Trademork notes that Apple has filed to extend the current Apple trademark to include the following new areas:
Toys, games and playthings, namely, hand-held units for playing electronic games; hand-held units for playing video games; stand alone video game machines; electronic games other than those adapted for use with television receivers only; LCD game machines; electronic educational game machines; toys, namely battery-powered computer games
The filing which was made on February 5th, 2008 raises questions about whether Apple wishes to enter the games console market.
The change on the other hand may simply be to include the ongoing development of iPod games and possibly new games for the iPod touch and iPhone platform.
On another note 9toMac points out that Apple is currently hiring for a Game Developer:
Video Game Design and Production. Successful candidate possesses a proven track-record of producing and designing great video games.
Popularity: 62% [?]
9to5Mac believes that the iPhone and iPod touch could see a $100 price drop in the next two months. The move would also see Apple discontinuing the lower end models.
The rumour site speculates that Apple will scrap the 8GB iPod touch and iPhone, leaving a 16GB iPhone at $399, 16GB touch at $299, and 32GB touch at $399.
The move is highly reminiscent of the $200 price drop which happened in September 2007, the surprise price drop caused outcry amongst earlier adopters causing Apple to offer a $100 credit to those who initially bought the iPhone.
Popularity: 62% [?]
Apple has released Safari 3.1 to developers for private testing this week, within the minor update Apple will bundle many of the enhancements that are included in Webkit, an open source applications framework.
One significant addition to Safari 3.1 will be support of HTML5’s SQL storage API, which is a client-side database storage programming interface that will allow a future array of web applications to store structured data locally on a user’s machine using SQL.
Also included is CSS Transforms, CSS Animations and web downloable fonts, all of these allow users to render web pages with enhanced design and interaction.
For example by applying Transforms developers can rotate, scale, and skew HTML boxes in real time.
Finally, Apple has included a native version of the getElementsByClassName JavaScript function.
The function is often added to web pages via JavaScript libraries, serving only to bog down page load times.
According to Apple, the native version of the function provides many advantages, chief among them “blindingly fast” speed. For testing purposes, company engineers wrote a simple benchmark to pit the native version of their function against those using both XPath and a straight JavaScript/DOM implementation. The native function executed 10,000 iterations of the getElementsByClassName benchmark in 155ms, compared to 4,728ms and 13,053ms for the XPath and JavaScript/DOM versions, respectively.
Popularity: 62% [?]
The BBC has announced that it will make a download version of the iPlayer available to users of Macs by the end of 2008.
Currently Mac users can watch iPlayer content by streaming it over the internet but Windows users have the added ability to download content and store it locally for watching at the users convenience. This announcement will bring the download capabilities to Mac users.
“I hope this good news is evidence of the hard work that the BBC is committing to supporting other platforms,” wrote BBC director general Mark Thompson on his blog.
He continued “Were we to choose to not develop any systems or services until they could be received by every single individual licence-fee payer, our capacity for development and innovation - in the interest of serving those who fund our services - would be severely limited.”
On the same subject Ashley Highfield of the BBC writes in his blog that the Macworld 2008 announcement that movie rentals will be coming to Apple TV opens the device to iPlayer content.
This, coupled with Apple’s (long anticipated) move to a rental model, means that we can look to getting BBC iPlayer onto this platform too, as we should be able to use the rental functionality to allow our programmes to be downloaded, free, but retained for a time window, and then erased, as our rightsholders currently insist. write Highfield on the BBC website.
Popularity: 62% [?]
AT&T announced Wednesday that it will be expanding its 3G network to more than 80 additional cities during 2008.
After the expansion AT&T will be serving 3G services to over 350 cities across the U.S. including all of the top 100 U.S. cities.
The 3G initiative will include the roll out of more than 1,500 additional cell sites nation wide.
Apple and AT&T have both spoke of the 3G iPhone which is likely to see its release in 2008.
Popularity: 63% [?]
TUAW has received a tip that the company that provides recording and editing facilities for apple at special events is hired for an “unannounced Apple event” at the end of February.
TUAW notes that this is a fairly trusted source but at this moment is simply a rumour.
Popularity: 63% [?]
Macenstein is reporting that Apple has pulled out of this years National Association of Broadcasters tradeshow. The conference which will run from April 11-17 will be held in Las Vegas as with past years.
Macenstein received the following response from Apple PR on the news:
“Apple is participating in fewer trade shows this year,” said Anuj Nayar, senior manager of PR at Apple. “Often there are better ways to reach our customers. The increasing popularity of our retail stores and Apple.com Web site allows us to directly reach more than 100 million customers around the world in innovative new ways.”
In past years Apple has used NAB to host special events at which it has released multiple versions of Final Cut Studio and even updated MacBook Pro models.
Popularity: 62% [?]
QuickTime 7.4.1
QuickTime 7.4.1 addresses security issues and improves compatibility with third-party applications.
Leopard - 55.5MB
Tiger - 51.7MB
Panther - 50.4MB
Windows - 22.3MB
Popularity: 65% [?]
OS X 10.5.2 Work Continues
Apple has once again released another build of Mac OS X 10.5.2 to developers.
Build 9C30 once again lists “no known issues” with Time Machine remaining one of the key areas of testing as well as audio input, Back To My Mac, Bluetooth, Safari, and graphics drivers.
iPhone US Smartphone Share Rises to 28 Percent
According to a report by market research firm Canalys, Apple has managed to garner approximately 28 percent of the US smartphone market during the fourth calendar quarter of 2007.
According to the report iPhone’s 28 percent share placed it second in the US market behind only RIM’s with 41 percent share.
“When you consider that it launched part way through the year, with limited operator and country coverage, and essentially just one product, Apple has shown very clearly that it can make a difference and has sent a wakeup call to the market leaders,” said senior analyst Pete Cunningham. “What it must demonstrate now is that it can build a sustainable business in the converged device space, expanding its coverage and product portfolio.
During January’s Macworld Expo, Steve Jobs announced during his keynote that Apple had won 19.5% of the smartphone market during the 3rd quarter of 2007.
Popularity: 63% [?]
iPhoto 7.1.2 - 14.2MB
This update addresses issues when publishing photos to a .Mac Web Gallery, improves overall stability, and fixes a number of other minor issues.
Prokit 4.5 - 22.4MB
This update improves reliability for Apple’s professional applications and is recommended for all users of Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Express, Aperture, Logic Studio and Logic Express.
Braille Display Update 1.0 - 448KB
About Braille Display Update 1.0
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard includes a powerful screen reading technology for the blind called VoiceOver that supports a variety of refreshable Braille displays. When you have a supported Braille display connected to your computer, VoiceOver automatically detects it and sends it information about what is displayed on the screen. This installer adds support in Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard for the following additional refreshable Braille displays:
GW Micro BrailleSense
?GW Micro SyncBraille 20?
GW Micro SyncBraille 32
?HandyTech Easy Braille?
HandyTech Braille Star 40?
HandyTech Braille Star 80
?HIMS BrailleSense?
HIMS SyncBraille 20
?HIMS SyncBraille 32
?Nippon Telesoft Seika Version 3
?Papenmeier Braillex Trio
Popularity: 51% [?]
Apple has today added new models of the iPhone and iPod touch, doubling there storage capacities.
The new 16GB iPhone is available to purchase for $499 (£329) and the 32GB iPod touch is also available for $499 (£329) with the 16GB and 8GB remaining at $399 and $299, respectively.
“For some users, there’s never enough memory,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod and iPhone Product Marketing. “Now people can enjoy even more of their music, photos and videos on the most revolutionary mobile phone and best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world.”
Popularity: 51% [?]
Although Mac OS X 10.5.2 has been expected any day it appears that Apple has continued the bug squashing process. Apple has very recently seeded another build of Mac OS X 10.5.2 to developers, and as with the previous build Mac OS X 10.5.2 build 9C27 is reportedly free of known issues.
The build now reportedly features over 130 improvements and bug fixes with the latest round focusing on the Finder sidebar, desktop backgrounds, iChats bluetooth functionality, Time Machine and disk space management.
As with previous builds Apple has asked developers to focus on key areas; Audio Input, Bluetooth, the Finder, Graphics Drivers and Spotlight.
Popularity: 52% [?]
Mac Rumors forum member desenso has posted an unboxing video of his new MacBook Air.
Michigan Avenue Apple Store, Chicago sets up the MacBook Air displaysAll Apple Stores across the U.S. are expected to have MacBook Air units on display starting today (Friday 1st) but many do not have stock to begin selling.
Mac Rumors posts photos of some Apple Stores setting up displays and MacBook Air units .
Finally, iFixit has posted a very detailed disassembly of the MacBook Air, during the process iFixit noted the following:
- Hard drive swap is possible
- iFixit expects 3rd party batteries will be available soon
Popularity: 50% [?]
The iPhone is currently selling in great numbers and with the upcoming SDK release it looks likely to continue in its momentum, but a device with such potential appears to be lacking somewhat.
Here are five applications that would really light our fires and no doubt those of many current and future iPhone users. With the release of the iPhone SDK in late-February it is more than possible that some of these may already be in the works, if so drop us a line; if not then just credit would be fine…
(more…)
Popularity: 51% [?]
Most MacBook Air purchasers are seeing that their online orders are turning to shipping status with the majority expected to arrive Friday, but a minority of those are seeing units turning up on their doorsteps today.
UneasySilence.com offers a nice selection of unboxing photos of the MacBook Air.
Ars Technica has also received a MacBook Air, and compliments Apple on the slim packaging.
Over at Mac Rumors discussions are picking up as some Apple Store begin to put MacBook Air units on sale, one user has managed to get some hands on experience with a SSD model; something even the media have been unable to so far.
Popularity: 50% [?]
Apple has published a new section to its support site dedicated to the MacBook Air.
The support reveals the methods users will need to use when troubleshooting their brand new MacBook Airs.
Due to the battery being sealed in Apple has had to come up with a solution to reset the SMC; simply by holding the power button.
The support site all reinforces disappointments about the capabilities of the Remote Disc function, the feature cannot be used to play DVDs or CDs; a support document confirms that a USB CD or DVD drive is absolutely essential for Boot Camp: though the Air can boot or install Mac OS X over a network, neither Windows XP nor Vista can recognize anything but a USB drive.
Apple also cautions those wishing to install Mac OS X over a wireless connection that the process won’t work with WEP encryption. Owners must either use WPA or switch off security altogether to install the software.
Other discoveries made in support articles are:
Popularity: 100% [?]
iWeb 2.0.3 - 17.2MB
This update addresses compatibility with Mac OS X.
Popularity: 50% [?]
Apple has today announced that the MacBook Air is now shipping and most deliveries are expected to begin tomorrow.
In the press release Apple also wrote that the Apple TV update which was announced two weeks ago at Macworld has been delayed another two weeks.
Apple also announced that the new Apple TV® software update, which allows users to rent high definition movies directly from their widescreen TVs, is not quite finished. Apple now plans to make the free software download available to existing Apple TV customers in another week or two.
Popularity: 51% [?]
David Sieger has written a detailed insight into what he calls “Apple’s rival product to the Intel Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) initiative.”
He explains that while the project remains highly secretive a few details have emerged through talks with people close to the project.
The device described as a little larger than an iPhone features a touch-screen and is best suited to be held with two hands.
Sieger has also been tipped with a key piece of information about the touch-screen panels used. Apple is supposedly using a German company called Balda who are supplying 5.2-inch touch screen displays. Balda specialises in the design and manufacture of high scratch and shatter resistant, multi-touch capable displays for mobile handsets.
Sieger goes onto make some predictions about recent decisions Apple has made about the iPod touch/iPhone platform and how this could be affecting the secretive ultra-portable project;
According to my sources, the new device is more than likely based on Apple’s current portable platform ( ie. iPhone/Touch ) and once the SDK is released, a little digging inside the platform interface should reveal the extent of the platform’s capabilities and Apple’s plans for the portable multi-touch lineup. Moreover, 3G is part of the device specs with WiFi included as well.
David Sieger concludes with what he knows to date added with some presumptions; the device in question is more of a giant iPhone rather than an ultra-portable Mac.
The device is likely to make use of Intel’s Mobile Internet Device platform which was demoed at CES this year.
Sieger finishes with;
it wouldn’t surprise me if Apple introduced a device that lets users pull media content from their computers and play on a thin portable client and even run small native apps using the device’s limited resources. Such a device is likely a year from introduction although, due to its 3G capability, may be introduced a full six months before being shipped ( similar to iPhone ) to clear the FCC hurdle.
Popularity: 59% [?]
