Geekology

6G iPod, iPhone "Confirmed"

2006-10-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

Trusted Reviews: "The iPod/iPhone rumour mill is something so clouded that as TR News Ed I made the executive decision to circumvent the vast majority of it a long time ago, but yesterday I had a conversation with an extremely well informed exec which I’m going to share." The informat also said that Apple plans to release an iTunes subscription service. Read the article for all the juicy details.

Apple Introduces the "Mac Pro"

2006-08-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

From Apple: "Ever since we announced the transition to Intel processors, you began dreaming of a professional desktop system with world-class performance. And now you have it. A system so powerful and expandable that it meets — and exceeds — your wildest dreams. Meet the new Mac Pro."

The New U2 iPod

2006-06-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Apple released a new U2 iPod that is somewhat similar to the original. The big difference being that this one has video capabilities. It has all of the specs of the normal iPod. The front is the same, jet black with a red click wheel. The other difference is that the back metal is black this time. It still comes autographed and with the iTunes gift card for unlocking special U2 material. But, it only comes 30 GB. Did it ever occur to Apple that people might want it to come 60 also?

I’m Still Alive

2006-05-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to post lately. I am working on a post about my first impressions of the MacBook. You should see it in the next couple days. I just thought I would let you all know that I am still here.

MacBook Pros Get Upgrade

2006-05-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Apple has not forgotten about the MacBook Pros and has upgraded the bas model MacBook Pro from 1.83 Ghz to 2.0 Ghz. Apple also upgraded the next model up with a 2.16 Ghz Core Duo over the previous 2.0 Ghz. There is also an option to upgrade to a new glossy screen.

Try Google Notebook Beta

2006-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you follow the below link it will take you to a page where you can test of the beta of Google Notebook. You must already be signed into Google for this to work.

Apple Releases MacBook

2006-05-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

From Apple: "What do you get when you put up to 2GHz of pure Intel Core Duo power, an iSight camera, Front Row, iLife ’06, and a 13-inch glossy widescreen display into a sleek case? More than you thought possible for less than you thought possible. Meet MacBook, starting at $1099."

"MacBook At a Glance:

1.83GHz or 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo
13.3-inch (diagonal) TFT glossy widescreen display
Apple Remote with Front Row
Up to 2GB memory⁽³⁾
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Slot-loading optical drive
Up to 120GB hard drive⁽³⁾
Built-in 54-Mbps 802.11g AirPort Extreme wireless
Analog and digital audio in and out
FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 ports
iLife ’06, Mac OS X Tiger"

New Macbook to Be "the most affordable iBook ever"

2006-05-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: This has been a recurring event since the release of the iBook G4.

On Apple's website a seminar has appeared for May 10th at the Manhattan Apple Shop in the CompUSA called "iBook Overview". Under overview it says "Hear about the most affordable iBook ever." Could this be confirmation of the new MacBook?

Macbooks Coming On Tuesday

2006-05-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

From Mac Rumors "An unverified anonymous source claims that Apple stores are receiving materials for a new window display that's labeled "do not open until Tuesday, May 9th." The source also claims that Apple has directed its stores to push iBook sales this weekend, presumably to clear out inventory." It also looks like http://www.apple.com/ipod/ has leaked about the new Macbook. If the site is corrected then see the mirror at the bottom of the Mac Rumors article.

Nintendo DS Lite US Launch Date and Price Announced

2006-05-04T07:30:00.001-07:00

From Engadget "As expected, Nintendo has announced the US launch date and pricing for the DS Lite. The handheld gaming system will arrive on US shores on June 11 for about $129.99, and will come in an "inaugural color" of white." $129.99 is a much lower price than what was expected. Joystiq originally thought it could cost up to $200.

Nintendo DS Lite US Launch Date and Price Announced

2006-05-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

Halo 3 to Be Previewed At E3

2006-05-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

From Daily Tech "As anticipation continues to build as we get close to E3 2006, which starts nine days from now, a Halo 3 video will be shown during a news briefing on Tuesday, May 9, according to IGN. The video that will be shown is around two minutes long, but it is unknown what kind of content is in the video."

DS Lite Info to Be Released May 4

2006-05-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

From Joystiq "During a recent podcast, 1UP noted that Nintendo would announce the official price and release date for the DS Lite this Thursday, May 4. The announcement will include the relevant data for the North American launch and will likely reveal a price and date for Europe as well." I have the original DS and I am thinking about upgrading when this is released in the US. This time Nintendo actually did a good job with the design of the handheld.

New Nano Coming and More Video iPod Rumors

2006-05-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

From Apple Insider "Analysts for American Technology Research on Monday said checks show Apple Computer to be planning a new iPod Nano with twice the storage for its September quarter. 'Our most recent checks indicate the current 2GB and 4GB Nano models will see their storage doubled to 4GB and 8GB capacities,' analyst Shaw Wu told clients in a research note." We don't know about prices yet, but the guess is that Apple will leave the same $199 and $249 price points of the current Nanos and just double the capacity. The article goes on to say "Wu says Apple is working hard on extending the battery life of its next-generation widescreen video iPod." When will the rumors end?

200GB Blu-ray Discs

2006-04-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

From Reg Hardware "TDK has gone ahead and produced the 200GB Blu-ray Disc it announced a few weeks ago that it was working on. And while it appears to have failed to compress four standard dual-layer 50GB discs together into a single unit, it has nonetheless come up with a novel alternative. According to a subscription-only report on Japanese-language site Techon, the 200GB BD contains six data-storage layers. Now, with a standard dual-layer BD offering 50GB of storage capacity, you might well assume that the 200GB model contains not six but eight data layers." This could be a big bonus for the companies in the Blu-ray camp. I still haven't taken a side. Although, I don't have an HD TV so it doesn't affect me at the current time. I will probably base my decision on DRM issues and iPod video content when I do decide though. I think it is just to early to say.

More Apple Patents

2006-04-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

From Apple Insider "Apple Computer has recently filed for patents on several interesting technologies that cover iPods wirelessly communicating with TVs, an online teleconferencing whiteboard, an integrated sensing display, and virtual keys of a touch-screen virtual keyboard."

Apple Shareholders' Meeting

2006-04-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

From Think Secret "Apple held its annual meeting for company shareholders at its Cupertino, Calif. campus this morning. The meeting is the only time during the year when shareholders can ask a question to Apple executives and receive a live, immediate response." The last part of the article is as follows "In a response to a question about Microsoft's Media Center, Jobs replied, 'we hear you loud and clear.'" Is Jobs hinting that Apple might release some kind of media center in the near future? I will let you be the judge.

iPod Content On Blu-ray Discs

2006-04-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

From iPod Hub "According to anonymous film industry insiders Apple has been asking studios to include iPod video content on Blu-ray discs. Though movies on Blu-ray discs are expected to start shipping next month and a large screen iPod is still probably months away, Apple wants to make sure that when their next-generation iPod is released it will have a sufficient library of playable content already available for customers to watch."

Apple Now Blocking MySpace In Their Retail Stores

2006-04-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

From ifoAppleStore "The flagship stores and others have had a chronic problem with visitors hogging the display computers and using them for hours on personal business, rather than demo’ing the computer or software." The article goes on to say "Now Apple has taken notice of the activity, but not from a crowd point of view. Rather, the stores’ Internet connections are apparently taking a hit from all the bandwidth activity. According to visitors, Apple is now blocking the MySpace.com Web site to cut down on net activity."

Apple Releases 17" MacBook Pro

2006-04-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Apple has just released the 17" version of the MacBook Pro and their website. It is priced at $2799 and includes a Intel Core Duo processor at 2.16 GHz, a 120 GB HDD, and a 8x Superdrive. It has a screen resolution of 1680 x 1050 and is stil only 1" thick.

Apple To Gain Narket Share

2006-04-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

"Needham & Co analyst Charles Wolf is maintaining a 'Hold' rating on Apple stock - but has hopes that Mac sales will surge once the entire range move to Intel. He expects the full product transition to complete by the first quarter of 2007. And he thinks that Boot Camp will be integral to future success. "Mac shipments could surge on the strength of the ability of Macs to run Windows applications," he wrote." The article goes on to explain other resons why Apple could gain market share.

More Google Redesign Screenshots

2006-04-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

It looks like someone else has screenshots of what appears to be another variation of a Google Redesign. It looks legit and other users have reportedy seen this too. I think that Google should combine this design with the one from the previous screenshots.

Nano To Get An Upgrade This Summer

2006-04-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

From T3 "In the wake of the touchscreen iPod delay, Apple will be launching new 8GB and 10GB iPod nanos in the summer. At least that’s what Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is saying." This seems a little odd to me because they would have to cost more than the current 4GB iPod. That would mean that the prices would be close to the 30GB Video iPod. I'm not sure if a lot of people would go for that. Unless Apple decided to replace the 2GB and 4GB models with the 8GB and 10GB models. That still leaves the 1GB, but I don't see Apple doing this. It's all just rumors. All we can do is wait and hope that Stevey J. will announce something cool soon.

Intel Steals Job's Thunder?

2006-04-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

From an article on the Intel Developer’s Forum in Taipei: "Apple customers may be the first to enjoy Intel’s new CPU goodies, with the Woodcrest family of processors making it into Macintosh workstations as early as the third quarter. Woodcrest systems will be symmetric multi processing (SMP), with dual processors with up to four cores each. One such machine was demonstrated at IDF, running benchmarks under Windows XP 64-bit edition, showing eight active cores." This is just pure speculation, but it could mean that Apple will be announcing the new Powermacs sometime in the semi-near future.

17" MacBook Pros To Arrive Sunday?

2006-04-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

From Infinite Loop "Some of us will never understand the allure of a 17" portable. Regardless of this, the PowerBook G4 iteration of the 17" phenomenon seems to have sold well. For professionals, the combination of portability and desktop real-estate was just too much to resist. With the onset of the Intel transition, the 17" PowerBook lost some of its appeal—its younger, more sleek 15" brother was almost instantly upgraded to the Core Duo while the 17" was stuck with yesterday's technology. According to the Register, those of you who have been holding out for Intel goodness in your behemoth might not have to wait much longer."

17" MacBook Pro To Be Released Next Week At NAB

2006-04-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

"The flagship Apple notebook is expected to debut at speeds faster than the company's 2.0GHz 15-inch MacBook Pro and pack additional storage capacity, well-placed sources have said. The over-sized portable, which will be built around a stellar 17-inch TFT widescreen display and look very similar to its 15-inch counterpart, will round out Apple's professional line MacBook Pro notebooks, those sources have said." The article goes on to say that Apple is not expected to release a 12" MacBook Pro and instead will release "a pair of "MacBook" consumer notebooks sporting a 13-inch widescreen display and Intel Core Duo processors" that have been delayed till "next month."

Dvorak Has Officially Lost It

2006-04-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

"A cloud is rising over Mac OS X and its future unless Apple makes its boldest move ever: turning OS X into an open-source project. That would make the battle between OS X and Linux the most interesting one on the computer scene. With all attention turned in that direction, there would be nothing Microsoft could do to stem a reversal of its fortunes," says John C. Dvorak in a column for PC Mag. Yes, it would be totally awesome if Apple did this, but there is no way it will ever happen. Apple has said that it is a software company. I want to hear all of you guy’s opinions on this. Feel free to leave a comment.

Stevie J. Declines To Write The Foreword For Wozniak's Autobiography

2006-04-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs has decided not to write the foreword to Steve Wozniak's autobiography. "I was a little disappointed -- Steve Jobs had indicated he'd write a forward. But he'd never written a forward before and I said, 'Just write what we were like back then,' Wozniak revealed in an interview with Seattle Times reporter Kim Peterson. "We sent him the book and he said, 'Oh, I saw some excerpts, and I'm going to decline writing the forward.'" Steve Wozniak goes on to say "I don't know why" he declined, explained Woz, "because I'm nice to him, so there must have been something he didn't like."

True Video iPod "Delayed"

2006-04-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

"The roll-out of Apple's forthcoming video iPod has been delayed substantially after the company encountered problems with the display and touch-screen interface, Think Secret has learned. As late as early February plans were in motion for Apple to deliver the most innovative iPod to date in April, possibly a tie-in with its 30th birthday, sources said. Instead, Apple's birthday came and went without fanfare." And I thought we could go a whole week without a video iPod rumor... silly me.

Google Calendar Is Here

2006-04-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Google Calendar has been luanched and is called "Google CL2" You can log in with an existing Google Account and take advantage of some of its great features. You can easily import calendars from Outlook and iCal so you can start using it right away.

Apple OS 10.5 Leopard Rumors

2006-04-12T20:18:00.000-07:00

Edit: Looks like it was just an April fools joke.

"Rumors are floating around about significant Apple OS X updates that could possibly blow the doors off of Windows Vista in the near future." If you don't want to read the whole article then at least read number 2, 6, 11, and 17.

DRM Comic Strip

2006-04-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

I ran across this comic at userfriendly.org and thought I would post about it. It is about DRM and it is totally true.

Firefox Flicks Is Here

2006-04-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Here are the ads for the Firefox ad competition. They are really good. My favorite is Double-Click Relief. Check them out. Hopefully there will be more soon. Go ahead and submit your own.

AT&T Forwards All Traffic to NSA

2006-04-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

AT&T is forwarding all traffic from there network and its peer network's users to the NSA. This is not only a major privacy issue, it could be a threat to the constitution itself. Here is a link to the EFF's page.

Apple and The Man Behind The Mac

2006-04-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

As most of you already know, April 1st was Apple's 30th birthday. If you are not familiar with the History of Apple, or you would just like to refresh your memory, here are some articles about Apple and some of the original Apple employees.

Steve Jobs: The Man Behind The Mac

Company History of Apple

Steve Wozniak

Apple's Wikipedia Article

Also check out the latest episode of TWiT where Leo talks to four of the original Apple employees Bill Fernandez, Andy Hertzfeld, Daniel Kottke, Randy Wigginton, and one of the founders Steve Wozniak. Direct Link To MP3.

Apple's Boot Camp Allows Booting of Linux On Intel Macs

2006-04-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

It appears that not only can you boot Windows with Boot Camp, you can boot Linux too. Check out these screenshots of the install. It also appears you can have OS X, Windows, and Linux installed at the same time. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Word Verifictation On Comments

2006-04-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

I have decided to disable comment moderation and turn on word verification instead. I am going to try it out for a while and see if it can stop spam sufficiently. Please let me know what you think.

Run Windows On Your Mac - Official Beta From Apple

2006-04-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

Apple has released a public beta called "Boot Camp" that allows Intel Mac owners to dual boot Windows XP on their Mac without much tech knowledge at all. "More and more people are buying and loving Macs. To make this choice simply irresistible, Apple will include technology in the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac. Called Boot Camp (for now), you can download a public beta today." You still have to go out and buy a copy of Windows, but I think it is good that Apple is doing this. Ultimately, this just makes it easy for "normal" people to run Windows on there Mac without having to manually install the boot files and patch the Windows CD.

True Video iPod to Be Released Tomorrow?

2006-04-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

In a comment on a Think Secret post about the true video iPod someone who works for Apple says that they are planning to release the new iPod tomorrow. He also says: "The ipod will have a 3.5 inch display starting at 50GB and going up to 100GB. It will also feature bluetooth technology. The battery on the ipod will playback up to 30 hours of music. And 15 hours of video." We will just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. The comment is at the bottom of the page by a person names Hashmir.

Intel iBook Coming In June

2006-04-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

From TAIPEI - "Asustek Computer Inc has secured a contract from Apple Computer Inc for iBook notebook personal computers, estimated at about 1.2 mln units initially, the Commercial Times reported, without citing sources. The laptops will be powered by Intel Corp microprocessors and equipped with 13.3-inch liquid crystal display panels. " The article also says that Apple will start selling them in June. Could Apple hold a keynote this month and announce them? We will just have to wait and see.

Apple Releasing New MacBook Pro Revisions to Adress Problems

2006-04-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Apple is releasing "Revision D" MacBook Pro that address issues such as heat, the whining noise, and AirPort problems. The new "Revision D" MacBook Pros have the serial number ""W8611". If you have a Macbook Pro that has a heat issue and becomes to hot to hold you can take it to the Apple Store and they will replace it with one of the new ones.

Google Earth April Fools Joke

2006-04-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

Hmmm. Interesting. It looks Area 51 has some visitors. Click the link "Area 51" if you have Google Earth. If not then click the "Read More" link.

Google Romance

2006-04-01T09:29:00.000-08:00

"When you think about it, love is just another search problem. And we’ve thought about it. A lot. Google Romance™ is our solution." Remember it's just a beta.

Google April Fools Page Released

2006-03-31T20:13:00.000-08:00

It looks like some screenshots have leeked of what appears to be an April fools prank at google.com/rooms. It features Larry Page's room. Just take a look for yourself.

Slashdot Redesign

2006-03-31T19:29:00.000-08:00

Looks like Slashdot has been redesigned. It is even uglier than before. They are trying to appeal to a larger audience. Just take a look and see for yourself. As the guy put it who submitted this to Digg: "This. Is. Sooo awesome! You guys are totally invited to my sleepover. We're gonna talk about servers, and soldering irons, and building...”

Gateway Accidentally Announces Core Solo CPU

2006-03-30T15:10:00.000-08:00

From Daily Tech: "Gateway has jumped the gun a bit by offering its NX100 notebook which is powered by Intel's Ultra Low Voltage Core Solo processors." The article goes on to say this about the notebook: "The 12.1" notebooks weighs just over three pounds, is less than an inch thick and will start at $1,399. That price includes a 12.1” WXGA screen, 2 USB ports, a Firewire port and a built-in 5-in-1 media reader. A variant aimed at businesses, the E-100M, will be start $200 higher."

R.I.P. UMD?

2006-03-30T15:07:00.000-08:00

From Hollywood Reporter: "Disappointing sales have slowed the flow of movies on the proprietary Universal Media Disc to a mere trickle. At least two major studios have completely stopped releasing movies on UMD, while others are either toying with the idea or drastically cutting back. And retailers also are cutting the amount of shelf space they've been devoting to UMD movies, amid talk that Wal-Mart is about to dump the category entirely." Wal-Mart has declined to make any comments on the reports, but it isn't looking good for PSP owners and Sony for that matter.

Free National Wi-Fi From Google?

2006-03-30T15:01:00.000-08:00

Google has filed patents that indicate they want to get into the free Wi-Fi market in a big way. From Business 2.0 Magazine: "More evidence has emerged that Google is getting ready to blanket the U.S. with free Wi-Fi, as Business 2.0 senior writer Om Malik reported last year. Now, the company has filed for three patents related to offering wireless Internet access. Search Engine Roundtable points out that the patents all have to do with serving up advertising through a wireless Internet connection maintained by a third party, whose brand Google would include in the presentation of those ads."

New iPod Firmware Allows Users To Cap Their iPod's Volume

2006-03-30T14:58:00.000-08:00

From Apple's Support Page: "The new 1.1.1 software update for iPod Nano and Fifth Generation iPod provides an easy way for you to set a maximum volume limit to prevent the volume from exceeding a certain level. You can also assign a combination to prevent the setting from being changed which is ideal for parental control." I don't think that very many kids out there will like this, but the majority of parents out there will never find out that his feature exists... unless Apple were to market it.

Mac OS X 10.5 Likely To Run Windows Apps

2006-03-30T14:52:00.000-08:00

There is now speculation that the next version of OS X (version 10.5) will be able to run Windows apps natively within OS X. From Gearlog: "In a stunning move, BAPCo, the industry-standard Windows benchmarking consortium, announced that Apple Computer has joined up as a member. BAPCo is responsible for the SYSmark 2004SE and MobileMark benchmark suites we use at PC Magazine Labs for testing PCs. BAPCo also produces the webserver test WEBmark." The article goes on to say: "This is significant because it means that Apple has now committed to Windows-based performance testing, and it will influence industry-standard testing methodologies going forward, possibly including Mac OS X testing."

Taking Off

2006-03-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody. I am taking off this week and will be back next Tuesday. I will do a wrap up of all the news when I get back. In the meantime, just check Digg for all the latest news.

SXSW To MPAA: STFU

2006-03-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

One of the panels at SXSW Interactive 2006 was The Future of Darknets. One of the panel members was Kori Bernards from the Motion Picture Association of America. All of the people there starting asking her questions about piracy. It is a good read about why the MPAA and RIAA don't really help piracy and are actually hurting artists rather than protecting them.

Mac Rumors: Apple Offering Full Length Movie In iTunes

2006-03-14T10:28:00.000-08:00

Apple is offering the Disney Channel original movie High School Musical in iTunes. It costs $1.99 and does not appear to be linked in the main music store. iTunes Movie Store announcement in April anyone?

Windows XP Booted On A Macintel?

2006-03-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

There appears to be a winner of the contest to see who can get Windows to boot of an Intel Mac. Narf2006 has posted in the On Mac forums claiming he has done it and he has a link to a Flickr set that looks to be XP on an Intel iMac. I hope that we will get confirmation soon.

Citi Says Apple's Transition to Intel To Be Complete by August

2006-03-14T08:44:00.000-08:00

"Citi expects Apple to complete its transition to Intel based microprocessors in August with the introduction of a new, dual-core PowerMac, with Intel-based iBooks coming as early as April. The brokerage also expects Apple to release a new video iPod in April." So I am going to make a bold statement and say that I think Apple will release a video iPod and a 13" widescreen iBook (MacBook) at a media event in early April.

Microsoft Kills Passport... Kind Of

2006-03-11T18:38:00.000-08:00

Microsoft has finally got rid of... er... renamed there universal Web logon system called Passport. Along with all there other online services, it will be called Windows Live ID. I hope they will at least improve it a little.

Apple Announces "Multi-Pass" System In iTunes

2006-03-11T09:32:00.000-08:00

Along with adding the Daily Show to the selection of TV shows in iTunes, Apple also releases a new system for purchasing TV shows. You pay $9.99 and get 16 episodes as they are released. This is a major discount from the previous $1.99 per episode. The Multi-Pass system is currently only available in the US Store and on select shows. I hope that they will apply this method to Lost and The Office. I would definitely pay that.

AppleInsider: Apple To Hold Spring Media Event

2006-03-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

"True to industry-wide speculation, the event is expected to fall around the iPod maker's 30th anniversary, which takes place on April 1, 2006." They also have some suggestions on what is to be released. "While the company's precise plans are shrouded in secrecy as usual, sources are almost certain the event will play host to a new line of 13-inch widescreen consumer iBook notebooks based on Intel microprocessors. Additional announcements such as a high-end 17-inch MacBook Pro and a high-profile iPod-related product may also be in the cards." What is this "high-profile iPod-related product" they are talking about? No one knows. We can only hope (and pray) for a video iPod.

Video iPod On April 1st

2006-03-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Analysts Craig Berger and James Schneider of Wedbush Morgan say that they have "independent confirmation from a reliable industry source" that Apple will release a redesigned Video iPod this spring or possibly on April 1st. They believe it will cost $400 to $500 and sport a larger LCD, more storage, and better battery life. Could the iPod AV be real?

iMac G5 Now EOL

2006-03-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

If you were hoping to get one of the last iMacs with Power PC Processors then you are out of luck. Apple has officially stopped selling the 20" iMac G5. "With immediate effect, the following product and it's relate configurations are "End of Life" (EOL) and no further orders can be taken." So now Apple has migrated the MacBook Pro (Powerbook), iMac, and Mac Mini to Intel. What will be next? Hopefully we will found out on April 1st at Apple's 30th birthday bash.

Vista Will Not Support EFI

2006-03-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

Microsoft announced at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco that Windows Vista will not support booting with Intel's Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI). What does this mean, you ask? It means that you will not be able to boot Vista on those Mactels as previously thought. There will be support for EFI in Longhorn Server though. I can just see people now. "I just bought a MacBook Pro. Now it's time to install Longhorn Server. Yay!!" Don't give up hope completely though. Someone could figure out how to get XP to boot. If you want something besides OS X, then why not try linux?

Microsoft Unveils Origami Project

2006-03-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

From Microsoft: " With powerful processors, big, bright displays, easy input options, and support for the latest connectivity standards, Ultra-Mobile PCs are ready for your life on the go."

iPod AV?

2006-03-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Ok. I know a lot of you were disappointed about Apple's recent announcements. This might cheer you up. Here are some pictures of the "iPod AV" complete with touchscreen and virtual touch screen. These look very real. Professionals have analyzed these and so far everything looks good. I think this is the real deal. Think Secret is saying this will be released April 1st at Apple's 30th birthday celebration. Also notice that Ice Age 2 is playing on the iPod AV in the first picture. iTunes movie store anyone?

Mac Mini: My Thoughts

2006-03-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

While I was at the Apple Store, I also got a chance to check out the new Mac Mini. The model I tested was the 1.66 GHz Core Duo model. The first thing I noticed while using it was how fast web browsing was. Browsing the web used to be slow on all Macs, especially the Mac Mini. It loaded pages one after another, without hesitation. All of the iLife Apps loaded and ran very well compared to the old Mac Mini; although, it was still noticeably slower than a MacBook Pro or iMac. They had Microsoft installed on the one I was using and I was surprised to find that it ran VERY slow in Rosetta. It took about a minute to load Word and there was quite a bit of lag time for text to appear. It was so slow that I wouldn't really want to use it at all. I did not get to try out Front Row, but video playback in iTunes seemed fine, despite the fact that they switched to Intel Integrated Graphics. There is not much to say about the new Mac Mini. If you are looking to buy a low cost Mac and don't plan to use any pro apps and are willing to wait for a universal version of Microsoft Office then I think you would be satisfied. I don't know of any full reviews at this time, but I will post a link if I come across one.

iPod Hi-Fi: My Thoughts

2006-03-04T15:25:00.000-08:00

I went to the opening of a new Apple Store in North Park mall today and got to check out all the cool new products released last week. There is not a lot to say about the new contraption that you dock you iPod in. Well, it plays music... from your iPod, and it does a dang good job of it. The sound quality was far superior of the Bose SoundDock sitting next to it. The most noticeable difference in sound quality over other iPod sound docks was the bass performance. One reason I hate the Bose SoundDock so much is the fact that it has hardly any bass, if any. In fact, the iPod Hi-Fi had such good bass that it made the table vibrate and you could see and feel the subwoofer inside of it. It also had better volume than other iPod sound docks. There are some problems I have with it though. First off, it is very heavy. I could not see carrying it around the house or in the backyard. Second, your iPod is not locked into dock and could fall off if picked up. I much prefer the design of the Altec Lansing inMotion and it's little door thing you open up and slide your iPod into. I did like that it can be controlled with the included Apple Remote and that there are customized settings for the dock in the new iPod firmware. If you do not plan to move you iPod dock around then I would definitely go with the iPod Hi-fi over any of the other Sound Docks. If you want more than please read PC Mag's Review.

Why Windows Vista Will suck

2006-03-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

Here is an article written by Ziff Davis's Internet senior editor Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols. It is about why Vista will suck and how Linux and OS X is far superior to XP and will still be superior when Vista is released. Read it before you start complaining or saying that OS X or Linux sucks. The guy makes some good points. This is why I am buying a Mac.

Apple To Release Video iPod With 4-inch Display

2006-03-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

From Think Secret: " Apple's forthcoming "true" video iPod will feature a 4-inch display with a quarter-inch border, allowing the device to maintain dimensions typical of previous iPods, further sources have confirmed. Think Secret first broke word of the upcoming touch-screen iPod in early February." Think Secret believes it will be released sometime in March or April; along with a movie download service in iTunes. I think if Apple is going to release I think they will do it on there 30th birthday on April 1st. This sounds pretty promising.

Apple To Release Movie Store?

2006-03-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

From Apple Insider: "A survey distributed this week through Coyote Insight, a Fullerton, Calif.-based market research firm, asked that participants answer a series of questions related to a potential "iTunes movie service" that would provide on-demand access to movies that could be downloaded to a computer or iPod." From the survey: "This iTunes service would provide access to 1,000 movies on demand which can be downloaded to your computer and, in turn, to your video iPod if you have one, or even your television if it is connected to your computer," The survey talks about an "all you can eat" service for around $9.99 a month or purchasing movies at #12.95 each.

"Origami" Project Confirmed By Microsoft

2006-03-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

"A new portable media device that allows users to listen to music, play video games, browse the internet and jot hand-written notes is the initial vision of a product in development by Microsoft and its partners, the software giant confirmed." Microsoft is only calling Origami "a concept we've been working on with partners." We were supposed to get an announcement about this, but Microsoft has changed there mind (what a suprise) and there will be no announcement this week.

Apple Holding Out On Us?

2006-02-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

Could Apple be holding off a product announcement? The way Steve Jobs ended quickly and abruptly and the fact that ended at a rather strange time just didn’t seem right. I was expected there to be more than that. I mean, an Intel Mac Mini and some iPod accessories isn’t bad, just not what a lot of us expected. Could Apple have held back due to Microsoft’s “surprise media presentation” to be held this evening where an "innovative concept in development" will be unveiled? People believe Microsoft will announce the Origami Project at this evening event. Could Apple be holding out on us so Microsoft won’t steal Apple’s thunder? This is just what I see from the situation. I am probably way off, but it could be a possibility.

The Apple Store Is Back Up

2006-02-28T10:57:00.000-08:00

The Apple Store is back up. Go check out those new products!!!

Keynote Has Officialy Ended

2006-02-28T10:53:00.000-08:00

The keynote has ended. The Apple store is not yet open. Could Apple have a suprise in store for us?

Keynote Over Already?

2006-02-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

Steve Jobs has walked off stage and thanked everyone for coming. Could this be all?

iPod Hi-Fi Specs

2006-02-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

From iLounge: Pull black grille off of white box to reveal three speaker drivers. Integrated power supply - no brick. Power it off of six D-size batteries if you want. "Several hours outside." Two 80mm mid-range drivers in sealed acoustic suspension. In center is 130mm dual voice coil woofer, ported bass reflex design. Great bass, doesn't distort when cranked up. Universal Dock connector and integrated handles.

Apple Announces iPod Hi-Fi

2006-02-28T10:32:00.000-08:00

Apple announces iPod Hi-Fi iPod dock. Looks like one center speaker. Could there be more. Home theater?

Mac Mini Info

2006-02-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

From iLounge: "New Mac mini Based on Intel Intel Core Solo, Intel Core Duo versions 2.5x - 3.2x faster Same exact form factor Front Row software IR sensor on right of disc slot Six button Apple remote -- New Features -- Shared Music - Bonjour technology, allows devices to find themselves automatically over a network, access music library wirelessly. Shared Photos and Video - Same idea only for photos and videos. Can stream iTunes TV shows. "Front row with Bonjour" is the software's name. Media from any other mac or windows computer running iTunes will be piped over to the Mac mini hooked up to your television set. Mac mini comes with iLife '06. Standard features: Tiger + iLife '06, Apple Remote + Front Row, Airport Extreme + Bluetooth, DVI Video Out, USB, FireWire, Gigabit Ethernet. 1.5ghz Core Solo 667 mhz fsb, 512mb memory, integrated graphics 60GB drive, combo drive - $599 Second model with Core Duo - 1.67, 80GB drive + SuperDrive - $799 Both available today."

Apple Announces Intel Mac Mini

2006-02-28T10:28:00.000-08:00

Apple has announced to new Mac Mini models with Front Row. There will be a Core Solo model at 1.5GHz and a Core Duo model at 1.67GHz.

Apple To Announce Movie Downloads In iTunes

2006-02-26T16:43:00.000-08:00

From The Business Online: "APPLE, whose iTunes internet music site sold its billionth tune last week, is preparing to launch a film download service. An announcement is expected as early as this week." They also said: "There is also speculation among US analysts that Apple is also working on additional video and audio-enabled products to complement a revamped iTunes services offering feature-length films. Some believe Apple is also planning to unveil a new widescreen computer notebook to be called the “Macbook”, which will be distinctive because of its small size and widescreen cinema display. It is expected to retail at less than $1,500 (£840, E1,215). There is also talk that Apple is planning the launch of an Apple-branded hi-fi that will enable iPod users to dock their iPod music player into a device that will then turn the compact digital music player into a fully-fledged hi-fi that will enable them to share their music collection in the living room, the kitchen or at the beach." So let's sum this up. On February the 28th Apple is going to release a widescreen MacBook, a Video iPod, movie downloads, and an iPod boombox. All I will say is that they will definitely unveil a widescreen iBook dubbed the MacBook.

MacBook Pro - My Thoughts

2006-02-26T16:07:00.000-08:00

I made a trip over to the good ol’ Apple Store today to get a look at the MacBook Pro. At first glance it looked just like a G4 PowerBook except for the noticeable iSight and the brighter screen. It seemed noticeably faster than a G4 Powerbook, although all the MacBook Pros there were the 2GHz models. They seemed as fast as the new iMacs and the screen looked awesome. As for the reports of a whining noise coming from the LCD or the screen being brighter at the bottom, I barely noticed either. If you put your ear up against the keyboard you can hear a hissing noise, but it was not very noticeable. As for the screen, you could only notice the screen defect if you turn the brightness way down and it is still hard to notice then. I coerced the Apple sales guy to go hunt me down a Apple Remote so I could test Front Row. I was thoroughly impressed. It was very fast and simple to use and it looked great. The only thing is that the remote would control all three of the MacBook Pros at the same time, which could become an issue if you are around other people with MBPs, although I don't think it would interfere unless you are pretty close to them. I closed the lid and then waited about 30 seconds and when I lifted the lid it woke up almost instantaneously. After turning it off, booting it up seemed to take a while. I played around with Word in Rosetta and it seemed fast enough. The only thing I noticed was it was a little slow while backspacing. So I bet you are wondering about battery life and the MagSafe connecter. Well, I quickly unplugged the MagSafe connecter and checked the time before the Apple Sales guy saw me and the meter read 3:43. As for the connector, it locked into place tightly, yet could be pulled out if jostled. That was just my first impressions and thoughts. For a full review and benchmarks see Macworld's Review.

12" MacBook Pro?

2006-02-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

I was customizing a MacBook Pro to do some pricing and when I added it to my cart to get tax and shipping information I saw that under the "Other Recommendations for You" it had a 1.83GHz MBP listed but it appeared to have a 12" screen. This probably doesn't mean anything, but it is kind of strange. Here are the screenshots:

Delta Park Project

2006-02-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

Hey guys. I just wanted to spread the word about an awesome podcast I listen too. It is a pop culture podcast that has movie reviews, funny clips, and all the latest pop culture news. They also have a great Lost podcast and a new book club podcast. Be sure to check them out and if you like what you hear then be sure to join there fan club.

Apple Rumors Roundup

2006-02-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

As you all know, Apple sent out invitations to a press event to be held on Tuesday, February the 28th. Let's get to the rumors surrounding what will be released at this event. 1. Analysts Predict Intel Mac Mini and iBook. "We believe Apple will take the opportunity to round out its Intel Mac portfolio 6 - 9 months ahead of plan with a new widescreen consumer notebook (likely called "MacBook") and entry-level Mac mini, both of which will include a remote control and Front Row software." 2. iTunes MOVIE Store. Shaw Wu expects Apple will use the event to launch a world-first - a movie download service through iTunes. He said: "We believe there is a greater-than-50 per cent chance that Apple will announce its first, full-length feature films available for download on iTunes." 3. The "True" Video iPod. This photo was sent to Mac Shrine and appears to be from the same factory where the iPod pictures last November were taken. It follows the description provided by several rumor sites. Update: The above pciture is definitely a fake. The guy who did it was a genius though. Click HERE to see how he did it.

Apple To Hold Press Event of Feb. 28

2006-02-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

Apple has sent out an invitation to select media, including iLounge, to a special event that will be held at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California on February 28th. The invitation, which only features an iCal-like calendar image, reads: “Come see some fun new products from Apple.” I will get to all the rumors in my next post.

More Apple Patents Suggest Apple Tablet

2006-02-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Here are more patents filed by Apple Computer that point to an Apple Tablet. The example shown is a on-screen keyboard with OS X above it. I think this definately means Apple has a tablet in the works. I wouldn't buy that MacBook Pro to soon.

Dvorak Predicts That Apple Will Adopt Windows

2006-02-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

Here he goes again. In article written for PC Mag, John C. Dvorak predicts that Apple will move to Windows and abandon OS X all-together. Thus Apple would become a hardware company. I don't really see this happening, but he does make some compelling arguments. After all, Steve Jobs did say that Apple is a hardware company and not a software company. Dvorak also "predicted" Apple's move to Intel and people thought he was crazy then.

New MacBook Pro Upgrades

2006-02-14T07:36:00.000-08:00

Apple has upgraded the new MacBook Pros to a 1.83 GHz Core Duo (from a 1.67 GHz) on the $1999 model and to a 2.0 GHz Core Duo (was 1.83 GHz) on the $2499 model. You can also upgrade the $2499 model to a 2.16 GHz processor for $300 more. If you purchased a MacBook Pro before this update you can send it back and they will give you a new one with the upgraded processor.

New Intel Clovertown Quad Core Pocessors

2006-02-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

Intel has announced that its new four-core processor codenamed Clovertown will be shipping to manufactures late this year and will be available sometime in early 2007. They will be made specifically for servers with dual processors. So you would have an eight-processor server, two processors with four-cores each. I want one of those.

Scratch-Proof Nano Coatings

2006-02-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

Could this be the fix for the iPod's screen problem and be a possibilty for a new touch screen iPod? "New spray-on, nanotech coatings could keep iPod screens from scratching, make paper products waterproof and perform other minor modern miracles."

Apple Files New Patent Application

2006-02-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

Apple has filed a new patent application on Mode-based graphical user interfaces for touch sensitive input devices. Could this be the touch screen video iPod we have all been hoping for? In Figure 35D is something much larger than an iPod. Could it be the Apple tablet? This looks like a pretty good design, but even the current iPod screen gets smudged and scratched easily. How will this not get smudged when you are running your fingers across the screen. Here is a picture I found in the comments of digg. This could be what an Apple Tablet/iPod could look like:

AT&T Claims MPEG-4 Patent

2006-02-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

From PC Mag: "AT&T possesses several patents related to video compression, which the company says are an essential component of the MPEG-4 video technology. In a bid to drive its global licensing program, AT&T has targeted Apple Computer, Inc., CyberLink Corp., DivX, Inc., InterVideo, Inc., and Sonic Solutions as unlicensed companies whose products and software utilize the MPEG-4 technology." I sure hope that AT&T won't really get much from this. They only care now that everybody is using MPEG-4 in there players. A spokesperson for AT&T said: "The intellectual property developed by AT&T is a core component of MPEG-4 capability. We are actively discussing and working out terms with each company for the licensing of that intellectual property, to enable them to fully take advantage of the technology."

"Leaked" 6G iPod Photos

2006-02-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

This looks pretty realistic, but it is probably just photoshopped. It is probably pretty true to what Apple might be making. UPDATE: Looks like these are definately fakes. Somone on Digg noticed that the song it is playing in the picture "A Certain Romance" isn't on the album "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor. Also, that is not the correct album art.

iTunes Billion Song Countdown

2006-02-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

There is countdown to the billionth song purchase on Apple's site. You can watch the counter go up right in front of you and see the album art of what people are buying in real-time. It is also a contest with some awsome prizes. Here are the deets: "The music fans who download every 100,000th song will receive a prize package featuring a black 4GB iPod nano and a $100 iTunes Music Card. And if you're the lucky grand-prize winner who downloads the billionth song from the iTunes Music Store, you'll receive a 20-inch iMac, 10 60GB iPods, and a $10,000 iTunes Music Card to jumpstart your digital music collection. In addition, Apple will create a full-ride scholarship in your name to a world-renowned music school."

1GB iPod Nano

2006-02-07T09:50:00.000-08:00

"*Drum Roll* Introducing... we're very excited about this... the new 1GB iPod Nano." That is what Steve Jobs would have said if he announced the new Nano at a keynote. We all knew that this was coming, just not without a keynote. Apparently Apple just added it to the Australian store last night and it became available in the U.S. store sometime this morning. The price is $150 which is 50 bucks more than the 1GB shuffle. I guess that an extra $50 is worth it to get a screen and the sleekness of the Nano.

Buy Your Senator An iPod

2006-02-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

I don't know if any of you remember this story. Engadget: "An 82-year old Alaskan Senator (by the name of Stevens, sir) was given an iPod by his daughter, which resulted in his finally coming to understand how real people interact with real technology, and supposedly thusly found content execs getting the third degree as a result of it." Well because that worker Ipac (the Intellectual Property Action Committee) has started a campaign to buy iPods for all the senators that are for the Broadcast Flag and other restricting acts by the MPAA and RIAA. I am thinking about giving money to this. They have already sent 2 iPods to senators.

IE 7 Public Beta 2

2006-02-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

Ok I know what you are going to say... "People still use that?", "IE what?", or "Microsoft has a browser?" Even though IE is a thing of the past for most techies, IE 7 does have new features that might be "competitive" with Firefox. I have been playing around with it and the RSS features are kinda nice. There is also another feature that I like that you can probably get in Firefox with an extension. It is called "Quick Tabs" and what it does is give you a preview of all your open tabs. This is useful if you are one of those multi-taskers that has like 70 tabs open. The interface is ok. I much prefer Firefox's UI and feel, but at least with IE 7 you don't get memory leaks every 10 minutes. Overall, IE 7 is an ok browser, but it still lacks support for extensions and themes. There is still the issue of security. I think I will stay with Firefox for now.

Google Site Redesign?

2006-01-28T23:49:00.000-08:00

Some people have been seeing something strange happening with Google lately. Lots of people, including myself, have seen all the links above the search field disappear and a drop down menu appears to the right of the search field. From the menu you can select if you want to search Web, Images, Groups, etc. It only happens briefly. When you refresh it is gone and back to normal. Could this be Google hinting at a sight redesign? Here is a screenshot:

MPPA Accused of Piracy

2006-01-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

"he Motion Picture Assn. of America, the leader in the global fight against movie piracy, is being accused of unlawfully making a bootleg copy of a documentary that takes a critical look at the MPAA's film ratings system." See.. everyone does it. No... but really, that's just funny. Are they going to sue themself?

DRM Is A Complete Lie

2006-01-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

From the Inquirer: "DRM is a complete lie. It has never protected a single thing." Finally, people get it. This is a good read.

Re-Introducing The Real Windows Vista

2006-01-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Windows Vista is just a copy of Mac OS X. Sceptic? Need proof? Here it is. This is audio of the Windows Vista product manager talking about the new features in Vista with a video of the same things already in OS X. There are three episodes on this page.

Microsoft Aims to Erase Their "Huge Company" Image

2006-01-23T11:53:00.000-08:00

Ok... so the world's LARGEST software company is spending $120 million dollars to fight it's image as "a huge American company." I don't think of them as a huge company. I see them as: a skinny rich dude who runs like a girl and a fat sweaty guy dancing around screaming " developers, developers , developers!!"