June 28, 2011
∞ Sony adds Thunderbolt support
So far Thunderbolt – the high-speed I/O interface developed by Intel – has been used on one computer, the Mac. Now Sony is joining the fray with its redesigned VAIO Z laptop. (more…)
June 27, 2011
∞ David Barnard makes a case for a $49 Apple TV
But the bigger question remains—why would Apple sell a device on such a thin margin? I think the answer is two-fold. First, a $49 Apple TV would be an incredible, no-brainer accessory to devices running iOS 5. And though margins would be thin on the device itself I think it would help drive sales of iOS devices and propagate iOS platform lock-in. Second, I think the low price would give Apple momentum in the living room.
Nobody really knows what Apple has planned for Apple TV. A television set? Cheaper Apple TV? The same Apple TV we have now?
One thing is clear — Apple thinks the TV is a hobby, but it keeps dabbling in it. That must mean that it sees a future in there somewhere.
The Case for a $49 Apple TV | David Barnard
∞ Apple posts WWDC 2011 videos for developers
Couldn’t make it to Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) this year? Neither could most Apple developers. Not only is it a long way (and an expensive trip) for many people to go to, but WWDC tickets sold out in two hours, so the vast majority of iOS and Mac OS X developers weren’t able to make it to this year’s event. (more…)
∞ Trooper: Now that's the way a concert should be
I spent last weekend hanging out with the guys from Trooper, a legendary Canadian rock band. After watching two shows from backstage where I could see the crowd, it occurred to me that they have one of the best stage presences I’ve ever seen. (more…)
∞ TomTom lowers financial guidance again
As more consumers use free or cheap navigation software on their smartphones and turn increasingly to newer gadgets including tablet computers, TomTom has seen its sales hit. It had already lowered its full-year revenue guidance in April.
I tried TomTom when it came out for the iPhone and it was terrible. I’ve used Navigon since it came out and have no interest in switching.
∞ Apple is now the top mobile company in Australia
Apple is making waves in the mobile market all over the world. A new report released on Monday shows that the iPhone is the top mobile device vendor in Australia. (more…)
∞ Supreme Court says video games are protected speech
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday overturned a California law that would have fined retailers for selling violent video games to minors, and in the process said video games have the same protections under the First Amendment as books, movies and other forms of entertainment. (more…)
∞ Duke Nukem Forever headed to the Mac in August
Aspyr Media on Monday announced that they’re bringing Duke Nukem Forever to the Mac in August. The controversial game was released in June for consoles and PC. (more…)
∞ Great video on programming drums from Groove3
There are a lot of great drum samplers out there these days, but making the drum hits sound good with your song is not the easiest thing in the world to do. If you are having trouble with this, you should get the new tutorial released by Groove 3 on how to program drums in Pro Tools. The foundation of the lessons will work with any drum sampler and every DAW.
Programming Rock Drums in Pro Tools | Groove3
∞ Bungie's classic game Marathon coming to iPad
Bungie has confirmed that a version of its classic first person shooter game Marathon is headed to iOS – specifically, for iPad. (more…)
∞ Report: Apple will release two iPhones in September
One analyst says that Apple will go after the competition with both barrels in September, releasing two new iPhones instead of one iPhone 5. (more…)
June 24, 2011
∞ Apple posts MobileMe to iCloud transition FAQ
There are a lot of questions surrounding the transition to iCloud for existing MobileMe customers, so Apple posted an FAQ to let everyone know what’s going to happen. (more…)
∞ Some advice for writers and reporters
Visiting Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference was a great experience — I saw old friends and met some new ones. I also spent quite a bit of time answering questions from writers of many different publications. (more…)
∞ Apple files lawsuit against Samsung in South Korea
Apple, which was Samsung’s second-biggest client after Japan’s Sony Corp last year, became the South Korean firm’s biggest customer in the first quarter, mainly by purchasing semiconductors, according to Samsung’s quarterly report.
Earlier this week Apple’s lawyers said executives from the two companies were in private talks to end the dispute. I guess that didn’t go so well.
Apple files patent suit against Samsung in South Korea | Reuters
∞ Apple makes more from selling one Mac than HP does from seven PCs
The average selling price of a Mac increased 5.71% over the last two quarters. If we apply that growth rate to NPD’s data that says the ASP of a PC was $615 in November, then the ASP of a PC today is $650.12. Multiply that number by an 8% profit margin and HP makes $52.00 for every PC they sell.Apple makes more money from the sale of one Mac than HP does from selling seven PCs.
Numbers like these have to scare the hell out of Apple’s competition.
A Consequence of Losing the PC Wars | Matt Richman
June 23, 2011
∞ ITC postpones Kodak v. Apple and RIM decision
The ITC has surprisingly given notice that the target date for the decision has been extended by one week. It’s now June 30, 2011. This could either be due to a delay on the ITC’s part or a way for the ITC to give the parties more time to negotiate a settlement.
The investigation began last year at Kodak’s request and the decision was supposed to be handed down today. The official name of the investigation should give you a hint into what it’s all about: “Certain mobile telephones and wireless communication devices featuring digital cameras, and components thereof.”
Eastman Kodak v. Apple and RIM: target date for ITC decision postponed by one week | Foss Patents
∞ iPhone 4 the most used camera on Flickr
It doesn’t surprise me that Apple’s iPhone 4 has taken the top spot as the most used camera on Flickr, because it’s the only camera I use these days. (more…)
∞ Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.8, Leopard security update
Apple on Thursday released an update for Mac OS X Snow Leopard, bringing the most current version to 10.6.8. (more…)
∞ Tesla Roadster discontinued
We knew the Tesla Roadster was fast, but not this fast: after just three years on the market, the Roadster is no more. In about two months, Tesla will cease taking orders for the all-electric Roadster in the U.S., marking the end of an era during which the company helped prove to an often-skeptical public that electric vehicles could perform alongside conventional gasoline performance cars.
Should be interesting to see what they do next.
Farewell Roadster: Tesla Will Stop Taking Orders for its Iconic EV in Two Months | PopSci
∞ Final Cut Pro X tutorial videos available
These tutorials are produced by Apple Courseware author Michael Wohl (one of the original designers of the Final Cut Pro software). Learn deep insider secrets about the Final Cut Pro X software from a person who has been instrumental to the development of this software since day one.
MacProVideo is also releasing paid tutorials.
Besides the free 44-minute overview tutorial, macProVideo.com is also releasing 8 other feature-length tutorials in their Final Cut Pro X training series. Each title is available for $19.50 directly from the company’s website, or you can subscribe to their Online Tutorial Library for $25 per month and watch all 8 of the tutorials.
∞ Instapaper server seized in FBI raid
Possibly most importantly, though, the FBI is now presumably in possession of a complete copy of the Instapaper database as it stood on Tuesday morning, including the complete list of users and any non-deleted bookmarks. (“Archived” bookmarks are not deleted. “Deleted” bookmarks are hard-deleted out of the database immediately.)Instapaper stores only salted SHA-1 hashes of passwords, so those are relatively safe. But email addresses are stored in the clear, as is the saved content of each bookmark saved by the bookmarklet.The server also contained a complete copy of the Instapaper website codebase, but not the codebase of the iOS app.
You’ve probably heard about the FBI raid earlier this week. It was totally unrelated to Instapaper, but they, like many other companies, got caught up in the seizures.
The FBI stole an Instapaper server in an unrelated raid | Instapaper
∞ Apple set to sell more than 14 million iPads in third quarter
Sales of Apple’s iPad 2 tablet are set to explode in the third quarter according to Hong Kong-based research firm CLSA. Citing LCD sales data from DisplaySearch, the firm thinks Apple will unload 14.4 million iPad 2 tablets in the third quarter this year, well above the consensus of between 10 and 12 million units.
In the second fiscal quarter of 2011 Apple sold 4.69 million iPads. In the third quarter of 2010 they sold 3.27 million iPads. That’s a massive increase.
∞ CS5 printing guide PDF available
The CS5 / CS5.5 Printing Guide (PDF) is an in-depth technical reference guide designed especially for printers and production artists to help them learn the best ways of handling and preparing CS5 and CS5.5 files for print.
CS5/CS5.5 Printing Guide now available | John Nack
∞ Pimp your iPhone infographic
There are lots of way to spruce up and customize the look of your iPhone. Here’s a great info graphic from the guys at Geekaphone on how people are pimping their iPhones. Graphic used with permission. (more…)
∞ iOS users spend more time on Wi-Fi than Android users
In other words, iPhone users consume almost half of their content via WiFi and Android users consume more than three quarters of theirs over cellular networks. In tablets, the difference is even more pronounced: 91.9 percent of iPad data traffic occurred over WiFi networks compared to 65.2 percent for Android tablets.
John Paczkowski on a new report comparing iPhone and iPad Wi-Fi usage to Android users. Quite a huge gap.
Apple, Android Owners Diverge on Wi-Fi Usage — But Why? | AllThingsD
∞ Incarna takes EVE Online players out of ships for the first time
This week CCP Games introduced Incarna, a massive new free expansion for its space-based MMO EVE Online, available for Mac and Windows. All EVE Online gamers will get the update when they log in to EVE Online. (more…)
∞ An Apple television could add $6 billion in revenue by 2014
There has been a lot of chatter lately about Apple releasing its own branded television. If it does happen, the projected revenue for Apple by one industry analyst is up to $6 billion a year. (more…)
June 22, 2011
∞ Nilay Patel on Apple's multitouch interface patent
As usual, most of the hysteria is based on a fundamental misinterpretation of what the patent claims actually say, and what behaviors they actually cover in iOS. I don’t know why we keep repeating this sad cycle, but I do know that it’s always, always better for us to read the claims and try to figure them out for ourselves — and in this case, they’re actually pretty narrow.
As a former lawyer, Nilay knows what he’s talking about.
Apple granted patent on webpage scrolling behaviors, media granted patent on crazy | This is my next
∞ Patents don't equal products
Editor’s note: This article was written by Your Mac Life host Shawn King.
Last week, The Loop had a story titled Apple patent could prevent you from filming in some venues”. I commented on the story, as I have on other web sites and on several mailing lists, that people should relax. (more…)
∞ Apple hits 'stumbling block' in Amazon App Store lawsuit
The judge hearing Apple’s lawsuit against Amazon over the use of the term “App Store” has indicated that Apple may face some hurdles. (more…)