So why then, isn't there any connection between Ping and Facebook? According to Steve Jobs, it wasn't for lack of trying. The Apple chief told All Things D that Facebook demanded "Onerous terms that we could not agree to."

What does that mean? Well, we know that Apple doesn't play well with others, so it could have ranged from a simple point of impasse to a massive difference in opinions between the two firms.

Could it have something to do with access to user information? Facebook has been notorious for exposing and sharing more data than its users would like, perhaps Apple wasn't willing to hand over the keys to user iTunes accounts.

Or perhaps there was a business angle. Facebook has amassed a huge user base, and should the company look to get into the music distribution business, having a blueprint of the current market leader's setup could prove invaluable. Apple is no doubt aware of this and perhaps they just didn't want to give Facebook that sort of information.

Regardless of the reasons, it's a safe bet that we won't be getting much more information any time soon. Both companies are notoriously tight-lipped about such matters.

On another note, the Ping network itself is getting mixed reviews. While some analysts are looking favourably on the move, others, such as Forrester analyst Mark Mulligan are less impressed.

Writes Mulligan:

"At risk of sounding over cynical this sounds very similar to Microsoft and Yahoo citing their massive installed bases of email users as a social network simply waiting to be connected. Similarly Nokia with their handset customers. Apple now appears to be joining the ranks of multinational companies who mistake large installed bases of engaged customers as a dormant social network."

Brief hat-tip to Woz. Always good to see Apple's top geek get recognition.

Brief round up on new stores and apple retail. Jobs says that traffic is upwards of a million people per day, and half of all Mac sales are to new users.

On to iOS: 230,000 new activations per day. More than 6.5 billion apps, 200 downloads every second.

iOS 4.1 now being announced. Bug fixes. HDR photos (will be explained later) HD uploads, TV rentals and game centre.

HDR photos: takes multiple exposure photos and combines for best image. Should be useful for those quick outdoor shots.

Gamecenter: API and app made for multi-player and online games.Users can manage games, friend lists, leaderboards match up automatically. This could help Apple keep momentum in the gaming area amidst stepped-up efforts from the PSP and Android platforms. Epic Games now demonstrating Project Sword RPG.

Steve now back onstage. iOS 4.1 coming out next week as a free download on ITunes. Onto a sneak peek of 4.2, out in November this year and focusing on iPad. All the bells and whistles of iOS 4, wireless printing support.

Remember AirTunes? It's back for iPad under the name AirPlay.Jobs is demonstrating it by running Pandora while browsing the web. About time iPad got an implementation of iOS 4.

Alright, onto the meat of the matter: New iPods!

New version of every model. First, the Shuffle... buttons are back, design looks an awful lot like the second generation, with buttons and playlists from the third generation. Slightly smaller as well. Five colours, $49 retail price.

Onto the Nano: Clickwheel is gone, multi-touch is in. At that size could there be problems for those of us with big, clumsy thumbs? 24 hour battery life, FM radio, all that Nike+ stuff for the workout crowd. To get an idea of the new design, think a small, square iPhone screen with a clip on the back.

iPod Touch: touted as "iPhone without the contract." O2 and AT&T must be thrilled with that.
Upgrades: Thinner case, retina display. A4 processor, 3 axis gyro, front camera and FaceTime over WiFi. 40 hour battery life. 8GB $229, 32GB $299, 64GB $399. All launching next week, pre-orders starting today.

And now for iTunes... the CD logo is out, button-style logo is in. List view turned into hybrid view.. replaces repeated album titles with cover art. Ping music sharing. Jobs describes as Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes. Lists, shares recent activity. Those who tend to go on embarrassing iTunes buying sprees after a few too many drinks at the pub should be wary. In addition to music sharing, there's concert listings, artist bulletins and event sharing. Pretty standard social networking stuff.

iTunes 10 will be available today. Free download from Apple.

One more thing...

Apple TV: Jobs admits it hasn't been a big seller. Big studio movies, HD movies. Storage and synching are out. Much smaller size, support for Netflix streaming. Slide shows, TV downloads, etc. Nothing extraordinary to turn Apple TV into a game-changer, but a nice upgrade overall. Price cut from $229 to $99. That will definitely help sales. Apple TV just didn't make sense for game console money. Under $100 it is suddenly a tempting device to pick up when out holiday shopping. Will hit the market within 4 weeks.

Time for the musical act. Play Steve off... Coldplay singer Chris Martin.

A rather cryptic guitar themed invite has been sent out to members of the press, and while there is no other additional information at hand, the latest incarnation of the iPod Touch is expected to be unveiled.

Speculation was already mounting that Cupertino would launch the new iPod Touch on 7 September, but it looks like showman Steve Jobs can't wait to unleash another piece of tech on the world.

The Touch is expected to have a 5-megapixel camera, FaceTime chat capabilities and even the A4 chip that powers the iPad under the hood. The display will also be ramped up so it is close to the Retina display on the iPhone 4.

The 'special event' is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at 6pm BST. V3.co.uk will be on hand to see what goes down.

The latest iPod Touch could come with a 5-megapixel camera, video calling and even the powerful A4 chip under the hood, if the whispers are to be believed. But surely the most enticing feature is going to be the display, which will allow users to watch films and TV shows on the move.

Speaking of TV shows, Cupertino is said to be in 'advanced talks' with News Corp head honcho Rupert Murdoch over a deal that could allow iTunes users to rent Fox TV shows for 99 cents (64p).

Episodes will be available to Apple's rental service within 24 hours of their air dates and will be commercial-free. Disney and NBC are also said to be pondering doing a deal with the devil Californian giant.

The agreement could be seen as an effort by Apple to outdo the likes of Amazon and Hulu, which are pushing their own video streaming services.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence to suggest that TV shows will go on sale in the UK for 64p. If they end up costing Brits 99p to download that would be a little unfair.

A $99 version of Apple's three-year-old Apple TV set-top box is also in the pipeline, according to Bloomberg. The device will have a smaller hard drive than the earlier version and is aimed at letting people stream content from iTunes, according to the mysterious sources.

Apple plans to hold a San Francisco event on 7 September, curiously two weeks ahead of the new prime-time TV season, where all will be revealed. We hope.

For example, the study estimated that 90 per cent of the iPad's customer base is from users who already own at least one Apple device. And research firm Strategy Analytics suggests that the trend will continue. Only two per cent of users who don't own an Apple product plan to buy the iPad in the coming year, compared to 18 per cent of current Apple customers.

On the surface, you can chalk this up to the notion that Apple's loyal customers will buy just about anything the company puts out. The statistics in the past have shown, to various degrees, that Apple customers do make up a large portion of sales for new devices.

But there's also the fact that Apple has greatly expanded its reach in recent years. A base that used to be limited to Macintosh computers and iPods has now extended by several million new users into the phone market. When you add the flood of new users that came under Apple's tent with the iPhone, you have a much larger base of existing customers.

Then there's the nature of the tablet market, which has thus far been something of an early adopter platform. Many tablet sales have so far targeted the high-end and enthusiast crowds who have been long been characterised by brand loyalty.

Regardless, the report doesn't exactly predict gloom and doom for Apple. As Strategy Analytics director of connected home devices Peter King puts it, "Apple can mop up plenty of iPad demand from its loyal customer base before it needs to start focusing on the 50 per cent of people who do not yet own one of its products."

The company has made some very savvy buys in its 34 years of existence. From the clone-killing purchase of Power Computing to the merger with PA Semi that gave Apple an in-house developer for iPhone processors, the folks down in Cupertino have made some savvy buys.

One purchase, however, stands head and shoulders above the rest as the greatest acquisition Apple has ever made.

In 1997, Apple was hurting in a bad way. Years of neglect had left the MacOS as a rusty old antique, and it was painfully obvious that in order to keep up with the upcoming generation of hardware and software, the platform needed to be re-written from the ground up. With cash in short supply, then-CEO Gil Amelio realised that the company didn't have the time or money to do a complete re-write in house, so he turned to the start-up community for the basis of its next platform.

The company settled on a budding Unix platform developer called NeXT. Their product would eventually become the basis for MacOS X and help to bring the Macintosh into the 21st century.

More important, however, was the personnel brought in by the deal. The chief executive of NeXT was none other than one Steven Paul Jobs. The Apple co-founder came back aboard the company and within a few months he had effectively maneuvered his way back into the chief executive spot.

Under Jobs' reign Apple was able to reinvent itself not only as a vendor of personal computers, but also as a pioneer of consumer electronics. Among the runaway successes Jobs has spearheaded were the iPod, iMac and iPhone. His reign has seen Apple go from the brink of bankruptcy to one of the most profitable companies in the tech world.

What many don't realise, however, is that the deal came very close to never happening. Amelio's first choice of an acquisition target was Be Inc. The company's BeOS was in many ways a perfect fit for Apple. Had Be founder Jean-Louis Gassée not stuck to his guns and demanded top dollar for the company, Apple might very well have never even entered into discussions with Jobs and the company would look very different today. In fact, Apple might not even be around today.

A report in Wired said that the company's director of applications technology and App Store Director has several applications from his previous business available for purchase in the store, and their content isn't exactly the sort of classy artistic expression you'll see on an Apple advertisement.

Among the offerings are a pair of "fart" sound generators as well as an application called iWiz that allows you to simulate the sounds of urination.

Now, let's not get all high and mighty here. Even the best of us enjoy the occasional fart joke, and one will encounter as bad or worse material in your average broadcast. Aside from that, the Apps were approved by the company long before the manager in question was even hired.

But given Apple's control over the content of the store, I'm sure more than a few developers are shaking their heads.

Apple has been almost puritanical in their control over what goes into the App Store. The company has denied entry to everything from apps that show sexy photos to political cartoon viewers. It's safe to say that the company has turned down things that most people would find less offensive than a variable speed wee simulator.

If you are a developer who has recently been rejected from the App Store for one reason or another, knowing that the guy who did it also sells a game that makes the sound of a panda bear breaking wind has to raise one's eyebrows.

Still, it's become a pretty big news item and probably one worth mentioning on the Mac Inspector blog (plus, it involves explosions!)

The case dates all the way back to 2005, when a batch of the very first iPod Nano models were equipped with a faulty battery. According to Apple, only .001 per cent of iPod Nano devices actually got the handset, but those unfortunate few that did faced a rather scary problem.

The faulty handsets were vulnerable to sustaining damage that could cause the lithium-ion battery pack in the iPod to... well... combust. No serious injuries were reported, but even the remote possibility of an electrical fire starting in your pocket tends to put people on edge. On top of that, there was a bit of "exploding battery hysteria" going around thanks to Sony's massive notebook battery recall.

So fast forward to 2008. After investigating claims of fires, Japan's government issues a warning and asks Apple to do something about the combustible battery packs.

Fast forward another two years. The iPhone is performing well in Asia, and the company is hoping for the iPad to do likewise. Word surfaces that Apple is finally offering users a complete replacement for first-generation iPod Nano models that may be vulnerable. Only 400,000 vulnerable units were reported as sold in Japan, and given the turnover rate, Apple will hardly see a major impact on financial figures from users trading in their 2005-2006 Nanos.

And so ends the iPod Nano's fiery five year journey in Japan, with a couple of dozen accident reports, a minor recall and a day's worth of headlines.

According to comment passed along to us from Symantec, the sought after Apple tablet is now being used to spread a Twitter spam campaign. Apparently the attack uses the promise of a free iPad to send the user to a shortened URL link. The tactic is common for luring users into an attack site, phishing page, or any other unsavory web operation.

Apple users by now should know that the promise of any free i-product is almost certainly an invitation to a scam. Apple has in recent years expanded its operation to stores like Best Buy and Wal-Mart, but it's a pretty safe bet that none of Apple's retail partners is advertising its operations by sending you unsolicited messages from strange accounts.

As always, the best defence in this case is common sense. If a Tweet, Wall Post, or email message comes by promising a product that is otherwise a hot commodity, the deal is going to be too good to be true.

With most cases like this we're preaching to the choir on Mac Inspector. Much like the Mac malware scares and email scams, it's not the tech savvy blog readers that are likely to fall for the attack, but the less knowledgeable friends, family and co-workers. So if a friend or family member passes along such messages, delete it and then summon your patience to explain to them the situation and how to avoid such attacks in the future.

Yoko didn't say exactly what the hold up was, but she indicated that there was one key point of contention that was keeping Apple Corps. from striking a deal with Apple Inc. to bring the Beatles to iTunes.

Now before you go blaming her alone for the hold-up, Ono says that she is completely in agreement with Paul, Ringo and the estate of George Harrison on whatever the dealbreaker issue is. Apple already offers the solo work of each Beatle through iTunes, so one does have to wonder exactly what the hold-up is.

The two sides do have a history of feuding, including an extensive suit over Apple's various music products and services. When the whole case was settled in 2007, many expected Apple Inc. to announce a deal. But alas, Yoko says don't hold your breath.

On the plus side, iTunes does offer an extensive collection of Yoko's own musical works...

Okay, okay, sorry.

Good news if you're a fan of unlocked iPhones waiting for an iOS 4 hack, but probably not welcome news at Apple (though a recent ruling has protected jailbreaking)

In the end, however, this is something that should benefit everyone, at least on the security front.

You see, these sort of web-based jailbreak techniques require a point of entry from which a page can automatically access the inner-workings of a handset and install new code. In other words, a remote code vulnerability.

In this case, researchers are exploiting a vulnerability in the handling of PDF files.The page takes advantage of the vulnerability to install the jailbreak tools. In the process, the vulnerability is publicly brought to light, something that is both good and bad for all iPhone users.

On one hand, the researchers are disclosing a "zero day" flaw for which there is not yet a patch. Many security vendors and experts argue against such disclosures, advising researchers to contact the company privately and only disclose a flaw after a patch is available.

On the other hand, a quiet disclosure wasn't really an option here, as the unpatched vulnerability is necessary for the procedure. And because this vulnerability was disclosed in such a public manner, Apple has no doubt already begun work on an update.

It may not be the safest way to disclose a flaw, but in the long run all iPhone users will be a bit safer thanks to the developers in the iphone dev team.

It is sometimes said that Apple has found it relatively hard to gain serious market share in one of the world's most technologically advanced nations. Contributing to this is the perception of the nation as a tech "Galapagos", where its products, standards and services have evolved in a unique, incomparable way which crucially makes them almost completely incompatible with those outside its borders.

But on a trip to the Far East last week I found serious floor space devoted to both the iPhone 4 and iPad in large electrical stores such as Yamada Denki and Bic Camera up and down the land.

Shop assistants told me the device was their best seller, while a straw poll of Japanese friends told the same story. One, an English teacher in Niigata prefecture, said the iPhone 4 had finally realised the standards expected of Japanese consumers, with the extensive range of apps on offer crucially giving users a greater number of customisation options.

The chief executive of exclusive iPhone 4 carrier Softbank,echoed these findings last week, saying that the firm's strong performance last quarter was down to the success of the iPhone and iPad. IPhone 4 sales had "far exceeded" his expectations, he added.

Other bestsellers, according to shop assistants, are Sony Ericsson's latest Xperia handsets and Sharp's Android-based IS01 smartbook. Touchscreen devices aside, the most popular handsets in Japan are still of the clamshell variety, with a far more boxy, angular design than many western equivalents.

That, of course, gives Japanese consumers ample surface area to bling up their devices by affixing various stickers, gemstones and other assorted items. A whole mini industry has grown up around these peripherals, with many electrical retail stores even offering a dedicated counter where a professional can pimp your phone to order.

Security firm Lookout Security has published the results on a study of more than 300,000 iPhone and Android applications and found results that many people will find startling. Most notably, the firm reported that 14 per cent of iPhone applications have access to the user's contact list.

The study also found that one third of Apps will access the user's current location data and 23 per cent contain third party code.

The latter two points aren't much cause for concern, as users are notified whenever an App asks for locational data, and Apple has both App Store screening and remote management tools to pull the plug on offending applications.

The access to contact information, however, could make a few people uneasy. Apple doesn't currently notify users when contact information is accessed, and that sort of information on friends and family is what some users consider very private information.

That's not to say that your new solitaire App is stealing your grandmother's phone number and using it for premium fee number scams or telemarketing cons, but it is something Apple should look into with future updates.

Ideally, there could be some sort of labeling system in the App Store to let users know what information an App requires before they purchase and download it to their handsets, but a warning message like that used for location data would work just fine.

Apple appears to have peeved off even the most loyal fanboys and girls with the dropped signal issue, as aside from sticking a bumper on the device, there is no real fix to the problem.

"I only had my phone 5 days by the time of the [Steve Jobs'] press conference. I then spoke to Orange and they said they do not offer a cancellation and if I want to change my phone I have to go via Apple," one user noted.

Another explained, "So I am basically stuck with a contract as they do not offer a 14 day return....I do not know where we stand especially as the longer we wait most will be past their 7-14 day return."

Meanwhile, other customers have taken a more novel approach to the situation.

"I bought my phone from Apple, [on an] 02 contract in the UK. I had the phone replaced and the second phone was faulty as well as [the] first. Returned the phone to Apple after the 14 days grace period and 02 did not mind at all that I returned the phone outside this period," another user noted.

"I'm now back to my 3G and a 1 month rolling contract. I will wait and see what happens to the iPhone 4 in September."

Meanwhile, Apple continues to bait its competitors by adding to its smartphone antenna performance page, in which it aims to 'educate' smartphone users about the reception on offer from rival handsets.

"The opposite of amplification, attenuation happens whenever a signal is obstructed. All antennas -- including television, radio, GPS, and cellular antennas -- can experience attenuation," Apple said on its site.

"And with most antennas, the density and composition of the human hand can cause attenuation to a greater degree than some other materials." Or so Apple says, anyway.

Smartphones including the BlackBerry Bold 9700, HTC Droid Eris and Motorola Droid X are all allergic to good reception if Apple is to be believed.

Samsung appears to be carrying the fight to Apple, mocking the iPhone 4's reception issues with adverts plastered over newspapers and billboards.

One advert reads: "Samsung Galaxy S. Receiving a good reception", while another uses the image of a full bar of signal to promote the handset. The ingenious ads have raised a chuckle in the V3.co.uk office. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Galaxy S starts to flies off the shelves.

Instead of letting the Antennagate saga blow over, Apple seems to be intent on continuing to remind everyone that the iPhone is not capable of functioning as a calling device, a PR own goal if ever there was one.

On a side note, shouldn't Apple be busy fixing the design fault on its own device rather than pointing out minor niggles on devices that it didn't create?

And perhaps the time has come for V3.co.uk to revisit that 4 out of 5 star rating given to the iPhone 4. We're just saying...

Recently, Old Spice made waves in the PR world with a unique advertising campaign where actor Isaiah Mustafa starred in customised video clips that responded directly to user questions and comments. The videos ranged from responses to Tweets to wedding proposals. The videos were a hit, and about as close as any billion-dollar corporation can get to having a viral video hit.

So how does that concern Apple? Well, according to Pund-IT principal analyst Charles King, the Old Spice campaign should serve as the inspiration for Apple in its response to the recent iPhone 4 antenna debacle.

King doesn't mean that Steve Jobs should trade in his black turtleneck for a bath towel (sorry for that mental image,) but the company should adopt that sort of direct approach to its users.

Writes King: "As outstanding an executive as Jobs has been, the Antennagate press conference became a necessity due to elemental corporate errors and breakdowns. Jobs' performance may have shown that he understands the importance of communicating with crucial financial stakeholders, but so far as connecting with actual customers goes, the Old Spice Guy has Jobs and Apple beat hands down."

In other words, had Apple foregone the secrecy and hostility towards the reports initially, Jobs would never have had to stand up there on stage and slip an apology in between hurling insults at the press and competing vendors.

The analyst is right in this case. Apple is a company that tries to keep very tight control of how it is presented to the public. It doesn't like to go through the press or outside agencies. Given Apple's own tendencies and corporate culture, and the dedicated nature of many of its users, the company could definitely have success should it decide to address issues sooner and on a more personal level with its customers.