefly Becomes Third Most Valuable Co. in the US

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:47:35 -0500

The beginning of iPad pre-orders Friday morning led to a trading surge in Apple’s stock that briefly pushed its market capitalization ahead of Wal-Mart’s, thanks to a dip in the latter’s stock, noted Fortune’s Philip Elmer-DeWitt. Apple shares hit US$227.73 before retreating and ending the day at $226.60, up $1.10.

News: Microsoft Loses Another Word XML Patent Appeal

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:15:57 -0500

Microsoft has lost another appeal of an August 2009 court judgment that found the company in infringement of XML patents owned by i4i. Those patents cover the use of XML in Microsoft Word 2003 and 2007, and the US$240 million decision forced Microsoft to begin removing the functionality from those applications.

John Martellaro's Blog: Particle Debris (week ending 3/12) Thefts and Smackdowns

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:53:48 -0500

In this week’s heap of technical news debris, John looks at the effectiveness of Apple’s R&D expenditures, Objective-C code appearing on TV’s Numb3rs, a vintage 1984 Mac running Snow Leopard, Apple’s tough stance against HTC and others, a Steve Jobs phone call that backfired, iPad imitators, historical reactions to Apple products long before the iPad, whether the iPad will ever replace the Mac, and a straight talk smackdown for the iPad.

News: Nokia Asks For Dismissal of Apple’s Lawsuit

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:41:35 -0500

Nokia on Friday asked for a dismissal of Apple’s anti-trust claims against it, arguing that the allegations are “designed to divert attention away from free-riding off of Nokia’s intellectual property,” according to Wilmington, Del. court papers quoted by Bloomberg.

News: Richard Belzer: Apple Store Employee ‘Was Trying to Shake Me Down’

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:30:49 -0500

Actor and comedian Richard Belzer, who is best known for the role of detective John Munch on the “Law & Order” TV series, on Thursday discussed an incident at a Manhattan Apple store the previous day that resulted in an employee calling the police. Officers reviewed the store’s security footage and declined to press charges against Mr. Belzer, who now thinks that he was targeted for a shakedown.