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Getting the iPhone, eh?
It had to happen sooner or later. The iPhone is set to finally hop the border and make its way into the Great White North.
Rogers Communications has secured the rights to distribute the iPhone in Canada, adding it to the ever-growing league of iPhone-enabled nations. The release is set for later this year.
More symbolically, the iPhone is now encroaching on the home turf of Blackberry maker Research In Motion, which is based in the possibly aptly-named town of Waterloo, Ontario. Thus, setting up a symbolic showdown of the over-hyped handsets as Apple's "JesusPhone" takes on the "CrackBerry" in RIM's backyard.
Rumor: iPhone may soon hit back
The latest rumor to make its way around claims that Apple is looking to put tactile feedback into the iPhone. In English: Apple wants to make the keypad move when you touch it.
In addition to being a rumor, the story is also in the very early stages, as the reports only claim that Apple execs are meeting with Immersion Corporation, the company that does feedback technology for Sony's Playstation controllers. An anonymous Apple employee claims that the two sides are discussing ways in which the technology could be used in the iPhone.
Welcome news for everyone who continues to struggle with the animating keypad.
One of the big gripes amongst iPhone newbies has been the inability to have any sort of feedback when typing a message. On normal keypads, the user gets the sensation of pressing down a button. Since the iPhone's keypad is on-screen, users only have the visual cue of an animating button to let them know when a key is pressed. A seemingly small issue, until you first try it yourself.
Many users have adjusted to the issue over time. For many dyed-in-the-wool Crackberry users, however, the on-screen keypad has been a dealbreaker. If it's done right, tactile feedback on the iPhone could be a nice addition that brings a few more into the fold.
New iMacs
Time for another update to the trusty old iMac.
The all-in-one that has been Apple's bread and butter for the last decade or so has gotten a minor tweak, receiving a new processor boost and a few other updates, such as more standard RAM and new graphics options.
Most of the really cool stuff, such as the 3.06ghz Intel Core2 Duo processor and the new Nvidia GeForce 8800 chips are only going to be available as built-to-order options, so you'll have to dip a little deeper into the bank account to land those goodies. But, as a Mac user you don't mind paying a bit more for quality, do you?
Well, if Apple's latest quarterly numbers are any indication, you certainly don't. The Mac line continues to make up a very large portion of revenues as Apple continues its streak of record profits.
Saint Steve vs. Uncle Sam
As if Apple wasn't seeing enough of the feds with this whole SEC thing. Now, we get word that the mothership is running afoul of the military.
The whole issue seems to center around Apple's purchase of chipmaker P.A. Semi. Apple has purchased the chipmaker presumably in order to use its processors in future iPhone and iPod models.
Now, word has come up that PA also makes chips for OEMs that are then used in systems sold to the military.
We all know that Apple doesn't play well with others. In fact, one of the first things Steve Jobs did upon returning to the company was kill off Apple's OEM program.
There's the rub. The OEMs, afraid that Apple will cut off their supply of chips, have reportedly gone to the department of defense, setting the stage for a battle between Apple and the Feds.
Another big quarter
It's hard to believe that not long ago Apple was supposedly dead in the water. These days, the company is clearing 1 billion dollars in profits every 3 months or so.
This quarter, it was a cool $1.05bn, mainly from everyone's favorite unsung hero, the Macintosh. 1.4 million Macs were sold this quarter, giving the folks down in Cupertino a cool $3.5bn in revenue. iPod didn't fare too badly either, clearing 10.6 million units sold.
Remember the fuss about the price markup on the iPhone? Not so much, it seems. Despite selling 1.7 million units, Apple's iPhone hardware and accessory business only pulled in about $375 million.
Apple to launch online 3D store?
The latest round of gossip has Apple possibly looking to start a new online store in the image of 3D worlds such as Second Life.
Normally, Apple doesn't go into markets that other big names have failed in, so one has to ask, what could Apple do what the likes of IBM and Sun couldn't accomplish: make a 3D outlet that people actually care about?
I guess there's the iTunes store, which relies heavily on visuals, but even that doesn't solve the fundamental problem of these online 3D outlets: there's nothing to make them any more appealing than current 2D formats. Users simply don't want to go through the hassle of loading and navigating a virtual world just to look at a 3D image of a product. The lure simply is not there.
Can anyone think of any reason for Apple to go metaverse?
The OpenMac saga
The latest news item to rock the Mac world is the saga of the OpenMac and its parent company,Psystar.
The firm came out and claimed to be developing a system built on regular PC hardware that would run OS X. This got a bit of attention and lead a few people to ask some questions. Apple did, after all, ban the production of any and all Mac clones shortly after Steve Jobs triumphant return.
Imagine the shock that was in store for nobody, then, when the company was exposed as a scam.
News sites, bloggers, and readers all descended on the company and in no time at all the ugly truth about Psystar was revealed. The company's address was found as a fake, it's owner exposed as a possible
malware pusher, and its payment system flagged as a possible phishing scam.
Sad story, but nothing new. In fact, this whole saga brought to memory the story of another vaporware Mac clone.
Back in 2000, a supposed Swedish startup named Xtrem was pushing a new Mac clone that would run at 1.2ghz, more than double the speed of the fastest G4 Mac at the time.
The company swore up and down at the time that it was totally legit and that its super mac would be around any day now. Of course, the mystery machine never did appear, the company switched its efforts to home overclocking kits, and is now relegated to the super-obscure section of Mac history.
iPhone price drop: gearing up or getting desperate?
It's an iPhone fire sale! Prices are being slashed, deals are being made and prices are innnsaaannne! Everything must go!
That's right, all you Germans and Brits can take advantage of some major cuts to the price of the iPhone handset (though the service plans remain the same.) T-Mobile has dropped the cost of an 8GB iPhone to 99 euros, while folks over in the UK can now get their hands on the iPhone for a mere 167 pounds. If you want a 16GB iphone however, you're still going to pay full price.
Now, depending on your point of view, this is either a good thing or an ominous sign.
If you're looking on the bright side, this is very likely a clearance of the old iPhone models in preparation for a 3G version of the iPhone.
Jobs said last summer that the company was working on a 3G iPhone, and Saint Steve virtually never talks about a product that isn't already green-lighted and on its way. At the time, Jobs said that battery issues were the only thing holding the new phone back.
A price drop could very well indicate that Apple has figured the battery drain issue out and wants to clear out stock for a big new release this summer.
Of course, if you're a pessimist, this could also be news. It's no secret that the iPhone has not met the expectations of many analysts. With a new crop of smartphones hitting the market, it could be that carriers are getting nervous and looking to drop the iPhone's price tag in order to compete with the latest offerings from bigger manufacturers.
So, is this price cut a simple clearance of the old stock, or is Apple starting to feel the heat from the 'iPhone killers'?
Mac community mourns Stan Flack
Sad news today. Mac news pioneer Stan Flack has passed away at the age of 42.
Flack is best known as the founder and original editor of MacCentral. The news site launched in 1994 and later expanded to become a daily news site before selling to Mac Publishing in 1999. The site was a blog before the term "blog" even really existed, and was one of the main influences on many of the independent Mac news sites and blogs that exist today.
Flack's personal friends Jim Dalrymple and Peter Cohen have written their own tributes which are well worth reading.
What can phone companies learn from the iPod?
Nokia has become the latest company to roll out an 'iPhone killer.' The new touch-screen phone will also feature built-in java and DVB-H mobile connectivity. The device will also likely feature Wi-Fi or HDSPA connectivity.
Given Nokia's heavyweight status on the mobile phone market, it's also likely that the company will be able to sell its phone at a lower price than Apple.
So, to review: Nokia's phone will have more features, a lower price tag, and the support of one of the biggest vendors in the industry. Sounds like Apple is dead in the water, right?
Not if history is any indication.
To see the uphill battle it will face, Nokia needs to look no further than the last great Apple gadget: the iPod.
Throughout the history of the iPod, there have been competitive devices that, for all practical purposes, looked like better devices. There were vendors who were in the portable media player market long before Apple that would have appeared to have an edge. And yet, the iPod beat them, and beat them good.
We all know what the most famous failed "iPod killer" was...
But that one is just too easy, so let's use the example of the Creative Zen player instead. Several years ago, the Zen was sporting a full-color interface, a removable battery, and the ability to play movies.
What happened then? Well, the Zen's clunky interface and awkward "menu" and "back" button navigation didn't help. Neither did its clunky size, which was more suited for a backpack than a hipster's front pocket. And of course the rise of the iTunes music store definitely hurt the Zen.
The pervasive theme was that despite all of its superior features, the Zen wasn't an iPod. It wasn't sleek, sexy, and simple. The bells and whistles weighted it down, it was a swiss army knife at a time when people just wanted a nail file.
If Nokia, and other mobile phone vendors want to take on the iPhone and win, they'll have to start by not trying to make an "iPhone killer." One-upping Apple on features often does not work, because Apple doesn't emphasize features so much as it emphasizes a user experience. The real iPhone killer will have to take this into account, and be designed not as "iPhone +1", but as "iPhone reinvented."
iTunes claims music crown
Well, it's official, iTunes has officially usurped Wal-Mart to become the number 1 music retailer here in the colonies.
In less than five years, the iTunes store has served up some 4 billion songs to some 50 million people. Not bad, considering that when the store was originally launched, many saw it as little more than a way to stimulate iPod sales.
But it's not all fun and games for Apple. MySpace attempted to dump a little rain on Apple's parade by announcing its own music download service. Should the fellas over in Cupertino's First Church of Saint Steve be worried? Well, I'm guessing that after the beatings iTunes has been delivering to Amazon and Microsoft's competing services, one more big name in the mix won't be much.
Then again, I'm sure Wal-Mart wasn't worried five years ago when they heard that a computer company was going to start selling songs over the internet...
Mac Inspector to change formats
Since the blog was launched in July of last year, Mac Inspector has exceeded expectations and been a great place to vent my thoughts on all things Apple. Unfortunately, times change. The journalism world is becoming increasingly competitive and outlets are being forced to go to greater lengths to make ends meet.
In light of this, we've been forced to change the format on this blog.
Mac Inspector has signed a new sponsorship agreement with Microsoft and will henceforth be known as Windows Avenger.
Our coverage will shift from the MacOS platform to Microsoft's dynamic and dominant Windows Vista OS. We're thrilled to have made this deal with Microsoft which will bring a much-needed infusion of cash and will allow us to evangelize Vista.
We plan on introducing such dynamic new features as the "driver countdown clock" where users can count down the days until their favorite peripherals will work with Vista. We also plan on producing a new pamphlet entitled "why Vista" listing all of the reasons why Vista is superior to Windows XP. Users will be able to print out this pamphlet and distribute it to stubborn friends, bosses, and PC manufacturers who refuse to jump into the pristine waters of Vista.
As for you Mac users, I would like to thank you for reading Mac Inspector and would like to urge you all to purchase new Vista-ready PCs and join the new Windows Avenger community.
...Happy April Fool's day.
MacSweeper returns
Some of you may still remember the story of MacSweeper, the rogue Mac antivirus tool that appeared around the time of the MacWorld Expo. Back then, the story got overshadowed by the Steve Jobs keynote and its star attraction, the MacBook Air.
Well, now that we have your full attention again, it appears as if the MacSweeper gang may be back. Researchers at Symantec are reporting that a new variation on MacSweeper has re-emerged under the name iMunizator. This version appears to be even more of a danger than the original MacSweeper which, aside from being a scam, was relatively harmless. Symantec claims that this one goes so far as to claim that legitimate software needs to be removed.
Consider yourselves warned.
